Freakshow

Chapter 5

Jim took me to a door with a key pad and what looked to be a retinal scanner. Sure enough Jim punched in a code and leaned down to look at the little black dot on the wall. A voice came from overhead said, "James Coffner." and the door slid open. "Your name is really James?" I asked Jim with a snicker. "Yes. And no need to make fun of it either," he grunted in reply. Through the door were about a dozen people milling around in white lab coats, looking at test tubes filled with peculiar looking liquids, and typing on fancy white computers. White must be their favorite color, I thought to myself as Jim led me through another set of door where a man was having a heated conversation on the phone. He heard the doors open and turned to face us, "we'll talk about this later!" he whispered harshly into the phone and pressed the end call button on the screen

He walked over and shook my hand. "You must be Rose. My name is Grant Easton, I am the president of this fine institute," he said gesturing to the lab around him. I nodded looking around, "is white your favorite color?" I blurted. I normally wasn't a rude person but something about this guy rubbed me the wrong way. He just chuckled, "I do like the color white, yes." Some of the worry faded away, he seems like a really nice guy, I told myself, don't fret over it. But I remained on edge. "Alright," he started, "I'm sure you want to know what is going on and if telekinesis, as I am sure you have heard, is real or not." I nodded vigorously, "why don't we go see what the others are doing," he motioned to the door we had just come through.

He led us back through the lab and out the the set of locked doors with the retinal scanners and back to the gym. When I walked in what I saw took my breath away. It seemed to be a game of dodge ball but the dodge balls were hurling themselves across the room. I saw one ball go flying towards Beau but in mid air it changed course and hit the wall to his left. It then floated up into the air and was sent flying towards Britney. She put her hand out and it hung in mid air, she flicked her wrist and it flew up and hit the ceiling where it then came falling to the ground. I was too stunned to speak, Mr. Easton then held out his hand and everything froze except for the rest of my peers.

They all turned their attention on us and he beckoned them over. Gravity took over again and the dodge balls fell in scattered thumps on the floor. "I'm sure most of you have met Rose already," he said and they all nodded. I looked over at Beau and saw he was staring at me. I caught his eye and instead of looking away like I would have done, he smiled at me and I smiled back. Butterflies flitted around in my stomach, I looked away from Beau and directed my attention to what Mr. Easton was saying. "Miss Vertoga needs learn the ropes and I was hoping one of you could teach her." He hadn't even finished his sentence when two hands shot up, it was Ian and Beau. Autumn looked at me and raised her eyebrows, you have some admirers, she mouthed. I shrugged and put my hands up to say I had nothing to do with it. She silently laughed in return.

Mr. Easton looked down at me, "you can choose who you work with if you want," he told me. I looked between Ian and Beau, "Um," I pointed to Beau, "I think I'll work with Beau." Autumn wiggled her eyebrows, I blushed. Stop, I mouthed and pretended to be angry, then we both giggled. I didn't know her that well but thought we would become pretty good friends. "Its settled then, the rest of you can go back to your rooms. Beau and Rose you will stay here and work on your skills." Ian looked a little hurt as he turned away to walk back to his room. "So," Beau said walking up to me, "let's get started."