Witches in Training (#2 in the Witches Trilogy) [rewrites ongoing]

Chapter Five: Vinni to the Rescue

VINNI

You know the world just comes crashing down on you when a twelve-year-old girl you don't even know comes running up to you, half-crying, and begs you to help her save her friend. I mean, what am I? Superman? She-who-saves-the-world?

Okay, don't answer that.

It really hits me (for about the tenth time) how important I am. Not to sound like a self-centred brat, but I really have some power here in the Community.

Anyway, this girl with brown hair that's probably rebonded, it's that straight, falling all over her face and red puffy eyes from crying comes running up to me at dinner while I sit at my table alone. She's wearing a school uniform like Vera's-dark skirt, white blouse, navy sweater. "Vinni," she gasps, "please... you've got to help Paige."

I'd like to say I jump up, ready to save the world, but I just blink and say, confusedly, "who's Paige?"

The girl shakes her head madly. "No time. Vera said-Vera said I could trust you if anything happened." My first thought: what? Since when did Vera say things like she was going to die? I stare at her blankly, not very heroically.

"It's Parker." She whispers. "You've got to stop him."

That's what gets me going. I really never turn down an opportunity to get to Parker McAvoy, be it by little snipes or full-out attacks. This looks like it's shaping up to be one of the latter. "Okay." I agree. "Let's go. Where's Parker and what's going on?"

Relief floods the girl's face. "Follow me!" She turns and walks briskly out of the hall, careful not to attract more attention than necessary. I quickly follow her. She's extraordinarily fast for a twelve-year-old, her steps light and near silent, effortlessly.

I notice her slightly pointy ears as her hair swings like mad behind her. She's a pixie or elf, I guess, as we exit the hall and she breaks out into a full sprint. I run fast, but I was struggling to keep up with this petite little girl, who doesn't look like much, but is lightning fast. Even though I know she's magically enhanced, I still feel a bit stupid being outrun by a twelve-year-old.

But I have heavier things on my mind as she slows down and leads me to a place I know way too well-the Detention Centre. It's not like detention in school. It's like detention, detention. Police detention. Detention for doing something really bad.

Parker, who has offices practically in every building in this place, is occupying this one, his silhouette clear. However, unlike the previous times I'd seen him inside, several other people are in the room with him.

Two are hulking bodyguards that I think I've seen before-twin trolls (I kid you not) with thick beefy limbs, crew cuts, menacing faces and the combined IQ of 16. They hold between them a small, struggling shape-a kid, who must have been three or four. I feel outraged at first, and then I'm curious. What kid that young is so powerful he or she needs both guards keeping him or her down?

The fourth silhouette is a girl's, with a pixie cut, probably about the same age as the girl who led me here. Parker has a grip on her wrist, and she's flailing like mad, but she can't get away. I assume this is Paige.

I'm already assessing routes and plans. I could probably take out Parker no problem with a surprise attack, and I don't think Paige will hurt me, nor the small kid, but I'm a little worried about the twin Frankenstiens. They might be extraordinarily stupid, but they're still huge, crazy strong and programmed (well, as a matter of speaking) to attack. I glance at the elf who brought me here, decide she's not going to be much help in this state, and focus on the situation at hand.

All of a sudden, Paige stops struggling and goes limp. Then her back arches and her mouth falls open, like she's in a state of shock. She's not dead, is she?! Wait, no, she isn't. She's quivering slightly. Parker's lips are slightly parted as well. The scene looks bizarre, but what's happening as I move slowly towards the office is more creepy and frightening than strange. Wisps are trailing out of Paige's mouth, and entering Parker's. I think I saw a movie like this once. It's always youth, or the victim's soul, or something. Well, scrap the move-in-slowly-and-attack plan, then. It was time for my failsafe plan B.