It Happened To Nathan

Chapter I: The Guardian, Jane

The night was stormy and ominous, and I couldn't sleep. Then again, it seemed that lately every night I couldn't even rest my eyes. It was an unusual sleeping pattern for me and I wasn't used to it. I gazed at the window not even looking out to the distance. I simply sat and watched as the raindrops fell like tears down the glass pane. I turned my head to look upon the sleeping children of the orphanage and sighed, listening as each of them snored in an individual fashion.



Maybe I couldn’t sleep because I was worried?


When was I not worried, though? The orphanage is conveniently placed in a crime ridden town in which the only sounds you can hear outside are police sirens, barking dogs, and the occasional gunshot.



Gunshots.



I always hated the sound of them. A gunshot always meant someone died, and death was something I never became used too no matter how much of it happened around me. Although I fear death, I’ve never come close to it. I have an immunity to sickness unlike any other compared to the others who seem to get the flu every week. When I would play outside with the others and injure myself I could feel no pain. It was as though I was immune to pain of any sort. All pain but emotional anyways.



“Nathan?” the unfamiliar voice of a young girl called out.



I sat up erect, looking all around the room for the source of the voice, seeing no possible speaker considering everyone in the room was asleep.



I gulped and replied, “Yeah…?”



“Don’t be too loud okay? You don’t wanna wake everyone up do ya?” she giggled.



Confused, I asked, “Where are you?”



“I’m in your mind, silly! Don’t worry, you’re not going crazy. Let me explain so you don’t think you’re going totally insane. I’m Jane, and I’m going to be your guardian for the time being. Again don’t freak out okay? It’s time someone told you about your power. But I can't tell you too much until we've met in person."



Still wondering whom or what I should make eye contact with, I replied, “My power?”



“Do ya ever wonder about that tattoo on your hand? Or how your hand hurts when you feel sad or scared? How about when you’re around certain people and the tattoo glows?”



I nodded and whispered, “Yeah… How did you know-“


“You were born with a… gift. Kinda like my own. I can’t get into it as much as I’d like until we’ve met personally. Umm… I want you to do something for me! Look at your pillow…”



I blinked twice from misunderstanding, but confirmed her request anyways.



“Point your index finger at it…” she added.



I extended my arm outwards towards my pillow, following the maneuver by flicking one finger out to point at my pillow.



“Now just imagine you’re lifting it up with your mind,” she concluded.



I followed each of her instructions and much to my bewilderment, the white fleece pillow began to levitate! There it was floating in midair above my bed, untouched by anything but air and dust. I was both hysterical and afraid simultaneously. I wasn’t sure what to think or what to believe even.



Jane giggled in a giddy, high-pitched fashion.



“Now close your hand.”



I clenched my fist, and the pillow hit the bed with a very soft thud.



At that point, I was at a loss for words.



“You’re probably wondering how ya did that hunh? I can’t get into it until we’ve met face to face, but yeah! This must be a lot to take in but you should really try to get some sleep okay? There’s too much to go over for me to tell you in just three hours,” she explained.



“Why are you telling me this now?” I asked.



She released a heavy sigh, “Because time is not on our side, Nate. Just go to sleep okay? I’ll keep in touch tomorrow.”



I bit my lip looking back at the pillow again.



“Whaddya mean time isn’t on our side?” I queried.



“Good night, Nathan.”



And with that her voice vanished, unheard from that moment on. As the time past it had me wondering many things. The primary being…



What just happened?