by Jamie White
Lauren’s features hardened, as if she were an animal closing in on its prey. Courtney tried to make a run for the door, but Lauren was too quick for her. The two stood face-to-face, Courtney’s heart pounding so hard she feared it would pop right out of her chest. “Okay, you made your point. Quit messing with me already.”
Lauren stepped closer to Courtney. “I haven’t even begun yet.”
Courtney opened her mouth to scream, but Lauren hit her hard before she had a chance. Courtney fell to the ground, grabbing her cheek as she stared at Lauren in shock. “Who are you?”
Lauren grabbed Courtney’s hand and pulled her up, spinning Courtney so that her back was against her. She quickly put one hand over Courtney’s mouth, while the other kept a firm grip across her chest. “Your parents used to call me Alexandra. They seriously thought they were smart enough to hide from me, but I guess that article you found showed just how wrong they were, didn’t it?”
Courtney’s head swam from the physical blow and Lauren’s words. “You killed them.”
“I really don’t like to use such strong words, Amelia. I prefer to think of it as doing my job. Thanks to you not listening when I warned you the first couple of times, I’m about to do it again.” Lauren tightened her grip.
The sharp stab of pain from the move took Courtney’s breath away and she nearly doubled over.
“I really don’t want to make a mess in this apartment. Cleaning deposits are a bitch to get back as it is, so why don’t we take a little trip?”
Courtney never got a chance to respond. Lauren said a couple of words in a language Courtney had never heard before, and the next thing she knew, they were standing in a strange building.
The place was dark and the smell of mold, plus layers of dust, assaulted Courtney’s nostrils, leaving her to assume Lauren had somehow taken her to an abandoned building. Panic welled within as she realized she had no clue where she was and no weapon to defend herself with.
“How did you do that?” Courtney gasped once Lauren finally let up on her grip enough to allow her the chance to move and speak freely. Somehow the freedom didn’t offer much comfort. There was a cold, calculating expression on Lauren’s face that twisted her features into someone Courtney didn’t recognize.
“The same way you were able to make that book move, of course. What? You thought you and your parents are the only people with special gifts in the world? Please, don’t be so arrogant.” She gave Courtney a derisive look as she took a step back.
A sarcastic reply threatened to roll off Courtney’s tongue, but she held back in fear it might be the last thing she said. “So you’re the one my parents were so afraid of. How did you know they sent me away?”
“Please, don’t try that ‘keep them talking’ thing on me. It only works in the movies — that’s why people like you win in them. This, however, is the real world.”
Courtney backed up as Lauren moved closer to her. Images of the crash played through her mind, along with all the times she and Lauren had played together when they were kids. She couldn’t understand how this thing standing here now was the same cousin she’d grown up with, and she wanted some answers. Courtney opened her mouth to make another attempt, but stopped cold with she saw the flash of steel coming out of Lauren’s pocket.
Chapter Eighteen
Courtney watched the other girl closely, careful not to make any sudden moves. She still hadn’t gotten a look at the weapon, but she didn’t think she wanted to know what it was. Given the trick Lauren had just pulled, it could be anything.
“You can scream as much as you want,” Lauren assured her. “No one is going to hear you here. And don’t worry… I’ll make sure you do.”
Courtney took a deep breath, assessing her options. She could make a run for it, but chances were Lauren, or whoever she was, would catch up to her before she could get out of the building. Plus, she had no idea where she would run to. All she was sure of was Lauren had clearly planned this out and she had the advantage. “I already said I don’t plan on doing what they did, you know. I just—”
“Wanted to know. Blah, blah, blah. Oddly enough, I really don’t care. Can’t take the risk.” Lauren pulled out some strange device that Courtney had never seen before and pointed it at her.
A flash came from the device and Courtney instinctually jumped. She moved so fast, she shocked herself and stood frozen a moment. Apparently, Lauren had the same problem.
“What do you know? You’re a quick one.”
Adrenaline coursed through Courtney’s veins, a heady sensation that had her senses on high alert. Her entire body was poised to jump again if needed as she stole quick glances around her for an escape route. The building was in a sad state, random boxes and equipment scattered about the large space. There was barely enough light coming in through a broken window to allow her to see.
Courtney spotted a steel pole a couple of feet in length lying only a few feet from her. It was partially hidden by some machine, and Courtney hoped it wasn’t stuck. Judging by Lauren’s speed, she most likely wouldn’t have time to struggle with getting the thing loose.
Moving purely on instinct, Courtney hurled herself at the pole, barely missing getting hit by a shot from the strange weapon her cousin held. Her fingers closed around the rod and she yanked at it, grateful that the thing wasn’t stuck. She swung the pole at Lauren as hard she could, but didn’t quite catch her.
“Damn, you’re feistier than I thought,” Lauren said with a tinge of pride in her voice. “I’m impressed. And here I thought this was going to be easy…” She pointed her weapon at Courtney again and fired.
The flash of light coming from the weapon barely missed Courtney, catching the ground at her feet. It blackened the spot, and Courtney shuddered at the thought of what that weapon could do to her. She leaped behind one of the machines, using the object as a shield, and checked the area around her for anything else she could use.
Spotting a brick on the ground a few feet to her left, Courtney focused on it and sent the object flying through the air toward her cousin’s head.
Lauren pointed the strange weapon at the brick and fired. The brick disappeared, leaving only ash falling to the ground. “You are really starting to piss me off, you know that?”
Courtney’s heart raced faster. She had to get that thing away somehow, but she wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to do it.
You don’t have a choice.
Courtney focused her attention on the weapon, willing it to come to her. To her shock, the object flew out of Lauren’s hands and into a wall, where it smashed into several pieces.
Now that the weapon was gone, Courtney decided to chance making a run for it. She darted out from behind the machine toward a door across the building from where she’d been hiding. Her breath came fast and labored as she pushed herself to move faster than she’d ever run in her life. The pounding footfalls from behind fueled her effort until she finally had her hand on the doorknob.
Before Courtney could get more than a few steps outside, Lauren caught up to her and knocked Courtney to the ground. Her body ached from the impact and for a second, Courtney’s mind was too muddled to focus properly. The next thing she knew, she’d been turned around and Lauren was on top of her with her hands moving toward Courtney’s neck.
Courtney managed to work her arms free and lashed out at Lauren, catching her in the face. The move knocked Lauren off balance enough for Courtney to get up again. She ran away from the building, looking for the best escape route. Nothing looked familiar to her. The area was an industrial one that clearly didn’t see much traffic, which depressed her more than she cared to admit.
Lauren’s footsteps echoed behind Courtney, replacing her melancholy with panic. Wherever she went, she’d have to get there fast if she wanted to avoid being another story in the paper like her parents.
Courtney finally opted to duck into an alley. Several dumpsters lined the wall. For a second, Courtney was tempted to seek shelt
er in one, but Lauren most likely saw where she’d headed and would be in the alley any second. She’d be backing herself into a corner. To her relief, Courtney saw there was an opening onto the street. She darted through it and followed the road the alley led to, hoping that she would find a way out of this place.
Careful to keep to the shadows, Courtney moved as quickly and quietly as possible while listening for any sign of Lauren. Courtney screamed as Lauren suddenly jumped out at her from around a corner.
Lauren took hold of Courtney and shoved her into a wall. Courtney grunted in pain at the impact, slumping to the ground. Lauren glared down at her. “I should’ve known better than to let you go for as long as I did.”
“Why did you?” Courtney’s voice rose in pitch as she returned the glare through her fear.
“I made a mistake,” she replied simply.
Courtney watched as Lauren reached into her pocket, producing a device identical to the one she destroyed earlier. Courtney lashed out with her foot, knocking Lauren off-balance and causing her to lose her grip on the weapon.
Courtney focused through her hazy vision, bringing the object to her. She gripped it tight in her hands as she stood and put as much distance as possible between them. Whatever this thing did, she needed to figure it out fast. A small dark button on the top caught her attention and Courtney aimed the weapon at Lauren, her finger poised on the button.
Lauren stood in front on her, looking from Courtney to the weapon and back again. “You have no idea what that does.”
“I guess I’m about to find out,” Courtney responded. She pressed the button and a bright light came out of the front, engulfing Lauren in a bright orange glow that looked like a flame. When the light dissipated, Lauren was gone.
Courtney released her grip and the weapon fell to the ground. She stood there in shocked silence, her conscious mind still trying to process what just happened. The spot where Lauren had been standing was scorched, and Courtney shivered at the idea it had almost been used on her.
She had no idea how long she stood there, but the sky was now pitch black with only a few isolated stars punctuating the darkness. She took a deep breath and began to walk. Courtney just hoped she wasn’t too far from home.
****
Fortunately for her, the road she’d chosen led to more familiar surroundings. After about an hour of walking, she found herself nearing her cousin’s apartment building. Courtney hesitated near the parking lot, keeping herself hidden behind a tree as reality began to sink in.
I killed Lauren.
The fact that Lauren had tried to kill her first was irrelevant in her mind at the moment. How was she going to explain what had happened? She didn’t even understand most of it herself, and what she did know was so out there, no one would ever believe her.
Courtney’s mind raced with the possibilities. She could pretend everything was normal and claim ignorance when Lauren was discovered missing, but she was afraid she couldn’t put on a good enough act to have anyone believe it. Playing a role on stage was one thing, but lying to people made Courtney’s skin crawl.
She checked to make sure no one was around before stepping out of her hiding place to get back in her car. Courtney started the engine, backed out of the space, and headed to the road. She’d only gone a block or two when it occurred to her she had no idea what time it was. Courtney snuck a quick glimpse at the clock on her car radio before turning her attention back to the road.
A mild panic set in as she realized she was late in getting home. Her parents were probably still up and wondering where she was by now; they might have even called Lauren’s apartment. She shuddered to think of the possible missed calls waiting on her cell phone, which was still inside Lauren’s apartment along with her other things.
This is bad.
How was she going to explain having left her stuff in a missing person’s apartment? For the first time since her whole search began, Courtney understood what her real parents must have gone through and why they’d made the choice they did to leave her. Now, she had a choice of her own to make.
Instead of turning left to go to her house, Courtney made a right toward the highway. She drove until fatigue began to set in. She decided to pull into the lot of a mall to collect her thoughts and figure out what to do next.
Now that she had time to sit in peace without having to worry about navigating the busy streets, the full impact of the evening’s events hit her with a force that took her breath away.
Tears flowed freely from Courtney’s eyes as she struggled to keep from making too much noise. She didn’t know if anyone would care, but she didn’t feel like risking that. The betrayal she’d felt cut through her, causing a pain far worse than any physical damage she suffered. All Courtney could do was succumb to her grief.
After what felt like hours, the tears stopped flowing and her attention was back on what to do now. She needed some kind of story if she was going to return home, but for the life of her she couldn’t think of one. Sam’s face came to mind and she knew what she had to do. He had a way of calming her and usually had good advice when she was stuck on a problem.
Courtney spotted an old pay phone attached to the building and got out, checking her pockets for change. To her relief, she had enough to make a call. She dialed the numbers with shaking hands.
“Hello?”
Sam’s voice was groggy, as though he’d been sleeping and Courtney wondered what time it was. She had no idea how long she’d spent crying in her car. “Sam… it’s me.”
“Court?” Suddenly, his voice was more alert. “What happened?”
“I need to see you. Can you meet me at the drive-in?”
“It’s one in the morning, what do you mean ‘can I meet you at the drive-in?’ Court, what’s wrong?” Concern colored his words, but his voice remained low.
“I’m sorry I called so late, but it’s really important. I can explain when you get there, please just trust me.”
A long silence greeted her words and for a minute Courtney feared he’d hung up on her. She supposed she couldn’t blame him. She wasn’t sure how she’d react to a similar call after they’d fought. “Sam?”
“I’m still here,” he assured her. He sighed. “I’ll meet you there.”
“Thanks,” she said, a rush of gratitude washing over her at his words. No matter how they’d left things the last time they talked, she couldn’t think of anyone she trusted more. Plus, he already had seen her new abilities in action, so he’d be more likely to believe her story than anyone. Unless she counted her parents, and considering Lauren was their niece, she wasn’t sure what kind of reaction her news would get.
Courtney hung the phone up and returned to the car. She made a quick check of herself in the mirror to make sure she didn’t look too beat up. She was already going to give Sam enough of a shock, she didn’t need to scare the poor guy with her appearance on top of it.
Once she was satisfied she didn’t look too terrifying, Courtney steered the car back toward home. She braced herself for his reaction to her news, hoping that he’d be able to help her figure out a solution to the mess her life had suddenly become.
****
The streets were almost deserted as Courtney approached the abandoned theatre she and her friends spent so much time in. A wave of nostalgia washed over her that made her throat constrict as she rolled through the entrance.
True to his word, Sam was parked in their usual spot, leaning against the hood of his car with a mixture of worry and impatience on his face. His arms were crossed over his chest. As Courtney approached him, he relaxed his stance and hurried over.
“Court, what’s going on?”
“I don’t even know how to explain this; it makes no sense.” Courtney closed her eyes a moment as she struggled to get her thoughts straight. “Lauren’s dead.”
“What?” Sam gaped openly at her for a minute before putting his arms around her. “I’m sorry… What happened?”
“I w
as over at her place and I’d told her how I learned to move things with my mind. I showed her, and the next thing I knew she was saying all these weird things about me and my real parents. I told her I didn’t understand what she was talking about, and then she attacked me.”
“Lauren? You have to be kidding.” Sam’s eyes were wide as he pulled back to meet her gaze. “What’d she say? What happened to her?”
“She said she killed them, Sam. She said she’d done her job and now that I was getting mixed up in weird things she had to do it again. There was this weapon she had that she tried to shoot me with that left a black mark on the ground. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
His expression grew dark as he processed everything. “How did you get away? She didn’t do anything else to you, did she?”
“She hit me a few times and we fought, but nothing too bad. I used that power I showed you and took the weapon from her. I…” her voice trailed off as she couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.
Sam drew her close again and held her tight for the longest time before he finally spoke. “So, what are we going to do?”
“I don’t know,” Courtney admitted. “My stuff is still in her apartment — it’s a long story — and by the time I got back here it was crazy late. My parents are probably waiting up for me right now, but I can’t go home. How am I supposed to tell them this? Who’s going to believe me, especially once they realize she’s missing and they find my stuff there?”
“It’s going to be okay,” he promised. “We’ll figure something out.”
“I hope we can,” she said, her voice low.
“Did you learn any other tricks you haven’t shown me yet?”
Courtney shook her head. “No, nothing. Once I learned how to move stuff, I had to take some time to deal with that before I could try anything else.”