WASHINGTON D.C
144 YEARS LATER,
"Oh, yeah." A female voice moaned. A soft series of cries escaped her lips, followed by the creaking bed frame. "Keep doing that, honey...hmm!"
"You like that, don't you?" The man whispered. "Such a naughty girl."
Two doors down the hallway, 13-year-old Zack Takashi groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. The sound of the humping and laughter echoed in his ear.
"No, not again!" He muttered, squeezing his eyes shut.
Then the noise died down.
"...Go take a shower." The female voice ordered.
"Gross." Zack whispered in disgust as he opened his eyes.
Maybe he could get a few minutes of sleep before—
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The alarm clock chimed loudly.
"Shit." He scrambled out of bed, tripping on the blanket as he landed face-first on the floor with a loud groan.
Most kids had to deal with overbearing parents; he had to deal with parents who couldn't keep their hands off each other.
After cleaning up, he threw on a black hoodie and jeans. By the time he got downstairs, the smell of fried eggs and toast filled the air as he walked into the kitchen.
"Good morning, Z," His step-mom, Mariana sang cheerfully from the breakfast bar, dressed in a white shirt tucked in pants.
"Only my friends call me Z," Zack sang back.
"I thought you only had one friend?" Kai asked in confusion as he served plates of eggs and toast.
Zack rolled his eyes and took a seat.
Mariana looked at him with concern. "Are you feeling okay? Sleep well?"
"Not with the X-rated show going on across the hallway." Zack grumbled as he stabbed his eggs with a fork. "I'm pretty sure you should soundproof your room if you don't want me to develop trauma."
Mariana, who had a mug close to her lips, choked on the coffee. Kai handed her a napkin.
Zack began to eat while the kitchen remained silent.
"Well," Mariana said. "We're both young..."
Zack grimaced.
Kai shut his eyes. "Let's walk it off, babe."
"Are you ready for the decathlon qualifiers today?" Mariana asked as she ate. "Cause I know my boy's gonna give 'em hell."
How could Zack forget he had to secure a spot for state championships? His mom had reminded him to study every day.
"Yeah." Zack nodded.
Kai, who was reading an actual newspaper, glanced at Zack. "You've been keeping up with... practice, right?"
He knew his dad was low-key, disappointed he wasn't playing tough sports like football, so lacrosse was... hardly worth mentioning.
"Sure."
"Strange. Because your coach said you didn't show up yesterday."
"Ah geez."
Zack had missed practice yesterday. "Okay, I admit, I went to the movie theater; that robot invasion movie was playing."
"Excuse me?" Mariana demanded. "You did what?"
Zack willed himself not to look in her direction. It was less scary that way.
"Look, son," Kai leaned forward. "Staying consistent, no matter how small the effort..."
"Leads to power and mastery." Zack finished with a small nod.
"Good," Kai appeared satisfied. "You've been listening."
He often wondered how his third-generation father knew ancient proverbs by heart, and he wasn't even a historian.
"Yeah, and it has nothing to do with Mom sending motivational quotes to the family group chat every day." Zack said. "Okay, who's driving me to school today? Dad?"
"It's my day off from the hospital." Kai replied.
Which explained the bathrobe Kai wore.
Mariana jolted up, grabbing her blue blazer and purse. "That'll be me."
He had PE for the first period.
Why? Because St. Francis's Prep School had clearly decided that the seventh graders should suffer.
And Zack hated gym class. But today, something felt wrong. Goosebumps rose in his arms, and the high-pitched ringing in his ears refused to fade.
He covered his ears; everyone's voices seemed to be louder than usual. He felt like he was going into cardiac arrest.
...do you think I should dye my hair...
...the Mets suck...
...look, it's that loser, Zack.
Zack frowned at that one.
"Hey Z," his friend Logan, sitting on the bleachers, called to his attention. "Did you notice the dust in the air in the gym is twice as much as yesterday?"
Logan was allergic to everything, maybe even himself. He pushed down his inhaler in his mouth and took a deep breath.
"No." Zack replied.
Logan looked puzzled. "You okay, man?"
Shaking his head, Zack replied. "No, it's just a headache."
Another voice rang in Zack's ear.
...two tours in the army, only to get stuck with bratty kids. You got this, Campbell...
Coach Lenny Campbell stepped into the gym.
"Alright, let's move!" He barked and blew the whistle hanging around his neck.
Zack winced as the sound hit him like a spike through his skull. "Ah!" he cried.
The kids around him glanced his way.
Coach Campbell gave him a look.
Weird kid. Thinks he's better than everyone. Just like his asshole father. Hot mom, though...
Except Campbell's mouth didn't move. But Zack was angry.
"What?" Zack growled at Campbell.
Campbell glared at Zack. "I don't like your tone, Takashi. You're up as spiker."
Zack threw his head back with a groan.
They were divided into two teams for volleyball. Zack posed to play. As he moved in the court, he couldn't concentrate; everyone seemed to hate each other, but why weren't they speaking?
Oh my God, I'm losing it. Hearing voices. Do I have schizophrenia?
The ball hit his head, and he stumbled back.
"Focus, Takashi!" Campbell called.
...meathead...Campbell thought.
Zack's fist curled. Loser? He's going to eat those words.
As the other team launched the ball, a strange energy rushed through Zack. He jumped, weightless, like gravity had let him go.
When Zack's fist struck the ball, green sparks snapped from his fingers, crackling like live wires. The ball crashed into the floor in a boom, causing everyone in the gym to crash to the ground like dolls.
Zack widened his eyes. "Holy crap!"
Then he fell to the floor.
Darkness.
* * * * * * * *
"You carry the blood of the eternal; the time has come." A mysterious voice whispered. "Child of Takashi...awaken!"
Zack's eyes flew open as a gasp escaped his lips; he jerked to a sitting position.
He barely had time to think when a light shone in his eyes.
"Calm down, Zack," the school nurse Shelly said, pointing a flashlight at him.
His parents were in the office.
"Zack!" Mariana was by his side in seconds, clutching his face. Her voice cracked. "Are you alright? Say something!"
"Mom...I..." He was at a loss for words.
Kai touched Zack's face. "Still in shock."
"Why are his eyes blue?" Shelly frowned at Zack as she pushed a thermometer through his lips.
Mariana pursed her lips at the older woman. "Uh, his eyes have always been like that."
Zack panicked. "Wait? Did you say blue?"
Kai took the thermometer out of his mouth and gave it to Shelly. "Look, I'm a doctor; he'll be safe once we get home."
"But sir..." Shelly protested.
Zack's parents spoke at the same time, making up excuses as they hurried him out the door.
"Can you slow down for a sec?" Zack asked them to move out of the school building.
"No time," Kai said.
"Did you pack all of his shoes?" Mariana asked Kai as they all climbed into the car.
"I packed a suitcase of whatever I could grab." Kai spoke as he drove away. "Left the comic books, though."
"What's going on?" Kai snapped at them.
They both went silent.
Zack could see from the rearview mirror that his eyes had indeed turned blue.
... Can't risk it... thought Mariana.
... He's scared, but he'll get over it. Thought Kai.
"Scared of what?" Zack shouted at Kai.
His parents glanced at each other.
...He can read minds too... Kai thought.
"Stop the car," Zack pleaded. They had driven past the route to their neighborhood.
Mariana turned to look at him. "Zack, we'll explain everything, but you need to trust us."
Zack's chest burned. "I don't understand; I think I can hear everyone, but they're not talking."
"We know," Kai said. "Look, it's really complicated, but your mother and I aren't exactly...normal."
Zack scoffed with disbelief. "Yeah, I noticed!"
"Did you read our minds?" Kai asked in surprise.
"Honey, I think he's just being sarcastic." Mariana began to tap at her cellphone. "I'm calling for backup."
"Listen to me," Kai said. "No matter what happens, you must never tell anyone your secret... protect the medallion—left pocket."
Zack reached into his pocket and brushed against something hard. He pulled out a jade stone.
Mariana caught his hand; Zack looked at her.
"Don't lose that, okay, sweetie?" She pleaded. "Be brave."
"Where are you taking me?" Zack asked.
Before anyone could answer, a blinding light exploded in front of them. Tires screeched.
"Hold on!" Kai shouted.
And the car flipped.
His mother's scream was the last thing he heard before everything went dark.