Earth Blend (18 page)

“
Yep, you get a steady piece and
you abandon your best friend, that's what happened.”

Austin's anger rose to the boiling point in
an instant. He moved quickly over to Neal and lifted him with one
hand into the air by his shirt and pinned him against the back of
the house. “What did I just say about being respectful?” He shouted
in Neal's face. His words were drowned out by the wind that began
howling. His head started to throb and he let go of Neal and moaned
in pain.

“
What the hell, dude?” Neal
shouted at him.

Austin did not hear his friend's words as
he fought to stop the pain in his head. He focused on his healing
abilities to fight the pain. Within a few seconds the pain stopped
and the wind calmed. He looked around. “I did it.” He smiled. “I
stopped it myself.” He laughed and looked at Neal, who was looking
at him wide-eyed. “Look man, I'm sorry. I just get defensive about
her. I love her.” He said and then paused. He had finally said the
words out loud. “I love her.” He said and looked at Neal.

“
Fine, you love her, but what
the hell was that? Did you join a gym or something, cause I'm
bigger than you. You lifted me as if I weighed nothing. How did you
get so strong? And what was up with that wind?”

“
Wacky Marion weather.” Austin
smiled. He felt euphoric. “Listen, I gotta go. Tell ya what,
Saturday. Saturday will be an Austin and Neal day, I promise. Tell
everyone I said I'll talk with them again soon.” He said and hopped
over the railing onto the ground.

“
Wait, where are you going? I
can drive you.”

“
I'm good, I want to walk in
this beautiful night!” He shouted as he made his way farther from
the house.

Neal shook his head and went back inside.
“Wackadoodle.”

Austin had a destination in mind. He was
heading to Hungry Mother Park. He was going to test out some of his
abilities. He had no idea his destination would lead him straight
into the path of another Earthling.

14. Spillage of Secrets

Julie gave her dad a quick tour of her
apartment before the two sat down on the couch in the living
room.

“
Pumpkin, I'm okay if you want
to lie down.”

“
I really want to talk with you.
Just me and you.”

“
I'm here, I'm never going to
let you go ever again. I bet you will get sick of me.” He smiled
warmly.

“
I highly doubt that.” She
returned his smile. “I... um have to ask you something. I want an
honest answer, okay?”

Trevor grabbed her hands. “I promise you
will only get honesty from me, always.”

“
Thank you.” She said, squeezing
his hands. “My first question... I think I already know the answer,
but, did you know about the Carnage ability in me?”

“
Yes, I did. I asked your Uncle
to lock the ability away. I didn't think it was fair for you to
have to deal with that ability being so young. There were... a few
things that happened when you were just a baby that helped me come
to that decision.”

“
What happened?” She had a
horrified look on her face.

“
Keep in mind, you were the only
Blend who was born with this ability, we had nothing to base it on.
You were an infant, crying for some nourishment, as most babies do.
I must have taken a little longer to get your bottle ready. I
picked you up and sat down in a chair preparing to feed you when
you grabbed one of my fingers. The pain I felt was excruciating. It
took everything I had not to drop you. Once you began feeding, the
pain stopped. It took me a good fifteen minutes to feel normal
again. It was after that I ask Gregg to lock the ability. I didn't
want you to have to deal with that and...” Trevor
paused.

“
And what?”

“
I didn't want to be afraid to
touch you, hold you.”

“
Oh... God.” She said, pulling
her hands from him.

Trevor quickly reached for her hands again.
“I don't feel that way now. It was only because you were a baby and
unable to control your emotions. When you are angry and upset, as
you were with Uncle G this afternoon, that is when it unleashes
itself. I know there are ways to control it, but that is something
for you to decide.”

“
I don't want this. I want it
locked up forever.” Julie sobbed.

Trevor pulled his daughter close and let
her take comfort in his arms.

After Julie regained her composure, still
in her father's arms, she asked her next question. “What would you
do? What would you do if you had this ability and Uncle G wanted
you to use it?”

Trevor closed his eyes and was thankful she
could not see the tears forming in them. He promised her he would
always be honest. “Although your Uncle and I do not see eye to eye
on many things... if it were me, I would do as he asked, to protect
our people.” He felt her shudder against him. His tears fell as she
looked up into his face. “I'm not you, baby girl. If I could take
this from you, I would. Just know, whatever you decide, I'm behind
you.”

She rest her head back against him. “I'm
scared.”

“
Me too.” He said,
hugging her
tighter, and father and daughter drifted
off to sleep.

Austin made his way to Hungry Mother Park.
He was anxious to do some practicing to test the control of his
abilities. Once nestled deep inside the park, he removed his shoes
and shirt. He loved the feeling of the dirt between his toes. He
breathed in deeply, letting the night air expand his lungs fully.
He felt drawn to one of the trees and walked over to it. He placed
his hand upon it's rough bark. Instantly, images and sounds were
flowing through him.

He was scared yet fascinated as what he
later came to know as the history of the Earthlings was shown to
him. When the images stopped he pulled his hand away from the tree.
His body felt differently. He clenched his fist and looked at his
chest and arms, as if seeing them for the first time. His jeans
felt restrictive on him. He quickly stripped them off and kicked
them to the side. He stood only in his boxer shorts.

“
You should strip those off,
too. It feels so much better to be completely naked.” Percone
dropped down from a nearby tree.

“
Who the hell are you?” Austin
asked, but inside he knew, this was another Earthling.

“
I guess you could say I'm your
brother, well, half-brother really, since you're only half
Earthling. Half Earthling, half Blend... You're an Earth Blend.”
Percone laughed at his own cleverness.

“
How do you know what I
am?”

“
Let's just say your mother and
I are like this.” Percone crossed his middle finger with his index
finger.

“
You know my mother?”

“
I know her very well. We're
best buds.” Percone said, whispering in his ear.

“
Can you take me to
her?”

“
Aw, little baby Earth Blend
wants his mommy, how cute.”

“
Stop teasing me. Take me to
her.” Austin demanded and the ground around the two
shook.

“
Testing out our newfound
abilities, are we?
” Percone took a step back from Austin and raised his
hands.

A vine snaked down a nearby tree and
wrapped around Austin's leg before it pulled upward and left him
suspended in midair. He was now hanging upside down by one leg.

Percone walked up so his face was inches
from Austin. “Listen up, little boy, do not mess with things you
know nothing about.” He then laughed in his face before leaning
back against a tree.

“
Put me down.” Austin growled,
making the ground shake again.

“
Try and get down yourself.”
Percone baited.

Austin took a deep breath and concentrated
on the vine that held him aloft. He kept trying to make it move and
release him, but it held firmly.

Percone laughed once again. “Lesson number
one. You cannot undo what another Earthling has done. You are stuck
there until I decide to let you go.”

Austin clenched his fists and glared at
Percone. He began to sway back and forth, trying to build some
momentum.

“
What to do with you now?”
Percone pondered, paying Austin no mind.

Austin gained enough swing to reach a
nearby branch and hoisted himself up into the tree. He sat on the
branch and tried to loosen the vine on his foot. He began rubbing
the vine against the branch, but stopped when he heard what sounded
like a faint cry.

“
They don't like it when you do
that.” Percone singsonged up to him.

Austin heard a rustling sound below
him. He listened but did not hear anything more. He peered down
through the leaves and saw Eli standing in front of Percone. The
two men were glaring at each other. Austin did not say anything out
loud, but in his head he said,
Eli
.

Eli: Who said that? Who else is here?

Percone: No one else is here.

Austin: I didn't say anything.

Eli: Show yourself.

Percone: You always ruin my fun.

With a wave of his hands, the vine once
again picked up Austin and dropped him upside down, hanging from
the tree.

“
Austin?” Eli was stunned at who was
now hanging from the tree. He walked over to the boy and lifted his
body to take some of the strain off of his ankle. “Release him.”
Eli ordered Percone.

“
Whatever.” Percone said and released
Austin from the vine's grip.

Eli helped right Austin, who bent down to
rub his ankle warranting another glare from Eli.

“
He'll live, he's a blend isn't he? He
can heal himself.” Percone huffed.

“
What are you doing here? How were you
able to hear me telepathically? Is this a Blend ability in you?”
Eli asked.

“
Nope. It's an Earthling ability. Meet
the newest illegal alien, Earth Blend boy. One of our promiscuous
sisters played human and made it with a Blend and oops, baby makes
three. ” Percone said dryly.

Eli looked at Austin with a dumbfounded
expression. “Is this true?”

“
Please, my Uncle said no one should
know. It could put my mother and myself in danger.”

“
That's an understatement.” Percone
chuckled.

“
Who is your mother?”

“
I... don't know, but he does.” Austin
said, gesturing to Percone.

Percone's grin was wide as the two looked
at him. “Part of me wants to keep this a secret but another part of
me wants to see your face when I tell you who it is.” Percone
watched Eli's face closely.

Eli had a sinking feeling in his gut. He
could tell by the look on Percone's face who it had to be.
“Crysa.”

“
Oh man, you are good. Correct on the
first try. Yes, our darling little Crysa took a walk on the human
side. Guess she went looking for the love you never gave
her.”

Eli looked at Austin. “This shouldn't even
be possible.” He quickly regretted his choice of words after seeing
Austin's expression. “I didn't mean....”

“
It's okay. This is kind of new
territory for me, too.”

“
How long have you known?” Eli asked
him.

“
A day or two.”

“
I caught him testing out his
abilities.” Percone chimed in.

“
Where is Crysa?”

“
She is busy playing with another
human. Oh, maybe you'll get a sibling.” Percone teased
Austin.

“
Call her.” Eli ordered.

“
I have no desire to see her right
now. Find her yourself, if you must. I've bored myself with this.”
He waved his hand toward Austin. He leapt up into a
tree.

“
Percone, wait. What about...?” Eli
finished his words in thought to Percone.

Eli: ...Where is Luke?

Percone: Ask Crysa.

Eli: Percone!

Eli could tell that Percone disconnected
their thoughts. He looked at Austin. “Does Julie know?”

Austin nodded. He was feeling very tired. He
was coming to realize that using his Earthling abilities caused a
drain on his energy as well. “Do you usually get tired after you do
stuff?” He swayed a bit but caught himself before he fell.

Eli reached for his arm. “Not usually. Maybe
it's related to your Blend abilities.”

“
Maybe.” He said and tilted to one
side.

Eli righted him, “How about we find your
clothes and get you home?”

“
Yeah.” Austin reached to pick up his
pants and went down on one knee.

Eli gathered up the rest of Austin's belongs
and helped him stand back up. “Come on, I'll take you to your
Uncle's.”

Eli assisted Austin and together they made
their way back to the apartment complex. Once inside he stopped and
knocked on Gregg's door.

“
I didn't expect you back. Luckily, I
fell asleep on the...” Gregg began to say when he opened the door.
He was surprised to see Eli supporting a half -dressed Austin. “Oh
my God, what happened? Here, bring him to the sofa.”

Eli helped Austin to the sofa.

“
Is he hurt?” Gregg asked, placing his
hands on him.

“
I'm fine.” Austin said and pushed
Gregg's hands away. “I'm just tired. I didn't eat much
today.”