The Stone

Chapter Six

    Celeste and Ben, mostly Ben, had been doing more research on the known powers, which isn’t much. So far, all they know is that Celeste is a super-summoner and a healer, meaning that she automatically self-heals and has the ability to heal others, a feature she has not yet attempted. Few people had questioned her on her hair, mostly asking who did it. “I did it myself.” Celeste would answer proudly. Her therapy sessions were long. Celeste couldn’t help but feel like a rat in an experiment. They had her running on treadmills with wires streaming all around her. The Friday sessions with Dr. Gutter, were no better. She talked in an oddly calm voice that made Celeste feel severely uncomfortable, and Dr. Gutter talked so seldom that Celeste felt the need to talk.
    She honestly hated going to these sessions, but her going made Asher happy, so she kept at it. Meanwhile, Celeste would practice more and more, to see what she could summon. How big, how outrageous. “What if you can summon money?” Ben asked one day, twirling his swivel chair. She had only summoned things like light, winds, and puddles of water, nothing solid. Celeste looked up from her phone and gave him a look of astonishment. “Yo, what if?” She echoed in barely a whisper. She then let out a giggle as she unwrapped her hand from the bandage (Ben had insisted on keeping the stone covered so that Celeste wouldn’t accidently use her powers. They weren’t sure if it was going to stop them but, it was just a theory) and crouched on the floor, pointing her stonehand and whispering in that hollow voice: “Money.” Nothing happened.
    “Maybe you need to be specific.” Ben suggested. Celeste nodded and bit her lip, thinking about how much money she should summon. She did remember seeing a pair of limited Royalty sneakers. Royalty was a band with four members: Rouge the lead singer, Patchy the drummer, Fish the lead guitarist, Pool, the bass guitarist, and Bob. They were black, with a golden crown on the toe and Royalty in white cursive letters across the quarter panel. They were 345 dollars.
    “Alright...” Celeste said, steading herself. “400 dollars.” The money formed in the palm of her stonehand and slid off, falling onto the floor. They stared at the money before Ben picked it up and examined it under the light. They were all twenties. “I can’t believe it, these are the real deal.” Ben said shaking his head unbelievingly. He took out a twenty of his own and held it up to the summoned one. “Holy heaven...” He gasped. Celeste just sat there, on the floor, staring at her hand. She had actually done it. She summoned a real, solid, thing. Who knew what else she could’ve summoned. It honestly scared her.
    “Why’d you summon all this money anyway?” Ben asked handing the cash over to Celeste. “New shoes...Plus extra.” Celeste said looking at the money. “You know, I should have something to put this in...” She thought aloud, giving Ben a sideways smile. “Do it.” Ben urged. Celeste closed her eyes and held her stonehand out. However, she didn’t say anything right away. She thought about the wallet, how she wanted it to look.
    She imagined a black wallet, with a blue heart on it; it had her name in cursive, stitched in red letters. The heart changed into a shiny black skull, and the wallet became a deep shade of crimson. Her name shone white in the same stitched cursive. “Wallet.” She whispered, holding her hand palm up. She felt the weight of it in her hand and opened her eyes. “That’s...pretty badass looking.” Ben said, nodding. Celeste smiled before putting her money in her new wallet.
    “Oh shit, I’m late.” Ben said suddenly, looking down at his phone. “For what?” Celeste asked watching Ben dig in his drawers for a new shirt. “I’m supposed to be meeting Sam at the movies.” Ben said hastily pulling off his green shirt and putting on a blue one. “Since when do you go to the movies? Just rent a movie, but a bunch of snacks and splurge in the comforts of your room, or second living room.” Celeste said standing up. Ben just shook his head and dug through his closet for a jacket. “Nah, it was her idea anyways. Besides, that’s our thing. It just wouldn’t feel right.”
    “Awe, you flatter me.” Celeste said hiding her face. “Shut it.” Ben said grabbing his keys and pushing her up the steps. “Let me know if it’s good.” Celeste said as they made their way to the front door. “Probably won’t be, it’s a spots film, need a ride?” Ben asked. “Nah, gonna walk.” Celeste said. “Be safe.” Ben called as he hopped into his car, before grumbling and calling Rebecca because her car was blocking his way out. Celeste laughed to herself and shook her head as she made her way down the block.
    She stared at the wallet in her hands. She summoned this. Before that, she summoned money. Who knew what she could summon. How big. How absurd. How dangerous. She heard something clang in the distance and quickly looked up, putting her wallet in her front pocket. She did not see anyone and just assumed the noise was a squacoon. She shook her head and walked ahead, with her eyes forward and ears open. She saw the shadows from out the corner of her eyes and began walking more briskly.
    One by one, the shadows crept out of alleyways and from behind trashcans and light posts. Celeste, feeling like they were appearing because of her felt prickled with fear and begun glowing a tinge of grey. Now the shadows were walking closely behind her. “Light.” Celeste whispered, causing the stone to glow and produce light. She pointed it forward like a flashlight. Then she heard fast footsteps behind her and turned around, flashing her light on a figure that shrunk away, covering its face.
    Celeste kept her light pointed, moving her hand from the figure to the other two creeping up from behind it. They too, shied away from the light, covering their faces. Celeste watched as they slunk back into the shadows, then turn and ran for her life, wishing that she lived closer by. She knocked hard three times on the door but got no answer. Asher might still be at work. Celeste hurriedly dug in her pocket for her key, then fuddled with it in a panicked attempted to hurry up and get the door unlocked and inside. When she eventually did, she locked both locks on the door, the windows and rushed upstairs. Not falling asleep until Asher got back, and not telling him any of what had happened.