Telestic (The Transcendent File_002)

5. Blood is thicker than water

"Remember when we said to listen to your heart? Don't. It's a trap. A law founded by nature, but we are not natures creations; but creations by the universe. Celestial beings transplanted in hopes of unification. Your heart is your worst enemy. Listen to your soul and you will have favorable outcomes. Mohsin Hamid once said, 'Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.' Transcendents listen to their soul; because it radiates at the core."

- Transcendent Book of Life

Last night was something straight out of a Sci-Fi action packed movie. Each and every event that occurred had a grander complication; while nothing went our way. Graduation will be a night you'll remember for the rest of your lives, they say. You bet our asses he'll remember this for the rest of the life. The short one that is. Not having yet see his death gives me hope that I can prevent future disaster and the bloody prophecy-vision thing. A hope that I am desperately clinging to.

A day ago, before disaster struck, we were worried about the secrets and Eddie leaving for college. All of that seems petty and mediocre now. Today are worries are far worse than anything we have ever imagined; and it's growing worse by the minute; slowly sucking the life out of Willoughby...one by one. If we don't find more true-blooded Transcendents – we might as well hand our ass's over to the darkness ourselves. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep."

"That's not good."

"No, it's not. Why are you up at the crack of dawn?"

Stretching he yawns, "Trying to remember when life was easier. Not so damn complicated. When all I had to worry about was getting you to admit you had feelings for me. A year has changed all of us." Then he continues to sit down in a chair; flinching with each breath he took.

"Some of us are still convalescing from all these abrupt changes. Life was never not convoluted; we were just sheltered like little puppies away from the hidden life." I say as I plop down in the cushioned love seat; turning away towards the window as I hear his rapid breathing. I did that. Not the Curs. Not the Delphians. Not rogue Transcendents. Me. I am the source of his pain; source of all evil if I want to be extreme.

Slowly, he moves his index finger closer to mine until we were touching. "Emma, don't blame yourself...I encouraged...this. You needed to see the bigger picture. Now we know what...to prevent." Jolting my hand away from his, I fill with anxiety as my mind started to swirl. "Uh, I need to discuss everything with Nikki. Yes, I agree with you a hundred percent – but we were out-numbered against that thing chasing after me – and we will prevent the events as much as possible."

"Deflecting much."

"Are we seriously arguing about this? I don't want to hurt you anymore. God, I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. Don't you know me by now? In order to protect our child, we need troops. We need people like you and me fighting this end-of-world battle. If Matty were here, what do you think he'd say first?" I snap as I spin around in my seat; eyes glaring red.

Breathing harder, he exhales "He'd say to get your head in the game. Stop stalling. Look at the bigger picture. Don't be reckless. Know your strengths and weaknesses above all else. Listen, Emma I do know you; and I fought to be with you; but your forgetting one major detail. Where ever you go – a trail of bodies, primordial curses, and bad karmic energy follow."

As I twisted my face in a monopolizing anger; flaring my nostrils – steam seemed to spool out of my ears. My hands throbbing as my fingernails dug into them; as I fought the urge to release all this pent up rage towards the man I love. Bowing forward, I dared him to repeat his callous words that felt like daggers jamming into my body. Sweat dribbled from his forehead as fear settled in; and I gave him an intensifying blow to the head as I stood up; and straighten myself out. "Don't you ever say those words to me ever again?!" I hissed as if I were a serpent as I narrowed my venomous little eyes. He gives me a dumbfounded look as I hung over him.

Hormones. The best explanation I got; but his words cut like knives. A tremor. Eddie was now afraid of me and I could give you two examples to why: I quite literally dug my claws into as I penetrated his chest; and I finally snapped and punched him. A monster. That's what I was becoming; and it was ---it will continue to get worse.

"Maybe you should go?"

"Eddie...I don't know what got over me."

"It's pointless to argue with you about anything. Em, you always have this need to be right all the time. It is best if you leave and..."

"And what?" I said as my lips curled with revulsion.

"We should go on a break. At least until you wrap your head around all of it: being a teen mother, the great savior, in a relationship; that your whole life has been forged; and there's this great darkness that is going to kill us all – starting with an unwanted child."

My lips instantly pull back exposing my clenched teeth as my cheeks flamed with absolute anger. "That child is the only thing keeping me sane. Look around. It's not safe. If I am controlled by my own people – how the hell am I going to lead us to a damn victory? Screw you. I'll find these Telestic Findings and discover more people like the baby and I. You just lost the best thing you ever had." I bellowed ferociously as I slammed the front door shut; while storming out to go find my sister.

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

That escalated rather quickly. 0-100 in mere matter of seconds. Was I wrong to overreact? To hurt him the way he hurt me? Should I shut him out while I figure things out? Did I just walk away from the love of my life? Love is fictitious. Love is poisoned. Love is a means to an end. Don't let it crowd judgement. Sometimes it feels like my mind is not mine to control – and that on occasion...it flares up and makes rather rash decisions. As if to guide me towards the bigger picture; as in my apparent prophecy fulfilling destiny. Must be a Transcendent thing.

As I knock on the door, Nikki quickly unlocks it and swings it open with a big yawn. "Did someone die?" yawns Nikki as she covers her mouth. "Come in."

"No one died. Well, not yet that is."

The words struck her down as she braced herself against the doorframe; clenching onto her stomach as if her life depended on it. Motionless. Her eyes went back and forth as the wheels in her mind continued spinning; while she tried to come to grasp the words. My words.

"You l-l-learned something l-l-last n-n-ight?"

Nodding my head, I reply through my teeth with "Yes."

"Well...w-what did y-you learn?" stutters my sister as she moves out the way to let me in; before silently closing the door.

"There's a prophecy. Mother and father were trying to protect us in their sick minds. They pushed me away so I could fulfill my birthright. It was to throw the Delphians off my trail until the time was right. Dad insisted on sending you away – not because he didn't want you..."

"But because the darkness would find me and take me out; like it has with other Transcendents. Right?"

"Yes. The answer is in the book that we left Diana with. Mom said we need to find others like ourselves – so we can defeat this darkness once and for all. Shine a light in all the shadows. Now, the Curs are friendly. Remember tall, dark, and mysterious?"

With a sideways glance, she squints her eyes and asks, "The one you saw in your vision that sent you to the hospital? The same tall, dark, and mysterious guy that technically killed you? That guy?"

"Kris is a Cur. Half-bloods. Our source of information on the prophecy, our powers, and the darkness itself. A protector of all Transcendents and Curs."

Shaking her head, "Have you been completely brainwashed?"

"You sound like Eddie."

"Speaking of him – where is he?"

"I punched him. We're sort of taking a breather on our relationship. Since apparently, and I quote, where ever I go: a trail of bodies, primordial curses, and bad karmic energy follows. Hormones are a reasonable explanation for my rage. All he cares about is this child and not how it is effecting everything. Can I stay here for a while? At least until things blow over."

A soft smile forms as she nods. "As long as you need. I'll have Mikey make a room for you; and then check on how Diana is doing in decoding that book."

"Thank you."