18. Hater gonna...

After his trainer took him to the shore, the protector noticed that his other trainer was there too, looking at him with anger and worry, that was what made him look around and notice the air was too cool to be noon. Until that moment, too, he felt how much coldness his body was feeling, but when he tried to use his own power to stabilize it, he felt the common dizziness that always came to him when his energy was depleted because the overuse of his abilities.

“Seriously, what the fuck were you doing?” asked once more when the trainer took off his jacket to put it on his shoulders. “Were you actually trying to kill yourself?”

“No!” he protested immediately with a voice strong enough to not leave any doubt. “What time is it?”

“It’s past midday. On Sunday” his other trained came closer to feel his pulse and to give him a piece of bread, which the protector looked with a bit of rejection. “Eat. Now.” Sighing, the protector complied.

“Ok, sorry, I didn’t pay attention to the time, as you can see, I don’t even have a watch on me.” Teshal move his arms in front for them to see, which only led them to see his marked wrist were the rope left a burn mark for the times he was desperately trying to not die for the lack of air, like all the time without the snorkel.

With that, he had to explain it, however, after eating half of the bread, he felt asleep. Just then, both of his trainers took a look at his body before going down the mountain. They were really angered by his careless behavior towards himself, they knew it from before, but he never did something as extreme as that, although they wanted to believe as an honest response when he denied trying to kill himself.

They took him to his house until he was dry and dressed, so his family wouldn’t be more worried of what they already were. His mother was the one that called him at eleven in his son’s day off because he didn’t come back from the mountain and he neither answered his phone, besides, in that time there wasn’t any visible show of his training. After assuring them that he was alright and only got caught in his training until he passed out of exhaustion, which was nothing new except for the part in which he didn’t come back on time, they left. And ecause they knew he wouldn’t be up in the meantime, they saved their lecture for the next day.

Thus, the family kept going to the basement from time to time just to see that he was still there and if he was awake. But he awoke until the next day at eight in the morning, his usual wake up time. He received a scolding from his mother before going to the training room where his trainers came to later.

They allowed him to finally speak about his idea and training before giving him a sermon that lasted for an hour about how irresponsible he was, about what could had happened if he didn’t make it or they didn’t come in time, of how he needed to treasure his life more for what he was now. With an apologetic smile and a serious promise for no repeating the same mistake, they began to talk about how to try it without being so dangerous or without him being alone.

He was freed until late in the night when his brother was already home, he even laughed at him for making so many worried, although he looked as relieved as the rest. With smiles and apologies, he made all drop the matter, even if he was feeling more than bitter.

Because of that, when all were already sleep, he came out from the House and ran without any particular place to go. He just wanted to leave all his discomfort and bitterness behind.

Of course, he was angry for what they told him in his lecture. Of course, he would do everything to took his life if he wasn’t responsible, if he didn’t know how all the people counted in his protection, if he didn’t know the chaos and suffering it could bring if they were left unprotected. Of course, he felt angry because they thought he could be irresponsible enough to abandon his duty, because hasn’t he showed them how seriously he took his trainings even if he hated pain so much? Hasn’t him fulfilled every task and training they had given to him? Hasn’t he talked on the media of how much he cares about his duty? Did he demonstrated how little gratefulness he had towards being the chosen? He always considered he didn’t.

He was being careful, he went a bit too far with his method, that was true, but he never truly endangered his own life. But they couldn’t see it, they didn’t care because they couldn’t control it. As if they didn’t know he could create a sharpened piece of ice to cut the rope, as if he couldn’t bend the metal of his keys to make something sharp enough to cut the damn rope.

With nothing more than his anger, he ran until reaching some seashore, and without stopping he started swimming through the active tide of the night. Stopping only when his throat began to hurt along with his lungs and arms. Only then he ceased all movements, just floating with his face towards the stars.

“Can’t people start hating me so I can run away?” he asked when the tears emerged from his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t ever give up on his duty when there was no one else to do it for him, but if people really became wary about his power, they could fear him and, then, hate him. He didn’t want to be a villain, but at that moment, it was like his only way out. “Haters gonna set me free?” He asked himself once his mind began to settle.