Fall Is Beautiful

Chapter 7: A tearful reunion

"Drakon?! You're alive?!" I asked, scooting over to my old best friend. He was just as excited to see me, he would've wrapped his arms around my shoulders if he could've, if it weren't for the rope around his wrists. I got a good look at his features. His hair had been shaved, his skin was paler, he was thinner, but it was him! It was Drakon!

"Where have you been all this time?" He asked, seemingly looking over me as well. I must've seemed like I was living in heaven compared to him.

"Jafar and I got away before the PSI workers could get us. Hinahoho had been taking us all over New Jersey to stay away from them."

"Oh? The valiant retired army soldier who doesn't have a sense for when to stop talking about the war? That Hinahoho?" I nodded, and Drakon laughed. "Damn... where's he now?" I shrugged.

"Dunno. Left him."

"You left him? Why?! He was your guardian! Look at where leaving him got you!" He gestured to the truck as it toppled a little from the road. I sighed, staring down. Then, Drakon sighed. "You probably had your reasons. How's the little twerp doing? I assume he wasn't taken?" I gulped, feeling the taste of bile run through my mouth. It stung.

"He's gone... I went out to find him, and here I am. He blames me... for everything." I stared down at my palm, refusing to let myself cry. "For all that it's worth, he's right." I closed my hand to a fist, clenching it. "I wasn't strong enough to protect him. I never was. I need to become stronger, better. I need to stop relying on others." I could tell Drakon had his doubts about it, but he didn't say.

"Well, you're not going to get any stronger in the camp. They work you, day and night. You barely get any rest. It was just my luck I got caught again." He leaned back against the wall.

"Again?" I repeated, and Drakon chuckled.

"I escaped, once, with the help of some other kids from the outside. They said that my brother had been looking for me, to get me out." My eyes downed at that.

"I'm sure he'd be happy to know you're alive." I told him, as if to try to reassure him. As if I hadn't known that Hina had killed Barbarossa just a month back. "What happened to everyone, exactly?"

"You don't know? Man, you really are sheltered. Once the virus started showing side effects with kids gaining supernatural powers, every single kid was placed under lockdown. You're just lucky your guardian ran away with you and your brother beforehand. I heard what happened about Shar. You burned his cheek. You must be a red. Damn... and here I am, a yellow."

"What do all these colors mean?" Drakon raised a brow at me, before sighing. He pulled off his gloves- I hadn't realized he was wearing them- and touched my hand. I felt a jolt of electricity rival through me.

"Green is harmless, the kids who don't have any powers. Blue are kids who can control nature, kind of scary but trust me their powers are pretty weak. Most of them can't pull a root from
The ground. But... the ones I'm most afraid of are the oranges. They can enter your mind, make you think you see something when you really aren't. They can manipulate your mind. Ugh. Then there's yellows." He gestured to himself. "We control electricity." I frowned, still feeling that electricity running through me. "And finally... reds. They're the most destructive. They control fire, or, they can create fire out of thin air." I paused, staring down at my burned knuckles. Once again, a sign.

"Have you worked with other reds before?" I asked. Drakon nodded.

"Well, duh. The group I was with was full of them- well... before the PSI workers found us." I stared at Drakon. He was saddened to a degree that I would definitely call "he needs therapy." In fact, everyone here needed therapy. I needed therapy.