Walking Into Shadows

Chapter Six

Kids were laughing, throwing paper airplanes and shouting across the room.
Daniel pulled a snap back out of his backpack and pulled hit over his eyes. He slumped down in his chair and I assumed, he'd fallen asleep. It was astonishing that he managed to seem so regal, but, when surrounded by degenerates, I suppose it was an easier feat. He made it seem so natural.
A boy from the other side of the room walked over, and sat on Daniel's desk.
"So, Danny, on behalf of Rose and everyone else; who's the chick?" He asked. He stared at me with light brown eyes. His energy vibrated off of him with an insane amount of force. He seemed to be in a good mood, and so I smiled at him politely.
"What are you talking about Zack?" Daniel grumbled, sliding the bill of his hat off of his eyes.
"I'm talking about this total babe sitting right me to you." The boy called Zack responded.
Daniel looked over at me before looking back at Zack with a mildly disgusted expression on his face.
"Her name is Annabeth. She's a friend. So you'd better show some respect." He responded. "And if Rose is that worried, she can come see for herself what little threat she's up against."
I tried not to take his comment personally since we were both in relationships.
Zack looked me over and flashed me a goofy grin.
"You single?" He asked.
I laughed and shook my head.
"My boyfriend is Brandon Jones." I replied. Everyone knew the name. He was the wide receiver for our school football team.
"She talks!" Zach looked impressed.
I rolled my eyes. This had to be a dream. There was no way that real people just started talking to each other like this.
"And she's got a tude. You know, maybe if you weren't dating such a dink, you'd be in a better mood. I can think of a guy who'd show you a great time." He laughed with a wink.
"Probably also show you crabs or bed bugs too if you ask nicely." Daniel scoffed.
Zack glared at Daniel, but continued speaking quickly.
"I don't know where you'd find those things." He shrugged nervously. "I'm no heathen like Danny."
"Shut up, Zack." Daniel rolled his eyes.
The door at the font of the room swung open and a beatiful woman stepped inside. She couldn't be much older than twenty five. Her eyes were a dark, but radiant blue, like sapphires. Her lips were plump, pink and pouty. They were glossed to the point of blinding someone. I assumed that her smile would be equally blinding and beautiful. Her blonde hair was long and wavy. She looked like a muse from some ancient romantic oil painting.
She cleared her throat before speaking in a soft, yet firm tone.
"My name is Amber Summers. I've come to collect the following students," she began. The students all began looking around the room at each other. "Daniel Hatfield, Zack Stratford and Annabeth James." She read the names off of a clip board in her arms.
The three of us stood up.
"Come with me please." She requested. We did as we were told and followed her out into the hallway. I was shocked to see that she had already collected Brandon and Caitlyn, as well as Justin.
Something's up. Justin goes to an all boys academy, why is he even here?
She led all of us into a small office with hardly enough room for all of the chairs.
"Why are you here?" I whispered to Justin once we sat down.
"You tell me," he shrugged. "This chick just swooped me up from school and brought me here like some video game."
Everyone looked just as confused as I felt. Everyone except for Brandon. Amber Summers took her seat on the opposite side of her desk and folded her hands together on its surface.
"I know you're all pretty confused but I would like to make a few things clear." She began.
"Yeah, thanks lady." Zack scoffed.
"I've brought you all here because you are all very special..."
Caitlyn cut her off.
"I don't know what you may have heard, but the special school is across the street."
I elbowed my best friend in her side.
"I don't mean to make you sound mentally challenged- quite the opposite really. What I mean by special is that each of you have certain abilities." Amber Summers explained.
Justin shot me a cold look.
"You told?"
I shook my head.
"I didn't tell anyone." I assured.
I ignored the disapproving glances from Cat and Brandon.
The office door opened and a familiar girl stalked into the room. It was the black haired girl from yesterday.
"Ladies and gents, meet Echo, my inside eye on the human world." Miss Summers introduced her.
"You?" Brandon sounded surprised. It was the first thing I'd heard him say since this morning. The girl smiled and bowed before returning to normal.
"Echo, show them what it is you do." Miss Summers commanded.
Echo looked at each of us. When she spoke, it was clear to me why she avoided me yesterday in the hall. Her voice was shrill and mechanical.
"Daniel Hatfield, can wield the power of light. Annabeth James can control the movement of water. Caitlyn Campbell accelerates wind speeds until they reach unthinkable strengths. Justin Campbell controls the fire element. The most impressive talent in this room is of Brandon Jones who can read the minds of others, change he weather at will, move water and manipulate shadows."
Miss Summers held up her hand for Echo to stop speaking, and she did.
"Echo, stealth mode." She commanded. Echo transformed from a teenage girl to a tiny black cat with the same enormous green eyes.
"Hell no." Caitlyn growled. "You sent in a spy? You stole our secrets? Who are you to just come in here and put us on blast like that?"
"I am a representative of The Academy of Occult Life Skills. For centuries, we have been collecting people with abilities such as yours to help them to understand and hoan their powers in a safe environment. You are 68% more likely to end up dead or in prison from a psychotic break after losing control of your powers when exposed to the ordinary world without the proper support system. That number increases highly amongst teens. Many of the students at the Academy are tenth generation or higher, but we do tend to pick up first gens from places like these public schools."
"No offense but why is Zack here?" Caitlyn asked.
"Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'll show you." Zack grumbled, grabbing the small potted cactus from Miss Summers' desk.
He moved his hand over the pot in a similar way to how I had to move the water from my glass. His fingers seemed more strained than mine, and didn't curl up as far as mine needed to, but it got the dirt in the pot swirling out and into the air.
The way that Justin and Brandon watched that woman bothered me. It was much different from the amused way they were always looking at me. With her it was much more like admiration. Daniel was the only one of the boys who didn't seem at all impressed by her.
"Doesn't 'Academy' imply uniforms?" I asked, trying to clear some of the tension from the room.
"Do our parents know about this?" Justin asked. There was a tinge of horror in his voice that I was sure only Caitlyn and I recognized.
Miss Summers smiled.
"The Academy has already handled everything on your behalf. During classes you must wear your uniforms but during your down time and weekends you are free to wear whatever you want." Miss Summers responded.
"Yeah, I'm not into that at all." Caitlyn shook her head.
"I apologize if I am making this sound like a question or a request; the fact is that all six of you will be returning with me at the end of the day." Miss Summers' voice was for, and silence followed her statement.
"I'll be taking you each to your home's to pack you things and we leave for the Academy at six." She concluded.