The Great Divide

Chapter 1

The Room Was Quiet. The Silence Was Almost Deafening. The Sun Shined Into The Room Especially Bright. Heat Pooled Into The Room From The Window From The Hot Summer Day. No Air Conditioning Running Caused Beads Of Sweat To Trickle Down The Temple Of The Woman Standing At The Front Of The Room. She Stood Straight And Tall, Hands Behind Her Back.
Rows And Columns Of Desk Filled The Room And All 20 Chairs Were Occupied.
"We Have 2 Students Turning 16 Today." The Woman Finally Spoke. Her Voice Was Dull And She Spoke Slow, Dragging Some Of Her Words. "Elliana, Please Come To The Front Of The Class." The Sound Of A Chair Scraping Across The Floor Stung The Ears Of Many In The Room.

A Small Timid Girl With Unruly Hair And Big Round Glasses Stands Up And Shuffles To The Front Of The Quiet Classroom. Elliana Stands Next To The Tall Woman And From Behind Her Back She Pulls Out A Clear Glass Ball. The Girl Opens Hers Hands And The Ball Is Placed Into Them. You Could See The Nervousness In The Young Girls Eyes. Soon The Ball Looked As If Green Liquid Was Swirling Around Inside. Plants Started To Grow From The Ball And The Girls Hands. "Elliana Gilmore, Your Specialty Power Is Plant Manipulation!" The Classroom Clapped For Elliana Who Smiled Largely Before The Plants Disappeared And Handing The Glass Ball Back To The Teacher. Elliana Quickly Made Her Way Back To Her Seat. Again The Classroom Was Dead Silent."Lorie, Please Come To The Front Of The Class." A Tall Girl, Around 5'10 With Long Brunette Hair Stood Up And Made Her Way To The Front Of The Class. The Glass Sphere Was Placed In Her Hands. The Ball Started To Slowly Glow Red And Then Burst Into Flames.

The Sudden Action Caught The Attention Of The One Person In Class That Was Not Paying Attention. Osaundi, A Young Girl With Beautiful Chocolate Skin, And Long, Black Body Curls About Bra Strap Length. The Heat Didn't Bother Her One Bit As She Was Wearing A Black Shirt With 3/4th Sleeves Which Was Tucked Into black Skinny Jeans. Her Shoes We're White And Slight Slightly Dirty.

Her Eyes Darted From The Window She Was Staring Out Of To The Front Of The Class. "Lorie Edwards. You're Power Is Elemental Fire!" Again The Classroom Broke Out Into Applauds. "Congratulations Ladies. Remember, You Must Be Responsible In The Wake Of Your New Powers." Osaundi Was Not Interested In The Same Message They Heard Every Other Day When It Was Someone's Birthday. All Osaundi Wanted To Do Was Go Back To Her Room And Sulk. It Would Be Another 30 Minutes Before Class Would End, Moving Everyone On To Either Another Class Or Where Ever Else There Schedules Take Them.

Osaundi Sat Daydreaming Most Of The Day, Wishing That She Could Be Anywhere Else But Where She Was Currently Seated. "Osaundi Bons." The Excruciating Slow Drag Of Her Name Made Her Eyes Almost Roll. She Made Eye Contact With The Woman At The Front Of The Room.

"Yes Ms. Lemway."

"Do You Mind Telling The Class Why You Cannot Seem To Pay Attention In My Classroom."

Osaundi Stayed Quiet. How The Hell Was She Suppose To Answer That Question? She Looked Down At Her Hands And Back Up, Seeing Multiple Students Eyes On Her. "I Haven't An Answer For That Ms. Lemway." Osaundi Said Reluctantly, Knowing That She Was, Again, In Trouble. Trouble Was A Thing Osaundi Could Not Escape, Even When It Seemed She Wasn't Even Doing Anything Wrong. "As You Never Do. Don't Bother To Leave After Class." "Of Course." Ms. Lemway Raised One Of Her Eyebrows At Osaundi. "Sorry Ms. Lemway." She Said Barely Above A Whisper.

As Class Continued, Osaundi Tried Her Best To Pay Attention. The History Of Magic Was A Subject She Studied Up And Down, Back And Forth. There Was Nothing That Ms. Lemway Could Say That Osaundi Didn't Already Know, Which Is Why It Was So Hard For Osaundi To Care Enough In This Class. "Osaundi, What Year Was The Great Arlean Witch Massacre?" Ms.Lemway Suddenly Asked. Osaundi Sighed Softly. "1856 To 1860. It Wasn't Just A Massacre. It Was A Four Year Long War In Which The Humans Would Prosecute Anyone They Deemed A Witch Whether It Was True Or Not."