Part 3: Lucy Caldwell

"Hello, Miss Lucy Caldwell."

"Hi."

She was still pissed off at the impudent young man that had insulted her a few minutes before.

"Not very talkative, are we? Very well, let's begin."

The old man snapped his fingers again, and his assistant revealed himself from behind the chair.

“Tell me, ma’am, is your power something you could use for violence or in a violent situation?”

“Sure, but it wouldn’t be a very bright idea.”

The old man rubbed his hands together and stared into the girl’s eyes.

“Very well, then. I would like for you to demonstrate that power of yours for me.”

Lucy folded her arms and stared off into a corner of the stadium, as if she was ignoring him.

“Excuse me, miss... I believe we’re-“

He was cut off by the sound of bursting flames. Walloping flames fanned about in an area of the bleachers behind the old man’s seat.

"Ooooh! Very nice!"

"Thanks, I guess."

The old man looked back at the burning flames behind him and thought for quite a while before turning back around to Lucy.

"So, what exactly is your power, Miss?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well...” She tapped her fingers against her chin, “I see things different from other people. I can scan this whole arena and see everything in full detail. Once I get a grasp of the area, I can manipulate the temperature of that any place in that area. Yeah, that’s the best explanation I got for you."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Woooah! Wonderful!"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Shut up. It isn't that amazing."

<p class="MsoNormal">"No, that's truly amazing! You can do big things, young lady!"

<p class="MsoNormal">"It really isn't, but okay."

<p class="MsoNormal">"So, what do you call it?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I don't 'call' it anything. I'm not a kid."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Haha, not only children name their powers, you know?"

<p class="MsoNormal">("Tch. When will this old shit shut up and let me leave already?")

<p class="MsoNormal">"Did you bring your belongings with you?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah." She pointed to 3 bags on the floor beside her.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Good. Step out of the door in the back. There should be a plane for you."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Thanks, I guess."

<p class="MsoNormal">About twelve minutes into the flight, she could see the island. She looked down into the city and studied the area below.

<p class="MsoNormal">("Hmm... This place is pretty big.")

<p class="MsoNormal">As she was surveying the area below, the plane began to tilt.

<p class="MsoNormal">("Oh, are we landing now?")

<p class="MsoNormal">However, she did not notice any airport or other surface flat and wide enough for the plane to land on. Not to mention the plane wasn’t in a proper trajectory to land on its wheels.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Hey, what's the big idea?"

<p class="MsoNormal">The plane fell into a nosedive.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Hey! What are you doing!? Fix the plane, you piece of shit!"

<p class="MsoNormal">Below them, Roy and Gianna stood in their backyard, Roy marveling at how big it was.

<p class="MsoNormal">"So, you can make anything appear out of your hands, right?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Hm? Yeah."

<p class="MsoNormal">She looked up.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Do you think...? Maybe you could make a trampoline?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Sure. Why?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Never mind that, just make one."

<p class="MsoNormal">"O...kay?" Roy said with a perplexed look.

<p class="MsoNormal">Sparks flew and in front of him stood a square trampoline, about 15 feet long on each side.

<p class="MsoNormal">"...?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy could hear a faint noise above him.

<p class="MsoNormal">"What the hell?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Now he could clearly see someone falling from the sky.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Shit, looks like that pilot is fucking with someone else, huh. Is that why you made me make this trampoline?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yes. It wouldn’t be good if they landed on their head or something, right?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy bent down to untie and take off his shoes.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well, when that person lands and goes on their way, I'm going to play on this trampoline. Today’s been too stressful."

<p class="MsoNormal">With a swoosh, a body landed on the trampoline. It bounced maybe 5 or 6 times before settling. Roy just stared at it.

<p class="MsoNormal">"...Ouch... What the hell was that douche thinking? Huh?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Their eyes met.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You're that rude bloke that was humming that obnoxious tune!"

<p class="MsoNormal">"And you're that short, angry child. How have you been, madam?"

<p class="MsoNormal">He was ready to pick up where he left off.

<p class="MsoNormal">"You little piece of shit!"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Are you really in a position to be calling anyone else 'little'?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Gianna interrupted the two.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Uh um, it looks like you two have met already...?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Adorable little thing, isn’t she?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I don't know this piece of trash."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well I hope you two can get along. After all, you'll be staying in the same house."

<p class="MsoNormal">"WHAT!?" The both of them barked in unison. Now, by no means did Roy hate her or anything; he took quite the pleasure out of giving her little jabs and messing with her, but he’d eventually get tired of her and living together is the last thing he wanted.

<p class="MsoNormal">"This is bullshit. I don't want this wench living with me."

<p class="MsoNormal">"What's the matter? Scared I'll ruin your plans of raping this girl right here?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Fuck you.”

<p class="MsoNormal">"You too."

<p class="MsoNormal">"U-um, guys, how about we play on the trampoline? Maybe you're still tense from waiting in that room for hours and need some exercise."

<p class="MsoNormal">"I just jumped from a fucking plane; I've had enough exercise today." Says Lucy as she bounces off of the trampoline onto the grass. She walked inside, leaving Roy and Gianna in the yard themselves.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Just what is Gramps thinking leaving me and that wench in the same house...?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well, she doesn't seem like too bad of a person."

<p class="MsoNormal">"I suppose, but I don’t want to live with her, you know?."

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy stared at Gianna for quite some time. She met his eyes and was startled by his staring.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Is there something bothering you?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah, you never told me what your power was."

<p class="MsoNormal">"I didn't? Are you sure?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Yeah. Tell me."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well... How do I put it? I have superb precognitive powers...? No, I can tell the future...? No, I can see things before they happen!"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Didn't you just say the same thing 3 times using different words?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I guess so..."

<p class="MsoNormal">("That's a pretty good power, but I don't see why she's in the same block as me. I'm sure I could beat her pretty easily...")

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh yeah, Gianna, that reminds me. How is it during the night here?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"What do you mean?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"I mean, is it dangerous out at night?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Oh, of course! Higher leveled brutes from other blocks are always on the prowl at night! They try to keep them inside, but some of them still escape and roam around the city looking for a fight."

<p class="MsoNormal">A smile crept on Roy's face. He would always leave out of the house at night to pick fights back on Hawaii. It pleased him that he could keep up that activity.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Don't worry. I'll make sure to stay inside during the night."

<p class="MsoNormal">"Okay...?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Speaking of which, it was now around 7:30 and the sun was beginning to set.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I'm going to take a look around, okay?"

<p class="MsoNormal">"Make sure to be back before the sun sets!"

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy waved and walked off.

<p class="MsoNormal">("I wonder what kind of "brutes" she's referring to...")

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy began to just walk around aimlessly. He passed by a lot of people: Asians, Americans, Hispanics, Italians, Australians, Irish people. People of every kind. At first glance, they look like regular men and women, but they all had some type of power that brought them to this island.

<p class="MsoNormal">Somewhere near the center of the eastern city is a supermarket. Roy decided to just hang around in front of the store until it got dark out. For 3 hours, he stood, loitering around, giving and returning the occasional "Hello" to and from random people that walked by, and staring off into space. He conjured up a watch and placed it on his wrist.

<p class="MsoNormal">("It's 10:37... I don't see a lot of people walking around. Maybe I should start walking around again...")

<p class="MsoNormal">He removed himself from the front of the supermarket and started towards the west. After about 15 minutes of walking, he looked around. The streets were empty, every store was closed, and the road was lit only by the light poles on the street.

<p class="MsoNormal">("Maybe I should go back...")

<p class="MsoNormal">That thought ended when he heard a faint, repeating noise from behind him. It sounded like the knocking of footwear on pavement.

<p class="MsoNormal">Down the street he could see something that looked like a human. It was, in fact, a human. It dragged its feet across the road, sauntering down the street. Its shoulders were low but the head held forward almost like something was holding its chin up, keeping it from falling.

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy continued to stare.

<p class="MsoNormal">As it got closer, Roy could recognize more of its features. Its hair was black, stringy, and hung down to it shoulder. It wore a plain white long-sleeved shirt and gray sweatpants, but something was off. On its stomach was a big, oval shaped eye and a mouth. For a second, it almost looked like the mouth was breathing and the eye blinked, and that could very well be the case, but Roy dismissed that thought anyway.

<p class="MsoNormal">It sauntered closer and closer, stopping in the middle of the street about 5 meters from Roy.

<p class="MsoNormal">From here, Roy could see the face clearly. The mouth hung down in a frown, the nose was small and almost pointed, and Roy can only describe the eyes as 'dead'. Looking closer, Roy could see that it had a headband wrapped around the head, and the headband was designed with nothing but a single red dot. The skin was pale, almost gray, and it looked like a walking corpse. The eyes were low and it looked rather tired.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Well... This is a new face...."

<p class="MsoNormal">It spoke in the voice of a male of maybe 16 or 17 years of age. His tone was flat and dry, and it became clear that he was tired.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Let me guess... you're here looking for a fight, right?" That question was directed at Roy.

<p class="MsoNormal">"Of course. Are you up for it?"

<p class="MsoNormal">He grabbed his neck and leaned it to the left. He really didn’t feel like fighting Roy, but he decided to entertain the seaweed-headed brute anyways.

<p class="MsoNormal">"I guess I can entertain you for a bit..."

<p class="MsoNormal">He remained in that uncomfortable looking position, so Roy was unsure of whether or not to attack.

<p class="MsoNormal">"...What are you waiting for?"

<p class="MsoNormal">Roy raised his fists and shifted his feet, ready for battle.