Legacy

by Gerald Pruett

  “I’m good,” Stephen said before turning towards Ellen. “Sorry.”

  “Hey, we missed, so don’t worry about it,” Ellen told him.

  “How exactly did we miss?” Stephen asked.

  “She made an impressive acrobatic move and jumped over you,” Mrs. Warner supplied before turning towards Ellen. “Gymnastics or cheerleading?”

  “Gymnastics,” Ellen replied. “I had to quit four years ago after I broke my left ankle.”

  “How does your ankle feel after that jump?” Mrs. Warner asked.

  “Good,” Ellen said as she glanced down at her left ankle. “It’s not bothering me.”

  “You should try out for cheerleading,” Mrs. Warner suggested. “If nothing more, become an alternate.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Ellen said politely. “Besides, I think that the cheerleaders have been selected for this year.”

  “A few girls had to quit because of their failing GPA’s and their failing commitment to the squad,” Heather—another one of Ellen’s classmates and a cheerleader—supplied. “There will be tryouts soon if it keeps up and if you can fluidly perform other moves has you did that jump, you can definitely make the squad.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Ellen again said politely.

  When Heather nodded, Mrs. Warner announced, “Okay, the show’s over! Get back to your games!”

  Ellen glanced over at Everett and saw that he was giving her an amused grin. Ellen returned the grin before turning her attention back to the game.

  The rest of Ellen’s school day was routine. She ate at the same table with Everett, Andy, Ted, Karla, Dawn, Gary and Derek. Everett wasn’t as tense as he was the day before, but Ellen saw that he still wasn’t at ease while sitting at the same table with Karla.

  During lunch, Karla had invited Ellen—and out of politeness—Everett, Andy and Ted to join her group after school at a nearby bowling alley. Ellen accepted quickly and because Ellen was going, Everett accepted.

  Chapter Twenty

  A few hours later, Ellen, Everett, Andy, Ted, Karla, Dawn, Gary, Derek, Chloe, Nathan, Calvin and six others who Ellen hadn’t been introduced to were gathering between the counter and the entrance of the bowling alley.

  When Ellen didn’t see Jessica, she asked Karla, “Your sister’s not coming?”

  “She had a date with her college beau,” Karla said while the others from her group were stepping up to the counter for their rented shoes.

  “She dates college students?” Everett quickly asked.

  “Just one,” Karla defended. “Simon Mosley.”

  “Simon Mosley?” Everett echoed in a surprised tone. “When did those two happen?”

  “They’ve been dating for the past seven months,” Karla informed.

  “Simon goes to Armstrong Atlantic State University, doesn’t he?” Everett asked.

  “Yeah,” Karla confirmed. “Why?”

  Ellen saw in Everett’s eyes that he was holding back when he shook his head and said, “No reason.”

  “Okay, well, I’m going to rent my shoes,” Karla said before turning and walking towards the counter.

  Ellen leaned closer to Everett before asking quietly, “Why did you ask if Simon went to Armstrong Atlantic State University?”

  “All of the students who had ended up in the psychiatric ward had attended Armstrong Atlantic State University,” Everett informed.

  “And our common denominators are Jessica and Simon,” Ellen said sullenly. “Crap! I really like Jessica. Wait! What am I saying? This could be just a coincidence.”

  “Too much is pointing towards Jessica for this to be a coincidence,” Everett retorted.

  “I want hard evidence,” Ellen told him. “So think like your dad. What would your dad do to get evidence?”

  Everett amusingly grinned before saying, “My dad would probably start by interviewing Simon.”

  “Sounds good,” Ellen said while hearing the door to the entrance opening. Ellen turned and saw Jessica with a teenage boy who appeared younger than Jessica. “Jessica’s here with… someone.”

  Everett looked before saying, “That’s Simon.”

  “That’s Simon?” Ellen asked incredulously. Everett just nodded. “The one in college?”

  “Yes,” Everett whispered as Jessica and Simon were walking their way. “He’s sixteen with a hundred and forty-something IQ.”

  “Wow,” Ellen let out barely above a whisper.

  “You two aren’t bowling?” Jessica asked while stepping up to Ellen and Everett.

  “We are,” Ellen said. “We’re just back here talking quietly and waiting for the crowd at the counter to die down.”

  “Simon, what’s going on at Armstrong Atlantic State University?” Everett asked.

  “What do you mean?” Simon asked as he and Jessica gave him curious looks.

  Ellen gave Everett a surprised look for coming straight out with his inquiry.

  “My mom works in the psychiatric department and a few students from Armstrong Atlantic State University were brought in to be treated.”

  “Yes,” Simon agreed dolefully. “I knew only two of them, but they each had an IQ above a hundred and forty, and unfortunately, some people with high IQs will overload their capacity to hold such knowledge, and to put it simply, they had shorted out their brains. It’s sad, but it happens. Anyway, I’m eager to try this bowling game.”

  Ellen grinned before asking, “You’ve never bowled before?”

  “I haven’t,” Simon said.

  “Then I hope you enjoy it.” She then held out her hand to shake hands while saying, “I’m Ellen by the way.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said while shaking hands. “As you might’ve deduced already from Everett; I’m Simon.”

  “Actually, Everett told me who you were as you and Jess were walking in,” Ellen admitted.

  “We are going to get our shoes now,” Jessica said while glancing down at Ellen’s feet. “You and Everett should really do the same before they run out of your size.”

  “We will,” Ellen assured her.

  Jessica nodded before she and Simon walked away. Before getting out of earshot Simon commented loud enough for Ellen and Everett to hear, “I’ve never known Everett to join in on an activity that you or Karla is a part of.”

  “That’s Ambassador Ellen’s doing,” Jessica said.

  “Ellen is an ambassador?!” Simon uttered somewhat loudly.

  “Not so loud,” Jessica hissed while glancing back. “And no. She’s just a nice person with mediating skills.”

  Ellen grinned before telling Everett, “I guess being called Ambassador Ellen is no worse than what I was called in Kansas City.”

  “What were you called there?” Everett asked.

  “Switzerland… or at least my house was anyway,” Ellen said. Everett just slightly laughed. “Everett. Could Simon be right about those students overloading their brains and shorting them out?”

  Everett thought for a second before saying, “I heard of incidents that geniuses’ brains can be overloaded, but the symptoms aren’t the same. I mean, I could be wrong, but as far as I know, the person goes bonkers when a genius overloads his or her brain.”

  “Well, unless Simon’s a good actor, I thought that he genuinely believed in what he was saying,” Ellen said.

  “He’s not a good actor nor is he a good liar. Or at least he wasn’t.”

  “So we’re back to square one.”

  “My opinion hasn’t changed on who I believe are guilty. In fact, Jessica might be using Simon as a patsy.”

  Ellen sighed before saying, “Okay, well, we need to prove or disprove it.”

  “And my dad’s the detective; not me. So I have no idea of how to go about it.”

  Ellen thought for a brief moment before announcing, “I do.” Everett gave her a curious look. “We need to compile a profile list of all the geniuses in the area. We need to learn everything we can about the geniuses who are
attending Armstrong Atlantic State University and the surrounding universities, and we need to learn everything we can about the ones who have had their brains turned into pudding. We need to find out who the next victim will be before the next full moon.”

  “And the next full moon is this weekend,” Everett supplied. “I’m not sure which day though.”

  Ellen politely grinned before saying, “Which means that we’ll just be busy during the next couple of days.”

  Ellen and Everett suddenly heard Karla demanding to know, “Are you two bowling or what?”

  Ellen and Everett looked at Karla before Ellen said, “We’re coming.” When Ellen noticed that the counter wasn’t as crowded as it was a short time ago she took hold of Everett’s hand while saying, “Let’s get our shoes.”

  The large bowling group had taken up lanes nine, ten, eleven and twelve, and during everyone’s first game, Ellen— with Everett taking a seat next to her—took a seat near Simon.

  “So how many geniuses are there at Armstrong Atlantic State University?” Ellen asked Simon.

  “Last year hardly any, but the dean had initiated a scientific research program last January that pulled twenty-eight genius-level students from other universities, including Yale and Harvard,” Simon replied.

  “Wow,” Ellen said in an impressed tone.

  “Thirty-two genius-level students started last January and the program is tough,” Simon continued as if Ellen didn’t speak. “The curriculum was broken up into five classes, so it’s a lot of reading, memorizing and it’s no surprise at all that a few students had overloaded their brains.”

  “And how many of them had—to use your earlier words— shorted out their brains?” Ellen asked.

  Simon thought for a second before saying, “Seven so far.” Ellen saw a confused expression across Everett’s face. “Six of the seven had ended up in the hospital where Everett’s mom works and the seventh one went back home… don’t know where home is though.”

  “So is it the geniuses with the higher IQs who are overloading their brains or the geniuses with the lower IQs?” Ellen asked.

  “That’s a weird question,” Jessica pointed out.

  “Well, I find the whole thing about geniuses overloading their brains weird and I’m just trying to understand,” Ellen retorted. “Understand who would be at the risk of overloading their brains.”

  “I don’t know the answer to that,” Simon said.

  “Simon!” Dawn called. “You’re up on lane ten.”

  “Okay,” Simon said while standing up.

  “Ellen, it’s your turn on lane eleven,” Nathan announced before Simon could take a step.

  “Alright,” Ellen said while standing.

  Once at the lanes with their bowling balls in their hands, Simon gestured for Ellen to go first. Ellen nodded and then waited the short time that it took for Andy to throw his second ball for the ten-pin spare on lane twelve.

  Andy stood to the left of the lane and threw diagonally across the alley towards the pin and just before the ball reached the gutter while inches from the pin, the ball curved inward again. The ball appeared as though it was going to miss the tenpin to the left, but it grazed it just enough to tip it over as it went by.

  “You barely picked that spare,” Ellen told Andy as she was positioning herself on the lane.

  “Just barely,” Andy agreed with a grin as he was leaving the lane.

  When the lane to Ellen’s right was clear and she was set, she took four steps before releasing the ball, and within seconds, the ball impacted the head pin almost straight on while leaving the three-pin, the ten-pin and the seven-pin.

  “Ooh!” Ellen couldn’t help uttering before turning away and stepping off the lane.

  “You want to put your next ball between the three-pin and the ten-pin,” Derek informed. “And if you hit the three-pin correctly, the three-pin should get knocked into the seven-pin.”

  Ellen just gave Derek the thumbs-up sign.

  Once Ellen was off the lane, Simon took three steps before releasing the ball. The ball impacted the pins at the three-pin while leaving the head pin, the two-pin, the four-pin and the seven-pin. As he was walking off the lane, he too was given some advice on how to pick it.

  After Ellen’s ball came back and she took her turn again, the ball hit high on the three-pin while leaving the seven-pin and the ten-pin. Ellen just grunted in annoyance before turning and walking off the lane.

  “Nice try,” most from her group told her.

  “Thanks,” Ellen told them with a polite grin before turning towards Everett. “I’m going to get a snack.” Ellen then made a head gesture for Everett to come along.

  Everett slightly nodded before standing and following Ellen away from the lanes.

  Once Ellen and Everett were out of earshot of their bowling group, he asked, “What’s up?”

  “Besides Jessica and Karla, I think we need to check up on the dean of Armstrong Atlantic State University as well.”

  “Yeah,” Everett said with a slight laugh. “That will be easier said than done.”

  “Probably, but I think if we pretend to be a part of our high school newspaper’s staff or… or that we are doing a research project for our class, then the dean will answer our questions without thinking too much about it.”

  “You know, I didn’t realize how hard detective work could be until now,” Everett said.

  “It’s kind of fun though,” Ellen added gleefully.

  “Fun?” Everett uttered incredulously.

  “I said, ‘kind of,’” Ellen defended.

  When Ellen and Everett stepped up to the small diner within the bowling alley, Ellen bought a hot pretzel with cheese and a soda as Everett bought nachos with cheese and a soda.

  As the afternoon slowly progressed, Ellen and the others played three games.

  While Phoebe babysat Sonya, Allyson had showed up at the bowling alley around the beginning of the third game to give Ellen and Everett a ride home once they get done bowling.

  As the third game was concluding, Calvin’s average score was the highest with two hundred and five. Gary’s average score was the second highest with a hundred and eighty-nine. Derek came in third with a hundred and eighty-one.

  As everyone was seeing the order where he or she had placed, Ellen took note that Everett’s average score had placed him in the center of the group with a hundred and twenty-four while she placed fourth from last with a hundred and ten. Simon scored the worst with an average score of seventy-eight.

  Once everyone had seen his or her final score, he or she changed shoes, returned the rented shoes and migrated to the appropriate vehicle.

  After Ellen, Allyson and Everett were in the SUV and before Allyson could start the vehicle, Ellen announced, “I need to go to the store.”

  Allyson shot Ellen a curious look while asking, “What do you need from the store?”

  “A ‘Go-phone’,” Ellen claimed.

  Allyson amusingly grinned before saying, “I’m surprised that you don’t have one already.”

  “I did actually, but I lost it,” Ellen admitted. “Tanya was going to take me to get another one, but… then the accident happened.”

  Allyson nodded in an understanding manner before asking, “Do you have to get one tonight?”

  “Well, I would like to make some calls tomorrow during lunch.”

  “To Kansas City?” Allyson asked. Ellen just politely grinned while shaking her head. “Who do you want to call then?”

  Ellen fidgeted slightly before admitting, “Armstrong Atlantic State University.”

  “Thinking about universities already?” Allyson asked.

  Ellen thought for a second before shrugging and saying, “I guess I could request a packet and check them out.”

  “And the real reason that you want to call the university?” Allyson prompted.

  “You might not want to know,” Ellen warned.

  “Mmm, I’m sure of it, but spill anyway,�
� Allyson told her.

  “Okay,” Ellen began before taking a breath. “Everett and my investigation is leading us there, and Everett and I believe that there are still twenty-some-odd potential victims attending Armstrong Atlantic State University. If we can get pertinent information on the past victims and on the potential victims, we might be able to determine who the next victim will be.”

  “Ellen, please promise me that you will end this investigation if things begin to get hairy.”

  Ellen gave Allyson a curious look before saying, “I figured that you would try to stop me.”

  “Yes, well, I learned quickly that trying to stop you when your mind’s made up is as tricky as stopping a wild mustang,” Allyson informed. When Ellen snickered Allyson continued with, “That’s not funny.” Ellen’s expression became serious when she saw how serious Allyson was being. “The only assurance that I have of you not being a reckless teenager is your levelheadedness. Now promise me that you will stop this if things begin to get dangerous.”

  “Oh, if things begin to get dangerous, you and Harry will be the first to know,” Ellen assured Allyson.

  “Informing me of it isn’t promising me that you will end it,” Allyson retorted.

  “You know, if things start to get dangerous then most likely it will be too late to end it,” Ellen pointed out. “However, I do promise to tread lightly and stick to the shadows.”

  Allyson sighed before saying, “Right.” She then started the SUV. “Let’s go get you a ‘Go-phone’.”

  “Thanks,” Ellen said.

  “Mmm-Hmm,” Allyson indifferently replied before backing out of her parking space.

  “If people are getting hurt by magic, I can’t simply sit back and pretend that it’s not happening,” Ellen defended. “I have to do what I can to stop it.”

  “Sweetie, I’m not upset that you want to do this,” Allyson said before coming to a halt and putting the SUV into drive. “I’m not exactly thrilled about it either, but hey, I’m proud of you for wanting to protect people from harm.”

  Ellen pleasantly grinned before saying, “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” Allyson said sincerely.

  Allyson drove to the closest cell phone store and allowed Ellen to pick out the phone of her choice. After the phone and the predetermine phone time were paid for, Allyson drove Everett home and then drove home.