Inhibition

Chapter 24

Everyone was huddled in a semicircle on the training field behind door number four. Cat’s blonde curls could just be made out in the crowd. She stood in the center, across from a very nervous looking boy. He was probably a year older than Cat, with black curly hair and intense light blue eyes. He was a good foot taller than Cat, and probably another thirty pounds heavier, but the way his eyes flickered and his tapping foot gave away his nerves. He tried to laugh them off. “Tried” being the key word there.

“Now, you know to be gentle, right?” He cautiously took a step forward.

Cat giggled.

“That’s not reassuring.” He sighed and stepped back to where he was.

There was muttering around the circle. A few girls looked helplessly between Cat and the guy. They were obviously admirers of his, and looked sad at the prospect of his pretty face being smashed in by the large bolder equidistant between Cat and the guy.

One guy in the crowd nudged another, murmuring “poor kid”. Must have been one of the oldest there, Cat thought. They liked to use the term “kid”.

The reason everyone was concerned was pretty obvious to Cat. The first time she had practiced, with wind, she had nearly unleashed a mini tornado in the classroom. The second time, she hadn’t even been allowed to participate, for fear of what might happen. And those two times had been with wind and water, elements that were less solid, and harder to get hurt with.

Now Cat had a rock. And not just any rock; it was a boulder about the size of Cat’s head. The damage that Cat could do with a boulder was nearly unimaginable to the surrounding people. But they tried their hardest. Thoughts ran rampant of the guy’s arm coming off, his back broken, or his beautiful face smashed in. Not exactly pleasant, and all images associated with Cat. Of course, medics (Mrs. Ackley) were standing by in case of emergency, as they did every session. Whatever happened wouldn’t last for long.

Coach Will stood to the side, her tall frame standing out amongst the sea of different colored suits. Her face looked almost concerned for a second, before the excitement of the moment overtook her. Everyone else had gone, with varying degrees of success. Coach Will wanted to see what Cat could do.

“Ready,” Coach Will started the count down.

“I can’t look!” Someone in the crowd shouted.

“Set!” Coach Will looked between the two of them. The guy nodded, and slid his feet into a more open stance, balancing himself for what was to come. Cat hopped up and down with her nod before the giggle still on her lips died out and was replaced with a look of readiness.

“Hold me!” Coach Will glared at the interrupter.

“Fire!” Shouting Coach Will before she and the rest of the crowd jumped back, waiting for the Homeric moment to occur.

“Ahhhh . . .” The guy’s scream gradually faded away when he realized he wasn’t bleeding, dismembered or dead yet. This was a very good moment for him.

With no disturbing squish, everyone turned to see what was going on.

Cat was staring at the boulder, her face starting to purple. Her eyes were getting all squinty and she held her hands out, palm facing the boulder. She concentrated as hard as she could, but no matter how much she focused, how much she willed the molecules that made up the boulder to move, they wouldn’t. The molecules stayed where they were, remaining adamant like stubborn children. Cat could just imagine the molecules all sitting down, and turning their noses up at Cat, taunting her lack of ability.

Cat growled.

The crowd burst out laughing. Well, it started as a giggle, but then it spread. The sight of Cat’s face purpling from effort, her squinty eyes, and then her growl were just too hilarious. Aidan, standing at the edge of the opening to the semicircle, right next to the trees, was a bit concerned at the laughter. But he appeared to be the only one. Finley was laughing along with the rest, and Midge and Aubrie, the only other people he knew that knew how “special” Cat was, were nowhere to be seen.

“Uh, Cat?” Aidan asked the concern and confusion showing in his voice.

“Huh?” Cat’s head swung around to face Aidan. And so did the boulder she’d been trying to move.

Instead of totally, and uncoolly, throwing himself onto the ground, Aidan merely sidestepped as the boulder flew past. His thick dark hair ruffled in the breeze it made as it passed by. The boulder slammed into the trees behind Aidan, smashing straight through four of them. Those trees created a domino effect across the forest, each falling tree hitting another and causing that tree to fall as well.

Cat flinched at every thud. The guy standing across from her almost fainted.