It’s been a long time between episodes! As with TNC, The Water Controller – aka TWC – is raw. I’ve done a small edit and, aside from the planning, I wrote the 20k+ words in a little under a week. I definitely enjoyed it! I’m sure you’ll notice the style has changed in the several years since I wrote TNC. I’m not going to change it, as it’s nice to see skills blossoming and it’ll serve as a reminder to me about how far I’ve come – and how much further I’d like to go. The story is broken up using the natural story breaks, so I’ll let you know as we reach the penultimate story and endeavour to release them relatively close to each other. I think we’re at 8 parts at the moment. Enjoy!

I’m lying in bed, staring at the glove on my hand without seeing it. I know it’s white, with a mild blue hue and a crescent shaped wave marking it. I’m not watching the four balls of water that I’m rotating around my palm without touching them. My thoughts are miles away. When I meditate like this, I can feel them. The disturbances. It’s been at least six months since my predecessor threw everything out of whack by brutally murdering a whole bunch of people. Controllers. I’m not one of them, I’m not the same, but if I were I’m sure that water would be my element. A waves rocks my ship, the Freedom, and I try to settle it, but my chest tightens and I’m gripped by the urge to cough. The balls in my hand splash into nothing, and a loud knock on my door startles me upright. […]

“Shit.” “Exactly.” My mind is racing. “This isn’t a bad thing, right?” To my surprise, Mac releases the boy and unceremoniously shoves me out the door. He closes it firmly behind him and nods to the crew member manning the door. The man immediately leaves. I stare at Mac, mildly confused. “Do you remember any of what I said to you last night?” “Yeah?” “It still applies.” “But Mac, he’s the water controller. That explains why he’s here. I should be able to just give him the glove, cast him off, and go back to living my life with all that crap behind me.” “Cast him off in the middle of the ocean, in what? His craft was destroyed.” “He’d be fine. He’s a controller.” Mac’s stare settles on my face. “That’s cold, Andy.” He holds the stare until I look away. “And it doesn’t negate what I said last […]

We spend some time getting the yacht kitted out and ready to launch. The old crane on deck is handy when it isn’t fishing season and we haul cargo instead. The tiny ship is our go-to for shore leave when the docks aren’t the right size for our ship, or when we’re still full of cargo. It lives on deck under tarpaulins. The crew, all updated on what is happening, have gathered on deck for the final lowering into the sea. I’ve gone for DJ. I carry a spare set of weatherproofs, pants and jacket, the smallest size on the ship. I open the door and throw them his way without words. The night air is chilly, especially when one is wet. He grasps the clothing and looks at me, confused. “I thought you were to tell me about the magic. It has been a long time. Do we go […]

The pirate ship isn’t small but it’s still dwarfed by the Freedom. I’d breathe a sigh of relief if my breath wasn’t still hitched in my throat, courtesy of that ever present knife. My ship has been running for a while – there is no easy way for the pirates to board. With the crew on high alert, they’re sure to be spotted when they attempt to scramble on board. I wonder how they’re going to do it. My question is quickly answered when one of the men unties several long bamboo poles from the side of the ship. With the help of a crewmate, he stands it against the side of the ship. I can’t help the expression of awe on my face as two men hold the pole and a third scrambles up the precarious ladder. Four more follow. My heart is pounding against my chest when they […]

I’ve woken up this sore before, and I never thought I’d relive it. My throat, in particular, burns, like when I woke up after nearly drowning. My entire chest hurts, from coughing, and the gunshot wound, and the mysterious feeling on my chest. I cough and, thankfully, it’s dry, though it brings tears to my eyes when my throat protests. “Here.” I open my eyes to see DJ holding a cup and straw for me. He’s at full stretch, as if afraid to approach me. “DJ,” I say, and take a sip to clear my throat. “I didn’t expect to see you when I woke up.” “Don’t worry, I can’t hurt you or take glove.” DJ takes a step back to motion downwards. The minute motion as I reposition myself hurts, but I manage it and see that there is a chain wrapped and locked around DJ’s ankle. It’s secured […]

I rise out of my bed in the wee hours of the morning. It’s still dark, with no sign of the approaching dawn. I’d gotten a few hours of restless sleep and, fully aware my tossing and turning was likely unsettling my two roommates, I decide to try and walk off the restlessness of my legs. I wait in the dark until my eyes adjust before pulling on my shirt and carefully stepping over DJ. He shifts and I’m pretty sure he’s awake but he makes no move to follow me out the door. I pad softly down the stairs, relying on my memory to get me down without having to turn on a light, and after fumbling with the lock on the rear door for a moment I finally manage to let myself out. I’m sliding the door closed when a hand grasps it, scaring me half to death. […]

I have no words to describe the next two days other than fun. I refuse to take another glove off anyone, and spend my days doing what they do – enjoying life and training. A lot of that training involved the other controllers fighting me – they could go all out on me without fear of hurting me. I figure they could actually hurt me if my control of my own power slipped, but I didn’t mention it and I apparently have a habit of instinctively wrapping myself in void. It didn’t stop Stone from smacking me with his fists a couple of times. It’s early morning when the house phone rings. Harry, fresh from his night shift, answers and takes a short message. I’m loitering around in the back yard, watching casually with one eye, when he motions me inside. “You always seem to be awake.” “Six hours sleep […]