Becoming Zara

Chapter Two

My jaw dropped faster than a cheetah chasing after it's prey. I couldn't focus on Dr. Sorenson no matter how hard I tried. I didn't want to look her in the eyes because then what she was saying would be true. I didn't want it to be true.

    "Zoey please try to understand. You didn't have these blackouts or panic attacks until after the shooting...the adrenaline of the situation triggered your powers."

    "That can't be. There is no way that's possible. That's is outrageous."
She stared at me before speaking. "Zoey, your mother knew about this the whole time."

    "WHAT?" I roared. My mom didn't know that I had supernatural powers and hid it from me for thirteen years.

My mom entered the room after an hour.

    "Mom! Finally, please tell Dr. Sorenson that I DO NOT have supernatural abilities. Who the hell thinks like that anyway?"

My mom didn't say anything. She just stood by the door staring at Dr. Sorenson.

    "Mrs. Quincy, I am going to let you talk to your daughter." Dr. Sorenson quietly said as she stood and walked out of the room.

I rolled my eyes. "Mom this is a great joke, but it's not funny anymore. Sorry about that."

    "Zoey, Dr Sorenson isn't lying to you. This isn't a joke. This whole dang thing went too far and I was going to tell you when you eighteen, but I wasn't expecting you to be in a school shooting.

    "Zoey, the day you were born there was a scientific experiment that I was working on with my scientist friends. In fact while I was giving birth to you, my co-workers started the machine without me knowing. I was one of the team leaders, I didn't make the cut for the head of the project unfortunately. My water broke, so I was rushed to the hospital from our home. No one told me that the machine had been moved to the exact hospital.

    "Well the machine had backfired because it wasn't ready. My crew didn't understand that. Well no one except Dr. Sorenson. She was the only one in the group to stop and listen to my pleas. When the machine broke, it sent electrical waves everywhere in the hospital. I still don't know the reason why it was moved to the hospital, I was told that someone gave them tip to put it there. After you were born it broke down and you were affected by the impact.

    "Seventeen other babies were, and still are, affected. I didn't mean to keep this from you, but you hadn't shown any signs of powers so I just left it be. I wanted to tell you, nut I had no reason to."

I sat on the hospital bed and said nothing. I laid my head on the hard pillow and closed my eyes.

    "Mom, where's dad?" I asked after several minutes of silence.

She wrung her hands together and slowly answered, "I don't know. I think that the same person that told my scientists to put the machine in the hospital took him, but I don't have any proof. I wasn't able to build a steady case with the police. The evidence said he packed up and left, but I know he wouldn't do that. He was so happy to become a father. He was so proud when he held you in his arms. I doubt he would just leave."

Tears started to fall down my face and soon I was sobbing. My mom held my hand as I sniffed and I started to speak again, "what about the seventeen children out there that were impacted by this "machine"? Where are they now?"

She shook her head, "I have no clue. As soon as it happened and your father went missing I packed us up and moved."

    "Where were we living before?"

She chuckled, "Pasadena, California."

I nodded, processing the information given to me. "Mom I want to find dad."

    "So do I sweetie. So do I." She said as a tear fell down her face.

"When am I able to go home?" I asked eager to go home and start researching this machine and to find these kids. Of course I didn't tell her that. She wouldn't approve.

    "Um I'm not sure. Let me go ask your doctor." She leaned down and gave me a kiss on the forehead.

I called after her, "wait, where's my phone?"

    "Oh right," she patted her pockets, "it's in my pocket. Here ya go sweetie."

I took my phone from her and read the seventeen hundred messages from my best friend, Kate.
   
"heyyyy zoey, would u like 2 hang after school?"

    "ohhhhhhhkay fine, i see. Ur not coming to school."
   
    "i just spoke 2 ur mom. She says u were rushed to the hopsital. pls lmk if ur ok!"

    "zoey pls txt me back ASAP! im super worried!"

"omg! i am freaking out so much! when u wake up txt me back!"

"i hope u r ok. i am so worried. u better txt me back!"

I chuckled as I read the messages. I didn't want to respond, but I also knew she was worried so I sent her a quick message.

    "hey bb. i am fine. u seem worried lol. r u doing okay now?"

I shut off the screen and let my body rest. It felt amazing. I hadn't been able to relax this much for a while. My phone pinged and I glance at it.

    "u nasty turd. were u awake the whole time?? and u just let me freak out?? how rude lol. well now that i know ur still alive i am fine."

I laughed. It was a good laugh. I haven't laughed like that for a long time.

    "u r right i am alive lol. i should be home soon. or at least i think so. i dont know. mom is talking to the doctor rn."

    "lol, well i gtg. the bell just rung. u know how teachers are with phones lol. Ttyl."

I sighed. My mom walked back into the room. "The doctor said that he's going to keep you here overnight just in case something goes wrong, but you'll be able to come home tomorrow."

A nurse walked into room, "Ma'am visiting time is over. I'm going to have to ask you leave."

My mom nodded and kissed me on the forehead. "Goodbye sweetheart. I'll be back tomorrow. Get some rest. It's been a long day so go to sleep."

    "Okay mom I will. I love you."

She smiled, "I love you too sweetheart."

My mom left the room and nurse checked my vitals and gave me more medicine to go to sleep. The meds kicked in and I started to nod off. I closed my eyes as sleep began to take over my body.

Someone whispered, "soon, soon you'll be home. You're actual home. Don't you worry. Goodnight."