Elsa

Eleven

"No," Moon says.

I freeze. I didn't really expect that answer. And now I've sort of backed myself into a corner. If I don't use my powers, then I'm not doing what Pierce asked me to do. And if I don't do what he asked me to do then I'm not trusting him, right? I wish he was here right now.

"Please," I say. "He wants me to be his partner, too."

"No," Moon repeats. "We paired you up with people at your skill level. It took some thought. And if I let you change partners, everyone else would want to change partners, too."

I clench my fist. My heart is thumping wildly, but I force myself to speak. "Change my partner to Pierce or..." I trail off. I have no idea where I'm going with this.

Moon laughs once and glances upwards. "The answer is no, Strömgard."

She turns to walk away but my hand shoots out and grabs her clipboard. Shards of ice spit from my hand, making menacing spikes rise from the paper. Moon jolts to a stop.

There's fear in her eyes.

There's fear in my eyes, too. But she can't see it.

My hands are shaking, but I don't let go of the clipboard. "Change my partner to Pierce," I order.

"What is this?" she whispers shakily, staring at the ice. I want to stop, I want her to not be afraid- I don't like using my powers like this. I don't like using them at all. But then she looks up into my eyes, and I recognize that look. She's staring at me like I'm foreign. I'm an alien. I'm an object, I'm dangerous, I'm not human. I hate that look. I hate people treating me like this. Pierce is on my side, and that gives me the push to keep going.

I knock the clipboard out of her hands and grab her wrists, ice spilling forth from my hands and coating her arms. Frost covers her fingertips, and has almost reached her elbows before she speaks.

"Alright," she says. "I'll change it."

I let go. The ice is still there, but it was a thin layer. It cracks and she's able to rub it off.

I walk away before she can change her mind. Before I have to use them again. I feel sick.

Pierce is waiting for me inside the door. I'd caught Moon alone, outside, before breakfast. As soon as I see him a flood of guilt overtakes me.

"I don't feel well," I say.

He peers past me, out the door. "Did it work?"

I nod weakly.

Pierce pulls me upstairs and into his room, where we're alone, away from prying eyes. He sits me down on the bed and crouches, looking up into my eyes.

"She thinks I'm a freak," I whisper. "My head hurts." I close my eyes, but all I see the fear in Moon's eyes over and over. I don't feel good about this. How can scaring someone like that be good? All I wanted was to switch partners, but I could have hurt her.

I say all this to Pierce. "It's such a little thing. I could have just been okay with a no. This isn't a life or death problem, us not being partners."

"This was just a trial, Elsa," Pierce reminds me. "Remember? It was the first step. When the time comes and it is a life or death problem, you have to be ready."

"Life or death?" I exclaim. "Pierce, I don't want to be the mediator between life and death. Since when did I become the referee to other people's problems?"

"No, no, that's not what you are," Pierce said. "It's just- you can tip the balances. Or you can completely change the balances, that's how powerful you are. You've gotta be ready to use it."

I bite my lip. "What do I do now?"

He stands. "Well," he says. "Let's just go eat breakfast first."

We walk into the hallway, but halfway down the stairs I can hear Moon's voice. She's in the room opposite the fireplace room- it's a room none of us go in to because the doors have always been closed. I think it's just another sitting room. Pierce approaches the door silently, and we listen. The door is cracked open now.

"We need to call somebody," Moon says. I glance up at Pierce.

"But who?" It's the lady who owns the lodge. "The police? The hospital?"

"I don't know, I don't know!" Moon cries. "But something is seriously wrong with her. I tell you there was ice, everywhere. She can't be here."

I grip Pierce's arm, swallowing hard.

"Look, Moon, I don't know what to do."

"Neither do I!"

"We can take her out of the program and make her stay here. Obviously she can't go on skiing lessons when she's a danger to the other kids."

"She threatened me," Moon spits. "Call the police- or I'll call the police, I don't care. She can't stay here!"

Pierce looks down at me.

"Alright. I'll call them."

"Make them take her today. Everyone here is in danger from that monster!"

Pierce has to drag me away from the door. He pulls me up the stairs and we stand in the darkened hallway. I can't stop shaking.

"They're going to take me," I cry. "They're going to lock me up. Pierce, what do I do?" I grab his arms.

He cups my face in his hands. "Elsa, calm down. They can't hurt you."

I stare at him, still shaking. It takes me a minute to register what he's saying. "If I fight them then they'll be even more convinced I'm a-" I choke on the word. "Monster," I whisper. Tears squeeze out of my eyes.

Pierce kisses my forehead. I take a deep breath. "I can't stay here," I say. Pierce looks at me. I swallow. "I'm leaving."

He nods. "I'm coming with you."