NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: 4
In New York, New Design High School, at a winter formal, Alex arrives and is greeted by Patrick.
Patrick: Alex! You made it, man!
Alex: Yeah, finally!
Patrick: How you feeling, buddy?
Alex: Kinda cold....kinda hot....
Patrick: Well, buddy. Your outfit is fire! Seriously, dude! I might have to steal some of that swag. So, how'd that thermal project go?
Alex: Oh, dude! I managed to finally make it, but check this, I visited my moms' job at Parker Tower.
Patrick: Wait, dude, you visited your Mom's job at Parker Tower?! How is it?!
Alex: So advanced! The technology is amazing! Anyway, that's not the important part. James Parker, John Parker's son. I met him and he handed me one of his kinetic energy shield barriers.
Patrick: What?! Dude, that's rare!
Alex: I know right!
Patrick: What happened, then?!
Alex: I don't know, dude. I connected it, but then shortly after, the hot and cold energy from the conduit surged through me then blasted me into the wall.
Patrick: Wow. You think you're gonna get some scholarship attention with that?!
Alex: Oh, yeah! Dude, it's for sure a winner!
Patrick: Yeah. Happy for you, my guy. Anyway, we're not here to nerd chat all night! Let's party!
Alex and Patrick get out onto the dance floor and party with the other students. In the midst of the dance, Brandon and his band of bully friends arrive at the dance and immediately spot Alex and Patrick.
Tyler: Oh, snap. Look who's on the dance floor. Rainbow eyes and curly cue.
Brandon and the bullies laugh, before Brandon smacks his lips. He then whistles to a band of cheerleaders.
Brandon: Yo! Amber!
Amber turns to Brandon and waves her over. Amber walks over to Brandon and the bullies.
Amber: What's up, Brandon? Need another favor to get an A on your math quiz again?
Brandon: Fortunately, not. You see rainbow eyes over there with his pal?
Amber turns to Alex and Patrick and gives a disgruntled look.
Amber: Ugh...fortunately...those weird eyes of him can't stop staring at me and it's creeping me out.
Brandon: Tell me about it. Word around school he's got his eyes on you.
Amber: Blech! No thanks!
Brandon: Well, luckily, my boys and I were just talking about an idea to make him stop looking at you permanently.
Brandon raises an eyebrow.
Brandon: Interested?
Minutes later, Alex is still talking with Patrick when Amber walks up to the pair.
Amber: Hey, guys!
Alex's eyes widen as he blushes at Amber.
Alex: Amber?! Uh...Hi. What're...
Alex clears his throat.
Alex: How are you doing?
Amber: Doing great. Great party. Say, did you, uh, happen to come with a date?
Alex: Uh...no...I...I didn't...I decided to stag. Winter formal's aren't really my...uh...date type of thing, you know?
Amber: Right. So I hear you're some type of technology guy. I'm hear you have a knack for building stuff.
Alex: Actually, yes. I'm currently in the works of building a thermo coolant conduit, which holds the—
Amber: Yeah, yeah, anyway, I'm very interested in hearing more about it, but...uh...maybe someplace quiet...and...
Amber winks at Alex.
Amber: Private. If you know what I mean.
Alex breaks into a wide grin.
Alex: Yeah, okay! Sure!
Amber walks off to the back door of the gym, before Alex turns back at Patrick.
Alex: Dude! This is....Wow...
Patrick: I don't know, man. This doesn't seem right.
Alex: Patrick, it's just a time to get to know Amber. Maybe get close. I'll be fine.
Alex walks off to follow Amber. In the dark back room of the gym, Alex looks around for Amber.
Alex: Amber? Amber? You in here?
Alex continues looking around, only to be soon greeted and surrounded by Brandon and his friends.
Brandon: Alex! What's up, buddy?
Alex: Brandon? What are you doing in here?! Where's Amber?
Brandon: Amber? Don't know. Why you worried about her, bro? Listen, man....
Brandon puts an arm on Alex's shoulder.
Brandon: So, again, I know you've had your freaky eyes on Amber for quite some time....so I thought to myself why not give you a little more color in your outfit to match your eyes that should really get her attention?
Brandon nods to Tyler, and the other bullies.
Brandon: Fellas, why don't we give Alex a little more color in his outfit? Help a brother out?
Brandon steps back as Tyler, and the other bullies present different colored paint pallets. Alex's eyes widen.
Brandon: Ready, boys?!
The bullies nod as they the proceed to throw the paint pallets at Alex, smearing all sorts of different colors on his outfit as well as his face. Shortly after the hazing, Tyler, Brandon and the other bullies grab him.
Brandon: Yeah, "buddy", this'll really get Ambers attention.
Brandon, Tyler and the other bullies push Alex outside back in into the dance when Chucky takes control of the D.J booth.
Chucky: Attention, everyone! If I could have your attention, please, if you'll turn your attention to the front of the gym, behold! Alex Miller!
The spotlight turns on the paint covered Alex as most of the students including Brandon, Tyler and Amber laugh. Patrick gives a saddened look upon watching his best friend get bullied. Humiliated, Alex becomes tearful, bites his lips and runs off.
Patrick: Alex! Alex! Wait! Alex!
Meanwhile, John is using the Chronicle, but suddenly, his uses lead him to the sea.
John: What?
In an Enhuman maximum prison, Genesis is meditating in his cell. Amongst the prisoners are Snake-Bite, Arachnica, Mammoth and Sharp-Spike. The prison guard comes to check on him.
Prison Guard: Hey, Tombs. You got a visitor.
Genesis: Who is it?
Prison Guard: John Parker of Parker Industries.
Genesis opens his eyes and turns around, before Genesis approaches John and sits.
Genesis: John Parker. Have you come to save me?
John: Not today, Adrian.
Genesis: If you're here to ensure that I haven't broken out, don't worry. I can't. I haven't even scratched the fine walls of the cell....on the bright side, I have wi-fi....so I can...what are the kids saying these days "Netflix and chill"?
John: hmm....
Genesis: I know that face.....you're either reading my mind.....or something's troubling you, old friend.
John: Something is troubling me.....You remember when we were teenagers? Taking history class?
Genesis: I remember.....
John: Do you remember talk of.....people living in the ocean? The Chronicle's taken me on another trip to the sea....as if it's like movement out there....below...besides the sea creatures...
Genesis: Hmm....you mean...is there another unique species besides Enhumans...you've heard of the legend of sea dwellers and a city beneath the ocean....
John: That's just a myth, Adrian.
Genesis: Is it? You see, my granddad had a theory. A city somewhere in the mid-Atlantic...home to an advanced civilization.....a civilization that could breathe under water...that could control sea creatures....or monsters....they also possess weapons and technology...stronger that your son's nanotech suit....built out of that special Enhuman metal...this civilian suddenly sank beneath the sea when the Enhuman council betrayed the Atlanteans....of course, they denied this.....an Atlantean.....killed my father.....
John: You look and sound afraid, Adrian....if it's not just a myth, then what can we do if these people are hostile?
Genesis: Nothing.....not without me.
John: Thank you, Adrian.
Genesis stands up and walks out
Genesis: I'll be visiting you again...probably sooner than you thought...
Genesis: John.....
John turns his head.
Genesis: Eventually...you know this prison won't hold me down forever. My daughter and Red Dragon broke out.....and they're coming soon.
Back at the dance, Patrick continues looking around for Alex, unable to find him.
Patrick: Alex! Alex! Where the hell are you, man?!
In the kitchen, Alex is washing off the paint from his face, before looking in the mirror, specifically at his different colored eyes. Eventually, as he gets angry at the memory of the bullies heckling him, the other kids laughing at him, his different colored eyes become energized with a bright orange color as if they represented fire. His right hand ignites on fire again, at first startling him, but then he looks at his hand, twirling it around as the flames trickle. Hearing Brandon and his friends laughing with Tyler showing a recording of the heckling on his phone, Alex turns and gives a hateful look, before dousing the flame on his right hand. Alex leaves the kitchen then confronts Brandon, Tyler, Amber and Chucky.
Alex: Brandon!
Brandon, Tyler, Amber and Chucky turn to Alex.
Chucky: Oh, sup, rainbow eyes.
Tyler: Looks like he's upset.
Alex: You're a real prick, you know that?
Brandon: Ooh-hoo. Someone's using big boy language. Like we said, man, wanted to give you some help....letting Amber here and everyone else know the kind of freak you are.
Alex's eyes gesture to Amber.
Alex: Amber. How could you?
Amber scoffs.
Amber: Please. Like I'd ever date someone with weird colored eyes.
Alex turns to Brandon.
Alex: Brandon....I want you to say sorry to me. I want you to just stop making fun of me. All of you.
Brandon, Tyler, Chucky and Amber laughs.
Brandon: Are you actually trying to threaten us right now? With what? Your stupid ass stare? God, Miller....you know maybe if it wasn't for possibly your whore mom sleeping around with Enhuman, you wouldn't have those freak eyes of yours...you'd be normal for once.
Brandon gives a prideful look, before Tyler, Chucky and Amber laugh. The bullies then walk off as Alex looks down, folding his lips as his eyes begin to ignite in a fiery state again. His clenches his right hand as it begins to smoke, before Alex starts to make his way to Brandon and his friends. As he gets closer, the flames on his right hand eventually reach up to his whole right arm.
Alex: BRANDON!
Brandon, Tyler, Chucky and Amber turn as Alex reaches out and grabs the right side of Brandon's face. His right hand sizzling and burning Brandon's face as he screams in pain. Tyler, Chucky and Amber stand back in shock and horror as the students at the dance turn their attention to this with shock. Patrick notices Brandon's screams and turns. After Alex lets go of Brandon's face, Brandon falls to the ground, screaming and clutching his face. Tyler, Chucky and Amber kneel to tend to their friend.
Chucky: Brandon!
Tyler: Holy shit! Dude, you good?!
Amber: Oh, my god.....
Tyler, Chucky and Amber sit Brandon up. Brandon tends to the hot burning scar on his cheek as it sizzles as he touches it.
Brandon: Agh! My face! It burns!
Brandon cries in pain.
Tyler: Yo, you good. It's cool.
Chucky: Jesus, man....what the hell?!
Amber: What did you do?!
Alex's eyes return to their normal state as he is shock and horror of what he has just done.
Chucky: Holy shit....look at his hand....
Alex looks down at his whole right arm as it is on fire.
Tyler: He's an Enhuman!
Alex turns to the other students, who give horrified looks and terrified whispers, afraid of what Alex will do.
Student: Easy, man.
Student: Please, don't hurt us. Please.
Patrick rushes up to the crowd and looks at the still crying and screaming Brandon.
Brandon: Goddammit! It burns so much! The pain!
Patrick turns to Alex.
Patrick: Alex, what did you do, man?