The New Elemental God

Adam reached out to take their hands on his but he couldn't. It was like trying to hold something imaginary, he kept missing it. Still he could see their hands clearly. Feeling a tip of despair he tried to touch his father's arm but again he got through him, exactly like a ghost. 

"What is happening?"

Calder was still at the kitchen's door when the boy turned to him. On his throat a knot made the older God choke before speaking.

"They can't see you." 

Visibly disturbed, the young man stood up waving his hands trying to get his parents' attention. 

"But I'm right HERE! Mom, look at me! Dad!"

A flood of emotions washed over Adam. Sorrow that triggered anger to crash in regret. He didn't understand how they could be so close but still unable to see him. He finally was back home, just in a different way but it was still Adam.

Agonizing he fell to his knees, wishing he had never gotten out of the house on that night. 

"I don't want it." He yelled, scratching his throat. 

At the table his parents were painfully mourning the son who was right by their side. 

"Take back the powers, the house, the clothes, just let me come back… Please!" 

Swallowing dry, Calder entered the room to approach Adam. The boy had his face hidden in his hands and was curled up into a ball on the floor. Knowing words had no effect in that situation, the wise man knelt down next to the suffering boy.

The young God was shaking hysterically. All Calder could do was lay a hand on his shoulder, wishing the boy would get some comfort from the gesture. 

"Was I such a shitty person?" 

In between hiccups he asked. His guide didn't answer, instead he squeezed the boy's shoulder. Adam lifted his head to look Calder in the eyes. 

"I was, wasn't I? That's why they hated me…" He looked away and his gaze got heavy, dragging his eyes down again. "That's why she hated me."

It was a dark morning. The sun hadn't reached the french doors or the yard that was only one step away from the kitchen. Such a beautiful view had become the saddest any of them had ever seen. 

Tearing down the grievous atmosphere, the mother pushed her chair back and stood up drying her tears. 

"It's getting late, I want to adjust everything before anyone gets there."

With one last look towards Adams' seat she turned around and left the room. The father took a deep breath while watching his son's empty chair before leaving too. 

The sound of steps followed by the door closing announced their departure. 

Adam, who had been motionless up until that point, got disenchanted. Gloomy, he stood up cleaning himself before marching out to the hallway staircase.

Walking up the stairs reminded him of a simpler time, when his biggest worry was to get home from school in time to play with the kids down the block. He could hear his mother yelling at him to slow down before you open your head up. 

Being a kid was much easier. No politics, no family drama, they played with whom they wanted without much interference from the adults. At least he thought so for a long time. 

In front of his door, the boy finally released the breath he had been holding, then reached out and turned the handle.

He himself made the project for that room. It occupied half the first floor with a full view of the pool and the lake behind the property. On one side, he had a gaming set up with the best equipment money could buy and on the other a small gym with punching bags and some lifting weights. To divide the two sectors there was the king size bed facing the balcony. 

It was the dream of any young man.

"This is very cool…" Said Calder who was still standing in the doorway.

Adam didn't answer. He walked to his night stand to grab a portrait. As he stretched his hand to take it, his finger went right through the simple frame. He tried again but nothing happened. Agitated, he waved his hand through the portrait until irritation turned to punching. 

"You need to say goodbye, son." The old man walked inside the room. "You don't belong here anymore. Staying here will only hurt you." 

Adam had knelt down to look at the picture. Not even while speaking did he take his eyes off it.

"I don't care."

It was taken in one of the happiest moments of his life, but after all that had happened, it just turned into his worst memory. In the picture there was Adam holding a girl in his arms, they seemed very happy and in love.

The situation could escalate any minute and Calder knew he had to find a way to bring Adam back to the Spiritual World fast. 

"You must feel alone right now but I'm here for you…" Adam was still staring at the picture and totally ignoring Calder. "I am your friend."

Hearing that last word awakened a wrathful fire inside the young God. Leaving the portrait behind he stood up and turned to Calder. 

"Who said I need friends?" 

Without any other words, the Earth God launched himself out of the room and into the sky. 

Calder, who was on the opposite side of the bed, was caught off guard when the boy left, leaving only the blowing curtains behind. It took a split second for the Water God to rationalize what happened before he urgently bolted out after the boy. 

Adam was going so fast he left a white trail of clouds. The older God followed it with moderation. If he went too fast the people and the environment around him could be affected but Adam wasn't thinking about that.

Above the first level of clouds, the Earth God looked back. A few hundreds meters away from him was Calder signaling him to slow down. The warning had the opposite effect, Adam accelerated near the sound barrier.