Poisoned

Hearing Kori's words, Carter felt his body freeze up.

"Shea, we need to take her to the hospital" he immediately rose and started gathering a few things.

"Carter, what the f*ck is going on?" Shea couldn't help but feel that he was hiding something from her.

Unfortunately, Carter wasn't in the mood to explain right now. "I'll show you on the way" he replied quickly before taking Kori out of her arms and out the door.

Although confused, Shea hurriedly followed too, feeling more anxious and worried for Kori.

Fortunately, it wasn't too late now and they could still find a cab. Carter hurriedly waved one down and they all got in quickly with Shea carrying Kori.

"Brightmoon Hospital," Carter said to the driver. He felt that only the biggest hospital would be able to keep up with the changes in this time, a smaller one might not have the antitoxins Kori would need.

"Okay, can you tell me now what's going on?" Shea asked while subconsciously stroking Kori's cheeks. Her hazel eyes stared right into Carter's soul as he tried to arrange his words.

He glanced at the driver and pushed a button in front of him to activate the soundproof of the car backseat.

"Jesus Carter, tell me already" Shea felt her heart dropping to the middle of her stomach.

"I don't know what's going on either Shea" Carter replied in annoyance at her nagging.

"Then why are you acting all scared? You are making me anxious, what's wrong with Kori?" she asked two questions at a time.

"They told us in school, Shea. It's the end of the world. Brightmoon city is in a yellow zone" the weak and quiet Kori was the one who replied.

Carter could tell that she was still confused so he brought out his phone and showed her the news articles they would usually ignore.

Carter watched as Shea read and experienced the same shock he did.

"Oh my god" Shea muttered in a low voice, putting a palm over her mouth.

"What are we going to do?" she asked looking at Carter and then down at Kori who was fighting to stay awake. Subconsciously she felt responsible for the both of them as she was the oldest. Now she worried that she did not have the ability to protect them with these changes.

"My teacher said that when there is a change in the ecosystem, no organism is spared. They all change, either to survival or to extinction" Kori smiled being her usual sagely self as she looked up at the two of them with her head resting on Carter's legs.

"We have to leave this city" Shea muttered to herself glancing out the window with worry and uncertainty in her heart.

"What is that?" she suddenly asked.

Carter looked up to see what she was talking about but he couldn't see anything.

"What's what?" he asked bewildered.

"It's beautiful" Kori sat up from Carter's lap where she had been resting her head. She stared wide-eyed out the car window at the sky.

She pushed the intercom button and called out, "Stop the car,".

Before Shea could wake up from her shock and Carter from his confusion, the car stopped and Kori ran out of it into the streets.

They had arrived close to the hospital at a roundabout with a huge water fountain in the middle. All around it, people stood, some staring at the sky in confusion and others in awe.

Kori had her head tilted, staring at the sky when a scolding voice came from behind her.

"Stop running around!" Carter arrived and took her hand but she didn't stop staring into the sky. He glanced helplessly at Shea only to see her doing the same thing. But when he looked up into the sky, he couldn't see what they were looking at. If there was anything noteworthy, it would be that the stars seemed more and were brighter than usual.

From Shea and Kori's field of vision, the sky was full of motes of greenish-colored lights dropping down slowly. As she watched, someone impulsively reached out their hand to one of the motes and it slowly landed on her hand. The light immediately vanished into her hand and the woman collapsed to the ground. Shea was shocked and followed the hoard of people who rushed towards her to see what was going on. Before they could reach the woman, however, she opened her eyes and slowly sat up.

"Mom! Oh my god, Mom are you okay?" a young boy asked her anxiously.

"I'm okay Tommy, I'm okay" She smiled at him and reached out her hand to bring him closer to her but when she reached out her hand, water drops accumulated on it and blasted toward her son. Fortunately, he had seen them accumulating on her palm and the blast was not too fast so he easily dodged it.

"Woah!" someone exclaimed.

Carter suddenly understood what was going on as he watched. Those who could see whatever was in the sky could get an ability from it. More and more people started to awaken different abilities. There was even someone floating into the sky.

"Carter" Shea suddenly called, her tone cautious and revealing a little nervousness.

"What's wrong?" Carter asked turning to her.

"Let's go" she replied hurriedly and picked up Kori without waiting for her to protest.

Immediately Carter understood her fear, social order was falling apart! Some people could not control their newly awakened ability and were already breaking things, some injuring themselves and others.

Just as Shea picked up Kori, Kori reached out her hand to a mote of light in her field of vision. It was a thicker shade of green than most of the others around. As soon as it entered her, her body went limp. Shea glanced at her but said nothing, opting instead to hurry towards the car.

They soon reached the cab but the driver was nowhere to be found. Carter quickly looked around and found the cab driver but he looked so much different despite wearing the same clothes. Standing in the distance, the middle-aged man was laughing maniacally to himself and in the next moment, a fireball hit him from behind.

"Who the f*ck was that?" he turned around sharply with a growl.

"Damn it Carter, we need to go" Shea reminded.

"F*ck it" Carter cursed and got into the driver seat. Finding the key in the ignition, he quickly started the engine and drove off into the distance. The cab driver didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't care.

"How do you feel?" Shea asked as soon as Kori opened her eyes.

"I don't feel dizzy anymore" Kori replied but seemed to have a confused expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Carter who was driving asked, his eyes observing her through the rear mirror.

"Focus on the road Carter" Shea warned, her voice unusually stern. Carter immediately obeyed but kept his ears open to listen.

"I know some things. . . I don't know how I know them" Kori tried to explain but she was still a child despite her sagely way of speaking sometimes. There was a limit to her understanding and her expressions.

"Tell me," Shea asked gently.

"You and Carter are unawakened and I am E class. And I know everything about this car" Kori tried to explain. She continued talking for a long time before they could understand what she was trying to say.

Apparently, the ability she awakened was . . . as a mechanic and those who awakened had a way to tell if someone had awakened or not. More specifically, they had a method of classification but it was more of an instinctive sense.

The corners of Carter's mouth twitched while Shea smiled pitifully. How could they survive with the ability of a mechanic when the world was going crazy?

The trio paid attention to the streets as they passed and noted the world getting more and more chaotic. There was looting everywhere and fire burning in some places, even some people fighting with their newly awakened abilities whether to settle grudges or to itch their urge.

"We need to get out of the city" Shea observed.

"I have to call Ruth" Carter suddenly exclaimed.

"Just drive to her place, we'll pick her up" Shea didn't disagree, she knew how much Carter felt for his girlfriend.

"Shea?" Kori called softly.

"Yes, baby?" Shea looked down at the seven-year-old girl.

"Everyone is fighting themselves, what about the animals?" Kori asked and a chill ran down the spines of the two older people.

That right, animals were getting crazier, perhaps some would awaken abilities like humans, and perhaps some would turn more dangerous. Everyone was fighting among themselves already, what would happen if animals attacked the city? Was there any chance of survival?

The future suddenly looked more glum than when they couldn't pay rent.