Aaron

    Aaron, an unfortunate soul, never had the greatest life. He had a summer birthday, and a loving family. Or so it may have seemed. He had always had issues with his emotions, and people couldn't ever tell what he was trying to say. His voice always seemed to be full of anger or sarcasm, even when he never meant it to. That's why he never had any friends. No one understood him.

    But his life was never always as sad as you may have made it out to be, his lived with a loving and caring mother and equally supportive younger sister. They all looked the same with the blonde hair and green eyes, always shining behind a pair of glasses. For his younger years, life was normal and great. By the time he entered high school, that is when everything changed.

    "Hey Mom?" he said one day when he came home.

    "What is it, Aaron?" she asked him.

    "Uh... I met this girl today."

    "Oh?"

    "Y-yeah. We met after school and started talking and..."

    "So what happened? It's okay, you can tell me."

    "Well... we think that we be boy-friend and girl-friend."

    "Oh." She stared at him for a minute. "Aw, I'm so happy for you."

    "What happened?" his younger sister asked, peeking into the room.

    "Nothing," Aaron said.

    "Hey," his mother scolded. "If you want a healthy relationship with this girl then you're going to have to be open and honest about it."

    "Okay." His sister laughed.

    "Who is she? Is she from school?" she asked.

    "Yeah, we're in the same class."

    "Well, if you can be honest about it with her parents then I think that you can work out," his mother said.

    "Alright, I'll talk to her then."

    The next day, Aaron went looking for her, only to learn that she had been admitted into the hospital. When he later told this to his mother, she said that she would check up there the next day. When she did, she ran into the girl's parents there.

    "Wait, so your son is in a relationship with our daughter?" her mother told Aaron's.

    "Well yes," she said.

    "Why didn't you tell us?" the girl's father asked her.

    "I-I was going to," she said from her bed, "b-but-"

    "But nothing. You will not pull stuff like this behind our backs. You won't be seeing this boy anymore. Understand?"

    "But-but-"

    "Angela, that's enough!" her mother scolded. By now, Aaron's mother decided that she should leave this to them, so she walked out of the room. Later that evening, Aaron was saddened when his mother told him what happened. He went to his room to be by himself when his phone vibrated. It was what would become Angela's last text to him. It simply read 'Goodbye'.

    That night, as Aaron slept, something, or someone rather, awoke in his mind. Aaron opened his eyes. He was in a large, seemingly infinite space. Then, he saw someone in front of him. He looked like him, only he could tell that he wasn't him. There was no mirror.

    "Hey," the other said, holding the same devilishly smug grin.

    "What are you?" Aaron asked him.

    "I'm you."

    "Not this bullshit," he muttered to himself.

    "Yeah, I had the same thought."

    "Really?"

    "Yeah. I'm you, remember? We have the same look, mind, and body. We are the same, you and I. You are me and I am you."

    "Prove it."

    "Aren't you upset that Mom made us break up with Angela?" Aaron gasped, as that was true.

    "Yeah," he admitted.

    "Aren't you still going to think about her anyway? Try to see her?"

    "Yeah."

    "So... what are we going to to about Mom... or Angie's parents?"

    "I don't know."

    "I don't either. Let's kill them!"

    "What?! No way in Hell!"

    "Alright then fine. Let's just visit her tomorrow then. How 'bout it?"

    "I guess."

    "But we'll be in deep shit if Mom finds out." Aaron thought to himself for a bit, but then he stared at "himself".

    "You aren't me."

    "I am."

    "No, you're not. I wouldn't ever think like that."

    "But we do."

    "No don't."

    "Yes we do!"

    "Augh! Damnit!"

    "I know, right?"

    "Shut up!"

    "Why?" Aaron put his hands over his ears, and began to feel immense pain.

    "What are you doing?"

    "The question is: what are you doing?" Aaron screamed, falling to his knees.

    "Get the fuck out of my head!"

    Back in reality, Aaron began to thrash around on his bed, screaming as he felt searing pain in his head. His mother and sister came running in.

    "Aaron!" his mom said. "Aaron what's wrong!?"

    "Mom, what's wrong with him?!" his sister asked.

    "I don't know. Call an ambulance!"

    "Okay!" she said as she hurried back downstairs and she grabbed the phone. She picked up the phone and dialed 9-1-1. When someone finally answered she said, "We need an ambulance! My brother's hurt!" They came a few minutes later but by then, Aaron had passed out.

    Later, at the hospital, Aaron was scanned from head to toe, as the doctors couldn't find anything physically wrong with him.

    "So there's nothing wrong with him?" his mother asked them.

    "Well there isn't any physical problems with him," the head doctor said. "If anything he's perfectly healthy. The next logical step would be for you to visit with a psychiatrist. In fact, there's someone I'll recommend you to. She's the best there is, and I know that she'll help you both out."

    "But Aaron doesn't have a mental disability."

    "The only words we got out from him was 'Get him out of my head'." His mother sighed as she faced the truth. She and her son would have to see someone to get this worked out.

    Later. Aaron and his mother walked into the office. She walked over to the secretary's desk.

    "Hi we're here for our appointment with Dr. Heartford," she said.

    "Okay, she'll be with you in a moment," the woman responded. Aaron and his mother sat down. Aaron stared at the floor, a sadness engulfing him. He felt alone and detached. Then, he looked up as he heard the door open. A woman was standing there.

    "Hello," she said with a polite smile. "I'm Angela Heartford. You must be my next appointment."

    "Yes," his mother said. "I'm Serena."

    "Let's head to my office." The three of them walked to her office. "So what's the problem?" she asked when they sat down.

    "My poor baby is having problems," Serena said. "He keeps saying that there's someone who won't leave him alone. He's also been so depressed his entire life. Especially now. He hardly ever smiles anymore."

    "Oh dear." She noticed that he was glancing up at her and she smiled. "Would it be okay if I talked to him alone for a while?"

    "What ever it take for my baby to be happy again," Serena said as she stepped out.

    "Aaron?" Angela asked. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"

    "He won't get out of my head. He won't leave me alone," he responded softly.

    "Okay. Can I ask why you were looking at me, the way you were? Do I remind you of someone? Or do you think I'm just that pretty?" she gave a light laugh.

    "It's... your name."

    "What about my name?"

    "There's another Angela... that I know."

    "Oh?"

    "I love her. But... her parents and my Mom... don't want us to see each other anymore."

    "Aw, I'm sorry. Is that why he's bothering you?"

    "Yeah. Kinda."

    "Shut up!" He said in Aaron's head. "We don't have to tell this bitch anything!"

    "Leave me alone," Aaron muttered.

    "Is he bothering you right now?" Angela asked.

    "Yes. He won't leave."

    "Aaron, stand up for yourself and tell him to leave. Do you think you can do that?"

    "I... I don't know."

    "Aaron, you can do it. I believe in you. Now tell him to get lost."

    "Get out."

    "Never!" He responded. "You need me, not this whore."

    "Don't insult her."

    "Come on, you and I both know that we're wasting our time here. Every second we wait, a second Angela is closer to death."

    "I know but..."

    "Let's just leave."

    "I... I..."

    "Aaron?" Angela asked. He groaned.

    "I don't know what to do!" he cried out.

    "Aaron, don't listen to him." Serena opened the door.

    "Aaron, are you alright?" she asked.

    "I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do," he muttered.

    "Aaron, sweetie, calm down."

    "Can't you leave me alone?!"

    "Fine," He said in his head. "You want me to leave? Fine. I will." Aaron then fell down in pain. Angela and Serena ran to him.

    "Aaron?" Serena asked. "Baby wake up!"

    "Aaron what's happening? Is it him?"

    "What's wrong?" He asked. Serena and Angela looked up and gasped, seeing Him standing there. "He wanted me to leave, so I have." He looked like Aaron, but wasn't Aaron.

    "What the hell are you?" Serena demanded. "Why did you hurt my son?!"

    "Why can't you people get this into your stupid heads? I am your son!"

    "No you're not!"

    "Yes I-" He was cut off by Angela stabbing him with a pocket knife. He then disappeared in a cloud of dust and Aaron gasped in air, sitting up.

    "I knew it," Angela said. "I thought this was just another schizophrenic case, but I was wrong."

    "What was that?" Serena asked.

    "That was Aaron's purged emotions."

    "Purged emotions?"

    "Yes," she said, taking a letter out of her desk drawer. "if you want to know more, you'll have to talk to this man." In the letter, was Jack Trade's contact information. "Otherwise, there's not much else I can do for you."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Serena, your son is special. Not mentally, but special in another way. He's... Gifted."

    "Gifted?"

    "Oh yes. He has a special power. Being able to purge his negative emotions into a physical being is very incredible."

    "But it hurts... so much," Aaron said.

    "I imagine it would. You're going to have to be careful about controlling your emotions around people."

    "Well... alright," Serena said. "But what about his depression?"

    "Oh yes. I nearly forgot. I'm so sorry. I got caught up in the first part of your appointment."

    "Like I said," Serena said as they all retook their seats. "He's been so depressed and down lately. He hardly ever smiles."

    "Aaron, can you tell us why?"

    "I don't know why but... I can see the world."

    "What?"

    "I can see the world. I can see cities and people all over the world. I can hear them. I can smell the surroundings."

    "As if you're there in person?"

    "Yes."

    "Oh." Angela jotted down some notes. "This must be your true Gift then. You're omnipotent. You can be everywhere at once."

    "What?" Serena asked.

    "But why would this cause you to be so depressed?"

    "I can see and hear everyone in the world," Aaron said. "I can feel their pain and suffering." His shoulders began to shake and tears fell down from his eyes. "I hate this world and all the pain it suffers." Serena hugged him.

    "Baby... I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

    "Aaron," Angela said, taking his hands and looking him in the eyes. "There's no reason to hate this world. You can help yourself, by helping others. End their pain and suffering, and it will end yours."

    "Are you sure?"

    "Yes. I'm absolutely sure."

    "Okay."

    The following day, there was a knock at the door. Serena answered to see a man standing there.

    "Good morning Madame," he said.

    "Hello. Can I help you?" Serena asked.

    "A colleague of mine contacted me about your son."

    "Oh. You must be Jack Trades."

    "Indeed I am. May I come in?"

    "What is it you want Mr. Trades?"

    "Serena, I want to speak with Aaron, if you don't mind."

    "Mom," Aaron said, appearing behind her. "It's okay. I'll talk to him."

    "Alright," Serena said after a moment. She made some tea while Jack sat with Aaron at the table.

    "So, an omnipotent, emotions-purger," Jack said. "Quite an interesting combination. If my memory is correct, you are the only one like that."

    "What exactly do you want, Mr. Trades?" Aaron asked.

    "Please, Aaron. Call me Professor."

    "Why?"

    "I want you to enroll at my university once you graduate high school."

    "What good would that do?"

    "Aaron, my school is a special place where kids like you learn to not only control your Gifts, but also have a safe and loving home. I'm sure you'll make many new friends."

    "I don't want friends. I can't."

    "Why don't you think so?"

    "I don't want to blow up in rage and kill them."

    "Aaron, I can promise you that you won't."

    "And how can you do that? Lock me in a cell?"

    "No."

    "Then I'm sorry you wasted your time."

    "Aaron... I know about Angela."

    "What?" he asked, looking up at the man.

    "She needs some serious help. If you come to my school, you may learn how to save her." Aaron exhaled unevenly, thinking to himself.

    "Fine. I'll do it."

    Poor Aaron. By the time he graduated high school he met Jack at the hospital, so they could see Angela. But tragically, they were too late. Angela couldn't bare the pain and ended her own life. At her funeral, Aaron was still at Trades' side.

    "I'm sorry," Jack said.

    "I don't care," Aaron muttered.

    "Aaron, my offer still stands. We can help you." Aaron clenched his fists, crying.

    "Okay," he said softly through his tears. "I'll do it."