by Andy Kaiser
“What was that for?”
He reached towards me again. I flinched, but this time he only grabbed me by the shoulder. He pushed me sideways and turned me to face the smeared letter T.
“Do it now!” He said. “While you're still mad at me! Think about moving the sand!”
I did. I thought about the sand. I visualized the movement and concentrated on getting the sand to move out of my way. I tried to refocus my anger away from Zack. It became a silent mental scream directed at the beach.
The sand moved.
It flowed even faster than before. More grains were blown up the beach by the force of my invisible wind. As soon as I realized what was happening - that I was the cause of this incredible thing – I lost focus. My anger slid into amazement and the sand stopped moving.
The feeling was really strange and hard to describe. But when my brain was revved up, spinning in high gear, hyper-focused on something – like being mad at Zack – I could feel things in my mind. I felt like I was touching each individual piece of sand. It felt as if there were invisible tiny tentacles reaching out from my head - all of them were really weak, but when they worked at the same time, they could move things. Barely.
“That's it!” Zack was elated and slapped me on the back while we stared at the now well-mixed sand. “When you get mad, you can move stuff just by thinking about it!”
This made no sense. But somehow, Eena knew about it already. She'd told me to practice moving the sand. I guess that's what I did.
Eena. She was the key to this whole thing. And there was something bigger than what was happening here with Zack and me. Something more important. Some big problem where Eena needed me. Where she needed me to practice this strange power I'd suddenly developed.
I remembered her asking for help. She'd looked so strong, but her eyes were so worried. I didn't know what could scare her. Even though she was short, she was tough. Stronger than I was for sure.
But she'd asked. She needed me. I'd meet her again tonight and find out what was going on.
I'd help her. I had to help her.
Zack continued, “This is so cool! Think of what we could do!”
“What do you mean?” I was still dazed, trying to understand what had happened, what Eena wanted me to do, and why.
“Enough with moving little grains of sand, Ty. Let's crank you up a level.”
“I still don't get it.” I looked at him blankly.
Zack took a step away from me and gestured at himself.
“Let's see how well you do with people.”
Chapter 12
Lone Wolf Lodge had it all, assuming you liked being outdoors. They had playgrounds for younger kids, outside food areas and cool tree-covered hangouts for the older kids, and family stuff like mini-golf, a petting farm, horseback riding, and of course the beach. The lake was perfect – good waves and the perfect temperature. Cool enough to push back the heat from the sun, but warm enough so that you never got cold.
Normally, Zack and I would be all over that stuff. But not now. We had work to do.
We'd worn our swimsuits. Zack stripped off his shirt and headed out into the water. I did the same.
According to Zack, our goal was a floating dock out in the deeper water. It was a large square base attached to something like a dozen barrels. A long chain kept it anchored down at the bottom of the lake so it wouldn't drift away.
A diving board was mounted on top of the platform. It had a short ladder and the board itself extended maybe five feet above the water.
“Uh, Zack.”
We were swimming now, heading out to the platform. Zack turned back to face me. He grinned and kept moving.
I didn't know what he was thinking, but just to be on the safe side I decided to be worried.
“Okay,” Zack said as we arrived at the platform. “You stay here.”
“No problem,” I gasped. I grabbed at the side of the platform. The act of swimming out here at Zack-speed meant I needed recovery time.
The water was over my head – by how much I couldn't tell. This was the kind of swimming I hated. I was fine in the regular swimming areas, where the sand was clean and mostly seaweed free, and you could feel the soft grains squeeze around your toes and feet.
Out here, though, I always felt uncomfortable.
I couldn't see below, so my imagination helped out. I visualized myself floating at the top of a deep lake. At the bottom of the lake were dozens – no, hundreds, or even thousands – of gently waving tendrils of seaweed. They existed only to slowly reach toward the surface, climbing through depths too deep to see, so that when they appeared you never saw them. You might feel them as they brushed against the bottoms of your feet as you treaded water, or worse, against your stomach as you swam over them.
My teachers always said I had an active imagination. Too bad it worked against me at times like this.
I shuddered. As I hung in the water, I kept my feet pulled up a little, away from any seaweed. I had to work my arms harder to keep afloat, but I figured it was better to be on the safe side. Just in case.
Zack was out of the water and dripping as the platform rolled gently over the waves.
He climbed the ladder and moved out onto the diving board. He stopped at the edge.
“Okay, Ty. I'm going to jump. I'm going to get as much air as I can. I want you to flip me.”
“What?”
“Just flip me. The way you moved the sand, do it with me. Flip me in the air. You've seen me do it before. Make it look cool, okay?”
“But-”
He took a step, bounced off the edge of the board and launched himself high into the air, arms extended.
I tried to move him. I tried to get the same feeling from just a few minutes ago, the feel of the invisible tentacles, of being able to reach and touch and move.
Nothing. Zack splashed into the water feet-first, giving me a look of frustration as he went under.
He popped up and again climbed on to the platform.
“That didn't work,” he said.
“I know.”
“Want me to make you mad again? That seemed to help before.”
“No thanks.” My chest still hurt from where he'd punched me.
“Okay,” he said. “Let's try it one more time.”
If Zack could hit me once, he could do it again. I didn't want to have our brotherly friendship turn into me having to get mad every time I did whatever it was I did. There had to be another way. I hoped there was another way.
Zack launched himself again. As he flew through the air, he yelled, “Now!”
I kicked out and down to keep myself upright in the water.
Seaweed licked against my foot.
My revulsion was so strong I reacted instinctively. I immediately drew up both legs into a fetal position, keeping as much of my body as close to the surface as I could. The slimy, disgusting brush of the seaweed in this deep water panicked me. I knew it was a childish, embarrassing fear, but I couldn't cure it.
I was aware of Zack leaping above me. Even if I hadn't been watching him, I could sense the shape of his body as it cut through the air. Without really thinking about it, I reached out with my mind, feeling the tiny tentacles, and I pushed.
Zack's eyes went wide with fear as he rotated sideways in midair. Then he moved straight down and with a loud slap crashed face-first into the water.
Chapter 13
Zack came up spluttering and choking. He made his way to the platform and we both hung from it as he recovered.
I was scared I'd really hurt him. His face and chest were bright red where he'd flopped into the water. It looked painful. But in between coughing and spitting out water, he grinned at me.
“You did it, dude!”
“I guess so.” My heart was still pounding from the fear, of thinking I'd really done something wrong. I felt light-headed.
“You realize what this means, Ty?”
“No.”
“We could mak
e massive money! Think about what we could do! I've always wanted to get a stunt ramp for my bike. Now I could! You could help me do awesome tricks and we'd charge money for people to see it.”
He looked thoughtfully at me. “Maybe you're not the only one with this power. I wonder if that's how the pros do it. Are they really good because they're moving themselves with their minds? Or maybe they have a helper in the audience?”
“I don't know, Zack. I'm not even sure if I can do it again.”
I thought about explaining the whole seaweed thing, but decided not to. What had happened barely made any sense, even to me. Besides, I didn't want him to know I was scared of something like seaweed. All I wanted to do right then was lie down somewhere and rest.
“Okay, fine. Then think of all the people you could impress. I'll bet Emily Dowers would fall all over you if you showed her what you can do!”
“What, slam her face-first into the water?”
He rolled his eyes. “No, man! You've got something special! Everyone's going to want to know you. Everyone will want to find out what you can do. They'll want to see amazing things. They'll think you're incredible!”
I didn't want any of that. This power wasn't something to mess around with. It shouldn't be put on display like a circus act. I didn't know what it meant or what I was supposed to do with it, but I had a pretty good idea of what I didn't want to do.
As for Emily Dowers, something told me that would not be a good idea. She'd told me to get a haircut or do sports, and then maybe she'd be interested in me. Showing off with this new power was about the same, wasn't it? If I had to change myself to make her like me, it wasn't worth it.
“I don't know. I don't think I want any of that.”
Zack barely heard me. His eyes were far away as he thought about the possibilities. He was planning something.
“Zack...”
The tone in my voice caught his attention.
I felt sick. Dizzy.
“Hey, you don't look so good. Your face is white.”
I wished he hadn't said that, because it made me feel even worse. I coughed and gagged and felt like I was going to throw up. I tasted something disgusting in the back of my throat.
Zack didn't say another word. He grabbed my arm and swam. We headed back to the shore, back where I could touch. Even though I was still half in the water, my legs felt wobbly.
I made it up to the beach. As I felt dry sand crunch under my feet, I collapsed.
“Ty!”
Through closed eyes, I could hear Zack from far away, like he was calling to me from down a dark tunnel.
Even though I knew I was on the beach, I felt like I was sinking. Down, as if I were being pulled back into the lake. Back to the seaweed, the disgusting mass of tangled plants that I didn't want to be anywhere near. I felt like I was dropping into them, farther down, until I felt like I was resting on the lake bed, sinking slowly into greasy, thick muck.
I imagined strands of seaweed encircling me in a freakish hug, like being tickled by thousands of oil-soaked leaves. They swarmed around me, then reached up and grew, like skinny, freakishly long arms that could reach from one world into another. A circle of light floated above me in a wavy, waterlogged view.
This power I'd discovered, these mental tentacles were a piece of me now, just another body part. Like my arms and hands, but way more special. They were my only way of touching another world, a world no one else could get to. Not Zack. Not my parents. Just me.
...and Eena?
I thought about her as Zack's voice moved farther away. I receded deeper into the tunnel and my brother's voice became no more than a soft, echoing whisper.
Then I didn't think about anything at all.
Chapter 14
I opened my eyes.
I was sitting in a doctor's office. It had that look about it. Everything was white. The table I was on was covered with a long strip of heavy paper that crunched under my legs as I moved them. The room itself had that sharp, medicinal, just-been-cleaned smell.
In front of me – all looking very concerned – were Zack, my mom and a woman I didn't know.
I swallowed something sweet and pulpy. Orange juice.
The woman held out a small cup to me.
“Take another sip, Tyler. Slowly, not too much.”
I did.
I felt better. I could feel energy flowing back into my body. I was no longer dizzy, no longer wobbly.
“My poor Tyler! I should've been more careful!” Mom said. She threw her arms around me in a big hug.
“I'm fine, Mom.”
“Tyler,” the woman said as my mom pulled away. “I'm Dr. Imani, one of the staff doctors at Lone Wolf Lodge. Tell me how you're feeling.”
“I'm okay. A little tired, I guess.”
“I'd like to run a couple tests on you. Verify there are no chronic issues.” She turned to my mom, who looked worried. “Mrs. Ford, this probably isn't anything serious, but it's good just to make sure. It does look like he has a bug bite – there's a rash on his back. But I think Tyler was just outside and got too much sun. He may have been dehydrated.”
“Of course.Of course. I should've made sure he had more water.”
“Mom.”
I looked helplessly at Zack, who just shrugged and gave me an uncomfortable half-smile.
“From what your brother tells me, Tyler, I think what you experienced was just too much sun and not enough food.”
“We ate a big breakfast,” Zack said, confused. “It was just a couple hours ago. I'm still not hungry.”
“I had two bowls of cereal,” I said.
“Hm. You may have been dehydrated,” Dr. Imani said. “Without enough to drink-”
“And I had like four glasses of milk,” I said.
I saw my mom getting mad. Her eyes got big and her mouth pressed into a flat line. She thought I was fighting science or something, as if I said the doctor was wrong. And maybe I was, but I was also telling the truth. I did have a big breakfast. I always do.
A strange thing, though. I actually did feel hungry.
Dr. Imani laughed. “Then I think you'll be fine, Tyler. But I really want to take some blood and just make sure there's nothing else wrong, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Oh, dear.Oh, no.” My mom put a hand over her mouth. The anger had dissolved. Tears brimmed in her eyes.
“Geez, mom.” This was getting more embarrassing by the second.
“Mrs. Ford, perhaps you could wait outside with Zack?” Dr. Imani said. “This will just take a moment.”
Zack nodded at me before he and my mom left the room. Dr. Imani got ready whatever tools she needed to take blood. I tried not to look at anything too closely. I think she could tell I was uncomfortable, because she kept me talking.
“Lone Wolf Lodge is a big camp, but I'm still expected to do the easy stuff, too.” She laughed again. “Have you ever had your blood drawn?”
“I think so, but it was when I had pneumonia a long time ago. I don't really remember it.”
“Well, then I'll make it easy for you. I'm pretty good.”
I swallowed and looked at the wall as she came closer. I could feel my heart pounding as she held my arm and did something to it. She was still talking to me in a calm, quiet voice, but I didn't hear the words. I was just mentally tensing for the pain that was to come, the needle about to stab me in the arm and punch through skin and muscle and suck out blood and-
I reached out with the tentacles. Using them, I felt the syringe and its short little needle.
I twisted.
Dr. Imani gave a surprised cry. A moment later I heard a tiny metallic clink on the exam room floor.
The doctor froze. Then she laughed again, but this time her laugh was nervous.
“I'm sorry about that, Tyler. My fault.”
Not your fault. That was me.
She moved away to get something else from her work table. A new needle, probably.
She came back an
d took my arm.
I was feeling dizzy again, and I was really tired. The panic I felt seeped away along with my strength. I wanted to stop her from taking my blood, but I just didn't have the energy. I felt a pinch on the inside of my arm. It hurt, but in a few seconds, she'd finished and was bandaging me up. I was sweating and I felt sick.
“I don't feel good.” I said. I tipped sideways and barely caught myself.
Dr. Imani gave a tight smile and helped me lay back on the bed. She moved to the side and came back with the small cup of orange juice.
“I'd like you to take another sip of this, Tyler.”
Within seconds of taking a swallow, I started feeling better. Before Dr. Imani could stop me, I guzzled the rest of the orange juice.
“Well, that seemed to pick you up!” She was smiling happily again, though still watched me carefully. Probably making sure I wasn't going to puke.
“Yeah. I do feel better.” I was starving. My stomach made an angry noise. “Do you have anything to eat?”
She tipped her head and looked at me. She nodded. “I think we can give you something small. Let me get this sample to the lab. I'll be right back, okay? And I'll send in your mom and brother.”
A little while later I was crunching on a chocolate chip cookie and Dr. Imani was talking to my mom. I didn't catch all of what she said, but I caught a few things. The doctor said that we needed to wait a day or two for the results of the test, but she thought my “levels” were way off. I heard them talk about potassium and sodium and glucose.
I didn't understand it all, but I guess my mom did. During the conversation, she looked more and more scared. Zack just stood off to the side and looked uncomfortable. I didn't blame him.
“As for you, Tyler,” the doctor turned to me. “I know what you said you had for breakfast this morning, but your body is really behaving as if it hadn't had anything to eat. You were starving. That's why the juice and cookie helped you feel better. They gave you a quick shot of energy that your body really needed.”
“But I really did eat a lot-”
“I believe you. There are many possibilities about what could have happened. One could have been dehydration, which does present itself in your symptoms. Another could be an imbalance in your blood sugar. Possibly a diabetic condition.”