Chapter 22: Chapter 22

"No!" Theodore growled as his body crashed to a tree. Claws extending from his fingers and into the tree. His vision were hazy and his breaths short, quick and fierce. He had managed to keep himself from slipping for three weeks now but today was different. He had elapsed his thirty minute limits. Now his monstrosity embattled him, choking him to submit. To relapse into an Oceanic Darkness for goodness knows how long again. He struggled vehemently. Clutching onto the tree to relieve his pain but it lessened not in the slightest. Different memories were flooding his head at once, turning him insane.

He sped to the wall infuriated. Drawing deep scratches into the wall with his claws, whilst growling as screeching sounds emanated. It still failed to soothe, his monstrous side was beginning to take control. He smashed his forehead ceaselessly against the metal wall. Grunting and relentless in his insanity. A rosy red started to paint the wall and some droplets trickled down his head to the loamy floor. Nevertheless, Theodore succumbed not. The memories raged again, dosing his anger to a much higher note.

"Focus!" A voice sharply occurred in his head. Doctor Roberts. But it's soothing effect didn't last long. Pain conquered as well as insanity. He pressed on with his actions.

"Focus!!" The voice blared on a much louder and authoritative note. Theodore paused, breaths heavy and short. Face coated in blood and claws still buried in the cold metal. Yet again, his powers overwhelmed him. He staggered furiously away from the wall and then let out a painful roar. Loud and powerful enough to send every creature in the room into chaos.

He thudded to the ground, burying his claws into the loamy soils repeatedly.

"I-" he growled whilst tears soaked his eyes. His hazy vision had now transformed into red. Signifying just how close he was in becoming animalistic.

"I--" he stuttered again as he rubbed his face against the sands in distress. "Ne--, I nee-"

He gasped from another wave of pain that struck. "I nee-d t-o fo-" he jumbled with his words in a tiredly fashion. "Fo-cus!" He pitched and suddenly everything became painless and still. His vision now a lucid red. Claws still retained on his fingers and canines baring to the open.

Bountiful waves of shady orange vibrated across his entirety before spreading out. Encompassing the whole room.

As he slowly arose, with renewed strength. His head were completely void and his sense operated on a powerful point.

He could hear the howling air, smell the faeces of various species breathing in the room, hear the birds beak beating against the woods, the grasshopper chewing on leaves, the droplets of water that trickled to the grounds, the ants that marched in coordinated manner against the soft soil and above all, the buzzing fly. He closed his eyes to locate the fly's origin and it felt like his subconsciousness travelled out of his body and into the orange waves still emanating. Once his subconsciousness found it's target, his eyes opened and he stealthily strode towards a tree. Right in the center of the room.

He lowered to the ground to pick the black housefly. Only that it was a machine

The machine stopped buzzing after seconds and the elevator door pinged open. He turned to see only a smiley Doctor Roberts. His hands which were slipped into his customary lab coat.

"Congratulations! Theodore." Doctor Roberts exclaimed but he kept on staring like one who was enchanted.

"You've successfully completed your one month training." The Doctor added but his waves diminished and his body yielded to unconsciousness as he thudded to the ground.

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As Collins gulped his energy drink hesitantly at the edge of the room, the elevator door pinged open. Doctor Roberts and Mira threaded into the room. The Doctor was all smiley while Mira carried a stern countenance.

He briskly teleported to their front.

"Thank Goodness you're here! Doctor Roberts." He stated as he glimpsed between their faces restlessly.

"My one month training is complete so can I leave now?!" He asked agitatedly. But the Doctor chuckled.

"There's nothing funny about what I just said!" Collins growled. "Asides from the torturous training you put me through, you gave me a useless apartment. Take a look at my drink for example," he gestured to the bottle in his hand. "All of them are energy drinks, no champagne, wine or something better. The foods are off point And look at my clothes, yes I appreciate the hoods but why must they have The Shining's logo? Can't you have loaded my wardrobe with designers or something appropriate. I don't even want to talk about these boots,-"

"I understand you've mastered your Teleportation speed?" Doctor Roberts abruptly cut him off in a solemn mannerism.

"Yes and trust me, it wasn't easy." He answered whilst recalling those torturous moments in training. How lasers had mercilessly roasted his ass.

Doctor Roberts hummed.

"So you now teleport in a second. That's impressive. I'm sure by the time you get outside, you will be able to teleport in a millisecond."

Collins rolled his eyes.

"Can I just leave already?!"

"Not yet!" Doctor Roberts chirped.

"What again?!" Collins exclaimed and the Doctor grinned.

"During your one month training, I was thinking about your powers from another perspective." Doctor Roberts sounded while he circled about him.

"What if your powers could manifest the possibilities of time manipulation?"

Collins frown morphed into a skeptical look, already interested with the Doctor's point.

"How?"

"Remember you said, whenever you teleport, you first land in a room."

"Uh huh?" Collins affirmed.

"Have you ever thought or stayed in that room for a long time?" The Doctor asked with his gaze solely on him.

Collins sighed, reminiscing on the last time he tested that theory.

"Yes, I did it once and trust me, it's something I'd never do again." Collins whispered before he gulped his drink.

"What happened?"

"The room doesn't allow me to stay more than five seconds but when I crossed that limit, I almost got burnt alive in my portal."

Doctor Roberts hummed as he nodded slowly.

"So in one sentence, your powers can kill you."

He nodded before taking another gulp.

"That's another weakness." The Doctor chattered and it easily irked Collins. He wore a frown instantly.

"Will you stop pointing flaws in my powers?!"

"It's for your own good, Collins." The Doctor smiled. He scoffed. "I also came up with another theory why you can't teleport with another person."

"Oh tell me, I'll be glad to hear." Collins toned sarcastically with a sigh following suit.

"You don't utilise enough energy whenever you teleport with another matter greater than yours. Which is why you have incomplete transportation and get scattered across any instinct of present time that exists." Doctor clarified as he stopped by Mira's side.

"So in other words, I have to use the right energy to have a successful portal transport."

"Exactly!" The Doctor grinned. "Which is why we will be doing that practice again."

"No no no no no no, Doctor Roberts." He wriggled his head in denial as he glanced across their faces.

"It's too risky. the last time I teleported Mira, I landed in the midst of hungry lions. This time, who knows where I might land or even Mira."

"Three weeks ago, your body couldn't manage such prolific energy but now after your training, I believe you should be able to do it successfully. This time." Doctor Roberts explained but Collins resolve wavered not. He still vividly remembered the pain and suffering he went through. Neither was he ready to face that experience again.

"Nope!" He outrageously declared.

"Do you want me to do this the hard way, Collins?"

"Let's just get this over with." Mira suddenly interjected, joining him by the side.

He arched a brow at her which she simply ignored.

"Remember if you land in a jungle, it's not my fault." He growled but she intertwined her palm with his. Doctor Roberts grinned.

Collins rolled his eyes, dropped his drink before taking steady breaths, mentally calculating the amount of energy like Doctor Roberts advised.  Even though he didn't understand an iota of what he was doing.

"Doctor Roberts, just know if anything happens to both of us. It's every man for himself." He stated sternly while the Doctor nodded in assertion.

He let out an heavy breath before teleporting.

"Ahhh!!!" Collins screamed as he fell through his shady orange portal and into a river moving at a dangerous pace. His head emerged above the water, spilling out the water that had drenched down his throat.

His eyes exclaimed at the rocks ahead but then his jaw dropped as he also observed something. A waterfall ahead.

"Curse you, Doctor Roberts!!" He yelled while he tried swimming against the tides.