INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS

The tick-tuck sound of the clock echoed in the basement. The slow but heavy footsteps stopped in the middle of darkness. With a clap, light illuminated the four corners of the large underground training room, a size of a basketball court. The long couch near the wall was the only furniture. Only one-fourth of the flooring was cemented, the rest remained earth. On the remaining three walls were several thick targets. But what they throw at the targets were not just bullets and arrows, but all kinds of metals.

For Nathanne Ashworth, the room was never a comfortable place. It was a place where they can use their ability but she didn’t really want it to be part of her life after the death of their real parents. Who are we really? Why do we have this ability? What secrets did their real parents keep?

She opened one of the cabinets beside the couch and grabbed a handful of what’s inside. The contents felt cold and heavy on her hand but they also awakened something within her. She walked until she stood on dirt. As she opened her hand, the bullets elevated. The ten bullets suspended in the air formed a semi-circle. She moved her hand so that her palm faced the bullets. When she quickly closed it, the bullets rapidly shot all targets. Lanes 4 and 3. Her concentration was still weak, unlike her brother who always hit the bulls’ eyes. She didn’t mind. She won’t need it anyway. She can live without this ability and live normally.

Her thoughts drifted to the trip. The sudden trip irritated her. She didn’t want to go but she had to for her mom. She was frustrated with the idea of going somewhere without her but her mom assured them that they won’t stay there long. Change of scenery, her mom said, you’ll find new friends there. But she doubted it because she wasn’t nice or friendly to strangers. She didn’t like new people, new faces. She would rather stay at home, watch television, surf the internet, or party with her girl friends. Her travelling bag was not big enough to hold her laptop and tablets so she regrettably settled for her phone since she needs to pack more clothes.

She moved towards the cabinets to practice again but she suddenly heard running footsteps behind the door. Curious, she placed her ear on the door but didn’t hear anything. She opened it, closed it behind her, and then climbed the stairs. Moonlight seeped through the curtains of their receiving area. Whispering voices were heard in the kitchen. When she neared it, her mom’s voice and an unknown voice reached her. Who…?

“What are you doing here?” her mom whisper shouted.

“I need my money,” the man said, ignoring her mother’s anger. Hanne moved beside the opening of the kitchen. Her eyes scanned the man’s grubby appearance – black tattered jacket, grey tattered pants, and black cap. Curious of his intentions but afraid to stop their conversation, she didn’t move so they won’t see her.

“I gave it last week, and a week before that,” her mom replied with the same hate in her voice.

“It’s all gone. I need more.” Did mom owe someone? A pause.

“Why don’t you just put me in your company?” he added. The nerve of the guy. Hanne’s anger increased each second. Whoever he is, he had no right to demand something like that to her mom.

“So you can rob us?” her mom spat. The man laughed without humour.

“Yes, so what? You owe me.” What did mom owe him? Silence stretched for minutes. When her mother replied again, she sounded defeated.

“Let me get more money. I’ll transfer it immediately.” This isn’t right. Hanne moved from her hiding spot. When her mom noticed her, her eyes widened, her face paled. The man, on the other hand, looked smug.

“Ah your kid,” he said. His black eyes disgustingly scanned her body. It was only when he stepped towards her that she suddenly felt scared. Her eyes widened when she felt his dangerous aura. Her pulse quickened.

“Don’t touch her!” her mom shouted then moved in front of Hanne.

“You can’t protect them, Angela,” he told her mom. His eyes darkened dangerously. “You’ll just die.”

A burst of power surged inside her when he said this. Her fear diminished but it was still there. No one threatens my mom.

“No one can hurt her,” Hanne said. She narrowed her gaze at the man, who just snickered.

“She’s not like you.” His smile disgusted her. It was awkward because of his scar running from his lower lip to his jaw. “You’ll never be like her. You’re not normal.”

Hanne inhaled deeply then lightly pushed her mom near the wall when metallic instruments in the kitchen came flying towards the man. Her mom gasped behind her. The man swiftly dodge the tools. Hanne flinched when the tools shattered the sliding glass doors behind him and pieces of the glass flew everywhere.

“You have never been in a fight before, young lady,” he stated. She didn’t respond to his mocking. Instead, she called the tools again. They were suspended in the air behind him.

“Hanne, stop this,” her mom whispered behind her.

“He’s going to hurt you. Nate must have heard the noise so he’ll come,” she whispered back. She hoped that Nate will come soon because she couldn’t fight him alone. She knew this but for now, she had to protect her mom.

“Listen. If it wasn’t for me, you and your brother are dead,” he said arrogantly. Confused, she glanced at her mom, who was glaring at him.

“No. Manuel and Gene made sure they’re safe. It was you –“ she pointed him “-who owe them your life,” she replied with so much venom Hanne was startled. Hanne grew more confused. Who is this man? Did he know about our real parents?

The man glared back. He clapped once near his chest. His hands stayed there for a few seconds. When he separated them, there was light shining between his hands. A sword formed. He snatched it in the air. Hanne’s eyes widened. He’s one of us? She was getting more scared each second. It was her first encounter with someone with power aside from Nate. And he was an enemy. Nate, where are you?

“Pity. I need your money. But I have to kill you now, Angela,” he said while staring at her mom. Hanne tried to calm her heart and breathing, but assuring herself that Nate will come soon didn’t help.

Without a second thought, Hanne moved. All the metals she could sense in the backyard came flying behind him. He sensed them and tried to knock them with his sword, but they keep reviving. The tools placed themselves around him until they made a box, a prison for him. The space shrunk as they got closer to him. His blows cut some of the metals. He didn’t stop trying to pry his way out so Hanne moved again. Tools placed themselves on his body, on his stomach, his arms, and legs. They squeezed him. The man groaned in pain. Hanne panicked but she didn’t show it. She tried to stop but the tools didn’t waver. The man couldn’t use his sword or he’ll cut his body. Finally, when he was too exhausted and hurt to stand up, his body surrounded by metal dropped to the ground with a loud thud. She watched this without wincing, but inside, fear and panic were eating her. There was the uneasy feeling that she could kill someone because she couldn’t control her power.

Hanne heard her mom gasped behind her. “Is…” she trailed.

“He’s alive,” Hanne answered after she was able to control her power.

“They’ll come soon. You’re going to die,” the man croaked. Scared of what he might do to her mom, she didn’t lower her guard even if fear crept all over her body. She listened around her. It was faint. She was new to this feeling so she couldn’t be sure, but she sensed energies moving to their location.

“What happened?” Nate shouted behind them. Hanne found him wide eyed, mouth opened, while staring at the man’s body in their backyard and the shattered glass doors. It took everything she had not to run to him and hug him. She was quite stubborn to show her fears.

“I’ll tell both of you everything but we have to go,” their mom said quickly. “Get your bags.”

Without waiting for their reply, she ran upstairs.

“Are you okay?” he asked when he grabbed her and hugged her.

“If this is what I think it is, we’re in danger,” Nate stated, his eyes never left the man’s body. He was probably unconscious. Hanne didn’t know what’s happening. Her anger just got the better of her so she snapped but she couldn’t control her power properly.

“I only manage to stop him because he’s not that strong,” she said, her head on his chest. She was not powerful enough or ready to fight anyone.

“But you protected mom. That’s fine,” her brother assured her. Yet she felt useless and angry at herself at the same time. Useless because she couldn’t control her power. Angry because she never felt at ease having power. I just wanted to be normal. She masked her emotions from his brother because it won’t help him.

“The man knows us and our real parents.”

“I’ll tell you. Let’s go get our bags.” Hanne was getting impatient with his secrets but she obliged while keeping her temper in check. She trusted her brother more than anyone. They were climbing the stairs when he revealed it.

“The people who knew our parents must have found us.”

“I heard that mom owe that man our lives,” she told him. They stopped on the top of the stairs. “But mom said it was the man who owed our real parents.”

“We’ll found out,” he said then walked towards her room. It was only then that she noticed that he already have his backpack and red tool box. Once inside her room, she grabbed the travelling bag on his pink bed. They didn’t waste time and ran downstairs. Their mom was waiting outside the opened front door. She was holding a luggage. Why didn’t we just bring a luggage? Right. The original plan was to climb a mountain.

Once inside their family van, their driver hastily pulled out from their garage. No one said a word until they made it outside their village. Hanne was usually noisy and persistent about knowing things but right now, she remained passive, lost in thought. The unwanted images haunted her again. The blood. The two pale faces. The shattered glass windows. A pair of black boots outside their toppled car.

“Hanne, dear,” her mom called. Her wide eyes stared at her mom’s worried gaze. She sat between Hanne and Nate, who was also looking at her with concerned expression.

“I thought…I don’t need my power,” Hanne said softly. “I couldn’t control it.” Her eyes were becoming hot but she didn’t dare cry. Her mom hugged Hanne tightly while her brother brushed her hair with his hand.

“You’ll learn,” her mom said. But I don’t need it, Hanne wanted to say but didn’t reply. If someone’s after them, they needed to fight.

“You are strong. I know.” Her brother smiled. I hope I can be. I don’t want to be useless to you. She didn’t want to admit it, but sometimes, she felt like she was no use to Nate. But she needed to put that thought aside. For now.

“I need to tell you this,” her mother said after their moment. “They already found us. You two aren’t safe here.”

“Who are those people?” Nate asked. Hanne noticed that, despite what happened earlier, their mom remained calm and determined.

“Mortemians, as they call them. You need to find the people who can help you.” Hanne was confused, and so was Nate.

“What do you mean, mom?” Hanne asked her. Are you telling us to leave you?

“A group of Concordian teenagers are looking for both of you. They will protect you.” What is a Concordian? Her mom’s gaze shifted from Hanne to Nate then back to Hanne. Hanne’s pulse quickened with the idea of leaving her mom and travelling to God-knows-where – two of her greatest fears.

“We can’t leave you, mom. We don’t even know why those people are looking for us.” Disappointment and anger were evident in Hanne’s voice. “Not to mention, we don’t know where we should go.”

“Listen, honey. You’re not safe here.” Her mom touched her cheek but she was beyond hearing. I can’t leave you. She glanced at her brother but he seemed lost in thought. Is he just accepting this?

“What about you? You’re not safe here too,” Hanne reasoned out. She’s not like you, Hanne remembered what the grubby man said earlier.

“I’ll be fine. They won’t attack me if I’m with more people in the company,” her mom assured her. NO. Hanne glanced again at Nate. When she met his gaze, she silently communicated with him. Convince mom!

“I…understand, mom.” Hanne couldn’t believe her ears. She immediately glared at him.

“But please tell us everything,” he added without looking at Hanne. He openly ignored her glares. She loved her brother a lot but she couldn’t understand him now.

“The others are on their way to Westward.” A pause. “I was told that this will happen eventually.” For the first time after they board the car, their mom’s voice was full of sadness.

“Is that why you were anxious earlier? And the sudden trip too?” her brother asked softly. Hanne was still angry and disappointed so she didn’t comment that she realized these facts too.

“Yes, but I didn’t expect that Rudy will come tonight…with others,” their mom replied. She grabbed Hanne and Nate’s hand. Her smooth hand caressed theirs. Hanne’s anger diminished but she couldn’t accept what their mom wanted them to do.

“If you go to Westward now, you’ll find them,” their mom said, voice now full of determination.

“No, we won’t leave you,” Hanne said while glancing at Nate, who smiled sadly at her.

“We have to,” he said. “This is to protect mom too.” How can you…that easily?

Before she could voice out her thoughts, the car suddenly skidded sharply then stopped. Hanne’s right shoulder painfully hit the car door as their mom smashed onto her and Nate onto their mom. That hurts. Thankfully, their heads didn’t hit anything.

“What happened?” Nate asked the driver but he suddenly gasped. Hanne followed his gaze in front. Her eyes widened at the sight of the man she just beaten earlier. He stood several feet in front of the car. She noticed that they were already outside the city after an hour since their village was near the road. Large trees stood on each side of the road. Road lights illuminated the empty roads. Where are the cars? And behind the man were two men in black clothes. She loudly gasped when she saw them holding large weapons. This is not good.

“Let’s get out. Eddy, please drive mom somewhere safe.” The driver looked behind him, wide eyed.

It was Hanne who instructed him.