When Night Breaks

I was getting answers, but suddenly I forgot every question I had been yearning to know. He said he could feel what I was feeling. Did that mean he could read my mind? Even if not, I still felt so vulnerable. How was I supposed to react to everything he was telling me?

"Were you born this way?"

"No". His response was short.

"What are you then? What makes you so strong and your eyes go white?"

"When...they...changed my DNA, it just screwed everything up. Those are the side effects."

"Why should I believe you?"

"You shouldn't," I was shocked by his honesty, "you have no reason to. I have given you no reason. I give you my word, but that only goes as far as my words mean to you."

I felt stupid for actually believing him. He saved me and as creepy as someone following you can be, I still owed him time to listen to his story.

"Now I have a question for you. Can I trust you, Samantha?"

"Yeah. You can." I answered sincerely and nodded. It was dark, and under the porch light on my balcony, I come see the scar on his face. His eyes had changed to the lightest and sharpest blue; the color they were the night in the parking lot.

"Why do your eyes have three different colors? I've seen you look normal, half normal and then...."
I felt like not normal would be too offensive, but I sensed he knew what I meant. He glanced down at his watch and then suddenly stood up.

"I hate to cut this short, but I have to go. We can pick up some other time. Goodbye, Samantha."
I didn't even have time to respond back before he leaped off the balcony in one jump, and disappeared into the night.



The next few days were spent looking over my shoulder. I wished greatly for Jay to show up again. I had made a list of all the questions I had forgotten the night on the balcony. Lacey could begin to tell something was off with me. Every day when we met up for lunch she would grill me.

"Sammy, something's up with you! You've been acting weird."

I would always answer with the same phrase: "I'm just tired. Not been sleeping good"
That wasn't totally a lie; I hadn't been getting much sleep. I knew this excuse wouldn't hold up long with Lacey but I planned on using it as long as I could.

Although it was late fall, the weather was beginning to feel like winter. The temperature dropped a little more every day, and snow flurries were beginning to start. The weather added an almost lonesome feel to the atmosphere. On cool Friday night, as I was sitting at home, enjoying the fact I didn't have to work, the power went out. I had expected it to flicker back on in a matter of seconds, but that never happened. I rounded up some candles and flashlights and tried to get comfortable on the couch. Although I had lived on my own for a while, I was still a little frightened when the lights would go out. After hour two, I realized my phone battery was dying. I turned it off to save what I had left in case I needed it during the night. Just as I placed the phone back down on the coffee table, I heard something outside my bedroom window. I felt my heart pick up to a flying pace. I snuck into the kitchen my grabbed a knife from the drawer. I stood in the hallway, frozen, until I heard it again. This time it was a knock. Could it be Jay? With knife still in hand, I headed toward the bedroom. I could see the silhouette of a man on the balcony.

I yelled out, "Jay?!"

He answered back, "Samantha, it's me. I came to check on you." I went over the door and opened it.

"Woah there killer. What's with the weapon?" He nodded toward the knife I still held in my hand.

"I thought someone was breaking in"

"Nah. The city's in a black out. I didn't want you to be alone. Hungry?" He raised his hand, and was holding a bowl with what appeared to be sandwiches. "I hope you like grape jelly" He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back.

"You brought me food?"

"I did. I figured since the power went out you may not have had time to cook you anything. I don't really have much to offer, but I figured I'd try" the gesture was extremely kind, I thought.

"You want to come inside?" He glanced over my shoulder into my apartment.

"Sure" he replied. He followed me inside and I sat down on the couch. He just stood in the middle of the living room awkwardly.

"You can sit down." He took a seat at the opposite end of the couch without saying a word.

"Do you like it better outside?" I could feel the tension building and knew he was relieved I had asked.

"I mean, sorta"

"I have an idea." I got up and walked into the bedroom, motioning Jay to follow. Bring those candles in here if you don't mind." I opened the balcony doors and propped them open. I grabbed a blanket from the closest and spread in out on the floor, just inside the doorway so that the moonlight was shining in. I don't know what led me to do this, considering I had a whole apartment to sit it. I think the darkness inside made it uncomfortable.

Jay walked in, candles and sandwiches in hand. He placed the candles around the blanket, and took a seat beside me. As weird as we probably looked, it seemed more comfortable. The cool night air was blowing in just enough to cool me down, due to the nervous heat I was putting off. The candles made it romantic, although romance wasn't what either of us intended for that moment. None the less, it wasn't awkward, and strangely I felt at ease. He handed me a sandwich and we began our make
shift picnic.

"So, where did we leave off?"