Do As I Say

Chapter Five

"Where were you all day, Freaky?"

Cree kept walking.

"Hey!" Opal's fat hand grabbed a fistful of Cree's shirt, "I'm talking to you, skinny."

When Cree struggled to begin walking again Opal jerked Cree back towards her. She stumbled and her legs flew out beneath her, landing her on the cold ground. Cree kept her mouth shut, even as Opal and her lackeys snorted and hooted snarky insults. She shut her eyes when Opal leaned over and breathed her hot, nasty breath on Cree's.

"Aw, what's wrong? Is baby sad?"

Cree's eyes opened.

"Does baby need her ma - "

Opal's mouth suddenly clamped shut, her eyes unfocused for a second, as if she couldn't recall what she was about to say.

Cree's thoughts began to wind down to one. Opal. Opal. Opal. The fat, pigheaded bully that was right in front of her. Cree's vision warped and all she could see was the tormenter's eyes, boring into her skull. And with the smallest stretch, a voice came through crystal clear.

What was I about to say?

What's she staring at me for?

Why's she so creepy?

Cree stared blankly. Opal's mouth wasn't moving, but her nose was scrunched up in thought. She scuttled backward, not noticing the sting of grit scraping her palms and knees. She hurried to her feet, not able to concentrate on anything other than Opal's voice, which continued to whisper in her mind.

Once she was on her feet everything went silent for a minute and then, as if her ears had popped violently, dozens of voices started to whisper in her mind. The volume rose and rose and Cree clapped her hands over her ears, eyes screaming for her mouth.

She stumbled backward, the eyes of the other students following her like hunters to prey.

What's her problem?

Freak.

Can we get going? I'm starving.

Cree couldn't handle it anymore. She turned and ran, not looking back until the voices quieted.

Heart still racing, she knelt to her knees on a patch of grass. Her mind was still spinning, unable to concentrate on one thought or another. Needing a distraction, Cree started counting the blades of grass until her mind settled.

What just happened?

She stared at the ground.

None of their mouths were moving.

No one else heard the voices.

"You must not tell anyone when you start hearing them..."

Gran's words repeated in Cree's mind like a broken record. As her mind started to unwind the possibilities she felt herself slipping back into the panic.

"No, no, no..." She murmured anxiously. "This doesn't make any sense," Cree muttered. Her forehead was streaming with sweat. She felt hot, very hot. Cree jumped up and continued to walk, hoping that fresh air would help.

I'm just a mortal. This isn't even possible. She thought to herself, But Gran...Gran knew. Was Dad like this? Mom?

She felt sick, overwhelmed with the pressure of these impossible thoughts. Thoughts...She could hear them. And a small part of her wondered if she could control them too.

The black cat was still hanging around when Cree got home. It yowled in lazy greeting when Cree clumped into the house, disturbing the dust in the process. She was like a zombie, numb and disconnected. The cat rubbed itself against her legs, skittering away when Cree didn't pause but instead kept walking in that thundering fashion.