Jae Park
Day 5, 12PM
JJ stepped out of the communal showers, his clothes damp as to avoid erupting in flames again. He had spent a whole two hours in there trying to figure why he was suddenly bursting in flames every time he moved. In the span of the first 30 minutes in the showers, he had succeeded in setting every part of his body on fire. He danced, he jumped, he ran in place, he rubbed his hands together until he had tired himself out. Everything he did set his body on fire and he had to extinguish the flames with the shower each time. It was strange that he didn't feel pain or heat. He checked his body. No burnt skin and his hair were all still there, not a single strand singed. All he really damaged were his clothes. They were completely soaked, some parts were missing and there were singed holes all around.
He had literally become the Human Torch. How cool was that? He could warm up his food without having to use the microwave. He can heat water with his hands. He can cook whatever he wanted. Cool and handy. His mind drifted to the superhero, Johnny Storm, and his eyes widened.
Whoa. Imagine if I can fly. Although it was silly, he thought he'd try it. There wasn't anybody in the showers with him anyway.
"Flame on," he called out, willing himself to burst into flame. When nothing happened, he tried again, focusing on that single thought. Nothing happened the second time. And the third. He tried several more times until he ended up laughing at himself.
As his laughter died down, the worry settled in. Will he be able to control this strange new power? How will it affect those around him?
And then there was the issue about the clothes. How the heck will he walk around if he kept burning what he was wearing? He looked down at his pants. Half of his left pant leg had been burned off and there were holes in the other.
I don't think anyone would appreciate it if I walked around naked. His eyes fell on the shower head. He grinned as an idea popped into his head.
His idea worked. Keeping his clothes damp allowed him to move around without setting himself ablaze. It would have to do for now, at least until he can figure out how to control it. His stomach grumbled and he headed towards the cafeteria. He looked forward to not needing to fall in line to heat the food that was almost always cold whenever he went there to eat.
He frowned as pain lanced through his head.
I must be really hungry, he thought as he shook his head in an attempt to clear it. But when he looked back up, he stopped dead in his tracks. The cafeteria was burning. A horrified look settled over JJ's face as he realized that there were people ther. People that were burning. Agonized screams filled the air as people tried to escape the blazing inferno. JJ stared at the scene, his heart thudding in his chest from guilt. Did he set the place on fire? Fear and panic washed over him. There were no other people in the bunker that can generate fire like he can. He ran inside, his heart pounding. What can he do to save the people? How can he stop the fire? He ran in, towards the closest person he can reach.
Half of the person's face was burnt and he was screaming in pain. He turned towards JJ and reached out a hand.
It was Robert.
"JJ, you okay?"
JJ blinked. He looked to where the voice came from. Ben, one of the rescuers that had helped him the day the doors were opened, was staring at him, a spoonful of gruel poised just a few inches from his mouth. "You look like you've seen a ghost dude." He said, raising an eyebrow.
JJ looked around. The cafeteria was back to normal. There was no fire and no people burning. His brow furrowed as he turned back to Ben.
"Did you see---" he stopped himself. If he was the only one who saw the vision, then he didn't want anyone thinking he had gone crazy.
"Yeah... I'm fine. Just...uh..." Or maybe he had really gone cuckoo.
"...never mind."Ben shrugged and then turned his attention back to his food. JJ looked around, trying to locate a face in the crowd. When he didn't find it there, he headed back towards the rooms to find him.
It didn't take too long to find Robert. Although he half expected the boy to still be in bed, he didn't count on seeing him crumpled down like some sort of rag doll that had been tossed aside.
At least he's not burning. Wait. He isn't dead, is he? He hurried forward and felt the boy's pulse. When he felt it there, he sighed in relief. He reached out, grabbed the boy by the shoulders and shook him gently.
"Hey. Wake up."
