The Instructions

Chapter 108: The Instructions

 

 

 

 

 

            “Oh, alright. If you insist.” was the first answer he got. “Good.” Trevor thought. “Sever that tree limb over there if you can.” he told him.

“Which’n?”

“That one.” he said as he put his hand on the right one. “Alright, here goes.” His hands glew a vibrant red and looked like something that would tickle. He ran his hand up the branch and chopped it off. Where it stood a nook, and where it fell a branch on the ground. A large one at that. The size may have measured o about six or seven feet. This also meant he could use these powers on just about anything at will. This was progress; this could be an effective tool in battle. More-so than Alex bulge of explosion or even Alan’s finger beam.

Trevor calculated that if it took him this long to beat the one they just faced, then it wouldn’t be near enough to finish the angel. He was working on a means to keep his group here now so he could teach them more about fighting styles and collectively offending enemies. They moved to a spot more convenient. Namely, the back yard. He couldn’t have asked for a better array of powers to behold.

While they were finishing up, the other’s doing air kicked and firing off beams into the wilderness, somehow hitting no trees. Trevor walked over to David and asked him a question. “How do you think we’re going to pull this group together?”

“I don’t know. But, I can tell you this. We won’t get very far with this last guy this way. I mean look at them.” They indeed weren’t very organized; powerful as they were each on their own. Alan’s laser finger was obviously working just fine, because he cut a tree in half in the back yard that had been standing there for ages. “Impressive.” David said. “Maybe I should take back my statement.”

“Indubitably. But, how do we get them to work together?”

“I guess we let things play out naturally. Alex and Blaine might bond; and Alex and Simon already have close ties. I don’t know about this Alan character.” he admitted. “What do you make of him.” Trevor asked. “I don’t trust him. That’s for sure.”

“Why’s that?”

“I dunno, just something about him.”

“Okay then.” Trevor felt kind of sad that his right hand man was distrustful of someone and impossibly one of his intercessors. They were all practically the same; with the same attributes and the same plight. Though Trevor was the only one destined to die, he would rely on these few to save his life. “Okay group. That’s enough of that now. I can’t have you tearing down my entire forest.”

“Aw. Man. It was just getting good.” Blaine told him. They rounded up; Alex and Alan put Mary in the car. He couldn’t have chosen a better time for them to split. It was getting late and they had been making quite the racket. Blaine entered the car and Alex hoofed into the driver’s seat, with a flick of the wrist starting the car. Trevor waved goodbye and he and David were left standing in the dark driveway, watching the car roll away, being quiet, and staring out at the night sky. David finally moved and said, “Well, what do you wanna do now?”

“Let’s go inside.” Trevor suggested. “Alright.”

They quickly paced into the front door; Trevor held it open and closed behind almost silently. The two walked back to his room. They set his night table in the middle of the room and David began recording on his camera phone. He begun going off about how he was a war hero and he’d been through this and that. Trevor liked it. He thought it was entertaining. He kept it up; the act of how he was sitting in the underbrush when the bombs went off all around him. He felt dazed. Mainly because he’d used most of his energy earlier and came to see he was still wearing the necklace. He took it off and David followed suit. “Keep that with you.” he said commanding. “Will do.” he was told. After that they said their adieus and Trevor went to go lay in bed. He couldn’t stop thinking about how they’d defeated the hooded demon and the new members they’d obtained. Everyone had their necklaces except for Simon and Jamie. He’d have to work on that tomorrow. He went to sleep with a head full of plans and dreams.

Awaking at the stroke of seven a.m. He got up off of the wrong side of the bed. Trevor was irritated and moody; and he couldn’t seem to find his underwear anywhere. He stepped into the bathroom naked with the lights on and found them in the closet. That was when he saw it. His face had become lush with hair. Trevor had grown a beard and it was oddly pleasant looking. He was contented with himself. Several years of shaving had paid off and this cast out all thoughts of demons or other non-sentient beings, much less his own trouble. Now he would have to shave the rest of his body, minus the legs and arms to balance everything. He went to the shower and begun to do so. The hair stripped right off his chest and groin and he washed and shaved the back of his neck, not in that order. He could feel the hair on his face and brushed it around with his hands through the steaming water. When he stepped out, he thought of David and his speech last night about soldiers and how he’d described his past as being his past and not present or future. Trevor stood for a long while in the mirror then tread back to his bedroom. He decided he wouldn’t go get David today, but instead try to coax Simon and Jamie to meet up together.

He texted Jamie and told him to call up Simon so that he may come over to jam music with them. This was just an excuse of course. Really he just wanted to get them together and teach them how to use their powers more fluently. That and give them their necklaces. In two hours he received a message that said he would have Simon over and to bring his bass. Once again this was a cover to give them a secret training session, but he didn’t want Jamie to know about that yet. Not now when things were really cutting corners in a matter of speaking. The hooded man was difficult enough to take down among the four of them; discounting Alan because he didn’t really do anything. Trevor and David were one hell of a team and Jamie had a stronghold that could defend against even the toughest of demon spawn. Like right now he had to get out of the house and wrangle up Simon to come play or train, rather, Jamie had sent him a text to go get Simon and take him to his house. So this was the business for the day.

Trevor went to scoop Simon. His house and neighborhood looked the same in the daytime as it did in the night. Same enclosed porch that met with the treeline out back. He came hustling through the door immediately this time, carrying his light jacket and wearing shorts again underneath. “Do you always wear shorts?” he asked when he got in the car. “Yes. Usually. Otherwise my legs get hot.”

“Huh..” Trevor thought as he swooped around the bend and went back out the way he came. He supposed there was a fair chance he could make it to Jamie’s in ten minutes, strafing over the railroad tracks to get there easily. Simon was quiet as ever and then said, “What do I do with my bass when I get there?”

“Don’t worry; there’s a bass amp down there.” He was talking about Jamie’s infamous basement. The good times he’d had there were few and far between, but he’d made sure to make them count. Trevor was driving hastily and Simon looked scared to death. He gave him a glance that said everything was fine. He wasn’t sure if he’d acknowledged that. Trevor, spirant before engaging Jamie’s driveway, was happy to be at rest. He didn’t want to be driving again anytime soon and wanted to do a lot while he was here. Having two intercessors only around today would be a load off his back as well. He couldn’t wait to exit the vehicle and get some fresh air. He rang Jamie and told him he was there and he was out in a flash. “What’re we boys doing here on this fine day here?” he said jokingly. “Not playing music.” Trevor said quite seriously. “Oh, aren’t we?” he asked. “No, we’re going to develop our powers.” he told them. “Develop powers? Well I’ll be.” he said mockingly again. “Yes and we’re going to start with you Jamie.” he told him. “I don’t know what powers you’re talking about.”

“You remember when you guarded against that man on fire?”

“No. What man on fire?”

“Ugh.” Trevor was getting flustered. “I know what you’re talking about Trev.” Simon said and patted him on the back. He cocked his head straight up and shot orange lasers from his eyes right into the sky. “Whoa, well that’s new.” Jamie said. “It’s not actually. He’s been able to do that since last summer.” Trevor explained. “and I showed you mine one time when I was over here. How have you forgotten about all of this?” It seemed he’d forgotten everything, but Trevor was sure he had to remember something. Maybe the traumatic nature of seeing these things made him forget all about them. “So, how can I do the same?” asked Jamie. “I don’t know. But, I do know that when you blocked against that burning man, you made a shell of sorts out of power. Just like that which Simon just did.”

“Really? I don’t remember that.” he said. “Well… geez.” Trevor anguished. That which Simon demonstrated easily might not have been so for Jamie. So he took it to heart that it might be a gradual process he would have to bear with. “Watch this closely.” Trev’s hand lit up like a green fire and covered his hand with energy. He began to fill it more and more until it got wider and fuller. The other’s looked on in disbelief when he kept it up. Then as fast as he’d manifested, he extinguished it and let it go. “Again how do I juncture such a feat?” he wondered aloud. “you have to… hold on. Let me get your necklace. It might help.” He ran to go grab them, unlocking the car and locking it back behind him. He graciously gave Jamie and Simon their necklaces and now everyone had theirs.

Jamie took it upon himself to put it on. He didn’t toss cookies this time around. Good thing too, cause Trev was standing right there beside him in line with his mouth. The rest must not have all had theirs on because nothing miraculous happened. He just stood there with it around his neck like a fine piece of jewelry. “Now try to cover yourself again. Pretend like someone is about to hit you.”

He froze up with his forearms in front of his face. Nothing happened. “hmm…” Trevor said. “Maybe you’re not convincing yourself enough to warrant making it happen.” he told him. “I’ll pretend to hit him in the face.” Simon suggested. “Good thinking.”

Simon bowed back and leaned in to strike him. His fist was bounced back by a protective barrier. “Good stuff.” Trevor said. He was glad he got it working now. It seemed to be automatic, maybe the necklace was doing the work for him. “I guess you should just keep your necklace on from now on, until you figure out how to do it yourself.” he reacted. “Right.” Jamie affirmed. The day went on, and Simon was busy practicing punching Jamie’s light shield and Trevor occupied himself with cigarettes and enjoying the sunlight on a warm day in late March. Simon would every once in a while miss his target and fall down or almost fall down into the rocky gravel. Trevor found it humorous. “Hey, I’mma try something.” Simon said. “What is it?” Jamie asked him. He proceeded to light up his laserworks and shoot them right at Jamie. Jamie’s light shield glowed bright, but not too much so. The sun behind the clouds was dimming it to a magnitude and blocked all of the laser’s image toward him.

“Aye, impressive.” Trevor spoke. “Yeah, no kidding. I’m getting worn out.” Simon admitted. They took a break from it and call it off for the day. “So I can do this whenever I want to?” Jamie asked. “Yeah, but it might wear on your stamina.” Trevor explained. “Every little bit of my energy goes into my hand and takes it all out of me when I’m done.” This was not an exaggeration. He felt exhausted as soon as he showed them, well Jamie again earlier, his power to show him that this was all real.

“How do I deal with this? I don’t know what to do with it.”

“You’ll know when the time comes.” Trevor spoke somewhat rehensibly. He hoped he wouldn’t regret those words. When the time came to leave they had been at it all day and not once had Simon broke through Jamie’s defenses. This was a good sign. Things were heating up and going well. He couldn’t have asked for a better group of individual to fight for him. It was easy to see their activeness, aggression, and good nature for what they were bound to do. All was not hopeless in the future’s of him and the intercessors. No obstacles stood between he and they, now that he knew how to reach all of them all the same. Trevor was in decent standings with all of them. Even Blaine, who lived far away. He went to drop off Simon as expediently as possible. His lights flooded and cut through the night like razors.