Jordan Gray

Part 3: After the collapse

Jordan woke up in his bed, disoriented. His head throbbed, and his vision blurred as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. How had he gotten home? The last thing he remembered was being insulted by Alex everything went dark.

Before he could piece together what happened, the door creaked open, and his mother, Mrs. Ruby Gray, stepped inside. Her face, usually composed, lit up with unmistakable relief when she saw him awake.

“How are you feeling, my son?” she asked, her voice warm with affection, though her eyes held a flicker of something else concern, perhaps even caution.

Jordan managed a weak smile. “Better, I think." His throat felt raw, as if he had been screaming.

Ruby studied him for a long moment, her motherly instincts sensing something unspoken. She reached out, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “Is there anything you need?”

“No,” Jordan replied, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze. “But I’ll let you know if that changes."

His answer didn’t satisfy her. She pressed further, her tone gentle but firm. “Are you sure? Anything at all?”

Something in Jordan snapped. A surge of frustration, hot and sudden, erupted from deep within him. **“AS I ALREADY SAID- NO, I DON’T NEED ANYTHING!”** His voice wasn’t just loud -it resonated with an unnatural depth, vibrating through the room like low thunder, shaking the picture frames on the walls.

Ruby didn’t flinch. She had expected this. His abilities were awakening, and this outburst was only the beginning. The realization settled heavily in her chest.

With a quiet sigh, she turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. The days ahead would test them both —more than Jordan could possibly understand.