They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

"So Jesper," Magnus said, "What can you do with your blessing of time?"

Jesper looks away. He scan his eyes around the room, pick up an apple from the table top and played with it.

"I can do this," he straighten his palm and let the apple reside at the center. His left hand swish, first towards the right, and then the apple withered, like a decayed vegetable left out in the trash to rotten. He swipe to the left, then the apple turn from super red to light red, getting smaller until it becomes so small my eyeballs is probably bigger.

"I can control the time of a specific object. Have it undergo the 'past' 'present' and 'future' phase. Like this apple, it's past is when its hatch in the vines, then it grew bigger get redder - the present. In future it decayed."

Magnus lean closer to him and gaze at the apple..

"Can you do that to humans too?" He scrub the lower part of his chin. A slight beard is forming, although it's too thin, not very obvious, but once you look closer you can see it growing like inconspicuous weeds.

"He can," I answered. "The Fire hogs we've faced? He reduced those buffy men into bawling little babies." I held out my hand to give them an exact idea how it looks. Especially from an outsider's perspective.

"Small, ugly, noisy, I guess you kept those Charities for orphans busy with the babies Jesper." I wink.

Jesper grin. "Awesome right?" Behind us, Sam paled.

"That's terrible." He whispered. "I mean, they're just little babies right? How could you leave all of them in the burning forest? What if they'll die?" Sam gasp, horrified at his own thought.

"You shouldn't be worried about them." Magnus said, giving Sam and Seven's sleeping figure a sideways glance.

"Before I forgot, can you tell us what really happen back then Sam? How did you and Seven meets with a terrible faith of encountering a demon?"

Sam groan. He scratch his neck and squirm in his bed. I can see the sweat trickle down at his neck. Probably because of the humid inside a basement with no aircon.

But the strange thing is.... I feel cold. Like there's a frosty wind strapped in my shoulders and keep on blowing chilly air to my ear.

"That... I don't really remember. I only recall fragments." He pause. Filling his chest with large concentrated air.

"Right after you guys said our blessings aren't working because of what that glasses woman feed us, I felt a switch flipped inside me. I notice him." He nudge his chin in Jesper's direction.

"I know instantly that he did something to me."

"I rewind your time. So you can use your blessing again." Jesper butts in.

"Right. Seven fall back behind us, fighting the Fire hogs. Me and Lance with Magnus at his back run into the forest looking for escape. It was one of the most amazing feelings you know, at that night, it felt like the darkness was torn apart around me. I can see glows and movement among the dark trees. I can detect something even from kilometers away... It's like I can't see them, but I know something's there."

"Seventh sense..." Magnus said. "Let's you see and feel any glimmer of movements even a mile away. I now see seventh sense is part of your blessing. Sorry, continue."

Sam looks down at his hands.

"I'm supposed to lead you Lance out of the forest when I sense something sinister behind me. More than anything I felt before. It was evil. Malicious, too vicious it's out not only for blood, but to see people's face twisted in agony. What's worse is it spotted Seven. Coming after her. I wanted to tell you about it Lance." He looks at me, eyes getting heavier.

"But you're carrying Magnus. And I don't think you're capable to fight that monster off if Magnus wasn't healed. That's why I brought you in the direction where Jesper is. At least, he can help. Just like how he get my blessing back." His voice started to shake.

"Even so, you should have told me. At least I'll know where to -" I cur myself off. Remembering the moment I soent dilly dallying with Jesper and Magnus outside of the forest while Seven and Sam is in danger.

I'm the worst. I have no right to blame Sam. I have no right to reprimand him for not telling me.

Some part of me know Seven was already in danger when she take up Magnus's crosswords to fend off the Faery hogs. And yet...

What I am doing back then? After Magnus was healed I chilled, I rested, I looked back at the forest with no danger tingling at my mind. Completely forgetting about Seven's situation.

"I'm sorry." Sam apologized. I reach out and patted his shoulder.

"You shouldn't apologize. It's supposed to be me. Out of the both of us, I clearly have a little strength to help Seven kill off the Fiery hogs. But I was selfish. I completely forgot about her. I forgot about you -" I cleared my throat.

The constriction of it heavily reminds me of the Skully head's skinless face. So I close my mouth. Sam took my silence as a go signal to go on.

"I saw Seven standing still in the clean mushy clearing. She' s alone. Eyes determine to cut down anyone who dares try to cross her way. The fire hogs are smart enough to keep their distance...obviously... I am not. I race to where she stood. She shouted me to stop. To stay away. I was bent on saving her it didn't occur to me she had fallen into their trap and can't get out. "

Sam's face suddenly turn white. So white he makes the snow the same color as ragged dirty white clothes.

He's having a hard time to breath. His eyes dilated. His nose flared and he's trembling.

"Sam? Sam!" Magnus ran to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. Trying to calm Sam down.