Sage Hill and the Stones of Power

Chapter 1

I heard the whispers buzzing around me, but to me they were nothing more than words being said, changing nothing.

"...Three dead..."

"...Her fault..."

"...not to be trusted." All from different people. Rumors, all of them, not fact. Fact: I had a new power. Fact: The same power that supposedly drove the person in front of me to murder. Fact: That person held my newest life line carelessly in her palm. Fact: I needed to do what she said, which in this case was talk to her. So no, at that exact second I did not care about what they were saying. I stopped three feet in front of her,

"What," My voice was shaking. I took a breath and tried to calm myself, "What?" I repeated, stronger this time.

"Well, Sage, obviously, you're too new to get this. Here are the facts as they stand." She said smoothly, chin in the air like she owned the place. All I could think was: I like facts, "You have another power, from my stone which you need to stay near to live." Knew that, "Now, the rest with our power agree that you can't be on two sides at the same time," The rest? "so I'm going to give you a very easy choice: come live with the rest of us with this power, where you belong, and live a long happy life, or stay here and live a couple more days." Not dying is always good.

"What? No. Are you kidding? There is no way Sage is going to just pack up and leave just because you say she has to, so unless you want me to make you leave, I'd give Sage her piece of the stone and get out. Now." Cecilia, my cabin counselor and one of my best friends, said.

"Let her speak for herself." She answered. I looked between the two girls. Weird, they looked very much alike, maybe it was the way their eyes we both penetratingly dark, or maybe it was just because they both looked ready to strange the other. Either way, Cecilia was right, I was not leaving my home again.

"I don't know you, but just the fact that Cecilia doesn't like you gives me enough reason to say no."

"Look, I know you must've heard a bit of a one sided, and exaggerated, tale of nothing more than a misunderstanding; I'm trying you help you out here. Could we just talk, in private please." She motioned away from Cecilia and the rest of the group that had gathered.

"A misunderstanding?! Losing three lives is what you call a 'Misunderstanding?!' Absolutely not. Sage isn't leaving my sight if you're around." Cecilia answered for me.

"Um, yes we can. Sorry Cecilia, but not leaving here is one thing, keeping me from talking to someone is another." I said, surprisingly smoothly as I walked over to the new girl and she led me out of Cecilia's ear shot.

"Sage!" Cecilia yelled in frustration before running in the opposite direction.

"We haven't been properly introduced; I'm Cynthia, it's nice to meet you."

"You know my name. Cut to the chase."

"Alright then. First off, you're newest power is foresight. Meaning in you can see parts of what could happen in the future. No one here is ever going to understand it or be able to help you with it. And trust me you're going to need some help, this power sucks, most hate it, or fear it, or both, and it is not easy when you first get it." She and taken out a small, faintly glowing object and was turning it over in her right hand, a nervous habit I guessed. "Which is why myself and quite a few others left, and yes, there were consequences, ones that were unforeseeable, awful, and not purposeful, despite what you may hear. I just wanted you to know that there is a place where you belong and are welcome. You're more than welcome to come back with me if that's what you want." He words were kind but there was a chill to them that make me recoil as she spoke. She kept playing with the stone in her hand, my stone, held so carelessly in her palm.