Burning Slow

Two birds. One stone. Please don't kill my birds.

A man with the same build as Alex, wearing a tux with perfectly styled hair, closed eyes and tan skin, lay peacefully inside the coffin.

"He was our body guard. Kinda cliche." James chuckled, sitting down on the grass.

"He was awesome. He saved us when dad almost killed us." All the heads whipped to Jacob.

"Your dad tried to kill you?" Kenneth asked.

"Yeah. He ended up killing our mom. We found out he died shortly after, I think he killed himself." James nonchalantly answered, but his fists clenched upon mentioning their mom.

"How are you two so calm about this? My mom's been gone for years and I still can't talk about her that freely."

"Ember, we grew up with new bruises and scars to show off. Our dad was such an ass and our mom spent every single day of her life trying to protect us from him. He didn't understand why he had sons that were not normal- he was afraid of the things we could do so he tried to control us. He was our dad, of course we couldn't hurt him." James said.

"Good thing Mason was there when we needed him. Apparently, mom hired him specifically to protect us. He told us that his orders were to act only when the our lives were in danger. Despite being only five years older, he was good. Come to think of it, you two are the same age." Jacob looked at Alex.

"Can you tell us more about him?" Ember asked, sitting next to James. The rest of the group followed suit, waiting for the twins to tell them more.

"James and I were born February 22, 2209. Turns out, our parents weren't expecting me- they didn't know they were having twins-"

"Handsome twins." James cut in, everybody rolling their eyes at him.

"Then?" Astraea asked.

-

The lights in the room flickered, baby James’ giggles filling the room as his brother peacefully slept next to him.

The twins looked exactly alike- wisps of blond hair on their head, soft white skin, light blue eyes and a cute little button nose.

The two new parents barged in the room, the flickering of the lights stopping as James’ eyes landed on his parents.

“What the hell happened?” The man mumbled.

The woman headed over to James, picking him up. “Did you have a nice nap, darling?” James joyously gurgled, playing with his mom’s hair.

“Your brother is still sleeping so let’s stay quiet.” She placed one finger of her mouth. It seems James understood this gesture as he adorably tilted his head back, making a show of closing his mouth.

The woman quietly laughed, taking his eldest son out of the room after he kissed his youngest, Jacob, on the forehead.

The couple walked down the stairs, placing James on his high chair before hearing ear piercing wails in the room they were previously in.

The previously clear blue skies, disappeared, Big gray clouds took over the skies, rain slowly falling down.

The man told his wife that he’ll take care of it, going back up the stairs and gently cradling Jacob in his arms.

He walked back down, Jacob still crying in his arms. He rocked him side to side while the mom prepared two bottles of milk.

“I’m coming, darling. Just a sec.” The woman walked back in the living room, shaking some of the milk on her wrist to make sure it’s the right temperature. She nodded to herself before handing her husband one bottle and heading over to James who was patiently waiting for his milk.

Jacob eagerly drank his milk, his cries ceasing, along with the rain outside.

“That’s weird.” The man voice out his thoughts, staring out the window as he rocked his son side to side.

The following days were the same. Rain falling every time Jacob cries, lights flickering every time James laughs and other unexplainable phenomenons.

Days turned into years and the boys’ power grew, discovering something new that they can do everyday.

The two were playing on the yard one day- four years old now- blasting harmless balls of light and shadow at each other. The parents were watching them from the window, feeling an overwhelming feeling of pride rise within them.

But then, James sneezed and a lightning bolt hit the roof of their house.

Everything pretty much went down hill from there.

Fire started, almost burning the house down. The happy family fell apart, their dad started abusing them, using fear to control his kids. Their mom wanted to leave so bad but she couldn’t leave her kids.

A couple more years passed- twelve years old now. Everyday, the twins got a new bruise or a new cut, having to wear clothes long enough that could cover all that pain they get. They tried not to use their power- restricting themselves. They frequently got sick because of this- their own power attacking their own body.

Despite all that, the twins still managed to be happy- to look at the bright side.

And now they’re fourteen. Their mom was cooking dinner, they were doing their homework on the kitchen table and their dad was going to enter the house any second now.

“How’s school, my darlings?” Their mom asked, stirring some soup.

“It’s going great. Kids ignore us and we ignore them.” Jacob shrugged.

“Why don’t you two help me bake some cookies? Your father always loves it when I bake cookies.” She spoke as if they were in a normal household.

“As long as I get to lick the spatula.” James grinned.

Their mom nodded, starting to bring out the ingredients, letting the soup simmer. Jacob and James set aside their books and papers.

They got started on mixing all the dry ingredients, their father walking in not long after. He removed his coat and tie and walked to the kitchen.

His eyes beamed, staring at his family. “Cookies.” He made a satisfying hum, walking to his wife and pecking her cheek.

It was only hours after that when Jacob accidentally put the lights out in the whole house, practically no harm done- but their dad didn’t had a very short fuse.

He barged in their room, about to hit his son but mom was there in an instant.

“They’re your kids!”

“They’re a nuisance.”

“You leave them alone or else...”

“Or else what?”

“We go to the police and report you.”

The man raised his hands, surrendering, turning on his heel but he turned back around and slapped his wife hard.

“Mom!” The boys exclaimed, scrambling over to their mom. They glared at their father- he never hit their mom.

Both boys were prepared to lunge at their father, power building up within them.

The man saw the look in their eyes, taking a step backward, feeling fear take over his body. He scrambled out of the room, grabbing a pistol from his bedside drawer.

He had no idea that there was another person in their house- a nineteen year old, specially trained bodyguard- ready to rescue the twins.

Their father pointed the pistol at his family, his hands shaking.

“You move one bit and I shoot.” He warned, not feeling movement behind him.

The floor creaked behind him, he quickly turned around, ready to shoot but not before getting hit in the head, accidentally pulling the trigger.

A loud gunshot echoing throughout the whole house.

-

"We used to live in Portaveno up until that time- then Mason let us live with him in that we had been in. It was awesome being away from our old house. Of course we had to adjust, and we had to deal with the bullies that you guys took care of- that guy that Ember beat up especially." All of them chuckled, remembering that time, Greyson smiled, picturing the image in his mind.  

"He helped us get stronger and we formed that bond and my brother fell in love with him and neither of us could have guessed that he felt the same way. They got together May?" Jacob turned to his brother.

"Yeah." James smiled, remembering that day. "May 2, 2226. Then he died... Cancer." His voice cracked, tears glistening in his eyes as he stared at Mason.

Rocco closed his eyes, focusing on Mason. Seconds later, an astral body of Mason was kneeling in front of James.

"I missed you, light."