Not Yet Alone

Chapter 6

Sometimes, my heart makes the choices that I can't make.

In one particular memory from my childhood, I was rude to my Sunday school teacher. I don't really remember what I even did, but I think it involved my stupid stubborn streak.

To the best of my recollection, I believe my six year old self refused to say the Bible verse simply because I didn't like the person sitting next to me. As a punishment, I didn't receive a snack. Of course my young brain was greatly upset that I did not get a treat, so I threw a big tantrum. Sometime during my outburst, I shouted something nasty at my instructor, and somehow, my parents heard about it.

My mother said I had to apologize; I didn't want to. My mind told me that I had done nothing wrong. My Sunday school teacher should be apologizing to me for not giving me a cookie, not the other way around.

I was supposed to apologize the following Wednesday, but I had already decided not to. I informed my mother of my decision; she just shook her head in disappointment at me.

At church on Wensday, I was coloring in a notebook when my Sunday school teacher walked through. Without thinking it through, I jumped up and wrapped my little arms around his legs. "I'm sorry for being rude to you."

I am glad that I apologized. If I hadn't, I would forever hold back my own guilt from it.

Even though I had my mind made up that I would never apologize for my wrong doing, my heart choose differently.

There are many choices to make, but a person still has to make them.

****

As one could imagine, there are many jobs that a person who can read minds would be good at. I found that I could do practically any profession that I desired to do, but I chose a job that could save lives.

I work for the CBA. It is a secret government organization, kind of like the CIA or FBI except that it is secret.

The CBA sounds really important. You are probably wondering what it stands for. No one ever told me, but I know because I can read minds. The CBA stands for nothing. It got it's name because it is the opposite of the letters a, b, and c. The letters a, b, and c are the first letters of the alphabet which are apparently considered to be the building blocks of words, language, and apparently life. It seems weird if you ask me, but that is how it got it's name. Yeah, the CBA doesn't stand for anything special.

But what the CBA does is special. They are the ones who do all the dirty work for the government. The CBA does research on criminals, keeps an eye on the criminals once they're out of jail, and once in a while brings down big crime organizations. They rarely arrest people; they leave that business to the police.

I got into the CBA because Fabien, the guy who is in charge of my division, saw me save someone once. It was about four years ago; I was a freshman. I had recently gotten my ability to read minds, and I was still deciding on what to do with it.

I was shopping at the mall, waiting in line for one of those big, soft, over-priced pretzels. While I was in line, my mind intercepted the thought of some creep who was going to kidnap a baby in his stroller. His mother wasn't with him because she had suddenly felt sick and barely had time to dash into the bathroom. The poor kid was just patiently sitting there, completely unaware of his fate.

My first impulse had been to send a message to someone else so that they could prevent the kidnapping, but then I realized that I was the best candidate to help. By the time someone got my message, the kidnapper could be half way out of here. Also, I didn't have to send a message to myself.

So I jumped out of line to help. I had quite a little scirmish with the creep, but I am great at self defense. I know exactly every move my opponent is going to make, so I can be ready for it. Of course I won that little battle, and Fabien saw the whole thing.