Chapter 260 - What Are We (1/2)

Laz sat down and looked at Abraham, wondering what he should say.

'Is there an easy way to break it to someone that from now on, the average person would be scared of you and there will be people coming for your life?' Laz pondered to himself as he sat there while Abraham zoned out.

'I mean. I guess it gets harder and harder for the new ones. Waking up their abilities after others have already been doing it for years now. I wonder how this even happens? Is it like... only once the tank is full of gas can you start the engine? Or is it more like there is a specific trigger somewhere?' Despite the times that Laz had seen this happen, he still really didn't know the answer. And his own answer seemed to change depending on when he's asked...

”Hey. Uh... You've been around, right?” Abraham turned and looked at Laz who was sitting there with his head down while he was thinking. The fact the Abraham spoke first caught him off guard.

”Been around?”

”Yeah. You know. Out and about and all?”

”Um, Yeah. Ok. I mean, I've done some travelling and seen somethings. So if that's what you mean?”

”Yeah. So... what do you think about the people everyone is talking about?” Abraham looked really nervous while asking. He was practically twiddling his thumbs while not even looking at Laz.

”The people?” Laz knew what he wanted to ask, but got the feeling that he should wait until Abraham was being more direct. It was like, playing stupid to not scare someone away.

”Yeah. You know, the ones on the news and stuff who are like... different...”

”Uh. Traveling all the time means I don't really check the news. You talking about the people with the special abilities, like the chosen? Or the ones that everyone seems to be turning against, the infected?” Laz was actually a bit curious of Abraham's viewpoint on the two groups.

”Oh. Uh. Well, what about both of them?”

”Well, if you ask me, there is something wrong with what everyone is saying.”

”What do you mean?”

”Alright, so b.a.r.e with me here. The 'chosen' are basically called that why? Because as far as anyone can tell, they have special abilities but there is no change that can be detected within them, right?”

”Yes...”

”And yet, the infected are also different, but because a mutation has occurred within their blood, they are deemed dangerous.”

”Well... the infected also attack people, don't they?”

”They do. But at the same time, have people every really been peaceful with one another? Crimes happen on a day to day basis with normal people. But now there is extra attention paid to those with special abilities attacking normal people. And when it happens, it always seems like it's someone who's been infected with the blood mutation, right?”

”Yeah.”

”But have you ever wondered just how truthful that is? After all, the government, or at least, organizations affiliated with the government have been recruiting these chosen while the infected are deemed risks. So who's to say that the attack wasn't caused by a chosen? And let's say they are telling the truth on this. Does every person who's blood undergoes a mutation attack someone and end up wanted by the police?”

”No. I don't think so...”

”That's because they don't. Instead, a lot of the ones who are deemed infected are just normal people who are now a bit strange. As far as the ones who become physically deformed, there has been cases of that for years. When you suffer through a trauma like that, chances are you're not going to be in the best mental state. Despite that, the 'infected' are getting a bad rap while the 'chosen' are heaven's little gifts. Obviously there is something wrong with this.”

”I... I guess your right.”

”I am. And besides, you're going to be just fine. You won't have to go through this alone.”

”Oh? Uh? Umm... go through what alone. I'm confused.” Abraham looked over at Laz who was now looking at him. Instead of explaining anything more, Laz simply held out his hand, palm side up and let his black flames become visible. The flame, which originally wrapped around his hand, expanded outward, separating from Laz's hand before resting afloat, as though Laz was holding a candle flame that wasn't connected to anything.