Chapter 23
“So a Porter can teleport?”
“Yes, but only in or near the water.”
“Oh.” It was spring break and Crix, Holidee, and Mer had gone to Holidee’s house by the beach for the week. Holidee and Crix were on the beach, practicing. Tom had gotten out of the hospital a few days after the attack. They tried to keep it quiet, but Rip and Rebekah found out. After Tom’s attack, they were all on their guard. Some of them, however, started to relax after a month went by with no sign of Tom’s dad.
“Now, Holidee, pay attention. You have to really concentrate on this task. It may sound simple, but it’s not. An experienced Porter can just as easily leave a body part behind than a beginner. This isn’t like a Trans or Cog. Those you change your body. This, you teleport it. We’re gonna start off with short distances, then we’ll progress.” Crix stood up and limped over to the water’s edge. Holidee watched him painfully. He said it would get better, but to Holidee, it looked as if it were getting worse. Holidee hadn’t brought up his limp since the day she saw it, but the burning sensation to ask was still there. It pained her to watch Crix struggle. “Now, for your first time, be careful. You don’t have to rush. It’s not a race. Just relax and concentrate.” Crix closed his eyes and in seconds disappeared and reappeared a few feet from where he was standing. “Go ahead.” Holidee stood up and walked to the water’s edge. She closed her head and did as Crix had told her. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes, thinking she had failed, because she had felt nothing. When she opened her eyes, however, she didn’t see Crix or her house. She spun around, looking for anything familiar. Nothing. Panic set in. She didn’t know how to re-teleport back to her house. She didn’t even know how to direct herself when teleporting. She spun around again, looking at her surrounding settings. It looked as if she was on a deserted beach. She decided to try to teleport again. She closed her eyes and concentrated. This time she opened her eyes after a few seconds. She was in a bathroom. She looked around. The bathroom was small. Then she heard something. The shower. It was running. Someone was taking a shower! Her mind spun as she tried to teleport again, but she couldn’t concentrate. The shower turned off. She opened her eyes and saw someone pulling back the shower curtain. Then she saw Rip poke his head out and reach for a towel. He froze, seeing Holidee standing there, speechless.
“Holidee?” He was more surprised than mad. He grabbed the towel off of the rack. Then he stepped out of the shower a few seconds later, with the towel wrapped around his waist. He started laughing. “Are you okay? How’d you get here?” She just stood there. “It’s okay. Good thing I didn’t just jump out of the shower naked like I sometimes do.” He laughed again. “That woulda been interesting.” Holidee smiled.
“I’m glad you didn’t.” Rip smiled and walked over to the fogged up mirror. He wiped off some of the fog with his arm. “I was practicing my skills with Crix on the beach. He was showing me how to be a Porter. They can teleport. Well, I did it, but I ended up on a deserted beach. Then I tried to get back and I ended up here.”
“Cool.” Rip turned and looked at her. Water droplets were slowly rolling down his muscles. I have to get outta here! Holidee shook her head.
“I’d better go.”
“Okay. Enjoy the rest of your break. See ya after break.” Holidee nodded and closed her eyes. She disappeared a few minutes later. She kept her eyes closed, fearing what lay on the other side. Then she opened one eye.
“Holidee? Where’d you go?” It was Crix. She sighed with relief and opened her other eye.
“I…well, I teleported.” Crix smiled.
“I can tell. So much for short distances. We need to work on your control abilities.” Holidee agreed.
“First I teleported to some deserted beach. Then I accidentally teleported into the Hakebers’ bathroom. I have no idea how I ended up there.” Crix looked at her in amazement.
“You teleported all the way into the city and back out to here?”
“Yeah. Am I not supposed to do that?”
“No. I mean yes. I mean…that’s amazing! Holidee, you teleported away from the ocean! No one I’ve known has ever done that! Not even your mom or dad.” Holidee looked at Crix.
“Really?” Crix shook her head. “Wow.” Then she shrugged. “So how do I control where I go?” Crix smiled and explained to her that she had to pick a destination, just like picking an animal to turn into as a Cog. She couldn’t just do it and expect to be where she wanted.
“But what if I don’t know where it is I want to go?”
“You’ll always know.”
“Like I could be like, ‘I want to go to where Rip Hakeber is’ and it would-” Holidee vanished and appeared in Rip’s bedroom.
“Whoa! Holidee. You have to stop doing that to me.” Rip had pulled on his jeans as quickly as he could when he saw Holidee appear. He still had no shirt on. He zipped his jeans and threw the towel into a hamper in the corner.
“Sorry, Rip. I didn’t mean to.” Rip cocked an eyebrow.
“Sure.” Holidee opened her mouth to object, but Rip started laughing. Then she said good-bye and teleported back to Crix. Crix was just sitting on the beach, patiently.
“Done?”
“Sorry.”
“Yes, you can say things like that.” Man, she’s powerful. “Apparently you can teleport without closing your eyes. Concentration must be coming easier to you. You’re becoming so strong. You have no idea.”
“I’d rather close my eyes. I’m kinda dizzy.” Crix smiled.
“That’s to be expected your first few times. I think that’s enough for today. We’ll practice more tomorrow.” Holidee nodded and sat down in the sand next to Crix. Holidee was looking at Crix’ leg. Crix noticed and sighed.
“I suppose you want to know why I’m still limping?” Holidee nodded. “I guess when I was fighting Tom’s dad, he must’ve hit my knee. When I was around your age, I had a really bad knee injury. My kneecap got busted. They said I wouldn’t be able to walk, but I convinced your dad to heal me, even though he had never done anything like that before. He did and it worked. I only limped for about a month after that. I got stronger, though, with the help of Gregoric and my physical therapist.” Holidee looked at Crix.
“I could heal it. Completely, I mean.” Crix shook his head.
“I just need to strengthen it again. I’ll be fine.”
“I can do it! Let me help you. I hate seeing you struggle.”
“Holidee, this is one struggle I have to do by myself.”
“But, Crix-” Crix held up a hand.
“No buts.” Crix stood up and started limping away.
“Why don’t you want me to help you? What is this? The strongest man in the world contest? Let me help you. You have nothing to lose but that limp.” Crix stopped and turned around to face Holidee.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Oh, I understand. It’s some pride thing, isn’t it? Or do you just want to limp around and show Rodger what he did to you? Poke at his conscience and make him feel guilty. Well, get over it, Crix! That was then. This is now. Times have changed. Be better than that.” Crix watched as her eyes glared at him. Then they softened and her voice was quiet. “You know, a wise man once told me to never be afraid to ask for help. That same man should listen to his own advice every now and then.” Then Holidee turned around and teleported. Crix was left standing there, feeling guilty.
Okay, Holidee. Stop hiding. You can heal me. Holidee appeared on the beach in front of Crix.
“You mean it?” Crix nodded and limped toward Holidee. Then he sat down in the sand. Holidee knelt down and within minutes, healed his leg. “All done. See how easy that was?” Crix smiled weakly and stood up. He started walking toward the house. The limp was gone. Holidee smiled and caught up with him. He glanced sideways at her and smiled. Then he put his arm around her shoulders as they continued toward the house.