SWNOVELS Chapter 6: Unlikely Hero
A familiar voice, like a lifeline in the abyss, pierced through the blackness. "Hey kid, you awake?" Eary's thoughts raced as he attempted to respond, ‘Mote!’ But his mouth was sealed with a gag. Desperation compelled him to squirm and signal for help. Swiftly, Mote intervened, removing the gag, allowing Eary to speak.
"What's happening, Mote? What did they do to you back there? Where are we? How long have we been like this?" Eary's barrage of questions poured forth, mingling with his panic. "I'm not entirely sure," Mote began, his voice a reassuring presence. "He struck me with something that disrupted my physical form. I was there but powerless. After you fell asleep, he scooped you up, and his henchmen tied your hands and feet, attaching some strange bracelet to ya." Mote's words echoed in the cramped trunk, a beacon of comfort. "Then, in a swirling shroud of shadow, he left. I managed to reappear a short bit ago." Eary absorbed this information, his initial fear gradually transforming into resolve. He asked “How long have we been in here?” Mote responded."We've been here for hours, I think," Mote continued. "And there's no doubt that everyone back home is aware you're missing." The thought of his family's anguish brought tears to Eary's eyes. "My parents... They'll be devastated. What was I thinking?" he sobbed.
"Now's not the time for self-blame," Mote advised, his voice steady. "Can you use your powers?" He probed, searching for a way out of their dire situation.
Eary strained against his bonds, attempting to summon his abilities. First, he tried to conjure a protective barrier, then to incinerate his restraints. But every attempt proved futile, leaving him feeling utterly powerless. "No, I can't!" Eary admitted in a panic as despair closed in on him. Mote offered reassurance, "Okay, hold tight. I'll deal with them once they open the trunk. We'll make it through this, kid. I promise." Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the car came to a halt. Eary held his breath, his heart pounding with anticipation. "They're coming back for me!" Eary exclaimed in terror to Mote, his voice trembling. "We need to act fast!" Urgency crackled in Mote's voice as his tiny form buzzed with anxiety. Eary, though anxious, was less eager to discover what lay beyond their prison. "Mote, I'm scared," he confessed, tears streaming down his face. "It's going to be okay. As soon as they open the trunk, I'll charge ‘em," Mote reassured, his determination shining through his diminutive voice. "Well, unless Captain Creepy is out there. In that case, just stay strong. I'll figure something out."
Much to their surprise, the car's engine roared to life again. Eary's fear deepened as he remained oblivious to their destination. Minutes stretched into an anxious eternity before the vehicle came to another stop. Eary braced himself for whatever awaited, but to his astonishment, they were left confined in the trunk once more. Straining to hear, he caught the sounds of mechanical tools and the distant hum of classic rock music, filling their lightless prison with an eerie ambiance. "Where do you think we are?" Mote's curiosity mingled with concern. A chilling array of horrifying possibilities flooded Eary's mind. "Is this a serial killer's hideout? Or some sinister laboratory?" he wondered aloud, his fear gripping him ever tighter. "Hey, hey now. I know things don't look great right now. But your ol' pal Mote is..." Mote began, attempting to reassure Eary, but he was abruptly cut off. "What the hell is in this trunk?" A voice rang out from outside. Eary's heart raced as he realized someone was near. Moments later, the trunk was yanked open, revealing a sight that caught Eary completely off guard.
Standing before him was not one of his assailants but a young man in his early twenties. He was fit and muscular, his arms adorned with intricate tattoos. A white tank top stained with oil clung to his torso, and a black beanie rested atop his head, revealing a hint of his blonde hair. Eary and Mote exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what to make of this unexpected turn of events. "Holy shit! There's a person in this one," exclaimed the young man in surprise as he peered into the trunk. Gathering his wits, Eary bravely greeted the stranger, his voice laced with nervousness, "Hi, I'm Eary. Say, um, could you help me out here?" He couldn't be certain if this newcomer was friend or foe.
The young man's dark brown eyes stared blankly at Eary. Mouth still agape, he eventually managed to stammer out a response, "Ah, hey." Eary smiled back awkwardly."Hey, yeah, can you maybe get me outta these?" Eary insisted, his eagerness to escape this nightmare overcoming his unease.
"Yeah, sure," replied the stranger, who had yet to introduce himself. He pulled a bowie knife from his side and quickly cut through Eary's bonds. "Where are we, and who are you anyway?" Eary asked, his curiosity piqued as he reconsidered the identity of his would-be hero. "I'm Luke. This is my little shop I work out of. I... repurpose vehicles," stated Luke, still somewhat bewildered by the unexpected turn of events. "Are you hungry?" he asked Eary. "You know, now that you mention it, also, do you have a bathroom?"
After Eary had used the facilities, Luke led him to a small room off the shop and offered him a box of doughnuts. They sat across from each other, and Luke observed the scared teen as he voraciously devoured the pastries.
Luke finally interrupted Eary's feast, saying, "So, I'm gonna bring you to the police station, and they can bring you home. Is that okay?"
"Yes! That would be great!" Eary replied enthusiastically, his mouth still somewhat garbled from his feast.
"Okay, then. I need us to get our stories straight," Luke said as he leaned in closer. "Mmhmm, okay. Why's that?" Eary inquired, his attention momentarily shifting from his doughnuts.
"Well, Eary, I don't really like the attention of the police if you catch me," Luke explained, clasping his hands together with his arms resting on his knees. "So, I'm gonna need you to tell them you got away on your own."
"That's fine," Eary replied nonchalantly, eager to cooperate.
"Great! So why don't you finish up, and we'll get going," Luke suggested, Eary nodded in agreement.
Mote, who had been watching the entire exchange, chimed in, "Hey Eary, maybe he can get that weird bracelet off you. You should ask him before you go..."
"What?" Asked Luke, clearly confused by Mote's sudden input.
Eary paused and turned his head to Luke. "I didn't say anything," Eary replied nervously.
"Yeah, you did, something about a bracelet," Luke confirmed, his eyes now focused on the device fastened to Eary's wrist. "What is that?"
"I'm not sure exactly. The man who was chasing me put it on my wrist, and I can't get it off," Eary explained, attempting to pry at the white, complex gadget adorned with various lights.
"I think I can get that off. Come with me," Luke gestured, inviting Eary to follow him as they headed back into his shop.
The young man walked over to a workbench adorned with an array of tools mounted neatly on the wall. From a hidden cubby, Luke retrieved a rolled-up black cloth. Unrolling it, and pulling out two stools, he gestured for Eary to take a seat. Both young men settled down while Luke examined the cloth, removing two long pieces of metal tucked inside the sleeves. Luke turned toward Eary.
"Let me see that bracelet," He said as he examined the device on Eary's wrist. Eary extended his left arm, showcasing the mysterious gadget. Squinting down, Luke began to pry both pieces of metal into the lock.
"Wow!" Eary exclaimed in amazement as he watched the young man pick the lock. "I never knew people could actually do stuff like this."
Luke chuckled at Eary's admiration. "It's an acquired skill," he remarked as the bracelet popped off Eary's wrist, landing in Luke's hand. Eary observed the young man as he set down the device. He stated, "You know, you remind me of my older brother. Where are you from?" Eary asked, hoping for a connection.
"Here, I guess," responded Luke casually as he examined the high-tech device. "Detroit," he added, though without much enthusiasm. "What is this?" he inquired, showing Eary the bracelet.
"That bracelet there, Eary, I think it was stoppin’ ya from using your powers," Mote chimed in, hidden upon Eary's right shoulder.
"Okay, who said that?! Now I know I heard something this time!" Luke accused, bewildered by the mysterious voice. Eary was speechless; no one had ever understood Mote before. But Luke seemed to have heard him.
"What did you hear?" Eary replied innocently, eager to see where this would lead.
"Something about this not letting you use your powers," Luke answered, his face a mix of confusion and concern.
"I've never met anyone else who can hear him before," Eary said with wide-eyed wonder.
Luke's look of confusion quickly turned into one of concern. "Him?" he asked, a tinge of reproach in his voice. Just then, Mote flew off Eary's shoulder, materializing in a shimmer of blue light.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT!?" Luke yelled in shock as he jumped from his seat. Eary quickly reassured him, "It's okay, it's okay. That's who you've been hearing."
"THAT'S SOME SORTA POKEMON! WHAT THE FUCK?!" ranted Luke in hysterics.
"I ain't no Pokémon!" exclaimed Mote, flying up to Luke's face. "Hi there, name's Mote. Don't really know what I am, so we just call me a Moteling. Say, how is it that you can hear me?" Mote interrogated.
"Okay, okay, okay. I smoked too much weed earlier. Must've been laced or something," Luke consoled himself, still shaken.
"I ain't no trip, pal!" replied Mote before returning to Eary's shoulder. "See here, Eary's special! He can make all kinds of stuff happen. That's why he got snatched. That's why he can hear me. So my question to you is, why can you?"
Luke paused for a moment and then returned to his stool, cautiously eyeing the pair. "What kinds of things can you do?" Eary looked back in surprise; it was the first time he had discussed his abilities with another person. "I... I can do things with light." He raised his right hand, allowing it to erupt in a cerulean fountain of shimmering magic. Eary retracted his hand after a second, his heart pounding with anticipation.
A moment of silence lingered before Luke broke it, revealing his own unique power. "I... also can do something with light." He stepped back and braced himself. With a burst of neon orange, he dashed across the garage and then returned to Eary's side. "Moving really fast is all I can do, but it's useful in my line of work."
Eary's eyes couldn't believe what they were witnessing. They both had powers. They both had control over light. They both understood Mote. This had to be fate—it just had to be!
"So what about your family? Is anyone like you in yours?" Eary probed, his nerves tingling with anticipation. Luke returned to his stool, their conversation piquing his interest. "Yeah, well, I don't really know," he replied casually. "Been on the streets since I was 13. I don't really remember much from before I was 10." Luke's words hung heavy in the air, as Eary's heart raced. Could this really be him? Their Luke, his Luke?
Eary couldn't resist any longer, he needed to know the truth. He stammered, "I had a brother go missing at 10. His name was Luke too. Looked a lot like you." Eary looked away, unable to gauge Luke's reaction. Tension thickened the air as seconds stretched like hours. Eary finally glanced at Luke, finding him also staring off into the distance.
Eary giggled at the notion. "Wouldn't that be something if you were him?" his eyes wide and innocent. A sense of calm washed over him as Luke put his arm around Eary, his hand resting on Eary's shoulder. Eary looked back at Luke's face, which still had tears glistening in his eyes.
Their moment of connection was interrupted by a pounding on the door. Luke perked up, and Eary's anxiety surged. "Luke, is everything okay?" he whispered.
"Yeah, it's fine. A buddy of mine was coming over today. It's just him," Luke reassured Eary, heading toward the door.
"Hey, man!" Luke greeted his friend as he opened the door.
"Hey," came the response from a deeper voice. "Who's that?" Eary heard the newcomer ask as he cast a glance at Eary. He was a stocky black man in his early twenties. His shaved head gleamed under the light. He was dressed in a plain black shirt and jeans, exuding a calm and friendly demeanor as he entered the scene. "That would be the situation," Luke replied with a smile. The man's gaze returned to Eary, who was feeling more and more uneasy. "Can you come to the office with me, please?" Luke asked his friend.
"Yeah," nodded Luke’s guest. "Okay, Eary! We're gonna head into my office for a bit. You just sit tight, okay, bud?" Luke instructed. "Of course," Eary replied hesitantly, his mind racing with questions and uncertainties.
After several minutes, Luke and his friend emerged from the office. "Hey, little man!" the man announced loudly as he clasped his hands. Luke stood in the doorway, watching their interaction. The unfamiliar man approached Eary. "Hey there, I'm Sakile," he introduced himself kindly. A bit less unsure, Eary timidly replied, "Hi, I'm Eary." Sakile continued the conversation, attempting to keep Eary at ease. "Yeah, yeah, for sure! Luke was telling me. He said you might even be brothers. That's exciting!" Sakile's friendly demeanor seemed genuine. "So listen, because of that, I'm gonna be the one to bring you to the cop shop," Sakile explained, aa Eary's eyes welled up with tears. "Why won't Luke be coming?" he cried. Sakile reassured him, "Well, Luke doesn't do well with the cops around here. So I'm gonna bring you there so you can go back home. Then Luke is gonna find you on social media later. Sound good?"
Eary, aware of his possible brothers' evasiveness, piped up in annoyance. "He doesn't even know my last name!" he retorted. Just then, more loud pounding came from the door. "BANG! Bang! Bang!" The two older boys froze and exchanged cautious glances. "BANG! Bang! Bang!"
"More friends of yours to get rid of me?!" Eary snarked, displaying an unwarranted familiarity with the situation.
Luke walked toward the door. "Shhh, stay there!" he ordered Eary, picking up an old baseball bat, ready for whatever awaited on the other side. Sakile joined him, positioning himself on the opposite side of the door. They shared a tense moment of eye contact before throwing open the door with a resounding "CRANK."
A familiar voice emerged from just out of sight. "Stop!" he heard a voice command, a slick, greasy voice. Going numb at the sight of Luke and Sakile, ready to protect him, now frozen in place. Eary realized quickly he was alone.
From the other side of the door walked in a tall man, greasy and slender. Eary's eyes widened in fear as the man approached him. "Ah, young Earhart," the man taunted Eary. Tears filled his eyes as the greasy figure drew near. "You've given me a lot of trouble today!" Eary's voice trembled with fear. "W-W-Who are you?" he stammered.
The man turned, his unsettling grin growing wider. "Me?" he purred. "My name is Johnathan Tiddle." He put his hands behind his back and approached Luke, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense. "I am a collector of sorts, you could say." Eary watched in dread as Johnathan's hand extended, and a mist of faint orange light began to drain from Luke into Johnathan.
"How fortunate! Another volunteer has presented itself. It seems maybe even two!" Johnathan's smile never wavered. Eary, unable to bear any more, rushed toward the man with white flames erupting from his hands. A stray ember grazed Johnathan's cheek. "Ugh! Enough of this! Sleep!" Johnathan commanded, a jet of white light left Eary's hand as his vision faded into darkness once more.