CHAPTER 5: KNOWING
“Kat!? Katara!!” Samuel howled, shaking her shoulders gently. “Oh God, what's happening to her!?”
“The poison's killing her.” Alex said, rummaging through the pantry hurriedly. “Damn! Can't find the freaking-here!” she ran back into the room, mashing dried leaves into a paste in a small bowl, mixing it with water. He looked at her hopefully, “Will that-?”
“Yes..but I'm not sure for how long..damn it I wish I was a better healer.”
“You're fine. Don't worry about it.” he looked at Katara, his eyes soft. He touched her forehead, thick with sweat. She moaned, stiffening, then relaxing slowly. She mumbled something, before slipping into the dark that consumed her.
“What's that ganna do?” he asked softly, his eyes still on Kat.
“Well, I'm working blindly..I have to only treat the symptoms..no one's ever survived this long..so I'm not sure exactly what's happening to her.”
Sammy looked worried, staring at her, eyes wide.
“What if you treat the wrong thing?”
“I won't.” she mumbled, then louder, “Tilt up her head; help me feed this to her.”
He did as he was told, slipping his hand to the back of her head, holding it gently and lifting it up. Her jaw fell open in the action, gaping blindly at nothing. Alex dished the powder out into her mouth.
“That'll find whatever's bleeding inside her..then I'll go from there.”
He cocked a brow, looking at her, “Meaning?”
She sighed, looking at him with disbelief and annoyance. “What do healers do, idiot?” she snapped. Sammy glared at her, rolling his eyes, then looked back at Kat.
“How long will it take?”
“Depends.”
“On what!?” He snarled, turning to look at her.
She smirked, “You seem annoyed.”
“This is her freaking life on the line! And you won't tell me anything I need to know! No wonder I'm annoyed!!”
She rolled her eyes, “You are in deep, Sammuel. I feel bad for you. Cause she'll never-”
Sammy's glare cut her off and she shrugged. He turned back to Kat, who had started up a coughing fit again. Her chest jerked back and forth, blood spilling across her lips, splattering across his face, his shirt and hers. Slowly her mouth started to fill with blood.
“Oh my God!” Alex yelped, “What are you doing!? She's killing herself!!”
Sammuel snapped to attention, gripping her head and lifting her up, the blood pouring onto her shirt, her legs. Tears were stinging in his eyes; don't leave me. Please, Kat..don't leave me..
Alex suddenly shoved Sammuel out of the way, gripping the back of Kat's head, placin a bowl under her mouth, her other hand on Kat's stomach. She took a shaky breath, then closed her eyes. They screamed at the same time, Alex pulling away suddenly. The bowl clattered to the ground, Kat falling limply on the ground, a sickening sound of bone against stone ringing in all their ears. Blood pooled around her. Alex was holding her hand and gasping for breath, staring at horror at Kat. Sammy running to Kat's side and lifting her into his lap.
“What the hell!?” he growled, his eyes narrowed as they fixed on Alex's face. She continued to gasp, and didn't say anything. She fell to her knees, bowing her head and intwining her fingers. She whispered frantically.
“What are you doing!? What's going on! She's dying! Heal her!”
Alex didn't lift her head.
Kat started to grow still.
Realization dawned on him.
“No..oh God..no.”
“...Do not let the wicked go unpunished...and heal those who have grown sick..”
“Save her! Why can't you save her!”
“Her heart is too weak.”
His face fell, all thoughts washed away. Alex looked up to Kat, her eyes pained. “She doesn't have the will to live for much longer. Say what you have to say to her, Sammuel. The poison's already made it to her heart. She's basically gone now.” she looked at his face, swallowing, touching his hand. “I'm so sorry...there's nothing I can do.”
“No.” he gasped. His world came wheeling to a stop, and he lifted the still Kat so her head was under his chin. He held her close, closing his eyes, his shoulders shaking. Alex got up slowly, walking away silently.
“I'm so sorry.” he whispered, his fingers stroking her hair. “I wish this didn't happen to you..I'm so sorry.”
A shadow fell upon him, a dark figure at the corner of his eye. He paused, looking over at it. A long cloak shielded all of the figure's skin, a hood casting the face in an eclipse.
“I can save her.” said the dark, deep voice. The stolid tone, giving nothing of his intentions.
“Who are you!?” Sammy demanded, holding Kat protectively as if she still needed it.
“A doctor. She's dying. Any longer you delay she'll be too far gone to be healed.”
He looked at Kat in his arms, his eyes worried, concerned, suspicious. He nodded slowly, “Please.”
The cloak knelt next to them, a sleeve digging into the insides of it's dark depths under the folds of fabric, then pulled out a small vile, lifted her pant leg to see the wound, then poured the contents onto it. Smoke rose, smell of burning skin hanging in the air, the wound starting to knit together. He stared at it, his mouth dropping open.
“Oh my God...how did you-”
“It will take a few days for her to heal completely. Take care of her.”
Sammy looked at him, his brow furrowed. “How did you know where the gun wound was?”
The figure turned the black hood towards him, then was gone. Sammuel blinked, staring at the empty air the shadow was just kneeling in. Kat coughed once again, but this time he was relieved. It was a sign of life.
She woke as if she were being roused in the middle of the night after only a few hours of sleep. Her head was fuzzy and she continuously fell into sleep before being jolted away by the slightest change in her surroundings; someone moving upstairs, someone speaking in whispers, someone closing the blinds. She didn't know what she had gotten herself into-she couldn't remember why she was here, or why her leg was covered in dried blood. She couldn't remember any of that. She also couldn't remember why she felt like she had just thrown up.
She sat up slowly, her head spinning, her body swaying in the effort. A hand touched her back, and another her collar bone.
“Easy,” a female voice said, warning her. Katara finally roused enough energy to send her senses out, the slight vibrations going up through the body before her and being sent out to be able to 'see' the room around her. The girl before her was a healer (the one that had survived, perhaps?). She wasn't much older than Kat and sat worried next to her, supporting Kat's weight in her hands as she sat up. Kat smiled faintly, “Hi.” her voice was hoarser than she had expected, her throat so dry that it felt as if a desert had made it's home there. She imagined a lizard crawling out of her throat and shivered, pushing the thought away.
“Water.” she asked, sticking to one word each time she spoke. The pain of speaking was unbearable. The girl nodded, then stood, hesitating, then walking out of Kat's sense of range. She wasn't strong enough to see out of the room yet, and even that was a stretch. She felt a form enter the room, the build of the person and the walk familiar. A smile split her face. “Sammy?” she croaked.
“Hey.” he said softly, coming to her side. He sat next to her, his head tilted so that she guessed he was looking at the floor, and fidgeted with his hands. She stopped herself from inquiring-after all, she shouldn't be able to know what he was doing. She leaned back against the couch again, laying on her side so that she faced him. “What..happened?” she asked in a tiny voice, wincing at the pain. Where was that water?
“You uh..don't remember anything?”
The muscles in his mouth twitching before finishing the sentence told her he was going to say something else, but she kept her mouth shut, shaking her head instead. She tapped her throat and rasped, “Hurts.”
He smiled faintly, “But do you?”
She nodded, and made a motion with her hand to say “kinda”. As she moved her hand again the vibrations went up through his chest, his lungs heaving a silent release of breath and he shrugged, rubbing his forehead. There was somethings he didn't want to tell her if she couldn't remember. She made some motions with her hand-the few words she knew in sign language.
“What is it?” she signed. He wasn't looking but the motion caught his eye. He asked her to say it again. She repeated it, “What's wrong?” Being her closet friend he had learned how to understand her in this state. He shook his head, “Nothing. Don't worry bout it. Can you sign what you remember?” His voice betrayed his feelings. Something was definitely wrong. She let out a groan, wishing a moment later that she hadn't. Where was that water!?
“No,” she signed, “Too many..” she paused to think, then finished, “Words.”
He nodded, glancing away from her. She rubbed her temples, swinging her legs over the couch. If the water wasn't coming to her, she was going to it. Sammy looked shocked, standing quickly.
“Kat, I don't think that's such a-”
She waved him away, shaking her head. “Fine.” she murmured, pushing herself up. The world spun wildly, and her erratic steps gave her only glimpses of the room. A couch to her right, table to her left, and-what the hell is that!?
“Kat-wait!” But it was too late. Her foot went into some sort of liquid, still slightly warm. She jumped back and stumbled onto the table, glass cracking under her sudden weight. Wasn't that just great? Luckily she managed to stay pretty safe, Sammy gripping her wrist before she fell to hard on the table and whipped her back up.
“What was that!?” she hurriedly signed, facing him.
“Um..soup.”
If she could, she'd blink in confusion.
“Soup?” she breathed, not knowing the word in sign language.
“Yes. Soup. Sit back down and I'll clean it off your foot.”
“Ohmygod did she just-” gasped a voice just out of the room.
“Step into the soup? Yeah. She did. Sorry bout that. She's blind and all.”
Kat tried not to snarl at him. She hated when he said that. She sat nonetheless, however, pointing sightly off to the side of the table and a bit too low.
“Crack.” she whispered.
“Oh. Right, sorry bout that, Alex. She kinda broke your table.”
Alex, the healer, at last stepped into the room with the glass of water. Her tense muscles, clenched jaw, and increased pulse told Kat she wasn't to pleased. But hey, she thought smugly to herself, she was blind after all.
Alex walked to Kat's side and jammed the cup into her hand so that a few drops hit Kat's stomach, drenching it. As she breathed her thanks, she found the shirt somewhat stiff and unwilling to move. She reached to the side and a bit too high of Sammy, feeling out for him even though she knew exactly where he was. He touched her hand, “Yes?”
She signed, “What is this?” and touched her shirt. Something stained her hand when she did so and she raised it to her nose and sniffed it.
She would know that smell anywhere.
Blood.
Speaking of which..the smell of blood was everywhere. Overwhelming, even. How could she have not noticed it before? It's all over her, in that strange bowl-
She went tense.
She took a gulp of water as Alex and Sammy were mouthing things like, “What can was say?” “I dunno, you decide!” “I ain't some specialist on this! You are!” “I'm not her friend!”
“I stepped in blood!?” she hollered out with her knew found voice. Her voice was wild, making up for the lack of wild eyes. Both of them froze.
“Uh..” they said in unison, glancing at each other.
“Who's is it!?” She demanded, taking another great gulp to keep her throat from being dry.
“Um..” the two said, becoming nervous.
“Who's. Is. It!?” she growled, crossing her arms.
“Oh, to hell with it!” Alex cried, throwing up her arms. Sammy waved his hands, trying to tell her to stop it. Alex ignored him, “It's yours. You've thrown it up and have been bleeding all over my couch.”
Kat shot her a wannabe glare. “Well, I'm terribly sorry to intrude. Would you have rather me bleed all over your carpet? Oh, no, I don't think you'd like that at all. Maybe outside, if that'd convenience you better.”
Alex scowled, “At least I didn't let you die!”
“Yeah? Well I hope I didn't get your hands bloody.” she hissed back. She gulped her water again, draining it.
Sammy rubbed his forehead, cutting Alex off quickly, “Alright. That's enough. Kat, she did save you.”
She grumbled something dark under her breath and lay back on the bed. After a sigh, she finally apologized.
“I'm sorry. I've got a killer headache. And I'm obviously low on blood. Dunno if that affects me at all though.” she shrugged and rubbed her temple. What she wouldn't say is that she actually was lying. She just knew too much bout the girl than anyone should.
Sammy leaned forward and touched Kat's foot gently with a cloth, causing her to flinch, not expecting to be touched. He smiled kindly, “Sorry, just washing your foot.”
She relaxed slowly, nodding. “Alright. Thanks.”
Alex leaned against the table's legs, the glass glistening with new found divisions. Then the door flew open and someone shouted for Alex. Her face went white. There was a stumble and Sammy stopped rubbing the blood off Kat's foot. He instead stared at the door that was somewhere out of Kat's sight.
“Dhamnvigs drewmeh owt..again.” mumbled a deep voice. Kat sucked in a breath and extended her senses, the vibrations exiting the room with a flick of her wrist, crawling up the man who couldn't stand steady. A glass bottle was clenched in his hand, liquids swashing around loudly enough a deaf person could even make it out. Her face distorted with disgust when she found he wore no shirt, he was unshaven, and his posture was aggressive. She suddenly took back everything she had thought and said about Alex.
“Dad. Have you been drinking?”
“Nohnofyer business!” he howled, stumbling into the room they all sat in. He took a drink and pointed with the bottle to Sammy and Kat.
“Who'stis den?”
“Kids from school dad.” Alex's heart rate had increased drastically, her hands fidgeting in her lap. “They, um..came over to uh..help me with homework.”
“Oh?” he took another drink. “Teh tablez'roken.” he slurred. It was a miracle Alex could make out his words, Kat had the strain just to make out half.
“Um..yes-”
“Wuzant dahquestion! Who'rokeit!?”
Alex was stuck in her silence, trying to work up enough courage to face her father, when Kat spoke up, standing up and positioning herself squarely before him.
“I did, sir.”
He took another drink, “Diyounow? A perttywiddle dingwikeyou? Whazdat alloweryershirt?”
Damn, she cursed bitterly to herself.
“Paint, sir.” she said quickly, barely catching his words as Alex looked up at her in shock.
“You'rokemhy taublewhie?” Another drink. The liquid was almost gone. “Andwhazatoveryour eyes, gerl? Taukeit oph.”
“I did not mean to break it,” she said after a pause to understand him. “And I cannot take it off, Mr...?”
“Mstr.Gahnawheatyer-”
“Dad?”
“Wot!?” he howled, turning to face her. Kat stiffened; he was getting more and more aggressive.
“Can I talk to you?”
He scowled, turning and striding out of the room. Alex stood and walked after him, fidgeting again. Screams and shouts came from the other room and Kat struggled to sit down and send out her senses that far. Sammy touched her hand, “Why'd you do that?”
She didn't answer, to intent in trying to make out the two in the room a few doors down were saying. Then a hand hit a cheek and a young, teenage girl fell to the floor. Kat shot up, walking to the door and pulling it open.
“Bathroom?” she asked, and if she had eyes they would be narrowed angrily at her 'father'. Not much of a father she thought. The man threw the bottle at her and she ducked under it expertly. She was able to tell by his stance, his shift in weight, where he was going to throw it. His eyes widened, “Howtehhell-!?”
“Does your daughter not go to a school for specials?”
He shot Alex a meaningful glare, “HOWDAWRE YO-”
“Mom has me go!” she cried out quickly, shielding her face as a blow was to come down on her. His hand caught suddenly on fire. The man let out a less-than-fatherly scream and held his hand, trying to blow it out. Sammy now stood next to Kat, shaking his head.
“You are not much of a father. You hit your own daughter?”
“Sheh dehservesit! Nohw gehowtove familyahffhairs!” he hollered, swinging to hit Sammy. Sammy gripped his fist and shook his head, holding his hands behind his back and holding a phone to the father's ear.
“Get all that, officer?” Sammy asked.
“Yes, sir. We'll be right down.”
Click.
Sammy cocked an eyebrow at the man who started to shout and yell, thrashing about.
“Ghetophmeh youdahmned bohy!”
Kat kneeled next to Alex as she began to heal her own wounds. Kat touched her cheek softly, “I'm so sorry. How long has this gone on?”
“Since the divorce.” she replied just above a whisper.
“How long ago was that?”
Alex hesitated, tears starting to flow down her cheeks. “F-four y-years ag-go.” Then full out sobbing. Kat embraced her tightly, rubbing her back gently, “Shh..shh..everything will be alright now. Don't you worry. Everything will be better. Did your mother know?”
“I n-never t-told her...he-he said he'd hurt h-her t-too.”
Kat smiled sadly, nodding. “Alright. Alright, shh. Don't you worry about it. Things'll get better.”
Sirens came into ear-shot and the father broke out of Sammy's strong grip, and ran out. Alex cried harder, and Kat shouted, “Watch him, Sammy! Keep the phone with you!”
He nodded and ran out.
Kat hugged Alex tighter, “See? Everything will be fine.”
She nodded and slowly stopped crying, smiling at Kat. “T-thanks. How d-did you know we were h-here?”
Kat paused, then answered quickly, “My hearing's better than most.” She smiled and Alex accepted the response.
“Thank y-you. That was very kind..and brave,” she added.
Then a shot rang through the silence that followed. Alex's father, later named as a John, was shot in the arm. He laid in his own blood spiked with alcohol for minutes before the police found him.
He was dead within seconds.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4: CHANCE
She could hear herself screaming. But was it real? Or was it her imagining things again? Katara's throat was sore from the scream, but she couldn't stop it. There was a burning pain raging through her body, ripping apart her throat, her lungs, her leg. She could feel herself fall back and slipped into the darkness again. Her mother came into her view. Or was it a vision? Her mother held her hand out to her, smiling.
“Come along dear. Time to see the doctor.”
It was one of her routine trips to the doctor. Katara watched silently as she, three years old, took her mother's hand and was lead through a small hallway of her house. Her father was in the car, feet up, looking about to fall asleep. Katara grinned, running up to his open door and shook his arm.
“Wake up daddy! Wake up!”
Her dad smiled, looking at her tiredly. He yawned, then motioned to the back seat. “Alright, alright, I'm up. Get in the back seat...sweetheart.”
That word always seemed tacked on. She hadn't noticed that before. She followed herself to the car, sitting in the back as her younger form got in the small car seat, her mother buckling her in, then her father driving off as her mother sat in front with him.
“Are they going the check my eyes again?” young Katara asked, fumbling with a small toy in her hands. Her mother glanced at her father, then nodded, “Yep.”
“What about this time?”
“Just to see if they're okay.”
She nodded, not looking up from the small toy she was holding. They pulled out of the driveway, then stopped, being parked in the doctors parking lot. Katara looked around, the house gone, now surrounded by the city, tall buildings of cement. She blinked, then stood in a hallway, watching herself as a young girl of three being lead through a pair of large doors. She followed herself in, her parents sitting in the chairs on either side of the large table-like bed. Katara watched as she was lifted up onto the table, looking around the room.
“Lay down dear, the doctor will be in soon.”
Young Katara nodded, laying back and handing the small toy to her mother. Her mother sighed, taking the toy and putting it in her purse. The doctor came in, smiling at young Katara.
“Hello, Kat.”
She smiled, “Hey Dr. Vain.”
“How are those eyes of yours?”
“Good!”
“Well, we'll make sure. Close your eyes.”
Everything went black. When she woke again, the room was still black. She groaned, “Mom?”
There was a sobbing sound, “Oh Katara..I'm so..I'm so sorry.”
“What?”
“The doctors..they..your eyes..they don't work.”
She could feel her shoulders slump. “No,” she breathed. “Oh God no.”
Everything had changed. She was no longer watching her memory, she was inside it. She was in her small body, but with the same mind.
“I'm sorry sweetie,” her father spoke up. “I'm sorry.”
She threw her hand out, waving it where her eyes should be. “T-turn on the light.”
“The light's on, sweetheart.” her mother said in a soft voice.
“No it's not! No, it's not! It's not on! What are you saying!?”
A hand touched her shoulder, “Dr. Vain..he said he's sorry..that this has happened to you..he doesn't know what went wrong.”
“You see, sweetheart..you are-were dyslexic. You read things upside down..we were going to fix you.”
Kat could feel her shoulders shake with tears, “No..no!”
“Hey.” her mother's voice.
“Hey.” her father's voice.
“Hey.” Dr. Vain's voice.
“HEY!”
She jolted awake, sitting up, then groaning, rubbing her temples. The sash. It was off.
“Hey,” it was a girl's voice, and Katara touched the couch with her hand, vibrations too small to feel being sent across the room and through the girl before her. She was concerned, and held Kat's sash in her hand.
“Here,” she handed the sash to her, placing it in her hand. Katara closed her hand, then lifted it around her face, tying it around her eyes.
“Who took off the sash?” she asked, looking at the girl.
“Um..Samuel did..you were sweating..and-”
“You can't take it off. It might damage my eyes. They're still healing.” Kat looked around the room, sending more vibrations by shifting her weight slightly. The house was an new one. Pretty expensive. Large double doors, two floors, and a large kitchen and living room. Which is where she was now.
“You're in my house, don't worry.”
“Mmhmm.” she responded, unconvinced. Suddenly she felt dizzy, felt her stomach lurch, and turned to face away from her, spilling her stomach. The girl across from her started freaking out, Kat monitoring her. Her back arched, throwing up again. Samuel came into the room, having left before the revealing of what hid behind the cloth, and from the shift in his weight, his increased heart beat, he was freaking out too. He ran to her side, pulling her hair back.
“I thought we said we were going-”
“We can't..it um..could damage her eyes.” Her heart rate increased too, but it wasn't from her throwing up. Kat would've asked, but when she opened her mouth, liquid spilled out. Her head started swimming.
“Kat! Oh my God, you're throwing up blood!”
“And..that's a lot..” the girl's voice was low, staring at her with worry, and a strange fascination. She shook her head, snapping out of it. “Get her a bowl!” she got up, then ran to the kitchen, rummaging through cupboards till she lifted a small bottle in her hands and ran back out. Samuel held Kat's hair back, holding a bowl before her as her back arched, blood pooling from her mouth.
“What's happening to her!?”
“That bullet..you know what it was?”
“No.”
The girl came next to her, untwisting the cap of the bottle. “I didn't know it before..but..it was the same kind used at the school killing.” they exchanged glances, then looked down at her. Kat's face was pale.
I'm going to die? Oh God..
“How is she still alive!?”
“I don't know.” the girl gripped Kat's chin, forcing it back. She nearly choked on the blood, coughing. The girl poured a strange liquid into Katara's mouth, her body being racked by violent shakes. She pulled away, swallowing, then screaming in pain. At least the blood stopped pouring from her mouth. Sammy touched her shoulder, “Kat..it's alright..hang on..it's going to be alright.” Everything started going fuzzy. She felt herself sway, then collapse against the couch again. She cried out, then fell silent. Her breath slowed and she slipped away once more.
She leaned against the truck of her news van, sipping her coffee. A man came around from the back, looking irritated. “The boss is pretty mad you did that on live t.v.” Jess shrugged, “So what? That poor girl's being harassed by every news crew in like, the entire world. Give her a break.”
“We could've after we were done interviewing her!”
“Yeah? Do I look like I care?” she rolled her eyes, turning and walking around the van, leaving her camera man cursing bitterly. She walked inside the building, a few glancing at her with anger and admiration. She smiled faintly at each of them. A man came up, walking besides her.
“What's the dig?”
“Well, Jess...so far no one can figure this out..she's alive by playing dead in a place full of dead bodies..we understand that..but how the guy got out without being caught by cameras or breaking a window. The girl's not telling us everything.”
“And?”
“And this school's out in the middle of nowhere. The campus is private and is always watched day and night. If he did get out he should've been spotted by one of them.”
“But he wasn't.”
“Right..so that means he could be anywhere.”
She nodded, “Alright. I can head out there tomorrow.” she walked into her small cubicle, looking at the papers on her desk.
“Actually..the boss wants you there today.”
She looked at him, incredulous. “What?”
“Yes..it appears he wants you to make up for-”
She sighed, shaking her head. “Fine. Go tell Jeff.”
He nodded and ran out. Jess moaned, rolling her eyes. “Sounds fun. Can't wait.”
“I want everyone to act normal! Remember, we can't give it away!” hollered a man, striding down the halls, the staff of every room standing outside their doors. They all nodded, turning to their rooms and going back to grading and other work. The principal ran a hand through his receding hair nervously, then walked towards the front door. Someone caught his arm, turning him around. “There's been a shooting!”
“What!?”
“Same guy! In the gym where the students were!”
“Were?”
“They all left. Someone was shot though!”
“Who?”
“They said it was Katara.” the woman's brow furrowed, “Why would he shoot a blind girl?”
“I don't know..where is she?”
“Samuel took her in his truck.”
“Where!?”
“I don't know!”
“Damn..if he goes to the hospital..!”
“He won't, he's a smart kid. He knows we can't ever do that!”
“Hello?” another woman's voice. Wonderful..they were here already.
“Don't tell anyone. Go find her and make sure she's alright.”
She nodded, turning and running down the hall. He turned, sighing, walking down the hall an to the waiting reporter. She smiled politely. “Hello, you must be-”
“Linken. Yes, and you are?” he stuck out his hand. She took it, “You can call me Jess.”
He nodded pulling away from her hand. “What is it you'd like to know?”
“Well, I'm going to ask you a few questions on the security of this school, the location, about the killer, and about the girl who survived.”
“Alex.”
She nodded, “Right. And I'd like to ask about what you teach here.”
He kept himself calm, cocking an eyebrow. “We teach just like all the other schools.”
“Yes, but you get the highest grade in the state, and people move closer just to go to your school, Mr. Linken. And we've noticed that you decline a lot of people from entering, while you accept plenty of others.”
Linken nodded slowly, “So?”
“Well, there's been gang members that enter your school, while perfect A students get declined.”
He shrugged, “We have a different interest in helping certain people instead of others. Sammuel needed to be helped. And he's a great student now. He's no longer part of the gang.”
Jess sighed, nodding. “Well, alright. We're going to set up. We'll call you when we're ready.”
“Alright. Thank you.” he turned and walked down the hall, his hand twitching. He made sure he kept control of his powers, bitting his tongue.
“He's acting weird.” Jeff said, starting to set up his equipment. Jess merely shrugged, “He's never been interviewed. In fact, no reporter has been in this school since it's opening.”
“Right..nearly like, what? Thousand years ago?”
She looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. He grinned sheepishly, “What?”
“It's been here since 1993.”
“So..It's 2020 now.”
“Do the math.” she said in a bored tone.
“27 years? It hasn't been around for that long.”
“Yeah.” she sat down, leaning her back against the wall. “Something isn't right here.”
“I know.” he grinned, “I think we should take a look around with the camera.”
Her face lit up. Finally, he got a reaction from her. She smiled, “C'mon, let's look around. We'll probably find some dead bodies or something.” she winked at him, getting up as he positioned the camera on his shoulder, turning it on as she walked down the hall, entering an empty room.
“Hey..dude..look at this.” Jeff said, opening a closet. She turned, looking inside. Robots..ten robots, holding guns were hung up by a small hook on their back. She gasped, staring at them. Their heads were loose, looking down at the ground, the entire being limp. One hand was firmly locked around a gun, their silver skin shinning as light hit them. Crimson stains were across their chests.
“What is this!?”
“I have no idea..let's look around the desk.” Jeff turned, walking towards the desk and opening it. Inside held a small pistol, along with throwing daggers. His face paled, “Oh my God.”
“They're freaking murders!”
“Look!” he pulled out a small binder, reading: lessons. He opened it, pictures of fighting kids doing extraordinary things inside. There was a girl with a sash over her eyes, ducking under a swing of a knife from another student. A few pictures held teenagers flipping over one of the machines that now hung in the closet. He turned the page.
Week one: how to doge a bullet
Week two: fighting fist vs. knife
Week three: fist vs. bullet
He stared at Jess, who continued reading in horror. “Oh my God..it's like some-”
“Training facility?”
They both whirled around, facing the principal. He sighed, shaking his head. “This is why humans can't be allowed inside.” he took a step towards them.
She could hear herself screaming. But was it real? Or was it her imagining things again? Katara's throat was sore from the scream, but she couldn't stop it. There was a burning pain raging through her body, ripping apart her throat, her lungs, her leg. She could feel herself fall back and slipped into the darkness again. Her mother came into her view. Or was it a vision? Her mother held her hand out to her, smiling.
“Come along dear. Time to see the doctor.”
It was one of her routine trips to the doctor. Katara watched silently as she, three years old, took her mother's hand and was lead through a small hallway of her house. Her father was in the car, feet up, looking about to fall asleep. Katara grinned, running up to his open door and shook his arm.
“Wake up daddy! Wake up!”
Her dad smiled, looking at her tiredly. He yawned, then motioned to the back seat. “Alright, alright, I'm up. Get in the back seat...sweetheart.”
That word always seemed tacked on. She hadn't noticed that before. She followed herself to the car, sitting in the back as her younger form got in the small car seat, her mother buckling her in, then her father driving off as her mother sat in front with him.
“Are they going the check my eyes again?” young Katara asked, fumbling with a small toy in her hands. Her mother glanced at her father, then nodded, “Yep.”
“What about this time?”
“Just to see if they're okay.”
She nodded, not looking up from the small toy she was holding. They pulled out of the driveway, then stopped, being parked in the doctors parking lot. Katara looked around, the house gone, now surrounded by the city, tall buildings of cement. She blinked, then stood in a hallway, watching herself as a young girl of three being lead through a pair of large doors. She followed herself in, her parents sitting in the chairs on either side of the large table-like bed. Katara watched as she was lifted up onto the table, looking around the room.
“Lay down dear, the doctor will be in soon.”
Young Katara nodded, laying back and handing the small toy to her mother. Her mother sighed, taking the toy and putting it in her purse. The doctor came in, smiling at young Katara.
“Hello, Kat.”
She smiled, “Hey Dr. Vain.”
“How are those eyes of yours?”
“Good!”
“Well, we'll make sure. Close your eyes.”
Everything went black. When she woke again, the room was still black. She groaned, “Mom?”
There was a sobbing sound, “Oh Katara..I'm so..I'm so sorry.”
“What?”
“The doctors..they..your eyes..they don't work.”
She could feel her shoulders slump. “No,” she breathed. “Oh God no.”
Everything had changed. She was no longer watching her memory, she was inside it. She was in her small body, but with the same mind.
“I'm sorry sweetie,” her father spoke up. “I'm sorry.”
She threw her hand out, waving it where her eyes should be. “T-turn on the light.”
“The light's on, sweetheart.” her mother said in a soft voice.
“No it's not! No, it's not! It's not on! What are you saying!?”
A hand touched her shoulder, “Dr. Vain..he said he's sorry..that this has happened to you..he doesn't know what went wrong.”
“You see, sweetheart..you are-were dyslexic. You read things upside down..we were going to fix you.”
Kat could feel her shoulders shake with tears, “No..no!”
“Hey.” her mother's voice.
“Hey.” her father's voice.
“Hey.” Dr. Vain's voice.
“HEY!”
She jolted awake, sitting up, then groaning, rubbing her temples. The sash. It was off.
“Hey,” it was a girl's voice, and Katara touched the couch with her hand, vibrations too small to feel being sent across the room and through the girl before her. She was concerned, and held Kat's sash in her hand.
“Here,” she handed the sash to her, placing it in her hand. Katara closed her hand, then lifted it around her face, tying it around her eyes.
“Who took off the sash?” she asked, looking at the girl.
“Um..Samuel did..you were sweating..and-”
“You can't take it off. It might damage my eyes. They're still healing.” Kat looked around the room, sending more vibrations by shifting her weight slightly. The house was an new one. Pretty expensive. Large double doors, two floors, and a large kitchen and living room. Which is where she was now.
“You're in my house, don't worry.”
“Mmhmm.” she responded, unconvinced. Suddenly she felt dizzy, felt her stomach lurch, and turned to face away from her, spilling her stomach. The girl across from her started freaking out, Kat monitoring her. Her back arched, throwing up again. Samuel came into the room, having left before the revealing of what hid behind the cloth, and from the shift in his weight, his increased heart beat, he was freaking out too. He ran to her side, pulling her hair back.
“I thought we said we were going-”
“We can't..it um..could damage her eyes.” Her heart rate increased too, but it wasn't from her throwing up. Kat would've asked, but when she opened her mouth, liquid spilled out. Her head started swimming.
“Kat! Oh my God, you're throwing up blood!”
“And..that's a lot..” the girl's voice was low, staring at her with worry, and a strange fascination. She shook her head, snapping out of it. “Get her a bowl!” she got up, then ran to the kitchen, rummaging through cupboards till she lifted a small bottle in her hands and ran back out. Samuel held Kat's hair back, holding a bowl before her as her back arched, blood pooling from her mouth.
“What's happening to her!?”
“That bullet..you know what it was?”
“No.”
The girl came next to her, untwisting the cap of the bottle. “I didn't know it before..but..it was the same kind used at the school killing.” they exchanged glances, then looked down at her. Kat's face was pale.
I'm going to die? Oh God..
“How is she still alive!?”
“I don't know.” the girl gripped Kat's chin, forcing it back. She nearly choked on the blood, coughing. The girl poured a strange liquid into Katara's mouth, her body being racked by violent shakes. She pulled away, swallowing, then screaming in pain. At least the blood stopped pouring from her mouth. Sammy touched her shoulder, “Kat..it's alright..hang on..it's going to be alright.” Everything started going fuzzy. She felt herself sway, then collapse against the couch again. She cried out, then fell silent. Her breath slowed and she slipped away once more.
She leaned against the truck of her news van, sipping her coffee. A man came around from the back, looking irritated. “The boss is pretty mad you did that on live t.v.” Jess shrugged, “So what? That poor girl's being harassed by every news crew in like, the entire world. Give her a break.”
“We could've after we were done interviewing her!”
“Yeah? Do I look like I care?” she rolled her eyes, turning and walking around the van, leaving her camera man cursing bitterly. She walked inside the building, a few glancing at her with anger and admiration. She smiled faintly at each of them. A man came up, walking besides her.
“What's the dig?”
“Well, Jess...so far no one can figure this out..she's alive by playing dead in a place full of dead bodies..we understand that..but how the guy got out without being caught by cameras or breaking a window. The girl's not telling us everything.”
“And?”
“And this school's out in the middle of nowhere. The campus is private and is always watched day and night. If he did get out he should've been spotted by one of them.”
“But he wasn't.”
“Right..so that means he could be anywhere.”
She nodded, “Alright. I can head out there tomorrow.” she walked into her small cubicle, looking at the papers on her desk.
“Actually..the boss wants you there today.”
She looked at him, incredulous. “What?”
“Yes..it appears he wants you to make up for-”
She sighed, shaking her head. “Fine. Go tell Jeff.”
He nodded and ran out. Jess moaned, rolling her eyes. “Sounds fun. Can't wait.”
“I want everyone to act normal! Remember, we can't give it away!” hollered a man, striding down the halls, the staff of every room standing outside their doors. They all nodded, turning to their rooms and going back to grading and other work. The principal ran a hand through his receding hair nervously, then walked towards the front door. Someone caught his arm, turning him around. “There's been a shooting!”
“What!?”
“Same guy! In the gym where the students were!”
“Were?”
“They all left. Someone was shot though!”
“Who?”
“They said it was Katara.” the woman's brow furrowed, “Why would he shoot a blind girl?”
“I don't know..where is she?”
“Samuel took her in his truck.”
“Where!?”
“I don't know!”
“Damn..if he goes to the hospital..!”
“He won't, he's a smart kid. He knows we can't ever do that!”
“Hello?” another woman's voice. Wonderful..they were here already.
“Don't tell anyone. Go find her and make sure she's alright.”
She nodded, turning and running down the hall. He turned, sighing, walking down the hall an to the waiting reporter. She smiled politely. “Hello, you must be-”
“Linken. Yes, and you are?” he stuck out his hand. She took it, “You can call me Jess.”
He nodded pulling away from her hand. “What is it you'd like to know?”
“Well, I'm going to ask you a few questions on the security of this school, the location, about the killer, and about the girl who survived.”
“Alex.”
She nodded, “Right. And I'd like to ask about what you teach here.”
He kept himself calm, cocking an eyebrow. “We teach just like all the other schools.”
“Yes, but you get the highest grade in the state, and people move closer just to go to your school, Mr. Linken. And we've noticed that you decline a lot of people from entering, while you accept plenty of others.”
Linken nodded slowly, “So?”
“Well, there's been gang members that enter your school, while perfect A students get declined.”
He shrugged, “We have a different interest in helping certain people instead of others. Sammuel needed to be helped. And he's a great student now. He's no longer part of the gang.”
Jess sighed, nodding. “Well, alright. We're going to set up. We'll call you when we're ready.”
“Alright. Thank you.” he turned and walked down the hall, his hand twitching. He made sure he kept control of his powers, bitting his tongue.
“He's acting weird.” Jeff said, starting to set up his equipment. Jess merely shrugged, “He's never been interviewed. In fact, no reporter has been in this school since it's opening.”
“Right..nearly like, what? Thousand years ago?”
She looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. He grinned sheepishly, “What?”
“It's been here since 1993.”
“So..It's 2020 now.”
“Do the math.” she said in a bored tone.
“27 years? It hasn't been around for that long.”
“Yeah.” she sat down, leaning her back against the wall. “Something isn't right here.”
“I know.” he grinned, “I think we should take a look around with the camera.”
Her face lit up. Finally, he got a reaction from her. She smiled, “C'mon, let's look around. We'll probably find some dead bodies or something.” she winked at him, getting up as he positioned the camera on his shoulder, turning it on as she walked down the hall, entering an empty room.
“Hey..dude..look at this.” Jeff said, opening a closet. She turned, looking inside. Robots..ten robots, holding guns were hung up by a small hook on their back. She gasped, staring at them. Their heads were loose, looking down at the ground, the entire being limp. One hand was firmly locked around a gun, their silver skin shinning as light hit them. Crimson stains were across their chests.
“What is this!?”
“I have no idea..let's look around the desk.” Jeff turned, walking towards the desk and opening it. Inside held a small pistol, along with throwing daggers. His face paled, “Oh my God.”
“They're freaking murders!”
“Look!” he pulled out a small binder, reading: lessons. He opened it, pictures of fighting kids doing extraordinary things inside. There was a girl with a sash over her eyes, ducking under a swing of a knife from another student. A few pictures held teenagers flipping over one of the machines that now hung in the closet. He turned the page.
Week one: how to doge a bullet
Week two: fighting fist vs. knife
Week three: fist vs. bullet
He stared at Jess, who continued reading in horror. “Oh my God..it's like some-”
“Training facility?”
They both whirled around, facing the principal. He sighed, shaking his head. “This is why humans can't be allowed inside.” he took a step towards them.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3: NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
Katara walked out of the large building, listening to where people were and where they walked as she navigated the crowd. It was almost a month after the shooting and life had gone very slowly back to normal. That is, if you don’t count the guards on the roof of the building, cameras on every door, metal detectors, and alarm systems ampt up. Being blind and all, she supposed it shouldn’t matter too much to her. But it did. It does. The fact that it actually did happen was troubling enough. The fact that they weren’t even ready and twenty-one students died was even more so. How come she hadn’t sensed it? She was close enough to do so. She could’ve stopped it..but for some reason, she didn’t know he had a gun. Kat sighed, shaking her head; this wasn’t helping.
“Hey Kat! Kat!”
She smiled, pushing her thoughts away till another time. She stopped and turned towards him, arching an eyebrow that sat just above her sash. “Sup?”
He came up before her, holding his own in a massive crowd. He smiled when he saw her, “Hey Kat. I was, I dunno, wondering if you were open tonight to hang out.” Then he added quickly, “If your parents are okay with it, of course.”
She chuckled, though the pain in her chest reopened when he said that. Her parents...she swallowed the pain, and nodded, “Yeah, totally cool. Where?”
She could hear the smirk in his voice when he said, “Well, we could go see a movie.”
She snarled, “Oh, aren’t you the joker? You’re so funny, Sammy. So, so funny.” She shook her head, “I would be rolling my eyes right now, Sammy.”
He laughed, “I know, I know, I figured. Anyways, I wasn’t quite sure, I was thinking you should choose.”
Kat smiled, shrugging. “Heard there’s ganna be a wicked party tonight. Wanna go?”
There was a pause, then, “You sure your rents would be cool with that?”
Katara tried hard not to punch him upside the head.
“Yeah, they’d be totally cool with that. They’re pretty chill. However, tomorrow I do have work. So can’t stay there too late. Cool?”
“Yeah, sweet. Pick ya up tonight?”
She laughed, “Well, I could always walk.”
“Oh yeah, I’m just ganna let my blind friend walk down to a party at night. Heck yeah!”
She smiled, nodding. “Alright, round eight, okay? Don’t forget to finish homework.”
“Woo-hoo, can’t wait.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot your classes suck and mine all rule.”
He punched her on the side of her shoulder lightly, playfully, “You’re mean, you know?”
She smirked, “Oh yeah, that’s how I like it. Anyways, later!”
“Yeah, later!”
He couldn’t believe it. She actually said yes! Crap..what would his family think? She’s blind..he shouldn’t be falling for her. Find someone who can actually see you. Wonderful..maybe..maybe he just won’t tell them he’s going with Kat..maybe..make up a name. Yeah..cause otherwise they’ll kill him. He watched Kat leave, slipping through the crowd expertly, then sighed, pulling his own bag tighter, then walking through the crowd. He walked to his car, sitting in it and throwing his bags next to him. It was a large, blue truck, and he started it and pulled away from the school. He worked the problem over in his head, his parents weren’t going to be happy with this either way. He sighed, he really shouldn’t love her. His family didn’t approve of a blind girl. But what did they have against her? Only that she was blind? It was ridiculous..she was amazing..she was beautiful...she was a great student, a great friend, and..did he already say beautiful? So what if she was blind? That shouldn’t count for anything..but..they were his parents..and he still lived in their house..he had to follow their rules. Maybe he should call in sick..no..that’d be too obvious..maybe he’d tell her his parents wanted him to stay home..maybe too much homework? He sighed, shaking his head, it wasn’t going to be easy. But he wasn’t calling this off. He’d finally built up enough nerve to ask her..even if it wasn’t a date, it was close enough..He smiled weakly to himself, preparing for the yelling at home. Preparing to run off if they tried to keep him there.
She was laying in the hammock on the front porch of her house when he drove up. She was swinging back and forth gently, wearing a shirt with a star, her favorite white hat, shorts, and a chain belt. He smiled, she looked ready to party. She turned her head in his direction, wearing a white sash around her eyes now. He felt pain for her; it had to be hard to dress herself. What, with her parents out of town all the time. He blinked, speaking of which-
“Hey Sammy.” She said, sitting up, “Sup?”
He smiled, shrugging, “You ready?”
She paused, as if seriously contemplating it. “Do I look alright?”
“Yeah, you look great.”
She smiled, causing his heart to hit his chest hard and fast. He walked up to her, taking her hand. He lead her to the truck and opened the door for her, helping her up. “Alright, Kat, now, this is a car-“
“Oh be quiet! I know what a car is! I’ve seen em before I was blind, mister!”
He smiled, laughing softly, “Alright then.” He walked around the truck, hopping in, and driving off.
The party was massive. It happened to be at the school and it looked as if the entire student body came. He had lead her in and she laughed aloud when she heard the song “Getting Away with Murder” blaring on the speakers.
“Can you dance, blindy?”
“Oh shut it, jerk!” she growled back at him, shaking her head. He laughed, “Alright, you want anything?”
“Nah,” she took his hand, pulling him through the crowd. His heart nearly stopped. “C’mon, lets dance.” There was a smile on her lips, joy clear in her face. She was able to pull them close to the claustrophobic center, and started dancing. Her hair whipped around as she jumped up and down, shook her head, and danced to the beat. He joined her, dancing along. Then she froze. Just like that. Stopped moving. Her body went rigid, looking right past him. He paused, turning around. A man stood there, hood covering his face in shadow. His hand was in his pocket, and when he pulled it out-
Kat screamed. Panic erupted. The ring of the fired weapon echoed through the gym. Kat collapsed and he ran to her, holding her in his arms. Her leg had a bullet hole in it, the man starting to reload. Samuel roared out, throwing his hand in the man’s direction, flame roaring up around him. He looked shocked, then disappeared. He lifted her up into his arms as she curled in on herself, eyes shut tight. He ran out of the building, laying her in the truck, then driving it towards the hospital. She didn’t stop screaming the entire time. She yelled constantly, making no sense, except for a few words. “Dr. Vain! Dad! Mom! Stop! Make it stop! Take it away!” and then, she fell silent. Dead silent.
She could see no God in this. No God in this. How could she? They were all massacred in front of her. Massacred. The word rang through her head, holding her back pack in her left, shaking, hand. She stood in front of reporters who had found their way to her house. Again. She closed her eyes, looking down with all the flashing lights. The shouting people, trying to get their questions out. She wished she was like the vanishers. Disappear and run. But no, she was a healer. Cursed to heal those injured. But hey, got a job position already worked out, huh? She sighed, sitting down on the steps of her house, leaning against the wall.
“One at a time.” she murmured, just loud enough for a few in the front to hear. They passed the word and a man stepped forward. He held the mike to his mouth, asking, “How is it you survived when the killer was not caught? And that no one saw him out? Did you see him run off?”
“I survived cause I was lucky. Have I not said that before?” she snarled, the mic close to her mouth now. “And the killer wasn't caught cause he was apparently lucky too. No, I didn't see him get out. I was trying my best to lay on the ground, act dead, and not move to watch his every move. Nor did I get up and ask him how he was going to escape. Any other questions?”
The reporter retreated, a woman stepping forward. “And how are you faring now?”
That question caught Alex off guard. It was not often-no..actually, she had never been asked the question. Any question in fact, relating to how she was faring.
“Um..” she bit her tongue so she wouldn't cry. Bitting her lip was too obvious. “I-I...don't know.” she said at last, the reporter looking sympathetic. The reporter knelt next to her, touching her shoulder. “Hey,” the mike was thrown on the ground. “It'll be alright.”
“Jess! We're live you know!” the cameraman shouted. She waved him off. Alex looked at her, attempting to bite her lip off.
“I..don't think so.” she breathed, and Jess shook her head. She smiled sadly, “I promise. It will be alright.” she handed Alex a card, “Call me if you need anything. Alright?”
Alex nodded slowly, “Th-thank you.”
Jess nodded, then stood up, “All of you low life reporters back up now! This girl doesn't want anymore interviews! Off now or I'll sue you for trespassing!”
That got them off her property and scurrying to their vans pretty quickly. Jess smiled at Alex, then picked up the mike and walked back to her van. Alex sighed, pocketing the card and walking inside slowly. Her dad wasn't home. Surprise. Probably out clubbing again. What, with his recent divorce and what not.
His fault.
Alex turned and walked through a small hallway, then headed up a small stair case to her room. She walked inside and closed the door. God she wished she was at her mom's. At least her mom was upset about the divorce. After all, she still loved her dad. She sighed, jumping onto her bed face down and pulling a pillow over her skull. She still couldn't get Zack's image out of her mind. Oh God, how could she? She loved him, he loved her. And yet, he's dead. Completely and utterly dead. She sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, feeling weary. Now lets see, she thought to herself, not only are my parents divorced. Not only is my dad totally fine with this, my mom still loves him, and Zack's dead... She took a breath, trying to push away the pains, well, I'm probably missing a wicked party. She got up slowly, walking to her closet. Maybe some distraction will help her.
“Maybe,” she mumbled. She scanned her closet, pulling out a black shirt with the words in crimson across the chest reading “If you believe in demons, you must believe in angels.” The back read nearly the same thing, “If you believe in angels, you must believe in demons.” She smiled faintly, laying the shirt out and undressing. She put the shirt on along with black jeans. She pulled on red and black striped gloves that cut off at the first joint in the finger. She clenched and unclenched her fingers, looking at herself in the mirror. Her long, black hair, her pale skin, her brown eyes. Full lips, skinny frame..she closed her eyes and turned away. How is it she could find everything wrong with herself when no one else could? She rolled her shoulders back, then headed downstairs, pocketing money and her phone. She opened the door, looking at the setting sun. She walked out, closing and locking the door. She hid the key under a small pile of loose dirt near the wall of the house. She walked down the street with her hands in her pockets when a truck drove by. She recognized the guy in the car. Samuel from school. It drove by then slammed on the breaks, then was thrown into reverse and came to a stop before her. The door flew open and Samuel stepped out. She saw a girl in the car, laid out and there was a crimson color covering the seats-
“Oh God, you're the healer that survived right!? Dear Lord I'm happy to see you! Kat was shot! You've got to help her!”
Alex took a step back, blinking, and before she knew what she was doing, she nodded, saying, “Get her inside, hurry.”
He nodded, running to his car and taking the girl out, her body limp in his arms.
“She was screaming like mad,” he said as he followed her in the house, “but then she just stopped and hasn't breathed a word since then.”
Alex glanced at her, trying to hide her worry. “Great. Set her on the couch and I'll see what I can do. Sadly the killer left the worst healer in the entire damned class.”
She could see by the look Samuel gave her she wasn't helping. She smiled apologetically, then as he laid her on the bed, she rolled up the girl's jeans. A bullet wound was there, causing a lot of bleeding. She winced, she'd seen that before.
She checked for pulse and found a faint one, then rested her hands on the wound, starting to seal the wound, the bullet being pushed out. The girl started screaming again, jolting up into a sitting position, the sash over her eyes becoming lose. Alex stared, then looked at Samuel.
“She's blind?”
He nodded slowly, lifting his hands to untie the sash. “She's sweating..we should take this off, right?”
Alex nodded, “Right. Then you should get an ice pack from the-”
The sash came off.
But what was staring blankly were not eyes.
They were empty eye sockets.
Katara walked out of the large building, listening to where people were and where they walked as she navigated the crowd. It was almost a month after the shooting and life had gone very slowly back to normal. That is, if you don’t count the guards on the roof of the building, cameras on every door, metal detectors, and alarm systems ampt up. Being blind and all, she supposed it shouldn’t matter too much to her. But it did. It does. The fact that it actually did happen was troubling enough. The fact that they weren’t even ready and twenty-one students died was even more so. How come she hadn’t sensed it? She was close enough to do so. She could’ve stopped it..but for some reason, she didn’t know he had a gun. Kat sighed, shaking her head; this wasn’t helping.
“Hey Kat! Kat!”
She smiled, pushing her thoughts away till another time. She stopped and turned towards him, arching an eyebrow that sat just above her sash. “Sup?”
He came up before her, holding his own in a massive crowd. He smiled when he saw her, “Hey Kat. I was, I dunno, wondering if you were open tonight to hang out.” Then he added quickly, “If your parents are okay with it, of course.”
She chuckled, though the pain in her chest reopened when he said that. Her parents...she swallowed the pain, and nodded, “Yeah, totally cool. Where?”
She could hear the smirk in his voice when he said, “Well, we could go see a movie.”
She snarled, “Oh, aren’t you the joker? You’re so funny, Sammy. So, so funny.” She shook her head, “I would be rolling my eyes right now, Sammy.”
He laughed, “I know, I know, I figured. Anyways, I wasn’t quite sure, I was thinking you should choose.”
Kat smiled, shrugging. “Heard there’s ganna be a wicked party tonight. Wanna go?”
There was a pause, then, “You sure your rents would be cool with that?”
Katara tried hard not to punch him upside the head.
“Yeah, they’d be totally cool with that. They’re pretty chill. However, tomorrow I do have work. So can’t stay there too late. Cool?”
“Yeah, sweet. Pick ya up tonight?”
She laughed, “Well, I could always walk.”
“Oh yeah, I’m just ganna let my blind friend walk down to a party at night. Heck yeah!”
She smiled, nodding. “Alright, round eight, okay? Don’t forget to finish homework.”
“Woo-hoo, can’t wait.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot your classes suck and mine all rule.”
He punched her on the side of her shoulder lightly, playfully, “You’re mean, you know?”
She smirked, “Oh yeah, that’s how I like it. Anyways, later!”
“Yeah, later!”
He couldn’t believe it. She actually said yes! Crap..what would his family think? She’s blind..he shouldn’t be falling for her. Find someone who can actually see you. Wonderful..maybe..maybe he just won’t tell them he’s going with Kat..maybe..make up a name. Yeah..cause otherwise they’ll kill him. He watched Kat leave, slipping through the crowd expertly, then sighed, pulling his own bag tighter, then walking through the crowd. He walked to his car, sitting in it and throwing his bags next to him. It was a large, blue truck, and he started it and pulled away from the school. He worked the problem over in his head, his parents weren’t going to be happy with this either way. He sighed, he really shouldn’t love her. His family didn’t approve of a blind girl. But what did they have against her? Only that she was blind? It was ridiculous..she was amazing..she was beautiful...she was a great student, a great friend, and..did he already say beautiful? So what if she was blind? That shouldn’t count for anything..but..they were his parents..and he still lived in their house..he had to follow their rules. Maybe he should call in sick..no..that’d be too obvious..maybe he’d tell her his parents wanted him to stay home..maybe too much homework? He sighed, shaking his head, it wasn’t going to be easy. But he wasn’t calling this off. He’d finally built up enough nerve to ask her..even if it wasn’t a date, it was close enough..He smiled weakly to himself, preparing for the yelling at home. Preparing to run off if they tried to keep him there.
She was laying in the hammock on the front porch of her house when he drove up. She was swinging back and forth gently, wearing a shirt with a star, her favorite white hat, shorts, and a chain belt. He smiled, she looked ready to party. She turned her head in his direction, wearing a white sash around her eyes now. He felt pain for her; it had to be hard to dress herself. What, with her parents out of town all the time. He blinked, speaking of which-
“Hey Sammy.” She said, sitting up, “Sup?”
He smiled, shrugging, “You ready?”
She paused, as if seriously contemplating it. “Do I look alright?”
“Yeah, you look great.”
She smiled, causing his heart to hit his chest hard and fast. He walked up to her, taking her hand. He lead her to the truck and opened the door for her, helping her up. “Alright, Kat, now, this is a car-“
“Oh be quiet! I know what a car is! I’ve seen em before I was blind, mister!”
He smiled, laughing softly, “Alright then.” He walked around the truck, hopping in, and driving off.
The party was massive. It happened to be at the school and it looked as if the entire student body came. He had lead her in and she laughed aloud when she heard the song “Getting Away with Murder” blaring on the speakers.
“Can you dance, blindy?”
“Oh shut it, jerk!” she growled back at him, shaking her head. He laughed, “Alright, you want anything?”
“Nah,” she took his hand, pulling him through the crowd. His heart nearly stopped. “C’mon, lets dance.” There was a smile on her lips, joy clear in her face. She was able to pull them close to the claustrophobic center, and started dancing. Her hair whipped around as she jumped up and down, shook her head, and danced to the beat. He joined her, dancing along. Then she froze. Just like that. Stopped moving. Her body went rigid, looking right past him. He paused, turning around. A man stood there, hood covering his face in shadow. His hand was in his pocket, and when he pulled it out-
Kat screamed. Panic erupted. The ring of the fired weapon echoed through the gym. Kat collapsed and he ran to her, holding her in his arms. Her leg had a bullet hole in it, the man starting to reload. Samuel roared out, throwing his hand in the man’s direction, flame roaring up around him. He looked shocked, then disappeared. He lifted her up into his arms as she curled in on herself, eyes shut tight. He ran out of the building, laying her in the truck, then driving it towards the hospital. She didn’t stop screaming the entire time. She yelled constantly, making no sense, except for a few words. “Dr. Vain! Dad! Mom! Stop! Make it stop! Take it away!” and then, she fell silent. Dead silent.
She could see no God in this. No God in this. How could she? They were all massacred in front of her. Massacred. The word rang through her head, holding her back pack in her left, shaking, hand. She stood in front of reporters who had found their way to her house. Again. She closed her eyes, looking down with all the flashing lights. The shouting people, trying to get their questions out. She wished she was like the vanishers. Disappear and run. But no, she was a healer. Cursed to heal those injured. But hey, got a job position already worked out, huh? She sighed, sitting down on the steps of her house, leaning against the wall.
“One at a time.” she murmured, just loud enough for a few in the front to hear. They passed the word and a man stepped forward. He held the mike to his mouth, asking, “How is it you survived when the killer was not caught? And that no one saw him out? Did you see him run off?”
“I survived cause I was lucky. Have I not said that before?” she snarled, the mic close to her mouth now. “And the killer wasn't caught cause he was apparently lucky too. No, I didn't see him get out. I was trying my best to lay on the ground, act dead, and not move to watch his every move. Nor did I get up and ask him how he was going to escape. Any other questions?”
The reporter retreated, a woman stepping forward. “And how are you faring now?”
That question caught Alex off guard. It was not often-no..actually, she had never been asked the question. Any question in fact, relating to how she was faring.
“Um..” she bit her tongue so she wouldn't cry. Bitting her lip was too obvious. “I-I...don't know.” she said at last, the reporter looking sympathetic. The reporter knelt next to her, touching her shoulder. “Hey,” the mike was thrown on the ground. “It'll be alright.”
“Jess! We're live you know!” the cameraman shouted. She waved him off. Alex looked at her, attempting to bite her lip off.
“I..don't think so.” she breathed, and Jess shook her head. She smiled sadly, “I promise. It will be alright.” she handed Alex a card, “Call me if you need anything. Alright?”
Alex nodded slowly, “Th-thank you.”
Jess nodded, then stood up, “All of you low life reporters back up now! This girl doesn't want anymore interviews! Off now or I'll sue you for trespassing!”
That got them off her property and scurrying to their vans pretty quickly. Jess smiled at Alex, then picked up the mike and walked back to her van. Alex sighed, pocketing the card and walking inside slowly. Her dad wasn't home. Surprise. Probably out clubbing again. What, with his recent divorce and what not.
His fault.
Alex turned and walked through a small hallway, then headed up a small stair case to her room. She walked inside and closed the door. God she wished she was at her mom's. At least her mom was upset about the divorce. After all, she still loved her dad. She sighed, jumping onto her bed face down and pulling a pillow over her skull. She still couldn't get Zack's image out of her mind. Oh God, how could she? She loved him, he loved her. And yet, he's dead. Completely and utterly dead. She sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, feeling weary. Now lets see, she thought to herself, not only are my parents divorced. Not only is my dad totally fine with this, my mom still loves him, and Zack's dead... She took a breath, trying to push away the pains, well, I'm probably missing a wicked party. She got up slowly, walking to her closet. Maybe some distraction will help her.
“Maybe,” she mumbled. She scanned her closet, pulling out a black shirt with the words in crimson across the chest reading “If you believe in demons, you must believe in angels.” The back read nearly the same thing, “If you believe in angels, you must believe in demons.” She smiled faintly, laying the shirt out and undressing. She put the shirt on along with black jeans. She pulled on red and black striped gloves that cut off at the first joint in the finger. She clenched and unclenched her fingers, looking at herself in the mirror. Her long, black hair, her pale skin, her brown eyes. Full lips, skinny frame..she closed her eyes and turned away. How is it she could find everything wrong with herself when no one else could? She rolled her shoulders back, then headed downstairs, pocketing money and her phone. She opened the door, looking at the setting sun. She walked out, closing and locking the door. She hid the key under a small pile of loose dirt near the wall of the house. She walked down the street with her hands in her pockets when a truck drove by. She recognized the guy in the car. Samuel from school. It drove by then slammed on the breaks, then was thrown into reverse and came to a stop before her. The door flew open and Samuel stepped out. She saw a girl in the car, laid out and there was a crimson color covering the seats-
“Oh God, you're the healer that survived right!? Dear Lord I'm happy to see you! Kat was shot! You've got to help her!”
Alex took a step back, blinking, and before she knew what she was doing, she nodded, saying, “Get her inside, hurry.”
He nodded, running to his car and taking the girl out, her body limp in his arms.
“She was screaming like mad,” he said as he followed her in the house, “but then she just stopped and hasn't breathed a word since then.”
Alex glanced at her, trying to hide her worry. “Great. Set her on the couch and I'll see what I can do. Sadly the killer left the worst healer in the entire damned class.”
She could see by the look Samuel gave her she wasn't helping. She smiled apologetically, then as he laid her on the bed, she rolled up the girl's jeans. A bullet wound was there, causing a lot of bleeding. She winced, she'd seen that before.
She checked for pulse and found a faint one, then rested her hands on the wound, starting to seal the wound, the bullet being pushed out. The girl started screaming again, jolting up into a sitting position, the sash over her eyes becoming lose. Alex stared, then looked at Samuel.
“She's blind?”
He nodded slowly, lifting his hands to untie the sash. “She's sweating..we should take this off, right?”
Alex nodded, “Right. Then you should get an ice pack from the-”
The sash came off.
But what was staring blankly were not eyes.
They were empty eye sockets.
Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2: BLOOD
He stood near the back door, trying the handle. He kicked it, pushed it, but nothing work. He had to get in. Had to get in. All of them..all of them had to die. None of them would be tolerated. Only one would other than him would be allowed to live. The girl he had operated on. Only her. But only after the chip was activated. Only then would she be tolerated. That girl. That thing. What was she anyways? Operating on her showed him her mind. Showed him how different she was, even more different than the mutants. He pulled out the gun, firing at the handle just as the bell rang. He walked in swiftly. All them had to die. Therefore, the healers were to die first.
Sounds of alarms filled her ears and she instinctively ducked, diving under a desk while the lights turned off and everyone followed her example.
“Everyone! Down and stay quiet!”
“We can take-“
“Quiet!”
Dead silence. Like the silence before the axe-murder in a horror movie jumped out and killed off everyone. Then the soft thud of someone in the halls, walking slowly, almost silently. Alex’s heart kicked into overdrive, each step outside the door causing her to lose her breath. They stopped right outside her door. Right outside her door. Her heart seemed to stop with them, her breath caught in her throat. This can’t be good..oh God, I hope this is a game..I hope this isn’t real..just another drill, right!? Zack inched closer, smiling and touching her hand, sensing her fear. She smiled faintly at him, and he whispered to her. “Hey..calm down, love. We’re healers..we’ll be just fine.”
Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling of fear. She was practically shaking with it. Then the door was thrown open, the soft thud of boots on the ground entering as the man stepped inside. He paced the aisles, 22 kids under their desks, hidden by chairs and metal. But they all saw it nonetheless. The ammunition on the belt that hung over his shoulders and across his body. The ammunition created to kill within seconds. To reach the heart and poison it, stop it from beating, kill anyone, even healers, before they had a chance to get treated. They weren’t going to live through this. Then the man stopped, lifting a gun from his pocket and aiming it at the teacher who had been at his desk, hiding behind it. However, it was open in the front and back. Little protection offered. Mr. Cotes threw himself at the man, pushing him back and-bang! Blood trickled from the shinning hole in his chest. He fell limp at the gunman’s boots, crimson blood spilling around him, making the gunman’s boots glossy. Alex felt sick, holding her mouth and looking away. Mr. Cotes couldn’t protect them.
Panic erupted, people screaming and running for the door. All but Alex. She stayed under her desk, curled up, holding her head as people rammed into the desk, pushing it against her skull. Finally the desk toppled over by a limp body, Alex instinctively falling limp. Then, before the gunman could notice, she threw her hand out to the nearest body and smearing herself with their blood. Over her chest, across her face, at the side of her mouth. It made her want to puke, but she forced herself to relax, to let her eyes glaze and stare at nothing, and shove away her tenseness. The gunman fired one last time, the body falling before the door, turning the ground crimson. They were dead. All of them but her.
“Holy-”
“That was gun fire!”
“The healers’ room! Oh my God the healers’ room!”
Heads peered through windows in doors to look out across the hall. Men ran quickly towards the other side of the school, wearing bullet-proof vests, rifles at the ready.
“What’s going on?” Kat asked. The bell had rung moments before, causing them to ditch the plan of watching the man and walk back to school. Kat, however, already knew what happened. She could smell it in the air, though no other nose could whiff it. Her sense of smell, touch, and sound had been increased drastically to make up for her sight. It still wasn’t the same, however.
“You heard the gun fire, right?” Samuel asked. She sighed, nodding, “Course. But what’s happening outside the door? You know, the stuff I can’t see?”
“There’s these soldier-like dudes running down the hall...towards the healer’s room.”
She nodded, taking another breath of air. The smell of blood filled her nose, and she winced. She tried to connect it with its owner, making a face each time she breathed. She paused, recognizing the blood. After all, this school wasn’t exactly against violence.
“Sammy..I smell a lot of blood.”
“It’s probably the gunman.”
“No..Samuel..the healers are dead.”
They were coming. He could run now. But they were freaks. They’d come for him. He looked at the bloody mess of bodies and frowned. Twenty-two students. Yet he only fired twenty-one times. One of them was faking. He had thought about shooting them all again, but that would waste amo. And time. He didn’t have much of that now. So he decided to use his own gifts. The survivor would be dealt with later. He could find them later. He took a breath and started to fade, just when a girl on the ground with black hair, moved slightly. She looked over at the boy next to her and her shoulders started shaking, tears rolling down her cheeks. It was her. She was the survivor! He reached for his gun, pulling it out and aiming it at her. Then, as he fired, he had disappeared from the room, reappearing in a large house, the bullet shattering the mirror across from him. He threw the gun down, cursing bitterly. He was so damn close!
That was close. That was way too close..I could’ve got shot. Alex thought, her eyes closed tightly. However, the image of Zack didn’t leave her mind. Moment before smiling. Moments before saving her life, dying so that she could use his blood to save herself. She struggled to place his head in her lap, tears running down her cheeks. They dropped onto his, making him look almost alive. Almost alive and crying. Except for the fact that a bullet wound was in his ribs. She laid her hand over it, sealing it and the bullet falling out. She kissed his cheeks gently, “Oh Zack..Zack, I’m sorry..I’m so sorry.”
The troops ran in threw the open door, stepping over the body of the boy in the door frame. He had almost made it. Their guns were ready, but it was in vain. The damage was done. Zack was dead along with the other twenty students. Her shoulders shook, tears blinding her; twenty-one dead. She shouldn’t be alive. She should’ve died with him. It was only chance that she survived. None of this should’ve happened. None of this. She closed her eyes, holding Zack close. Why Zack? Why did he have to die?
A soldier came up next to her, kneeling and putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, miss..I’m so sorry..I was trying to get here sooner..I didn’t hear his thoughts till after he had fired.”
She looked at him, shaking her head. “It might’ve made it worse, anyways.”
He smiled sadly, then got up and started moving bodies and examining the bullets. She sat there, sobbing over Zack’s body; he was dead..and through death, he let her live.
He stood near the back door, trying the handle. He kicked it, pushed it, but nothing work. He had to get in. Had to get in. All of them..all of them had to die. None of them would be tolerated. Only one would other than him would be allowed to live. The girl he had operated on. Only her. But only after the chip was activated. Only then would she be tolerated. That girl. That thing. What was she anyways? Operating on her showed him her mind. Showed him how different she was, even more different than the mutants. He pulled out the gun, firing at the handle just as the bell rang. He walked in swiftly. All them had to die. Therefore, the healers were to die first.
Sounds of alarms filled her ears and she instinctively ducked, diving under a desk while the lights turned off and everyone followed her example.
“Everyone! Down and stay quiet!”
“We can take-“
“Quiet!”
Dead silence. Like the silence before the axe-murder in a horror movie jumped out and killed off everyone. Then the soft thud of someone in the halls, walking slowly, almost silently. Alex’s heart kicked into overdrive, each step outside the door causing her to lose her breath. They stopped right outside her door. Right outside her door. Her heart seemed to stop with them, her breath caught in her throat. This can’t be good..oh God, I hope this is a game..I hope this isn’t real..just another drill, right!? Zack inched closer, smiling and touching her hand, sensing her fear. She smiled faintly at him, and he whispered to her. “Hey..calm down, love. We’re healers..we’ll be just fine.”
Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling of fear. She was practically shaking with it. Then the door was thrown open, the soft thud of boots on the ground entering as the man stepped inside. He paced the aisles, 22 kids under their desks, hidden by chairs and metal. But they all saw it nonetheless. The ammunition on the belt that hung over his shoulders and across his body. The ammunition created to kill within seconds. To reach the heart and poison it, stop it from beating, kill anyone, even healers, before they had a chance to get treated. They weren’t going to live through this. Then the man stopped, lifting a gun from his pocket and aiming it at the teacher who had been at his desk, hiding behind it. However, it was open in the front and back. Little protection offered. Mr. Cotes threw himself at the man, pushing him back and-bang! Blood trickled from the shinning hole in his chest. He fell limp at the gunman’s boots, crimson blood spilling around him, making the gunman’s boots glossy. Alex felt sick, holding her mouth and looking away. Mr. Cotes couldn’t protect them.
Panic erupted, people screaming and running for the door. All but Alex. She stayed under her desk, curled up, holding her head as people rammed into the desk, pushing it against her skull. Finally the desk toppled over by a limp body, Alex instinctively falling limp. Then, before the gunman could notice, she threw her hand out to the nearest body and smearing herself with their blood. Over her chest, across her face, at the side of her mouth. It made her want to puke, but she forced herself to relax, to let her eyes glaze and stare at nothing, and shove away her tenseness. The gunman fired one last time, the body falling before the door, turning the ground crimson. They were dead. All of them but her.
“Holy-”
“That was gun fire!”
“The healers’ room! Oh my God the healers’ room!”
Heads peered through windows in doors to look out across the hall. Men ran quickly towards the other side of the school, wearing bullet-proof vests, rifles at the ready.
“What’s going on?” Kat asked. The bell had rung moments before, causing them to ditch the plan of watching the man and walk back to school. Kat, however, already knew what happened. She could smell it in the air, though no other nose could whiff it. Her sense of smell, touch, and sound had been increased drastically to make up for her sight. It still wasn’t the same, however.
“You heard the gun fire, right?” Samuel asked. She sighed, nodding, “Course. But what’s happening outside the door? You know, the stuff I can’t see?”
“There’s these soldier-like dudes running down the hall...towards the healer’s room.”
She nodded, taking another breath of air. The smell of blood filled her nose, and she winced. She tried to connect it with its owner, making a face each time she breathed. She paused, recognizing the blood. After all, this school wasn’t exactly against violence.
“Sammy..I smell a lot of blood.”
“It’s probably the gunman.”
“No..Samuel..the healers are dead.”
They were coming. He could run now. But they were freaks. They’d come for him. He looked at the bloody mess of bodies and frowned. Twenty-two students. Yet he only fired twenty-one times. One of them was faking. He had thought about shooting them all again, but that would waste amo. And time. He didn’t have much of that now. So he decided to use his own gifts. The survivor would be dealt with later. He could find them later. He took a breath and started to fade, just when a girl on the ground with black hair, moved slightly. She looked over at the boy next to her and her shoulders started shaking, tears rolling down her cheeks. It was her. She was the survivor! He reached for his gun, pulling it out and aiming it at her. Then, as he fired, he had disappeared from the room, reappearing in a large house, the bullet shattering the mirror across from him. He threw the gun down, cursing bitterly. He was so damn close!
That was close. That was way too close..I could’ve got shot. Alex thought, her eyes closed tightly. However, the image of Zack didn’t leave her mind. Moment before smiling. Moments before saving her life, dying so that she could use his blood to save herself. She struggled to place his head in her lap, tears running down her cheeks. They dropped onto his, making him look almost alive. Almost alive and crying. Except for the fact that a bullet wound was in his ribs. She laid her hand over it, sealing it and the bullet falling out. She kissed his cheeks gently, “Oh Zack..Zack, I’m sorry..I’m so sorry.”
The troops ran in threw the open door, stepping over the body of the boy in the door frame. He had almost made it. Their guns were ready, but it was in vain. The damage was done. Zack was dead along with the other twenty students. Her shoulders shook, tears blinding her; twenty-one dead. She shouldn’t be alive. She should’ve died with him. It was only chance that she survived. None of this should’ve happened. None of this. She closed her eyes, holding Zack close. Why Zack? Why did he have to die?
A soldier came up next to her, kneeling and putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, miss..I’m so sorry..I was trying to get here sooner..I didn’t hear his thoughts till after he had fired.”
She looked at him, shaking her head. “It might’ve made it worse, anyways.”
He smiled sadly, then got up and started moving bodies and examining the bullets. She sat there, sobbing over Zack’s body; he was dead..and through death, he let her live.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Harvest-Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1: BLIND
“Beat you..again.” She told him, smirking in his general direction. They were both gasping, having run across the soccer field twice.
“How…can you..do that..you..you can’t see!” he gasped, bent over with his hands on his knees as she beamed at him.
“Don’t need..to see to..know how to..run in..a straight line..” she chuckled, then pulled off the white hat she wore that bore a peace sign and had several rips along it, strings poking out in bunches. It had covered her eyes, shading them from the sun. However, over her eyes there was a long, black, cloth tied around them, allowing no light in or out. She ran her hand through her short, choppy brown hair, then put the hat back on, covering her smooth face with shadows.
“Face it,” she taunted, “You can’t beat a girl.”
“I can beat everyone but you!” he growled back, standing up.
“Heh, the blind one?” she smirked, crossing her arms. He fell silent and her smirk widened into a grin.
“Stop that!”
“It’s a free country! I can laugh at you all I want!”
He rolled his eyes, sticking out his tongue. After a pause she shook her head, “You’re so immature, you know?”
He blinked, “Did you see me stick out my tongue!?”
“Nah, but you did just tell me.” She laughed, then leaned down, her hand feeling the ground for her water bottle. He rolled his eyes again, then took her water bottle and pushed it into her hand. She smiled and took it, tilting her head back and pouring the water in it.
“Thanks,” she said as she finished, closing it and glancing in his direction. He took her arm, leading her up the small slope towards the school.
“I don’t get it, you know.”
“What?”
“That you get straight A’s and are one of the best runners on the track team. How does that work?”
“Cause I’m special.” she grinned, laughing quietly.
“Oh stop it!” he shook his head, chuckling, “and so, like, I’m not special?”
“Pretty much!”
“Ah..I see..I think I’m getting this now..”
“It’s not that hard to understand!”
“You’re so mean!”
“So what? I’m blind! I get to be mean!”
He let her go, stepping away and she froze.
“I can be mean too!” he said, humor in his voice.
“Sammy..”
“Say you’re sorry!”
“No way! Not to a guy!”
“Oh well..can’t get back then, can you?”
“Now that’s just cruel! You’re a cruel, cruel person!”
“Oh yeah?” Samuel laughed, “Well I’m not special, I get to be cruel!” his voice was playful mocking.
“Alright, jeez! I’m sorry!”
“Good, now-”
“Hey Sammy!” another teenager walked up to them. He looked offended at the blind girl’s presence, “With Katara again, I see.” he growled out darkly.
“Be nice,” Samuel hissed, taking Katara’s arm and leading her again.
“Oh, Sammy, don’t be that way. We used to be best friends until..her.”
“I’m not deaf, you idiot!”
“Oh I’m sorry,” he hissed sardonically.
“I may be blind but I can still kick your butt. You know, I heard you were fat and stubby.” Her voice was strangely bitter. However, her words were in fact true. His round cheeks grew blood red, his pudgy fists clenched. Samuel glared at him, mouthing, ‘Don’t you dare!’ The boy sighed then turned away, walking up into the school.
Katara paused, “Is he gone?”
Samuel nodded then said, “Yes Kat.”
She smiled then waited for him to lead her again. When he didn’t her brow furrowed, looking in his direction. “Samuel?”
He was staring ahead, eyes squinted to try to make out a figure ahead, walking towards the back door of the school.
“Sammy,” her voice had instinctively dropped low, “what’s going on?”
“There’s a man..he’s trying to get in through the back door of the school.”
Katara froze, “Um..Sammy? Can you make anything out? Maybe I can help.”
He growled, shaking his head, “Yeah..cause you have experience with that.”
Kat felt stung, stepping back and scowling at the place she heard the words.
“C’mon,” he said, “let’s get closer.”
“Yeah, cause you can protect both of us.” She hissed darkly, shaking her head. Samuel looked at her, his face pained, guilty. He should’ve seen that coming after what he said. How she got blind was one of the things she would never talk about. Matter of fact, she never talked about her parents either-
“Kat..I’m sorry..I’m just..tense..I dunno..I’m sorry.” his voice portrayed his pain, his guilt.
She sighed, nodding. “I should’ve snapped either..apology accepted.” she smiled faintly, looking towards him. “Let’s go investigate, shall we?”
He laughed softly, “Alright Kat, c’mon.”
“Beat you..again.” She told him, smirking in his general direction. They were both gasping, having run across the soccer field twice.
“How…can you..do that..you..you can’t see!” he gasped, bent over with his hands on his knees as she beamed at him.
“Don’t need..to see to..know how to..run in..a straight line..” she chuckled, then pulled off the white hat she wore that bore a peace sign and had several rips along it, strings poking out in bunches. It had covered her eyes, shading them from the sun. However, over her eyes there was a long, black, cloth tied around them, allowing no light in or out. She ran her hand through her short, choppy brown hair, then put the hat back on, covering her smooth face with shadows.
“Face it,” she taunted, “You can’t beat a girl.”
“I can beat everyone but you!” he growled back, standing up.
“Heh, the blind one?” she smirked, crossing her arms. He fell silent and her smirk widened into a grin.
“Stop that!”
“It’s a free country! I can laugh at you all I want!”
He rolled his eyes, sticking out his tongue. After a pause she shook her head, “You’re so immature, you know?”
He blinked, “Did you see me stick out my tongue!?”
“Nah, but you did just tell me.” She laughed, then leaned down, her hand feeling the ground for her water bottle. He rolled his eyes again, then took her water bottle and pushed it into her hand. She smiled and took it, tilting her head back and pouring the water in it.
“Thanks,” she said as she finished, closing it and glancing in his direction. He took her arm, leading her up the small slope towards the school.
“I don’t get it, you know.”
“What?”
“That you get straight A’s and are one of the best runners on the track team. How does that work?”
“Cause I’m special.” she grinned, laughing quietly.
“Oh stop it!” he shook his head, chuckling, “and so, like, I’m not special?”
“Pretty much!”
“Ah..I see..I think I’m getting this now..”
“It’s not that hard to understand!”
“You’re so mean!”
“So what? I’m blind! I get to be mean!”
He let her go, stepping away and she froze.
“I can be mean too!” he said, humor in his voice.
“Sammy..”
“Say you’re sorry!”
“No way! Not to a guy!”
“Oh well..can’t get back then, can you?”
“Now that’s just cruel! You’re a cruel, cruel person!”
“Oh yeah?” Samuel laughed, “Well I’m not special, I get to be cruel!” his voice was playful mocking.
“Alright, jeez! I’m sorry!”
“Good, now-”
“Hey Sammy!” another teenager walked up to them. He looked offended at the blind girl’s presence, “With Katara again, I see.” he growled out darkly.
“Be nice,” Samuel hissed, taking Katara’s arm and leading her again.
“Oh, Sammy, don’t be that way. We used to be best friends until..her.”
“I’m not deaf, you idiot!”
“Oh I’m sorry,” he hissed sardonically.
“I may be blind but I can still kick your butt. You know, I heard you were fat and stubby.” Her voice was strangely bitter. However, her words were in fact true. His round cheeks grew blood red, his pudgy fists clenched. Samuel glared at him, mouthing, ‘Don’t you dare!’ The boy sighed then turned away, walking up into the school.
Katara paused, “Is he gone?”
Samuel nodded then said, “Yes Kat.”
She smiled then waited for him to lead her again. When he didn’t her brow furrowed, looking in his direction. “Samuel?”
He was staring ahead, eyes squinted to try to make out a figure ahead, walking towards the back door of the school.
“Sammy,” her voice had instinctively dropped low, “what’s going on?”
“There’s a man..he’s trying to get in through the back door of the school.”
Katara froze, “Um..Sammy? Can you make anything out? Maybe I can help.”
He growled, shaking his head, “Yeah..cause you have experience with that.”
Kat felt stung, stepping back and scowling at the place she heard the words.
“C’mon,” he said, “let’s get closer.”
“Yeah, cause you can protect both of us.” She hissed darkly, shaking her head. Samuel looked at her, his face pained, guilty. He should’ve seen that coming after what he said. How she got blind was one of the things she would never talk about. Matter of fact, she never talked about her parents either-
“Kat..I’m sorry..I’m just..tense..I dunno..I’m sorry.” his voice portrayed his pain, his guilt.
She sighed, nodding. “I should’ve snapped either..apology accepted.” she smiled faintly, looking towards him. “Let’s go investigate, shall we?”
He laughed softly, “Alright Kat, c’mon.”
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