Pain of the Innocent

I went outside, ready to start training with my ‘gift’. I wanted to first test out what I could do, so finding a tree, I got to work punching and kicking it. My feet and hands were bleeding by the time I finished but I had managed to make a nice dent in the tree. This would probably come from training when I was younger, but I had stopped that training when I was around seven.

Next, I did pushups. They were probably one of the hardest things to do. My face was red after three and I was already sweating. I managed to do five, but barely. My arms felt like rubber and it felt as though I wouldn’t be able to life them very high for a while, but I kept on training.

I did curl-ups. They were simple enough but after a while my neck started to hurt. The simple workout didn’t seem like it would help much but it would do for now. I managed to do somewhere around thirty or forty. I was sweating, my arms were sore, and my neck hurt. And there was still more training to be done.

After that I jogged. My small ten year-old legs wouldn’t be able to do much yet but with time that would change. I ran around the tree, slowly at first but my speed soon progressed. I managed to jog around five times around the tree. I was much to tired to do much else.

I decided to wash up then have breakfast. After washing away the sweat from training I went to have breakfast. Breakfast was the only meal I’d eat; that or lunch. There was hardly anybody else up this early so I didn’t have to bother with to many people. Nathanial and Timmy weren’t up yet, which was fine as I didn’t feel like talking that day.

By the time I finished my small breakfast more people were up, including Nathanial and Timmy. Timmy ate quickly and followed me as I left. I tried to tell him I couldn’t hang out right then but he continued to follow. I sighed. It wasn’t as though he would tell anybody what he was going see.

There were people at the tree so I had to go elsewhere to practice my ‘gift’. I went to the woods out back. Timmy and I walked until we came across a pond.

“Timmy,” I whispered. “You mustn’t tell anybody what you see here. Okay?”

The small boy nodded and grinned. It caused me to smile to.

I focused on making a small stone float. I was only testing my powers so I wouldn’t be doing anything big or amazing. I managed to do so and made it float in front of Timmy. The young boy chased it around and I made it float away from him. Giggling along with Timmy, I made several more stones float. They flew around Timmy as he tried to catch them. I was having so much fun with Timmy that I didn’t notice somebody gasp.

I turned to see Nathanial watching me. The stones fell as my attention was diverted from them. I was astounded that Nathanial didn’t have fear in his eyes, but amazement and excitement. I cursed myself for not paying attention.

“Vince? How is it you can make those stones fly?” Nathanial asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just can. It’s a gift I guess.”

Timmy giggled and clapped.

“Do you think I can learn how to do it?” Nathanial asked.

I shrugged again. “I don’t know. Try concentrating on making one of those small stones float.”

Nathanial tried. I taught him as best I could but nothing happened when he tried. I had managed to do as much as cause the trees to shake. I even made a small sapling snap in two.

“Maybe you’re a wizard or something,” Nathanial said, grinning.

I shook my head at the stupidity of the comment.

Though he couldn’t do it and I could, he didn’t seem to be spiteful or jealous or anything like that. He seemed happy, and maybe even proud that he had a friend that could do something like what I did.

“Can you do anything else?” Nathanial asked.

“I can heal myself. I can also talk to snakes,” I tell him. “I’m still learning though. I just wish I had someone to teach me.”

“That would be awesome but I doubt anybody will be able to do what you can,” Nathanial said. “It’s so cool.”

I smile but then frown. “You don’t think it makes me freakish or anything?”

Nathanial looked at me as though I’d grown a second head. “No. I think it’s really cool that you can do this kind of stuff. As much as I would like to have your ‘gift’, I don’t think I could handle such a responsibility.”

“Responsibility?” I asked, confused. How could this be some sort of responsibility?

“Yeah. You know, like superheroes in comic books and stuff. They use their powers to help people and stuff.”

I snort. “What has this world done to deserve saving? If anything it needs to be taught a lesson.”

Nathanial looked at me worriedly. “You shouldn’t talk like that. You could end up in jail or worse, dead.”

I looked at him skeptically. “And how so?”

“You might end up shooting up a mall or something or becoming a serial killer. You should save people, no matter what they’ve done to you.”

I shake my head. “I’ve already killed once. Why would it matter if I killed again?”
Nathanial looked shocked and hurt. “Y-you’ve killed? Who? Why? I’m sure there was a good reason for it!”

I smile a bit sadistically, a frightening thing to see on a ten year-olds face. “I killed my uncle. He was trying to ra- I mean he was trying to do something bad to me. He was drunk. I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife and he lunged at me. I held the knife out and he was impaled on it. And I enjoyed it. I enjoyed seeing the light leave his eyes and the blood that covered him and the floor. The feel of blood between my fingers was pure bliss.” I sighed in pleasure.

Nathanial looked at my as though he was afraid I would stab him at any given second.

“You can go you know. I know now you won’t want to be friends with a murderer and freak like me. Just don’t tell anyone about my ‘gift’,” I say, looking sadly into the pond.

“Don’t say that. I’ll stay with you no matter what,” Nathanial said, putting his hand on my shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze.

I smile. Maybe it won’t be so bad here. I smile at Timmy and Nathanial once more before returning to practice. I planned to one day be the best, and I had to work for that.


A/N: I’m sorry it took so long to update but I was busy and stressed. Like it, love it, hate it? Cookies for those who review! Cow pies for flamers!