The Second Generation (On Hold)

Lily Sencen

I rushed through the Level 1 hallway, stopping now and then to examine the walls. The painters have done such a great job! It's too bad that they don't get paid though. I mean, most painters are working class and I know that the working class doesn't get paid nearly enough because I overheard Mom and Dad talking about the unfair treatment of nobles to "lower class" elves. 

Making a mental note to organize a protest about it right after my two other protest groups of "Treat the Talentless Just As Well as Other Elves!" and "Ogres Have Lives Too!" 

"LILY!!!" I heard and turned to see Karley Dizznee rush up to me. Okay, sure I was a bit wary of Karley at first, seeing as she was both a Pyrokinetic and a Mesmer. But, taking the chance, Karley is actually very nice and is an honored member in all my protest groups! (She's the only other member but who really cares?). 

As Karley made her way over to me, I heard so many things about her and let me tell you, none of them were nice things. 

"She's crazy! Send her to Exxilium!" 

"Exxillium is to nice for her! Send her to Lumenaria where she can't hurt us anymore!" 

"Send her away! SEND HER AWAY!!" 

"Pyrokinetic?! Other pyrokinetic's have burned down the school!" 

"SHE'S GOING TO KILL US ALL!" 

"SHE'S DANGEROUS!" 

"Attack her before she mesmerizes all of us into her minions!" 

"ATTACK THE PYRO! ATTACK THE MESMER!" 

"She's the result of a BAD MATCH! No wonder why she turned out dangerous!" 

"I thought her parents were supposed to be brave and wonderful! I don't see any of that in her!" 

I watched in sadness as Karley bit her lip, stood up straight and looked straight forward, ignoring it all.  I would have stormed up and shoved everyone away from her, but Karley told me not to do that. They should be proud of her for developing powers so early on no matter what they were! I don't understand why people just judge other people on their abilities! I mean, the Elvin World has so many predjuces and hurts so many people just because a few evil people like Fintan and Brant made some mistakes! 

So many innocent people like Karley were getting injured mentally and physically because of a few mistakes that happened before she was even born! Before her Mom and my Mom were even born! A long time ago, and look! Karley is still affected by it today! And she's affected by it severely! It's so UNFAIR! 

I quickly added 'Judging based on Ability' on my mental list of 'Things the Elvin World Has that Are Completely Unfair'. It was right after, 'Judging Based on Class' and 'You Are Not Allowed to Marry Who You Want'.  The Elvin World had so many predjuces! Sure we don't judge on skin or gender as humans did, but we judge on things that are just as bad as they were. And yet, we consider ourselves superior to them! 

Nearly shaking with anger, I reached over and grabbed Karley's arm and pulled her away from what had now become a mob of upset and screaming first years and even some second years heading to class from the lower levels. When they saw me with her, they started yelling at me too. 

"THE DAUGHTER OF FAMOUS SOPHIE FOSTER AND KEEFE SENCEN HANGING OUT WITh A WITCH??!" 

"SHE'S JUST AS BAD AS THAT EVIL BEING!" 

"The PYROKINETIC NEEDS TO GET KICKED OUT!" 

"OFF THE CLIFF!!! OFF THE CLIFF!" 

"QUICK! BEFORE THEY KILL US ALL!" 

"SHOVE THEM BOTH OFF TO BE SAFE!" 

"HURRY BEFORE SHE MESMERIZES US TO STOP!" 

Running now, I pulled Karley away from the mob and into Prak Lab #12, which was inside a hidden closet that I had created using reflective mirrors to hide so nobody could see the hidden door. Licking the lock, the hidden door opened and I shoved Karley inside just as the screaming mob passed us and turned down the hall. 

"I'm so sorry!" Karley said, looking ashamed. "I'll go out there right now and lead them away from you! This is all my fault! If only-" 

"If only nothing!" I said. "I chose to help you and I don't care about what happens to me, okay? You are my friend and everything that is happening to you is completely unfair and bias! In fact, I even made another mental list on all the ways that blaming Pyrokinetics for everything is bad. Do you want me to read it?" 

Karley gave a shaky laugh. "You have so many mental lists and thoughts circulating in your head, I wonder how you ever keep track of it all!" 

I tapped my head. "Remember? Kenric and I have photographic memories which are why we can remember where all the prank labs are and a whole bunch of other stuff!" 

"I think they're gone," Karley said, gesturing at the door. "Let's go." 

Karley stepped out the door and I stopped her. "Hey, Karley?" I asked. "I have a question, but you might not like it." 

"Go for it," Karley said. 

"Have you ever...um...mesmerized somebody for your own good? Like Aunt Sophie's Dad  Grandpa Grady?" 

Karley laughed. "You could have said that in such a mean way. But, no. I will never use my Mesmer power, no matter what the circumstances are. If I was going to die and I could stop somebody from doing it, I wouldn't because everybody is allowed to have their own free will and nobody should be allowed to change that. So, no. Never and I never will." 

Karley pulled open the door. "C' mon Lily!" she said. "We have Multispecial Studies soon! We don't want to be late!" 

"Go ahead!" I said. "I need to think about something." Karley nodded and I heard her footsteps go down the hall. 

I sat down and thought. Karley was one of the bravest people I have ever met. Could you ever imagine, going through every day with death threats and people screaming at you and you did nothing wrong? Could you imagine being able to stop all that, but having the will to not? Could you imagine living every day of your life being mocked, being yelled at, and still managing to pull through? Karley did all that. 

She told me one day that she never told her parents or siblings or anyone who wasn't at this level about this. When I had asked why, she had simply shrugged and said, "I don't want anyone to get hurt or upset over me. Besides, I can handle it on my own." 

I couldn't imagine being that brave. No matter what Karley said, she was braver then she could ever imagine. 

I stopped. That was deep what I had just thought about! I filed that in my brain as a potential pep talk and started another mental list. 'Brave Things That Karley Does'. I felt like that would come in handy someday. 

Looking around in the hallway, I rushed after Karley, determined to get to her before somebody started yelling again.