Two of the three days passed, and Torin returned sooner than expected, but as promised. As he walked up the hill, the wind carried sounds of sharp and angry commotion. He crouched down before continuing, and as he climbed, the sharp and angry voice flung demands around like daggers, cutting through the otherwise quiet morning. Torin hesitated; his curiosity made him deaf until his eyes could gain sight of the situation. Each step brought him closer to the escalating argument, and a more precise sound came to his ears as his eyes slowly processed more. His pulse quickened, a tight knot of dread coiling in his chest. Whatever was happening, it was about to explode.
Torin crouched lower, now crawling to the ground. He could see multiple heads by the cabin. Almost half of the scene was in view now. But before he could see anything, a soft hand clamped down on his shoulder and yanked him backward with startling force.
The voice whispered from behind, "So you came back."
"Kai!? What… if you escaped, why are you still around? How did you escape?"
Kai revealed herself from behind, crouching to Torin's side with a sheet around her body. "I'll go into details later," she said, staring at the bandage around his nose. I just escaped about an hour ago. They caught on fast. I'm sure he has cops everywhere, and I don't exactly know these woods. I can run right into them if I'm not careful. What about you? Why are you back early? Did you find out how to use your powers?"
"I do have powers while you're trying to make fun, and I can prove it. Just not here. Let's get away from here, and then we can talk."
Before Torin and Kai left, they heard an uproar, the breaking point of the commotion. Another cop was yelling in the distance, telling someone to stop. Kai and Torin looked over the hill and saw the cabin wrapped in yellow tape. Officers were going in and out with cameras and bags of evidence. The Sheriff, standing outside the cabin shouting commands, quickly turned to see who the first officer was telling to stop.
The sight of James and Deshawn walking up to the cabin with urgency made the Sheriff's heart skip a beat. "Got dammit," the Sheriff whispered. He was already angry. The last thing he needed was his missing money-maker father to show up. The Sheriff couldn't afford to have James come snooping around, so he had to put on a facade once again.
"Mr. Dean, you have to trust me and leave this to us," the Sheriff said, his voice tight with authority but softened by something close to pity. "We haven't had anything until now, that's why you haven't heard from me, but after this. We'll update you, but you can't interfere with the investigation. I know your status, but that also applies to you and your friend." He extended a hand as if the gesture alone could ground the frantic man before him. But James didn't even glance at it. His eyes were locked with one thing in mind: blessing his bones to withstand sheer force.
James stormed past the Officer, trying to hold them back, his stride fueled by weeks of agony and sleepless nights. The Sheriff's outstretched hand was slapped away with a forceful swipe, a clear rejection of anything that stood between him and what he was aiming for. James didn't hesitate. His fist collided with the Sheriff's mouth with a sickening crunch, the Sheriff's head snapped back as he stumbled backward, blood trailing down from a split lip. Before the Sheriff could do anything, James lunged forward, and their fight began.
"Whoa, whoa!" An officer reached out, gripping Deshawn's shoulder, his fingers digging in, to show he meant business. "Man, don't do this. Think—"
But the time for thinking had long passed. The moment James and Deshawn chose to walk up the hill, they were already on a different timing. Deshawn grabbed the Officer's arm, broke it, and performed a shoulder throw that slammed him onto the ground. The Officer stayed down, screaming in pain.
The following Officer drew his nightstick and taser with smooth, practiced precision, his voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. "Stop resisting and get down! Now!" Deshawn's hands shot up, his eyes wide with adrenaline. His breath was calm as one of his feet stepped back in position, digging into the ground. Feeling like Deshawn was complying, the Officer's gaze shifted, locking onto the real threat.
James had the Sheriff pinned against a tree, one forearm pressuring his throat while the other reached for the Sheriff's gun and threw it to the side. The Sheriff didn't notice; blood smeared his face where James's knuckles had already connected. His eyes were wild and blurry.
"You think you're going to walk away from this?" James's voice was a broken snarl. The desperation of a father who was so close to his goal.
Kai's breath hitched as her eyes locked onto the familiar voices and faces in the distance. "That's my father and Godfather," she choked out, her voice trembling before breaking into a sob. Without thinking, she scrambled to her feet, her body preparing to propel into a sprint toward them.
Torin's hand reached out before she could take a step and yanked her arm to the grass. "Are you crazy?" he hissed, his grip firm and unyielding. "If you go to him now, you'll only make things worse. We don't know who is under the Sheriff's influence. If they spot you, it'll be like handing them a golden ticket."
Tears spilled down Kai's cheeks as she glared at him, her chest heaving with panic and frustration. "I can't just—"
"I know," Torin cut her off, his voice gentler but no less urgent. "But worse, the Sheriff could feel like you will expose him! Running to your father now is the fastest way to get him killed. We need to be smart about this. If you care and want to save him, you must stay hidden. For now."
Every instinct screamed at her to run, to throw herself into her father's arms and fight their way out. However, the truth of Torin's words felt like cold steel. The equation was now three or four people against four or more guns. What's more, the look in Torin's eyes confirmed—in a way—that she could count him out of the fight.
The Officer's voice was strained, desperate as he barked out his command. "Release him! Now!" But James continued to beat on the Sheriff, fury twisting his features.
The Officer's eyes darted nervously from James as, for a moment, in the corner of his vision, he saw Deshawn lurch forward. The Officer's movements are desperate, like a man with everything to lose. He swung the nightstick with wild terror. Deshawn folded his arms over his head and charged into the attack, his forearm and back absorbing the blow with a dull, bone-rattling thud. With a stiff grunt, Deshawn lunged forward, his fist arcing in a savage hook that crashed against the Officer's jaw. The impact sent the man staggering, his vision swimming as he struggled to keep his footing. Deshawn didn't let up. He grabbed the Officer by the shirt and the other hand, reaching for the back of his utility belt, guiding and ramming the officer head first into the police vehicle's passenger door.
The forest air buzzed with shouts and scuffling feet. James was a force of fury, his fists slamming into the Sheriff's jaw, driving him back with relentless anger. In the chaos, the Sheriff stumbled and collided with Deshawn, their bodies jolting from the unexpected impact. Deshawn's head swiveled around, his gaze locking onto the Sheriff like a predator zeroing in on prey. Without hesitation, he seized the man by the shoulders and yanked him around to face him. Deshawn's forehead smashed into the Sheriff's face. The collision of bones made a horrible sound, causing Kai and Torin to wonder who and what got broken.
The Sheriff reeled backward, eyes dazed and unfocused. His footing faltered, but before he could even process the pain, James's fist crashed into the side of his face. The blow sent the Sheriff staggering again, but he remained upright, swaying on weak, trembling legs. One eye was swollen shut, his lip torn and bleeding, and his breaths were coming out as ragged gasps. He blinked wildly with confusion, his hand frantically patting his side for the gun he'd lost in the struggle. His fingers gravely clenched around any weapon he had available. Panic flared in his bloodshot eye as if he were the innocent being preyed on.
Kai ripped her arm free from Torin's grip, her chest heaving with panic, thinking whatever the Sheriff may be reaching for could harm her father. Quickly, she bolted forward, her father's name already up her throat and sliding from her mouth. But Torin was faster. He throws a rock at Kai's back, forcing out a sound rather than a word. His arms locked around her waist, dragging her down to the ground with a thud. Kai balled her fist and wrestled to turn around. "Stop and listen!" he hissed, eyes wild with urgency. "I had to stop you. Call it even from punching me in the nose."
Before she could rebut, Kai's eyes shut as Torin yanked clumps of grass from the ground, throwing it all over her head, fingers trembling as he pressed it down over her hair. "As I said before, you're too pretty for this. We are trying to hide here, and your appearance is just screaming, 'Hey, I'm over here,'" he whispered fiercely. His gaze flicked between her and the chaos beyond. "Keep your eyes shut," Torin ordered, his voice low and sharp. Kai's heart hammered in her chest, her mind struggling to process the madness. The sound of fighting, brutal and chaotic, raged just beyond them. And as she peeked, the terror in Torin's eyes told her everything she needed to know.
The Sheriff found his weapon, but before he could even get his taser fully drawn, Deshawn's boot slammed into his back, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt. The man let out a choked gasp as the air left his lungs, but he didn't have time to recover.
James wasted no time. With a growl, he pounced atop the Sheriff, fists flying in a brutal rain of punches. Each blow landed with less force, his knuckles trying to keep up strength, snapping against the Sheriff's swollen face. The man grunted in pain, but James didn't stop, his fury taking over completely.
Suddenly, the sound of crushed gravel and screeching brakes echoed through the forest, followed by the sharp slam of car doors. Deshawn's eyes switched to the newly arrived officers, their guns drawn and aimed at the two men.
"Stop! Get on the ground!" one Officer barked, his voice backed by impatience.
But James, still lost in his rage, refused to listen to the warning.
The Officer fired two shots into the dirt beside James, Pop Pop.
The force of the rounds kicking up dust and rock called a halt. Deshawn froze. His mind raced as his eyes flicked between the two officers. He could take out the closest one. It was possible—he had the speed, the instinct. But then there was the second officer standing on the opposite side of the car. It wasn't worth it. His muscles, already taut from the adrenaline, relaxed as he reluctantly turned toward James.
Slowly, James raised his hands, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.
Deshawn followed suit, raising his hands to show they were no threat. The officers advanced quickly, one of them helping the Sheriff to his feet. The Sheriff, still dazed, grabs the helping Officer's shirt to wipe his face. At the same time, he snatched the gun off the Officer's hip.
"Reach for the gun, James. Go ahead," the Sheriff sneered, blood dripping from his split lip, his grin wide and manic. "If you know what I think, you know. The only reason you stormed up this hill," he paused, catching his breath, then licking the blood from his lip. "The answer is yes." His laugh echoed around them, wild and unhinged, like a maniac who had already won.
James's gaze flicked to the gun he had discarded earlier, lying just out of reach in the dirt. His fingers twitched, but then his attention shifted to Deshawn, who shook his head, silent disapproval written all over his face.
James swallowed hard. He wanted to reach for the gun. He wanted to put an end to this nightmare.
"Don't tell me Sarah has the balls of the family," the Sheriff taunted, his voice still dripping with that same deranged edge. "Maybe she would've punched harder, too." His eyes flicked over to the Officer standing over Deshawn, still holding the gun on him. "Go get his wife. G...go get Sarah." The Sheriff's breath was heavy, his laughter fading into a raspy cough.
But his words did their job. They cut through James like a blade. The thought of Sarah being dragged into this, of her becoming part of the madness, drove him to the edge. Without thinking, James moved. His hand shot out, fingers close to wrapping around the gun's grip. But the moment his hand hovered over it, the unmistakable sound of a click rang through the air.
"Yeah, that's it," the Sheriff whispered, his voice laced with cruel satisfaction. "Why'd you stop? You were so close. All I need you to do is touch it, and you better hope Sarah's pregnant with a junior, James. If not, the moment you touch that gun," he paused to get a better grip on the gun. "Because if she's not, the only piece of you she'll ever have left is the beautiful tree that grows from your dead body." The Sheriff wheezed, struggling to laugh at his joke, "I'm going to turn your wife into a tree-hugging jade, James."
James withdrew his hand away from the gun, his head dropping in defeat as he slammed his fist against the ground.
Kai, watching from a distance, couldn't stop the tears streaming down her face. Frustrated that James didn't reach for the gun, the Sheriff spat and wiped his mouth one last time before barking orders to the officers. To put them in the back of the car, motioning to James and Deshawn.
The forensic team left the cabin's safety now that the scene was secured. A man approached the Sheriff, his tone all business. "We've gathered all the evidence. If you want, I can look up who owns the cabin."
"No!" the Sheriff shouted quickly with a twisted expression, leaving the man staring at him weirdly. An awkward feeling came over the Sheriff as he realized he had almost broken character and promptly caught himself. He cleared his throat and fixed his posture, looking around to see who was watching. "Just bring everything... and I mean everything to my office. I'll handle the case personally."
Kai barely felt Torin's hand guiding her to her feet. Her mind was close to crumbling, like raging water slamming against an old bridge held up by rusted beams. She snatched away from him. "If you're going to keep stopping everything I try to do, at least let me contact my mother to tell her I'm okay. Where is your phone?" Kai asked.
"I don't own a phone. I do everything by email, so it is easier to stay off the grid. Torin hesitated, his gaze softening as he looked at her, sensing the sorrow beneath her anger. "I know you want to be brave and let them know you're okay. But if you move now, you'll only worsen things. The life you had? It's gone. At least for now." Kai's jaw clenched, her eyes narrowing, but she didn't interrupt.
"You're the key to putting the sheriff away," Torin continued, his tone low but firm. "And he knows that. He's going to have eyes all over this town for you. Even if you reach someone higher up in the system, they'll want you to prove everything in court. That's not just dangerous—it's expensive, messy, and it doesn't just hurt you. It drags your parents through hell, too."
She looked away, her fists curling at her sides.
Torin took a breath. "And now that you know what you can do, are you really just going to throw it all away? Heal the neighborhood kids and call it a day? Because the second you tell the wrong person, or worse, someone who knows exactly what your abilities mean, you're a lab rat. Or a weapon. Or both."
Again, her mind blocked his voice. As he continued talking, it became only a distant and hollow noise. Words filtered through her head—danger, court, power, suffering—but they all felt like cheap lines meant to shove her into a box and make her feel safe—or worse, controlled.
She fought against his words, a wildfire of anger and anxiety burning inside her. The old Kai would've just nodded along, trying to please and survive. But that Kai was gone, ravished, torn to pieces by chains, and other people's decisions. A spark of poison, something twisted and dark, tainted her heart; it clung to her pain, fed on her anger, and whispered that hatred was the only way to reclaim her life and never have it disrupted again.
Her mind was a battlefield, where the person she used to be was bleeding out against the person she was becoming. The good girl, the obedient daughter, the one who kept her head down to avoid conflict—that Kai was screaming for normalcy. A life where she could just go home and pretend none of this had happened. But the new part of her, the damaged, angry, ruthless part, was louder. It snarled and snapped, furious that anyone would dare try to control her again. The audacity to mumble a decision for her.
But what scared her most was how tempting it was to listen. Listen to the thought of burning everything down and building something new from the ashes. A life she controlled, a power that belonged to her and her alone.
A true villain is not born from darkness but is instead made in light. They are kind souls whose kindness was taken for granted and discarded after use. These individuals offered grace, only for it to go unnoticed. They are the people who provided goodness, fairness, and love, all while standing with the brightest smile, waiting for it to return. Someone who bore the world's relentless cruelty on their shoulders, even with a wounded heart. Once that person has had enough, the same hypocrites quickly point fingers as if their hands were clean. Yes, a villain is not the absence of good, but the aftermath of goodness being taken for granted. -Deontray Ball
And yet, her parents' faces kept flashing before her eyes. She thought she'd never feel the love, warmth, and safety again. Guilt overtook anger; maybe they would have been better off without her. Free to try again as they plan, have a child who wasn't broken, who wasn't hunted. A child who didn't have a mysterious background. A normal kid, maybe letting them go now, allowing them to grieve early, and sparing more future pain was mercy.
But then the anger regained its place. A furious, gnawing beast clawing its way through her ribs. Did they also know she had power and hid the truth like everything else? Torin spoke of her power as if it were something worth protecting, but to her, it felt like a disease that had infected her life but left good to the people who seized it for themselves. But if it was her's to command, why shouldn't she be the one to decide how to use it? Why should anyone else hold the reins?
She felt herself crumbling under the weight of Torin's words; he begged her to make the right decision, and her mind raged at war with itself. She considered it all, but not in the way Torin expected. Not in the way anyone would expect. Because she was brilliant. Strategic. Maybe she was damaged, twisted by everything she'd been through, but she still had her mind, at least for a moment. And if the world wanted to come at her, fine. But it would be on her terms, not anyone else's—especially not a male.
Her eyes snapped to his, fierce and sharp. "Fine," she spat."
"What?" Torin said in confusion. He had loaded up more to convince her, and was surprised, so she said okay so quickly. Little did he know what was going on in her mind.
"I'm not doing this because you say it's the right thing to do. But because I need answers. I need to ensure this...power, curse, or whatever it is, works for me. Not for you. Not for anyone else." Her voice cracked, but she held her ground. She wiped her face, shoulders tense, fists clenched. "You help me, and I will help you on my own terms, and if you try to take that choice away from me, you're going to be the man who walks in the room to say, 'We can take our anger out on each other.'
Torin quickly had a flashback of the pain he felt when she punched him in the nose. He touched the bandage and agreed, "Yeah, it's your choice; that's what I said before. But I don't think you were listening."
"So, here's my condition. In return for me going with you and studying me or whatever we do. You help me get control over this...thing, help me contact my parents through email, and I control what we do and how we do it. Those are the rules. If you can't handle that, then you can leave me the hell alone."
When Torin promised, he led Kai to the edge of the woods where his RV was parked. A solitary RV emerged from the woods as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the forest landscape. Painted in copper, white, and gold, the vehicle stood out amidst the vast green woods, its exterior adorned with intricate designs reminiscent of ancient symbols and mystical patterns.
Approaching closer, Kai notices the subtle hum of crystals hanging outside the RV's walls. They catch the fading light and cast multicolored reflections across the trees. A small, weathered sign seen before entering the RV reads, "Amazing Energy Only."
As Kai steps inside, the RV's interior surprises her with modern technology and spiritual artifacts. Soft, ambient lighting bathes the space in a warm, inviting glow, illuminating shelves with a collection of crystals, talismans, and sacred mythological relics. In one corner, a makeshift meditation area beckons. Plush cushions are arranged around a small altar adorned with burning incense and flickering candles. A faint aroma of sage and sandalwood hangs in the air, mingling with the soft strains of chanting and rhythmic drumming playing from a hidden speaker.
Moving further into the RV, she discovers a compact yet efficient workspace with state-of-the-art computer equipment and screens displaying intricate schematics and encrypted data. Torin's dual identity as a hacker and spiritual seeker is evident in the seamless integration of cutting-edge technology and ancient wisdom. Despite its modest size, the RV is surprisingly well-equipped for life on the road off the radar. Cleverly concealed compartments reveal an arsenal of tools, gadgets, and provisions for sustenance and survival during long journeys through most terrain.
Seeing Kai slowly walking through the RV, Torin thought she might not like the living space and quickly tried to point out a few things. "It isn't much, but we can be here to talk. If it's too uncomfortable here, we can get a hotel or whatever you need to be comfortable with, of course. In the middle are my kitchen and dining room. Luckily, I just stocked up on food. Further back is my bedroom and a shower, and you can wear some of my clothing until we can get you some proper clothing."
Hearing the part about a hot shower and food convinced her to settle with the RV. She almost thought it was too good to be true and quickly asked Torin to show her the shower. As he turned the water on, she stood frozen for a moment, her eyes wide as she stared at the steaming water running from the showerhead. It had been so long since she'd had the luxury of showering. Even though she was perfectly clean from her transformation, the only remnants were grass and dirt from the hill. Mentally, grime, sweat, and fear had clung to her skin, leaving her feeling more like a stranger to herself than the girl she used to be. A long steaming hot bath would have also done justice, but a hot shower will make up just fine.
Before getting into the shower, Torin brought her a pen and paper to write down her parents' email addresses so that he could contact them. Feeling like the hot water was limited, Kai pushed Torin out of the bathroom, jotted down the information, and slid it under the door.
The only thing she had on was an old dirty sheet, like she wore when the transformation happened last time. A simple untie, and it fell to the floor, the last piece that needed to be left behind. As she got into the shower, the hot water touching her skin, for a brief moment, Kai stood there, watching the steam curl up into the air, trying to hold back more tears that tried to spill. At that moment, it wasn't just the comfort of a hot shower—it was the reminder that, despite everything she had been through, almost giving up and losing herself, there was still a bit of normal within her.
She closed her eyes and tilted her head under the shower, breathing deeply and feeling the warmth run down her face, through her hair, into her skin, and down her body. The exhaustion that had weighed her down for so long was slowly beginning to melt away. Little did she know that something as simple as this moment fueled her anger. A slight, involuntary sound escaped her lips, a soft sigh of relief, but hidden beneath the release was a thought, a lingering fear that this moment might shatter, for something like this to be taken away again.
The hot water continued to flow over her. She had been in the shower for so long now without bathing once that she forgot where she was, how she had gotten here, and even about the last month she had endured. For a brief moment, all that mattered was the heat of the water and the feeling of being whole again, a strange effect the water had on her.
After bathing and getting out of the shower, Kai wiped the foggy mirror before her. She hadn't been able to look in the mirror to see herself in a while and didn't want to until she showered. Kai didn't like the image of her body's appearance embedded in her mind. It was bad enough that she could feel how dirty her body was. She didn't want to see it.
Staring into the mirror, she could see the changes and why everyone looked at her as if she were unreal. She had never seen the person on the other side. She reached out a hand, using her fingers to brush through the strands of her hair. The texture was impossibly soft and silky, smoother than cotton in a teddy bear. Each strand reflected light in an enchanting and hypnotic way, giving her hair a radiant, glossy appearance. In this moment of revelation, she realized that her hair and its color were real, and it wasn't just a part of her; it was a symbol of her true identity, a step closer. More about her past that surfaced, and another story left out by her parents.
A soft knock at the door alerted Kai as she tightened the towel around her body before creating a small split in the door. "Oh, I'm sorry; I probably used all your water, huh? I showered for about two hours, and I still feel dirty as I think about what happened and how many times-"
"Oh, no complaints. There is plenty of water. I just came to bring you some clothing," Torin said, giving Kai a shirt and some boxer briefs before quickly walking off. The clothing provided was surprisingly able to fit. The briefs were stretching a bit. Not only was Kai tall, but she was also well-shaped, and her curves were more pronounced in certain areas. As the night approached and Kai was ready, Torin finally sat Kai down to explain everything.
Before Torin explained everything in great detail, he told her what he had promised first. He explained that he sent an anonymous email to both her parents. Torin showed her proof and allowed her to read the email. In the email, Torin reassured her parents that Kai was safe and in a place where she could finally get a much-needed shower and meal. He explained that it was best to contact them from a distance for her safety and their safety. Kai didn't want to cause any more trouble, and she hoped knowing she was safe would ease their minds. The message ended with her love for them. Torin also mentioned that, despite his efforts, he still hadn't received any response.