Awoken Death

Chapter 17

     "Ready Claire?" I heard a distant voice ask. I realized it was Griffin. Everyone was waiting for my reply. They were all looking in my direction. I had completely zoned out and had no idea what they were asking me.
"Huh?" I responded, not knowing what else to say. "Are you ready for training?" He asked again. "Ohh yeah sure." I really should start paying more attention I thought to myself.
We made our way across the barn to a slightly open space. "It's not much but once again it's all we've got," James said with a small sigh. It really wasn't much to look at. But I didn't know much about how I should train ,so it made no difference to me. "Remember let's try to have as much fun as we can. We don't get to have fun often so this isn't just for practice," James stated with a knowing tone. "Trey you start us off," he said. "Someone name an animal for him." 
"How about a lion," Sabrina suggested shrugging her shoulders "That would be cool. Never seen you do that one." Trey smiled. "I'll try it I guess," he said. He stood there for a second with a concentrated look on his face. Then in a flash a small lion appeared where Trey had been standing.
He had dark colored fur and a full mane. I thought it was very impressive. The only thing I could find wrong was that Trey wasn't particularly as big as a lion usually is. All the others started clapped and laughed. I joined them. I assumed they too thought it was neat. He gave a small roar and in another flash Trey stood in the same spot again as his normal self. "I'm still working on that one. The size is a little bit off."
"It was close though," James commented. "That's what matters. Who's next?"
"I'll go." Sabrina volunteered. "So who's willing to let me read their mind." She looked around looking for someone to volunteer. "Ooo me!" Olivia happily said. "Ok, you're thinking about." She paused for a moment. "Bunnies!"
"Yep!" Olivia giggled. We all laughed. Olivia always seems so happy ,despite everything going on. "Next?" Sabrina asked excitedly. "I'll go," Jack spoke up. "Your thinking about...food!"
"We just ate Jack. How are you still thinking about food?" Griffin asked while laughing. "I'm always hungry." He answered. We laughed again. Olivia went next. She appeared in different areas of the barn.
"Claire hold my hand!" Olivia said. I grabbed her hand and the next thing I knew I was in a completely different spot. I felt a bit weird and queasy ,but I managed to keep it together and not get sick. My fave must have gave me away though. Cause when I looked around everyone was looking at me giggling. "What?" I asked. "You look a bit green." Jack laughed. Once again everyone broke out in laughter.
Griffin got in the middle of the circle we were in. He stared at one of the cots and it started shaking a little. It then raised slowly into the air. We all waited looking intently. Then ever so gently he sat it back down. Jack got up next. He extended his arm in front of his body. A small flame appeared in his palm. It slowly grew into a good size ball. He then took the flame into his other hand. He rolled the flame up and down his arm and around his fingers. The flame moved smoothly. The flame died out and Jack sat back down.
I knew I was up next. I stood up and walked to the middle. "I'm not really sure what to do if I'm being honest," I said. "Just relax and try to reach out to a spirit." James suggested, trying to help me out. I close my eyes and relaxed all the muscles in my body. I took a deep breath in and then out. I took a few more deep breaths. Then I suddenly had a gut feeling something or someone else was around.
     I opened my eyes. The air was colder than before and I could see my breath. I didn't have to look far to find the spirit I was sensing. It was young skinny boy standing between Sabrina and Jack. He looked like he was 9 or 10 years old. His light brown hair was messy and he had little smudges of dirt on his face. His skin was pale and his cheekbones were sunk in. He was wearing clothes that looked to be from about the early 1800s.
    "Hi there, what's your name?" I asked ,unsure of what else to say. I could tell by the look on his face he was confused. "You can see me can't you?" He questioned. I shook my head. "Yea I can."
    "My names Hiram," he spoke again. "Are you dead?" he shyly asked. "No, I'm alive. I'm just different, I guess you could say." He looked at me oddly for a second ,but then he smiled a little."What's your name?" He asked me.
"Claire, it's nice to meet you Hiram." I looked around and saw that everyone was looking at me. I got the feeling that they couldn't hear me talking to the boy. "Could you do some stuff for me, Hiram?" He seemed unsure at first but shook his head. "Ok," I thought for a minute what can he do. "Do you think you could touch one of them?" I asked.
Hiram reached his hand out and brushed it across Jack's arm. Jack moved his shoulder ,enough that I could tell he had felt him touch his arm. "Ok, touch him again." He touched Jack again ,and this time Jack moved his shoulder and gave a slight shiver.
   "Good," I said. I was trying to think of what else I might be capable of ,then it came to me. I'm not sure how I knew but I just did. "Here grab my hand."
   "I don't think I can touch you," He said ,but he reached out and touched my hand anyway. I could feel his small hand ,cold hand touching my fingertips. My vision started to go white, and I could here a high pitched ringing sound. It wasn't long before my vision started to return ,but when it did I no longer stood inside the barn.