◃ Backstory #7 ▹

Mark Lee

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Mark's POV

The capabilities of my power are unpredictable.

My ice can freeze just about anything or anyone, but I didn't think it would be able to freeze me too, from the inside out.

I had control over it at one point, but that all changed when I became an emotional wreck.

I started accidentally freezing everyone I came across. Friends. Animals. Everyone. But it wasn't until I ended up freezing my parents, that I had met rock bottom.

They were just trying to comfort me one day, because I had been crying outside for a long time. They both came and gave me hugs and reassuring words, but it turned out bad.

They started freezing up and turning to ice, from the inside out...

I tried to save them and reverse the effect, but I didn't know how. They kept reassuring me that it was ok and that they'd be ok, but we all knew that was a lie.

They finally had frozen completely, but they had those permanent smiles on their faces.

This was when my heart broke. I felt nothing but guilt and sadness. This was when my mind went blank, and my emotions took a turn for the worse.

I ran away and I kept on running. I wanted to leave everything I used to have behind, because I destroyed it. I looked back and noticed that as I ran, there was a thin trail of ice that was being left behind. I wasn't looking where I was going, and I tripped and started rolling down a hill.

I tumbled and rolled until I stopped in front of a house, but I didn't want to pull myself up. It was because I saw six kids inside sitting and laughing together. They had the family that I didn't have anymore.

Part of me wished that I was never born, so that I wouldn't have to deal with this pain of losing my family.

I just wished that my power hadn't reacted to that thought.

I stood up to walk away, but I started feeling really cold. I looked down, and my feet started freezing up and turning to ice.

I was slowly dying too...

I fell to my knees, and a huge wall of ice formed around me.

I could feel my legs start to freeze up, and I started crying. I tried to make it stop, but I didn't know how.

After a few seconds, I saw this boy in front of me. He had completely melted the ice in front of me!

His power is fire!

Maybe I didn't know how to stop myself from freezing, because you can't stop something from freezing by using ice. You have to use its polar opposite, fire!

I held my hand out to him, but my hand froze up and started turning to ice, so I pulled it back. I didn't want to kill him accidentally, like I did to my parents.

I held my hand towards my chest, and it really hurt. I couldn't feel it anymore. I looked up, and saw the rest of them that were inside standing behind him. I can't deny it any longer.

I need their help.

"H-Help m-m-me, pl-e-ease..."

I pleaded, and the boy with the fire knelt down in front of me.

He held out his hands to me, but I was scared to hurt him. He just held them closer to me, so I gave in and gave him my hands. He immediately lit his hands on fire, and he was actually defrosting my hands!

The heat traveled all the way down to my feet, and they started defrosting too! He finally let go of my hands when I was completely defrosted.

"Bettor now~"

He cheered, and helped me stand up.

I was very happy that he helped me, until I started feeling cold again. But this time, I felt colder than before.

I suddenly felt a chill all over my body, and my hands, feet, and chest all started freezing up. The boy tried defrosting me by holding my hands again, and he was really trying hard, but it wasn't working.

We both started panicking at that point, and I started crying again. He looked scared, and looked to the man standing with the others.

"N-Not working..."

He looked very sad and scared, and he was looking to him for help.

My chest started hurting, and I started feeling weak. It was getting really hard for me to stand on my own. I lost my balance and fell over, but the boy caught me in time.

I saw one of the other boys whisper something in the man's ear. He looked shocked at what he told him, and he came running towards us.

"Mark! What happened to your parents wasn't your fault!"

How does he know my name?

And how does he know about what happened?

"I-It is... T-They d-dead because of m-me..."

"It wasn't your fault! You just haven't learned how to control your power yet! You're freezing up because you keep feeling guilty about what happened. We can help you, but you have to stop blaming yourself!"

"B-But-"

I was cut off because of my chest tightening up, making me whimper in pain. I could feel the rest of my body start to freeze. The boy clung onto me tighter, and continued to try and use his fire to heat me up.

"You have to let it go Mark. I know it won't be easy, but you have to stop letting your guilt consume you, or you'll end up just like them. Do you want that to happen?"

"N-No..."

I weakly shook my head.

The man suddenly put his hand on my head, and proceeded to softly ruffle my hair.

He...wasn't freezing up!

How is that possible?!

"Mark, please forgive yourself. We'll take care of you, and we'll help you control your power"

I felt my chest loosen up, and the ice slowly started to disappear when I tried forgiving myself.

"P-Promise you all wil l-love me...?"

I looked down and lightly sniffed as I started to calm down.

The man lifted my face up to look at him, and he gently held both of my cheeks in his hands.

"Promise~"

He raised up his mask a little, and gently kissed me on the forehead.

No one's ever kissed me before, not even my parents.

I felt a warmth inside me, and the ice started to disappear. The boy turned down his heat, and I snuggled up next to him as I closed my eyes and sighed contently.

I softly smiled when he giggled and hugged me close to him. He picked me up, and we all went inside.

He's pretty strong for his age!

He set me down on the floor, and he told me to pick a movie. I immediately picked my favorite movie.

We didn't watch it immediately since there was a movie already playing, but he picked me up again, and sat me on the couch next to him.

We sat there for a few hours watching all the movies, but midway into my movie, I started falling asleep. I rested my head on the boy's shoulder as I started dozing off. I suddenly felt him intertwine his hand in mine. I smiled and let myself drift off to sleep.

If this is my new family, I think this one is gonna be my favorite brother~.