by Cici Wickens
“You’ll get the hang of it.” Trace assured me with a confident grin. He paused, looking towards the darker side of the lake. “Do you hear that?”
I quickly slosh toward him. “What?” I whisper, resisting the urge to grab his arm. I shiver from the cold that suddenly grips me.
“It’s quiet, which is weird. Come on. I think we should go.” His joking demeanor was gone, replaced by a calculating alertness.
We both trudge out of the water. I feel eyes on me, watching my every movement. My heart races in my chest. I grab my shoes, not bothering to pause and slide them on.
Trace picked up his shirt and shoes too, glancing around once more. I nudge him. “Let’s go!” I urge, worrying about what might happen if we dawdled much longer.
We walk up the trail, far too slow for my liking. “What do you think it was?” I ask once we make it to our vehicles.
Trace appeared guarded. “A Supernatural with ill intent. I’m sure that you’re not affected by average temperature changes since you’re Fae. Therefore, I’ll give you some advice. When you feel cold to the bones, get on home. But the real question you should be asking is, what was it after?”
I recall all the times I’ve felt chilled in these past several days. Something has been watching me for a while now. I don’t respond to Trace’s question, although I don’t think it was intended for me anyways. I don’t believe I should tell him about who I am, at least not yet. Janelle had cautioned against me splurging my secrets, and I feel the need to heed her advice.
“I’m going to head home now.” I tell Trace. “Thanks for today.”
“Hold up a second.” Trace rummaged around in his car. He tossed me a sandwich bag. “Earlier you asked me how I kept my gills from everyone at the school. That’s how.”
I inspect the baggie. There were several light blue pills inside. “Drugs?” I ask with wide eyes, almost dropping the bag.
“No way. They’re more like…suppressors. My uncle created them. They keep my physical appearance from changing. You might want to take a couple before the match tomorrow, unless you want everyone thinking you’ve got a new obsession with ink.” He suggested.
“Are you sure that these will work on me?”
“Not really. You should test it before then, maybe when you shower or something. I don’t know. I’ll see you tomorrow. If the pills don’t work…we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”
I nod my head. “Okay, thank you for everything—”
Trace held up his hands. “Hey, I look out for my teammates. That’s all there is to it.”
“Right.” I say and smile.
“Later Hanes.”
“Bye.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Like any sane girl, I was hesitant to take the pill this guy had given me. For starters, I barely even know him. And who knows what this pill is even going to do to me?
I look down at the blue tattoos that covered my body. Water rains down around me. Can’t get any worse than this, I think to myself and toss it down the hatch. I swallow it easily and feel it slide down my throat. No turning back now.
I continue showering, giving the pill some time to kick in. I scrub the lake water from my hair, which kept knotting up every time I combed through it. I look at my reflection in the shower glass, barely recognizing the blue inked girl staring back at me. I blink and I’m back to my normal self.
I look down at my body again, and I’m grateful to see nothing out of the ordinary. “It worked.” I say aloud.
You shouldn’t have to suppress it.
I pause. That hadn’t sounded like my inner voice. It was someone else’s. It had been a low, husky voice that seemed to coil around my mind, weaving in and out with every word. I swallow and turn off the water.
“Maybe it’s one of the side effects of the pills.” I mutter while drying off.
Shaking my head, I exit the bathroom. I open up the top drawer of my dresser grabbing a pair of socks and undies. I let my hand confirm that the watch is still where it should be. What Janelle said had made me doubtful. I finish getting dressed and lie down on my bed.
On second thought, I get up and drop the curtains over my windows after checking to make sure that my balcony door was locked. It was quiet, and I wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.
I kept my lamp on that night and let the soft ticking of the token put me to sleep.
Chapter 32
I’m NOT Paranoid
Iris
The next day at school I’m a little jumpy. I nearly had a heart attack every time I heard a locker slam. After careful consideration, I decided to leave the token at home. I figure that they’d expect me to keep it on my body instead of leaving it behind.
I look at each individual in a new light. If Trace was a Supernatural, then anyone could be. Janelle had said that you never knew who was watching. I feel eyes on me now, and I can’t tell if it’s from paranoia or if it’s because of my heightened senses. Any of the people around me could be working for Valencia, and I wouldn’t even know it.
I flip open my Calculus book just as Mrs. Wilder waltzed into the room. She wore a black pencil skirt and shimmering gold blouse. I listen to the clicking of her heels. No, no, no. Not now. Each step grows louder and more defined. The chattering and scraping and erasing fade away, becoming little more than background noise.
She passed my table, and the room and everyone in it just stopped. In that single stride, her eyes met mine as she scratched a golden nail across my desk, and I knew.
And then noise filled my ears, rushing in like water, and the students around me started to move again. I stare at my desk, afraid to move. When I finally look up, she isn’t watching me. In fact, she’s speaking to a student with a smile on her face and helping him with a math problem.
I inwardly laugh to myself, feeling as though I’m going insane. What is wrong with me? I’ve got to stop letting this paranoia get to me.
The walk to my next class doesn’t go very well. I am even tenser than I was this morning when I first got to school. Each time someone brushes up against me I cringe away from them. That cursed token confirmed this new reality. And now that I’m a part of it, I realize how dangerous it really is. It frightens me.
Ron met up with me on our way to gym. “Yo, are you alright? You look like you’re about to cry.”
“I’m fi—” I clench my fists in irritation. “I’ve certainly been better.”
“Been there before.” He said understandingly.
After gym, Ron and I joined everyone at the lunch table. I start to nibble on some rice.
Minerva dropped her feet down from the table and leaned forward with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “So, you’ve got that match with Trace today right?”
I shrug. That match is the last thing on my mind.
“I haven’t seen him all day. He might be a no show.” Thomas input.
“Oh, he’ll be there. Trace wouldn’t back down from a challenge like this.” Minerva said with a hint of admiration in her voice.
“Where’s Blaze? Did he not come to school today?” I ask. I’d like to ask him how he learned to deal with his senses shorting out.
“He came.” Minerva answered. “He’s probably with his buddies somewhere.”
Thomas coughed into his fist and something that sounded an awful lot like ‘smoking pot’ came from his mouth.
“Shut up.” Minerva chunked an apple at his head, and he wasn’t able to dodge it in time.
“Jeez!” Thomas yelled, grabbing his forehead.
“You kinda deserved that.” Ron admitted.
✽ ✽ ✽
I slip into the bathroom once 7th period is over. My hands fumble around in my backpack for a few seconds before finding the plastic bag they sought. I take two pills since I am unsure of their duration and chase them down with a large swallow of water from my sports bottle.
I lean on the bathroom sink and stare at my reflection. I hadn’t thought much about the match
today, but I’m beginning to realize how risky it is. Part of me hopes that Trace doesn’t show. What if these suppressors don’t work this time? And these only affect my physical appearance. They won’t help me control my abilities. Anything can happen.
Calm down. Get a hold of your emotions, I tell myself.
“Just do it and get out.” I lightly slap my cheeks.
It had taken a full ten minutes for the pill to work last night. Five have already passed. I take my precious time walking to the gym, where students have begun to gather. I swallow. They’ve got their phones out, ready to record. This is a bad idea.
“Hanes!” Trace trotted up to me, already dressed for the occasion.
“Hello, Iris.” Dara said venomously, stepping between us. “Are you ready? Nearly the whole school is watching.” She waved a tiny pink camera around in front of my face. “I can’t wait to see you make a fool out of yourself.”
“Come on, babe. No need to be mean.” Trace chastised.
“Whatever.” She huffed and turned on her heel.
I shake my head when she walked off. “I’m not ready for this. I’ve had little to no practice, Trace. I could hurt someone. If people see me transform I’m not going to be able to lie my way out of it. I’ve only had one chance to test the suppressor you gave me, and I don’t even know how long it’s going to last! Plus, I’ve got a bad feeling—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. You’re speaking so fast I can barely understand you.” Trace said. “You need to calm down. Remember what I told you yesterday about your emotions?”
Yesterday. It seemed like it hadn’t even happened. That training did absolutely nothing for me except make my arm sore and my back ache. I had made no progress. “Controlling my emotions will take time and practice Trace. I’ve never been the best at it.” I snap.
He led me over to the girl’s locker room while I spoke, nodding his head. “Yeah, yeah. I know. What better time to practice than a dire situation like this one, though?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Have you even been listening to me? I’m serious Trace!”
“Listen, don’t forget this is just for show.” Trace said suddenly.
“Iris, what’s the hold up?”
I jump and hold a hand to my racing heart. Jen and Minerva had snuck up behind me.
“I’m going to change right now. I’ll be out in a few.” I say with a defeated sigh.
Trace clapped his hands. “See you at the starting block Hanes.”
“Yeah…”
“Okay students, please take your seats on the bleachers. Trace, Iris, take your places.” Mr. Grady announced from a cubical-like building attached to the wall while I stretched in my one-piece.
I get into position on the starting block. I slide my goggles over my eyes with shaking hands, and Trace gave me a reassuring nod. I don’t know if he is trying to comfort me because my legs are trembling in terror, or just silently telling me good luck, but I nod back.
I take a deep breath and focus on the water. The clear, blue water. It’s still. Everything’s still. The only thing audible is my competitor’s steady breathing. I barely hear Mr. Grady say, “Both of you need to do two runs. This, in case you don’t know, means that you have to go down and back twice.” I can sense that he has raised a horn from the vibrations in the warm, wet, air.
“Swimmers on your marks. Get set.” I adjust my position. “Go!” And then I’m diving, taking a leap of faith.
I’m embraced by a rush of warm water. I use my first stroke to see if the ink has appeared. Nothing’s there. I see Trace kicking ahead of me and prepare to speed up. Except, my legs and arms sift straight through the water, barely pushing me along, as if they aren’t making contact with it.
What’s happening? I try not to panic when I realize that I can’t stay afloat. I flail and kick, trying to keep my head up, but it doesn’t help. I take a deep breath before going under. I reach out, attempting to feel the water around me. It recedes away from my hand, as if repelled, and I continue to sink. I hit the bottom of the pool, having no cushion from the water. A brief slice of pain fills my head as my ears pop.
The water bears down on me with a crushing force, pushing me flat against the bottom. I shut my eyes through the pain, feeling as if I am going to explode. My lungs begin to burn. I need air.
A pair of hands grab me, hoisting me up. Trace pushed off the pool floor and struggled to swim against the water while carrying me. The water seemed alive, shoving us back down. He kicked off again, this time with more force, and brought us to the surface.
I gasp for air, and people start reaching for me. Everyone was crowded around us, going live on their phones and talking over one another. Monique helped pull me from the water. “What happened?” She asked worriedly.
Todd put a towel around my shoulders. “Are you okay?”
Trace hauled himself out of the pool. “Everyone get back. Give her some space.” He ordered, taking charge. “She got a bad cramp, let her walk it off. Come on. Get up.”
I stand up on shaky legs, and he led me away from the crowd. My head pounds. I can still feel the water crushing me, sitting on my chest.
“What the hell was that Hanes?” Trace asked in bewilderment.
I shake my head and tears fill my eyes. “I don’t know. At first, I couldn’t feel the water. I kept reaching for it, but it just moved away. I—” I take a deep breath to calm down. It doesn’t help. I sniffle and wipe the tears from my cheeks. “Then the water started shoving against me. I thought I was going to d—”
“Don’t say that.” Trace interrupted. “It’ll be alright. It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have asked you to go on with the match after you got your abilities. I didn’t think this would happen.” He looked at me, determined. “We’re going to get this under control.”
Dara came to a halt a few feet away from us, her eyes wide. My stomach drops. I turn to Trace, voice incredulous, “Can she…”
He patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll talk about that later.”
“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Jen exclaimed. My friends had finally elbowed their way through the crowd.
“You almost gave me a heart attack!” Minerva yelled angrily.
“Don’t ever scare us like that again.” Thomas said, tone stern.
“I-I think we need a group hug.” Ron suggested, looking shaken up.
Chapter 33
Talking to Myself
Iris
I don’t go to school the next day. Yesterday Mr. Grady had told me that I made the team, even though I didn’t try-out, because of effort. I wasn’t really up for having to deal with everyone’s whispering and concerned questions. Or Dara. Instead, I stayed home with my dad, and we spent most of the morning watching TV together.
“Come on Iris. Are you still thinking about what happened yesterday? I’m telling you that the kids at school have probably forgotten all about it.” My dad said unconvincingly.
I bury my face in my hands. “I can never show my face there again.”
He tapped his finger on the arm of the couch. “Well, I’m gonna’ go check in at the hospital. I’ll be back in about an hour.” He said and stood up. “Love ya.”
I reach over and snatch up the remote. “Love you too.”
My dad left, and I continued to watch TV. I mostly surf through the channels, never really deciding on anything. I give up on finding something to watch and crack open a book for the next hour.
I hear the front door shut and furrow my brows. I wait for a greeting that doesn’t come. “Dad?” I call. I stand up and walk to the living room threshold so that I can peer down the hallway. “You scared me to death!” I place a hand over my heart when he came into the living room.
My dad grinned at me. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we go hiking a bit and explore the property? There’s several acres back there for us to check out.”
“No, I don’t think that’d be a good idea. I told you that I felt like someone was watching me, remember?�
� I laugh, figuring he was joking.
“How about a walk through the maze?” He suggested.
I look at my father. I can tell that he was worried about me and only trying to help me get my mind off things. Since the maze is so close to the house and it’s broad daylight outside, this shouldn’t be too risky. “Fine.” I say with a sigh. “But then I want you to go check on everyone at your job and stop worrying about me.”
We exit the house through the back door and head out towards the labyrinth. “This is my first time in the maze.” I say once we take a few turns.
“I’ve been in here a couple times.” He said, walking beside me.
“I still can’t believe that happened yesterday.” I admit. “It was so scary dad. I don’t know how to control these abilities at all. If it weren’t for Trace…”
“Well, I hope that you learned a lesson in all of this.” My dad told me, sounding irritated.
I wince. “I know. I’ll be more careful next time.”
“Where did you put the token?” He inquired.
Laughing, I give him a sideways glance. “Come on, dad. Are you getting Alzheimer’s or something? I already told you it’s in my sock drawer. The ticking was driving me crazy.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “You should keep it with you.”
We take another turn. “I think it’s safer where it is. If I bring it to school, someone might steal it. Also…I’m still not really sure if my Calc teacher is Valencia or not. I know it sounds crazy—”
My dad stopped walking. “What?” He demanded.
“Forget I said anything.” I say with a shake of my head. I don’t need to worry him anymore than what I have to. I look around. We’re surrounded by dark green hedges on either side. “Um…I hope you know the way back.”
My dad grabbed me by the shoulders. “Iris, listen to me. There are several things that we need to discuss. You must come back with me first though.”
I lean away from him, confused, and frankly a little scared by the urgency in his voice. “Back inside?” I ask.