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Chapter Six: In The Midst

“What in the HELL!” Zack’s mouth was agape, just as everyone else’s in the gym.

For about two minutes, Evelyn Elektra had warped herself into a combusted version of a human fireball. Lash’s arms were burned and the striped fabric hugging them had been seared into tattered cinders upon the floor.

In the midst of the shocking distraction, Will had grabbed the dummy. No one had really taken notice except Coach Boomer who had dropped his clipboard with numb fingers. The buzzer of the clock resounded loudly in echoed silence throughout the open gym but as the hushed crowd grew, everyone’s eyes, including Will’s, fell onto the blazing form standing within the left center.

The fire died, revealing the girl beneath the blistering storm of heightened flames. Her body stood of its own accord for seconds at a time. That is, until she swayed back, her legs giving out as her eyes rolled back simultaneously up into her head.

Her body smacked lifelessly toward the floor as everyone watched in shocked stillness.

Coach Boomer didn’t waste any time. Instead of standing around in complete and utter confusion, his gaze went toward the partner he and Principal Powers had suggested for the girl’s power studies class. “Hot Head.”

All eyes flew to Warren.

“I need you to take Ms. Elektra here to the nurses office ASAP. I’ll meet you there in about ten minutes, I got a phone call to make.”

Hopping out of his chair hastily, Boomer grabbed his discarded clipboard from the gym floor. “Everyone else, class is DISMISSED!”

Everyone cleared out of the gym’s bleachers, some still lingering to observe the body of the girl lying limply on the surface of the arena’s floor.

Warren nodded, albeit grudgingly, before making his way toward her.

“Oh god,” Layla whispered, “I hope she’s okay...”

Majenta nodded her agreement.

Will was kneeling quietly above her, confusion written on his puzzled features. “I thought she could only manipulate elements,” he whispered guiltily.

Coach Boomer had taken his leave, no doubt toward the sanctuary of his office. The only people remaining were Will, Warren, and the sidekick clique of Sky High.

All of them had formed a semi circle around her, with Warren kneeling next to Will. “She can,” he answered gruffly, “I think something might have went wrong.”

Will remained silent, deep in thought and stunned, no doubt.

Sighing in annoyance, Warren slipped his hands beneath the girl’s unconscious and seemingly flaccid body, scooping and lifting her up easily into his arms. “I’ll talk to you guys later,” he spoke curtly, “I gotta head to Ms. Spex’s office.”

He made his track out of the gym and into the school’s hallways, ignoring the open stares and gaping mouths, as he cradled his burden gently within the crook of his well toned arms.

His gaze remained impassive as he contemplated what had just happened. To tell the truth, he didn’t have any answers. In fact, he was just as stunned and confused as Will and Coach Boomer had been in the aftermath of it all. He doubted even Evelyn would have answers when she regained consciousness.

Principal Powers, adorned with black striped formal wear and thick-heeled dress shoes, stood waiting for him. A worried frown was creased across her lips along with a somber expression as he spotted her standing patiently in front of the nurse’s office door.

She gently opened it for him to permit him entrance and followed closely behind.

The health department was abandoned and completely deserted, no doubt by Principal Powers’ orders. He found a bed to put Evelyn on and gently laid her there, his eyes lingering on her still form for a brief moment before looking at the other occupant guardedly.

“You can remain here if you so choose, Mr. Peace, “ she told him kindly, “Due to your outstanding track record and abilities, she is your assigned partner for this year.”

Warren nodded. Out of courtesy and his better judgment, he decided to remain. Silently, as if in answer, he sat himself down into an unoccupied chair.

Principal Powers followed suit and broke the uncomfortable silence with a heavy sigh. It was time for at least some explanation. “Ms. Elektra is a special case that we had decided to take upon ourselves. Her power revolves around elements as well as other skills that are found neither on any other continent nor any other country. Her guardian made it known to us that her powers are untested and untrained and his teachings could only go so far for her. That is when we decided to take the initial step of enrolling her into our institution.”

“I guess you guys didn’t see this coming then,” he replied, perplexed.

Principal Powers smiled thinly. “On the contrary. This, we were expecting.”

Raising an eyebrow in question, Warren asked, “Come again?”

“She doesn’t realize yet that she can also absorb elements. In this case, your presence in that gym assisted her on a very powerful and subconscious level. Because she does not yet have experience or knowledge in possessing such a power, her body shut down. I had her purposely paired with you. “

As the silence grew, she continued, “As you can realize, Mr. Peace, this is a very serious and delicate matter. One that I hope you will cooperate fairly on.”

His eyes stared indifferently. “You paired me with her because I’m a pyrokinetic. You knew that something like this would happen. Something alot like this might actually happen again in the future… And you still think this is a good idea why…?”

“She needs to be exposed to someone remotely close to her abilities in order to learn and control them. You seem like our best candidate, especially since you are just as introverted as her guardian said she herself would be… if you get to know her, Warren, I’m sure you’ll come to find very few differences between the two of you.”

“She isn’t anything like me,” Warren argued back gruffly, his eyes narrowing.

Principal Powers merely smiled knowingly. “Keep thinking that,” she replied astutely, “I think you’ll be surprised.”

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

The little girl looked at her chubby hand curiously, fire etched erratically around the tips and nails of her fingers, dancing all the way to the palms of her frail, little wrists.

A woman kneeled suddenly at her side, eyes wide and fearful as a doe’s. Long brown hair veiled along her face like a halo, her lips thinning as she stared at the mesmerized child in front of her.

“Evelyn,” she breathed fiercely, her voice light yet firm all at once. “What are you doing and how did you learn how to do that…?”

Her little shoulders shrugged in answer, too enthralled with her hands to really take notice to her mother’s fear and worry. “Why doesn’t it hurt, Mommy?” she asked suddenly, her voice small, “I thought fire burns…?”

Understanding seemed to light up her eyes, making them almost as green as the grass that rippled along the Earth. “It does, sweetie,” she whispered gently, hesitation written plainly across her features. “But what you are doing now isn’t normal. Your father could do what you’re doing.”

The fire extinguished itself. She never talked about her father.

Almost as hesitantly, Evelyn peered at her hand and then back up at her mother’s pale, frightened face. “Did he ever hurt you with it, Mommy…?”

“No, Honey,” She answered, smiling sadly. “He never hurt me with his power.”

Her mouth formed around the word dryly. “Power?”

Elektra nodded sadly.

Evelyn tilted her head to the side curiously, her nose scrunching up. “What is you power then, Mommy?”

Gentle arms cupped her shoulders. “I have none, Sweetie. I only know what I’ve come to learn.”

“And what is that…?”

Smiling sadly, Elektra whispered, “Perhaps it’s time,” with a heavy sigh, more to herself than the child standing inquisitively before her. “… It’s almost your bedtime. Would you like to hear a story…?”