The Mismunandi

Chapter 1

I'm running through the forest. It's dark and I can't see very well. I hear the snapping of twigs getting closer. I look for something to hide behind but all that I see is wood for miles. With fear growing in me, I frantically run to a nearby tree. Before I climb, I turn around to see if it's close. I see the dark shadow creeping faster toward me and I try to raise a leg to climb. Suddenly my feet are stuck to the ground! I try to move, but my legs are paralyzed. A cold fog climbs up my back as my whole body becomes completely still and-

"Miss Bell?!" I jerk up in my seat to find an angry Mrs. Stikey staring down, yardstick in hand. A small yawn slips from my mouth and I instantly regret it. She slaps the yardstick down on my desk. "Do the rules not apply to you? What makes you think you can sleep in my class?" I look down at her shoes. "Sorry Mrs. Stikey, it won't happen again." "It better not," she says right as the bell rings, signaling the end of the school day.

I gather my books and trudge out the door. My face brightens as I see my best friend, Marilynn, tapping away at her phone outside my class. "Fell asleep again?" She asks without looking up. "Was Stikey that loud?" I turn back around as Mrs. Stikey sits down in her desk chair. "I could hear her from my classroom," Marilynn gestures to the door across from my class and shoves her phone in her back pocket.

"Bright's going home with Alex so we don't have to wait for her today." Marilynn lives one block away from my family, so she drives me and my sisters to and from school everyday. We always end up waiting for my youngest sister, Brighton, to come to the car. Ever since she turned 14 last year she's been boy-crazy. Her newest boyfriend, Alex, likes to meet her under the bleachers after school so they can makeout. I'd give it another week before Brighton finds someone else.

Marilynn laughs loudly. "Scarlet, she's not going home with him. They're sophomores. Do you really think Alex would let his mom drive them to his house?" I actually didn't think about how they were planning on getting there. I pull out my phone and call Brighton. "Ugh, she's not picking up," I say as I angrily toss my phone back in my purse. "C'mon." I grab Marilynn's arm and drag her back through the doors of the school.

"Where do you think they are?" Marilynn asks. "Not they, just her," I answer. Brighton may go to extreme measures to hang out with boys, but she would tell bigger lies to do something much worse.

Realizing what I'm about to do, I stop and spin around to face Marilynn. "I'll meet you at your car." And with that I quickly turn the corner leaving her confused in the hallway. I look over my shoulder to make sure nobody's looking before I enter Dr. Paver's classroom. Sure enough I see Brighton and Dr. Paver looking over a textbook.

"Ah, Scarlet, how nice of you to finally decide to join us." Mr. Paver gives me a smile, but I ignore him. "Bright, you know you're not supposed to be doing this," I scold her. Dr. Paver is one of us as in he has special powers too. He and my father knew each other which is how he knew about our powers, but they 'did not get along' as my mother says, which is why when he offered to teach us how to use our powers she turned his offer down. Brighton, however, does not agree with Mom's decision.

"Scarlet, please," Dr. Paver begins, but I interrupt him.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to be giving these...these lessons at school where anyone can see?"

"Your mother gave me no other option."

"You could have just listened to her and left my family alone."

"You don't understand and neither does she." Brighton finally speaks. "Our powers are special. If we just learn how to use them, we could be heroes!"

"This is not a movie, Brighton. We're not going to team up against super villains and save the world. We are going home." I grab her arm and pull her towards the door. She forces out of my grip after we are out of the room.

"I can't believe you did that," she says. "And I can't believe you did that either," I say. "We have Rose and Dan to teach us how to control our powers."

"I know, but Dr. Paver knew Dad. Maybe he knows where he is."

I can't help but feel bad about getting so upset. At least Brighton still has hope. Being the oldest, I've always felt it was my responsibility to look after Nora and Brighton. Our mom doesn't have powers like us. She doesn't know what it's like. Of course she tries to understand. She asks Rose and Dan, Dad's old friends to train is every weekend. They know a lot, but they refuse to tell us anything but how to use our powers. No history, no current research, no Dad whereabouts, no comments, no questions.

I hold the door open and we both walk out. Marilynn has moved her car and is now waiting for us in front of the school. Nora is reading a book in the backseat.

"Where were you, kid?" Marilynn looks suspiciously at Brighton. Brighton turns to look me in the eyes. "I needed help on my science homework," she says and climbs in next to Nora.