Painful Consequences

Trifecta gave us an easier prompt this week: Ass - as in 3. (adverb/adjective) often vulgar—often used as a postpositive intensive especially with words of derogatory implication.  Trifecta's standard rule of 33 to 333 words applies.  Once you're done with the latest piece of my Weather Riders series, be sure to make it over to Trifecta to see other responses to this one.  It ought to be fun!

“Isaac!”

My scream sounded shrill and panicked even to me.  I could sense the storm he’d just called was one huge ass system.  Big enough to spawn F4 or maybe even F5 tornados.  And he couldn’t control it.  I knew that for an absolute fact.

I started toward him.  Caiden appeared out of who knows where and smashed his sword into the back of Isaac’s head.  Isaac dropped like a puppet cut loose from its strings.  I dropped to my knees by Isaac’s side mud be damned.

“You better not have killed him or I swear.  What kind of coward attacks someone from behind?”

Caiden stared down at me, water dripping into his rich green eyes, “I saved his life.  You’re welcome.”

He stalked toward the bike.  I didn’t know what to do.  Isaac was indeed alive as Caiden said, and Caiden was right – Isaac was out of control.  I pulled my cell out of my pocket and called an ambulance for Isaac then ran after Caiden.

“Now what?”

He gave me a blank stare.

“What happens to Isaac?”

“A Power Sink will be by to absorb the excess power.  If he’s not too badly damaged from the storm surge, he might be able to function once again as a Storm Rider.”

“If not?”

Caiden looked away.  I circled the bike and grabbed his face.  He sighed.

“If not, it would have been kinder had I killed him.”

I don’t know what he saw in my face, but Caiden pulled me tight against him in a warm, comforting hug.  We stayed there for a minute or more in the rain.  The storm had calmed enough I didn’t think I needed to do anything so I continued to absorb Caiden’s warmth.

“Stay with him until the ambulance arrives.  When he wakes up you’ll have your answer.”

With that, Caiden steered me back a few steps and took off.  The ambulance arrived a minute later.  I was still staring down the road where Caiden disappeared.