Unexpected Meltdown (Part 3)

Aaron was struggling to move even an inch of his body. "This… is… so… ARRGH!!" He yelled as he started to sweat a lot, and the pain became even worse, if that was possible. Aaron's eyes started to burn again, but this time because it felt like he was being torn apart. He was on the verge of passing out until Layya yelled over his screaming.

"FOCUS! REMEMBER WHAT I SAID, KEEP YOUR MIND AWAKE!" Yelled Layya, she could see his eyes close.

Michelle was watching the scene with a stoic expression. 'Hang in there, Aaron…' She thought.

Aaron glanced at her, and his eyes started to water slightly.

Aaron sat still as the pain ravaged his body. He felt utterly broken as he started to see dots. 'I can't stay… awake,' thought Aaron, until a spark of anger lit from within.

Aaron's mind raced with questions. 'Why... why am I going through all this?' he wondered. 'First, I nearly get killed, then I find out there is a massive world just behind the curtain of my life, and all my friends are in it, then the girl I love breaks me with no remorse... maybe I am being childish or am I just losing my mind?'

Tears started to flow down Aaron's cheeks. He felt himself changing, but whether it was for the better or the worse, he didn't know. He didn't care. Right now, he felt numb, and all he could comprehend was his weakness and fragility in a world full of super-powered beings. He felt utterly powerless.

He. Was. Useless. And he knew it.

Aaron gave out another scream, but it wasn't one of pain; it was one of anger. He couldn't handle it anymore. In the moment his heart turned to stone, his soul to dust. What was left of his body was a feeling of broken bones. Aaron's anger-filled scream became louder.

Layya's neck hair stood on end as he made eye contact with her. The look in his eyes was almost evil, the urge to runaway almost making her cancel the spell.

Adam wasn't surprised, of course his best friend would never pass out, even if he was human. If he knew one thing, Aaron had some ironclad willpower. If he was determined to do something, nothing would stop him.

Aaron felt the pain coursing through his system. He groaned lightly. Layya looked at him in concern. 'Something doesn't feel right...' He wasn't even screaming anymore. What kind of human was he? 

The ritual finished, and Aaron let go of all the anger and hate. He fell over backward, the pain subsiding, but not fast enough.

"Is… it over?" Aaron asked while panting. Layya just nodded, her wings vanished. She got up and held out her hand. He slowly lifted his hand, grasping her own. She yanked him up, and Aaron was on his feet.

"Are you sure you're human?" Asked Layya as Aaron looked at her with an irritated look.

"Well, why else are we doing the ritual?" He asked somewhat rudely as he turned and walked away. Everyone looked at him strangely.

Adam gave Aaron an irritated look. "You could thank her!" Said Adam as Aaron just kept walking.

"Thanks," said Aaron as he disappeared down the passage.

"It's fine. He's drowning in pain and anger; you can't expect him to be reasonable. However, I don't know if he is one hundred percent human," said Layya as they looked at her incredulously.

"Of course he is," said Michelle. "We would know if he wasn't." 

Layya shrugged. "All I am saying is, no human has ever just stopped screaming during the ritual. It's near impossible, no matter how strong the emotions they have." said Layya as they all looked at one another. 

"There was something else, but the fact that he stopped screaming is what is bothering me. And judging by his actions, I am assuming his personality is somewhat different as well," said Layya.

"Somewhat is about right," Adam said sarcastically, they all just stood in silence until Brianne turned to the TV unmuting it. 

'I don't even know how to bring up a human made me feel fear...' Layya glanced at the group before taking a seat. 'It should be fine.'

Aaron walked into his room before closing the door. He was under a tsunami of emotions swinging back and forth, and he was still in pain. He clenched his fist. "I don't even feel different. I do, however, feel like I just went through a blender!" said Aaron to himself.

Knock. Knock.

He looked to his door when he heard a knock. He promptly ignored it. It sounded off again and again until he grew irritated at the sound. "WHAT!?" asked Aaron. Jasmine responded.

"Uhm... are you alright?" asked Jasmine, not expecting to be yelled at.

Aaron scoffed. "Take a guess." He walked up to the door and opened it. Jasmine looked at him.

"You're angry. Why?" asked Jasmine, honestly confused. He was fine until he underwent the ritual, did she miss something?

Aaron inhaled. The question angered him, much more than he cared to admit. "You want to know why I am like this?" asked Aaron as he adopted a furious expression.

"THREE DAYS AGO, MY LIFE WAS JUST NORMAL, YOU KNOW? LIKE, DOING MY THING, HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS. THEN, OUTTA NOWHERE, I ALMOST GET CHOMPED BY SOME DEMON! AND BAM! MY WHOLE WORLD GETS FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN! AND LIKE, EVERYONE'S EXPECTING ME TO JUST DEAL WITH IT! THEN, I FIND OUT THE GIRL I'M INTO IS ENGAGED TO SOMEONE ELSE! LIKE, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COMPETE WITH THAT? IT'S TOTALLY UNFAIR, MAN! YOU WANNA KNOW WHY I'M SO PISSED? 'CAUSE I FEEL LIKE A TOTAL LOSER!" Aaron yelled, frustration dripping from every word. Jasmine flinched at the intensity of his voice. He didn't even care if the whole neighborhood heard him. He was just done with everything.

"I OPEN UP ABOUT MY FEELINGS, AND SHE SHOOTS ME DOWN LIKE I'M SOME SICK PUPPY THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT OF ITS MISERY! THEN I GO THROUGH THE WORST PAIN EVER JUST TO TRY AND FORGET ABOUT HER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? IT SORTA WORKED! I KNOW I SOUND PATHETIC, BUT I DON'T EVEN CARE ANYMORE. WHY WOULD ANYONE EVEN CARE ABOUT HOW I FEEL? I FEEL LIKE I'M LOSING IT, LIKE I'M GOING CRAZY!" He yelled, his voice cracking with emotion. Jasmine flinched again, realizing she had no clue he was hurting this bad.

The rest of his friends gathered at his room door; they could all hear him. "Aaron…" said Adam, attempting to approach him.

"It's okay to feel this way," Dean continued. Aaron, in his rage, noticed that Michelle was not even among them. She didn't even seem to care how he felt, and that stung.

"GET OUT!" Aaron yelled, causing them all to flinch. He gave them a piercing look.

Brianne wanted to say something, but then she saw the tears streaming down his face.

"I SAID GET OUT OF MY HOME!!!" Aaron shouted, his eyes blazing.

Adam looked at him before turning to the others. "Let's go…" He ushered them away, noticing Aaron's downcast expression.

They all left, and Aaron dropped to his knees, exhausted. He yelled in anger before punching the ground, surprised when he made a hole.

He got up, slammed his door, and collapsed onto his bed, trying to fall asleep.