He was no one. With his mind wiped blank and no where to go, he wandered from town to town, using his rare gifts to keep himself hidden. Days became weeks, weeks became months and months became years, always obeying the little message to trust no one and stay hidden. His hair grew long as he gave up early on trying to cut it himself. Over time he began to refer to himself as the Wandering Nomad, or simply Nomad for short. He tried to live near parks when he could so that he would have somewhere to go where he wouldn’t have to worry about hiding and, for a few short hours, could blend in with regular people and not feel the need to hide constantly. It also served as an easy way to disappear into a crowd should his powers fail him, though they never did. As time passed, Nomad became more aware of people around him to the point where he could feel their minds long before he could see them. Eventually he became so brave as to live with people, keeping himself hidden while enjoying the comforts of not having to scavenge for food and shelter. Nomad’s unwitting hosts never knew he was there

Nomad was living with a small family that were just beginning to wonder why their food hadn’t been lasting as long as it normally did when he felt a new mind enter the home. This stranger’s mind passed into those of the family and then attempted to enter Nomad’s mind as well. He had never had his own mind invaded and fought back. Immediately the man left without putting up much of a fight.

For the next few days, Nomad feared to go outside not wanting to be caught off guard by whoever had attempted to enter his mind. Though Nomad had forced him out of his mind, and he’d left the house, Nomad still felt the stranger nearby. When a full week had passed, Nomad decided to try his luck and see who this person was.

Nomad still felt the mind searching for him just outside. Whoever he was, he wanted to get a good, clear look at Nomad. Most people put up little mental resistance to Nomad but he had no idea what to expect from this stranger. Nomad placed his mind into the stranger’s as quickly as he could and focused hard to make himself invisible. Once certain that he wouldn’t be seen, Nomad stepped outside.

The man stood in the window of the house across the street. He had short brown hair and tan skin. His dark eyes scanned the house Nomad had come out of but gave no sign that he saw Nomad as he crossed the street. Emboldened by how easy he’d found it to stay hidden from this man, Nomad walked up to the window and examined him. He radiated energy and Nomad felt a certain kinship towards him.

Nomad watched the man for a moment or so before probing deeper into his mind.

Who are you?

Nomad waited for the answer float to the surface. He had learned this trick after living with people long enough. He could hold simple conversations whenever he got bored and the other person was never aware they were responding.

“Erick Stark.” The man whispered.

How old are you?

Nomad had to start out simple or it wouldn’t work. After the first few questions, though, Nomad would be able to ask whatever he wanted.

“Twenty-four.” Erick said, a little louder this time.

Erick blinked a couple of times and then smiled at Nomad. It wasn’t clear when Erick had pushed Nomad out of his mind, he’d been so subtle, but it was immediately clear to Nomad that he wasn’t hidden any longer. Nomad ran back to the house he’d come from and didn’t need to look back to know that Erick didn’t follow.

Nomad waited another day before going back. He watched from a distance this time and around six o’clock in the evening Erick left the house. Nomad followed. Again, he found very little resistance to his telepathy but took no chances and focused as hard as he could on keeping Erick from seeing him. After walking for a few minutes, Erick paused and looked around.

“I know you’re here,” he said. “I won’t hurt you.”

Aren’t you afraid? Nomad asked, though he kept himself hidden.

“I can protect myself if I need to.” Erick said.

How?

“I am…” He paused as he fought back against Nomad’s mental intrusion.

Nomad pushed harder and Erick let out a breath as though he was exerting himself.

“I am powerful.” Erick said at last. “You seem pretty powerful yourself.”

If you’re so powerful, why do you hide?

Erick hesitated. Again he tried to push Nomad out of his mind and again Nomad maintained his position. Nomad pushed back to go deeper into Erick’s mind but this time he hit a powerful mental wall. He felt if he really pushed he could break through but to do so he would have to let Erick see him.

Erick frowned as he felt the additional push into his mind and he turned and resumed walking away. Nomad still followed but they were both silent for some time. Nomad finally let his curiosity get the better of him. He moved in front of Erick and lowered his mental block on him so Erick could see him.

“Who are you?” Nomad asked straight away before Erick could react any further to his sudden presence.

Erick was silent for a moment and then said, “I already told you my name.”

Nomad hadn’t expected Erick to have remembered that little interaction but it seemed Erick was more resistant than an ordinary person, and considering his powers as well it made sense.

“Why do you hide yourself?” Nomad asked.

Erick’s mind opened to Nomad and filled with images of a girl about Nomad’s age. Nomad saw an older woman who looked as though she could be Erick’s mom, along with a younger girl who was possibly his sister. A military base appeared next and there were flashes of a fight. As quickly as the images started, they cut off and Erick’s mind went blank.

“I’ve seen you in the house across the street from the one I’m in, and you hide from them. Why?” Nomad asked.

“Well,” He said, and as he did so, his mind filled with more images.

A pair of headlights flashed and tires screeched as glass and metal crashed into one another in a blinding blue explosion.

Nomad saw him run away from his home, broken and burning.

Men in suits and armor that he didn’t trust.

He opened his mouth again to speak but Nomad interrupted.

“Why did you have to run away from your home?” Nomad asked before the stream of thoughts could end.

Erick’s mind flooded again.

There was the girl with blonde hair.

They were covered in dust and soot as she drove her car through the night.

They were in an empty apartment hiding.

The girl ran toward him, screaming. People with guns were all around. Everything had a strange bluish hue to it and time crawled forward, a second taking minutes. She was dead in Erick’s arms.

“What was her name?” Nomad asked.

“Sarah” Erick said.

Nomad waited for Erick’s mind to fill with images again but nothing else came.

“What’s your name?” Erick asked.

Nomad felt Erick’s mind prying to get in, perhaps expecting a similar view into Nomad’s past as to what Erick had given Nomad but what was there to show? Years of hiding but no real reason other than the note in his bible.

“I don’t know my name,” Nomad finally said as he kept his mind shut to Erick. “I just woke up one day. No memory of who I was or where I came from.”

This was more direct conversation than Nomad had had in a long while and it was making him uncomfortable. He decided he’d had enough and made himself vanish from Erick’s view.

He felt Erick’s regret at the sudden departure. For a moment he considered going back and talking to him some more but Nomad’s instincts were still telling him he shouldn’t have revealed himself like that. Nomad went straight back to the house Erick had been staying in and waited for him to return. Night fell and still Erick had not come back. Eventually, Nomad fell asleep though he still kept his mental block up so Erick wouldn’t find him when he did return.

When Nomad awoke the next morning he found Erick at the kitchen table eating beside the old couple who lived here. Nomad went to the fridge to find something to eat when the old man began making strange sounds. Nomad turned around and found him slumping to the floor clutching at his chest. His wife jumped up and tried to help him. She called 911 and did every thing else she could think of. Nomad expected Erick to do something, but he only stood by with a sad look on his face. Nomad had never seen anyone die before and he wasn’t quite sure how to feel. Unsure why he was doing it, Nomad stepped forward and allowed Erick to see him.

“Shouldn’t you do something?” Nomad asked

Erick looked up, even more surprised to see Nomad than to see the old man dying.

“I’ve never been able to heal others. Only myself.” He said.

“What?” Nomad asked. He had been referring to Erick doing CPR or something.

Nomad’s body tingled all over and a shadow of a lost memory played just beyond remembering. Without thinking about what to do, Nomad went and knelt down by the old man and placed his hand on the man’s chest. As soon as he made contact, Nomad knew what needed to be done. He felt the clogged arteries clear and heart restart and gain strength. The damaged tissues became whole once more and the man began breathing more easily. It took, in all, a few seconds. His mind became aware and for a moment he looked up into Nomad’s eyes. He lost consciousness shortly after that but he was going to make it.

The ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital where he was checked over and released with a clean bill of health. The doctors called it a miracle. For the rest of the day Nomad stayed inside the house to rest. This new and unexpected power had so exhausted him that he didn’t bother to hide from Erick while he rested.

When Nomad awoke the following day, Erick had already begun preparing to leave. He had an old hiking backpack of his own that he placed some food into. He also had a small, light blue blanket just big enough for him to curl up under.

“I have to leave,” Erick said once he’d finished packing. “You’re welcome to come with me.

Nomad didn’t respond but instead stayed lying on the couch. Erick nodded and left. Nomad couldn’t get out of his mind Erick’s words when he’d said he could only heal himself. Before that moment, Nomad hadn’t known he could do anything other than his mental abilities. What else could Erick do? Those flashes of memory from Erick when he was fighting those soldiers held hints of other powers as well. In the end, Nomad couldn’t resist and he left to follow Erick. All Nomad owned was his bible and a small pack to carry it in and he grabbed it on his way out the door.

Erick hadn’t gone far. Nomad could still see him walking down the street. Nomad ran at first to catch up, and then walked briskly to keep stride with him.

“Why don’t you stay?” Nomad asked.

Erick glanced at Nomad but didn’t give any big reaction at seeing him.

“I can’t stay any longer,” Erick explained. “After a while, those that I’m around begin to resist my mind and some will start to see me.”

“I’ve stayed in places for months at a time and I’ve never had any trouble.” Nomad said. “I just move when I get bored.”

Ever since they’d first met, Nomad had assumed he was more powerful than Erick but the real differences hadn’t come up very often. Now he wondered just how much more powerful he was than Erick. Nomad disappeared from Erick’s view after a few minutes, still uncomfortable with being seen and they continued walking. Erick didn’t seem to mind Nomad hiding from him, or if he did he hid the irritation well. Nomad just hoped he wasn’t making a mistake in following Erick.