The Perks of Being a Freak (Editing)

19. Sometimes, I Think The Universe Likes Messing With Us

At least to the scientists we had vanished. The five of us still stood in the elevator, frozen in terror. Why weren’t they attacking? Why weren’t they even looking?

I think that they can’t see us, Rajeev’s mental voice made us all jump.

Okay, whoever is making us invisible? Keep doing… whatever you’re doing. Everyone else, stay quiet and stay close together. I instructed, eyes narrowed. Lets move toward the door.

Together we shuffled towards the door, taking great pains to remain silent. My heart was in my throat, pounding and choking me. I had never been this afraid, not before a swim meet or a recital. Never.

And it was all by complete chance that Benny lay his hand against my back right where my wings were stitched in, still raw and still painful.

Involuntarily, and even as Benny jerked his hand away, I shrieked in pain.

Every single white coat turned to look straight toward us, hiding in plain sight in the middle of the lobby.

I slammed a hand over my own mouth, and guilt filled me to the brim, tinged with a blue-black fear.

“What was that?” One of the scientists asked loudly, eyes narrowed.

“I definitely heard something,” another insisted.

Run! Tony shouted. All five of us darted toward the door.

Rajeev and Benny drove their shoulders into glass double doors, forcing them open. The scientists were behind them, pointing and yelling.

I know where we are! I howled. Go right! Go right!

Tony and I reached back simultaneously to take Emily’s hands in our own and urge the not-so-athletic girl onward.

Scientists were screaming with rage, and the sound of engines revving met our ears.

Get down! Rajeev howled mentally, tugging Benny toward a clump of bushes.

Emily pulled Tony and I back, ducking with them into the thick bushes. All three of us crouched in the mulch, watching as best as they could through the foliage. Branches poked them through their paper-thin hospital gowns, and leaves caught in the hair of the two girls.

I live about a mile and a half from here, I thought. Think we can make it?

We can sure as hell try, Tony whispered fiercely.

Two cars rolled past, dark and ominous, with tinted windows and very little light.

I watched them, and waited until they were completely out of sight. Then, I counted slowly to twenty under my breath. Take no chances. Take no chances. Nineteen… alright, twenty. Let’s go! I burst from the bushes, ignoring the scratched skin and leafy hair. With me in front, we sprinted. I shifted my wings so they lay a little closer to my spine, and wondered idly if I could fly. I could try to, but would it work or would I just hurt myself more?

No. My stitches hurt too much. They were too raw, and I couldn’t even imagine being up so high. What if I tried to fly and froze up in fear instead? Then what? I would fall to my death. And even now, if I could fly, I would never leave my friends. We had been through too much together for me to even consider abandoning them.

Left, I thought, leading my group of experiments around a tight corner, closer and closer to my house but still so very far away.

Why do you live so close to a bunch of crazies? Rajeev caught my hand and tugged at it.

They didn’t mention it when we bought the house! I explained, slightly confused. We had been sprinting for almost five minutes. Shouldn’t we be absolutely winded? As a swimmer, I had great lungs. But even the very best swimmer lungs got tired after sprinting down a street. I should be gasping and I wasn’t.

And Emily was a skater. She didn’t have the same athleticism as any of us. She was barely breathing deeply.

Maybe being tested on had made us more resilient?

I caught a glimpse of my house and grinned. The rope ladder was where I had left it.

Go up the rope ladder, I said. I’ll take the front door, and let them all know that I’m okay. They could all taste my excitement, my eagerness.

Go get ‘em, Jules. Rajeev grinned.

Don’t… just Lia, I shook my head and leapt up the stone steps in one bound. Gleefully, I darted inside.

“I’m home!” I cried joyfully. “Mom? Dad? Aaron? Max? Seth? Cody? Lucy?” I jogged into the kitchen. beaming. I could finally see my parents again. Had they missed me? Of course they had missed me! They would be waiting in the kitchen and welcome me with hugs and kisses and…

A neon green sticky note on the kitchen counter.

I stopped short. Just like my tenth birthday. A sticky note on the table. No cake this time, but a sticky note. There was no one home, and they had left a sticky note.

“Dear Juliana,” I read aloud. “We have all gone out to a movie. If you decide to stop moping, there is dinner in the microwave. Don’t forget to clean up. Mom… and dad…” My heart dropped. What?