Book 1 Shadow's Grasp

Warning: Homophobic Language

Damian

I remember that day like it was yesterday, The bone chilling icy winds of Skyline City. The snow pilling up to be almost as tall as I was. The day I am referring to is the happiest and saddest day of my life. Let me back up a little, I'm Damian Kane this memory took place 1 year 3 months and 6 days ago (yes I keep track of my dates). Two days after my 15th birthday and my mother's passing. My dad had come to pick me up from school. As I open the door I am greeted with the unpleasant aroma of cigarette smoke. "Hey dad." I say blandly while opening the backseat car door instantly opening the window. I continued saying "I have a science project I need to start on so is it okay if Danielle comes over? We got partnered for this assignment." I look at my dad and I can see that his countenance had fallen. My father would never say so outright but the way he looks at and treats members of the LGBT community shows what he thinks of them. So you can imagine his disgust when he met my best friend Danielle who just so happened to be gender-fluid. He finally speaks saying "Fine but keep the door open." He then turned his head back around and muttered something under his breath. I then waved Danielle over to the car who promptly dusted the snow off his sparkling black and red fur coat and black fur winter boots before getting in and rolling my window back up while saying "It's freezing why would you roll the window down? Also I thought you said you had asked for approval already. I was out there freezing!" He says jokingly. "Sorry Dani I kinda forgot up until you asked me" I say apologetically.

Danielle presides to jokingly roll his eyes and chuckle a little. Danielle presides to jokingly roll his eyes and chuckle a little. Classic Dami move. He states, The whole time dad was driving so in no time at all we were home. Instantly Dani thanks my dad for welcoming him into his home, Then we head upstairs. Once up stairs we start to work on our project: Superpowers 101 : The Scary Reality of Super-Human Abilities. We chose to work on Ice and how that ice themed heroes would have to use an absurd amount of self control because at 4 kelvin it would not only freeze the skin but shatter it then freeze internal organs before killing a person. After three hours of work we finished one third of the project. Dani then suggested tv to which I obviously said yes after binging all of season one of Raven House on Bisney Dani mom came and picked him up so after he left I went down stairs for dinner. Dad had ordered pizza and was sitting at the table wasting no time digging into the pizza. When I sat down he cleared his throat. I looked up at him and saw that his facial expression was disgusted. I don't want you hanging around that faggot anymore understood? I was instantly shocked while my dad may have been homophobic he had never said that word. Dani has been my friend since kindergarten dad I'm not unfriending them just because you feel uncomfortable. I say with attitude in my tone. That fag must have made your brain rot because I know you didn't just disrespect me boy. He says with aggression written all over him. DANI DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT THE WAY YOUR ACTING ISN'T WORTHY OF RESPECT, MOM WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED HOW YOU TURNED OUT! I yell back at him. I then realize what I said and just when I am about to apologize he flips the table at me. I instantly dodge out of the way but before I can regain my balance he kick me in the gut knocking the wind out of me. He then picks me up and slams me against a wall holding me by my throat trying to choking me out slowly. As I am starting to run out of air I muster enough strength to kick him off of me. As I catch my breath I hear him yelling at me WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING THAT FAG, UNLESS YOUR ONE TOO. I WONT TOLERATE A FAG LIVING UNDER MY ROOF. He then picks up a one of the wooden table chairs brakes off a leg jaggedly enough to the point that the leg is sharp as knife on one side and hard as stone on the other. As he prepares to swing at me I stand as I gain my footing I accidentally hit the light switch making the former dining room dark. As I hear him yell and swing I close my eyes waiting for the impact of the makeshift bat to crack against my skull and knock me out cold, but to my surprise the blow never came. Instead when I opened my eyes I was falling through an endless darkness. The silence and coldness of this place made it all the more terrifying seeing as that on my 12th birthday my doctor said that I didn't inherit either of my parent or develop my own superhuman bio-gene. So seeing that I apparently had a power was a shock but now it seemed like would be falling forever.I then think that I might be alone forever or die of starvation, or dehydration. Ill never see my friends again, never go to prom, never graduate, or get married. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Dani. Just when I had that thought the darkness peeled away from the surrounding area and I was outside in the snow on a fire escape. I blinked letting my eyes adjust to the lamp post light the loud car horns and people walking and talking on the street below. I look around to find this area familiar. I then recognize a window decorated with sparkly rose red satin curtains with light emitting from behind them. I climb up the fire escape and knock on the glass. A few moments pass before the curtains are pulled back and I see Dani in her night gown. A look of confusion then concern flash across her face before she opens her window and helps me in. After helping me in she asks Are you okay? What are you doing here? Are you hurt? As she asked the questions I slowly became incoherent before everything faded to black.