Multiverse Of Talents

His Talent (2)

“Ha, ha, ha!” Adamax let out a strangled laugh, his chest heaving as he panted for breath.

He was exhilarated and terrified at the same time, the adrenaline coursing through his body like a jolt of electricity.

His eyes darted left and right, looking for any sign of the others. "Am I finally out of sight?" he whispered to himself.

He was crouched in the janitor's closet, heart pounding in his chest. He hoped he had escaped undetected.

A vow formed in his mind - he would never return to that classroom, not if he could help it.

"And what is this 'talent' they keep talking about?" he wondered. It was a strange, mysterious concept, but he couldn't deny that he was curious to know his own. Yet, he was also terrified of what he might find out.

Adam crept out of the janitor's room, backpack slung over his shoulder, careful not to make a sound. He made his way through the school and out the front door, eager to see what the outside world looked like in this strange, unfamiliar place.

“Woah!” Adam's jaw dropped open as he beheld the purple sky and the grass that was a vivid shade of blue. "This isn't Earth, there's no way," he breathed, his mind racing as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing.

He was still marveling at the sky when a deafening roar broke through the air, accompanied by the whirring of wings. Something dark and sharp swooped by, leaving chaos in its wake. Adam ducked, covering his head in fear of being struck.

"What kind of world is this?" Adam whispered to himself, still crouched behind the trash can. "A place where the sky is purple and the grass is blue. It's like a total inversion of Earth." He shook his head, trying to make sense of it all.

Adam wriggled into the bin, making himself as small as possible. He huddled there, fear and exhaustion taking their toll, and before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.

Skiff! Skiff!

The sound of scurrying feet jolted Adam awake, his heart pounding in his chest. "Aah!" he shrieked as he scrambled out of the bin, emerging covered in dust and debris.

Rats were the last thing he wanted to deal with right now.

Adam stretched his cramped muscles and yawned, the fog of sleep clearing from his brain. As he looked around, he noticed that the sky had turned a deep crimson, the stars twinkling like distant eyes.

Adam slung his backpack over his shoulder and started walking aimlessly. He had no idea where he was or how to get home, and a sense of panic began to set in.

Was this place safe? Could he trust the people here? Could he ask for help from anyone saying, ‘Please can I pass the night under your roof?’ His mind was telling him to be cautious, to stay on guard.

Walking for what felt like an eternity, Adam spotted a black car parked at the corner of a street.

As he drew closer, he heard the muffled sounds of two men arguing inside the car. The voices were raised and agitated, and he could make out the occasional curse word.

"I swear to you, Pedro, I didn't give Coletto a billion!" the voice in the car shouted.

Adam could hear the urgency in the man's voice, the desperation to be believed.

"Bullshit!" the other man retorted, his voice cracking with anger. "I gave you 2.7 billion in cash, and you were only supposed to sell 58 million to Coletto. Where did the rest go, huh?" He sounded furious, and there was a note of threat in his voice.

Ding Ding!

Adam's head buzzed with the sound of the strange bells, and he felt an overwhelming compulsion to calculate something. "What is this?" he muttered to himself.

"265,056,100 is the missing cash!" Adam shouted, his eyes wide and staring into space.

"Hey, who's that?" one of the men inside the car asked, his voice puzzled. The other man's voice rose in alarm. "Did you hear that? Someone's out there!"

The two men emerged from the car, both looking menacing as they regarded Adam with suspicion.

The one with the gruff voice flicked his cigarette to the ground and lighted another one before taking a menacing step forward. "You the one who shouted that number?" he demanded.

Adam squirmed, his eyes darting around as if looking for a way to escape. "Please, no. Not Maths," he thought to himself. "This can't be my talent. It's too useless, too ridiculous. It can't be."

"You must think you're so clever, don't you?" the man sneered, blowing smoke into Adam's face. "If you know how much money I have, then you should know a few other things too. Let's see how smart you really are." He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing.

Adam coughed and spluttered, trying to wave the smoke away from his face.

"Come on, Pedro," Cian said, his voice softening. "He's just a kid. He didn't know he was interrupting your conversation. No need to make a big deal out of it."

Adam wrinkled his nose in disgust. Not only did he dislike the taste and smell of smoke, but he detested the idea of someone blowing it in his face. "He doesn't look much older than me," he thought bitterly. "He should be 38, only a few years my senior at most. How dare he act so superior?"

"And I can tell you exactly how many strides it would take you to reach that lamppost over there," Adam said, his voice growing in confidence as he pointed to a nearby light pole.

"I'm never wrong when it comes to calculations. You want to see?"

"How many?" Pedro asked, his tone mocking. He was prepared to teach this boy a lesson if he was just making things up.

"Six," Adam replied, his voice steady and sure. He knew he was right, no! Rather he hoped he was right.

Pedro let out a harsh laugh, then leaned in close to Adam. "If you're wrong," he snarled, "I'll make you regret it. Got that?"

Suddenly, the man's eyes flashed a brilliant, unnatural shade of green. Adam's heart leaped into his throat as he saw the man's teeth extend into long, sharp fangs. There was no doubt that this man was serious - he meant every word.

Despite the man's frightening appearance, Adam stood tall and resolute. After all, death was preferable to living in this strange and terrifying world.

"What if I'm right?" he asked, his voice unwavering.

"Looks like this boy has a death wish," Cian said, an incredulous laugh escaping his lips. "Who would dare to make a bet with someone like Big Pedro?"

A predatory grin spread across Pedro's face. He could already imagine the blood on his hands, the taste of victory. Adam would be the first to die, and then he would find the person who had stolen from him and make them pay.

"If you win, I'll offer you my protection," Pedro said, a wicked glint in his eyes. "I'm Pedro Gizoro, the most powerful bloodreaper in all of Ulaetsria. If that's not enough incentive, I don't know what is."

Adam swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure. "Go ahead," he said, his heart pounding in his chest. "Start walking."

Gizoro's smile turned cruel. "There's no way he can be right," he thought. Taking slow, deliberate steps, he reached the pole in precisely six strides. "What?!" he exclaimed, honestly surprised.

Gizoro shook his head vehemently, his expression darkening. He paced back to Adam and Cian, walking even faster this time.

When he reached the pair, he realized his number of strides hadn't changed. "No, this is impossible!" he roared. "How did you do it?"

{If you find any issues in this chapter, please reach out to the author ^⁠_⁠^}