Empath

Chapter 1 - Road Trip

The sun reflected off the puddles across the field. Rain had ravaged the town last night leaving behind the sweet smell of fresh earth. The football team trampled the ground to a muddy pulp at practice. It was a mess but it was real. It wasn't just in my head. I took a deep breath soaking in the heat from the sun as it began to dip below the horizon. I leaned back on the bleachers. My friends had left just a few minutes ago. It's a good thing too. My brother would be here soon.

I glanced down at my phone again to read his text.

It's time

Two words that should have shook me to the core. We had a clear protocol for these things. This was urgent.

I should be frantic at this point. I'm not sure why, maybe my energy level was too low, maybe it was the long day at school, the stress of work that is undone. Something superficial. My body was tired.

Whatever it was, I wasn't afraid this time. Maybe I'm used to this. I shivered. That was something to be afraid of. "Complacency leads to extinction." My father's mantra rang out in my mind.

I sighed and shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts and the noise of everyone else's thoughts around me. The boys waiting to be picked up from practice were talking about me. It wasn't pleasant. They were betting on who could get me to sleep with them first. They had no idea. It was almost comical.

I took another deep breath in and out. Pulling my long brown hair into a ponytail, I leaned back on the bleacher behind me resting my feet on the level below to try to relax and block them out of my mind. My skinny jeans, uggs, hoodie and puffy vest were keeping me warm as the once sunny fall day was turning to dusk. I need to quickly and efficiently deal with the loss of another town, another group of friends, another house - another place to be almost stable. I can't just shove the feelings aside again, they'd come back to hurt me in the future. If only boys with dirty thoughts was my biggest problem.

At 17, I've moved at least 20 times across North America. It's the nature of the people we are. I used to get upset and become defiant. Though that passed when I realized it was for my own good. After my parents died 7 years ago, we no longer had the protection to stay put. My brother Jeremy took the reins and kept us both safe. I've taken on odd computer based jobs to keep us ahead of the game while still trying to finish high school. I've always had a knack for computers. I couldn't read their minds and they couldn't read mine. I liked them better than humans what I put in, I get out. My latest gig had me doing some work for a corporation with a lot of cash, I was a bit behind on work and really didn't need another crisis at home. The company seemed to think I was some 35 year old computer nerd. Whatever they thought, the job was easy; just fixing up their website and making it optimized for search engines. I'd have the first project done tonight if it wasn't for this interruption.

Screeching tires woke me from my attempted calm. I didn't have to look to know it was my brother entering the parking lot at school. The purr of his Jaguar (F-Type SVR) was unmistakable. I'm surprised he decided to take this car with us since it's so flashy. I kind of understand though, I wouldn't be able to part with the beauty either.

I jumped down from the bleachers onto the field, slung my backpack over my shoulder and jogged over to his car. They boys that were hanging around after practice and were staring. I shook my head. Stupid Jeremy made my exit first page news in this little town! I'm going to lay into him when I get in the car.

My brother is 25 but sometimes his behavior could pass for a 10 year old. I have to give him a break though. He's been an adult for as long as I've known him. He doesn't get a break either.

I threw open the passenger door and dipped down to look at my brother raising my eyebrow ready to chastise his behavior. But it wasn't him.

"Who are you?" I said urgently. My body tensing and my guard immediately going up. What was I thinking leaving my mind open! I reprimanded myself inside my head.