Sunlight and Gloom

Chapter 6

      Amber walked into school Tuesday morning wanting it to be over already. Grandpa Rick promised that they'd start practice today. After eating breakfast, Amber found Minerva and walked with her. She wanted to tell her about her gift, but she didn't know if she could. Her grandpa had been very strict about telling no one. But she had known Minerva since kindergarten. Surely she could trust her.
      "Hey, Minerva."
      "What's up?"
      "I was wondering if you could come over tonight. I have something I want to show you."
      "Oh, I'm sorry. I made plans for tonight."
      "Really, with who?" Amber was truly curious. She hadn't mentioned anything the day before, and usually she told Amber everything that was going on in her week.
      "I have this club I started going to. It goes really late. I'm surprised my parents let me go."
      "Why didn't you tell me about this? It sounds cool."
      "I didn't know if I was going until tonight." They walked in silence for a bit, occasionally complementing someone's outfit. The bell rang, indicating it was time to get to class. "I'll see you after class, okay?"
      "Okay. Bye." Minerva waved then headed to her first class. Amber went to Algebra. As she walked through the door, she remembered that they had a test over square roots. She wasn't worried; she had learned them all last year. The bell rang again and the principal read the announcements. "Happy birthday to Anya Melark," he said at the end of it." Drat, Amber thought, I forgot it was her birthday today. The teacher, Mrs. Kenecht called role, then she handed out the papers. Amber filled hers out before 15 minutes had passed, then started working on a card for Anya. By the time it was finished class was over. One class down, seven to go. In Science they were still finishing up last year's project. They were supposed to press leaves and put them in a book or on a poster with the name, scientific name, location, and interesting fact. They were also studying for the plant test, which was in a week.
      Mr. Lasse, the teacher was going over the flower parts. "You can remember that the male part of a flower is a stamen by remembering sta-MEN. Write that in your notes. The pistil is composed of the the stigma, the style, and the ovary. You can remember that it is female by thinking that women have more STYLE than men." Amber wrote all of it down in her notes, hoping it would help her remember.
      Then second hour was over and there were only six classes left to go. Minerva and Amber had third and fourth hour together. They walked into social studies and greeted the teacher, Mrs. Christny. They watched a video about Columbus and the other explorers to America, then they went to their last class before lunch, Language Arts. Ms. Hays taught about subjects and predicates, and Amber understood most of it. The bell rang for lunch and the students hurried toward the cafeteria.
Today they were having nachos. The lunch ladies served her a handful of chips, a serving of meat, and a scoop of cheese sauce. Amber also got an apple and some sliced peaches. The cafeteria was the same as always; students yelling across the room, the principal or a lunch monitor yelling at them, and all the girls at Amber's table trying to shush the boys and failing miserably. Amber, who was sitting next to Minerva, took a bite out of her apple. "So, Minerva," she began, "tell me more about this club you're going to."
"I don't really know much about it except that it can be dangerous. One of the members got hurt last week after an accident."
"Really? Maybe you shouldn't do this. If it's dangerous, I don't want you to get hurt."
"I'll be fine. They payed for his hospital stay, so even if I did get hurt, my parents wouldn't be losing money."
Amber had a strong suspicion that Minerva was lying. Did she really just not want to hang out with her? "What do you do in your club," she asked, trying to keep the suspicion out of her voice.
"I think they make things. Like, they weld things and build desks and chairs out of wood. Like I said earlier, this is my first time going. I'm not completely sure."
"Oh." Amber still didn't believe her, but decided to let it go. Minerva turned and started talking to Sydney, and Amber remembered that she had to give Anya her card. "It's not much," Amber said, "but it was the best I could do on short notice."
"Thanks Amber. I'll take it home with me tonight. You're the only one who's gotten me something so far." Amber talked to her about the book series they were both reading, and Anya asked Amber if she could make it to her party on Saturday.
"I don't know. My grandpa just moved in, so I might not be able to."
"Oh, okay. But you really should come." She launched into a detailed explanation of the party she had planned, and when the end of lunch came, she was still going.
After lunch, Amber had Tech with Mr. Lasse. Then she had a study hall since she wasn't in band, and second to last she had Keyboarding with Mr. Lyle. Finally PE arrived. Just as she feared, the last class dragged by. They were learning a new game that some of the other girls didn't get. It seemed to take forever for Mrs. Sasky to finish explaining for them. Then when they finally got to playing, no one could play it right, so Mrs. Sasky paused the game and explained it all over again. Amber tried to keep her temper down because she knew what would happen if she didn't, but she was getting impatient. Finally, school was over and all Amber had to do before she went home was volleyball. She smiled at the thought of that and hurried to practice.

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Rick heard the door slam and went to investigate, almost running into Amber in the process. "I'm here!" she yelled. "When can we start?"
"Hold on, hold on. You need something to eat first."
"I'm fine. I just want to get started."
"I know you do, but you haven't eaten since lunch, and you've exerted a lot of energy with PE and volleyball." Slowly, Amber grudgingly agreed and ate a sandwich. Rick also convinced her to drink some water. Then, weary of her complaints, he told her to wait for him outside. He still had to figure out how to judge how much power she had. The obvious option was to let her show him, but if she couldn't control it, the consequences could be disastrous.
Rick walked outside holding a pair of sunglasses.
"What are those for?" Amber asked.
"If you get too bright, I'm going to need these. Now, I need you to show me the gift you have. Depending how strong it is, that's how intense our training will be."
"Okay. Here goes nothing." Amber closed her eyes. After a few minutes, Rick noticed her hair was changing color. By golly, he thought, her hair really does change. Soon it was full blonde. Amber's face contorted with concentration and her hair and chest began to glow. After a few minutes it began to bright to look at full on. Amber gave out a small grunt, and Rich asked if she was okay. She didn't answer. He put on the sunglasses, but soon it got too bright even for those.
"Amber!" Rick called. "Amber, you can stop now!" At first, nothing happened, and Rick started to get worried that she had lost control. After a while, though, the light began to dim. As the last of the blonde left her hair, Amber fell to the ground. "Amber!" Rick yelled, rushing over to her.
"I'm fine," Amber said weakly. After a few minutes, Amber was strong enough to sit up. "So how'd I do?" she asked, still a little shaky.
"Well aside from using so much energy that you passed out," Rick said accusingly, "you did fine." Fine was the wrong word. Impossible was more like what just happened. Most children started out making light the equivalent of a candle. His great-aunt had been an exception, but even her hair didn't glow.
"Sorry. I told you I don't have that much control." Amber made an effort to stand up, but had to lean on Rick for support. "When can we start really training?"
"Well, certainly not now. You need at least a day to recuperate."
Amber looked up at him. "Are you okay, Grandpa? You look pale."
"That's what going to happen when my granddaughter falls to the ground. Can you walk?" Amber nodded. "Go inside. I'll be right behind you."
"Grandpa?"
"What?"
"Is there anything else I can do with my power?"
Rick wasn't ready to tell her about her other gifts. Not yet, not when she was so strong, yet so untrained. "We'll talk about that tomorrow," he said. "You go get some rest."
"We've only been out here a few minutes."
"That's enough for tonight," he said sternly. "Go inside." Amber slowly obeyed, still weak. Rick knew he was going to have a handful with her.

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Jones thought about Minerva every night. How could someone so small have enough power to put him in the hospital? She couldn't be Gloom. But her voice...
Her voice was what betrayed her. Why would she visit him? He hadn't touched the basket. He didn't trust that girl. If she was Gloom, why had she visited him? To see him weak in his hospital bed? To gloat? To finish what she'd started with poisoned chocolate? Who knew?
He was healing. He could feel it when he moved. The pain wouldn't shoot up his side as much when he shifted and he could usually sleep at night. Sometimes he still couldn't, though. He felt her watching him. He had asked the nurse to close the window curtains, but the feeling persisted. So he lay through the night, thinking about the raven-haired girl with grey eyes.

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      Gloom sat outside the hospital window and cursed when the nurse closed the window. Her diversion had seemed to work. Getting that girl to deliver the basket had been as simple as handing it to her and telling her where to take it. Her mother had even helped. What had been harder was placing and adjusting the voice modifier. She hadn't seemed to notice, and Gloom had disabled it before she talked to anyone else.
      Jones hadn't touched the basket. He was smarter than she thought. She stood up and stretched her leg which was cramped from her position on the adjacent roof. Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the number. She cursed again. The meeting. She had forgotten. Again. 
      "Hello?"
      Juan didn't bother with the code. "Where are you?" he hissed. "The men are getting riled up. We might have a mob on our hands if you don't get over here. Now."
      Gloom noted his demanding tone. He wouldn't dare talk to her like that if he wasn't in trouble. "I'll be right there." She hung up and flew as fast as she dared to the meeting spot. She'd worry about Jones later.