Common Power Creativity

Chapter 3: Escaping

James was stood there for many minutes trying several different actions and words, but all of his nonsense would prove futile, as he just couldn't use his power. [GODAMN IT! Why didn't I just ask him how to use my power! No point stressing about it now I guess.] He stood up from his pondering on the cold and damp concrete, the whistling of the air through the tunnel guiding him as he scanned for an exit. James walked forward to the gates, which he usually used. They were the same, eerily the same. The scratched stickers on the side hung like bodies, and the mechanic gates stood still. There were no lights on it, and probably for the best as James was already getting nervous about the world he was about to enter. Eerie red glowing lights would only worsen the atmosphere.

[Asuri, huh. Sounds alien, I mean it is a bit in origin? I have no idea what I'm getting myself into.] He passed the gates which were now unrestrained and scanned the area, "Yep, this is my station alright. Why is it in this world as well though?" He looked at the posters, which would usually scream advertisements at passers by, they felt almost comforting, as it was that little bit of home that he had left. He walked though the long, creepy hallways, staring at anything around, expecting something to come out at any moment. [Since I cant use powers I should probably get a weapon. maybe a pipe around here is good enough? Damn good British platforms! If only it was more worn down!]

James turned a corner to see the stairs, it was the same set that he had climbed day in and out with the help of an escalator, but now there was no power, and he had to walk up. At the top was no light, it was dark like a basement in a blackout. [There could be anything up there. If there's magic are there monsters as well? Why didn't I ask the cloak guy!] James felt the urge to turn back and go out the back way, or maybe out the side of the tube tunnel, but the strong occasional gusts of wind shouted his answer to him. He trudged forward, phone in hand, wearing a full suit, now scratched by the dirt and moisture of the breeze. The tie around his neck was loose and hanging behind him, like a noose ready to hang. The look on his face was dreading the walk, but not for what might come, but for what he had already encountered. "WHY DIDNT I EXCERCISE MORE!"

He walked and he walked. It wasn't 3 minutes before he was sweating profusely, the lights above had long since disappeared and the only solitary light was from his phone. He kept climbing up, tired from the exercise that he would undoubtedly have to get used to. [It must've been at least 10 minutes by now right? How long are these stairs? It's a shame my phone has stopped, the time is stuck at 17:38. It was only 15:05 when I got on the train right?] He climbed for what seemed like hours, when in reality only 20 minutes had passed. The wind guiding the path had since started blowing his suit to pieces, he took his blazer off in hopes of fighting the wind better, but it was stolen immediately by the strong gusts. His phone was still at 17:38 but he didn't know if that was important or just the time when the accident occurred.

He walked for a few more minutes to find the surroundings were no longer that of a subway, and instead of a cave. There was a light green moss hanging from the walls, and the wind blew against them, creating a light whistling sound as some moss occasionally blew off from the walls and into his face. The stairs and the railings were now the only reminding comfort of his original home, but even the stairs were starting to fade as there was moss in between the steps, seeping into every c***k, and piling up in the corners. It was certainly a slip hazard.

He walked only for a few more minutes until he could see it. The blinding light, flickering every now and again, or it could've just been his eyes. He was now struggling to fight the harsh wind, almost falling back a few times to what would almost certainly be a painful death, but he paced on trying to move forward for his dear life.

He marched forward against the air, which felt like it was holding him back deliberately but he was gradually getting closer to the peak. [COME ON! KEEP MOVING! GO!] The thought of actually exploring his new word filled him with determination. "ALMOST THERE!" He shouted into the nothingness, almost completely silenced by the harsh barrage against his ears.

[Just 6 more steps!]

[5]

[4] James' face was covered in sweat and agony, despite the ferocious wind bolting into it.

[3] "AHH THE LIGHT" He was focusing on the task ahead when another blast of light came into the cave. He was blinded clueless for just a second and yet he lost his footing. His feet fell backwards as his face suddenly came towards the mossy, sharp steps. The light ahead of him had still blinded him and he was almost completely blind. In his mind, time seemed to stand still, He contemplated his life up till this moment, everything he had done wrong. [Really? I climb up all of these steps and I don't even get to fall back down them. My head will collide into the steps and into my brain. Someone will probably come back here and witness me here, long since dead. I'll never find out my other powers, or how to use telekinesis. I'm a failure.] He could no longer take any of it back, this was it. but in that moment his hands reacted, dropping the phone to its demise through the wind as he grabbed the steps. He was still blind at this moment, and yet his body simply reacted on its own, catching him and grinding his fingers into the rails of the steps with ungodly strength as the wind luckily seemed to calm down. His body dropped to the floor with a sudden thud. [Ughf] The metal edges collided with his clothes, which barely cushioned the fall. [Ugh, that's gonna leave a bruise]

He turned his head upwards and  opened his eyes to see the top of the cave above him, the sky was no longer visible from this angle, and the wind had died down into a simple breeze. Rays of sunlight passed overhead, barely blocked and out of view from the top cliff face. James looked ahead longingly, and crawled up the stairs, the wind picking up as his face got further from the stairs underneath him. Until that was it. One more step. He reached over the edge and pulled his exhausted limbs over the ultimate step. The light once more blinded his vision as he climbed fully up, sitting on the solid, cave floor.

James caught his breath while his eyes adjusted to the light. "I'm actually up! I did it." He finally pealed his eyelids open and peered at the perfect picture point, expecting a picturesque forest with clear skies and animals chirping. The perfect scene for the end of a strenuous challenge. But when he finally opened his eyes, he saw no such thing. In place of his perfect scene he saw a rainy, overcast day, with various menacing towers that stretched into the sky endlessly. He saw no beautiful forest scene but instead a vast plains that stretched into the far distance, dotted with occasional buildings and hills, both long ignored and forgotten. Instead of his chirping birds and playing rabbits, he saw nothing. There wasn't a peep from any wild animal. [maybe normal wildlife doesn't exist here, or maybe they're all hiding from the rain.] James reluctantly stood up from his daydream image, and looked forward to the hilly plain. He no longer had any phone, nor a blazer to keep him warm or safe from the rain. "Maybe I should wait it out." A groan from James' stomach silenced that idea almost immediately.

"Wait, If there's no animals, what am I gonna eat?"