Empathy

A short story set in the world of a friend's novel about a whole city that gained super powers after a viral outbreak. It has since been quarantined by the government,

“Another one, Shakes,” Alex said as he held up his glass.

“Come on. You’re going to drink my last bottle.”  Shakes poured him another one.  “You know how hard it is to get good whiskey nowadays?”  Avery Creek had been shut down for awhile now.  Quarantined by the government to contain a virus that killed off half the populace and gave the other half new abilities.  Shakes could now burn anything with his gaze.  The guy in the back looked like he was now made of steel.  Alex himself had become an empath.  Meaning he could feel other people’s emotions.  Alex considered this a meaningless ability.

“I can tell you’re pissed, but trust me I need it.”  He knocked back the glass and let out a breath as it burned down his throat.  Alex put his hands to his temples for a few seconds and then threw a wad of bills on the bar.

“That doesn’t do me much good anymore,” Shakes commented.

“Yeah but they might be coming back in style now that the Army is in town.”  Shakes grabbed up the bills and put them in the empty register drawer.  “Have you seen Tina?”

“Not that I’m entirely comfortable with the way she’s earning money nowadays but I think she left here about an hour and a half ago.  I’m sure you could find someone else of that expertise down by the park.” Alex smiled at him.

“Nah has to be Tina.”  He scooted his stool back and went to stand but his legs were wobbly.  The whiskey was doing its trick.  As he stumbled to the door he bumped into a table.  The guy made of steel immediately stood up.

“You spilled my drink.”  Alex could feel the rage rolling off of him.  He was looking for a fight.

“Sorry pal.  Haven’t gotten my sea legs yet.”  The steel guy grabbed Alex by the collar.  “Whoa! It was an accident!”  The table next to them started to smoke.

“None of that in here,” Shakes yelled.  His eyes were glowing red.  “Alex get out of here.  Steve, I’ll get you another one.”  Steve let go of Alex’s collar.  Alex smoothed his shirt out and walked backwards out the door.  He turned and began to walk down the street towards his apartment.  Just as he was about to cross the intersection he saw Tina walk out the door of a house.

“Tina!”  She turned and smiled when she saw it was Alex.  She had blonde hair and some of the bluest eyes he had ever seen.

“Alex.  What are you doing out?”

“Just left Shakes.  Looking to see if you were available.”  She looked back at the house she just came out of.

“I’m not taking anymore clients tonight.  The curfew is coming.”

“Ah, come on.  Come to my place.  You can spend the night.”  She smiled at him and looked at the ground.

“Probably not a good idea.  That’s how hearts get broken.”

“Look, I’ve got a ton of rations left over.  Spend the night and you can have your pick.”  Tina looked down the street.

“I don’t know.”

“It’s not like this is the first time we’ve done this.”  After thinking about it she nodded her head.

“Okay.”  They began the four block walk to Alex’s apartment.  Tina had started using her new ability to her advantage over the last few weeks.  She could heighten one’s emotions to their maximum giving the person the most intense experience ever.  Of course trading sex for good made great use of her ability and made her highly sought after among her clients.

When they got back to Alex’s place Tina immediately jumped into the shower.  Alex sat on the bed and grabbed an almost empty bottle of whiskey and downed the rest of it.  He put his hands to his temples and pressed firmly.  The shower shut off and Tina came out wearing a towel.

“Thought you had enough at Shake’s earlier?” she asked.

“No such thing as enough anymore.”

“Well it’s just with my power I don’t know how it will affect you if you’re drunk.”

“Yeah, how does that work anyway?  Pheromones or something?”

“I don’t know.  I just sort of mentally push towards someone and it happens.”

“Well you don’t have to push to hard with me.”  He leaned up and kissed her.  She let her towel drop.

* * * * *

When Tina awoke Alex was already up.  He was digging around in his freezer.  She saw him pull a bottle of vodka out.

“Already?” she asked.  He turned back to look at her.

“Yeah.  Going to be a hell of a day.  I can tell.”

“Well I know it’s none of my business but are you planning on drinking yourself to death? I’d rather not stick around for that.”

“Maybe.” Tina grabbed her clothes off the floor.  Alex opened the door to his small balcony.  He took a swig off the bottle as Tina poked her head out the door.

“I’m going I think.  So . . .”

“Do you know why I call on you?” She seemed confused.

“Yeah.  The same reason everyone else does.”

“You know I’m an empath right?”  Tina walked out onto the balcony and stood next to him.

“Figured that’s why you liked me so much.  My power got you off extra or something.”

“Afraid it doesn’t work that way.”  He took another drink.

“Why?”

“Being an empath I’m sure has its uses.  But you know what it’s like being in a city that is scared?  This whole city is terrified of what’s happening.  Scared of not having enough food.  Scared of going outside and being assaulted by someone with super strength.  Scared of themselves.”  Tina put her hand on his arm.  “Every day I get flooded with all of it.  The whole city.  Right now a guy across the street there is afraid to touch his baby boy.  He can shoot fire from his hands but he can’t control it.  He can’t even touch his child.  Downstairs a lady is afraid her husband is cheating on her with her twin sister.  They combine to form a giant woman.  They form a single being and she can’t even trust her sister.  She doesn’t trust herself.  All of this.  All day.  It’s so overpowering that I can’t even tell what I feel anymore.  Do I feel sad or am I sad because someone else is?  Do I feel anything?”  He turns his attention to Tina and looks into her blue eyes.  “When I’m with you and it happens my emotions get so heightened that I can tell they’re mine.  I can know what I’m feeling for that short period of time.  And no matter how short the time it’s worth it.  Just to know I still actually feel something.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I know.  No one does.”  Tina puts her hand on his chest and pushes.  For a few seconds his mind is clear and he knows he feels happy.  But slowly the waves start coming again.  Love, happiness, sadness, greed, fear, loneliness.  Tina turns and goes back into the apartment.

“You know where to find me,” she says as she closes the door.  Alex takes another drink and presses his palm to his temple.

Author's Note

again this is set in an already established universe so I don't expect you to be able to understand some of the intricacies of it. Just please enjoy and let me know what you think.