Left for Dead (book 1 in the Super Nova series)

Chapter 28

When I wake up, I'm in my bed in my room. For a moment, I panic because I forget where I am. But then I remember that I'm with the Super Nova's. I look at the clock on the wall. Eight o'clock. I get up and walk out of my room.

Finn runs up to me and says "good, you're awake."

I say "how long was I asleep?"

Blaire gets up and says "It's eight in the morning, Nova."

I say "you let me sleep for eighteen hours?! That's almost a day! I only have six days to learn the last two powers, make a plan, and execute that plan!"

She says "Nova, you were dying. Do you not remember how awful you looked? They said no more than one power a day."

I sigh and say "well, I'm starving so I'm gonna go eat."

Simone sits up, rubs her eyes, and says "Nova?"

I say "yeah, Sim. I'm here. Let's go get some breakfast."

She nods and gets up. We all go down for breakfast. We sit with Kathryn, Beatrix, Echo, and Tiberius again.

Echo says "who's this?" She points to Simone.

I say "that's my little sister, Simone. The other Lorem Multis."

Tiberius says "seems highly unlikely."

Simone says "I'm Umbrakinetic and Cyrokinetic, what're you?"

He says "I'm a shape shifter."

Ace says "shape shifters rule!"

The two of them high-five.

I laugh and say "how about you two?" I point to Echo and Beatrix.

Echo says "I'm Pyrokinetic."

Beatrix says "Geokinetic."

A waiter comes by and we all order our food.

After we order, Tiberius asks "what happened to you yesterday, Nova? You weren't at dinner."

I say "I was exhausted from learning two powers, and I passed out."

Blaire says "you literally collapsed onto the floor."

I say "aka passing out."

Ace says "don't fight."

In unison, Blaire and I say "we're not fighting!"

Everyone laughs.

Beatrix says "okay, you passed out aka collapsing. There, problem solved."

I laugh and say "yeah, that's the short version of it."

Echo says "how long is the long version?"

I shrug and say "a few more sentences? But I don't wanna say more sentences, I'm so tired."

Simone says "you were asleep for eighteen hours, how can you possibly be tired?!"

I say "I'm always tired."

Echo snaps her fingers in my face and says "wake up!"

I laugh and slap her fingers away.

Tiberius says "who froze my water?"

I say "Simone!"

Simone says "Beatrix!"

Beatrix says "Echo!"

Echo says "Finn!"

Finn says "Kathryn!"

Kathryn says "Blaire!"

Blaire says "Ace!"

Ace says "we all know it was the kid with the freaking ice powers!"

Simone sighs and says "fine, it was me."

Everyone laughs and Echo points her finger at Tiberius's glass of ice. The tip of her finger ignites, and there's a small flame. Moments later, the ice is melted and returned to the liquid state.

A few minutes later, a waiter comes by and we get our food. We all eat quickly, then Felix walks up to me and says "you ready Nova?"

I nod and say "let's go."

He turns to Finn, Blaire, and Ace. He says "you three return to your rooms. We've got tutors coming for you."

They all nod and everyone stands up. I follow Felix back to the conference room.

When we get there, Felix says "I'm honestly surprised. I didn't think you were stronger than a hummingbird."

I say "what's that supposed to mean?"

He says "that when you got here you looked weak and pathetic. You still do, a little. You're just a fourteen year-old girl, did you expect to be thought of as strong? I heard the danger alert on the television and I laughed. A fourteen year-old girl being dangerous? I found it impossible. I still do."

I glare at him and says "let's count the reasons I probably look weak. One." I put up one finger, and it lights on fire. I continue "I was thrown out of my home. Two." I puts up another fire-tipped finger. I continue "they threatened to send me to the Government. Three." I put up a third finger covered in fire and say "I lived in the woods for a couple of days. Four." I put up another fiery finger and say "I don't understand anything that's going on. Five." I make a fist, and it is still on fire. I say "you keep insulting me like I'm a pile of nothing. Even though I am the Super Nova." I throw my fist in his direction, and the fire shoots at him.

He jumps out of the way and says "focus on becoming as fierce as a hawk. Or a wolf. Or a bear. Anything fierce. Focus on becoming one."

I close my eyes and focus on a wolf. The fire goes out in my hand, and I shrink. When I open my eyes, I see a snout, and I'm lower to the ground.

He smiles and says "you really are our Super Nova. Our strong, impressive Super Nova."

I growl at him.

He says "I only said those things to make you mad. Anger helps you channel all your emotions into a power. It's the most powerful emotion."

I focus on myself, and I change back.

He says "just do that for an hour."

I sigh but spend the next hour shifting between a wolf and myself.

After the hour, he says "I know I said only one power a day, but I just want to try something. I'll be right back." He leaves the room and comes back a minute later with a cup of water. He puts it on the table and says "try to freeze it."

I stare at the cup and pours all of my emotions into freezing it. I imagine it becoming a solid. After a moment, the glass is full of ice.

He says "oh my god."

I say "did I just-"

He says "yes, you did. Nova, you did it. You learned five powers in three days. It takes people months to learn one, and you learned them all in less than a week."

I say "I am the Super Nova."

He says "you don't have any time to waste, it's time to plan your attack. You have six days."

I nod and says "where do I go to start?"

He says "back to your room. You're the one with all of the powers, you have to be the one to make the plan."

I sigh and says "by myself?"

He says "you can get help if you ask for it, but help will only be given by those you ask."

I nod and says "thank you, Felix."

He nods and says "now go."

I walk back to my room and sees there's a notebook and pencil there. I grab the notebook and start thinking.