6. Lifestyle

On Saturday Teshal awaken before his clock alarm went off, he laid on bed thinking first in what he needed to do. As his trainer asked, he was to train by himself with his powers, they still wanted to know the limits of his powers, to know if those were completely as the original protectors, if those were stronger or weaker, if they could be combined or not. Because the danger it could led if he got distracted or were to try something too violent, he was made to train alone, so he didn’t hurt anyone, in one of the island’s highest mountain.

Every Saturday he had to exhaust himself entirely. In the first three months was with each of the powers of the original protectors. Used them in all the ways he was able to imagine and to know how much it took a toll on his body. The next two months were about combining them, make the most exhausting and easy combinations, to know which were the ones he could use when his energy was almost depleted or in his last moments.

The last month was about using all of them, all the time, all the combinations possible and even the weirdest. Those experiments, which discussed previously with his trainers, ended with him falling asleep on top of the mountain, too tired. When he hurt himself, he took some minutes or hours to heal before restarting. 

He knew his family was not really happy with that training, it was the day they hated the most, so they tried to keep their minds far from it, however the mountain was almost in the center of the island, almost everybody could see the explosions and lights coming from up there.

This month kept the same target about making the weirdest or useful combinations until he ran out of energy, even new ones were added for him to restore his energy without stopping his imaginary fighting. That’s why he was laying on his bed without moving, even after his phone was ringing with his trainer trying to reach him before he went up the mountain. He knew it was a savage training, he knew it hurt and he hated to be too tired to go back to his home before the next day. It wasn’t healthy, it was hated by his family and by him, but it was really needed to go that far with a body he thought it wasn’t the same as before.

When he picked up the call, his trainer told him about new ideas and new warnings. “It’s ok, I always control the fires before it consumes the woods,” he tried to reassure his trainer because last week people though it almost happened, the thing was he fell asleep for some seconds before realizing where his fire was going; this time he had the idea to cover his peripheral area in ice and crystal that could prevent any accident.

Before going out from his home, he received his mother meal, the one she prepared every Saturday for him to eat when he needed. He was grateful although there were many days in which he had to throw it away because he was too tired to feed himself or in too much pain to feel hungry. But, as always, he would never tell her about it, to no one. In his new lifestyle the lies and pretending were his most trusted defenses.

5. Not to brag

The train scheduled for that day, Friday, was in the south military facilities. As previous visits, he was there to learn more special fighting techniques and information about the modern gun power they’d found in some ships that he stopped. Sometimes they spoke about new tactics or countermeasures worth to change, but that mostly happened the first weeks after the latest attack or ship sighting.

For that day, however, he was sent with some elite soldiers to train. Some were around his age, some older and two youngers, all of them with the muscles trained and showing off, a big contrast with his thinner and shorter physique. In fact, all of them were laughing about it, taking a photo before the exercise, preparing for the video while exercising and hoping the photo after was as funny as the first one.

When he began learning about fighting, something he never did before, he gave his trainers a hard time. At first because his physical condition was the worst, although he was not overweight, he was absolutely not used to physical activity like running, so he had to train that part before learning how to punch.

He detested being sweaty and tired, but he still put all his efforts in getting better, even when fighting without using his abilities, he was trying his best. Once they let him mix his supernatural abilities with his fighting style, he became a lot better.

As much as he liked to be modest and stand out the less, his new life as the protector was everything but that. In less than twenty minutes he defeated the fifteen of them while using his powers, because that’s what they asked him to do.

In the second exercise they used weapons against him, same that he evaded as nothing and tackled them once more to the ground. The final one was without using his abilities. He was tired, so his experienced opponents, so the exercise was a bit longer and effort needed, same that he lost because he wasn’t physical stronger than them.

“I can’t wait to train with you in like two years,” said one of the youngest while drinking their special water after the last photo was taken.

“No to brag but I bet he’d beat you in five months if he trains a lot more,” joined his current trainer.

“Sorry but I don’t want to be so buff… I like my current weakling self; it makes the enemies to underestimated me.” With that, all of them laugh again, knowing it was true.

4. Revert

In the night, after another busy day visiting places as the public figure he was now, he came back the same time as his brother. Although having a younger brother being the latest protector had his brother’s life a bit changed; he still could do the same as before like going to work, now moving with a driver and car set by the government, going early to the gym and in the weekends with their mother and aunt to the supermarket.

Because Teshal was too popular, it was normal for them to be stopped to receive presents, cards and stuff that were meant to be for the protector, some for them. They weren’t really bothered by the actions, people were careful and not to all over them, but still took some time to deal with everyone. They weren’t surrounded by hundreds, sometimes between five or even twenty.

His brother chose the government transportation due that in the first days after all was settle, he arrived late to work because he didn’t want to be rude to the people who was being so grateful towards his younger brother. While his mother and aunt had their own cars, they weren’t as bothered as him.

“Hard work today?” asked Teshal’s brother while both went upstairs to change their shoes and clothes, after saying hi to their mother.

“The usual, going from here to there, talking and the stuff.” All his life, Teshal’s answer to the usual question of how was your day? Was fine. In contrast as how his brother sometimes answered talking about the thing that made him upset or were funny at work. He didn’t know why but for him, speak about something as trivial as his day, was too hard, too useless.

That’s why he never told them how hard started to be being that popular. He, who was bad at socializing and speaking out his mind, now had to talk to so many strangers about him and his new powers. As the trainers and other people told them, he could have chosen to have a bit more of privacy in his life, be more secured and less public, however that option always led to make people more curious about him and, as a result, being more intrusive and persistent. In order to keep his family safe and less bothered by strangers, he opted to be the one who always fed their curiosity to the fullest.

“Would you had liked it if was you the one with the powers?” Teshal asked his brother when they were about to begin to play videogames, as they do before everything changed, they had like one month since they could do it again.

“I’d thought about it for some time and I don’t know, maybe,” he answered with a calm expression, almost confounded. “I’m not jealous, if that’s what you’re thinking, but it might had been easier for you if it was me.”

Teshal was silent for a while, because of that his brother started to play until he stopped to look at his brother again “Would you like to revert it?”

“I don’t think so, someone has to be the hope for all to feel protected, I’m ok with it now,” he lied while smiling, making his brother smile too.

3. NAC

His next day, after a quick morning training, he was sent to some schools in the northern part of the island. There he was supposed to talk about the previous protectors, a topic he was taught since the first days as the new protector because he needed to know which were their powers.

But what children used to ask the most was about how strong he thought he was, while the teachers asked him about the New Advanced Countermeasures that were created after the government discovered him and his gift which allowed him to have all the previous protectors’ powers.

He always answered the kids that depending of the enemies, he could be a bit strong or a lot more powerful that all the past protectors. He was too modest and afraid of scaring the people, so he always tried to change the topic or look as reliable as ever. The reason he never avoided the question was because he wanted, too, give a bit of reassurance to them and make them feel safe under his protection.

Nor that he needed to do a big effort for it. The news, the government, his trainers, and everyone was so sure that he was the strongest protector, that there wouldn’t ever be enemy too powerful for him. That was one of the main reasons of why the NAC was so important for people like the teachers, for the adults.

There were 3 types of countermeasures: the firsts were created when the island closed its borders because the inexistence of supernatural powers in its people. In those there was stated where people needed to look for the bunkers, who will lead them and the military actions over the protection armament in the coasts.

The seconds were made when the protectors started to appear. There weren’t great changes, only about the need to give aid to the protectors to come to the attacked area, be for earth or sky transportation, plus the need to follow any order given for the protectors, and the help they could need after the attack was stopped.

And in the new ones there was a big addition to the old ones. After the attack, be that the ships were led away or sunk, people should remain in the bunkers for four hours. This was made as a petition from him, because he wanted to make sure that no one entered the island while he was fighting in the sea; not that he didn’t trust the militia in the coasts, but because he didn’t want to take any chances with infiltrations.

Everybody wanted to know his reasons, even though he explained the same over and over again. He wasn’t as confident as he wanted about his skills in combat and luring the enemy away, he didn’t want to put anyone in danger so they needed to understand he was one protector, not the group it used to be. Besides, he always told them how with the time, he would erase that rule. Or so he hoped.

2. Adore

The next day he left the Protectors’ house with his trainer around midday. What started as jogging training while his trainer followed him by bike, became a journey in which he came across too many people who wanted to say hi or cheer for him without disturbing his session.

At the end of his track, he felt his cheeks sore for all the smiles he had to give. It’s not that smiles were hard to do, but after needing to control his breathing and look as normal as ever, it was really a hard work that he supposed was his trainer’s aim.

He took a shower after coming back to the house, he had to go on a trip to the downtown so he could get to some TV studios where he was going to be interviewed, some even where popular variety TV shows. Back then, he never thought of himself being a celebrity, it was never his dream to be so known and kindly treated by people, he wasn’t even popular among his classmates through his school days, so now he was always nervous before coming in front of the cameras; even harder when he was meeting some true celebrities, how he used to call them.

In the last variety show they were recording, he was asked to sing, which he had to refuse because he lacked the abilities and the confidence to do it.

“Oh come one, no one will say if it was bad or not,” said one of the true celebrities while drinking from his coffee cup, he was so nervous around them that he couldn’t seeing them in the eye, even if his voice was so kind.

“Leave him be, it’s not that he grew up to be this popular, he’s not used to it yet,” defended him the program’s host, making him sigh with relief. “Although people adore you so much that even if you can’t sing, they’d think it’s cute.”

“That’s my point, you’re the most popular person in our island’s social media, have you seen it?” Without malice intended, the celebrity showed his phone with his named searched, which gave a lot of photos, mostly from his conferences and other shows, a few of them were casual photos taken from school events and the sort, surely shared by his classmates.

“No, thanks, I don’t want to know,” he said while turning his face to another side, his bother told him already all of it. “I’m still to overwhelmed by all this so… please don’t make me do it.”

“Don’t be too serious, thar’s why we asked you before doing it, we still have some backup activities and a lot more planned,” explained the host while giving him a pat in the shoulder. “People loves your smile and optimism, you’re a natural with it so that’s all we need in here.”

With just a “thanks” as an answer, the host and the celebrities started to talk about anything else while he went out to look for the restroom, not that he drank anything but to let himself be back to his calm self. Lately his doubts and hidden feelings were trying to surface, making him harder to conceal them, like this time the fear to be exposed in something as trivial as singing made the anxiousness arise.

Couldn’t he be a protector without all the celebrity part? They could thank him from far away, by the letters and emails he received or maybe just by the street, not everything else. But he understood them, they were so thankful he came to exist, that his powers manifested in the right moment. They needed the people to know he was a guy like everyone else, not some overpowered man; they thought, too, that this was the way to compensate his efforts because who never thought about being a star? Being adored by so many? Well, he didn’t.

1. People

At night, everybody walks leisurely, talking even in a quieter manner. Maybe because they’re tired, maybe because the night is calming or because they prefer the sound of the ocean over the crowded city.

Everyone and everything look so peaceful, as if the day before the island wasn’t about to be attacked by pirates, once again. It was a small attempt, the ships where already wrecked when he boarded them, as if they were running away from another fight. And that, of course, didn’t stop him from confusing them so they could turn around and go far away from their loved island without powers.

Once he thought the only solution was to eliminate all those people trying to reach the islands shores, they who would bring chaos and pain with their supernatural powers, those that all in his island lack, except for him. However, he convinced himself, and the leaders, that killing all of them would do nothing but bring attention as ships were to be disappearing from that area.

The course of action, then, was simple: when a ship was sighted, he was sent to a reckon trip. It was the protector choice to say if they needed to call the ship and made them turn around or to attacked them. To let them live or die. He was a protector and a judge, apparently.

Because he needed his heart to not become frozen, he took long walks alone in the night. Always covering his identity with a knitted cap, a sweatshirt and some useless glasses, because who in the island didn’t know Teshal, the new protector of the island? Without those calming walks, sometimes talking with strangers, sometimes going to the beach, sometimes at the parks or in the middle of the sleepless cities; his smile wouldn’t be possible, his reassuring words and demeanor wouldn’t let people walk so peacefully at night.

Lo siento

La noche está más cercana a terminar, pronto será momento de que te estires, bajes y comiences la rutina diaria. Sin embargo, ese día no despertaste por el cielo aclarándose, las actividades de otros iniciando o porque no quisieras dormir más. Lo que te despertó fue lo que habías estado escuchando las noches anteriores. Posiblemente dos semanas iban desde que el nerviosismo estaba entre el grupo, solo bastaba una sombra para que todos salieran corriendo para huir de las fauces de los demonios que los cazaban.

Con todos tus sentidos muy atentos, escuchaste los jadeos de los demonios y notaste sus sombras acercarse a tu refugio, el mismo que compartiste alguna vez con tu pareja y tu hermano y rival, mismo que esa noche ocupaban otros veintisiete. Todos despiertos por lo que a ti te quitó el sueño.

A pesar de que una reja los separaba de los demonios de cuyas fauces se derramaba la saliva cliente y cuyos ojos enloquecidos veían a cada uno de ustedes mientras con la nariz parecían provocar que más saliva se produjera; todos se alejaron de donde ellos veían, mordían y gruñían.

No era la primera vez que se acercaban tanto, cada que afuera fallaba su caza y que dejaban la primera puerta de defensa abierta, los demonios se paseaban cerca, demostrando como se saboreaban su sangre y entrañas, aunque no lograban alcanzarlos. Terminaban yéndose decepcionados y desesperados, maldiciendo con la amenaza de que no estarían a salvo por siempre.

Como esta noche.

En la desesperación, hambre y perversión de los demonios, que no habían logrado cazar nada por fuera, encontraron una zona débil de la reja que los resguardaba. Uno por uno los viste entrar. Uno por uno comenzó a encajar sus colmillo y garras en la piel de los jóvenes que no lograron correr a tiempo.

El caos se levantó alrededor, los gritos te aturdían, el correr desesperado de esas jóvenes almas que pedían ayuda, se atropellaban entre sí en medio del pánico, terminaban estrellándose en las rejas, las paredes, los obstáculos. Aleteaban sin cesar, corrían como podían en un espacio tan chico del que sabías no podían huir.

La sangre fluyó al desgarrar la piel, los huesos se quebraron dentro de las poderosas mandíbulas de los demonios, pelos y restos volaron con el aleteo de los que quedaban.

Decidiste que no podías quedarte más, también te iban a atrapar. Aun viendo como aquellos con los que peleaste, dormiste, escuchaste por tantos meses, se quedaban sin aliento o eran devorados por completo por los demonios; saltaste e intentaste huir.

Uno de ellos te notó, no había dejado de vigilarte; cuando corriste, él corrió detrás de ti. Tan rápido como tus piernas te lo permitían, huiste del demonio, gritaste e intentaste defenderte cuando más cerca lo tuviste, sintiendo su aliento mezclado con saliva y sangre sobre tu nuca. Hasta que te alcanzó.

Sus zancadas eran mucho mayores que las tuyas, cuatro patas corren más rápido que dos. Sus colmillos se clavaron en tu lomo, rasgando la piel de manera dolorosa. Cuando su pesada garra quedó sobre donde había mordido la primera vez, usó sus fauces para comenzar a arrancarte lo que cubría tu cuello.

Te quedas inmóvil unos segundos llenos de dolor hasta que sientes el peso sobre tu espalda aligerarse un poco, por lo que te mueves hasta que escapas. Vuelves a correr, no sabes en qué parte estás o a dónde ir, sólo corres hasta que te cae encima de nuevo.

Más dolor, el miedo te hace sentir que tu corazón podría explotar en cualquier momento junto a tus pulmones. Tu vista se nubla, tus oídos zumban, los gritos de los demás casi no los escuchas ya. Estabas por darte por vencido cuando el demonio te libera unos segundos para dar el tiro de gracia, sin embargo, también es tu oportunidad.

Nuevamente corres, más rápido que nunca, la adrenalina te evita darte cuenta del dolor, aunque sientes el viento frío sobre tu cuello desnudo y tu espalda. Corres hacia la puerta abierta, de ahí vienen ellos, pero también aparecen por ahí los que por todo ese tiempo te han cuidado y alimentado. No obstante, en medio de la oscuridad, todo está solo.

No están los que te podrían haber protegido, no están los que te habrían curado. Por eso no te detienes, corres, aunque ya no escuchas los jadeos del demonio.

Corres y sigues corriendo, el entorno ya no lo reconoces, lo cual poco te importa si significa dejar atrás a los demonios que ya debieron haber devorado a todos pues ya no hay más gritos. Encuentras un espacio entre una enredadera, entras y te encoges rogando porque no sigan tu rastro.

Te duele la piel, te duele por dentro. El miedo no se va, los gruñidos de los demonios, su olor, su aspecto están grabados en ti. No puedes cerrar los ojos sin verlos, sin escucharlos a ellos y a las otras pobres almas que no pudieron huir como tú, cuyos gritos de ayuda no fueron escuchados por nadie.

A medida que la adrenalina abandona tu cuerpo, que el cansancio cobra su cuota por la velocidad que alcanzaste, cuando el estrés de tu mente va cediendo, aunque no se acaba; te dejas ir. Ya no quieres sentir más dolor, ya no quieres tener más miedo, que cada pequeño sonido que escuchas te ponga alerta; ya no quieres tener frío, ya no quieres estar cansado. Solo esperas que pronto te encuentren, te alivien el dolor y te hagan sentir seguro. Solo quieres que todo haya sido un mal sueño.

Esperas mientras la llama de tu vida se va agotando, en soledad y oscuridad, con dolor y tristeza. Nadie te salvó.