by Alana Siegel
He looked over at me apologetically and said, “I’m sorry, Olivia. I never should have kissed you. Justin really likes you, and he is pissed.” My heart sunk because I knew he was right. I didn’t have feelings for Cliff. I wanted to run away and never speak or think again of the kiss that we shared.
Max stormed toward me, “Why did you did that, Olivia?! You ruined everything!” He screamed at me.
My embarrassment turned to anger, and my insides boiled. Max was still playing the victim. “Did you want Cliff to die? Or are you mad that the same day I rejected you, I kissed Cliff instead?” I shouted back. I knew we were making a scene, but I was furious. This was his fault.
Chelsea appeared a few feet away from us. I didn’t hear her approach, and I didn’t remember seeing her a few seconds ago. I realized she had been standing nearby the entire time, invisible. The look on her face was so accusing that her eyebrows created deep creases on her forehead.
I had a sinking feeling in my chest that she heard the entire conversation. She covered the distance between us quickly. I debated running, but decided that was cowardly.
“Rejected you?! Something has to be offered in order for there to be a rejection! Max, how could you do that to me?” She asked him and didn't wait for an answer before turning her rage on me.
“How could you be so selfish and shallow? There are four hundred boys in our school who are obsessing over your every move and you choose my idiot boyfriend. I hope you’re happy with him.” Before I could say anything, she was gone.
My eyes welled up with tears, but this wasn’t time for self pity. Max mumbled something about how we didn’t understand and then stamped his foot like a frustrated child and stalked toward the school.
The wind picked up as I wallowed in my sorrows. It became so fierce that the school building shook. We heard the metal frame grinding against itself. Jaime and I turned to look at the dilapidated building that Max had just entered. It swayed on the foundation, making terrible screeching sounds. The screech grew louder and then the real screaming began.
I stopped dead in my tracks to listen, and then I shrieked, “That sounds like Helen!”
* * * *
Chapter Twenty: Elste
Jaime raised her voice so it was loud enough to hear over the sound of thunder rolling through the dark clouds and rain pounding the ground. “Helen must be in the school with Max! We need to go in there after him.” The building whined in the wind.
The referees announced the game would be postponed due to the weather. It was the first time the homecoming game had been postponed in years, but the complaints from the students were hard to hear through the storm. People ran for cover, and the teachers instructed them to go to the Imperial Hall down the block for the homecoming dance.
Whatever Max was doing with his Gift in the school, the support beams for the school weren't reacting well. At this point I was so angry with him that I would have left him to endure his misery alone, but Helen was with him. I tried to comfort myself when her screaming stopped. I hoped it meant she wasn't hurt or scared.
We started to run toward the school. Jaime was fast. She made her way to the swaying building first and pressed all her weight against it. Her face was contorted from the effort. She struggled for a minute as I helplessly watched.
I knew my Gift was useless if I had to keep the building from falling, but with Jaime’s Gift, she was fully capable. I was sure of it. Eventually, the metal beams stopped screeching.
She wasn't leaning on the wall for long before a new obstacle stood in our way. Mr. Rowling appeared at the entrance to the school. Rain drops slid down his bald head and into his eyes. He looked shaken by the abrupt change in weather, but determined to protect his students.
I saw him glance toward Jaime. When he didn’t say anything I knew he didn’t want to believe what his eyes saw, and instead he convinced himself that Jaime was merely leaning against the building rather than holding it up. Luckily, the downpour made the absurd reality fuzzy.
“Girls, this storm is supposed to get worse. I would prefer if all students stayed together.” In addition to her herculean effort to balance a massive structure, Jaime glanced at me and nodded. I knew what her cue meant. Mr. Rowling was kind-hearted, but his defenses to my Gift were weak. If we needed a quick entry, I had to concentrate.
“Good evening, Mr. Rowling. You look very handsome tonight.” I flashed him my brightest smile, feeling my Gift grow inside. He blushed immediately. One corner of his mouth displayed the lopsided grin that I was hoping for.
I shifted my weight in order to angle myself in his viewpoint and block him from watching Jaime. It worked, and Mr. Rowling followed my change in position until his back was facing Jaime.
The urgency of the situation seemed to ignite Jaime's Gift even more. From the corner of my eye I saw her arms stretch to an unbelievable length, pull a minivan from the parking lot, and lean it against the sagging school wall.
“We never get to see you let your hair down and relax,” I said to Mr. Rowling and gave him a quick wink for good measure.
A loud thud temporarily distracted him when Jaime dropped another car against the wall. I took one step toward him and put my hand on his arm to turn his attention back to me. Looking like a lovesick school boy, Mr. Rowling looked down at his feet and played with his tie. We were running out of time, I could no longer see Max’s red hue down the hall.
“We were just going to the bathroom. We’ll be right back, Mr. Rowling. I promise.” Mr. Rowling just nodded his head, still playing with his tie. I knew where Max was headed. I needed to get to Ms. Magos’s secret room, and fast. I scooted past a numb Mr. Rowling and down the hall.
Jaime amplified my concern when she joined me in the hallway a few seconds later. “Is the building going to fall on us?” I asked frantically. She shook her head confidently like she wasn't worried that we might get crushed by a million tons of steel and cement.
“I leaned a bunch of cars and trucks against the north end. No big deal,” she said, flashing a grin and then returning her concentration to the hallway in front of us.
We made it to Ms. Magos’s classroom. The door to the closet was already open, and the books were thrown aside. I could feel the buzz of a Gift radiating from the room.
We cautiously peeked through the doorway. Max was inside, but Helen was nowhere in sight. There must be another classroom or closet that he shoved her in. We needed to hurry.
Silently, we made our way toward Max. His red hue was glowing strongly. He sat in the middle of the room, looking tired and lonely. For a brief second, I felt sorry for him.
I held my breath, but the floor creaked and gave us away. Max turned around and saw us standing behind him. He became furious. A blaze appeared behind us, forcing us in his direction. I already wished I was back outside.
Then my own anger spiked. I thought about the way Max abused Cliff, caused needless fights with Chelsea, mocked me, threw verbal punches, and continuously reminded me that I hurt him. I was sick of it. I was sick of all of it.
I needed Max to hear how I felt. I got in his face and shouted, “It’s over, Max! The world doesn’t revolve around you! I won't let you manipulate my friends, and I refuse to be plagued by your troubles!” The fire blazed behind us, forcing us closer together.
Max looked me in the eyes and said calmly, “You don’t understand, Olivia; we are all in trouble.” His tone caught me off guard. Something about it told me to be careful.
An evil villain's cackle erupted from the front of the room. I finally realized we weren’t alone. Two men stood on the old metal desk at the front of the room. Their authoritative stance made them appear older and confident, but when I took a closer look at their faces, I realized they were only a few years older than I was.
Bright colors emanated from them, and I noted that it was their Gifts that filled the room. Max wasn’t creating the fire that surrounding us.
I reminded myself that they were outnumbered, and t
hen a female passed by us to join them, exuding a crisp apple scent. Was it time to panic?
Like a trio out of a fantasy movie or mannequins at a comic book store, the three of them stood perfectly still, surveying their surroundings. Their clothes looked expensive, but resembled a superhero’s uniform with capes and special shoes intertwined with everyday wear like jeans and T-shirts.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t what scared me. The part that was unsettling was that they all stared at me like I was a prize or a delicious slice of meat.
Jaime moved to the front of our little group. Despite being surrounded by fire, she seemed excited, like, at that moment, everything became clear to her.
“You are Prometheus's collection of the Gifted, aren’t you?” She asked. The serious-looking guy with greenish-blue eyes walked forward. He seemed to be in charge of the little group of Gifted and his Gift emanated a blue glow. The others looked to him for direction.
“You are correct. Prometheus calls me Horus.” He turned to the athletic looking male on his right and introduced him as “Ikos,” then he motioned to the petite blonde on his left and called her, “Hadean.”
They looked like guards to me, but both flashed a smile as if this was a friendly introduction.
Horus's facial expression never changed. He continued, “Prometheus hand selected us to be a part of his honored inner circle of luxury and glory,” he said with pride.
“Each of you are from a different Gifted family?” Jaime asked, intrigued. She seemed especially interested in Ikos and stared at him intently.
Finally catching up to the conversation, I realized where I heard their names before. Justin had used them to explain the constellations in the sky. I guess Prometheus wanted to feel like he had collected the actual mythical figures so he called them by their Gifted family's name. Prometheus removed their unique human identity. How terrible.
“He is looking for someone from the Elste Gifted family to complete the collection, am I right?” Jaime asked. Her research was paying off, but I wasn't sure I liked where the conversation was heading.
“Yes, there are very few descendents of the Elste family left, and their Gift is the most influential,” Horus confirmed.
“And you came here because Ms. Magos said she would prove that she found a descendent,” Jaime said focusing her attention on Horus once again and emphasizing her words with a slight accusation in her voice. Perhaps he understood who held the power, because Horus didn’t seem fazed.
“Yes, and the test was very successful,” he replied.
“She purposely put Cliff in danger because she knew Olivia would try to stop him!” Jaime shouted incredulously. Ms. Magos put Cliff in danger and she knew I would try to stop him? What was Jaime talking about?
Max jumped in. He grabbed both of my arms, and said, “I’m sorry, Liv. I was only trying to protect you. I thought I could combat every flash of lightning she threw at Cliff. I didn’t want you to use your Gift and expose who you were.”
I stared at Max, confused about what he was telling me. It felt like my brain wasn't working fast enough. “You knew Ms. Magos was trying to hurt Cliff?”
He was already nodding his head. “And I knew that if you saw Cliff in danger, you would try to save him. You have a big heart.” He gave me an empty smile. “Liv, I saw the way you controlled the crowd and brought Cliff down the pole safely. I know I sometimes have a strange way of showing it, but I’m so proud of you. I just wish you hadn't come to the game at all. Then we could have avoided all of this.”
“What are you talking about? All you ever do is pick on me,” I said, thinking of the misery he put me through. I could see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes, and it made me sad. I felt guilty realizing I had blamed him for causing the near disaster with Cliff when he was the one trying to protect him.
“I'm sorry you think that. I will always care for you, whether or not you are my girlfriend. I agreed to the Gifted Program to watch over you.” He bowed his head in defeat. I knew Max was telling the truth. He had turned into the brotherly figure I had longed for months ago. His reactions were impulsive and irrational, but his heart was in the right place. It was his version of tough, unconditional love and support.
Then the real shocker set in. I was a descendant of the Elste family, a rare and powerful member of the Gifted. How could that be? I liked to live in other people’s shadows and blend in with the crowd. Now they were saying I was special.
I ran my fingers through my hair. Maybe I knew it the whole time? I always felt a little different, like I never fit in. I needed to be my own person and stand up for myself. Max couldn't protect me anymore. “Now that you know, what do you want?” I asked, holding on to my necklace and directing my question to Horus.
“We would like you join us,” he said, as if it would be a great honor.
“And if I don’t?” I asked. The male and female standing like guards on each of his sides seemed excited by my question. They gave me a sinister smile. I cringed and stepped back toward Max and Jaime.
“Then give us your Gifted necklace,” he said a little more forcibly.
I shook my head and said, “You can’t force me to go with you or take my necklace.”
Instead of continuing the negotiation, Horus looked to his right. I recognized the strong lemon scent immediately. Ms. Magos was standing there holding Helen in her arms. I almost walked through the flames when I realized she was bound and gagged.
As Ms. Magos brought Helen across the room, she kicked and screamed, trying to escape her captors. I could feel the blood draining from my face. Helen was being held against her will because of me. I tried so hard to guard her from being dragged into the drama, but here she was, front and center, merely because she was my best friend.
And what did I do to protect her? I kept her misinformed, with no defense. There was no way to avoid the fact that I had led her to this miserable misfortune.
“We thought you might feel that way, so we brought collateral,” he said, the tranquility of his voice making it sound extra evil. It was a bribe. They would free Helen if I went with them. I watched the tears well up in Helen’s eyes as she met mine. She stood there as a hostage on enemy lines, begging me to do something. They had me cornered.
Once again, Max came up next to me and said, “Don’t go with them, Liv. Prometheus lied to them. He offers a lifestyle of luxury and then treats them like trophies or even worse, like servants.” I inspected Max.
“How do you know this?” I asked. I could see the sadness and desperation in his eyes.
“Ms. Magos is my sister, Mandy. She came to Pandora looking for me, but when I told her about you, she realized you were a part of the Elste family. She hoped presenting you to Prometheus would earn her brownie points after running away.” I was floored. His sister? Was it possible? I guess Ms. Magos and Max’s bickering like brother and sister finally made sense.
Ms. Magos smiled brilliantly like we had just solved a hard question in her class. Her smile had an edge I had not noticed before.
“Such soft, teenage hearts. All you needed was a little attention and you all fell into the palms of my hands.” I realized she was the one creating the circle of fire that surrounded us. Just like Max's Gift, she could create fire with a single spark of lightning. She had us cornered and powerless, so she began to casually pace outside the flames, holding Helen tightly.
Ms. Magos’s devilish smile didn’t scare me as much as the circular mass of air, like a mini tornado, that began floating around the trio. It was menacing. I could tell it was created by Horus, the calm and clever leader of the group. He was adjusting atmospheric pressure to create the twister. My heart pounded in my chest.
Happy to have full power, Ms. Magos played with the elements around us. Right past the flames, lightning lit up the room on all sides of us. The flames danced closer to us. Max and Jaime looked ready to fight.
“Kynikos, control yourself. That's what got you into trouble in the first place,”
Horus reprimanded Ms. Magos.
“I know, but I've been so well-behaved and bored for months,” she complained.
The strong smell of vanilla engulfed my nostrils and in the quietest voice, an invisible Chelsea whispered to me, “Use your Gift.” I kept my face blank, silently thanking Chelsea for showing up when she did and praying that she had a plan. I just hoped she wasn't still angry with me. She seemed like my only chance.
I saw Helen's pleading eyes, and I knew what I had to do. “Ok, I'll go with you, but you have to free Helen first,” I said. I felt the tension in the room from everyone's Gift subside except for Max and Jaime. The flames disappeared, and it was exactly as I planned.
I willed my Gift to build inside me. A whiff of vanilla passed by me and a few seconds later Ms. Magos was thrown against the wall. Not realizing who hit her, she shot a fire ball at Jaime, but her agility helped her move out of the way in time.
The male and female accomplices jumped to action. Hadean, the female, started flickering and disappeared just like I'd seen Chelsea do. Ikos, the male, moved at rapid speed, jumping over three desks with ease. He looked like an army green blur in the air.
I sent my Gift in their direction, the smell of a thousand roses sweeping toward them, and I willed their attention back to me. I caught the male's attention and he stopped mid-run to give me a dazed look. I assumed I hit the invisible girl as well since Helen remained unharmed.
I hadn't sent my Gift in the direction of Horus, but he stood awed at my power. Besides watching me calm the crowd beneath Cliff on the football field, it was the first time he saw me use my Gift up close.
My Gift was an impressive power, but Ms. Magos had seen it before and was fuming. Not knowing where to channel her anger, she shot a few more fireballs at Jaime, but each time she managed to dance around the flames. The smell of lavender sifted through the dense air, but we weren't any closer to bringing Helen to safety.
The ground shook as if there was a small earthquake. Justin! The sprinklers in the ceiling turned on. All the flames were put out. Ms. Magos stomped her foot like a child. Jaime scooped up Helen and we all ran for the door.