Intermission: Edgar Allan Poe

"You're an esper, kid, a damn powerful kid." 

"What…what is an esper?" 

"Their super humans. Most have an extraordinary power or ability that manifests either due to outside stimulus or emotional turmoil. They can range from enhanced vision, agility, speed, strength specifics like your special breed of Esper ability." He explained it all like it was something mundane that everyone should know, taking a puff of his cigarette and looking down at me, "you wanna ask what your ability is, don't you?" He asked me, 

"How did you know that?!" 

"Kid. You're not the only teen with supernatural abilities I've picked up for the unit, probably won't be the last. Plus, it's written all over your face." He looked at me unamused.

"So, are you gonna tell me or do I have to guess?" 

"Hmm…well, I can't exactly tell you for sure but from what everyone at the agency has gathered you most likely have some form of mind reading."

"What? What do you mean by mind reading?"

"You've been hearing voices haven't you? I would guess that you're subconsciously hearing the thoughts of those around you." 

"Why can't I hear anything from you, then? If that's what my 'ability' is then why can't I hear your thoughts?"

"Like I said, I can't know for sure, no one really can. We just make approximate guesses based on what we get told and what we observe" 

"So what are you gonna do with me now. Are you gonna lock me up like you did the dire- that thing?"

"No, the offer to join my agency still stands. If you don't except, PIA will relocate you to a remote area and monitor your behavior to make sure you don't harm anyone. You'll love like a rat in an observation box for the rest of your life, occasionally scientist may come to poke and prod at you." 

"You…you're saying I really only have one option if I wanna live as a human." 

"Well, if your definition of human is the ability to make choices and have free will without constant observation and testing, then yes."

"I…"

"Of course the agency won't just make you work, you'll get a fifty thousand per year to start, for every case you take on you get twenty percent of the money paid from that case."

"F-f-fifty?!" I was beyond shocked. I could get 50k?! Per year?!

"We also have free healthcare in the form of our lovely care unit, you get free housing and free meals."

"A-are you for real?! Your not just pulling my leg are you?" 

"No, I'm 'for real'. We're the worlds special elite force. We take care of cases of all natures relating to the supernatural, it's a dangerous job that can end in death or worse."

"I'll join you guys but…what's gonna happen to the hospital now?" I asked. I know they weren't really there, they didn't really care, they didn't really want to do all that for me but…stil…

I looked up at the man as he rubbed his stubbly chin, "hmm, I'd guess they'd be hospitalized for a bit, just to make sure they haven't been mutated then they'll be let go, of course this hospital is never going to reopen."

"What if they are mutated?"

"Well treat the mutation. Most secondhand mutations are easily treatable, just some therapy, daily visits from a monk, or priest and it'll all go away."

I was relieved to hear that all the innocent workers wouldn't be harmed.

I watched as he finished up his work, talking to victims family members, witnesses, etc…

"Hey! You over there!" I heard a familiar voice.

"Lexie?! You-you still remember me!?" 

"Of course I do, I'm not around the hospital as much as my mom and dad are. I should've known something was up. I tried to tell you that something was up but…I wasn't certain. Who woulda guessed that ghosts, ghouls, demons, ghosts, everything that I thought were just children's tales were all real."

" yeah…I get that." I really did. I might've seemed calm but my mind was still in turmoil. Everything was going to quickly. I hadn't even wrapped my head around the fact I wasn't schizophrenic yet, not to mention the fact that supernatural beings are real.

"So…" Lexie began, "what are you gonna do now? Gonna take the offer?" 

"I…I probably will…I mean, if I really do have abilities, I'd be able to do something right for once…right?" I just wanted, for once in my stupid, useless, life, to be useful.

"I don't know what you're thinking but I don't like the face your making. If you wanna go with them for yourself, to be happy, to have a place to belong, meet people like you. I 100% support your decision. But if you wanna go just because you feel like it'll make you useful, I can't let you go. At least while you're thinking like that." She said, cupping my face. Her hands were warm and soft yet the callouses still rubbed me, grounding me and bringing me back, "you aren't useless. No matter what anyone tells you, no matter if that's demon shadow voices, random people, or even yourself. You have a right to be happy, you shouldn't live solely to please others. Your worth is what you decide it is, never forget that." I leaned into the warm, comforting touch of her hands. It reminded me of a person…a memory from long ago of my mother…before everything,"if you wanna cry, you can. No one's gonna blame you if you do" 

"W-wha-" I held a hand up to my face, it was wet. When did I start crying?

Lexie hugged me and put my face in the crooke of her neck, "It's alright, let it all out"

And I did. I cried. And cried. And cried. I cried until I had no tears left to cry. Almost like all the tears I'd held back for 8 years all came rushing out in that moment, she held my face once again in her hands, gently drying my tears with a handkerchief , "you're still young, you've got your whole life ahead of you. Go out, explore the world, find something you truly like."

"O-ok…" I responded, trying to control my crying, and failing miserably.

"Ms. Green? Can you come with us? We need to check your vitals and karmic debt levels to make sure their regular." One of the paramedics called to Lexie.

"One moment," she said to the paramedic before turning back to me, "Remember what I told you. Go with them not because you want to be useful, but because you want freedom, a new experience, or to find what you love, alright? Can you promise me you'll do that?" She finished, holding out her pinky finger.

"Aren't I a bit too old for pinky promises?"

"Haha! You're never too old for one of these!" 

"Alright, you win." I held out my pinky finger and looped it around hers. 

I never once heard any voices when she was around…I wonder why that is?

I hugged her goodbye and watched as she got into the ambulance.

"You should go pack you things." The hobo told me.

"I'll go do that…" 

I walked up the stairs of the hospital to the second floor, where my room was and opened the door. I knelt down to the chest I kept my things and started to looked through it, tossing whatever I thought I'd need into my bag and what I wouldn't into the trash.

"Hmm? What's this? Wait this photo." In the photo was me and someone else. He had short messy blonde hair and emerald green eyes, he wore a orange shriped T-shirt and khaki shorts. It was Mika…but how? Unless…

I shot up when I heard the hobo's voice, grabbing my packed bag and ran out of the building, clutching the picture tight to my chest. 

"You ready yet? Need help packing?"

"Nope, I'm all done. Sorry for the wait"

"It's fine, but…you sure that's all you wanna take? I can wait longer?"

"I didn't have that many personal belongings so I just packed clothes."

"Well, if you're sure kid, alright, get in." He said, gesturing to an old decrepit looking Mercedes.

" y- are you sure this will run?"

"Sure she will, I've had her for the past 10 years, haven't had a single problem!"

"If you're sure…"

"Well… if is he doesn't run, guess you'll have to!"

That was the moment I started second guessing my decision to go.

I wrapped the seatbelt around myself and held the picture up.

Mika. I always thought he was just a hallucination or something else but…if he was, how was he in the picture?