Human

21.

            We spent the rest of the night cuddled up in our tent.

I hardly slept with all of the thoughts running through my head. When sleep finally did come for me, I was swept into exhausting dreams. I dreamt of myself doing all kinds of crazy, unbelievable, and impossible things. They felt so real, and when I woke in the morning I wasn't feeling rested.

I couldn't stop a smile from spreading across my face though when I remembered where I was, and with who. I looked up and saw that Garrett was still passed slap out. People always say they wish they could sleep like a baby, well I have been around babies, and they don't sleep all that well. I want to be able to sleep like a teenage boy.

I silently crept from our tent and stepped out into the dewiness of morning. I reached back in for a blanket and went to sit by the little fire pit. The air out here was so fresh and crisp. I looked around and could see nothing but tall trees, and empty camping spots. I chewed my lip and tried focusing my mind and my breathing like Garrett had showed me last night.

I focused in on a leaf.

Nothing happened.

I huffed annoyed. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something. Anything that would be a strong emotion that I could pull from. The first thought that popped into my mind, made my chest hurt...Stephen. I had thought to myself. This isn't fair. I should be excited, and freaking out about the possibility of me being special, and maybe not really related to those awful people I call my parents. Instead, I am just aching for Stephen even more. If I am a Potente, then so was Stephen. He should have lived an extra special, extra-long life. Instead of that, his was cut short, even from a normal human's perspective.

I held onto that sorrow, and that anger and focused on a leaf again. A smile dancing across my lips as it came up. Then I moved my eyes to another, and another, until I had five in the air at once. I focused on them, giving it my all, and lifted my chin. I watched in amazement as I made them float around in tiny circles, the sun playing on the wet little water drops on each one. I gently laid them all back down, one at time, then focused on a new target.

The stick wiggled on the ground, but didn't leave it. I closed my eyes and pictured it in my head, the way I had done before, then tried again. I couldn't hold back my schoolgirl shriek of happiness as I saw it come off the ground and float straight to my outstretched hand.

I stood and turned toward our tent and pointed the stick at it pretending to wield a wand like Harry Potter. I stared at the zipper and continued to giggle as I watched the zipper slide from one side all the way to the other and the flap open on my command.

This can't be real. I must still be dreaming. If it is a dream, I am going to enjoy it anyway. I could see Garrett laying in the tent, still wrapped up in the sleeping bag. I cut my eyes at that zipper next. It was a little more difficult because it was so small and at such a distance, but eventually it wiggled free and the blanket pulled away from Garrett.

"Hmm, what's...?" He mumbled then opened his eyes to look at me. "What are you doing Cade?" He asked surprised to see me standing at such a distance and staring at him. I closed my eyes for a short moment and then popped them back open to watch as the tent shook around Garrett's body. I was trying to lift the whole thing, but he was so heavy. I strained my eyes trying even harder and a shocked look crossed Garrett's face. All of the little stakes holding the tent to the ground shot out of the dirt and the tent folded up around Garrett.

I stopped trying and ran to untangle him, laughing the whole time.

"Cadence!" He yelled as I got to him. He looked angry and his eyes were surveying the entire area. "You have to be careful! You don't want someone to see you." I dropped my eyes to my shoes and pouted my lip like a child who had just been scolded by their teacher. "Hey," He said nicer. "I didn't mean to yell at you...I just need you to be careful, ok?"