by Lexie Scott
“That makes me so happy, sweetie. It’s so good to hear you’ve already made such good friends.”
“Yeah, they’ve really gone above and beyond anything my friends from back home would have done. They’ve been really welcoming and make me feel like I belong.”
She sighed. “I’m really glad to hear that. I know none of this has been easy on you, but you’ve taken it all in stride. I wish I lived closer so I could be more helpful.”
New York never felt so far away. I wish she was closer, too, but being on my own has forced me to push myself without having a safety net.
“I think this has been good for me. I know I have to do this, and it will be for the best that I did it alone. If you or my family was closer, I would be tempted to run back anytime things got hard or I was scared of trying something new.”
“You’re so strong.” I swear I heard her sniff. “Your parents, your birth parents, would be so proud of the young woman you’ve become.”
I bit my lip, fighting to keep the tears at bay. Breaking down would only make things worse. “Thanks, Masie.”
Since the topic was on my mind, I decided to bring it up with her. “Do you know if my parents were a bonded pair?”
She let out a small laugh. “Wow, they get right to the good stuff now, don’t they?”
I giggled. “No, I learned about that from my roommate and friend.”
“Of course. The girls were always more interested in the idea of pairs and bonding than the guys, which is strange because you’d think they would be just as eager to become more powerful.”
“My roommate told me she doesn’t want to find her pair because she doesn’t want anyone to have control over her.”
She sighed. “There have been cases of people who misuse the bond and try to manipulate their pair, but I promise those are the exceptions. When you find your pair, it’s such a harmonious relationship. If you hurt them, you hurt yourself, so those that do abuse the situation are negatively impacted but endure it.”
I cringed. “That sounds scary.”
“You’d have to be a masochist, which is why it’s rare,” she explained.
“Oh.” Natasha made it seem like it was a very real possibility, almost like it happened to most people. What was she exposed to? Maybe she heard terrible stories from her grandpa. “So, my parents? Do you know if they were?”
“No, sweetie. They weren’t. It’s become rarer and rarer to find your pair as the supes spread out. We used to live in much more condensed communities, but it’s not that way anymore.”
It didn’t matter to me if they were bonded or not. I knew they loved each other, and me. “And you haven’t met yours?”
“No,” she sounded a little sad. “Not yet.”
Was that why she was single? I’d never even heard her talk about dating before. It was a topic that never came up. It didn’t feel like my place to ask, and I was too young to give it much thought, but now I wondered.
“I’ve got to run, but I’ll talk to you soon. I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”
“Thanks. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I hung up and had the urge to call my parents, but it was already two in the morning there. I didn’t want to wake them up or have them panic. I could wait until tomorrow. I gathered my things, and when I got back to the room, the infernal headphones were back in place. I returned to being nonexistent in Natasha’s world, and after the night I had, it didn’t even bother me.
I climbed into bed and wished for a dreamless sleep. When I opened my eyes, I was in a different country. Somewhere tropical, if the humidity and plants were any indication. I spun around, looking for anything amiss.
If I was here, then something horrible was about to happen. My gut clenched. I closed my eyes, screaming to wake myself up, but it didn’t work. It never did. I was stuck here until whatever I was meant to see took place.
I stepped out of the thick foliage and onto a dirt path. I heard the chatter of voices and cars, so I headed in that direction. When I followed the turn, an open-air market appeared full of men, women, and children.
I couldn’t enjoy their smiling faces. Their friendly conversations or the hugs and handshakes. This was a community. Families.
And something was about to destroy them all.
I wanted to run into the middle of the market and scream for them to run! To take their children and go somewhere safe!
But I couldn’t. I wasn’t really here. I learned that the hard way after years of terrible dreams. I was forced to watch what happened, but I was helpless to stop it or change the future in any way. These people, wherever they were, likely wouldn’t be alive within a day or two.
My heart seized, breaking as I took in the joyful faces. They all seemed so happy. I hope they remembered this. That they appreciated how blessed they were. I’d seen areas before their destruction that seemed miserable.
Whoever these people were, at least they had known peace and love.
A crack broke through the air, sending chills down my spine. It was louder than anything I’d ever heard. I spun in the direction of the sound and my jaw dropped. A mountain—no, it was a volcano—spewed an angry cloud of ash into the sky.
The crowd behind me screamed, and chaos broke out. People ran, clenching one another and saying something in Spanish I didn’t understand.
I wanted them all to make it. I wanted them to survive.
It was just ash. That would be okay. Right?
But as I stared up at the volcano, a dark gray avalanche came barreling toward us. Images of Pompeii I’d seen in my history classes ran through my mind, and somehow, I knew. These people would all leave similar shadows. They were dying as they ran. Nothing could stop this.
A sob broke through my chest. No. It was too horrendous to conceive. I cried and shouted but couldn’t hear my own screams over the deafening roar of the wave of ash and rock crashing down.
Chapter 25
I jerked awake and rubbed my hands over my face, trying to scrub away the memory. It didn’t work. Nothing ever does. I’ll have that dream with me for the rest of my life, just like all the others.
With no chance of getting back to sleep right away, I leaned over to pick up my phone and check the time. Four a.m. My parents might already be up. Natasha hadn’t moved, and the last thing I wanted was to piss her off by waking her, so I slipped out of bed and into the hallway. It was as bright as it was during the day, but the stillness made it feel eerie as I open the door to the stairwell and sat on the bottom stair leading up to the next level.
Not knowing where or when my dreams took place was the worst part about waking up. Sometimes I could narrow it down based on what I saw, but more often than not, I got the answers at the same time as everyone else: when the disaster made the news.
I did a quick internet search to see if there has been any recent volcanic activity, but no headlines came up.
The sound of the people’s screams and cries will haunt me forever. I wish I could forget. What was the point of seeing these events if there was nothing I could do to stop or change them?
It was just cruel.
Maybe there was a spell or potion that would block them? Something to make sure I have a dreamless sleep. I might not see my hawk anymore, but it might be worth not having those nightmares either.
I selected my dad’s cell number and willed him to answer. On the third ring, it connected. “Saige? It’s early there. Are you okay?”
“No.” It was all I could get out through my tight throat.
“Did you have another dream?” He knew. Of course, he did. If I was home, he would have found me sitting out in my spot by now.
“Yeah.” I took in a long breath to soothe my nerves. “It was terrible. It’s going to be absolutely devastating.”
“Oh, honey. Do you want to tell me what happened or do you want me to distract you?”
I closed my eyes and rubbed them with the heel of my free hand. “It was somewher
e tropical. Warm. Lush green jungle everywhere. I found a marketplace.” I pinched my nose to keep the tears back. “The people were so happy, Dad. So full of joy and love. Everyone knew each other. It was so beautiful to see. Then there was this loud, horrible sound, and I turned around. There was so much smoke and ash in the air. Then, it was like an avalanche. This cloud came rolling down into the valley. Everyone was running and screaming and crying. It’s going to wipe out everything. Nothing and no one will survive its path.”
Dad was silent for a long time. This was one of the worst dreams I’d had in a long time. People could survive hurricanes and earthquakes. There were often mass casualties, but at least some were saved.
Not this time. That entire village would be wiped away, as well as any others in the area.
“I’m so sorry.” His voice broke. “I wish I could take this from you. I wish I could carry the burden.”
I wouldn't wish that upon him. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, let alone someone I loved.
“How is everything else going? How was the assessment?” I was grateful for the subject change.
“Good. I’ve made some good friends, and I passed the exam. I can stay at the fourth-year level course.”
“Wow, I’m so proud of you. I can’t believe how well you’ve handled all of this. I wish now we had told you sooner. Maybe then you could have had more time to adjust and maybe even learn from Masie.”
“You did your best.” I honestly believed that.
“It’s a difficult situation. I’m grateful you don’t hate us either. I feel like we got off too easily,” he confessed.
“I could never hate you or Mom. I love you both, and I know all this time you were trying to protect me. I won’t hold that against you guys.”
“Even though we didn’t let you do things you really wanted to?”
“Yes.” I smiled. “I might have been angsty about it, but I know you guys didn’t tell me no just to be controlling or spiteful. There was, and maybe even still is, a threat against me. I’m not sure what you could have done differently.”
“I wish that wasn’t true. That there still might be a threat, but it’s good you’re aware of that. It was a risk bringing you to that school, but it was also necessary. I just wish we were closer.”
“Me too,” I admitted. Even though the distance forced me to stand on my own and learn to count on myself, I did miss them all so much.
“How are Aiden and Brielle?”
“They’re great. They miss you, though.”
I blinked rapidly, fighting to clear my vision. “I miss them so much.”
It felt like a huge chunk of my heart was missing being so far from them. Did they understand I didn’t want to leave them? That I hadn’t abandoned them?
“Maybe we can do a video call tonight so I can see them.”
“They would love that,” Dad replied, sounding less morose.
“Okay, I’ll call after my classes.”
“Sounds great. Have a good day.”
“You too. I love you.”
“Love you, too, honey.”
I ended the call and leaned back on my elbows. He always had a way of making me feel better. I just wished we could be out on the roof together, watching the sunrise instead of being on different sides of the country.
Sitting in a cold, empty stairwell didn’t have the same calming effect my secret spot had, but it was better than having to stay silent in my room. I played on my phone, stalking my old friends to pass the time. They were still enjoying their summer vacation, but after only one post mentioned my absence, it looked like they all moved on. We grew up together, had been friends for ten years, and they forgot about me in less than two weeks?
I shouldn’t hold that against them. I was creating my own new life here, making new friends, and not giving them more than a thought every few days. But it’s different when you’re the one that leaves. You’re forced to change and adapt. They’re the ones who should be mourning what once was. My lame attempt at cutting them off worked better than I imagined. I got one email signed from all of them, and that was it. They didn’t even reply to what I sent back.
So this was it.
This was my new life. I didn’t belong in my old one anymore.
Finally, it was an acceptable time to get up and shower. I went back to my room and grabbed my things before claiming as much hot water as I wanted. After I changed and blow-dried my hair, I went back to see if Natasha was awake and wanted to get breakfast, but she was still snoozing.
I headed downstairs wearing my favorite teal converse to cheer me up and sent Hannah a text to let her know I was going to breakfast early. Hopefully, someone I knew would be there to distract me. Anytime I wasn’t actively thinking of something, my nightmare replayed, so I had to stay busy.
This wasn’t turning out to be a great day. If I wasn’t so terrified of having another bad dream, I would have gone back to sleep until tomorrow. I sat alone during breakfast and got a message in our group chat that everyone was running behind. I’d have to meet Hannah, Daniel, Theo, Sai, and Malik at our history class.
The teachers acted like a secret email was sent out to all the staff telling them to go full force today. We got homework and reading assignments in every class, including math! I’d never been so grateful for tutoring and study sessions in my life. My friends were going to be the only reason I managed to pass my classes.
I saw Niall throughout the day, but each time I tried to speak to him, he ignored me. It felt strange to have gone from nearly forty-eight straight hours together to silence. I kind of hated it.
Hannah caught up to me after my Earth class on the way back to the dorm.
“You’ve been off all day. Is everything all right?” Hannah stopped me before we reached the building.
I hadn’t realized she noticed. We all seemed lost in our own worlds and too busy in class to connect. My overstuffed backpack slipped off my shoulder, and I hiked it up with a shrug. “I had a rough night.”
She raised a concerned brow, waiting. Was this an off-limits topic? It wasn’t like I could tell her to hang on while I called and checked with Masie. This wasn’t about my birth parents or my past, so it was fine. Right? Or were dreams like this a sign of something? What if only hybrids got them? Would I be revealing myself without even knowing?
I knew I should play it safe, but I was so exhausted. Since I got to this school, things just kept piling one on top of another, and I was close to my breaking point. My nightmares might be what pushed me over the edge, and if there was a way she or someone else here could help, then it was worth the risk. I could trust Hannah. I truly believed that. I could deal with any fallout later.
“I get nightmares, and last night was particularly bad. I can’t usually sleep after them so I’m pretty tired too.”
“Nightmares? About what?”
This was the first time talking to anyone about them outside of my family. I tried to keep them from my mom as much as possible because I knew how much she worried about me. I didn’t want her thinking even my sleep was dangerous.
How was I supposed to explain this? If anyone, or any place, would understand, it was Hannah and the other students of Drexel, but it still felt strange. No one else had talked about dreams or premonitions yet.
“They’re about disasters usually.”
She shifted her feet. “Like earthquakes and tornadoes?”
“Yeah, and fires and typhoons, but sometimes they’re also about mass shootings or building collapses.”
“Saige, that’s terrible. When did they start?”
“I was twelve when the first time one came true.” I watched for her reaction.
“Came true?” She gave nothing away. She wasn’t going to accuse me of being crazy. Yet.
“The first one I had was of a flood in China. I woke up panicked and convinced it was real. My dad got on the computer to prove to me it wasn’t, but then it showed up on the news. The images and video we saw were exac
tly what I remembered from my dream.”
“And it happened again last night?”
“This time it was a volcanic eruption. Somewhere near a jungle. The plume of ash and smoke kills everything in its path.”
Her face paled, and she pulled out her phone. After typing, she turned it so I could see the screen. “Cerro Negro volcanic eruption in Nicaragua kills over ten thousand.” I read the headline and covered my mouth. It already happened?
“I got the notification during literature,” she whispered.
It never mattered how much warning I had or how much time was between my nightmare and the actual event. I felt sick after every single one.
“You dreamed of this last night?” she asked, and I nodded. “And that always happens? You dream of something before it occurs?”
“Yeah, it’s not always the same day, but I haven’t ever been able to figure out the location before it makes the news either. I’ve tried so hard. I want to warn the country or the people, but I don’t see enough to help me figure out where or when it takes place.”
She rolled her bottom lip between her lip while staring over my shoulder. I didn’t interrupt her thinking. She was up to something. What if there was some sort of tracking spell to figure out where they take place? Was there a magical way of stopping these dreams? Could I finally sleep without worrying about what I would see next?
Chapter 26
Mrs. Hedgings opened her door and waved us inside. I should have realized where we were going the second we walked into the lab building, but Hannah was practically jogging on the way over. I doubted she would have even answered if I bothered to ask.
“What can I help you two with?” the older woman asked once we sat on the couches in the back of the room.
“Saige has psychic abilities. How did that go unnoticed by the assessments?” Hannah blurted.
I turned and shot her a look. That was rude. Mrs. Hedgings wasn’t to blame for missing something I never brought up.
