I woke up feeling groggy. My eyes were swollen from crying, and my head felt like it'd been hit with a sledge hammer a couple of times. Niki's head was on my shoulder, his blonde hair was dry now, and his eyes were also swollen and pink.
I slowly put Niki's head on a soft trash bag then I scooted out from the hollow tree's cover. Standing there in the forest made me realize something. It made me realize that sometimes Death brings sadness and sometimes it brings a reason, a meaning, or a story. Niki said that he'd burned the tree... with his hands. But, I'm not sure if that's true at all. The tree yes, was knocked over and that was how the house had caught on fire, but the police didn't say anything about how the tree had been cut all the way through by a hairline. I'm so confused. But, If what Niki said is true... then I can't just abandon him for something that happened 11 years ago. No. I won't. He's my best friend and that's it.
While I was pondering and talking to myself outside the tree I saw something in the corner of my eye. It was like a gleam... a really, really... really bright light. But, It just lasted for like 2 seconds. I blinked my eyes then rubbed them. The light kept moving and then it was getting closer...
I ran inside the tree and woke Niki up, shaking him violently.
That's when I sensed something. It was like having a truck thrown on to my back, and it getting heavier and heavier. I started to sweat, beads rolling down my face and arms. It was starting to crush me, I couldn't breathe and it was hard to keep my eyes open.
"What's wrong? Jack, Hey are you okay? Ja--" Niki was cut off mid sentence. It was weird this sensation, It felt like I could hear a thousand times better but all of my other senses were being cut. I tried to lift my head up to look at Niki, to see what happened to him. I tried so hard, but I couldn't.
Then the place where I was crouched started to get warm. I felt like I was sitting next to a campfire. Then the campfire turned into a burning car, the car sending flames and smoke into the blue sky. Then it touched me... the warmth was resting on my shoulder. It spread throughout my body. Giving me energy... I felt refresed recharged... Oh wow, what is that? What's happening? I feel great!
My senses were back and the heavy weight on my back was gone. I lifted my head to see Niki glowing.
Wait, what?
Niki was glowing! His usually soft childish face was now solemn and filled with wisdom. His hair was floating, it flayed out around his head. It was changing colors too, the blonde seemed to be leaking out of him, and white was taking it's place. Not gray, like old people or anything, but, White, pure untouched snow white.
I stood up next to him and whispered
"Uh.. Niki, what just happened?"
I waited for him to anser but he just kept looking out of the tree, staring at something. The light was gone, but it seemed like he was staring after it, waiting for it to retreat. I blinked and it was only for like .5 of a second but when I looked after I had blinked ONCE, the forest was in flames, the trees were drained of life and turning a charcol black. The grass was whithered away and in it wake was smoke and crumbling earth. I blinked again and everything was back to how it was before.
That's it. I am officially losing it!
Niki was starting to lose his glow and his hair became dusty blonde once again. He slowly turned his head to look at me, then he smiled. His face become to soft childish one that I knew. He chuckled then hugged me.
What?
"Niki, You gotta tell what you just did."
"I scared the Hunters away." He said as if he were saying 'Yes, mother, I picked up milk on the way home'.
"Hunters?" I said, puzzled. I made a face that said 'Chuckles and shrugs'.
"Yeah, they're a group of humans with powers gained from Doctor and his subordinates. Doctor started his experiments on animals 19 years ago. Ever since he started on animals he's been trying to perfect his 'Powered Blood' he calls it. 11 years ago he perfected it. And on top of all that, on the day your mother died. I've been keeping this bottled up for so long, waiting to tell you! Man, do I feel better!"
I started at him blankly, trying to take everything in. Some insane doctor... creating blood... mother dying...
Ha..Ha.. Okay... I could just feel me face twitch in confusion while this was all dumped on me from my best friend. I mean really, is this something you tell your best friend just after you confessed to accidentally killing his mother? No.

Niki explained everything to me about 4 more times until it finally sunk in. I already had a horrible gut feeling that Niki and I are going to have to go after Doctor and these freaks of human nature with powered blood.

A while after my nuerotic break down died, Niki and I ate some ham 'sammichs' as I used to call them. We'd eat them all the time when Niki came over to my house to play.
"So, why are they after you Niki?" I said while chowing down on my sammich.
"They want to test my blood. They think I'm a key to their sucess because I was born with powers."
"Ah, cool. Well, not cool, but cool, you know what I'm talking about right?"
"Yeah, Jack, I know what your talking about." He said chuckling as he drank his apple juice.
"Hey, Niki, Do I have powers?" I asked, I'd been pondering on that for awhile now.
"I'm not sure Jack, maybe, maybe not." He answered, with his mouth full and mayonaise all over his face.
"Awesome! I wonder what I'll get to be! Since you're like.. Spark. Yeah, Spark's cool, you got fire right?" I said excitedly, knocking over the cartainer of spoons that was on its side next to me.
"Yeah, I have fire. So, what? You wan'na start callin' me Spark now or somethin'?" He questioned.
"Only when we're out in public, I'm too used to callin' you Niki." I explained, staring at the sky.
"Okay, whatever." He laughed.
"Alright, I'm bored. Let's go." I grumbled as I shoved trash and boxes into the trash bags.
"Sure thing." He got up from sitting indian style and helped me pack up.
"Where do you wanna go next?" Niki asked, looking at me through his hair, kind of smiling.
I smiled back to him then looked at the sky, we stayed standing like that for eleven minuets. It seems like we were waiting for an answer, and we were. We found that answer.
We were outside in the forest of Newaygo, Michigan. And now we decided... we're going to Nevada.