There’s a rush of wind, followed by a thunderous boom as I slam into the ground. I roll and smash into a tree. There’s a very loud crack. The impact makes pine needles rain down upon me, as I blink and look around in shock.
Wow. That was fast. I hadn’t expected to drop that quick. I check my arms and legs. I seem to be okay. I wish I can say the same for my clothing. My sweater is torn near the right shoulder. My pants have the nastiest grass stains I’ve ever seen. I get up and walk away from the tree, then I see the ground where I landed.
Oops. There’s now a huge gouge. It looks like a meteor has struck the ground.
Okay, let’s try this again. I look up at the treetops and will myself up. My long brown hair flaps behind me as I fly to the top of a nearby tree.
Okay, stop.
I reach out and touch a branch and look around. I focus on a tree a few hundred feet away to my left. I’m there in a heartbeat. I try again. This time I concentrate on flying slower and glide through the air calmly. It still feels too fast, not quite what I was going for and so I try again. This time I manage to control my speed better. Now, let’s try some obstacles. I head towards the trees from several feet up. I glide towards them and begin to bank to my right to avoid a tree, then straighten up.
I chuckle. This is fun.
I speed up as I become bolder. I swerve to the left and right, to avoid the tree trunks, then up and down to avoid the branches. I reach the freeway on the other side of the trees and begin to follow it south. I’m only a few feet above the asphalt, when I hear a rumbling noise behind me. I crane my neck down and look past my legs at the road behind.
Two bright lights are coming around the bend.
Uh oh. A truck. I think, up, and climb higher and watch as it drives by beneath me. The driver gives two blasts of his horn as he continues on his way. Huh, did he see me? Okay, time to go. As I fly home, I realize how far I’ve travelled. There are at least two small towns and one larger city, which must be Milwaukee, that I fly over as I head back to the city.
When I get to my street, I fly over my house and descend to my bedroom window at the back. I hover outside and ease the window open. I fly inside, straighten up and close the window. I hover over my carpet and head into the bathroom. I get out of my torn, muddy, grass-stained clothes. I hide them in the corner near my shower cubicle, until I can figure out what to do.
I check my reflection in the mirror and almost laugh. My hair is a mess. Wind swept doesn’t even begin to describe how I look. I pass a brush through it a few times, before climbing into bed. I check my alarm clock and groan. It’s now 4:49 a.m. At least it’s Saturday tomorrow. I smile as I snuggle under the covers.
The doorbell wakes me. I open my eyes slowly. Bright light filters in through my curtains. I look blearily at my clock.
It’s 9:19 a.m. I yawn and climb out of bed.
I slip my purple bathrobe on and stumble towards the door. I fumble for the handle and eventually open it. The doorbell rings again, high-pitched and happy.
“Yeah, yeah.” I grumble as I head for the stairs.
I hover down the stairs without even thinking. It’s only when I find myself at the bottom that I realize what I’ve just done. Oops. I open the door and greet Mitchell, Beth, Paul and Stuart with a wide yawn.
“Hey, guys.” I say sleepily.
I leave the door open and head towards the kitchen.
“You look awful.” Beth says and giggles behind me as they follow me into the kitchen.
I hear the door close as I open the refrigerator and grab a can of Cherry Coke.
“Thanks.” I murmur as I close the refrigerator door and turn towards them.
“Someone’s been out late.” Paul notes.
I can see they all look tired too.
“Looks like I’m not the only one.” I say and take a mouthful of pop.
Stuart smiles and raises his hands. Small tongues of electricity flicker around his fingertips.
“We’ve been practicing.” Stuart says and lowers his hands.
Apart from us, the house feels quiet. Dad and Jessica must have left for work already. I drink some more and then yawn again.
“Me too.” I say and finish the rest of my drink.
I see Beth tilt her head to the side. I quickly block out any thoughts about last night. I see her eyes narrow as I toss the empty can into the trash. I smile knowingly at her and she frowns back at me.
“So, what’s happening?” I ask as I reach up with my arms and stretch.
“We’re going to the Pier. You wanna come along?” Beth said.
“Okay. But you’re buying me breakfast.” I mumble and point at Beth.
“Deal. Now go get ready.” Beth says and pulls a chair out from the oak dining table and sits down.
The others follow suit. “You’ve got five minutes. I’ll time you.” Beth says.
“No sweat.” I say and take off upstairs like a bullet.
I get changed in a few seconds, then materialize by the kitchen door in a short red plaid skirt, with a pale blue t-shirt.
“Ready.” I say.
“Wow. That was fast.” Beth grins as she gets up.
We walk the three blocks to Armitage Avenue and board the L train near Bissell Street. We continue through until we find an empty car and sit down. A yawn escapes as I settle into my seat and look out the window. Mitchell sits down next to me and I can’t help smiling. I catch Beth looking at me curiously from the corner of my eye.
“So, where are you gonna buy me breakfast?” I ask her, to break her concentration.
I’m trying really hard to not think about last night, but it’s not easy.
“Hmm. Well, if I’m buying, then how about Auntie Anne’s?” Beth replies.
“A pretzel? Wow, I didn’t know you were so cheap.” I joke.
“Okay, well, I could possibly push to a Twisted Lizard.”
“That’s more like it.” I grin back. Mmm, I could do with a good Burrito.
“So, what did you get up to last night, then?” Paul asks Mitchell as he sits across from us.
“You’ll see later.” Mitchell answers and merely smiles enigmatically.
The train rattles along at a leisurely pace for a while before it slows down as it pulls into a station. The train slowly pulls away after a minute or two, then picks up speed again. After only a few minutes my head suddenly explodes in pain and I hear a loud ringing in my ears. I clutch my head with both hands. It lasts for a split second, then the pain and the ringing in my ears is gone.
What the hell was that?
“Are you okay?” Mitchell and Beth ask me.
I feel Mitchell’s warm hand on my shoulder.
“I don’t know. But I’ve got a bad feeling.” I reply.
“What is it?” Paul asks and leans forward.
I turn and look out the window. The buildings and streets pass us by swiftly, then start streaking past faster and faster. Everyone grabs the seats and poles to try to steady themselves as the train lurches to the left as it goes around a corner, still gathering speed. The train shakes and rocks more violently as it keeps gathering momentum. We all look at each other, suddenly realizing that something is not right.
“If this train keeps this speed up, it’s going to derail at the next turn.” Stuart says worriedly.
“Oh, great!” Paul mutters and holds on to his seat.
“Beth.” I call out to her amid the cries of alarm coming from some of the other passengers.
Beth turns and faces me. Beth, can you read the driver’s thoughts? I ask her in my head.
She looks past me. Her eyes become distant for a moment.
‘I’m not getting anything.’ She replies in my head.
Her eyes look panicked now.
‘We should take a look.’ Beth says inside my head.
“Beth, do you have your cell phone?” I ask her.
She opens her bag and grabs her phone.
“My battery’s running low.” Beth says.
“
Who else has a cell phone?” I ask the others.
“I got mine.” Paul replies and holds his up.
“Stay here. I’m gonna go check it out.” I tell them and stand up.
“Oh, you might want to back away and shield your eyes.” I warn them as I stand by the window.
They look at me in shock and bewilderment as I raise my arm back. Then they quickly move to the other side of the train. They cover their heads with their arms as I bring my right arm forward and power my fist through the window. The glass shatters into tiny fragments and wind rushes in from outside. I grab the window frame and hop out. The train hurtles away at great speed.
I take off after it and fly along the side of the train, passing panicked faces staring through the windows as I head towards the front of the train. I get to the front of the train and glide into its path as it hurtles towards me.
I spread my hands and grab the train by the door as it hits me. I hover in the air while holding on and look through one of the windows. A large balding man in a dark blue uniform is slumped over the controls. Uh oh!
I look over my shoulder. The turn is coming up. Here goes nothing.
I press my hands against the metal framework around the door and align myself horizontally. I thrust against the train gently at first, then as the buildings fly past me, I apply more and more pressure. I feel the metal under my hands starting to buckle. I can hear the train groaning in protest. I glance to my left quickly. The scenery is starting to slow down. A few seconds later and we round the bend.
The train emits a metallic whimper as it rolls slightly to my left. It balances precariously for a few seconds on one side, before it rolls back on to the tracks. The wheels spark as they make contact with the track again.
The train slows down some more and I look over my shoulder again. Uh oh, we’re approaching a platform. I notice something else too. My red plaid skirt is being blown up my back. Oh, no. I picked the wrong day to wear a skirt!
I press my head up against the door’s window and look inside. The compartment beyond the driver’s cubicle looks empty. I thrust my hands into the doorframe and rip the door off. I fly inside as we pass the station platform. I place the now ruined door on the floor. The train is starting to gather speed again. Oh, great.
I pull the driver away from the controls and set him back in his seat. I bend my head down to his chest to listen. Nothing. I feel his wrist for a pulse, but can’t find anything there either. I look down at the controls.
“Uh, oh.”
The accelerator lever is broken. Small sparks are coming from the control panel.
I try to grab what’s left of the control lever and pull it back down, but nothing happens. I take my backpack off and fish out my cell phone. I call Paul.
“Hi, Paul.”
“Where are you?” Paul asks.
“I’m with the driver. He’s slumped over the controls.” I answer. “I think he’s dead, and the controls are broken.” I add.
I hear Paul curse, then I hear him relaying what’s happened to the others. I hear raised voices, then Stuart comes on the phone.
“Britney, come back and get me. Take me to the driver.” Stuart asks urgently.
I don’t argue. I jump out of the open doorway and hover away from the tracks. I watch as the train rattles past. Our compartment is coming my way and I ready myself.
I grab the window frame and leap back inside the train.
“Stuart?” I call out.
Stuart gets up from behind one of the chairs. He staggers forward until he’s within reach. I grab his hand and pull him to me, yanking him off his feet in the process. Stuart yells in surprise, then smiles at me.
“Okay, let’s go.”
“Hold on tight.” I warn him.
I wrap my arms around him and leap out of the broken window. I take off after the train again and race towards the front. I fly into its path and slow down. I press my left hand against the train and lower Stuart through the open doorway, then hop inside and watch as Stuart looks at the control panel. He nods towards the driver.
“You’d better pick him up.” He says and holds both his hands over the controls.
He closes his eyes and bends his head in concentration. His spiky black hair begins to shiver violently. I look at his hands as they start to glow. Small tongues of lightning crackle around his fingers. His hands radiate an intense blue light and it grows in intensity. I reach down and scoop the driver from his chair and hold his limp body in my small arms.
Eww, gross. He reeks of sweat and cigarettes. I turn my head away and watch Stuart. He presses his bright glowing hands down on the control panel. The white light is absorbed into the panel and spreads through to the floor, where it disappears. My hair stands on end and I have a strange metallic taste in my mouth. Weird.
The lights on the control panel go dead, then the train starts to gradually slow down. Stuart then turns and motions for me to lay the driver on the floor. I place the man gently on the floor and step back. Stuart leans over the driver and raises his left hand. After a few seconds, his hand turns blue and I see small tongues of lightning flickering around his fingers.
He brings his hand down on to the driver’s chest and the man’s body goes rigid and is jerked upwards. Stuart leans forward and listens to his chest, then repeats the process again. After the driver’s been zapped three times, Stuart leans down and listens to his heart again. He then opens the driver’s mouth and gives him mouth to mouth for about a minute, then zaps him again. This time the driver moves. Stuart rolls him on to his side, as he starts to cough. By this time the train has coasted to a stop.
“Time to go.” I urge Stuart.
He nods and stands up. I wrap my arms around him and leap out of the train. I hold on to Stuart tightly and shoot up into the late morning sky.
“Where are we going?” Stuart asks as we ascend.
“People on the train might have seen us. We can’t go back.” I answer him and stop about eight hundred feet up.
I flip open my cell phone and dial Paul’s number again. I press the phone to my ear and wait. Stuart clings to me as we hover in the sky, looking down at the now stationary train. I can already hear sirens in the distance approaching.
“Thanks for stopping the train, you guys. Where are you?” Paul asks when he answers.
“Just hanging out. If you look up you might see us.” I answer.
Stuart smirks and looks down. I see a small head appear out of the broken window and a small hand waves up at us. Stuart waves back and starts laughing. This is so surreal.
“The emergency services are on their way, so just sit tight. We can’t come back. I’m pretty sure people would have seen me. The driver probably saw us as we left. We’ll meet you at the Pier, in the food court, okay?”
“Alright, dudes.” Paul replies and hangs up.
I see some fire engines pulling up beneath the train. I wonder if my dad’s with them?
“Okay, let’s go.” I say and climb higher into the clear blue sky.
“So, how long have you been able to do this?” Stuart asks calmly as we fly over the city, heading southeast towards the lake.
“Since last night” I reply as we fly over Lake Michigan.
“By the way, what you did back there was SO cool. You saved that driver’s life, Stuart. You’re a hero!” I tell him and ruffle his spiky hair with my free hand.
“I’m pretty limited in what I can do with it though. Not like you.” He replies sadly.
“Well, I think you’re cool.” I add and start to descend towards the shimmering water below us.
I skim just above the surface and make a U-turn and head back towards land, spraying up water as I go. Now where would be a good place to land in broad daylight? I stop and hover over the water about two miles off shore, with Stuart holding on underneath me. His legs are wrapped around my waist and his eyes are closed tightly as he clings to me.
Hmm, there are people windsailing near the harbor wall. I
can see some jet-ski’s making waves further along. This isn’t going to be easy. I fly slowly forward, then see an opportunity over to our left. There’s only one small vessel between us and the Planetarium. I can’t see anyone on the path that encircles the building either. Okay, here goes.
“Hang on tight, Stuart.” I warn him and laugh at his worried expression.
I then take off like a rocket towards the Planetarium. Water sprays up behind us in our wake as I cover the few miles in a second. I land gently on the pathway and set Stuart down.
“Uhhh.” Stuart groans. He staggers over to the wall and steadies himself with one hand.
I look behind us. The white foam left in my wake is starting to fade slowly.
“Wait here a few minutes, and then follow after me.” I say and walk calmly along the path and head for the parking area.
I head all the way through the parking lot and wait on the sidewalk for Stuart.
“Well, that went well.” Stuart says calmly as he walks over and stands beside me.
A healthy color has now returned to his face.
“Was that good for you?” I chuckle. “Come on.”
I cross the road and head towards the Aquarium.
“You know, for someone who can’t get their head around Physics, you sure learned quickly on how to break their laws.” Stuart says and laughs.
Cosmic Girl Rising Up Page 10