The flickering fluorescent lights of the infirmary cast long, skeletal shadows across Lead’s face. His eyes, usually a much brighter gray, were dull, reflecting the sterile white of the room. The air was thick with the antiseptic scent of disinfectant and the faint, metallic tang of his own blood.
It had been a week since the attempt. A week since he had pushed his time-manipulating abilities beyond their limits, a desperate gamble to undo the devastation of the Nuke. A week since the world had shattered.
The initial surge of power had been exhilarating, a torrent of energy coursing through him. He had felt invincible, like a god rewriting the very fabric of reality. But the backlash had been swift and brutal. The temporal strain had ripped through his system, leaving him weak, disoriented, and tethered to this sterile white room.
He remembered the blinding light, the agonizing pain that had wracked his body, the chilling realization that he had failed. The world, instead of reverting to its pre-Nuke state, had splintered into a chaotic kaleidoscope of timelines, each fragment a twisted echo of the original. He was in the original.
He had glimpsed them – fleeting visions of a world where plants grew metal, where humans could breathe underwater, where gravity was a mere suggestion. These were not the subtle shifts in the elemental balance he had anticipated; these were fundamental alterations to the very laws of physics.
And he, Lead Carbon, the boy who had once dreamed of rewriting history, was responsible.
He closed his eyes, the visions still haunting him. The faces of his friends, their expressions a mixture of fear and confusion. Selena, her eyes wide with disbelief; Thalia, her face pale with worry; Aurelia, her usual playful demeanor replaced with a somber seriousness; Nick's glasses nearly fell off his face with the gasp he let out.
Lastly, Gallus stood there silently, the mysterious radioactivity coursing through his veins, feeling responsible for it all.
But his friend was merely an innocent victim of the nuke. It was he who had let them down. He had failed to protect them, to protect the world. The weight of his failure pressed down on him, heavy and suffocating.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. The door creaked open, revealing Selena, her face etched with concern. “How are you feeling?” she asked, her voice gentle.
Lead managed a weak smile. “Better, I suppose. Though I still feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
Selena moved closer, her hand gently resting on his arm. “It wasn’t your fault, Lead. You tried.”
He looked at her, his eyes searching hers for reassurance. “But I failed. I made things worse.”
Selena shook her head, her expression firm. “You did what you thought was right. You tried to save us all. That takes nerve, Lead. More nerve than most people will ever possess.”
Her words offered a small degree of comfort, but the fear still loitered. What if his actions had unleashed something truly disastrous? What if he had doomed them all?
Selena, sensing his unease, gently squeezed his arm. “We’ll figure this out, Lead. We always do. We’re stronger together.”
He looked at her, truly seeing her for the first time since the incident. Her eyes, usually glittering with life, held a deep well of anxiety, an echo of his own anxiety. The two of them had never been known to talk beyond their group setting, and both of them knew it.
She let go of his hand out of fear, although they both needed a good cry after what had happened and a hand-hold was just scratching the surface for the comfort they wished for.
First of all, they weren't in love or anything. They shared no stories, and I as the author solemnly swear that their relationship is platonic.
They sat there for a while in silence, before Lead broke the ice. "You know... I've never really talked to you much alone like this."
"We haven't, but... who says we shouldn't?"
Lead smiled slightly, but his expression went down again. 'Why are you here anyway, and by yourself?' he wanted to say, but he knew the reason. "Everyone probably hates me... and you're the only one I haven't talked to enough that it's not personal."
She shook her head and turned facing him. "That's not true. We all miss you back there."
"Well," he said, staring down at his feet. "Things won't be the same again... not after they found out."
"What is it? I didn't find out anything." she replied to the jaded Lead, whose feet somehow looked quite interesting to him.
He shook his head. "Not your friends... the government. The time travelling I just did, it was detected by a scandium wielder. They have more potent time travel abilities than a C-14 like myself. The government said they'll be taking me to trial to analyze my usage of the power and determine my punishment."
Selena’s eyes widened in shock. “A trial? But you were trying to help! They can’t just punish you for that.”
Lead sighed, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “I know, but the government sees it differently. They think I could have caused irreparable damage to the timeline. They want to make an example out of me.”
Selena’s expression hardened with determination. “We won’t let that happen. We’ll find a way to help you. You’re not alone in this, Lead.”
Lead shook his head, his expression turning cold. “No, Selena. I can’t drag you or anyone else into this. It’s my mess, and I have to deal with it alone.”
“But Lead, we’re your friends. We want to help you,” she insisted, her voice filled with concern.
He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. “I can’t face the group anymore. I can’t bear to see the disappointment in their eyes. It’s better if I handle this on my own.”
Selena reached out to touch his arm, but he pulled away. “Please, Lead. Let us help you.”
He stood up, his movements slow and deliberate. “No, Selena. This is something I have to do alone. I appreciate your concern, but I can’t accept your help.”
"Come on," she pleaded, her eyes tearing up. "I'm sure we can come up with something... they'll all come if you call. We're all here for you..."
"Go back, Selena... but... could you give me one last favor, please?"
"Sure, anything." By then, a tear had made its way onto her cheekbone.
"Tell all of them that I'm sorry for the huge flop. Tell them that..." The tears flowed freely now. "That they deserve to move on with their normal lives, without the constant pressure of having to save the world. It was only when I joined you all on the day of the ball that you were all pulled into this."
Selena let out a dejected sigh. "Okay... bye," she said softly, wiping her tears with get hands.
She looked at him, but his eyes couldn't bear to meet hers. Her arms extended into a warm hug, enveloping him in one last hug which they both needed. He let go first though. Spending this much time with Selena was already bad for her.
With that, she stood up, turned and walked towards the door, leaving him sitting there, her heart heavy with worry. She wanted to support him, but she knew he had made up his mind.
As Lead looked at the healing scars on his hands, he felt a pang of guilt for pushing Selena away. But he couldn’t let his friends get involved. This was his burden to bear, and he would face whatever consequences came his way, alone.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
