They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

Everything just start to feel not the same. A man, who has the same face as Jesper look around, sniff the air, twist his neck.

Another guy round up behind him.

"What's up?" It's the crooked glasses guy.

"I'm sensing something." Jesper's doppelganger said. Crooked glasses guy scan his eyes to the yard.

I stifle my breath and not dare to make a sound or move while Sam has me wrapped up in the neck. There's only two meters distance between us and the two new dudes.

I'm sure even a sharp intake of breath or a missle creak of the stairs can give away our position. Magnus and Seven stiffen and freeze beside me. As if they're totally not here with me.

I only feel Sam's controlled exhales behind me.

"Like what?" Crooked glasses squint his eyes and take a step forward. Our feet less than a meter away.

"Mmm... same as Jesper has." Jesper's doppelganger fall back. He turn his head to Crooked glasses and grin.

"Seems like we weren't mistaken Father. There are others like Jesper. Someone who has supernatural abilities."

Crooked glasses pat his shoulder. "Yes, Son. In fact, I see bones moving, lurking at our basement earlier. Now what will you make of that?"

They both grin.

"Jesper brought his friends to play."

They went back inside and screams Jesper's name. Merrily sing sang their voices with the 12 days of Christmas tone.

I clench and unclench my hands. Trying to calm my nerves, attempting to establish my wits, to come up with a plan. I dont know what to do. I had not predicted things to go like this. Never thought far ahead.

Seeing the crooked glasses man again and Jesper's look alike.... It has dawned on me...that these people are Jesper's family.

I'm hard smack by the reality my mind runs blank. I don't know what's our next move. Sam behind me stiffen.

"You guys, grab my arm." Sam said.

We did. I'm on the left and Seven shifted to the right, carrying Magnus. I can't see them. I can only guess.

Sam take a step forward. We followed suit. The door never slam shut behind the two. It stand open ajar. I thought they didn't close it properly. I thought something was stuck between the wooden door and the wall.

I found nothing.

It never occured to me that Sam is stopping the door from not closing. His forehead beads in sweat. His breathing became ragged.

I just stood there, amaze at how he's making all of us invisible at the same time control the door.

He's really the Chosen One for space. The air around us somehow lift us off the feet. Making us lightweight. When we take another step forward, our feet never creak the wooden front porch.

My mouth formed an o in amazement. No matter how much strength I use to press my feet to the ground, grind my shoes against the plank, no sound came out.

I was about to squeeze his arm because of excitement when another man walks past us. Literally. I was taken aback. Thought he'd slam right to me. I froze in my feet. Terrified, I close my eyes.

But nothing happened. Sam drew a long shaky breath.

"That was close." He said. Breathless. The sound of door slamming shut took away the relief washing over me.

In a quick instant I thought everything was over. We lost our chance to get inside. Sure, Sam can control the door to open again but it will catch the attention of the two people inside.

And that's one of the biggest risk we can't take.

Sam pulled me to the side. Our backs slightly bumping the walls.

"What now?" I ask.

"We wait." Magnus whispered.

"Okay." The man littered in the edge. He is huge. Probably six feet seven high or eight. Arms so buffy and chest too puffy he's probably two fifty pounds or so. His hair is decently shaved. He's wearing brown cowboy boots, blue jeans, maroon pattern sleeves, which he folds in his elbows. A tattoo marked the clean sheet of his nape.

I don't recognize the bird calligraphy shape. But Magnus and Seven do. When he turn to face us my voice almost rip my throat in half.

I was wrong. I was thinking his tattoo can only be found in his scalp. But it wasn't the case. It was all over his head when he turns around. Dark blue like no other. If it wasn't because of the sun, I'd mistake the color black.

Yet I'm glad I meet him at day time. If it was actually at night maybe I'd have my shoes left on this very front porch.

And I'm not coming back.

He put his hands on his hips. Turn side to side to sniff the air. Looking around the yard for possible movements.

I'm tempted to speak with Seven. Ask if she knew this man. But I can't see her. And I don't actually have any telepathic blessings that can cross her minds and the others.

The man is loitering. Side stepping in the rail. Taking out his smoke. Puffing out his cigarettes.

I thought we'd be okay. We just need to wait. But as minutes passed, Sam has grown weaker beside me. His arms has started to sweaten so bad my palms are smudge wet.

This invisibility is taking a huge toll on him. I know this is too much for him to bear. It wasnt that long since he just free himself from the uncontrolled tendency of his blessing to go out of control.

I know he wasn't overjoyed to use it again. I know he despise it. But right now he got no choice. He needs to take us inside.

There must be something. Anything. That I can do to help.

I take a deep breath, enforcing to be as quiet as possible. What exactly did Seven meant earlier? Did I really lose something? She wants me to sense something. But what? I don't understand.

I need to make an effort. Dig deeper. I close my eyes in concentration. My thoughts twirled to every sensations moving around my body. Traveling. Locating the shadow dancing at some part of my limbs. I clench my fist.

Thoughts moving in circular dizzying motion I can't think straight.

I don't need to think. I just need to react. My veins popped out as my strength concentrated on my fist.

I'm breathing heavy. I try to envision my shadows crawling at the ground. Traveling deeper than the surface. Reaching far far far down below for some answers. 

I can see them moving. Slithering like roots, spreading like virus. From me towards the three hundred square meter in the house. 

Sam beside me let out an audible gasp. The man in the front porch keeping an eye out for everything scream. 

My shadows... Spreading the ground, taking hold of every form that has life. I sense one, hundred, hundred thirty seven... Two hundred twenty nine....

A smile form on my lips. Victory so close and so tasty I couldn't help but lick at my lips. 

Three hundred. 

My eyes flash open. 

The soil bubbled in the ground. I readied myself. This will be blast. A big surprise. You all will die. 

I'm going to take Jesper back. Not let him get caught up in your murder spree again. He deserve better. 

He helped me, a stranger who he did not know back in the forest. That much should mean much more. A great help. A great friend. 

He is one of us. I can't let his blessings get exploit by people who did not know his worth. Who can't get whats the right thing to do with his powers. Who can't use his abilities to do whats good. 

I let go of Sam and my body appeared out of nowhere on the spot.

"Five no!" I heard Seven shriek at my head. But it's too late. I already did.

White dirty bones rise up from the ground. Bony hands crawled from beneath. Then the hands turn to skull. Until I'm staring at the three hundred armies I raised from the other side.

The man shriek. I grin. He's scared. That's good. I need you to be afraid. You're only ordinary people. You're nothing compared to us. 

You can't handle the severity of our powers. We are Chosen. Soon we will be the very gods you'll be scared to talk with in your sleep.

No more betrayal. No more deception. You all will die. I'll take you to the afterlife myself.

The man spin around to face me. Eyes so malicious I waver for a second. My zombies stops rising for a moment as well. But I pursue. I stretch my hand and let them come. 

He cackled a disgusting inhuman grin.

"Finally..." he swoon. "You're here. I've been expecting you."

And then the strangest thing happened. He twisted his face.. The tattoos on his head transformed.