Aftershock S2 Episode 2

Hello friends!

Aftershock week has come to an end…but that’s okay because we’ve stull got a lot of Aftershock content coming up. Anyway, I give to you episode 2!

CATCH UP ON SEASON ONE

Episode 7.5 (the Christmas Special)

Episode 8

Episode 9

CATCH UP ON SEASON TWO

Episode 1

I walked up to the boy. He was simply playing a game of soccer with his friends.

“Hello,” I said softly. I couldn’t imagine how scary I might seem with my bulletproof clothing.

“Uh, hi,” he gulped.

“What’s your name?”

He tensed. “I not supposed to talk to strangers.”

I bent to his level. “I promise I won’t hurt you. Can you tell me your name?”

“Teddy,” he hesitantly replied.

I tried to smile. “Well then Teddy,” I began. “I just have one question for you and then I’ll go.”

I waved off his friends. “I’d like to speak with Teddy alone if that’s alright,”

His friends were likely eager for an excuse to abandon him because they quickly bolted from my sight.

“Teddy, I-” I shook my head. This wasn’t right to talk to a kid like this. “Can I speak to your parents?”

Teddy shifted his gaze to the pavement.

“I don’t got any,” he mumbled.

My heart broke for this little kid. Life hadn’t dealt him a very good hand, and it was about to get even worse.

“Alright, well then I’ll just speak to you. You’re a big kid, right?”

“Yes Ma’am,” He replied. “I’m a whole twelve years old.”

I gasped, exaggerating my reaction. “Wow, you’re practically an adult then!”

Twelve was much too young to have to hide powers. This boy was just a child…

Teddy smiled, and I felt a sense of relief. I was glad that I could put him at ease. He needed peace.

“Well Teddy, I need to ask you a question.” I searched our surroundings to see if I had any visual aids. When I saw a billboard advertising LoS, I relaxed a little.

“See that sign?” I pointed at the giant pictures of supers in crazy poses that said, “Anyone can be a hero!”

Teddy nodded.

I bent down, closer to his level. “Those people save us, right? They’re a little different from normal people though. Have you ever noticed anything different about yourself?”

Teddy paled, and I knew he was holding back. “No,”

I held back a sigh. I couldn’t blame him for lying when he was doing exactly what I’d been doing to the rest of my team.

I looked around to see if anyone important could see me. When I was confident Andy and Tori weren’t around, I dropped my voice to a whisper.

“It’s okay to be different,”

For the first time in fourteen years, I removed my necklace. Teddy looked at me in absolute confusion as I attempted to use my powers for the very first time.

I grunted. This was harder than I’d thought it’d be. My mother had made it seem so easy when she stomped her foot. For the first time since I’d found out my genetics, I almost wished I had taken her up on her offer to teach me.

“O-okay,” Teddy said, concerned. “I’m going to go now,”

“Wait!” I called out. I needed to show him that he wasn’t alone. I flexed my hands and the alley rumbled. Terror flashed across Teddy’s features, as I quickly put my necklace back on. I clearly couldn’t control this power of mine, and I didn’t want to risk anyone getting hurt.

“I’m sorry about that,” I said, trying to calm him. “I didn’t mean for that to be so scary. I just wanted you to know that I’m different too.”

Teddy met my eyes with a question. “Really?”

I nodded. “Really.”

Part of the reason I felt so bad for this kid was because I saw myself in him. He was alone, with powers he didn’t understand, and nowhere to go. It was my duty to help him.

I pulled him close. “I’ll help you. I promise.”

Teddy started shaking and crying. “I didn’t want anyone to know,”

I glanced behind him. Any doubt I had about him being a hydrokinetic faded when the dirty puddles in the alleyway started to swirl into the sky.

“Shhh,” I held him tighter. “I’ll help you. But right now I need you to calm down,”

He nodded, took a deep breath, and the water stopped moving. It turned out to be just in time too because Andy and Tori showed up.

“We heard the earthquake and came running,” Andy breathlessly announced.

“Are you guys okay?” Tori asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, but that was weird. I don’t know what it was.”

Teddy nodded, catching on. “It scared me.”

Tori took in the sight of the young boy. “Is this?”

“Yes and no,” I cut her off. “He’s who we were looking for, but he isn’t who we thought.”

Tori shrank, and I could tell she was slightly relieved. I was thankful that she didn’t question me. There was no way for me to know this boy wasn’t super.

“Okay, well I guess we should head back to the plane,” she instructed.

I nodded. “You guys go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

I waited two minutes after they left to continue with Teddy.

“Listen,” I placed my hands on his shoulders. “I’m part of LoS, but don’t trust them. They’re not what we think they are. I wish I’d known that before I started working for them,” I paused. Was that really true? If I’d never started working for them, I wouldn’t have met Tori and Andy. I wouldn’t have been reunited with my mother, and I wouldn’t be helping Teddy. Maybe I would have still joined, even knowing everything I now know.

“Look,” I drew my thoughts back to the young boy. “I’m going to help you. Meet me back here tomorrow night. Don’t talk to any strange adults until then, okay?”