Integration by J.S. Frankel

Author:J.S. Frankel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group Ltd
Published: 2016-07-13T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Re-emergence

A sudden gust of air entered Paul’s cardboard home, worked its way through his thin clothing then sent a spear of glacial cold down his spine. He awoke instantly, sat up and shivered. The alleyway was empty of any life, save for a few hardy cockroaches that had decided to crawl out of the relative warmth of the sewer in search of a meal.

Turning to the side, he felt stiff and sore all over. He gently ran his fingers over his head and face. Specks of dried blood and scabs came away in his hands. “So that’s what being normal is,” he muttered. He’d forgotten how it felt to experience real pain, but the memories flooded back, memories of the fights he’d been involved in when he was younger.

Funny thing about the brain… It had the capacity to remember the experience of an accident or fight, but not the pain associated with it. Call it a built-in safety measure by evolution. It protected the mind from snapping. In a way, he was grateful he couldn’t recall the exquisite stabbing of damaged nerves and torn muscles.

Half of a shattered hand-mirror lay a few feet away, and he picked it up. Wondering if he’d changed any, he closely examined his features and saw no difference, except he had less hair on his face and hands. He was still a wolf, but without any powers.

A sob burst from his throat. Peterson had been right all along. Now he had nothing to rely on—no powers and no strength. Heaving a sigh of resignation, he wiped his eyes and got up. “Better get going.” He stopped then, as he realized that he didn’t know where he was.

He stole a glance at the sky. Although it was still dark out, the first orange and purple fingers of dawn had begun to shove their way through the cover of night. He poked his head out of the alley. Seeing no one, he crept outside and walked down the block, hunching over and trying to hide his face as much as he could.

A newspaper box told him his location. The Chicago Weekly Post had the headline ‘Nightmare Crew Missing and Presumed Dead’. Another newspaper had the black and bold letters saying ‘Hundreds of Military Personnel in Omaha Massacred by Unknown Assailants’.

“Wonderful,” he muttered. “I’m in Chicago. Good news travels fast.”

As he shuffled past the shops, the wind assaulted him, and he wrapped his arms around his torso in an effort to keep warm. His stomach whined due to his previous bout with vomiting, yet he craved something to eat.

At the same time, he kept watch for anyone of the mugging type. Without powers, he was as vulnerable as the next person. In the past, he’d been able to stop bullets, withstand poisoning and do the impossible. Now, he was just the same as everyone else, so good luck in withstanding an attack.

A flash of light from a nearby shop got his attention. He stopped to watch a taped broadcast from the night before.

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