The unyielding silence gave momentary chills once after stopping by to take a quick scout behind their trails. It was a growing problem since it was forcing Ed to assume the worst. Usually, the empty street had a few people scrambling around and doing their businesses but the almost barren-like state of it had Ed thinking if there was something amiss. Perhaps a gang gathering was going to be held? and that's why people avoided to wander on that certain part of the street? or maybe it was just an unusual day? Whatever it was, Ed hoped for the latter. 

Although rather alert and focused, Ed still couldn't help but be distracted of the girl's unwanted presence. If it wasn't for her, the time spent on taking the route would've been shortened. But as what Ed had commanded, the girl surprisingly remained silent for the next few minutes despite possessing a sophisticated and loud way of speaking. Ed abruptly stopped on his tracks, turning his head to the girl. From her looks, it seemed that she wasn't quite younger-looking compared to Ed. Maybe perhaps it was her glasses that made her look more of a 30-year-old mother than a college student. Ed noticeably cleared his throat which then drove the girl's attention to him. 

[b]"I'm terrible at remembering names but all's fair since you're a new addition to Debsoc."[/b] Ed said with an awkward twitch of his shoulder.

[b]"Charlene."[/b] The girl replied. Her previous demonstration of her rapid speech seemed to be absent at that moment. 

[b]"Ah, interesting."[/b] It was a poor attempt for Ed to say that. He was hoping to add another pleasing complement but he unfortunately ended up with being more awkward. 

[b]"Yeah I know, everyone's name is interesting except for John. If a guy's name is John, I automatically lose interest in them."[/b] There was a short silence after that, then Charlene returned with a harrumph. [b]"And no. Not a dating interest but rather, an individualistic look on a person. John is pretty much easy to forget. "[/b]

[b]"Well for me Mark is a pretty boring name...and so is Maria or Marie."[/b]

Charlene squinted a bit and then pursed her lips.

[b]"So tell me about your friend Robert. So far for me, he's a good guy. He helped me a ton on my humanities report even though we aren't on the same class."[/b]

Ed scratched his head as he immediately rushed through dozens of adjectives. 

[b]"Eh, well for starters, he is actually xenophobic but once you get to know each other and hang around, he might even let you visit his apartment daily. The visitors earlier were an exception since it was generally held for my own sake which he wouldn't mind at all.""[/b]

Charlene nodded inconveniently.

[b]"I see."[/b]

[b]"Why'd you ask? Do you plan on--"[/b]

[b]"No! of course not!"[/b] Charlene interrupted, her voice was a bit raised. [b]"And why would I?"[/b]

Ed raised an eyebrow while wearing a malicious smug on his face. 

[b]"You haven't even finished my sentence and yet you assumed it was meant by that. Therefore you're guilty! Ha!"[/b]
 
Charlene rolled her eyes. 

[b]"Guilty? for just denying something that barely holds the truth?"[/b]

[b]"Well from the way you reacted, I think there is a possibility."[/b]

[b]"You [i]think[/i] there's a possibility. Are you always this assuming?"[/b]

[b]"Sometimes yeah."[/b]

She sighed after Ed's response. It seems that her expectations of him were slowly withering into ash. But she wasn't completely belittling him. After all, Ed's display of being a veteran speaker would prove more than the pretentiousness he was currently showing. 

Charlene was an engineering student and also an aspiring speaker. Through all of her years studying and practicing the art of speech, extemporaneous speaking was where she shined the most. She had been participating on different events back in high school and received a decent amount of awards in the process. However, entering college was when her motives of public speaking changed. It wasn't long just after her close encounter with a hype and it was during a bleak tragedy that almost resulted to her demise. Charlene never tried to find the person nor did she have any intentions to meet him. But ever since that occurrence, she started to view hyperhumans as normal people. Some happened to be involved through different kinds of trouble but overall, they don't aim to cause chaos but rather, thrive for people to understand them. Charlene would try and speak in their defense on behalf of the people who view them negatively. 

[b]"So, Edrenn--"[/b]

[b]"Ed."[/b]

[b]"Whatever."[/b] Charlene rolled her eyes as she was bothered by the sudden interruption. Her mood was supposed to be serious and after Ed cut her off, she had to gather herself up again. [b]"God! I just forgot what I was about to say thanks to you."[/b]

[b]"Sorry, I sometimes feel uncomfortable while being called 'Edrenn'."[/b] 

[b]"You don't say."[/b]

[b]"Well, what were you saying then?"[/b]

Charlene sneered at him then tried to recall what her brain had came up with recently.

[b]"Well it's about hypes."[/b]

Ed slightly had his eyes bulged. The turn of another topic made him quite uncomfortable for a moment. 

[b]"What about them?"[/b] His voice sounded awkward, almost as if he was on the verge of revealing something secret with the use of small hints. 

[b]"I have been observing them for quite sometime and after an encounter with one, I'd say they aren't that bad. People always view them as rats of chaos that do nothing more but cause trouble within society. Most of us fail to see that they are just like us. The only difference is that they possess extraordinary abilities which they either consider as a curse or blessing."[/b]

[b]"So what's your point?"[/b] Ed thought it was impolite of him to say that but he couldn't think of anything to drift away from the topic.

[b]"Well, If you may, I just wanted to hear your thoughts about them. I've been gathering opinions about hyperhumans as a part of my project; a website that I've been constructing since last week. "[/b]

Ed was fascinated after hearing someone who might have understood a hyperhuman's struggle towards society. Twenty-two years of concealing his true potentials had isolated a part of his existence from the rest of the world. Ed longed to be open about his hyperhuman abilities but the fact that it couldn't be accepted easily was what made him struggle and live a life that had his free will constrained. 

[b]"I guess if you want to record my opinion about them, then I may have to write it down on paper."[/b]

Charlene smiled.

[b]"That'd be much better! because I won't anymore attach your opinion with something made up."[/b]

[b]"Wait, you do that? "[/b]

[b]"Not really. Just when it's necessary. "[/b]

[b]"Oh,"[/b] Ed bit his upper lip. [b]"Well, if I have time, maybe I'll write a few paragraphs. Would that be okay?"[/b]

Charlene's smile slowly turned into a satisfied grin. Her front teeth were shown as he stared at Ed. Ed had to admit though, they were really white. 

[b]"That'd be excellent. Just call me if you're done with it and It'll be a new addition to my website."[/b]

[b]"Cool. I'm glad to have some sort of participation on that."[/b]

[b]"Oh I promise you. This project is for a good cause."[/b]

They have made it at the end of the street's joint which was intersected to the main road towards the University's dormitory grounds. Still, it was no excuse for Ed to assume that everything around him was safe. 

[b]"Did you hear something?"[/b] Charlene grabbed Ed's left shoulder.

[b]"Hear what?"[/b]

[b]"I think it was a trash bin but seriously didn't you hear that? It was loud and clear."[/b] Charlene started to sound terrified just from observing the tone of her voice. Ed stretched his head to look behind their trails and onto the street they've just passed. he looked for a trash bin but the one he saw still had its cover on. 

[b]"Trash bin?"[/b]

[b]"Never mind let's just move. It's really late and I think it isn--"[/b] Suddenly, Charlene was snagged away from Ed with two arms locked at her lower torso. Ed quickly hurled both of his arms to grab her but by the time he did, a large bulky fist hit his head and sent him faltering down and landing his face to the ground. Charlene screamed but was then shut after a man slapped her mouth with his hand. Ed was barely conscious but could still notice how Charlene was doing. Within seconds, men with balaclavas emerged from the dark corners of the street. They were armed with clubs imbued with barbed wires, clearly something one wouldn't dare to come across with. Charlene was surrounded by them and on her current state, she was completely helpless. 

[b]"Char...lene..."[/b] Ed couldn't raise his voice in order to divert their attention to him. The punch hit him harder than anything he'd remember being hit with. It felt like being hit with a baseball bat swung at an extreme force. Someone was on top of him and it was a man judging by the figure. He was colossal, more like a giant bodybuilder standing at a gargantuan height. The man then placed his black heavy boots on top of Ed's back and pressed it with his weight. Ed groaned in pain. It was too much for his body to withstand. It's as if he was about to get squashed. 

Charlene's muffled screams could still be heard. One of the men surrounding her then approached and quickly slapped her in the face. 

[b]"Shut your damn mouth, bitch!"[/b] Charlene couldn't help but struggle. The fact that the men holding her were huge, bulky muscleheads was beyond her fears. She was unable to do something, not even a slight wriggle. All she could do was scream. Tears started to pour down from her face. It was at that time when she hoped that the hyperhuman who saved her before would be there.