The Gifted

Chapter Two - Into the Woods

After lunch the next morning, and with a stern warning from their parents, Dylan and Manda left the neighborhood for the berry patch with a plan to search for that fort in the woods. Manda - of course, wanted to find that fort, but Dylan had some other plans as they approached the berry patch.

"Say, Manda, do you think we could be... mutants?" he asked in a silly tone, though his question was in fact serious. Manda looked at him, stopping at a large rock to sit down and think. "Like superhero mutants? No. Technically we're all mutated along the way though, according to Eden's old biology book."

"You've been reading that science-y stuff?" Dylan asked, slightly annoyed. His dusky hair fell into his face as he shoved it back, now sitting next to Manda on the rock. Books weren't really his thing - he never quite understood her knack for reading. He preferred climbing or drawing, or even writing. But reading? Psssshhh. He didn't have time to read, though, in all honesty, he had issues reading words most of the time.

But she nodded, grinning slightly. "What? I like books. I ran out of things to read and besides, it had pictures. Did you know that red hair came from a mutation in people's genes? So we're all likely mutated along the line, right?"

"True, true I guess." He muttered, staring at the berry bush just up the path. "Say... stay here for a second, will ya? I want to check on the berry bush."

She looked at him with surprise. "Why can't I come with?"

"Just.. just stay, will you?" he yelled, darting up the path until he was in front of the path. Manda watched him, still sitting on the rock.

He looked at the leaves, then at the plump blackberries. Maybe... maybe that thingie with the berry wasn't a fluke. He thought, reaching out for a berry. Carefully he touched a berry with his index finger, watching the berry for any movement. Nothing. Maybe that idea was stupid. Manda's pro'lly right anyway.

He sighed and stood up, waving for Manda to join him up the path. "Now where's that fort you were talking about? You know, the one in the woods?" She looked at him and giggled, pointing further up the path. "It isn't too far into the woods. Are you up for an adventure?"

"Sure thing! Wanna race up to that rock?" he asked, pointing to a distant pillar of rock just before the beginning of the trees. Manda nodded eagerly. "I'll beat you this time for sure. And I promise not to knock you over." she laughed. Then a look of grim seriousness took over her face as she mischievously grinned. "Ready, set, go!"

Dylan darted down the dusty dirt ditch, determined to defeat Manda by a landslide - and to get out of the way this time before he lost another tooth. He was getting better at running, better than he used to. And she was pretty far behind too. He grinned to himself, sure of his win at this point, thinking to himself. Then suddenly he couldn't breathe. Something came over him and he collapsed to the ground, Manda not far behind him.

"Dylan! Are you okay? Dylan?" she yelled, stopping by his side as he gasped for air. "Dylan!"

The neighborhood was too far away for her to run for help. She had read things in books, but she'd never done anything like that before. She froze in fear as she watched Dylan's face turn pale. He couldn't breathe.

Suddenly out of nowhere, Dylan caught a breath. His face began to return to normal color, and Manda let out a huge sigh of relief and grabbed Dylan in a hug. "Breathe. Breathe. Are you okay?"

"Get... get off me!" he coughed, wiping the dust off himself. "Let's call this one a tie. Do you have any water left in your bottle?"

Manda nodded. "Here, take it. We can go back to the houses if you need to -"