The Second Time I Lost Control

They flushed me out. It wasn't my fault. I tried with everything I had to hold back, but...

            I was out of options. I was watching my home of the past four months burn around me. The fire had already consumed the small kitchen and much of the living room, and was steadily making its way toward me. My back was to the door, but there was no way I was going out there. I couldn't. The last time…

            No, I couldn't think of that. It was too painful. Before I could stop it an image of Emily’s limp body flashed through my mind. The tears came instantly. My eyes were already watering from the smoke, but now grief filled them anew. I had promised myself that I would never become that way again. That was the very thing the men outside wanted, the men who set the house on fire. But as I cried, I realized that there were no other options. A section of the roof fell through and crashed into what had once been a couch, completely destroying it. The impact threw burning ash into my eyes, and the ever-present smoke was choking me. It was time to make a decision. Do I stay and let myself die, or do I go out and face the men �" and the monster inside me?

            Maybe it would be better if I just let myself die. I had caused enough suffering in the world. I didn’t deserve to live. Emily did, but I took her life. I really was a monster. Then I remembered my promise. My promise to Emily. Sitting there in the wake of my own destruction, Emily dying in my hands. She looked at me. Not with anger, only sadness. Sadness for me. There, dying in my arms, she made me promise to look after Josh. And I did. I swore on my life that I would always be there to protect her brother, and with that she died. A promise sealed with a life. I couldn’t die. I had to find Josh. A sharp crack brought me back to the present. The ceiling beam above my head was giving way. I only hesitated for a moment, then opened the door.

            At first I thought it might not happen. Then one foot out the door and I fell to the ground, exactly like last time. I faintly heard the crash of the beam falling over my hysterical breathing. I could barely lift my head to look at the men standing around me, the leader glaring at me like I was a misbehaving lab specimen. I tried moving my arms to crawl away, but I couldn't. I had lost control of my body. My body stopped shaking slowly got to its feet. I could only watch as it acted of its own accord. A memory flashed through my mind again: Joey and Connor crumpled against the wall as Emily tried to reason with me. She had thought she could talk me out of my state. Then in a single swift motion, my body had picked her up by the neck and hurled her across the room. Now, as my body stood before these men, I was helpless to stop myself. In an instant I was behind the man immediately to my left. My fist flew out and I heard a crack as it connected with his rib cage. Probably 3 or so broken ribs at least, if they hadn't punctured any organs. The leader started to draw an odd looking gun, but I was already by the next man. My leg shot out with supernatural speed and shattered his kneecap. The man fell, his legs bent at unnatural angles. I spun and leapt into the air, my foot snapping around once more and connected with the third man’s face. His head whipped around and his neck snapped. No question about this one. I stood again and faced the leader, tears streaming down my face. The gun was leveled at me. An explosion rang out as the man pulled the trigger. My body flew to the side to dodge the anticipated bullet, but instead a wave of light flew at me, completely surrounding me. No dodging this one. As it made contact, a searing pain rushed through me. No control over my body didn’t mean no pain. I cried out as my body once again started shaking.

            “Incredible.” The man loomed over me. “Such incredible power.” With considerable strain my leg swept out feebly and knocked against his foot. It barely touched, but the man yelped in surprise. He leveled the gun and fired again. I screamed in agony, but my body was working. Through two more explosions of white hot pain, my body worked its way to my feet. I took a step toward the man, then placed my hand on his chest and pushed. The man flew backward and groaned in pain. I was instantly at the gun that fell from his grip. I picked it up. I watched in horror as I made my way to where the man was standing.

            “No… please,” he moaned. He was crouched like he was catching his breath, but when I got close he leapt at the gun. My hand caught his and twisted it behind his back until I heard a snap. Then I placed the gun on his back. He looked backward at what I was doing and I saw a look in his eye. A look of sheer terror. No man should ever have reason to have as much horror as I saw in his eyes. I held his gaze, and in it I saw everyone I cared about. I saw my parents. The way they looked at me when I told them about the first time it happened. How they were… afraid of me. I saw Josh, and how he looked at me when I told him what happened to his sister. He was so angry. He wanted to kill me. He hated me. I saw Emily. I saw that sad look she gave me. I saw every time she looked at me. Smiled at me. Laughed with me. Encouraged me. She believed in me. Believed that I had control over this thing. She looked at me now through the man’s eyes, pleading along with him for me to stop. I had to stop. I couldn’t kill her again. I had to stop! I had to…

            I pulled the trigger.

Reviews

[paulbrec]

This is a good start, but to be totally honest, it needs a lot more.
It is missing something. There is a lot of explanation of the violence, but very little about the characters.
Add a bit of character background. Who are the men outside? Tell us more about the character in the house.