Mute
“What? You actually met them?” Hunter asks shocked. Jenny nods. She just finished telling us about how she saved Nick and met Rob and Scotch. “They weren’t men. They were probably younger than twenty. And Rob isn’t very tall. He’s only a few inches taller than me.” she informs us. “What did they do when they saw you? Did they, like, try to kill you or did they run?” Rose asks. “Well, first they laughed at me. They said I was little and they were shocked Nick didn’t kill me already,” Her face gets red as she speaks but she’s still smiling. “And I shot them with my purple beam. I hit Rob and Scotch grabbed my neck. But I got away.” She finishes. “How did they act? What did they look like?” Krys demands. Jenny shrugs. “I dunno. They’re just jerks who dress in black and carry around guns. They’re just like Nick, Joe and Matt only they don’t glow and have huge ears.” She explains tugging on her ears. I look at her. She doesn’t seem that shaken even though she almost died. She just seems energetic and giddy as usual.
We don’t do anything too different after Jenny finishes telling us about Rob and Scotch. I think about when B.B showed us the white gem. He says we’ll glow when emotions are running high or we just need the power. I act like I don’t care too much about being part of this team. But a voice in my head cries that I can belong somewhere. If I really want to, I can be myself around these people. They don’t judge. I want to fight Nick, Joe and Matt. I want to embrace my bat powers and use my white gem to glow. But I act like I don’t care. I think about this while I clean a bright green table. It’s Saturday and I don’t need to work today but I have nothing better to do. Krys and Jenny goof around with John. Rose and Hunter took the day off. I watch John playfully pin Krys down. Jenny leaps onto his shoulders. He grabs her arms and flips her over his head. She shrieks and I fight a smile. If I want to, I can go over and join them. But I just watch them and dip my sponge back into the metal bucket. I slam my sponge onto the smooth surface and rub it in circles watching my reflection.
Rose spends her day off at a park. It’s near the spot where Krys kissed Matt’s cheek in the rosebush. She sits on a bench and reads her book. It’s a sad book about the Holocaust. She doesn’t tell that many people, but Rose is into World War Two stories. While she’s reading, someone sits down beside her. She looks up startled to see Joe. She shrieks. “G-go away!” she shouts. She reaches into her pocket and closes her fingers around her pink gem. She looks around to see other groups of people walking or just sitting and chatting. She can’t transform. Not now. She stands up and takes off nearly tripping down a cement path.
Hunter decides to shoot some hoops on his day off. He goes to a basketball court in a nearby park. He thinks he sees Rose sitting on a bench but he decides not to talk to her since he’s not sure it’s Rose. While he’s shooting hoops, two portals open up. “Oh shit.” He mutters under his breath. Nick and Matt appear next to him. He backs away from Matt right into Nick. “Leave me alone!” he snaps nervously. He’s still nervous after hearing Jenny’s stories about Rob and Scotch. “You know we can’t.” Nick mumbles. Hunter scurries away down a random cement path.
“Everyone! Come to the back room quickly!” B.B’s voice snaps. John, Krys, Jenny and I perk up. I dash behind the Employee’s Only door. On B.B’s giant computer screen is a map. “What’s that?” Krys asks pointing to the map. “This map can locate anyone in the world. It was made to track the six of you and Nick, Joe and Matt,” B.B begins. He points to a clump of colored dots. “The colored dots represent you six.” He points to three dots that are red, orange and yellow. “And these represent Nick, Joe and Matt.” He finishes. “It looks like Rose and Hunter are at a park not too far from here. But according to this map, so are Nick, Joe and Matt.” We all exchange glances. “They’re outnumbered. Does anyone want to go help them?” he asks us. I look at John, Krys and Jenny. Krys blushes and shakes her head. Jenny’s face gets even paler and she backs away. John shrugs pretty much indifferent. “I’ll go.” I volunteer. Everyone stares at me shocked. “What?” I ask annoyed. I know they’re surprised I even uttered a word let alone go out to fight. So I transform and run out of Le Café. I make sure I have my white gem. I want to glow today.
Rose and Hunter end up running to the garden where Krys kissed Matt’s cheek. They look at each other. Nick, Joe and Matt arrive shortly after them. “What do you want from us?” Rose demands nervously. “We want payback you little spy!” Joe shouts to Hunter. Rose and Hunter touch gems and transform. “Good luck beating us. You’re outnumbered.” Matt insists pulling out his mace. Nick pulls out his knife and Joe takes out his gun. Rose swallows a lump in her throat. Hunter’s palms begin to feel moist. “Shit.” Hunter whispers with an airy voice.
I run to the park my arms flailing and my feet slamming the ground. I run so fast I fall over and hit the concrete. I groan and stand up. I’m a bat, I have wings. I wonder if maybe I can try flying. I flap my wings and my feet slowly leave the ground. I grin and laugh for a second. No time for bliss. I fly higher and soar forward. I have to save Rose and Hunter. I need to glow. I fly to the park and hover in the air over everyone’s heads. No one sees me. But I don’t see Rose or Hunter. I look to a nearby garden. I see pink and orange ants with ears and tails. I fly closer and go a little lower. “Next time I guess you think twice before stalking us.” Joe threatens pointing his gun at Hunter. “Stop!” I yell gliding down to the grass. “Mute?” Hunter asks surprised. Maybe if I wasn’t so quiet and unentushistic, I wouldn’t shock everyone every time I do something other than sulk.
I hold out my hand and shoot a gray beam at Joe. He falls over and drops his gun. I quickly leap on top of him and pin him down. Matt grabs my neck and tries to pull me off Joe. I look over at Rose and Hunter. “Run!” I shout trying to knock Matt off me. Rose and Hunter scurry off until they’re out of my view. For a moment a feel a little sting in my heart. I look up as Nick slides his knife into his pocket. I roll off Joe and he leaps up. “That was harsh.” Nick mutters. “What was?” I ask already knowing the answer. “They just left you.” Matt marvels. I look down. “I told them to.” I insist tears stinging my eyes. I’m being stupid. They just thought I could fight them on my own right? Joe shakes his head. “Shut up.” I say flapping my wings. My feet leave the ground and I fly away. Not to Le Café. Just away.
