kelsey

The Memory

The next week passed by. I sang to Ren often and he enjoyed my company. Mr. Kadam didn't come back until the afternoon of Ren's last performance. He asked to talk after the show. I agreed to meet over dessert.

Going into the building, everyone was exuberant. Mr. Kadam walked in and I gathered my notebook, pencil, and two dishes of ice cream. He spread out papers for me to sign.

"We will be driving the tiger in a truck from here to the Portland airport. From there we will board a cargo plane that will fly us to New York City, pass over the Atlantic ocean and continue on to Mumbai. When we arrive, I will be leaving Ren in your capable hands for a few days while I tend to some business in the city.

"I have arranged for a truck to meet with us at the airport, where we will supervise the workers loading the tiger into the truck. A driver has been assigned to take you all the way to the reserve. Preparations have been made for you to stay at the reserve for a couple of days. Then, you may return to Mumbai at your convenience. I will be providing you with traveling money, more than enough for an emergency."

I write everything down in a hurry, my hand cramping. Sparks start flying off my hands and I shake them off.

"Mr. Davis will prepare Ren and will load him onto the truck for us tomorrow morning. I suggest you pack a bag for yourself with any personal items you wish to take. I will be sleeping here so you can take my rental car to go home and gather your things. Make sure you return by tomorrow morning. Do you have any questions?"

"I do, most of them can wait until tomorrow. Just letting you know that I have asthma and I have a lot of medical issues. Do I need to let you know what medications I'm taking?"

"Yes, that would be preferable so in case of emergency, I can get your prescriptions." I give him a list of my medications that I take along with the medicine Danel gave me for the flight. He passes his keys to me and thanks me for accepting the job.

I go around the circus and say goodbye to everyone. I had only been here for two weeks but I already felt like I was home. I had put my hair behind my ear at meals, something I only did with my foster family. I gathered my things from the tent and was surprised to see Danel in the middle of the tent.

"What are you doing here, Danel? Shouldn't you be with Gracie so she doesn't try to take over with her nonexistent powers?" I ask, mocking him for what he said after my fight with her.

"Actually I'm here to say goodbye for now. I won't be seeing you for a while and I wanted to give you the last bit of advice I have to give."

"You won't be seeing me for a while? What does that mean? You're not joining any crazy scientist to get rid of your powers are you?" we had spoken of leaving his powers behind so he could start fresh in Oregon, where I am.

"No I'm not doing that. You convinced me that I could have a life with powers. Just look at you! You are smart, creative and strong. You have dealt with so much and you are still smiling. I ruined something for you and for that, I will never forgive myself. That is why I'm leaving. I want to learn how to be human. Not just someone who is trying to kill an innocent girl. I will see you in a while. Goodbye, Princess." He disappears and I start crying.

I go into the barn, hoping to find comfort in the tiger, /gosh I am going crazy/, but he is asleep so I sit on my hay bale and wipe away the tears on my face and leave the barn.

I go to the parking lot and find Mr. Kadam's car, a Bentley CTG Convertible. I clicked the unlock button on the key fob and the headlights flash at me.

/I can't believe he trusts me to drive this beautiful, silver car home. This car must be worth a fortune./ I feel my hair flying around me as the wind responded to my emotions.

I start the engine and I jumped when it roared to life. Even I knew that the car was fast. I noticed the car had heated massage seats, and with the wind in my face as I drove home, I was content. I forgot about my worries, my conditions, my powers. I arrived home too soon and parked the car in the driveway but parked it in the garage after Mike's insisting. His sedan was kicked to the curb.

Mike spent the evening cooing over the car and I spent the evening packing for my trip to India. I packed a duffle bag full of clothes, taking my quilt, the picture that I found of my parents, and I tell Sammy and Rebecca everything from the circus. We guessed what I might see in India and eventually they went to bed. I enjoyed my time with them but I was tired and Sarah could tell by the way my eyes drooped. She hugged me tight and reminded me that she was only a phone call away. I shook Mike's hand and fell asleep.

I dreamt of my parents, how they would play with me all the time. I recalled a memory of us traveling to a waterfall not to far from my house. Mom and I were standing by the waterfall, taking a picture and Mom's face turned to pure fear and panic. She bended the waterfall to wrap around us and she told me to stay still. I did and she left the waterfall cage to find my dad. I see a bright red light and feel heat close to me. I heard Dad yell and I ran out of the waterfall to see Mom trapped in a glacier. I run to her and she tells me to get away but I don't listen. The woman attacking my parents looked familiar. I jump in front of Mom and try to stop the crazy woman from hurting my parents. My dream self felt energy coursing through her veins. I see fire pouring out of me in blue bursts. I attack the woman with all I have and I collapse when she disappears.

"Sweetie, you should never do that again! You could get hurt, then what am I supposed to do? You are everything to me, I can't bear to lose you." My mom tells me soothingly.

My parents stand over me and they tell me everything, who I am and why I can never tell anyone nor show them what I am capable of. I jump awake and realize that wasn't a dream, it was real, it really happened long ago. My parents were chased by Gracie James, that's why she was after me. I stopped her from doing her job when I was only ten. I am the reason why my parents died. I caused Gracie to freeze the roads on our way back from a waterfall, I helped her by blowing the engine. Tears run down my face as I realize what I have done. I ran to the bathroom and threw up my dinner, crying still. My nose running with blood and the air turned sour with my emotions. Sarah came in and calmed me down, giving me some medicine to quell my stomach.

"I don't think you should go on this trip like this, Kelsey. You are sick and need to rest."

"No, I'm fine. I-I just had a bad dream. About my parents. I saw the crash all over again. I'm sorry that I woke you. Go back to sleep, I'll be fine." I convince her and she gets up and goes to her bedroom while I clean myself up and go back to sleep. This time, dreaming of a handsome prince who had a pet tiger.