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This is a pick your own path story! That means, the paths are all misplaced and I wouldn’t want you to become horribly confused!

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     Over 150 years ago, the Powered People, also known as Pows, began to emerge among the populous. These people were born normal until they reached a certain age, and their abilities blossomed. These children could suddenly do unexplainable things: fly, disappear, shoot substances from their fingertips. Thousands of different abilities could be named, and no two child’s abilities were exactly the same.

     No one knew how, where or why these genetically superior people appeared, but the fear of these new people quickly set in. Prejudice against Pows spread like wild fire, and soon, Pows were refused entry into numerous businesses, schools, and even entire cities. Though superior with their abilities, the Pows never fought back.

     50 years had passed since the first Pows had appeared. Many new cities were built by the Pows unable to enter normal human cities, or as the Pows called them, Non cities. Though the Pows and the Nons lived separately, things were peaceful. For a while.

     The Nons decided that segregation was not enough. To have such dangerous beings live on their world not only terrified them, but made them feel powerless in all senses of the word. In January 2113, the Nons declared war on the Pows.

     One of the bloodiest wars in a hundred years followed, killing hundreds of thousands of both Nons and Pows; the war spanning over a mere four and a half years. Hundreds of cities were burnt to the ground, and a lot of the prospering land was turned to dust by weapons of the Nons and the magic of the Pows; the planet was being destroyed. Until one fateful day, in the summer of 2117, something changed.

     A child was born on August 20th, named Victoria Zentique, within the Non city of Haling. When she was born, she didn’t cry or fuss, but opened her eyes and spoke to the doctor, thanking them for bringing her into the world. She was a Pow, and unlike any other, she gained her powers as soon as she came out of the womb. Her powers consisted of being able to see everything that was going to happen from the present to 20 years into the future, at any given time. For this reason, she was able to speak almost fluently as a newborn. The downside to her abilities was that, although she could see the future, she was born blind.

     Millions watched from across the globe as a baby girl, barely a month old, spoke fluently to the public, begging for a stop to the war, otherwise their planet and everyone on it would be eradicated within the next 10 years. A couple of hours after the broadcast, the war was put to an end.

     The year is now 2158.

     Though there is still prejudice against the Pows, there are some cities where Pows and Nons live together in one place, called sanctuary cities, or Unis. A major Uni city, named Venara, is where Empress Victoria Zentique resides, now controlling Pow cities and serving as an ambassadress for the Powered People.

     Every day, hundreds of Pows are still being abused, taken from their homes and killed, forced into slavery, or worse. How much longer will the Pows be able to keep themselves from fighting back?

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     A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!”  

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

     A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!”  

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

      A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!” 

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

     A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!”  

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

     Jacob woke up in a sweat; the sun was shining directly into his eyes. Getting up in a panic, forgetting where he was, Jacob bumped Gracie, who was positioned a couple inches away, her back facing him.

     “Mm… what is it?” she said drowsily, rolling over to look at Jacob. Her eyes widened and her face flushed, quickly realizing how close she was to him. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ear, folding her arms. “Ah, sorry… um, did you sleep well?”

     “Oh,” Jacob smiled, sitting up and rubbing his neck, “I slept fine. Did… did you?”

     Gracie nodded quickly and smiled, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact. The fact that she was embarrassed was extremely cute to Jacob, and he laughed.

     “W-what?” Gracie squeaked, her face completely red.

     “Nothin’,” he replied, Jacob’s grin slowly widening, “hey, we’ve got a bit of ground to cover yet. Why don’t we, uh, get a move on?”

     Though distraught by the way he was acting, Gracie complied, her face still tinted with redness, “I.. suppose so.” She stood up suddenly, making room for Jacob to stretch out. Turning around, she held a hand out for him.

     “Thanks,” Jacob said, barely using her hand to stand up. It was nice of her to offer some help, but he didn’t truly need it. Not only was he very strong, but she would barely be able to pull his weight off the ground. The two of them smiled at each other before shuffling out of the cave into the warm sun.

     For Jacob, walking across the sand was almost too much to bear. He felt himself start to sweat, and raised his arm to his eyes to shield them from the sun. Gracie sighed and wiped her forehead, revealing that she was feeling the heat as well. They came up over a hill, where the beginning of grass, plants and trees had started to stretch toward the beach. A couple yards ahead, a woman was sitting on a small table. Behind her was a large, square wagon that was painted a bright purple. Jacob and Gracie slowly approached, the sweat dripping rhythmically from Jacob’s chin.

     “Hello, travelers!” the woman beckoned. She wore a red blindfold, a sports jacket, shorts and a very revealing tank top. Dark brown hair curled down the right side of her face; the left side of her head had been shaved at one time, but it had grown out about a half of an inch. Her caramel skin seemed to glow in the sunlight when her pouty lips twisted into a smile. Slowly, she turned her head toward Gracie.

     “How did you know we were near?” Gracie asked, coming to a stop next to the wagon. Jacob folded his arms, not looking at the woman.

     “I’m blind, hon, not deaf,” the woman smiled, using the table to stand up, “I’m Jerelle. And where are you folks headed?”

     “Sorry! To, um,” Gracie paused, trying to remember where they were going, “oh yeah, Venara! I’m Gracie. This is Jacob.”

     “Howdy.” Jacob mumbled, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to hang around this woman, since he sensed something was off. What was this blind woman doing way out here by herself? And how did she get here with that giant wagon? Jacob forced a smile and looked back toward the sea. Jerelle chuckled.

     “Charming. Say, you seem like intelligent folks. How’s about trying your luck, hm?” Jerelle grabbed at the table and moved around to the back of it, finally coming to a chair. Reaching under the table, she pulled out three cups and placed them in a row. From her pocket, she pulled out a round, smooth rock, lifted the middle cup and then slid the rock under it.

     “Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this game before,” Jerelle continued, putting her elbows on the table, “but there’s valuable stuff in it for you. If you care to try, that is. Of course, it’s a bet system. I offer, you offer-”

     “I think we need to get going,” Jacob snapped, furrowing his brows.

     “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to interrupt a lady?” Jerelle replied, frowning for the first time since Jacob and Gracie had arrived.

     “I’m sorry,” Gracie said, looking at Jacob and then back at Jerelle, “but we don’t have anything to give anyway. We really should be on our way-”

     “Now, now, hon, I’m sure you have something. Maybe showing what I’ve got will change your mind?”

     “I-I don’t think that will be necessary-”

     “C'mon!” Jerelle stood up and walked around the table, feeling the side of the wagon as she moved toward the back. Gracie shrugged, giving an apologetic look to Jacob.

     “It should only take a second! O-okay? You can wait here…” Gracie left Jacob, gave a smile to encourage him that everything would work out, and started walking toward the spot where Jerelle was waiting patiently. Jacob tapped his foot anxiously, knowing this whole thing was a scam. He had dealt with Jerelle’s kind before; they prey on anyone who happens to come by, whether it be the richest man within a thousand miles or the poorest. Jacob yawned and stretched, putting a hand over his eyes again to block out the overwhelming light.

     Several minutes passed, and Jacob had overheard Gracie giggle numerous times. What could they possibly be talking about back there? Whatever the case, It didn’t matter. Jacob thought it was totally adorable. Just when he was going to butt in and yank Gracie out of Jerelle’s clutches, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned his head toward the side of the wagon that was nearest to him, and saw a hand disappear around the corner.

     “Huh?” Jacob questioned aloud, moving slowly toward the other side of the wagon. He inched closer and closer to the edge, preparing himself to attack, defend, or whatever else he might need to do. He suddenly sprung out from behind the wagon, holding up his hands in a kung-fu-like fashion, only to be greeted by a rock and a tuft of grass.

     “I could’ve sworn there was… huh.” Jacob scratched his head, dumbfounded. He knew he had seen something.

     “Jacob?” Gracie called from the other end of the wagon, a worried tone hanging in her voice.

     “Yeah,” he called back, bending down to pick up a rock, “I’m fine. Just checking things out.” Jacob studied the rock, turning it over in his hands. He needed to get Gracie to Venara, a place where she could experience something better than con artists and evil grandparents. Suddenly, a black drop of liquid landed on Jacob’s thumb. He stared at it for a minute, not able to recognize what it was just by looking at it. Another drop landed on the rock, and yet another on his prosthetic arm. Jacob spun around looked up toward the top of the wagon to see something looming up there, staring down at him. Only in this case, the thing wasn’t staring, or seeing anything at all. It did not have eyes; there was only smoothed skin where eyes were supposed to be. The thing smiled and leapt down from the wagon, landing right next to Jacob, almost knocking him over. Jacob stumbled backward, dropping his rock and falling flat onto his butt.

     “S-stay back! W-what the hell-” he shouted, scooting backward and scrambling to get back onto his feet. The thing towered over Jacob, easily a foot taller than him. It looked like a human, minus having eyes, and its skin was completely black; a liquid equally as dark as its skin leaked from its mouth, which was plastered with a grin. Gracie and Jerelle ran to the scene, Gracie screaming when she saw the figure.

     “W-what is that!”

     “He isn’t a ‘that’, actually,” Jerelle said, her tone calm and her arms folded, “his name is Void. Or, as I like to call him, Blackie.” Both Gracie and Jacob were taken aback by guilt.

     “I-I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. Gracie blushed, embarrassed for calling someone a “that”. Void responded by slightly hunching over, and raising his fists to his cheeks and pretending to cry. Almost instantly, he proceeded to throw his head back and open his mouth as if to laugh, but no sound came out. It was clear to Jacob that he was being silently made fun of.

     “H-hey, quit that!” Jacob whined, squeezing his hand into a fist. Void continued to laugh without noise, slapping his leg.

     “Is he…” Gracie started to say, but stopped herself. She wasn’t quite sure of how to word her question.

     “He is mute and blind,” Jerelle spoke, answering Gracie’s thoughts, “we make a good team, though. I’d probably like him less if he could talk back.” Jerelle laughed to herself.

     “I see.”

     “Well, what do you people do, anyway? Both of you are blind, and one of you can’t speak. How do you even get anything done?” Jacob wondered, keeping Void within his vision. As soon as this Void guy appeared, he felt even more suspicious of what Jerelle was up to. Whatever it was, Jacob thought it would be best for Gracie and himself to leave. Right now.

     “We’re just travelers, I tell him where to go and he pulls the wagon.”

     “Tell him where to go…?” Gracie questioned, putting a hand up to her chest.

     “I think it’s about time we get going. We have somewhere to be.” Jacob nodded at Void and turned to walk toward Gracie when something stopped him. He slowly turned and looked to see Void holding him by the wrist. “What…?”

     “We really can’t let you go,” Jerelle said, holding up her hand as if to look at her nails, “how fair would it be to leave us empty handed?”

     “I don’t understand…” Gracie said, tears welling up in her eyes. Jacob growled audibly, trying to get his arm out of Void’s grasp. Void spun him around and pulled Jacob’s other arm behind him, making it near impossible for Jacob to escape.

     “Everyone has something they can offer, y'know? Whether they know it or not.” Jerelle reached her hands behind her head and untied her blindfold, revealing two gaping eye sockets. Just below the holes, two slits appeared in her skin; two new eyes opened, one iris blue and the other purple, and blinked at where Jacob stood. A third, yellow eye appeared on her forehead, and looked toward Gracie.

     “You have abilities,” Jacob laughed, the anger in his voice apparent, “I knew it. There was something off about you from the start.”

     “Oh bravo, kid. Now, if you just let us search you, we’ll be on our way-”

     “No!” Gracie screamed, her eye turning black, “No… you let Jacob go. Right now.”

     “Gracie, they could be dangerous-” Jacob said, trying to calm her. He knew what Gracie was capable of, but he didn’t want her to get hurt. More importantly, he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

     “We aren’t looking for trouble, miss,” Jerelle said cautiously, realizing Gracie could have abilities as well, “This was just us havin’ a little fun, see? Me and Void’s bank is dry as a bone, and we just… you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m sure you can understand.”

     Void let go of Jacob, allowing him to get as far away from him as possible. He ran next to Gracie and grabbed her by her upper arm. Void still had a giant grin on his face.

     “Gracie, come on. Let’s get out of here.” Gracie’s eye changed to a dark red, though it was still focused on Jerelle and her partner. Jacob urged her again, and the two of them turned and started to walk away.

     “I hope we can meet again,” Jerelle called, the eye on her right cheek disappearing and another appearing below her collar bone, “under better circumstances. Come on, Blackie, we’ve got customers to find.” Void nodded and bounced toward the wagon, taking hold of two chains that were hooked to the front of the wagon. Jerelle climbed into the back and whistled, signaling to Void that he needed to start pulling the wagon. The wheels of the cart skidded in place until the earth finally gave way and allowed movement. Jerelle gave a final salute paired a smirk as they rode past Gracie and Jacob to their next destination.

     Gracie sighed, folding her arms and continuing to walk. Jacob stopped, reached his hand out and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. It was probably better to let her cool off. Jacob shook his head and sighed, jogging to catch up to Gracie.

     Jacob woke up in a sweat; the sun was shining directly into his eyes. Getting up in a panic, forgetting where he was, Jacob bumped Gracie, who was positioned a couple inches away, her back facing him.

     “Mm… what is it?” she said drowsily, rolling over to look at Jacob. Her eyes widened and her face flushed, quickly realizing how close she was to him. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ear, folding her arms. “Ah, sorry… um, did you sleep well?”

     “Oh,” Jacob smiled, sitting up and rubbing his neck, “I slept fine. Did… did you?”

     Gracie nodded quickly and smiled, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact. The fact that she was embarrassed was extremely cute to Jacob, and he laughed.

     “W-what?” Gracie squeaked, her face completely red.

     “Nothin’,” he replied, Jacob’s grin slowly widening, “hey, we’ve got a bit of ground to cover yet. Why don’t we, uh, get a move on?”

     Though distraught by the way he was acting, Gracie complied, her face still tinted with redness, “I.. suppose so.” She stood up suddenly, making room for Jacob to stretch out. Turning around, she held a hand out for him.

     “Thanks,” Jacob said, barely using her hand to stand up. It was nice of her to offer some help, but he didn’t truly need it. Not only was he very strong, but she would barely be able to pull his weight off the ground. The two of them smiled at each other before shuffling out of the cave into the warm sun.

     For Jacob, walking across the sand was almost too much to bear. He felt himself start to sweat, and raised his arm to his eyes to shield them from the sun. Gracie sighed and wiped her forehead, revealing that she was feeling the heat as well. They came up over a hill, where the beginning of grass, plants and trees had started to stretch toward the beach. A couple yards ahead, a woman was sitting on a small table. Behind her was a large, square wagon that was painted a bright purple. Jacob and Gracie slowly approached, the sweat dripping rhythmically from Jacob’s chin.

     “Hello, travelers!” the woman beckoned. She wore a red blindfold, a sports jacket, shorts and a very revealing tank top. Dark brown hair curled down the right side of her face; the left side of her head had been shaved at one time, but it had grown out about a half of an inch. Her caramel skin seemed to glow in the sunlight when her pouty lips twisted into a smile. Slowly, she turned her head toward Gracie.

     “How did you know we were near?” Gracie asked, coming to a stop next to the wagon. Jacob folded his arms, not looking at the woman.

     “I’m blind, hon, not deaf,” the woman smiled, using the table to stand up, “I’m Jerelle. And where are you folks headed?”

     “Sorry! To, um,” Gracie paused, trying to remember where they were going, “oh yeah, Venara! I’m Gracie. This is Jacob.”

     “Howdy.” Jacob mumbled, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to hang around this woman, since he sensed something was off. What was this blind woman doing way out here by herself? And how did she get here with that giant wagon? Jacob forced a smile and looked back toward the sea. Jerelle chuckled.

     “Charming. Say, you seem like intelligent folks. How’s about trying your luck, hm?” Jerelle grabbed at the table and moved around to the back of it, finally coming to a chair. Reaching under the table, she pulled out three cups and placed them in a row. From her pocket, she pulled out a round, smooth rock, lifted the middle cup and then slid the rock under it.

     “Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this game before,” Jerelle continued, putting her elbows on the table, “but there’s valuable stuff in it for you. If you care to try, that is. Of course, it’s a bet system. I offer, you offer-”      “I think we need to get going,” Jacob snapped, furrowing his brows.

     “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to interrupt a lady?” Jerelle replied, frowning for the first time since Jacob and Gracie had arrived.      “I’m sorry,” Gracie said, looking at Jacob and then back at Jerelle, “but we don’t have anything to give anyway. We really should be on our way-”

     “Now, now, hon, I’m sure you have something. Maybe showing what I’ve got will change your mind?”

     “I-I don’t think that will be necessary-”

     “C'mon!” Jerelle stood up and walked around the table, feeling the side of the wagon as she moved toward the back. Gracie shrugged, giving an apologetic look to Jacob.

      “It should only take a second! O-okay? You can wait here…” Gracie left Jacob, gave a smile to encourage him that everything would work out, and started walking toward the spot where Jerelle was waiting patiently.

     Jacob tapped his foot anxiously, knowing this whole thing was a scam. He had dealt with Jerelle’s kind before; they prey on anyone who happens to come by, whether it be the richest man within a thousand miles or the poorest. Jacob yawned and stretched, putting a hand over his eyes again to block out the overwhelming light.

     Several minutes passed, and Jacob had overheard Gracie giggle numerous times. What could they possibly be talking about back there? Whatever the case, It didn’t matter. Jacob thought it was totally adorable. Just when he was going to butt in and yank Gracie out of Jerelle’s clutches, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned his head toward the side of the wagon that was nearest to him, and saw a hand disappear around the corner.

     “Huh?” Jacob questioned aloud, moving slowly toward the other side of the wagon. He inched closer and closer to the edge, preparing himself to attack, defend, or whatever else he might need to do. He suddenly sprung out from behind the wagon, holding up his hands in a kung-fu-like fashion, only to be greeted by a rock and a tuft of grass.

     “I could’ve sworn there was… huh.” Jacob scratched his head, dumbfounded. He knew he had seen something.

     “Jacob?” Gracie called from the other end of the wagon, a worried tone hanging in her voice.

     “Yeah,” he called back, bending down to pick up a rock, “I’m fine. Just checking things out.” Jacob studied the rock, turning it over in his hands. He needed to get Gracie to Venara, a place where she could experience something better than con artists and evil grandparents. Suddenly, a black drop of liquid landed on Jacob’s thumb. He stared at it for a minute, not able to recognize what it was just by looking at it. Another drop landed on the rock, and yet another on his prosthetic arm. Jacob spun around looked up toward the top of the wagon to see something looming up there, staring down at him. Only in this case, the thing wasn’t staring, or seeing anything at all. It did not have eyes; there was only smoothed skin where eyes were supposed to be.

     The thing smiled and leapt down from the wagon, landing right next to Jacob, almost knocking him over. Jacob stumbled backward, dropping his rock and falling flat onto his butt.

     “S-stay back! W-what the hell-” he shouted, scooting backward and scrambling to get back onto his feet. The thing towered over Jacob, easily a foot taller than him. It looked like a human, minus having eyes, and its skin was completely black; a liquid equally as dark as its skin leaked from its mouth, which was plastered with a grin. Gracie and Jerelle ran to the scene, Gracie screaming when she saw the figure.

     “W-what is that!”

     “He isn’t a ‘that’, actually,” Jerelle said, her tone calm and her arms folded, “his name is Void. Or, as I like to call him, Blackie.” Both Gracie and Jacob were taken aback by guilt.

     “I-I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. Gracie blushed, embarrassed for calling someone a “that”.

     Void responded by slightly hunching over, and raising his fists to his cheeks and pretending to cry. Almost instantly, he proceeded to throw his head back and open his mouth as if to laugh, but no sound came out. It was clear to Jacob that he was being silently made fun of.

     “H-hey, quit that!” Jacob whined, squeezing his hand into a fist. Void continued to laugh without noise, slapping his leg.

     “Is he…” Gracie started to say, but stopped herself. She wasn’t quite sure of how to word her question.

     “He is mute and blind,” Jerelle spoke, answering Gracie’s thoughts, “we make a good team, though. I’d probably like him less if he could talk back.” Jerelle laughed to herself.

     “I see.”

     “Well, what do you people do, anyway? Both of you are blind, and one of you can’t speak. How do you even get anything done?” Jacob wondered, keeping Void within his vision. As soon as this Void guy appeared, he felt even more suspicious of what Jerelle was up to. Whatever it was, Jacob thought it would be best for Gracie and himself to leave. Right now.

     “We’re just travelers, I tell him where to go and he pulls the wagon.”

     “Tell him where to go…?” Gracie questioned, putting a hand up to her chest.

     “I think it’s about time we get going. We have somewhere to be.” Jacob nodded at Void and turned to walk toward Gracie when something stopped him. He slowly turned and looked to see Void holding him by the wrist. “What…?”

     “We really can’t let you go,” Jerelle said, holding up her hand as if to look at her nails, “how fair would it be to leave us empty handed?”

     “I don’t understand…” Gracie said, tears welling up in her eyes. Jacob growled audibly, trying to get his arm out of Void’s grasp. Void spun him around and pulled Jacob’s other arm behind him, making it near impossible for Jacob to escape.

     “Everyone has something they can offer, y'know? Whether they know it or not.” Jerelle reached her hands behind her head and untied her blindfold, revealing two gaping eye sockets. Just below the holes, two slits appeared in her skin; two new eyes opened, one iris blue and the other purple, and blinked at where Jacob stood. A third, yellow eye appeared on her forehead, and looked toward Gracie.

     “You have abilities,” Jacob laughed, the anger in his voice apparent, “I knew it. There was something off about you from the start.”

     “Oh bravo, kid. Now, if you just let us search you, we’ll be on our way-”

     “No!” Gracie screamed, her eye turning black, “No… you let Jacob go. Right now.”

     “Gracie, they could be dangerous-” Jacob said, trying to calm her. He knew what Gracie was capable of, but he didn’t want her to get hurt. More importantly, he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

     “We aren’t looking for trouble, miss,” Jerelle said cautiously, realizing Gracie could have abilities as well, “This was just us havin’ a little fun, see? Me and Void’s bank is dry as a bone, and we just… you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m sure you can understand.”

     Void let go of Jacob, allowing him to get as far away from him as possible. He ran next to Gracie and grabbed her by her upper arm. Void still had a giant grin on his face.

     “Gracie, come on. Let’s get out of here.” Gracie’s eye changed to a dark red, though it was still focused on Jerelle and her partner. Jacob urged her again, and the two of them turned and started to walk away.

     “I hope we can meet again,” Jerelle called, the eye on her right cheek disappearing and another appearing below her collar bone, “under better circumstances. Come on, Blackie, we’ve got customers to find.” Void nodded and bounced toward the wagon, taking hold of two chains that were hooked to the front of the wagon. Jerelle climbed into the back and whistled, signaling to Void that he needed to start pulling the wagon. The wheels of the cart skidded in place until the earth finally gave way and allowed movement. Jerelle gave a final salute paired a smirk as they rode past Gracie and Jacob to their next destination.

     Gracie sighed, folding her arms and continuing to walk. Jacob stopped, reached his hand out and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. It was probably better to let her cool off. Jacob shook his head and sighed, jogging to catch up to Gracie.