There was a thunderous crash and the floor quaked against us.
Becks blurred in front of me and slammed her heel down on the ground, reacting far faster than anyone else in the room.
A slab of concrete broke from the floor and flipped up as a shield.
In less than a second, the rumble escalated to full on destruction.
The gymnasium around me was torn apart by a blast wave. Rocks, lockers, and books were flying past me as the slab that Becks had raised shielded me.
"Z—" Ryan coughed, splattering my face with blood.
My arms were around his shoulder, but I was supporting his weight.
Several wet plops sounded at my feet, and it was with horror that I looked down.
There was a reason that I was holding his weight, or more appropriately, half of it. From the waist down, Ryan was gone. His guts were falling out of his chest as he looked at me in stunned horror.
The slab of concrete hadn't been big enough to protect him.
"Ryan." My voice was hoarse, cracked, and the words tore themselves out of me.
"Zayn." Becks grabbed my shoulder. There was something else she was supposed to say, but then her face warped into my uncle's. "You're a monster, Zayn."
He was being a little overdramatic but he was dying so I let him have his moment.
The face cracked, and the scene bled away as people rose from the shadows, chanting 'Monster.'
I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to force myself from the nightmare even as Becks rose in front of me again, her spine dangling out of her chest.
"I can't believe you killed him. He was a hero."
That was enough—I forced myself awake.
I wasn't a monster. He had been the monster, but the world refused to see that.
Letting out a small gasp, I clutched the sheet in a bed that wasn't mine.
It took only a moment for me to calm down, pushing the reoccurring nightmare deep down inside of me, where I didn't have to deal with it.
A beautiful blonde lay asleep in the bed next to me, and I scooted myself out of bed, trying not to wake her.
I checked to make sure she was still sleeping. She had one of those faces that looked like it must have been sculpted.
Her plump lips demanded attention against her sharp yet feminine cheekbones and jawline. And if her eyes had been open, they would have been a mesmerizing, bright blue.
I'd explored every bit of her incredible body as the sheet fluttered back down, including the cute birthmark right above the top of her ass.
As I sat up slowly, I tried to recall her name.
Margaret? It felt close, but I knew that wasn't it. I was fairly certain it started with an M.
Giving up on guessing as it would come to me when I finally needed it, I slipped out of bed.
Her floor was freezing, but there was an easy fix to that.
I pushed on the floor, building up a little thermal energy. Not enough to make any lasting impact, but just enough to raise the floor a couple degrees above room temp.
Wiggling my toes, I smiled as my feet became far more comfortable.
I looked back at… Madison? No, I shook my head. That wasn't it either.
She was still sound asleep as I slipped out of the bedroom.
'M' had a small but nicely decorated apartment. It had clearly been updated recently. Everything was in shades of gray, and the furniture was largely square and edgy. It was sleek.
I found my way to the kitchen, which wasn't hard in the small space, warming the floor before me as I moved. I stopped in the kitchen, wondering what I'd make.
Lifting my hand up, I made the same gesture I'd made a million times, flicking my hand.
With the motion, the fridge opened up, all the items within it coming out and floating before me.
"Not much to work with. But eggs always work."
She had three dozen; I had to assume that she liked eggs.
I looked through the remaining items. There were more than enough yogurts to use up a few. I'd plate it up with a few sliced strawberries for some color.
Turning my hand over, I pushed the remaining foods back to their original locations, pulling out the eggs, the yogurt, and the jug of milk.
I looked around the kitchen, not spotting the other materials that I needed.
I made a gesture once more. I didn't need to do the motions, but they helped me focus my superpower.
With my hand's movement, every cabinet door silently opened, and I hunted for the plates before plucking two out. I also found a set of silverware and two little glass bowls.
After I arranged those on the counter, I prepared to cook.
I used my power to lift half a dozen eggs and cut them in half, pouring out the eggs midair and keeping them there. I sent the shells over to the trash and grabbed the milk, swirling it into the eggs in a little twister.
While they stirred, I opened the fridge with my hands and put the eggs back.
"Oh, orange juice." I spotted it in the fridge and snagged it, pouring two glasses.
While I poured, I separated out the eggs into two separate piles in the air, applying thermal energy to help cook them.
They sizzled and popped midair until they became two perfectly round omelets.
"A little cheese, maybe some spinach?" I continued cooking, speeding the process using my powers.
It wasn't long before I had two plates set on a wooden tray. I looked down at my work.
Two omelets, cut up strawberries, yogurt, and orange juice. Not bad, given her limited ingredients. I'd even plucked a single flower from a vase in her home just to make it special.
Looking back at the kitchen, I made sure everything was closed and left no sign of my passing before returning to… Megan? No, that wasn't it either.
"Uh? What?" she groaned as I kicked the door closed behind me.
Her beautiful, blue eyes peeped open, and she pulled the covers up with a yawn as she saw me walking back in with the tray of food.