Winter's Edge

Chapter 2 - Escape

Ian

I sat on the curb of Bennett High School enjoying the late afternoon breeze that rustled my hair into a mess. Leaves applauded the whistling wind as it whisked through them in the nearby trees. Hopefully, Dad would arrive soon to take me to get my car.

The distant, ominous clouds and strong gusts spoke of a storm blowing in from the west. Its warm breeze wrapped around me, giving me goosebumps as I breathed in the moist air and relaxed. There was nothing quite like the smell of an approaching Colorado thunderstorm.

Dad was running late, which was pretty typical. If he didn't hurry, I'd miss my date with Mandy. My car picked the worst days to break down.

The latch on the flagpole rope clanged against the metal mast, its flag waving goodbye to the last few students heading home. I looked at the clock on my phone and my foot began tapping rapidly against the asphalt. A grasshopper sprang onto my pants and stared me down as if to say, "This is my leg now, buddy!" I brushed him to the pavement then called Dad.

After several rings, his voicemail picked up. He'd forgotten me again.

Time for plan B. I called Sam.

"Hey, Ian. What's up?" Sam sounded animated, as always.

"I need a favor."

"You're still sitting at the school, aren't you?" In the background, Sam's sister, Mary, complained about being late.

"Yep."

"Give me a few minutes. I'm about to drop Mary off at dance class."

"Thanks, Sam."

"No problem. I'll put the hammer down, buddy."

An engine roared through the phone and Mary screamed, "What are you doing?"

Just before the call ended, Sam said, "Weren't you just complaining about being late?" He always liked an excuse to drive fast.

Hopefully, he wouldn't take too long. I'd spent more time than I'd expected helping Mrs. Daniels pack away things after last period.

The janitor's truck rumbled to life across the parking lot and he backed out, revealing a navy blue unmarked police car that'd been parked on his other side. Two dark-haired men sat inside, one reading a paper, the other drinking coffee. They reminded me of the FBI agents on TV, but they were probably just detectives from Denver.

One took a sip of his coffee and surveyed the area. His gaze passed right over me as if I weren't even there. Despite his expressionless face, a nasty scar crossing his eye from forehead to chin nearly made me shiver.

My father's warnings came to mind about people coming for me if they discovered I had powers, and an uneasy feeling settled in my gut. Even though the detectives were most likely at the school investigating the recent bomb threat, I didn't want to hang around and become their next suspect. Sam would call me when he got there if I went inside the school to wait for him.

I was about to call Mandy when I realized I'd gotten distracted and forgot my yearbook in my locker earlier. Glancing to my right, I saw the guy with the scar again. Yep, still gave me the creeps. I stood and headed for the school.

I was several paces inside the empty hallway when the latch of the door closed behind me with a metallic thwack! A light squeak chirped from my rubber soles with each step, echoing through the linoleum-tiled halls. Before long, I reached my locker.

I slipped my yearbook out and closed the locker for the last time, leaving a few loose papers inside. If I never used another locker again, it'd be too soon.