A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Chick Fight

Class on Monday was hell. None of us had talked all weekend since Asheley’s revelation. Now, sitting across from each other at lunch, with the album in the middle, we just stared at each other.

    Atalanta is eating her burger, eyes never leaving the album, as if if she looked away the album would disappear. As an unvoiced vote, we had accepted her into the group. Kim, Asheley, and Vanessa ringed the opposite side, and Austin sat on my right.

    Suddenly, I feel fingers curl around my left hand. I look down, then at Atalanta, who was still staring at the album. An electric tingle ran from my hands to my chest to my head. I look at the photo album, at the smiling face of Ally, and see golden sparks alight across the black cover.

    With my right hand I reach out to touch the cover. Another tingle, more sparks. “Did any of you see that?” The others blink, and look at me with confused expressions. “See what, Carter?” Vanessa asks, worry tinting her voice.

    Now I was scared. “The gold sparks. On the cover.” Everyone’s expressions now showed open worry, and I feel sweat bead my brow. Atalanta squeezes my hand, though I couldn’t tell if it was worrying or reassuring.

    Trying to distract myself, I open the album to the third page. A new picture glistens under the fluorescent lights.

    A body, wrapped in silver and gold chains. A note is taped to the body, written in red pen. I squint to see the words, then almost puke as I understand them. Silver and gold bind the bronze. Those with minds of copper, beware. Your freedom of flight shall end with your wings cut off. Let this be a warning. All who remember these words shall fall.

    Everyone watches me, but I’m already caught up in a memory.

    Ally and I, sitting under a weeping willow in her grandparents’ woods. I had just asked her how she would describe her mind (only one of many strange questions that day), and she was thinking of her answer.

    “Copper. I would describe my mind as copper.” I look at her like she was crazy, and she justs laughs. Her blue-green eyes catch the sunlight, and traps it, making her eyes glow. “Copper remembers,” Ally continued. “Just like me. I can literally take pictures with my mind, Carter. I guess I’m kind of like Daedalus. I’ve always dreamed of flying.” We laugh at the strange answer, and the memory fades.

    Atalanta squeezing my hand so hard it was numb is the first thing I notice when I surface from the memory. I squeeze her hand back lightly, and was surprised by how normal, how right, it felt to have her hand in mine.

    “She was killed,” Kim whispers. Anger surges through me in a surprising wave, and I snap,”No, she wasn’t.” Kim flinches, for I hardly ever raised my voice, hardly ever got angry. Everyone leans away from me.

    “It’s not a girl. It’s a boy,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm. It was true. The shoulders were broader, the face more square. Everyone leans forward hesitantly, as if waiting for another snap. Guilt floods me from yelling at my friend, but I had no way to apologize.

    The only person who didn’t lean forward to peer at the photo was Atalanta. Instead, she was watching my face, and I could see my reflected self in her blue-tinted pupils. A scared boy, who was just trying to solve the disappearance of a sixth-grade girlfriend. I blink, and sense everyone looking at me. No, at someone behind me.

    I turn around, and almost scream. Alexis Shin, standing there with her arms folded across her chest. I saw this redhead almost tear he brother to pieces twice. Her expressionless emerald eyes stare daggers at me.

    “Carter Bloam, I presume?” It wasn’t a question, but I nod anyway. Alexis nods, and her gaze flicks to everyone around the table, resting for a second on Atalanta, before returning to me.