02x24: Aftermath

Austin wakes in the ward after a long time and tries to put his life back together.

AFTERMATH

 

     It was the strangest feeling he had ever felt. It was not like waking up from a long comatose, or waking up from a nightmare. It was nothing like coming to a realization that your reality is not, in fact, real and your mind is just playing tricks on you. This feeling was simply like walking out of a movie theater, the difference is you’re the very last person on earth to see this movie, and likewise react to it.

      It wasn’t a long black silence but more like watching a seven hundred and sixty-eight hour film without any plot and just carnage all throughout. It was, nonetheless, a terrifying feeling.

     But of course, the feeling would be similar to those mentioned above, since watching a movie is like being pulled into another world and considering what everyone has been through, this world was more real than anything else. Duality, a feeling nothing like it but everything like it. It’s all very confusing, but insignificant, because after 35 days, Austin was in control again.

     He opened his eyes and woke up in the ward, a feeling he had missed. Waking up in this ward, alive and well, was a feeling he took for granted before but not anymore.

     He looked around and saw Kyle on the farthest corner of the room, in a bed, with a bandage over his eyes. Austin knew what he did to him and he felt this pain in his stomach, disgusted at the memory of it. Then it suddenly came rushing back to him. All those bad things, although unintentional, were done by his own hand. Austin began to feel sick at the thought of it.

     He continued to look around and noticed Janella sleeping at the bottom of his bed. It was strange how he didn’t notice her the first time he looked around.

     He didn’t want to wake her up so he closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. He didn’t want to go back to sleep, fearing what might happen. He opened his eyes again and looked to his left, towards the door. He saw the faint figure of Ernst there, the silhouette of that long chin, it was unmistakable.

     He looked a bit lower and saw the black band on his wrist. It was shinier and more sleek-looking than the last one. Austin then realized that everything was under control.

     Austin tried to go to sleep now, his mind a little more at peace. Just then, Janella woke up.

     Austin saw her open her eyes, it was definitely a sight for sore eyes, or in his case, pupil-less eyes. As her eyes looked into his, Austin felt that he was finally back in his world, regardless of whether it was real or not at this point.

     “Austin?” she said. Austin had heard her voice with his own consciousness after a bit over a month, this happiness was unexplainable.

     “Hey, Janella…”

     “Oh my God. You’re back. YOU’RE BACK!”

     Janella rushed at Austin for a hug but was interrupted by the door opening and Ernst poking his chin through it.

     “Way to break the moment, Ernst,” Austin said.

     “Haha, Austin, nice to see you’re back to normal.”

     Patrick, Ivan, Lanz, Cedric, Michael, Roey, John, and Bam went in the ward.

      “Austin, we sure missed you,” Patrick said.

     “Yeah, glad to have you back,” John said.

     After this, everyone was expressing their happiness at the same time that it was hard to understand what they were saying.

     “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey… GUYS!” Austin said.

     Everyone stopped, staring at Austin fearing something was wrong.

     “I… I missed you guys too,” Austin continued. They all rushed in for a hug. By the looks of it, it was more of a dog pile.

     “Guys! Calm down!”

     “Austin, look!” Lanz said. “We, and I’m sure I can speak for everybody here, except Ernst because he did s**t.’

      “Hey! I tried to help as much as possible!”

      “Well, you did shower us with useful information!” Michael said.

     “As I was saying before a douchebag interrupted me,” Lanz continued. “We, the ASG, have spent months, well actually days trying to get you back. We have bled, sweat, and some of us cried *coughernstcough* to get you back. Now that we have completed our mission, I would really appreciate if we got to cherish our medal for a while.”

     Everyone just stared at Lanz for a while for this awkward speech as Ernst attempted to start a slow clap but failed.

     “Well, Lanz. I really can’t thank you guys enough for what you did for me. What would I be without you guys?”

     “You’ll be a psychopathic psycho ravaging the streets of New York…” Cedric said.

     “Thank you for that answer,” Lanz said.

     “Hey, you think you can stand up?” Janella asked.

     “Yeah, just a sec.”

     Austin turned the black band to ghost.

     “Be careful with that thing! You might go back!” Ernst said.

     “I’m pretty sure that won’t happen,” Austin said as he stood up again, his body phazed through the bed.

     “Now, that’s cool,” Lanz said.

     “Okay, let me get over to Kyle.”

     Austin walked all the way to Kyle as he solidified his body again.

     “Kyle, can you hear me?”

     Kyle didn’t respond.

     “Kyle…”

     Austin switched the band to psychic power and tried to link with Kyle. There was a connection but it was very faint.

     “KYLE!”

     “What...?” Kyle said faintly.

     “It’s me, Kyle. I’m back.”

     “I don’t want to talk to you.”

     “Kyle, you know I didn’t mean to hurt you back there. I would never do that to you.”

     “Oh you wouldn’t? Well you just did. My eyes are cauterized and the only thing keeping me alive, and in pain, is this stupid superpower!”

     “Are you sure you’re okay?”

     “Well, I’m okay! I’M REALLY FINE!”

     “Kyle, calm down.”

     “Oh, that would be easy, don’t worry! My eyes are just, I don’t know, FRIED OUT OF MY SKULL!”

     Austin switched the black band to Healing and put his hands on Kyle’s eyes.

     “What are you going to do? Finish the job?”

     “I hope this works…”

     Austin worked his magic and soon, Kyle’s eyes were supposedly healed.

     “Can you see anything?”

     Kyle took off the bandage and looked around.

     “Everything’s all blurry.”

     Austin put his hands on Kyle’s eyes again as he tried to fix them a little more.

     “How’s that?”

     “Nope, still a bit blurry.”

     “I think I went a bit too far.”

     “You think?”

     Austin switched to material fabrication and formed some special glasses. These glasses had a knob on the side that adjusted the strength of the lenses.

     “Here, try these on. Twist the knob on the side to adjust the strength.”

     Kyle put them on and adjusted the knob; soon he was looking around, and saw Austin.

     “Kyle, you look even nerdier with glasses,” Austin said in a friendly, teasing tone.

     “Oh, Austin, you’re back!” Kyle said.

     “Thank you for telling us that information!” Ernst said.

     “Shut your gutterhole, Ernst!” Michael said.

     “I’m so sorry for the things I said earlier. I was just so overwhelmed. I just... I-I-“

     “Shh… It’s alright now. Don’t worry.”

     Kyle went for a good old hug.

     “Oh, you’re more for the personal kind of hug, not the group hugs, or bear hugs, or the more badass kind of hug?” Lanz said.

     “Can you stand?” Austin asked.

     “Yeah,”

     Kyle tried to stand but he couldn’t.

     “Ow. Damn. I think you broke my left rib on the Empire State Building.”

     “Sorry for that.”

     “It’s okay.”

     Austin switched back to Healing and healed Kyle up.

     “Now can you stand?”

     “Yeah.”

     Kyle got off the bed and stood up.

     “Let’s get out of here. Wait�"“ Kyle said. “Where’s Berna?”

     “I’m afraid I burned her hand back in New York.”

     Kyle rushed to the other room. Austin followed and soon, Janella as well.

     “Berna? Berna! It’s me, Kyle!”

     Austin went in with Janella.

     “Man, I hate myself right now,” Austin said with a sense of regret.

     “Austin, there was nothing you could have done about it.”

     “BERNA!” Kyle yelled. Berna soon woke up.

     “Hey, Kyle,” Berna said weakly but with a smile.

     “It’s over. Austin’s back. He can fix your hand.”

     “Oh, thank goodness.”

     “Hey, Berna. Sorry for all the s**t I’ve caused,” Austin said.

     Austin healed up Berna’s hand.

     “It’s alright. I’m still a bit tired, I think I’ll stay.”

     “I’ll stay here too, Austin. You two lovebirds go off, okay?” Kyle said teasingly.

     “KYLE!” Austin said, Janella didn’t even reply to this.

     “Well at least you two aren’t saying it at the same time.”

    

Austin stepped out of the ward and went to the fridge to get some drinks. He didn’t want to drink Orange soda for a long time so he settled for some nice, old, Coke.

     “Hey Austin,” Ivan said.

     “Ivan, I sure missed your antics. What’s been happening. How’s Ymara?”

     “Nah, I don’t have a crush on her anymore.”

     “Aww… That’s sad. Who’s the new and lucky future Mrs. Chan?”

     “No one.”

     “Oh, that’s sad. I’m sure you heart will beat for another any time soon.”

     “Haha… been there?”

     “I am there, right now…” Austin said as he looked at Janella. This was the first time in a long time when he just looked at her, thinking what a wonderful person she was.

     “Austin?”

     “Yes, Ivan?”

     “You, okay?”

     “Yeah, I just… um… need to go to my suite for a while.”

     “Oh, that’s great. I’ll leave you to it then.”

     Ivan left Austin there as Austin stood up, setting his glass down on the table.

     “If anyone needs me, I’ll just be in my suite.”

     Austin switched the black band to Space-Control and teleported to his suite.

 

The place had collected dust over the month. Austin switched the band over to Aerokinesis and blew all the dust away. He was about to lie down on his bed when he saw a gift wrapped neatly and placed on top of his bed.

     He opened it and it was from Janella. There was a note there that said:

 

     Happy Birthday, Austin! I apologize for the sloppy wrapping, I’m not really used to it. I hope you enjoy your birthday! :-)

 

Janella

 

     Austin opened the box and it was a snow globe and a plastic, guitar-shaped keychain. He knew where to place the snow globe immediately.

     Austin brought it to his study and placed it on his desk, nothing better to help him contemplate at night but a snow globe from the girl of his dreams. He placed the keychain right beside it. His study has never looked better and probably never will.

     Austin teleported to the theater and felt like watching Child’s Play.

     The movie played on for a while and Chucky hadn’t made his appearance yet. Soon, Janella walked in the theater.

     “Hey, Austin. I see you’re truly back to normal.”

     “Yeah! How was life without me?”

     Janella hesitated to answer this question for a while and Austin could clearly see it in her eyes.

     “Hey, never mind that question. Wanna take a seat?”

     “Sure!”

     “Are you sure? It’s a scary movie!”

     “Oh, I’m not really in the mood for a scary movie after what we’ve been through.”

     Mrs. Barclay had come to the realization that Chucky never had any batteries when Austin stopped the film.

     “Well, I am well known for my unorthodox decisions.”

     “What?”

     “Nothing. Let’s walk around a bit. What time is it?”

     “You’re usually the guy with the time. Haha…”

     “Quite right!” Austin remembered as he looked at his watch, it was 1 PM.

     “Wanna walk around?”

     “I’d love to.”

     They walked out of the cinema when they bumped into Ernst.

     “Hey, anything showing inside?” Ernst asked.

     “Yeah, a horror movie.”

     “I’m up for it. May I?”

     Austin glanced at Janella and winked. He looked back at Ernst and nodded. Ernst gleefully ran inside and Austin resumed the movie.

     “That was quite a mean thing to do,” Janella said.

     “He said he was up for it.”

     They had entered the elevator when suddenly; they heard a scream from the theater: “IT’S ALIVE! IT’S ALIVE. THE DAMNED DOLL IS ALIVE!”

  

Austin and Janella arrived at the bottom floor and went out to the pool area. They just walked along the beach nearby.

     “Isn’t this just wonderful?” Austin asked.

     “Yeah, of course.”

     “Are you ok?” Austin asked, sensing something wrong.

     “I’m fine.”

     “Are you sure of that?”

     “Yeah…”

     Austin just kept quiet as the walk along the shore continued.

     After a while, Austin got hungry.

     “Hey, Janella.”

     “Yeah?”

     “Want to grab a bite?”

     “I’m not really hungry.”

     “It’s okay, I’ll just get you a drink. I’m starved.”

     “Okay, then.”

    Austin led her inside and ordered a burger. He didn’t really like veggies so he just ordered one with the patty and cheese.

     “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat?” Austin asked as Janella skimmed the menu.

     “Nope, not hungry.”

     “Well, it is just snack time.”

     “It’s 1:30.”

     “Haha. That’s snack time for me!”

     “What do I drink here?”

     “May I strongly suggest that you don’t drink the orange soda?”

     “Oh, right. Yeah, I’ll stay away from that for a while.”

     “Good.”

     “I’ll just have a chocolate milkshake.”

     “Okay then, a choco milkshake it is!”

     Austin sent the order to the counter and in a blink of an eye, the food was delivered to them.

     Janella saw a side of Austin she hadn’t seen yet. He was eating the burger like he hadn’t eaten in a month, which was perfectly understandable.

     “So,” Austin said after swallowing some burger. “Having fun sipping that delicious milkshake of yours?”

     “Hmm… yeah. Tastes rich.”

     “Thanks to my wonderful chefs.”

     Austin took another bite out of his burger.

     “Austin?”

     “Yeah?” Austin said after rushing to swallow the recent bite he took, as to not show poor table manners.

     “How come you eat so much and yet you’re not…”

     “Porky the Pig?”

     Janella chuckled a little before nodding.

     “Well, it’s probably in the metabolism or something.”

     “Oh, you just didn’t strike me as the type that would, you know.”

     “I understand what you’re trying to say. Well, it’s like you put the dust cover of The Adventures of Huck Finn on A Clockwork Orange. Complete misdirection.”

     Janella just looked at Austin. She didn’t break this look as she sipped her milkshake.

     “Anything wrong?”

     “Nope, this milkshake is just so good.”

     “That is the equivalent of a five dollar milkshake.”

     “So that’s why they cost five dollars.”

     “Actually, they don’t cost a thing.” Austin said with a smile. Janella smiled as well as she sipped the very last drop of milkshake.

     Austin finished off his burger and he escorted Janella back to her suite.

     “Well, Janella. It’s been a fun afternoon.”

     “Yeah…”

     “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

     “Yup…”

     “Alrighty then. Bye.”

     Austin turned around and looked at his watch. It was 3 PM. He couldn’t believe that he sat with her for ninety minutes. It was unbelievable!

     “Austin?”

     Austin turned back around.

     “Yeah?”

     “I’m really glad to have you back.”

     “Same here,” Austin said with a smile on his face. “Okay, Bye again. Have a good day.”

     Austin turned around after Janella waved goodbye. He went to his suite.

 

That night, after dinner, Austin was just lying on his bed, thinking about Janella. It was odd that after all he’s been through the past month, all he could think about now was Janella. He loved her attitude, how she always kept him going, her smile, her hair. All he could ask now was, was this love?

     Whatever it was, it made him stand up and walk to her suite. On the way there, Kyle stopped him in the hallway.

     “Hey, Austin! How are you?”

     “In love… ERR… I’m fine.”

     “Great!”

    “How’s Berna?”

     “She’s fine.”

     “That’s great.”

     “Yeah. Hey, remember our deal about the theater?”

     “Yeah.”

     “How about tonight?”

     “Sure, you two, alone in the theater. What movie?”

     “We’ll handle that. Would you mind if you just left the titles out for us to pick from?”

     “No, not at all. It would be a pleasure.”

     “Great, thanks a lot, Austin!”

     “A deals a deal, buddy.”

     “Okay, bye.”

     Kyle walked towards the other side of the floor to pick up Berna.

     “Kyle!”

     “Austin?”

     “I really can’t thank you enough for what you guys did for me. You’re my best friend, you know that right?”

     “Yeah. I’ve been a hardass for a month for you. They’re just too sanguine for me.”

     “And you’re too… choleric.”

     “Just for a month, I’ll be back to my normal self now that you’re here,” Kyle said smiling.

     “Glad to hear that.”

     “Okay then, Bye.”

     “Bye, enjoy your night with Berna.”

     Kyle just smiled at this as Austin took the elevator up.

 

He finally arrived at the tenth floor. He walked over to her suite, this odd feeling just controlling him there. He was finally in front of her suite.

     He took a deep breath as he knocked.

     “I’m on my way!”

     She unlocked the door. Austin stood there but not like a nervous wreck like he was before.

     “Hey, Austin? What are you doing here at this late hour?”

     “Well, it’s only 8.”

     “Right.”

     “Anyway, I was just wondering if you… would…”

     Janella was just looking at Austin the same way like awhile ago with the milkshakes.

     “… want to… fly with me?”

     “What?”

     “Yeah, you heard me correctly.”

     “You want me to fly with you?”

     “Have you ever flown with anyone before?”

     “Yeah, the ASG mostly.”

     “As in… alone?”

     “Oh… in that case, no.”

     “Well, want to try flying with a friend?”

     Janella thought about it for a while but in a shorter time that what was expected, she replied.

     “Sure! Why not?”

     “Great. May I come in?”

     “Be my guest.”

     Austin went in and went to her balcony.

     “Come over here.”

     She followed him and they watched the sea rustle down below.

     “Just burst yourself in the air. You don’t even need to hold my hand.”

     “What?”

     Austin switched the band to psychic and jumped over the balcony. He hovered in front of her.

     “You can use fire to fly if you want but I recommend ice. It’s much smoother.”

     Janella formed ice beneath her slippers and slowly lifted herself over the balcony, creating a thin ice path that quickly melted behind her.

     “Isn’t that just beautiful?” Austin asked.

     “Yeah…”

     “Let’s go.”

     Austin led her around the hotel. They went a bit higher until they were circling the roof of the hotel. They then flew in a straight line into the ocean. He smiled at her as she returned it.

     “Why do you use fire more often? You’re a natural at ice. Don’t you want to differentiate yourself from Patrick?”

     “Fire just seems more powerful.”

     “Well, ice has something fire doesn’t.”

     “And what might that be?”

     “Subtlety.”

     They curved back towards the island. Austin guided her to the school. They were flying around the Acacia Lane, through the trees. The wind rubbed past their faces like thin sheets of air. Austin was feeling the same feeling as before only this time, a hundredfold.

     Austin guided her back to the hotel. He smiled at her again.

     “Isn’t this just amazing?” she said.

     “Well of course it’s amazing, it’s �"“

     “It’s what?”

     “Haha… I wasn’t able to think of a good follow-up to that.”

     “We all have our slip-ups.”

     “Well, maybe it just didn’t need a follow-up.”

     “Why?”

     “Well, the best things in life can’t be described in words. Like this, you say it’s amazing but we can’t explain why.”

     “Who says I can’t?”

     “Can you?”

     She laughed as she shook her head.

     “Thought so,” he said as he smiled.

     “So what’s your point, Einstein?”

     “My point is, we don’t have to explain the most amazing things in life. Sometimes, we just have to be… well, amazed…”

     Janella remained quiet for a while. Austin worried that what he said was corny or something.  Maybe she was just taking this whole moment in, but that’s not what he thinks it is. She doesn’t like him the way he likes her.

     They arrived back in Janella’s suite. She laid down on her as Austin sat down.

     “That was fun,” Janella said.

     “And amazing…” Austin said. They both laughed. “Well, I better get going.”

     “Why don’t you just rest for a while?”

     “Well, alright.”

 

Austin just stared into the sky, looking at the stars. He was then in another one of his phases of philosophical pondering.

     “Hey Janella,”

     “Yeah,” she said while yawning.

     “Have you ever thought about how what we do down here won’t affect the stuff way out there?”

     “Not really.”

     “I mean, no matter how much trouble I caused, the stars just kept on shining. I mean, it’s simple, I didn’t hurt the stars or anything but it just has a much deeper meaning if you think about it.”

     Austin felt like he was weirding her out but he just kept on staring at the stars.

     “I think it’s a symbol of hope. You know, no matter what happens, how many of us kill each other, blow up buildings, sink ships, destroy civilizations, or even blow up the world, there’s always going to be at least one star shining in the night sky and maybe at least one witness to be there to see it…”

     Austin stared at the sky for a few more minutes before snapping out of it. He looked back at Janella and she was asleep. Austin couldn’t help but smile since she looked like a sleeping angel. He picked up her blanket and put it over her before heading for the door.

     “Good night, beautiful,” he said before stepping outside the room.