"Guilt Undone"
Author: Shavynel
Word Count: 797

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I can freeze time.

I used to think that revealing my secret would be the worse thing possible. Mad scientists would capture me, and then they would perform gruesome experiments to extract my power and give it to someone more worthy. I used to think disregarding it was the best way to live. If I never used it, maybe I would forget how to, and then I would be normal.

But the fact remains: I can freeze time. I can make everything stop for ten seconds. In ten seconds, I can change the fate of the universe, alter destinies, pummel a professional wrestler to a pulp, or commit the most gruesome crime in the book and get away with it.

I only realized the weight of my gift ten years ago when my usual calm disappeared. I'm no longer certain what started the fight, but I am certain that I stopped time to beat up Adrian.

He never found out I did it, and I still carry the guilt of breaking his nose. It's a horrible feeling. I have a power that could help anyone, but instead, I used it to harm someone helpless. I avoided Adrian from then on, and no one could figure out why. I used to be the only person who would stand up to him. I could always use my words to change his actions. He used to be my closest friend.

If I could change things, I would, but I can't. I can only stop the present, and change what follows. I knew I should have told him everything. Then we could be friends again, but I could not face Adrian. I made an enemy out of him, and he didn't even have a part in the decision. I was afraid he would turn me away the same way I ignored him. So I vowed never to use my power again. I promised myself to own up to what I had done.

I never have. I was a coward. Every time I urged myself to tell him, my courage failed. The least I could do was to pay Adrian back for the damages done. I finally swore that if I ever used my gift again, it would only be to benefit him and his future.

Although we attended different colleges, we later both found jobs in our hometown. I saw him in fleeting glances across the city, but never did we tip a hat to one another or even share a smile. We were strangers, and as much as I hated it, I could not bring myself to change that.

I wanted to walk up to him and say, "I made a mistake. I punched your nose in high school, and then shunned you." But that went against every rule society ever wrote. Every time I saw him, I could not help but think of my debt to him. My guilt only grew.

I missed my first chance to redeem myself.

"You whore! Cheating on John. Running off to marry that bastard Adrian," I heard one day. Normally, I would have continued on my way, but hearing Adrian's name stopped me. I turned into the alley, and immediately recognized the red bandanas of the local gang surrounding Adrian's wife.

I could have stopped the bullet and saved her life. But I didn't. I had been too shocked to realize this was my moment of redemption.

I stopped time before the blood started rushing out, but right after the bullet had sunk in. I grabbed her and started running for my life. Her blood started spurting about a block later, just as I raced up the steps to Adrian's home.

I banged on his door. "I'm so sorry," I babbled once it opened, "I could have, Adrian. You have no idea."

I looked at him with frantic eyes, and he stood there in shock.

"Aaron, you didn't, did you?"

"I didn't, Adrian. I didn't kill her, but I could have stopped it. I'm sorry," I repeated. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. If there's any way I can—" Then I stopped as I heard the sound of many people running. I turned around, shoving the dead body into Adrian's arms.

The gang stood there, surrounding the base of the stairs. I closed my eyes, concentrating on making time stop, and it did. I ran down the stairs, grabbing someone's gun and shooting every person with a red bandana.

With four seconds left, I ran out of bullets, but I only had two more people to go. I grabbed another gun and shot.

Time started again.

I barely registered the shot that drove into my heart as I fired off the last shot. Adrian was safe. I had repaid my debt.

Adrian was safe.