-When the job guy said it would help me discover more about myself…I didn’t think he meant it would change me. It’s not just animals I can command now. It’s people too. And nobody else around seems to notice when I do it. I don’t like it. It started in a bar with Curtis. I told him to fuck off after he said something uncalled for and he just…got up and left. Didn’t come back that night. At least, I thought I told him to fuck off, but..everybody else said I never opened my mouth. Said Curtis just looked at me weird for a sec and got up to leave. I’m kind of worried. Did that job change me, or was this something I could always do? Am I changing? What the hell is wrong with me? I’m really, really scared. But I can’t just stop now. I still feel a pull. A tug. I need to know who I am. What I am.

Just put it in my apartment for now. Locked it in a trunk. So far nothing’s happened. It seems to be sealed up. Safe. At least for now. I feel like I’m gonna have to do something about it. Can’t leave it in a trunk forever. 

-in the meantime I’ve just been talking with people. A lot. Trying small things with my powers, seeing what people notice, what they don’t. Got a guy to buy me a soda the other day. Didn’t even feel tired after. Think I just talked to him well normally. Small stuff like that seems to be easy. 

-the day job’s been fine. A little boring compared to the “jobs”. But boring is fine. Boring is safe. A little safe interval of boring was nice.

-I just hope the next job doesn’t complicate things. My life is going well, but…I still don’t feel satisfied. I still feel lost, and I’m not sure where these powers are coming from.

-With the fires raging…I figured the least I could do is help out here in Detroit. Repaint my public image a bit.

-So I got in contact with the pastor. Told em I wanted to do whatever I could to help.

-Pastor Blackwell asked me to convince people to move out, seek shelter before the fires caught up to their neighborhood. 

-I’ll admit it was a pretty tough ask. No one ever wants to leave their home. But I’ve always had a way with people. I talked to em, got to know their perspectives, and gave em a ride to safety.

-One of the last guys was pretty stubborn though. I barely managed to get him out before the flames took the house. 

-Rolling out the window with him they singed me—hurt like hell.

-But it was worth it. There are still reporters at my door, now and then. But at least it’s not all hate articles now.

-Ever since that last job the media stalking’s been worse.

-I’m so glad I use this rather than a blog. All my social media’s have been swamped with stalkers. Can’t open Facebook without hate mail. It’s suffocating.

-a few guys showed up at my apartment the other day. Called me some…choice words.

-I need to do something soon to clear my name, because frankly the attention is starting to scare me.

-I was always a wallflower. Now I can’t walk down the street without somebody snapping a pic with their phone. Every time I walk past an alley I’m one coin flip away from one of the crazies finally deciding to take the hate message a little too far.

-I talked with my boss about maybe doing some electrical work for the community, making a good reputation that way. He called me a crazy racist bastard. Said no one needed my help.

-But I’m gonna try it anyways. What other choice do I have? 

-Gotta clear these Sons emails outta my inbox—same way I gotta clear my name.

-I finally got my name cleared. It wasn’t cheap, and it took a hell of a lot of work.

-But I’m relieved. Finally my coworkers have stopped snickering behind my back.

-People aren’t throwing rotten trash at my window anymore, or refusing me taxi rides.

-All it took was community service and a social media campaign. I wired up electricity where people had lost their homes to the fires. 

-Rebuilt a street. It felt good to help people. Even if I didn’t quite fit in with them. Even if I got stares. And whispers.

-So I’m glad. I’m glad that Pastor Blackwell thinks I did ‘blessed work’. I’m glad I can walk home safely.

-It feels like the nightmare, of everyone hating me is finally over. Though I am still getting some hate mail from St. Louis. 

-No matter how much you change…some of your past sticks with you.