I wrote Touched for a contest with the theme rock bottom. Rock bottom has the power to bring out the best and the worst in people…

Touched

“Why can’t you people just leave us alone?” Vi asked, glancing at the window. Cole sat shackled and handcuffed, the white rag stuffed in his mouth a shade darker than his pallid skin.
Ethan sighed, rubbing his temples. “What happens if you get bored? What if the Global Government does something you don’t like?”
“So that’s your solution, to kill me? How’s that working out for you?” she said leaning back in her chair kicking up her feet on the table between them.
Ethan’s eye twitched, but he said nothing.
“Please hand over Cole,” Vi said.
“Why would you want that traitorous rebel? His death touch can be replicated by any skilled assassin.”
“I’m not taking the bait,” she said, gently lowering her feet to the ground. “Hand him over.”
“Bait?” he asked.
The silence weighed heavy between them.
“Oh, I see,” Ethan chuckled. “You don’t realize you’ve been sleeping with a rebel spy.”
Goosebumps rose with the sudden temperature shift and the bastard smirked. Vi hated when she first picked up new powers. It took so long to get full control over them.
Vi heard mumbling from Cole’s direction. She didn’t turn to him, but watched Ethan’s every move.
“I came here to get Cole. Are you going to release him or do I have to take him?”
“Avoiding the problem? How about the facts then, straight from him?” Ethan stood. Vi jumped out of her seat across from him. He raised his gloved hands and slowly removed Cole’s gag.
“He’s a mod too!” Cole shouted.
Vi shrugged, “I know.”
“How did I give myself away?” Ethan asked with raised eyebrows.
“The gloves.”
“Can’t be too careful with his deadly touch.”
“Or with my mimicry,” Vi said.
Ethan only smiled.
“Okay Smiley, what’s the real purpose of this meet and greet? If you wanted me dead you’d have tried to kill me already.”
“You’re not the least bit curious what my power is?”
“Why? It doesn’t affect me.”
“True, but it does affect Cole,” he said leaning down to Cole’s ear. “Isn’t that right?”
Cole sat rigid, desperately trying to fight his words. “Right,” he spat.
“What do you think of me Cole?” Ethan asked.
“You’re an ass hole with too much power and not enough sense,” Cole answered, with no hesitation.
Vi shifted on the balls of her feet. “So, you’re an ass hole? That’s not news.”
“My power is truth. I can’t be lied to by anyone, except you of course.”
“Do you want me to slow clap for you?” Vi shrugged.
Ethan glared at her. “Cole what do you think of Violet?”
Cole’s eyes widened. His breath sped up as his words were ripped from him. “She’s terrifying. She’s fierce, but in the most beautiful way.”
“How sweet. What secrets are you keeping from Violet?”
“Enough!” Vi stepped forward.
It was too late, the compulsion to answer Ethan truthfully was too much. “I- I’m not supposed to love her,” Cole said. Violet froze at his words as if her power had overtaken her. “My commander said to observe and report only. I’m compromised. Too involved to be objective. They’re scared Vi’s manipulating me for intel, but she’d never do that. I can’t help but love her.” He turned his tear filled eyes to Ethan, “Damn you!”
Frost radiated from Vi running across the floor and up the walls. The electricity flickered as Cole’s tears froze in their tracks.
“Vi?” Cole whispered.
She slowly tilted her head up revealing an icy storm raging in her eyes, like a hurricane, a hurricane of fire and ice.
“Magnificent! What else can she do?”
“You don’t want to know,” Cole said, maintaining eye contact with Vi.
Ethan stepped between the two drawing her attention. “Violet, I’m offering you a rare opportunity. We can work together. We’ll take down the rebels, pave the way for a new world, or you can join the lying, spying little rebels. The choice is yours.”
She tilted her head in thought biting her lip. “No one but the rebels would be hunting me?”
“Maybe a few government officials would hire assassins now and then, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.”
She locked eyes with Cole. “Done,” Vi said, extending her hand to Ethan.
“No Vi! Please don’t do this,” Cole yelled fighting his restrains. Violet waved her left hand freezing Cole in place.
Ethan grinned, “Brilliant.” He shook her hand and she pulled him into a kiss. Cole’s icy prison shattered. Damn, still needs more control.
“What the hell?” Cole demanded.
Ethan jumped back horrified.
Vi turned to Cole. “I’m too pissed to talk to you right now.” Vi waved her hand creating another Cole-sicle with the saddest expression etched on his face.
It was Violet’s turn to smile as she turned to Ethan. “Now I have your fancy little lie detector. What do I need you for?”
Ethan yelled pulling out a gun out of his waistband beneath his jacket. “Mod powers may not work on you, but this will.”
“How do you know what powers I’ve picked up? You’re just a scared helpless little boy who throws tantrums when you don’t get your way. I don’t think you realize what you’ve done.”
He said nothing concentrating all of his focus on keeping Vi in his sights.
“You and the Global Government set of that WMD. You’re responsible for the worldwide deaths, including my parents. You caused these bat shit powers, you tried to kill me, and now you’ve backed me into a corner and ruined the last good thing I had left.” Ice glinted off the tip of his gun. “You should have left me alone.”

Touched first appeared on the Wordhaus website 2016.