GIFTED
The Super Seven – Book 2
Celesta Thiessen
Copyright 2013 Celesta Thiessen
Chapter 1 - Deep in the Woods
Thirteen-year-old Chrissy had always known she could read people’s minds. Oh, and she could do a few neat tricks such as levitating small objects. But all of that seemed of very little importance as she found herself face to face with a huge, brown bear!
She had been picking berries from a large saskatoon bush for almost an hour. Hearing noises from the other side of the bush, she had assumed it was one of her sisters. But no. As she picked her way round to the other side, she finally saw the cause of the noises. A bear. Happily eating the purple berries from the branches with its huge mouth. She stood frozen for a moment, just staring. The bear didn’t seem to notice her as it continued its berry feast. She looked down at the full pail of saskatoons in her hand. She had heard that it was wise to leave what you carried behind to make good your escape…but these berries were for mother! They were going to have pie!
Slowly, Chrissy backed her way round to the other side of the bush. Then, despite her mother’s repeated warnings about not running from wild animals, she sprinted from the bush and up the steps of the small cottage. She threw open the door and then shoved it closed with both hands. Chrissy turned to see the wide, startled blue eyes of her mother.
“Mom!” she gasped. “A bear! Outside!”
Inward laughter sprang up, replacing the building panic. Her mother smiled.
“Of course there are bears! We’re living in the middle of nowhere, Chrissy. Animals still live out here.” Her mother’s laughter calmed her racing heart. We are safe. We are safe. Her mother also had the gift.
Chrissy moved into the kitchen and set the berries on the counter. She gazed out the large picture window. She saw the bush where she had been picking berries but she didn’t see the bear.
“There really is a bear out there, Mom. Right on the other side of that bush,” she said, pointing.
“Oh, I believe you.” Her mother studied her for a long moment as Chrissy continued to look outside. “Chrissy…you look so much like your father. Of the three of you girls, you remind me of him the most. Your thick dark hair, your dark eyes, even the freckles on your nose…” She clutched her hands together; her fingers seemed intent on having a war with one another. It’s too bad you’re not more like him.
Chrissy turned on her mother. “I’m glad I’m not like him! He abandoned us, Mom. I’m never going to be like him!”
“Chrissy,” her mother reached for her, “I just meant…it’s too bad you’re gifted. My third and last daughter…I had hoped you would escape that curse.”
“Mom, no!” she protested. “I love what I am. I love being like you.”
“But if you weren’t like me,” her mother whispered, “I could keep you out of danger.”
Chrissy and her sisters had been home-schooled and had experienced very little of the outside world. The Gifted weren’t appreciated by most ‘normal’ people. And it didn’t help that most of the Gifted used their special abilities for selfish gain. Many of the Gifted had become criminals. When their father had left, their mother had sold their little house in the city and bought this cabin, deep in the woods, far away from people.
“He did what he had to do to protect us,” her mother said calmly, smoothing the apron she wore over her floral print dress. “Don’t be angry with him, Chrissy.”
“He left us, Mom. Never visits. Never even calls. He must not love us anymore.”
“Chrissy, that’s not true…” Your father…he’s a good man.
She hugged her mother then; the concern and sorrow coming from the older woman was just too much to bear. All will be well, Mother. I am glad for what I am. And, one day, you will see…I have been made right. She stroked her mother’s hair as she cried. They were almost the same height now. Chrissy would protect her mother, just as her mother had always protected her. Evil might come but it wouldn’t win. She wouldn’t let it. Then she turned away from that line of thought. No use dreaming up trouble.
Then I wouldn’t have to send you away, too. Chrissy almost didn’t catch the stray thought as she worked to master her own emotions.
“Send us away?” She pulled back to look into her mother’s face.
“My child…I’m sorry. I’m going to send you and your sisters to boarding school. It’s just…safer.”
Chrissy’s tears began to flow then, too, as she hugged her mother again. She and her sisters had never been separated from their mother, not even for one night.
“I don’t agree!” said Chrissy. “The best place for me is with my family!” Tears glistened on her cheeks.
“You need to learn how to use your gifts. And you’ll have your sisters with you.”
***
At the end of summer, when the leaves were changing color, it was time for the three girls to go away to boarding school. Their mother had decided that she would drive them the six hours to the School for the Gifted and then return to the cabin.
The day they were to leave, the three of them were decked out in their school uniforms: a yellow and teal skirt and a teal blouse. Yellow and teal were the colors of the school, apparently.
“These skirts are just lovely,” remarked Tammy.
“Yes,” replied Alexia, “and it’s going to be nice to meet other kids.”
Tammy nodded as they walked out to the car together.
Chrissy thought the uniform was hideous. She would rather wear a nice pair of blue jeans any day. She couldn’t believe they were so happy. Her sisters were older, though, sixteen and seventeen. Chrissy was pretty sure what they meant by ‘other kids’ was boys. But she didn’t want to meet ‘other kids’ or boys. She wanted to stay with her mother in their cabin, deep in the woods. Silently, Chrissy followed them out to the car but she didn’t allow their bubbling feelings of optimism to affect her. She didn’t want to go.
The long drive to the school’s ‘secret’ location was uneventful. They stayed mainly on the large highway and the traffic wasn’t bad. But as soon as her mother turned onto the long driveway that led to the school, Chrissy sensed something was wrong. Very wrong.
Chapter 2 - School for the Gifted
“Mom,” gasped Chrissy, “I don’t feel well.” Another wave of…whatever it was hit her and her stomach lurched. “Mom!” She felt panicky. “Pull over!”
Their mother pulled the antiquated car over and stopped. Chrissy flung the door open. She struggled with her seat belt, then threw herself out of the car and retched violently. The remains of her breakfast sullied the otherwise neatly trimmed lawn.
“Chrissy!” exclaimed her mother. “Are you okay?”
“What’s wrong?” asked Alexia, a grave look on her face. She was the strongest telepath of the four of them.
“I…” Chrissy, on her hands and knees beside the car, struggled to breathe. “I don’t know.” She heaved again but, this time, there was a terrible burning in her throat. Fire suddenly spewed from her mouth and nose. Chrissy tried to catch her breath. Ice formed beneath her knees and palms. Her arms slipped out from beneath her and she hit her head on the ground. Abruptly, she shot up to hover two feet in the air, then dropped back down onto her belly. Chrissy was winded. Her hands and arms winked out of sight! She felt the darkness begin to take her, and she surrendered to it. There was too much in her mind…too much.
When she came to, Chrissy was lying on a cot in a white-walled room. Her mother sat beside the bed, holding her hand. A strange man sat with her mother, talking to her.
“…it seems Chrissy has an extremely rare condition. It has been termed ‘proximity associative allocation’.”
“What does that mean?” asked her mot
her, patting Chrissy’s hand at seeing that she was waking up.
“Whatever gifts she’s near to, those are the gifts she will exhibit. She will display the gifts of all the people she is close to, possibly even within a radius of several miles. It means that she isn’t telepathic at all and it is only her condition that caused her brain to mimic that gifting.”
“Oh, my!” exclaimed her mother. “Perhaps this isn’t the best place for her after all!”
For a moment Chrissy’s heart soared, despite her throbbing head. It couldn’t be true, what the man was saying. I want to come home with you! she thought at her mother.
“Quite the contrary,” said the man smoothly. “This is the perfect place for her. It is important that Chrissy learn to cope in society with the Gifted, and, even more importantly, without the Gifted or the gifts. I recommend that she wear a suppressor most of her time here. It is a helmet, lined with lead to block sub-atomic particles from entering her brain. It is the entangled sub-atomic particles, generated by the minds of the Gifted, to which she is susceptible.”
“I think we should try whatever you think is best, Mr. Kerberos. You’re the principal here so I’m sure you’ve had experience with these types of things before?”
“Yes, yes, I have. I truly think it’s vital that Chrissy be able to thrive in a world where she is not dependent on the gifts of others.”
“That makes sense.” Her mother nodded.
Chrissy’s heart sank. Shock, grief, and dread filled her all at once. To be abandoned here in this strange place and to be deprived of her power of telepathy…and for him to say that she was never telepathic at all…only pilfering the gifts of others…
“I believe I have a suppressor here.” Mr. Kerberos walked out the door and they could hear him moving things in the other room.
“Mom!” Chrissy protested. “Please…”
They were interrupted as Mr. Kerberos returned, carrying a bulky white helmet under one arm.
“Ah. Here we are,” he announced. “You may wear this one for now and I’ll have my secretary order you something more fashionable.” The man helped her sit up and put the helmet down over her head. It was too big, heavy, and awkward. Immediately, the headache was gone. The brief relief was followed by a wave of fear. Her fingers scrabbled at the helmet to tear it away. Mr. Kerberos held her wrists.
“No, Chrissy. It’s okay.”
“But I can’t hear anyone!” She burst into tears as she realized what it would mean. I’m alone.
***
Later that day, sitting in the cafeteria by herself, with the heavy helmet on her head, Chrissy pondered her fate. She noticed a boy had approached her otherwise-empty table.
“Hi. Can I sit here?”
He was tall, lanky, and blue-eyed. He had red hair, and freckles stood out on his nose. Chrissy ransacked her brain for his name. They had the same Math class and she was sure she had heard the teacher address him by name.
“Sure…ummm…Cain.” Yes. That was it. Cain.
He scowled and plunked his tray down across from her. “You can call me Michael.”
“Oh, sorry, did I get it wrong?”
“No. My dad named me Cain but I like to go by Michael.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
Michael shrugged. “Because Cain’s a dumb name.” He ate in silence. She watched him wolf down his food but she had no appetite. “You gonna be eating your food?” he asked, staring at her tray.
“No.”
“Can I have it?”
“Knock yourself out.” She slid the tray in his direction. “Is that why you chose to sit here?”
“Nope.” He pushed his tray aside and started in on her food. “Just wanted to meet the other freak in the ‘School for the Gifted’.” The way he said ‘School for the Gifted’ disturbed her. Should she fear this place? She longed to rip the helmet off but Chrissy didn’t want to get in trouble on her first day.
“The other freak?” she echoed.
“Yeah.” He met her gaze. “It’s just the two of us.”
“You’re a freak?” she asked.
“Well, no. I’m normal. But round here, that’s freakish. And my father’s uber-gifted and I was supposed to be his ‘special’ child. Instead, I turned out to be an embarrassment to old Mr. Kerberos.”
“To…the principal? He’s your father?”
“Yup. Anyway…” Michael wiped his mouth with a napkin. He lowered his voice, and their eyes locked, “If it gets too bad…” he pursed his lips and looked around, “let me know. Maybe we can help each other.” And with that, he stood and walked away, leaving her to clean up his tray as well as her own.
***
Over the next two weeks, Chrissy settled into life at the school. Every day had an identical pattern of repeating classes, even the weekends. Her new helmet came in. It was sleek, shiny-black, and much lighter than the other one. Chrissy added several glossy pink flower stickers and studied the effect in the mirror. It still looked weird. She hated it. Each student got a private room at the School for the Gifted and, for that, she was very thankful. She had been assigned a special, lead-lined room that was supposed to shield her from the entangled brainwave particles caused by the Gifted. But, as she had discovered on her first night, it didn’t work. Thoughts, feelings, and new senses had assaulted her the moment she removed the helmet. In the beginning, it had frightened her and, that first night, she had slept with her helmet on. Chrissy had thought about telling Mr. Kerberos that the room was defective but now she was glad she had thought better of it.
Shucking the helmet and her clothing, she got ready for sleep. She donned the now too-small, pink pajamas her mother had bought her when she turned twelve. Then Chrissy sat down on her bed in the darkened room and let her mind fill. First, she tried reaching out to the minds of her sisters. They were both asleep. They were happy. Then Chrissy focused on a pen that sat on the desk across the room.
The pen rose and then flew in a slow circle above her head. She liked to start with the easy stuff. She’d started to learn telekinesis at the same time she’d started to learn how to walk so this was a piece of cake. Quietly, the pen glided back down to rest on to the desk. She grinned in the darkness. Now, to practice her new skills. Oh sure, Mr. Kerberos had said they weren’t her gifts. But she was gifted. She knew she had been designed right. So she would practice her gift - the gift of sharing in the giftings of others.
She summoned a flame, the size of a candle, and let it dance above her outstretched palm. After watching the flickering yellow light for several moments, she drew water from the air about her and doused the flame with a small splash. She froze the water mid-air before it reached her sheets. Chrissy picked up the now frozen splash with her mind, carried it into the bathroom, and set it in the sink. There, she gave the ice a quick-thaw, and the water trickled down the drain. Once she had begun practicing, bending the elements was almost as easy for her as the telepathic skill set.
Chrissy had saved the two skills she found the most difficult for last. But they were her favorites. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror as she tried to focus her mind in the new way. Chrissy shot upwards and her head hit the ceiling with a dull thud. She suppressed a gasp of pain. She fell straight down but managed to land on her feet and avoid hitting the counter. That was enough for one night. She rubbed her head. Too bad she couldn’t wear her helmet for safety. However did the flyers do it? They always seemed to pull off such graceful maneuvers.
Chrissy went to bed and lay absolutely still. Focusing more and more inward, she drifted toward sleep. She reached for the elusive switch in her mind. Just as she grasped it, sleep took her consciousness. As her breathing pattern changed to deep sleep, Chrissy winked out of sight.”
Chapter 3 - No!
Chrissy’s mouth fell open, despite her resolve to show nothing, no matter what he might say.
“May I please phone my mother?” She had been called down to the principal’s office where she now sa
t on an uncomfortable, orange, plastic-backed chair.
“There’s no need. I have the signed permission notice from your mother right here.” Mr. Kerberos patted a paper on his desk. “Chrissy, if this operation is successful, you will be able to go home to your mother. You will be able to live a normal life.”
Chrissy concentrated on not responding. She willed her emotions toward calm.
“You don’t have to worry, my dear.” He stood and came around from behind the desk and put his hand on her shoulder. “The chances of something going wrong with the surgery are very small. And the chance of permanent brain damage is almost next to nil. Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to wear that helmet all the time?”
Chrissy swallowed hard and tried not to flinch away from his touch. “Yeah…I guess.”
“That’s a good girl,” he said patting her. “There’s nothing to worry about. This will turn out for the best. You’ll see. We’ll schedule the surgery for just as soon as possible - likely within the next couple of days.”
Again, Chrissy willed away her words and focused on her thumbnail to keep from responding.
“You may go to your room. It’s almost light’s out,” Mr. Kerberos said finally, moving back to sit behind his desk once more.
Shock numbed her mind and carried her from his office down the halls to her dorm room. Sitting on her bed, she mentally reviewed her situation and considered her options. No. They would not be cutting out a piece of her brain. She had been born for a purpose and having her brain dissected was not it. Then she thought of Michael. He had offered to help. But could she trust him? He was Mr. Kerberos’ son. It came down to either trusting Michael or escaping alone. Chrissy sat in silence for a moment. Her mother wanted her to have the operation. Chrissy couldn’t go back to her mother now. And all alone…she wouldn’t know where to go. She decided that she would trust Michael.
Chrissy took the helmet off and let the hateful thing drop to the floor. She watched herself in the mirror as she winked out of sight. Only minutes later, she was in the boys’ dorm, searching for Michael. She sensed at each door, listening for his brain. Chrissy didn’t even know how she’d be able to tell when she found him, as she’d never ‘heard’ him before. The worst of it, though, was dodging the boys who tromped down the hall. Invisible as she was, her cover would be totally blown if one of them knocked into her.