Chapter 2

The ache of Isabella’s sudden departure quickly dissipated. David had a distraction. He had to plan the trip to Europe. He dived into travel guides and maps. He decided to first visit the United Kingdom, explore London and backpack to the northeast across Wales and Scotland. One evening, while scrolling through his phone, he noticed Katherine’s number. It had been a while since they last spoke. He needed to speak to a familiar voice, and he dialled her number. The ringtone felt like forever. Then, she picked up.

Her warm voice spoke. “Hello, David. How are you, my dear?”

“Aunt Katherine, I’m okay,” he replied. “I just finished high school, and I’ve been thinking a lot about the future.”

“That’s wonderful, David. What are your plans?” She asked with curiosity.

“I’ve decided to travel to Europe. I want to see what Mark and Rachel talked about. Maybe I’ll find myself along the way,” he replied. “Where are you?”

Katherine paused before she spoke. “David, I’m in Kenya right now. I’m working on something.”

He knew she was in Africa but was surprised to learn she was in a different country from that time they spoke. He said in excitement, “Kenya? That’s amazing!”

She smiled. “Of course! But I’m not here just sightseeing. There’s hard work ahead.”

“I don’t mind coming there; I want to help.” David’s voice rose. The call ended with David sharing more details about his trip.

The next few weeks were a blur. David felt a rush of excitement for his trip to Europe. But as the day approached, reality set in. Life wasn’t just about planning. He was reminded of the world beyond his calm suburban neighbourhood.

One evening, while running errands downtown, everything changed for David. The city was alive with traffic, with cars touching each other and neon lights flickering softly. David stepped out of a coffee shop and walked toward his car in the narrow street a couple of blocks away. Then, out of nowhere, he heard a loud crash. From the sidewalk, he heard the sound of glass shattering, and loud shouts followed. He slipped into a dark alley, leaning against the cold wall.

From his hidden spot, David noticed a group of guys, all above his age. They wore rugged clothes. They surrounded another teenager. The victim’s face showed pure fear. His eyes moved, searching for a way out. David caught sight of a knife in one of the attackers’ hands. He was unable to look away as the scene of the gang and the boy’s cries unfolded.

Something snapped inside David, and his instinct took over. He stepped out of the darkness. His legs moved without thinking.

“Leave him alone!” he yelled.

The group turned to him. One of them said, “What’s your problem, kid?” with surprise and amusement in his voice.

David tried to think fast and diffuse the situation quickly. He couldn’t take them all, but running away and standing still felt wrong.

“I said, leave him alone,” he shouted again with a firm voice.

One of the gang members stepped forward, a knife shining in his hand. “Why should we?”

“Because he’s not worth it.” David took a breath. “You are bigger than ganging up on one kid.” The man with the knife paused, and his eyes narrowed. Then, he lunged at David, knife aimed at his chest. David saw the knife was about to skim his shirt. In a split second, his body stepped aside before he could think. He turned to see the attacker slip past him and collapse on the floor. There was silence as others in the group watched with confusion on their faces. David looked down at his shirt, which remained untouched. The man cried on the floor, with his bent knife awkwardly lying beside him.

The man picked himself up. “What the fuck?” He shouted, “What did you do?”

David stayed calm. “I don’t know. I just don’t like what you are doing here.” He felt a surge of unnatural power, similar to that night with Isabella.

The guys shared nervous looks. For a moment, it looked like they might back off. Then, one guy pulled out a gun and directed it at the teenager. The victim froze, and David couldn’t just stand by. Without thinking, he jumped in front of the teenager. The shot rang out. It echoed in the silence of the alleyway. David saw the bullet flying toward him, every detail sharp and clear. His head made contact with the ground. His eyes shut, and he collapsed.

Everyone scattered. The group fled in fear that police may arrive soon. The teenager looked at the bullet hole in David’s shirt, but there was no blood. David was unconscious; the teenager was shocked and ran away. A couple of minutes later, David opened his eyes. He felt no pain. He sat on the floor, expecting blood everywhere. There was none, except for a bullet hole in his pocket. The alley was empty. He was confused and looked at the ground. There was the bullet, the bent knife, and the shattered glass.

Suddenly, clarity hit him. He was not dreaming. The chaos is real. He had stopped the bullet. He touched his chest, but there was no pain. The ache in the head due to the impact of the ground was weak. He thought, ‘Something similar happened with Isabella. I have powers. Everything here is real. I stopped a bullet. Am I a superhero? Should I tell Aunt Katherine?’

He paused, battling with his thoughts. She always listened. Yet, he thought whether she would react poorly, and because of this, she would get in trouble. The idea of losing her felt severe. So, he kept his secret. He tucked the bullet into his pocket as a trophy. He had powers, but he already decided to go to Europe in a few days. He decided to understand his powers more during his trip.

In a few days, David was at the airport, ready to board a plane to London. The flight was long, and hours ticked by slowly as it passed over the Atlantic Ocean. He attempted to read and watch movies. But his mind was filled with thoughts of the strange power within him. He closed his eyes, and sleep came quickly. After hours, the flight landed softly. He had arrived in London.

Stepping off the plane, David followed the signs to passport control. He cleared customs and stepped into the city. He had done his research. A list of places to see was ready. The underground tube was packed, and he reached his hostel. He decided to backpack while staying at hostels. He settled in and was ready to explore. The next two days, he walked the streets of London. He listed off the regular buildings and places: the Tower of London, Big Ben, the Thames, Buckingham Palace, and other museums. Evenings, he was of legal age in the country to drink, so he tried the pubs of London and loved the taste of beer at the end of the day.

His next destination was Wales. He boarded the train, and the view outside was stunning. Lush green fields stretched endlessly. The train rolled through the countryside; small towns zipped by. He arrived at Pembroke, a town in Wales. It had Pembroke Castle. David decided to make his way from there to the north toward Scotland, stopping at towns in between. He visited the castle, which was in an impressive state after so many years. He walked along the walls. His eyes scanned the horizon. He pictured Rachel and Mark there, whispering about their adventures.

As evening settled, David explored the market town. He walked upon a small pub and decided to enjoy a beer as he fell in love with it in London. When he stepped inside, it was warm and dimly lit. He chose an empty spot at the corner of the bar. He ordered a pint of local beer and steak. His eyes looked around. The crowd was a mix of locals and tourists. He took a sip of his drink.

Across the room, a woman caught his eye. She was in her late thirties, dressed in casuals, and a lacy shawl covered her chest. Her eyes were locked on him. He felt a strange sense of déjà vu. She had fiery red hair, and she looked a lot like Isabella. She had the same striking hair and piercing green eyes. He tried to avoid her and looked away to focus on his drink.

Then he sensed something off. A man in his thirties watching him. His eyes were unfriendly. David felt a knot in his stomach. He finished his pint quickly. Drawing a deep breath, he stood up. It was time to leave. The man still watched him. David could feel the eyes boring into him. The woman with the fiery hair was also observing him, but there was no hostility. It was like she studied him. David gathered his things and walked out after paying his bill. As he stepped outside, the narrow streets reminded him of the alley encounter. The woman stood up, her figure curvier than Isabella’s. She followed him.

“Good evening,” she said with her sultry smile.

David turned around and saw the woman with the fiery red hair. He managed, “Good evening.”

She leaned in, her eyes on him. “I couldn’t help but notice you. You seem like you’re looking for something.”

David felt creepiness. “Just passing through,” he replied. “I’m here to see the sights.”

At that moment, they spotted the man from the bar watching them from behind.

“You’re in trouble,” she said pressingly. “You must come with me.”

He looked at her with scepticism. He had the flattened bullet in his pocket, and it reminded him of how dangerous life had become. “What do you mean, lady?” he asked.

“He is onto you,” she replied, her eyes locked onto his.

David shook his head. “Lady, you don’t know about me. I have powers.” He slurred slightly with frustration.

Suddenly, the man from the bar stepped forward. He had a silver gun. He pointed it straight at David’s chest.

“Your powers are mine, kid,” the man sneered.

David just chuckled. “You can’t scare me,” he said. He raised his hands, taunting the man to fire at him.

Then, a click pierced the night. The woman’s eyes widened in surprise. The man’s finger tightened on the trigger. David braced himself. The woman pulled David toward her. A tiny sound, and David felt burning pain shoot through his right arm. He stumbled back, almost collapsing. He was shocked. The man watched with cold eyes. David’s pain rose. He cried, with his voice echoing through the street. The woman moved closer to David. With rapid hand movement, she removed a shiny round silver bullet from his arm and dropped it on the ground. With her shawl, she tied it around his arm.

“Now, boy,” she said with authority. “You and I are getting out of here.”

“Stupid witch,” the man yelled, “He is mine.”

She ignored the man. Instead, she pulled out a big white ball. With a swift motion, she slammed it onto the ground at their feet. The moment it made impact, thick mist erupted. The fog thickened. She grabbed David’s arm and pulled him up. They sprinted through the thick mist. The man couldn’t follow them, but the woman pushed forward until they were away from the town. They managed to escape and reached high ground. David looked to her rear, and the fog was lifted.

David still felt pain in his arm. He glanced at the woman and saw a red gem similar to Isabella’s around her neck. The woman didn’t pause. She pulled him along until they reached a small, hidden door near a meadow. With a firm push, she opened it. A staircase plunged into darkness.

“Quickly,” she said with a sense of hurry. “We need to go down.”

They moved deeper. It felt cold and damp. Once they reached the bottom, the stairs led to a small, dim room. The woman pulled him in and mumbled something that David couldn’t understand. She sealed them inside.

“Who are you? And what about him? Why did he attack me?” David asked once the pain in his right arm faded, and he felt strong again.

Evelyn searched his eyes, weighing her words carefully. “My name is Evelyn,” she said. “And that man? He’s one of many who are like you. But not strong enough.”

The shocking news hit David. “Someone like me?” he asked with disbelief.

Evelyn nodded. “Yes. The power you have isn’t ordinary. They can sense it and want to use it for themselves. You’ve made yourself a target by taunting him. I barely managed; otherwise, he would have drained you.”

“But what power?” he questioned. “I’m just a guy who had a weird experience.”

Evelyn leaned in closer. “What seems weird to you might be extraordinary to others. You need to understand.”

David doubted her and rolled his eyes. “How do you know about this ... this ‘power’? And why me?”

Evelyn fixed her eyes on his. “I’m one of the Sisters of the Uragh,” she said with a serious expression. “The Sisters of the Uragh are a secret group of witches. And you are a Nuhnoian. You’ve met us before.”