Masters's Son

Eleven

I should've ran.

When Maddie asked when Jazz got here, and she answered with 'yesterday' it didn't turn out well. They turned to me. They expected me to tell them first that she got here.

Anger is what I feel with them.

Disgust is what I feel when I'm alone.

Guilt is what I feel with Jazz.

Why can't I make these feelings go away?

Jazz tried to intervene, but to no avail. They don't usually yell at her, and when they do they apologize. They say I'm a disappointment, a regret they had made. I don't blame them. At one point I'm pretty sure Maddie slapped me, but I was having a sort of out of body experience. My mind was elsewhere. Everyone and everything was distant.

I was dissociating.

The yells, the screams, the pain were all there, but it was numb. That is until I felt arms around my shoulders. It's warm and comforting. For once, it's nice being brought back to reality. But only being brought back, not when I'm there.

"Dann-" What if I never see Jazz again? "-anny!" Was meeting Clocky a dream? A hallucination? "Danny!" I feel shaking, the warmth sort of leaves my chest and back but goes to my shoulders. I blink and I see Jazz, she's blurry with my unshed tears. Oh no, don't cry! Not now! I blink a few more times, she's clearer now.

I notice that we're all still in the kitchen. Even Jack and Maddie.

Jazz turns to them both, "This is why Social Services came to the house! You don't even feed him properly! I came to the house to nothing in the fridge but snarling hotdogs and baking soda! You even took him to dinner as soon as he was released from the hospital! And to what? Ask him how he got the portal working?!" Jazz's voice was shrill and angry. She's yelling at them because of me, I am just a disappointment. "He has a sprained ankle and lost crutches. He was electrocuted unsupervised. He's just a kid!" And here I thought maybe she didn't feel responsible for me, but I see it now. Even as she left for college, she still makes herself look after me. I'm still just a kid in everyone's eye.

They just stand there stunned. I droop at the words. I want to disappear, for the earth to swallow me whole. But if I turn invisible now, my not so loving parents will put a bullet through me on the spot. And that'd make Jazz feel responsible for that too.

My hand goes to my chest. The clog is still there, meaning the meeting was real. I just have to be patient till I meet "the stranger with the same power as me."

Wait—power! I have ghost powers! Does this mean it's permanent? Does this mean he had an accident too? Will he have ghost abilities like me?

"Fine." Maddie states annoyed, "If you want him more cared for, take him yourself!" There is a lot of yelling today. And all of it because of me and not from me. And what does she mean 'yourself?' I'm fourteen, I can't live with Jazz! She lives in the dorms for college students!

"Fine!" Jazz says angrily back. She grabs my wrist and drags me upstairs all the way to my bedroom door. All the way, she never looks back to the seething adults. I realize Jack never said a word, which is weird. Usually he never shuts up.

"Pack your bags, you're coming with me." She crosses her arms.

"But you live in a dorm, I can't get a passport without their permission, and I'm still just in high school. I couldn't go back with you even if I wanted to." Her face goes from annoyed to sad. She then turns her head to glare at the stairs. Her face softens when she turns back to me.

"We'll figure something out-"

"No. Jazz, you're supposed to be the sensible one. As much as I want to, you know I can't." I give her a sad look. "If I go, they'll stop sending you money. Then where will we be? I'm sorry, but you can't." I can feel tears threatening to spill. But I won't let them, maybe I will later.

She looks like she's about to say something then stops herself. She sighs, "You're right. But I still want you out of this house. And I'll do whatever it takes." She states with finality. I don't say anything.

Instead I nod once, turn, and hop into my bedroom. "Thank you, Jazz, for standing up for me." I say and close the door behind me. Although it didn't end how both Jazz and I would've liked, it's still nice to know that she cares. Even if she just sees me as a kid in need of supervision.

I clutch the medallion in one hand. The other locks my bedroom door. When will I be taken away? When will I meet this stranger? I know I'm supposed to be patient, but it's difficult with the people I live with.

I think, for a distraction, I'll practice my abilities. Specifically flying. Floating, hovering, whatever, it's a power which I don't know how to use.

I look down at my feet to practice hovering but instead I feel a shiver go down my spine and a tingling sensation on my abdomen. White rings circle me like a hula-hoop. They separate running to opposite ends of me. My fingers and toes were the last to flash white. I'm wearing a negative colored version of the jumpsuit I wore during the accident. White gloves, boots, belt, and collar accompanies the black suit.

I run to the nearest mirror. A white haired, glowing green eyed kid stares back.

Me.

A different me. Is this another side effect? I gasp and touch the mirror with both hands. It's real, I've changed completely in appearance.

My stark white hair fluffy, bedhead more prominent than when it's its usual raven color. Toxic green eyes glow, reflecting off my cheeks. The jumpsuit loose in a few places but otherwise a good fit.

The clog on the ribbon hangs around my neck above the cloth instead of under it.

I touch my hair. It feels like it usually would, just really, really white. I would've thought I've gone albino if it weren't for my eyebrows their normal color of black. So are my eyelashes.

That's weird, why is my hair different? Why am I back in the jumpsuit from when I was in the accident?

I step back from the mirror, white rings surround my middle and runs over me again. I'm back to my old self.

Raven hair, white and red t-shirt, and the plaid pajama pants I slept in. The same disappointment of a son and sibling I was moments ago.