Elemental

Chapter Eight

"Both? But our radar-"

"Sh! They're still sleeping."

"But how did the radar..."

Jade groggily overheard a conversation. The two arguers stepped out of the room. The voices had sounded serious, hushed, and confused. Jade did not really mind at the moment. She was glad that she had gotten that much needed sleep.

As her eyes adjusted from sleep, Jade turned towards Charlie's bed. He was sound asleep, snoring a bit. Someone had combed out his hair. Jade lifted one of her arms to her head. Jade's hair was silky and smooth.

She slowly got out of the bed. She stepped away from the white sheets. The beat up boy had disappeared and Charlie was the only one still in a bed. Tori was no where to be seen.

Jade quietly walked over to one of the cabinets lining the walls. She carefully opened it. There were medicines and pain pills and such. One thing caught Jade's eye.

A shimmer in the back of the cabinet caused Jade to snatch it. It was a dark red amulet on a thin silver chain. The amulet was about the size of a quarter. Jade examined the amulet. Why would it be in the back of a medicine cabinet? Did Tori steal it? Jade made the decision not to trust Tori.

The whispers were back. The two arguers who Jade had awoken to were approaching the door again. She quickly shut the cabinet as quietly as she could and shoved the amulet into the pocket on her nightgown. Jade tried not to look guilty as the door opened and Tori and Katherine walked in.

"Hi, Tori. Hi, Katherine. I just woke up and I couldn't find anyone." Jade spoke, trying to hide any guilt on her face.

"Hi, Jade. The test results are in and we seem to have a problem that we would like you to explain to us. Let's go into a different room." Katherine seemed confused. She must have been the one who was all worried about the radar.

As Jade followed Tori and Katherine down the hall to a different room, Jade made up her mind that they were twins or sisters. The two women were identical. Tori seemed to have shorter hair, though.

They stepped into a room. Jade guessed it was Katherine's office. Books lined one of the four walls. A large desk, a window, and a fireplace with chairs occupied the room. There were four comfortable gray chairs. Katherine, Tori, and Jade all sat down.

"What happened the evening of July second?" Tori asked Jade the moment they sat. Jade was surprised. She thought they were just going to tell her that she didn't have an elemental spirit and that they didn't know what to do with her.

"Um," Jade thought about that evening. Today was the third. So yesterday. When her parents were alive. "My Mom, my Dad, Charlie, and I ate dinner and then I went and found a flower in my garden for my room." Jade had no idea how this information would help Katherine and Tori figure out their problem.

"What did Charlie do while you gardened?" Katherine asked. Jade realized she was jotting down notes in a small notebook.

"I think Charlie was playing with his new toy airplane. He wants to be a pilot when he grows up." Jade answered. Charlie had only been on an airplane once, when the whole family went to Florida to vacation. He had then decided that flying was his favorite activity. He would go in the backyard and run around with his arms out making airplane sounds. Personally, the plane had made Jade feel sick.

Katherine nodded at Tori and Tori spoke to Jade. "Our tests showed that both you and Charlie have elemental spirits. Siblings very rarely both have elements. Our radar showed only enough power to come from one person, though" Tori stopped to let it soak in. Charlie had an element. Jade had an element. Jade wondered what the elements could be. "Katherine and I are twins, and we both have elements, but we are the only elemental twins we know of. We believe that whatever both of you did was very small, but combined, your elements showed just enough power to set off our radar."

Katherine looked at me. "Now all we have to do is figure out what those elements are."