The Crystal Path

Episode 1: Pilot

"'I can feel the darkness within me. I can feel the pain and destruction just beneath the surface. We always thought it was just a dream--a nightmare. But no... It's much more than that.'"

Monica Collins frowned as she murmured the words to herself in bed, running her fingers along the paper. It was twelve minutes past time for her to go to sleep, but she was very into the book.

She read with the soft light of a flashlight, her eyes scanning the page. Suddenly, a large gust of wind blew into her room, and Monica frowned.

Hadn't she closed her window before going to bed? Maybe her sisters, Jewel or Alexis had opened it just to spite her. Slowly, she turned off the flashlight and set it on her desk, and closed her book after marking it with a sticky note.

Softly, she tiptoed to her window. As she began to close it as quietly as she could manage, the moon caught her eye. Or rather, the eclipse caught her eye.

"An eclipse? But how...?" Monica breathed, peering out her window. But she didn't have much time to ponder this oddity; another huge gust of wind rendered her unconscious, along with nineteen other kids around the world.

And when they woke up... Well, let's just say they were a bit... Different.

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"Twenty kids. You're saying twenty kids were affected by this eclipse?" Demanded a furious scientist, pacing around and glaring at his workers angrily.

"Sir. Calm down. Yes, twenty kids were knocked unconscious three days ago... And they still haven't woken up." Agreed another girl scientist, glancing down and adjusting her microscope.

"Don't tell me to calm down, Downing! My own children were--are--affected from this mishap!" The man spat, turning on his worker.

The other scientists pretended to be heavily involved with observing the DNA of the children who had been passed out instantaneously.

"Clyde, please. We're doing all we can at the moment... And the FBI is looking to us for answers. Might I remind you--we are their scientists, but certainly not their equals... And they're expecting an explanation by the end of the day."

Taylor Downing cleared her throat nervously, addressing her boss as politely as she could.

Clyde Ray's mouth twitched, and he looked either ready to tear something apart or burst into tears.

"Then hurry up and give them results." He replied in a deadly quiet voice, clenching his fists and stomping out of the room.

Grumbling to himself, Clyde hurried to the main boss of the FBI's door. Curling his fist, he knocked three times on the door.

"Come in." Jeffrey Collin's voice sounded weary and rough, as though he hadn't slept at all these past three days. And, given the fact that his three daughters were involved in the horrid event, he probably hadn't.

Jeffrey's face brightened when he saw the scientist, however. "Anything?" He urged, his eyes desperate with hope.

Clyde swallowed a lump in his throat. "Nothing. I'm so sorry, Jeffrey... We're doing everything we can."

The man shook his head, but looked away. "I can't wait for this to be over," he breathed softly, his hands trembling slightly when he ran his fingers through his hair.

Clyde nodded in agreement, turning to leave. "Um--wait. Clyde... There's--there's something I need to tell you. Something you need to keep..." Jefferson glanced at the open door, then added in a lower tone, "...confidential."