kelsey

The Interference

Shortly after going to help with dinner, I make my way to the back and decide to skip dinner tonight. Cathleen follows me and asks me where I am going.

"I'm not hungry. I'm just going to walk around a bit." I lie. In reality, I'm meeting Danel in the barn to sing for him.

"Okay, I'll come with you." She starts walking with me and I stop her.

"No, you are going to go back to the others and not say a word about where I am. If they ask, you are to tell them that I wasn't feeling that good after the show and I went to go lie down for a bit, okay?" She nods and leaves me alone.

I continue to make my way to the barn and see Ren sleeping. I smile and look around for Danel. What I see instead makes me want to cry.

"Well, it's been a good six months, don't you think? Anyway, I've come for you. Give me your powers or I will take them by force."

"How did you find me?"

"Easy, I threatened Danel to tell me. I knew that he's a friend to you, someone you trust." Danel comes into my line of sight andI glare at him, "It was very easy, really. Oh, and those lessons you were giving him, completely useless."

"Danel, really? I trusted you. Why would you do that to me?"

"I'm sorry, she threatened to take my powers and to take you away from me. She promised if I gave you away, she wouldn't hurt you. I see what I've done now, I'm so sorry Kelsey."

"It's too late for that." I say angrily.

Out of nowhere, Gracie launches an ice blast, straight at me and it hits me in the side. I'm knocked down for a couple of seconds but jump back up. Ren starts growling at Gracie and I turn my attention to him. That was a mistake on my part. Ren twists his head to the side and not a second sooner, I'm hit in the face with an ice shower. I quickly blast the earth at Gracie's feet and trap her from the ankles below. She tries to shoot off some more ice at me but I dodge easily. A grunt from behind me catches me attention. I freeze Gracie up to her neck so she can't move and turn my attention to Ren who had been hit with the blast of ice I had dodged from Gracie. All the while, Gracie curses me and yells, trying to get out.

Ren had ice building up on his white coat and I panic. I turn on Danel and tell him to keep Gracie busy for a while as it's the least he could do to fix his mistake. I try to defrost him but to no avail. Too soon, his coat is covered in thick ice and there's nothing I could do. Tears run down my face, I don't notice but the air heats up along with my emotions. I turn to face Gracie in all my rage for hurting a helpless animal and I take her powers from her and she sinks to the ground, defeated. With newfound energy, I pour most of it into Ren. The light coming off of me is bright and I manage to finally remove the ice from his fur. He shakes his body a little and is able to move around after a minute or so. I pass out soon after.

I wake to someone shaking me. I realize it's Danel and I sit up, ready to blast him to the afterlife.

"Hang on. Don't shoot!" he yells and I motion for him to continue, "I come in peace! I just want you to know that your tiger is okay, I tended to him myself. Gracie is powerless and there are people looking for you. You can't go though because of how damaged you are."

"What do you mean by that?"

"For starters, your hair is a mess, your face is bloody, and it looks like you've just seen a ghost. Also, there's ice on your clothes and everywhere else in this place."

I quickly fix everything and clean myself up, after I punched Danel in the face, that is. I run out to where everyone was gathering.

"Hey, what did I miss?"

"Just a search party that's been looking for you since midnight! Where have you been?" Cathleen exclaimed.

Oh, just saving you all from Gracie's wrath, the usual.

"I was in the forest back here, I guess I lost my way. I'm okay now."

"Need I remind you not to wander off without an adult?" Mr. Davis asks me.

"No need. Sorry I scared you guys. Can we get started with the day or?"

"Very well. Everyone who was in the first search and has had some sleep, start setting up, everyone else, to bed. I'll come around in a couple of hours to wake you up. As for you, Mr. Maurizio wants to speak with you." Mr. Davis turns to me. I nod my head and make my way to Mr. Maurizio.

After a warning, I leave to the barn and Ren. He greets me and I feed him and make sure he is still okay. With the powers I took from Gracie, I have a nosebleed as soon as Matt walks in. He hands me a tissue to clean myself up. I turn away and watch Ren pace back and forth in front of me. I crease my brow and turn my head to the side. He stops and looks at me, mimicking my movements.

"That is one weird tiger. I think he likes you though."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he never acts that way unless you are around."

"Oh. Did you want to ask me something?"

"Yes, actually. What really happened last night?"

"I passed out in the barn." I lied. The tiger huffed out his disappointment for not telling the whole truth.

"Oh, I thought it was something serious. If you need to go to the doctor or anything, just let me know. You're not alone here you know."

Looking at the tiger, I responded, "I know."