by K. J. McPike
D-Rex? I hoped for the kid’s sake that wasn’t his actual name. It was questionable even as a nickname.
The trio of voices chattered for another few minutes, and I shifted my weight. Listening to them go about their daily business made it easier to convince myself the family was fine, that all the guilt I’d carried with me for holding their mother captive was unnecessary. I was sure they missed her, but they sounded happy enough. It wasn’t like they were fetal and sobbing all day like my dreams wanted me to believe.
“Happy birthday, Lalisaurus,” the dad called out, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I stifled a snort. What was wrong with this guy? What would make anyone think Lalisaurus was an acceptable nickname? D-Rex was bad enough. But at least now I knew Lali had come downstairs.
“Thanks,” she replied. I strained to listen, on the off chance she mentioned anything about a weird experience last night. If she had projected in her sleep, I was sure she’d write it off as a dream. With any luck, she’d write off seeing Cade disappear into thin air as a dream, too. That was, if she slept at all after seeing a seven-foot intruder in her hallway.
“Happy birthday,” the twin voices chorused.
“Thanks, guys,” Lali said.
“What are you gonna do, Dad?” one of the boys asked. “Lali’s gonna be behind the wheel soon.”
“Don’t remind me,” the man grumbled. A moment later, he added, “That thought will keep me up at night.”
Lali responded with a fake laugh, and a boy called out, “Hey, don’t touch the ’do!”
“Just be glad I don’t cut the ’do,” Lali retorted.
A hollow ache spread through my chest at the back-and-forth between them. I wondered if Kala and I would’ve interacted in a similar way if we’d grown up together—if we still could once I found her.
Suddenly the pantry door pushed into me. I jumped back, and my hand slammed into something on the shelf. I heard whatever it was hit the floor, but there was no time to pick it up. I vanished before I could be spotted.
Appearing in my bedroom, I blew out my breath. Why was I such a failure? I’d been so lost in thought that I hadn’t even noticed footsteps approaching. It was bad enough Lali had gotten a glimpse of Cade last night. Whatever I’d knocked over in the pantry was surely going to creep her out more. Even if she believed my uncle had only been a figment of her imagination, this was something that everyone else could see, too.
You should’ve grabbed her, you idiot. I winced, shaking the image of Cade’s disapproving face from my mind. For Lali’s sake, and the sake of helping her learn to control her ability, I couldn’t terrify her into submission. I had to do this right.
Pacing the stretch of carpet along the foot of my bed, I ran through my options. If Lali was in the kitchen—undoubtedly distracted by whatever I’d knocked over in the pantry—I could try and snoop through her room. All I needed was one clear photo of her. Then I wouldn’t have to wait around for her to leave.
I previewed the upstairs hall outside her bedroom, happy to find it empty. Following through with the projection, I dove into Lali’s room and closed the door before anyone could catch me.
A backpack and a coat waited on her bed, and there was no telling when she’d be up to get them. I needed to hurry. Doing a quick scan of the space, I searched for framed photographs. Her desk was a mess of papers, but no pictures. Same story for the dresser. All along her ceiling were prints of paintings that looked like dreams gone wrong.
No help there, either.
I paused when I saw the easel tucked into the corner. A half-finished painting of a river running through snow-capped evergreens covered part of the canvas, all deep blues and bright whites. Behind it, I could see the beginnings of a mountain range in the distance. Even incomplete, the painting made it obvious Lali was a talented artist, just like her mother proved to be when she drew the other members of XODUS.
Remembering my need to move quickly, I tugged open the closet door. Shoeboxes lined the shelf above all the hung-up clothes. Maybe there was something useful in one of them. I pulled the closest box from the shelf, and the lid fell off, sending loose photos fluttering to the ground. I cursed under my breath as I scrambled to pick them up. Why was I suddenly such a klutz?
A horn beeped outside, and a moment later, footsteps sounded on the stairs. Fearing it was Lali, I swept the remaining photos into the closet with my foot, pulling the door closed behind me just as she burst into her bedroom.
I watched her through the slats, my heart thumping so loud I wondered if she’d hear it. Her dark, blue-streaked hair moved in a wave behind her as she grabbed her bag and coat. She headed back toward the door but stopped short. Peering over her shoulder, she scanned the room until her eyes locked on the closet. My fingers clenched around the shoebox in my hands. Could she see me?
No. I could barely see her now, and I hadn’t been able to see anything in the closet before I opened it. So why had she stopped? I wanted to disappear, but I couldn’t just leave scattered photos on the floor right after knocking something over in the pantry. She had enough to freak out about already. I didn’t need her skipping school to file a police report.
The horn beeped again, and Lali and I both startled. Then she shook her head and raced out the door, closing it behind her.
I exhaled as softly as I could and waited an extra few minutes before moving in case she’d forgotten something. When I was sure the coast was clear, I stepped back out into her room and picked up the dropped photos.
The first one showed Xiomara and Lali—as evidenced by the blue bits in her hair—painting side by side and wearing identical smiles. I couldn’t help but notice that Lali was essentially a taller, darker-skinned version of her mother, except with a more prominent nose. The image of the two of them so happy together made my insides squirm. I stashed it in the box and grabbed up one of the entire family holding corn dogs, followed by a picture showing Lali with her mom and what must’ve been her two sisters all lined up getting pedicures. Why were all these hidden away in a box?
The final picture on the floor showed Lali and Xiomara with intense gazes in what looked like their attempts at model faces. It was cheesy, but at least they weren’t smiling. I studied the image of Lali, committing her features to memory. Previewing her just to be sure I could, I saw her riding in a vehicle with a brown-haired guy who seriously needed to discover a comb.
Pulling out of the preview, I shoved the box into place on the top shelf of the closet and projected to my own bedroom before anything else could go wrong. From here, I’d just check on Lali every few minutes until she got to school. In the meantime, I had to figure out how to bump into her and make it seem like a coincidence.
Chapter 21
Sidetracked
When I showed up in the living room at home, the basement doorknob was jiggling. I groaned. Solstice must have been trying to get out again. Hadn’t she learned her lesson last night? Not wanting her to set off my uncle again, I marched over and yanked the door open. Solstice fell into my shins, knocking me back a step.
I frowned down at her. “What are you doing? Trying to pick the lock?”
She stared up at me, eyes crazed. “Take me back to my apartment. Please! I won’t run, I swear.”
All I could do was stare at her. She was still in the same blue dress from yesterday, but that was the only part of her that resembled the woman I’d met last night. Now her red hair was wild, as if she’d been pulling at it for hours. Her freckled face was so twisted she was almost unrecognizable. Was all this because Cade threatened her last night? I told myself he would never have shot her, but maybe he was starting to lose it because we’d hit so many dead ends.
“I have to get out of here.” Solstice used my legs to pull herself upright, and I nearly lost my balance. “He’s going to kill me.”
“He’s not going to kill you.”
“You didn’t see the way he looked at me.” She grabbed my biceps, squeezing them like she
was trying to pop a balloon. “You didn’t see how close the gun was to me when he fired it. My ears are still ringing! If you have any humanity in you at all, you’ll help me get away from—”
“What’s going on in here?” Cade stepped out of the stairwell with his hand on his forehead, and Solstice cowered against me. My uncle’s eyes were bloodshot and barely open, which only added to my irritation. This was his fault for being a drunk idiot last night.
“You tell me,” I snapped, shaking Solstice’s grip from my arms. I wanted to shout you’re the one who made her crazy, but Solstice shoved past me before I could get it out.
“Stop her!” Cade hollered as she tore across the dining room.
Letting out a groan, I appeared behind Solstice just as she made it to the door. I hooked my arms around her waist and pulled her back, feeling like a high school principal breaking up a fight.
“Let me go!” She thrashed wildly. “Don’t trap me here! Not with that monster!”
“If she doesn’t want to be here, take her to the cage,” Cade said, his voice flat and unmoved by the scene. “I’m not in the mood for this.”
As if this was what I’d been hoping to deal with this morning. This madness was already ruining my plan to catch Lali on her way into school. Reaching out to grasp the bare skin of Solstice’s arm, I projected her to the shipping container. She drooped forward, and I had to hold up most of her weight as I eased her onto the mat.
Standing again, I sighed at the pitiful sight. She was all but hyperventilating. Was she going into shock? Did she have some type of post-traumatic stress from thinking she was going to die last night?
“Take me home. Please, I need to go home.” Her sobs echoed around me, and I chewed my lip. What would it hurt to take her home? I didn’t think she’d run; she wanted to undo the sink, after all. Even if she did try to get away, she admitted that she had no idea how to use crystals, so she couldn’t set up a block. I’d be able to get to her again if I needed to.
And it wasn’t like we had the others, or any way to find them. I’d already given up on getting all the members of XODUS. Even if we pulled it off, I wanted them sane enough to give my uncle his ability back.
Solstice sobbed again, and I clenched my jaw. “Fine,” I conceded. “But Cade can’t know about this.” Reaching out my hand, I took her to her apartment. She seemed to calm down once we appeared, and I left her to get herself together.
I appeared in my room next. Cade was probably expecting me to come straight home, but I needed to check on Lali. I just hoped my chance of staging a run-in with her before class wasn’t already gone.
I shut my eyes and previewed her at the exact moment she walked straight into a stumpy little man who was barely up to her shoulder. The guy was clearly annoyed, but I didn’t have time to watch him go off on her. I quickly scanned the locker-filled hall and pulled out of the preview before my body could follow it.
Working with an open hallway was going to make this tricky. I’d been hoping to catch a glimpse of the outside of the school so I could show up unnoticed, but thanks to Solstice, that option was out the window. Even if I managed to preview my way down the hall, I needed to appear somewhere with a closed door. The problem was, I wouldn’t be able to see the inside of any space through said closed door.
I sighed. Maybe once the bell rang, I could find a secluded corner or something. I quickly slipped into another preview, just to make sure I could get back before I lost what little I had to go on.
The man was still standing across from Lali, looking like a peeved Oompa-Loompa. “Oh, after you,” he sneered. “I don’t want to get flattened on my way to the bathroom. Again.”
The bathroom!
If he was headed there, I could see the inside and show up when it was empty. Sure, I’d feel like a major creeper for going after a guy while he was taking a leak, but the opportunity was too perfect to pass up.
I studied the man for an extra moment, pulled out of the preview, and then previewed him again just to be sure I had his pointy face memorized.
Waiting a bit to give him time to get to the restroom, I pictured him in my mind for what I hoped was the last time. Sure enough, he had just stepped through the door. A handful of guys who looked to be about my age rushed out at the sight of him. I had to say, I didn’t blame them. He didn’t exactly look like a bucket of laughs.
I scanned the blue tile walls as fast as I could, focusing in on the crack running through the one to the right of the urinals. That would have to be my landmark.
After one last preview to make sure it worked, I collapsed onto my bed to catch my breath. My chest was heaving, and I’d started to break a sweat, but it had been worth it. Now I had a way into the school that wouldn’t arouse suspicion. I didn’t know when class would start, but if that man had time to make a bathroom stop, maybe I still had time to “accidentally” bump into Lali.
I waited another couple minutes to give the man time to finish his business before I checked back. Mercifully, the bathroom was empty. I appeared inside and raced through the door. Not knowing which direction would lead to the hall where I’d just seen Lali, I followed the trickle of students to avoid attracting a ton of attention while I tried to figure it out.
Not five seconds later, a hand came from behind me and landed on my shoulder.
Chapter 22
Entrollment
“Can I help you?” an authoritative voice asked. I turned around slowly to see a gray-haired woman with a sharp widow’s peak and shoulder pads that could’ve doubled as pillows. This must’ve been a small school if she could spot a stranger so easily. Then again, I did tower over most of the students filing around me.
“Uh…” My mind raced to catch up. “Where’s the office?”
She gave me an unconvincing smile. “I was just on my way there.” Of course you were. “I’m Principal Rockbridge,” she said, holding out a veiny hand.
I shook it and muttered, “Kai Awana.” Dang. I shouldn’t have used my real name. I’d been too frazzled by her catching me to think of a lie.
The bell rang then, and my shoulders sank. There was no way I was going to bump into Lali now.
“Did you just move here?” the principal asked.
I nodded.
“Well, welcome to Browshire.”
Browshire? Really? Where were we, trapped in a Lord of the Rings movie?
“I assume you’re planning to enroll here.” She made it a statement instead of a question.
Another nod.
“Excellent.” Her tone of voice implied the opposite. Feet still firmly planted, she looked around the now empty hall. “Did you come with your parents?”
My body clenched. “I live with my uncle.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed. Is your uncle around?”
I shook my head, reaching for a lie. “He’s outside.”
“Outside?” She blinked at me, her angular face coming to point as she poked out her thin lips. “It’s freezing out there.”
“Yeah, well…he’s in the car. He’s…finishing up a work call.”
The line between her brows deepened. “Well, if he’s your legal guardian, he’ll need to fill out your enrollment papers.”
“No problem.” I shoved my hands into my pockets, wishing someone would appear to save me from this interrogation. “I, uh, just needed to use the restroom. My uncle’s probably already waiting for me in the office.”
“Well, let’s have a look.” She finally started walking, gesturing for me to follow. I slunk behind her at a snail’s pace. How was I going to get out of here to pick up Cade? I couldn’t just project out of sight with Principal Hawkeyes on the loose.
I struggled to come up with a plan as we passed blocks of blue lockers and posters designating the school as a Drug Free Zone. Maybe I could say I had to go out to the car to get my uncle. Provided the principal didn’t follow me outside, I could project out of sight when she wasn’t looking.
If she ever w
asn’t looking.
I followed her into the office, and an old lady looked up from the main desk.
“Kai, this is Mrs. Moubrey, our head secretary.”
The old lady smiled, her eyes twinkling with vitality despite her well-worn face. She looked like the storybook grandma who did nothing but bake cookies all day. “Nice to meet you, Kai,” she cooed.
The principal scanned the row of empty chairs across from the desk. “Looks like your uncle isn’t here yet.” I clamped my teeth together to keep duh from flying out of my mouth and did all I could to look surprised that Cade wasn’t waiting for us. “You’re welcome to have a seat until he’s ready.”
“Thank you.” I cleared my throat. “But I think I’ll just go get him. He loses track of time easily.”
The two women exchanged skeptical looks.
“Be right back,” I said, already halfway out of the office.
“Don’t you have a coat?” Mrs. Moubrey asked. “You’ll catch cold going out like that.”
Oh yeah. I’d forgotten that I showed up in shorts and a t-shirt. I did my best to act nonchalant. “The cold doesn’t bother me. We lived in Alaska for a while.”
Wow. That had to have been the lamest lie in the history of man. Another skeptical look passed between the two of them, but I booked it out of there before they could stop me.
The arctic air hit me like a brick. The wind blew icy needles against my skin, but I fought the urge to fold into myself and shiver. I was sure the principal was watching me through the window, and I had to live up to my oh-so-brilliant Alaska fib. I raced around the side of the school, but instead of heading into the parking lot a hundred yards away, I remained close to the building to stay out of sight.
Leftover slush that must’ve been snow at one point crept over the edge of my sandals, chilling my toes as I moved along the side wall. I turned to the back of the school, glad to see there were no windows. Glancing left and right to make sure no one was around, I projected home.
