Rose
Our team of animals has finally united. Even though there’s one more member than we expected it’s okay. When B.B was finished explaining his story to Mute he just glares at B.B. “So you put animal DNA in the water?” Mute asks clarifying it. “Yeah.” B.B responds. “Why?” Mute asks. I look at him. I realize that no matter how many people he tells this to, Mute is the first person to ask why. “I’ll tell you some day.” B.B says quickly. I look at him funny. “But-” Hunter begins. He’s interrupted by Jenny’s voice. “What does it matter? We have superpowers! We’re magical!” she cries. She’s practically leaping onto the table. I smile at her adorable enthusiasm. B.B clears his throat.
“Now that we have our entire team,” B.B begins. “I’d like to show you something.” He explains. He takes out a white gem. It looks like the gems we have but white. “This is a very powerful gem. When it’s in your possession, at the right time it will give you extreme power and you’ll start glowing.” B.B held up the gem. “What the ‘right time’?” Hunter asks. “Well if emotions are running high or you really need the power.” He reasons. B.B takes the gem and slams it on the table. It shatters. “What the fuck was that for?” Hunter demands angrily. I study the remains of the gem. I realize it’s split into six even pieces. “Wait guys . . . look at the pieces.” I explain pointing to them. Everyone looks at me confused and then look at the pieces. I blush. B.B smiles approvingly. “There are six of them.” Krys marvels. “I want each of you to take a piece and it will work when the time is right.” B.B instructs. So we all choose a piece of the white gem. I fumble with mine and put mine in my pocket.
For the rest of the day as I work, I wonder what it will be like to feel the power the stone will give me. I want to beat Joe and put an end to this craziness. I think about this walking home from Le Café. It’s dark out even though it’s only six. I think and think until I hear a branch snap in a nearby bush. I whirl around and study the bush. “Who’s there?” I demand fiercely. “No one . . .” a voice answers. It’s Joe. I take off, my sneakers thumping against the concrete. I hear Joe running behind me. When I hear his footsteps stop I turn around. He’s gone for a moment but a portal opens up in front of me. He walks out of it and smirks at me. “I don’t want to do this . . .” he begins pulling out his red gun. “But I kinda have to.” He finishes. I take a step back. “W-why?” I ask nervously eyeing his gun. “What do you care? I thought you hated me.” he teases digging his finger into my chest. I push him away and pull out my pink gem. I lift it up and transform.
“You know, you look kinda hot as a cat girl.” Joe teases. My face burns with anger. “Shut it.” I snap. Joe thinks for a moment then frowns. “Whatever.” He mumbles fingering the trigger. I hold out my hand to shoot him with my beam of pink light. Before anything happens, I hear the gunshot followed by a sharp pain in my side. I double over and fall to my knees. Joe kneels down beside me and rams his gun into my chest. His face is pale and he’s shaking. He looks the same way he did the first time I transformed. He doesn’t want to do this. “Please let me go.” I plead softly. “I can’t. They won’t let me.” he whispers dramatically. “Who are they?” I ask weakly. “I guess you won’t live to find out.” He whispers still shaking. I look at the night sky and all the glittering stars. If I die now, I hope this will be what I remember. “Get the fuck away from her!” a voice cries out. I look over to see two green boots pounding the sidewalk. Joe focuses his attention to Krys. He shoots rapid fire at her but she doesn’t get hit. Partly because she weaves around his bullets and the fact he has the worst aim. She jumps up and slams her boot into his chest. He falls over.
Joe yelps in pain and teleports away. I look to see Hunter, John and Jenny running toward me. Like Krys, they already transformed. “You okay?” John asks. I moan and point to my bloody hip. “That looks bad.” Krys remarks nervously. “Please. I’ve seen plenty of people get shot worse than that.” Hunter says with a boasting tone. If he didn’t lie all the time, I’d think he was saying that to reassure me. Jenny offers me her hand and helps me up. I walk back to Le Café leaning on my friends. I think about what Joe said about them. I wish I knew who he was referencing. I sit down on a neon colored chair. At a neon colored table. Le Café hurts my eyes. B.B gives me white medicine and my hip is healed instantly. The only thing remaining is the blood stain on my furry dress. “Feeling better?” he asks soothingly. I nod a little. “Uh . . . yeah . . . Can I ask you something?” I begin. “Hmmm . . . sure.” He agrees reluctantly. He truly is a man of secrecy. I think of injecting the water with animal DNA and never telling us. He still won’t even tell us why. “Joe keeps mentioning them,” I begin. “Who are they.” B.B asks mimicking my dramatic tone. “Well . . . I was kinda hoping you could tell me. Joe won’t.” I explain. B.B’s eyes shift back and forth. “I don’t know.” He mumbles walking off. I watch him disappear behind the “employee’s only” door and wonder.
