THE GIFTED

C H A P T E R 2

The principal announced, for every students to be at the gymnasium, which is so huge than they all expected. Inside is so wide and spacious. There is stage at the far end, facing the door and a welcome banner for all students. They all stood at their own spot inside, since there is no instruction yet, beside being given a wrist device. Alganier and Jerald stood beside each other somewhere not far from the middle of the gym. Alganier who was bored, stare at one of his classmate. He was smiling while talking with his friends.

And Alganier can't look away from him. The creeping anxiousness is back again, his stomach churn as his attention was on him, Jim. He was gifted with the ability to set the temperature as high as he want. It could burn anyone, and if he'll mess up it could harm him in any way possible. He look next at the person beside him, Jonathan whose gift is same as Florence. And the other one, is a girl. She's not one of their classmate, probably they were friends back in highschool, just like him and Jerald.

As he examine each of them, Alganier's eyes land on Jim again. The moment their eyes meet, Alganier was startled that he accidentally dropped the device, that some guys dressed in all black gave them. "Oh my gosh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scared you." It was Clarice, his classmate whose gift was to imitate voices. She picked up the device, checking if it has any damage before handing it back to Alganier.

He took it back, and give her a reassuring smile. "It's okay," he pressed his lip into thin line and smile once again. "I-I was just, surprise."

"Is it okay to be here? I have no friends, and you're more friendly than the rest." Clarice told him honestly. She throw him an expecting look, waiting patiently for his reply.

"Sure, since my buddy was there." He pointed Jerald, who was now talking with people he never met. After all, Jerald is such a social butterfly. They laugh lowly, watching Jerald have fun with other students. Later on, the rest of their classmates emerge from the door. One of them, that intrigued Alganier the most, was Raymark. He has no expression at all and so mysterious. They wasn't able to know his gift either, as he simply stare at them, rather than answering them to what his gift is.

"Raymark, your turn to tell, or show us your gift." Jeffrey smiled warmly at him, but he received no response as Raymark only stare at him, not saying anything. "O...kay? So, maybe he's not ready to tell us, because he's uncomfortable. You'll warm up with us, soon."

Behind Raymark, is Yumi. Who cause chaos at their class, by showing her gift.

"Your name is Yumi?" Maddie asked. She nodded. "Show— oh my gosh! What happened? I can't swim!" The class was filled with desperate scream, every one of them gasping for air. Then they were back at their class. There are few coughing, just like Maddie who thought she was drowning.

"That's my gift." Yumi innocently declared, and smiled in embarrassment, after receiving death glares. "I can create illusion. Could be different from one and another or the same illusion for both."

"The was cool, but not with my nightmare." Lawrence utter in distress. He went to take his flask, and chug a huge amount of water to relax.

Florence stretch out her hand, flailing to get Jeffrey's attention. "Hey calm boy, do something, we can't afford dying here." She commanded, as she grasp her chest. Jeffrey nodded, smiling at them and then, they're good. Their breathing is back to normal now. "Don't do it again." Florence warning Yumi, with a glare. The poor girl, look down as she nods. She thought it'd be fun, but seems like it could leave an unpleasant impression of her, to their minds.

"I should've have stop her earlier." Alganier muttered. He have read her mind to guess her gift, but was too late to realize, what she meant by thinking, 'how about I show them their fears', even him was not safe from falling off the high cliff, and below was a roaring, vast amount of  streaming water.

A sudden noise take Alganier back to the present. As the speaker create a hissing sound. "Good day, everyone ~" A lady who look like she's in her 30s, speak at microphone, standing behind the podium. She has plump, red lips. Her sharp eyes, intimidate almost all of them. "I'm Lainey. You can call me Ms. Lanny and I am your school's president. It was nice to meet all you." She paused eyeing everyone. She can't contain her proud smile, as the students' whispering echoes at the whole gym, being shocked to see a very young president.

"I would like to have all of you, line up according to your class. And please, refrain from making any unnecessary noise." She watch them move around, till the scattered students, starts to form lines and become more organize. It satisfied her even more. The desire on her eyes, pierce at each of them. "Now, get all your wrist devices." She instructed. "Put it on your left wrist, and once it lit up, register your fingerprints. And attach the chip at the back of your head, lower near you neck. That will serve as your dashboard."

Her grin couldn't get more bigger, as the students started whispering again. They followed her instructions. Pressing their thumbs at the screen of their device. The moment their fingerprints are registered, a small chip come out from the right side. As soon as as they attached it to the spot they were asked to, they felt a tingly feeling of electricity, runs on their head connecting to their brain. She continued, "You heard it right. You see, there's a small number on the top of your device, that will show you, your rank. And the number on the middle will be your score."

"How are we going to get a score? And what does it means?" One of the student asked.

"Does that means, the rank and score, will be base on this device, if we'll be part of the top 10..?" Alganier thought quite loud, that it was heard in the silent gymnasium. Lainey's eyes widen, as her grin turn into a winning smile. She doesn't know his gift. She's not aware, he's already part of her thought, the moment she speaks after him.

"Bingo!" Alganier regret it. Je didn't mean to say it out loud, but it's too late now, isn't it? He can't take it back. "And you, the students are the one, who'll find out, on how are y'all going to have a points." She clasps her hands, observing them. "And we're going to —"

"What was that? Shouldn't you tell us about it? We're here to study and not play your game ." Jim spit, out of frustration. He couldn't fathom why do they have to let them find out how to get a score. When they can just explain it to them, so they can work with it, with no other thing to think of.

"...talk about our. Rules." She continued. Her eyes burning in fury. "3 golden rules, that all you have to follow and nothing else. First, follow whatever we; the teachers, faculty members, and most importantly, me, the president. Never ever, disobey me." Her eyes that intimidate them, becomes scary to look at now. "Second, never disrespect any of us that are part of committee board. Lastly, never interrupt and question anyone who's speaking in front of you." An evil smile, creep out to her face. "Take him to black door. Now." Those guys dressed in black, are back again and took Jim.

"Please don't!" Jonathan pleaded. He knelt in front of the principal, as Jim is being drag out of the room. He's struggling to free, and was yelling to let go of him. "Please forgive him, he's stressed out, because he wanted to enter top 10." Jonathan rub his palm together, giving his best to persuade the principal.

"Oh? So he has a valid reason to be forgiven?"

"Please.."

"Okay, I—" She wasn't able to finish her sentence, as the guys scream in pain, after their hands burned. Jim taking it as an opportunity to run. Everyone has their eyes on him as he try to escape. But the moment Jim stepped out of the gym, was another scream from a girl who was at the end, near the door. Who can see clearly what's outside than the rest of the students. The two guy who's feeling their hands burning, run after Jim and was taken aback as they opened the door.

"What happened?!"

"H-he's.. he's burnt." Jonathan and their other female friend, went to check what happened and stopped. The female friend fell on the floor, as her tears run down her cheeks. She covered her mouth in too much disbelief. Jonathan kneel down beside, lifeless burnt corpse of Jim and hold back his tears.

"N-no.."

"I'm seeing it again, I don't like it. Why do I have to have this? This is not a gift, this is a curse I never ask for. And I heard it, it was him, who caused the tragedy."