Accidents Made Right 2: Kakorrhaphiophobia

Chapter 1: Eleanor Rigby

10 years before The Split

"Now... for the final part of this lesson... a summary of each of the government's most deadly enemies," Josh said. He was a dark-haired black man, and also the lead organizer for this government facility.

I sighed quietly, my hand and arm under my chin as my shoulder rested on the desk.

Josh looked at me from the projector, and sighed. "Look, Matthew, you can't keep zoning out like this. You-"

"Im paying attention!" I said quickly, interrupting Josh.

Josh walked up to the desk, tried to look me in the eyes, and said "Look, you're more behind in your training than any other recruit. Just because everybody likes you doesn't mean-"

"I'm listening... I have to. It's all I have to do."

Josh pulled a chair from the desk in front of me, and used it to sit down and face me.

"And I understand that... I know that sometimes, you feel like the only reason the government's kept you around is because of your power... and while I can't speak for the others, believe me when I say I'm not helping you because of your power, I'm helping you because it's the right thing to do... because I care about you."

"You're the only one. The rest of the government wants me only for my powers, and that's a fact," I said as I crossed my arms.

"Right, your mind reading thing..."

Josh stared into space, trying to think of something, until an idea hit him.

"Hey, you know what? If you pay attention for the rest of this lesson, I'll get Steve to let you see his next mission."

"You sure," I said, concerned for Steve's safety if he ended up trying to sacrifice himself for me if I got in his way.

"I know Steve doesn't like to work with others, especially recruits, but you and him are family... he'll allow it."

...

"Fine. Just... try to make it quick, okay," I said as I brushed a lock of my blond hair out of the way of my vision.

15 minutes later

"Aaand that's it! We're done," Josh said cheerily.

"Finally. Thought I went to HE-double hockey sticks there," I joked.

Josh walked up to me, punched me in the shoulder jokingly, then as he walked to the exit of the briefing room, he said "Just make sure to get some food and extra rest tonight. Steve can be... intense, during his missions."

"Alright," I replied as I got up and followed him to the exit.

Once we were out of the briefing room, we were in the lobby. Josh went straight to Steve's quarters, but before I headed to my quarters, I heard two ladies discussing something.

"C'mon, ask him," the first woman whispered.

"I can't. You know he'll say no," the second woman whispered back.

"You don't know that. Just do it!"

"Okay, okay."

The second woman walked up to me nervously, and hesitantly asked me "W-would you like to go on a-a date?"

I looked at her, her green eyes, like a forest. White skin like the stars in the sky. And a cute demeanor to top it all off.

"No, thanks," I said before walking away.

"Dammit, I was sure that'd work," the first woman whispered.

"He's the most handsome person in the facility and yet he's rejected practically every single girl! What is up with that," the second girl exclaimed.

As I walked away, I thought Because I know I'm not that handsome. This has to be some prank everybody in the base is playing on me, and I just don't know about it.

I went into the elevator, and set my destination to the cafeteria floor. Once the elevator hit its destination, I went to grab my dinner.

I went to the cashier's station, paid for my food, and received a tray with Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and apple slices.

Once I had my food, and a napkin and plastic fork, I went to a table with three other people, who were the closest people I had to friends, other than Josh.

Though I'd never truthfully call them friends.

Once I sat down, without even noticing me, the first person, a beautiful white, brown eyed blond woman named Mackenzie across the table from me said "And he had the nerve to call ME a bitch! Can you believe that?!"

"Wow, he must've been sone asshole," another person commented, a blond, white man with blue eyes named Blake said, who was so egotistical, I could take one look at him and know he had the ego the size of a whale.

Sounds more like a saint to me, I thought.

"I can't believe some people are like that, seriously," another white, blond woman with brown eyes named Kaley said. While she wasn't as beautiful as the other blond woman, she was smarter than the other woman, though not by much.

Why do I hang with these guys if I hate them? Well, let's just say people tend to do things they know are bad for them, but still do them just for one specific benefit.

Also, these a-holes were the ones to invite me, but only because I was blond. They wanted to make a statement that their group was made up of only the most beautiful people at the facility, which meant only blonds.

And I could tell they mostly invited me just so they could try getting to Steve, so they could convince Issac Smith to join, since he was blond. Issac rejected their offer multiple times already, so they saw him as a challenge.

After they all talked for a bit, and after Kaley took a selfie with me, I finished my food, and immediately gave my tray to the cafeteria workers and went to the elevator to go to the crew floors.

Once the elevator went to its next destination, I walked down the long hallway until I reached double doors on the left side that were labeled Recruit Hallway 1.

I went inside, seeing another hallway with dozens of doors, and went to the very last pair of doors, to a room that was labeled Matthew Freeman's quarters.

Once I entered my room, I sighed, then walked to my guitar in the corner of the room. I picked it up, not feeling the guitar's wood structure, then sat on the bed before tuning it.

Once I finished tuning the strings, I began playing Eleanor Rigby, by The Beatles.

As I played the song, I noticed I still didn't feel anything. No physical feeling whatsoever. Once I was a little bit through the song, like usual, I began singing it's lyrics.

As my vocal chords vibrated with the harmonic melodies of music, yellow electricity surged through my body, and then I was finally able to feel again.

But... as soon as I tried taking in the hard feeling of the guitar or the soft feeling of the bed, the electricity disappeared, and the physical feelings along with them.

Why? I thought as I put the guitar away and sighed.

Why am I only able to feel physically when my powers activate? And how do I even activate them on command... I'd it when I'm happy? When I feel intense emotions in general?

Eventually, I laid down on the bed and closed my eyes, hoping to get a good night's sleep before tomorrow.

Fun fact! Knumans and Grim Reapers don't need sleep, food or liquids, the only resources they need are the materials and emotions they're connected to. So that means Matthew has been in a strict sleep schedule all his life, without ever realizing it!