The Enhanced Ones (paused)

Ch. 3 Willow

The video abruptly ends leaving the class in a confused hush. Miss Fazer is perched on the top of my regular teacher's desk her anckles crossed and swinging."So, what did you guys think that was about, hm?" Her blue eyes scan over the room landing on me more then once. A few brave souls raise their hands, but their guesses are all shot down. "How about you in the back." I look up confused as I am the only back row student and my hand was not up. "Yes, you. Do you have any input as to the purpose of this video?" I shake my head. Her pink lips purse in an unhappy frown. Just as she is about to say something more the bell rings ending class. I scoop up my things and try my hardest not to run from the room.

My next two classes are a mind numbing blur. When the lunch bell finally tolls I am bursting with relief. Shiloe meets me at the door her eyes slitted. She just had English IV with the substitute.

"What do you think of her?" I ask. She shakes her head knowing exactly who I am talking about.

"I'm not sure what to make of her. But that video gave me the creepy crawlies." She rubs her arms as we fall into the line for lunch. I look around to see who might listen in to our conversation. No seems interested in us thankfully.

"Do you think the video was real?" I ask. The video had not been hollywood quality. It was more like highish tech surveilance from awhile ago.

"I wondered that too..." Shiloe gives me a meaning full look. We both swallow trying to suppress our worry.

"It'll be fine." I say trying to convince myself just as much as Shiloe. We give our numbers to the office worker who mans the lunch computer and pay for our plates. Shiloe pays extra for a second milk. The food today is mostly bad. An attempt at spagetti and veggie burger ate the first two choices. She shoots me a look and we both smirk. At the end of the cooked foods are double cheese burgers which rank just below pizza as the best hot food served at school. Only a few remain, if we had been behind just one more person in line we may have missed out. I place my burger on my foam plate with a victorious smile. Shiloe follows suit loading up with fries as well. Finally we take a spin to the cold buffet where I mound on salad and fruits. Shiloe gets some cottage cheese and an apple. Despite the cool wind we head outside to eat.

"Bleachers or building?" Shiloe asks me as exit the main building.

"Bleachers. I want privacy today." Shiloe nods and we make out way out to the football field and crawl under the bleachers. It smells slightly of old trash with abandoned cups and bits of gum littering the ground. We walk to the very back corner farthest from the school and sit wherever is the cleanest. Shiloe cracks her knuckles then digs into her burger like she hasn't eaten in weeks. I pick at my salad willing my apetite to return.

When most of the food is consumed Shiloe sits back with a hefty sigh. "That was good." I laugh half heartedly then finish off my milk. "So," She leans forward again her blue eyes earnest. "What do you really think of Miss Fazer?"

Carefully replacing the empty carton back on my mostly empty tray I meet Shiloes steady gaze. "I think you should be careful." I say softly.

Shiloe leans back again and looks away from me. After a moment she releases a breath I hadn't known her to be holding. "I was afraid of that."

"Why? The people in that vidoe were talking about people being enhanced and you are definately not average." Shiloe gives me a warning look, but I plunge on. "I am actually amazed no one has caught on yet."

"And no one will." Shiloe says through her teeth. A stray wind snakes through the bleachers making my skin shrink and shiver.

"Do you think she will be at the game?"