by C J Benjamin
“You did great,” I telepathed to her.
“But no one is saying anything.”
“You just shocked them is all.” I started clapping hysterically to break the silence, just as Jemma’s groupies had, except Sparrow’s applause was deserved. This seemed to break the trance and everyone else followed suit, clapping and hollering for her. Even some of Jemma’s clique clapped until they caught sight of Jemma’s seething look. I couldn’t help but laugh. Finally someone stood up to her.
“That was inconceivable, 42! Where did you learn to sing like that?” Miss Sprigg asked, wrapping her arm around Sparrow’s shoulders. Sparrow just shrugged and smiled.
“Well, I think we’ve just found our soloist!”
Everyone continued to clap as Sparrow rejoined me.
“Told you,” I said.
“Oh, thank you so much for convincing me to do that!”
“Okay, okay, everyone we really need to get to the rest of our parts, so unless there’s anyone else that has been hiding a voice as pristine as 42’s, let’s move on,” Miss Sprigg said half joking, but then someone else was pushing their way to the front. I strained to see over my classmates, but it wasn’t until he emerged in front of us that I could see who it was. I drew in a panicked breath. Remi! What was he doing? Was this some sort of stunt to get my attention? I had no idea what could have possessed him to stand up in front of our entire class to sing. He was by far the quietest John in our year, maybe in the whole Troian Center, and I wasn’t even sure if he could sing. I mean I’m sure he was better than me, but it’s not like he went around humming tunes day in and day out.
“Well, 26, let’s hear it,” Miss Sprigg said stepping back looking annoyed to give Remi the floor.
At first he was completely silent. I felt every cell of my skin crawling. It was as if I was up there instead of him. My palms were sweating and little beads of perspiration were forming on my forehead just as they were on his. I could hear his heart racing in unison with my own. I was terrified for him, or maybe with him. I wished so badly that I could offer him some sort of help, or come to his rescue like he did for me with Mr. Greyvin. All I could do was stand here helplessly and hope that he could pull this off.
It was silent for so long that some of the other kids started to talk and snicker. Miss Sprigg shushed them and gestured to Remi to get on with it. His big brown eyes looked like chocolate saucers as he tried to hide them behind his sheet music, but then something incredible happened. Sparrow left my side and joined Remi in front of us all. She grabbed his hand and started singing softly. Remi eased into the song along with her, lowering his music and looking straight into Sparrow’s confident eyes. Their voices swelled and intertwined beautifully with each other, casting a hush over us as we were once again astonished by their unknown talent. I caught Journey’s eye, but he only raised his eyebrows questioningly and shrugged. I guess he didn’t know what was going on either.
When they were finished singing, we all broke into applause again. This time Jemma didn’t even try to stop her cohorts’ praise for Remi and Sparrow, who were excitedly hugging each other. After their embrace, they quickly returned to the group, being swallowed up by admirers. Remi was getting high fives and pats on the back. I even saw someone tussle his mop of dark brown hair. It was good to see Remi smiling like that, getting praise from our peers. Sparrow was getting more of the same among the Janes as she pushed through them toward me.
“What was that?” I whispered.
“What do you mean?”
“Why did you go up there to sing with him?”
“You asked me, too.”
“What?”
“You kept saying ‘help him, help him.’ I thought you were talking to me.”
“Oh, yeah,” I said not very convincingly. Great now I was telepathing accidently? I had been thinking that I wished I could help Remi, but I thought I was just thinking it to myself. At least this hadn’t backfired like most of my other accidental magic tricks. Sparrow was still looking at me questioningly. I’m sure I had a perplexed expression on my face so I quickly tried covering it up with a smile. Luckily, Miss Sprigg saved me by speaking up before Sparrow could question me any further.
“Well, it appears we’ll be having a duet this year! I’m excited by all of this new talent! Now let’s get to work on the rest of this song.”
The rest of the lesson went smoothly. We practiced our parts without any more interruptions. The basses, tenors, altos and sopranos all were rehearsing their parts dutifully. I was put with the altos, which at first disappointed me because it meant I wasn’t with Sparrow. But when Jemma and most of her band of merry henchmaids were sorted into the sopranos, I was actually relieved to not be in their group. My part was mind-numbingly easy, which was fine with me. I repeated my words on beat and generally in tune, and was happy when the bell finally chimed, signaling the end of our rehearsal.
“Great work, everyone. Please continue to practice. We only have a few more lessons before the New Year Gala,” Miss Sprigg called after us as we disassembled.
I grabbed my journal and retreated to my cot bed to write as the rest of my year gossiped about rehearsals and studied for our exams. I looked up a few times to check on Remi, who seemed to be enjoying his new popularity. He had a group of Janes and even a few Johns surrounding him, chatting energetically. I shook my head in disbelief. It seemed the impossible was becoming increasingly possible recently.
Dear Journal,
Today was interesting. Well, I guess I should stop saying that because suddenly everything in my life is new and unexpected. I know I’ve been asking for my life to change and I guess that it’s actually happening. I think I’m learning to watch what I wish for. I at least need to be more specific anyway.
I wanted to be popular and I guess I am now. After I hit Jemma everyone seems to know my name, well, my # anyway.
I wanted friends, and now I actually have some. Nova, Sparrow and Journey. But in the gaining of new friends, it seems I have lost an old friend. Remi and I have been fighting. I don’t know what to do. He’s been my best friend since, since I can remember. I don’t know what to do without him in my life, but my life is so crazy right now, I can’t possibly bring him into all this magic power stuff. I don’t even know how to answer my questions about what’s happening to me, let alone the questions he’d have. Plus, it’s not safe. I’m not safe. I don’t want to accidentally hurt him. I know keeping away from him is for his own good. It’s the only way I know how to protect him. I just hope that I can figure all of this out soon before it’s too late, before he moves on and doesn’t want to be my friend anymore.
He sang today, with Sparrow, and they sounded amazing. Like they had been singing together their whole lives. It was unreal. I didn’t even know he could sing. How could I not know that about my best friend? I’m beginning to think there’s a lot I don’t know about Remi. For starters he didn’t tell me he knew his real name was Remi, or that he’d once had a brother named Dhani, or that he even remembered his life from before the Flood. I know he said he was protecting me and I believe him. I just hope he can see that now it’s my turn to protect him.
He seems to be enjoying all the attention he’s gained from his little duet with Sparrow. All the Janes in our year are fawning over him like he’s this new sensation. It may be making him happy, but it’s driving me nuts. Hello, he’s been here all along. You’ve lived with him since the Flood you oblivious twits! You’ve shared a room, a desk, a life with him! Oh, I really hope this is short lived because I can’t stand that he’s talking to them. We used to despise them, but I guess he’d rather talk to them than to me. How backwards it that? I guess my whole world is pretty much upside down, so it shouldn’t surprise me.
Tonight we’re going to the forest again to practice. I’m getting better at controlling my powers and I haven’t had any more accidents. We’re all telepathing flawlessly and I can produce and control my light orbs with ease. I can even change th
eir color, which Nova doesn’t seem to appreciate. He’s not the usual lighthearted Nova I know him to be lately. He’s all business. He’s starting to take the fun out of playing with my new powers. He just wants me to be able to do everything on command, there’s no more fun hide-and-seek or reminiscing. I know he’s right to keep us focused. Going to the locker is a serious matter and we need to be prepared so we can be sure to find what we need while we’re there.
We’re also going to look for some special markers that may or may not lead us to some surviving Beto people? Yeah, it sounds even crazier when I write it down. Journey says he’s seen their markings with his hunter vision and that if we can find a Beto person, they can get me up to speed on the history of Truiets and my powers. Hopefully, we can find someone to enlighten me. I’m ready.
Well, wish me luck.
21
It was finally it’s time for our nightly meeting in the forest. We’d gotten remarkably good at sneaking out. Journey’s sly hunting skills rubbed off on me and it really helped being able to see in the dark. We moved silently and swiftly now, like tarcats stalking prey. When the four of us united at our usual meeting place, Nova got right down to business.
“Lights,” he said.
I produced my orb on command and didn’t bother trying to dazzle him with the cool colors I could turn it to now. I posted my blue orb of light above us and commanded it to follow us through the forest.
“Okay, Journey, where did you see the markers?” Nova asked.
“This way,” he said taking the lead.
We continued on, deeper into the forest. We’d been this way before; I remember it from the clusters of moss-covered tree trunks and limbs that lay scattered about the forest floor. It was such a quiet place that seemed to emote sorrow from the mass grave where the old and tired trees had come to rest and be reclaimed by the soil that had nurtured them all their lives, until the Flood devastated the area. I didn’t much care to hang out here. I didn’t like the feeling I got from the eerie silence. Even under the thick steamy blanket of forest air, the haunting place made me feel cold. But of course, this was where Journey said he’d seen the Beto markers. He searched around for a moment while we stood clustered together watching him. He moved slowly, methodically from tree to tree until he found what he was looking for.
“Here,” he said waving us over.
At first none of us seemed to know what caught his attention. He was pointing at the base of a thick, moss-claimed stump. It looked just like all the other unfortunate areas of the decaying forest, but apparently we were supposed to see something special. I was growing impatient though. I hated this part of the forest and I wanted to move on, so I tried to speed up the process a little since it seemed obvious that none of us had as keen an eye as Journey.
“So, what exactly are we supposed to be looking at here?” I asked.
He turned to look at me, and then to Nova and Sparrow. Realizing none of us got it, he sighed deeply. Then he turned his focus back to me. “65, you should be able to see this. I taught you how.”
“Yeah, well all I see is a big mossy stump,” I said impatiently.
“Focus. Really see it,” he said.
I squinted my eyes and focused all my energy on the stupid stump. I somehow managed to shut down the uncomfortable vibe I was getting from the forest and just tried to see it, as Journey had taught me: See with all your senses, like a hunter. And then it suddenly jumped out at me, causing me to gasp. A small blue symbol was painted on a single leaf at the base of the mossy stump. A normal person would never see it. It was so small and inconspicuously placed, but with my training my eyes picked it up. Its blue tint and straight lines stuck out sorely in such a natural place. I knelt down to get a closer look so I could make out the shape. It looked like a diamond turned onto its side, with a circle at the center and a dot in the center of that. It was an eye! It was peering back at me, right through me actually. I was spellbound by it and reached out to touch it. Journey lunged to stop me but he was too late.
As soon as my fingers grazed the leaf, the marker burst forth with a blinding blue light. It made me jump back and my eyes seared with pain. I was using my night vision when the light exploded toward me and I was sure I was now blind. I rolled on the forest floor clutching my eyes. I could feel someone comforting me, cradling me. It was Sparrow, it had to be, and she was healing me. Perhaps I would have been able to heal myself, but I was too consumed by the pain to think straight. Slowly the pain subsided and the throbbing white light started to diminish from my line of sight. I rubbed my eyes hard to bring everything back into focus.
I saw the three faces of my friends staring back at me with concern. I only focused on them for a moment though, because beyond them, I could see glowing blue eyes dotting my field of vision. I shook my head, thinking my eyes must still be suffering, but when I took a second look they were still there, forming a path that led deep into the forest. I slowly rose, looking beyond my friends, who where murmuring questions, but I could scarcely hear them because I was so focused on what was before me. I pushed past them and came to a stop a few feet from the leaf I touched. Could they see this, too, or what it just me? Surely Journey could see it, right? I turned to ask him, but all three of their expressions confirmed that they were looking at the same thing I was. Sparrow’s mouth was open and she was gripping one of Journey’s strong arms for support. Nova just looked focused, dangerous, like he was ready to go into battle.
“Guys?” I paused waiting for response, but none came. “What is this?”
Journey stepped toward me.
“It’s the Truiet path to the Beto people.”
My heart skipped a beat. That meant it was a path to the truth! To all the questions I had about myself and my new powers. Maybe even the answers about my family, my name, who I truly was. I smiled and started off toward the next marker.
“Tippy! No!” came Nova’s voice behind me. “What if it’s a trap?”
I turned, poised to yell at him. Ready to tell him he didn’t have to follow me, but I was going to get my answers, but I didn’t have to. Journey spoke up before I could, giving me the excuse I needed to keep going.
“Nova, you know it’s not. Only a Truiet can see the markers of the Betos for their own protection. They would never risk revealing themselves just to create a trap. They’re trying to communicate with us. Why would they leave these markers here if they weren’t? They know only one of their own can read them. They won’t hurt us if they know we’re one of them.”
“This is why we came here, Nova. We wanted answers, right?” Sparrow asked.
“Alright,” he said reluctantly, “but let Journey go first,” he call to me.
22
Journey led us along the path of glowing markers. I was glad he was in front of me, because every time I got a glimpse of the creepy, blue, glowing eyes I couldn’t help but feel the goose flesh crawling up the back of my neck. I was hoping Journey knew what he was talking about because this really did feel like a trap. If I looked behind us, all of the markers we passed disappeared; slipping into the blackness, widening the abyss with each step we took.
We walked for what seemed like forever, and I kept having to check myself mentally to keep thinking positive. It was far too easy for dark and twisted thoughts to consume you out here. Plus I could feel Nova in my head, keeping an ever watchful eye on me and I didn’t want him to know I was scared and doubtful. I had just finished running though my positive mantra when suddenly the markers all vanished and blackness engulfed us. Even my orb had been snuffed out. I stopped in my tracks and felt the others crowd around me. I was shaking by the time Nova flicked on his flame, illuminating our little group.
“Everyone all right?” he asked.
He got a murmur of acknowledgement from us. I began to feel foolish for panicking. I needed to remember to rely on my powers. I should have used my night vision or just flashed on another orb. Why did I always let fear get the best of me? Nova was rig
ht to bring me out here; I needed more practice before we went to the locker. What if when I got down there I was too scared to remember what to do? What if they separated us and my friends weren’t there to rescue me, like they had tonight?
Wait a minute, was this what he was doing? Was this Nova’s plan all a along? This whole night was just a training exercise and I was failing miserably? I felt so betrayed; they had all been in on it, playing their part! This was my test to see if I was ready for the locker! They were throwing things at me left and right to see what I would do. Would I panic under pressure or would I succeed and use my powers? Well, I wasn’t going to let him do that to me. I wasn’t going to fail! Not now that I knew what was going on!
I drew from my anger and a new confidence settled over me. I produced a large orb and spread it above us, expanding the light all around us.
“Okay, Nova, what’s next? Do you want me to fight off a tarcat? Maybe mind bend a monkey? What else have you got?” I yelled, hearing my voice reverberate around me.
My friends were looking at me like I was crazy, but I didn’t care. I started kicking the plants that were threatening to tangle my feet. I stalked off of the path still kicking and yelling.
“Come on, what else is hiding out here for me? What’s out here?”
Then, as I was about to take a swipe at a tall spade leaf, it moved on its own, revealing a dark round face. I leapt backward, barely able to stifle my scream. Suddenly Nova and the others were by my side again. Swooping to my defense.
Darn it! I was caught off guard again! I marched forward, back to the spot where I’d seen the face. I pushed the spade leaves apart and this time it revealed a whole body.
“Who the heck are you?” I asked annoyed that I had been duped again.
No response.
I took a step closer and grabbed hold of his dark brown skin and pulled him wriggling from the bushes.