Chương 57: Dream

Despite everything, the world continued to spin. The first light of dawn painted the eastern horizon in pale lilac, but in the staff bathroom of the small thrift store I had broken into it was still dark. The single light bulb hanging from the ceiling was too weak to dispel the shadows that stubbornly clung to the corners. Leaning on the cold white sink with both hands, I slowly raised my head and looked at the grim, exhausted man looking back at me from the dirty mirror.

My eyes were lost in darkness, my skin pale, with sharp edges where there were none before. My clothes were torn and dirty. My face and hair were covered in dried blood. Now that the secret was out and the Protector knew about the full extent of my Ability, the mask I so carefully created to fool the whole world was finally gone, revealing my true self. I had worn it for so long that the person beneath almost looked like a stranger.