The Stone

Chapter Ten

 
Celeste threw on a blue sweater and ripped jeans and summoned back on the black gloves. She molded her hair into her Mohawk and grabbed her keys and phone. She was waiting on the steps when Ben pulled up to the house, with Samantha in the passenger’s seat. Celeste didn’t really want her there. This was a personal manner, and Celeste felt that Samantha didn’t deserve to be a part of it. She wasn’t anything significant to her. “You lock the door?” Ben asked as Celeste opened the back door. With a huff, Celeste closed the door and turned to go check. She didn’t. She locked the door before turning and going back to the car.
    “Oh my lord, I can’t believe were cutting school!” Samantha sighed excitedly. Celeste rolled her eyes before looking out the window, rolling it down and engulfing herself in the wind. “She’s back! And with companions.” The man said when they entered the bookshop. Ben waved awkwardly. Celeste walked up to the counter, leaned in, and whispered so that Ben and Samantha couldn’t hear her. “I-is there a way I can come back later?” She asked. “It depends, how late?” The man asked. “I dunno, like, nine?” Celeste asked. The man thought for a second before nodding. Then he added aloud “you should be able to find them there.”
    “Thanks.” Celeste said before turning and walking off to a random section of the shop. “Hey.” Ben said walking up to her. “Sorry, I shouldn’t’ve brought Sam along. But she asked me why I wasn’t coming a-and you know I’m not that good a liar.” Celeste shrugged. “I’m not mad.” She lied. At least she wasn’t intensely angry, or else she’d start glowing red. The glow can be such an inconvenience. “Let’s just go.” She turned and headed for the door. “Come again.” The man said.
    “So, what are we doing today?” Samantha asked as they walked down the avenue. “I dunno.” Celeste admitted. She turned up the street and entered a random shop. It was a weapons shop. A blonde, big-busted woman greeted them. Celeste smiled awkwardly before turning around and leaving. “Why’d you go in there?” Ben asked. “I dunno, I just went into some random store.” Laughed Celeste. Although the day didn’t really start off how she’d like it too, it went pretty well.
    They went into a diner and ate breakfast (chocolate chip waffles, bacon, coffee, eggs, grits, and toast), then they hit the movie theater and watched three old movies from 3929. Then they went into a tattoo parlor and got henna. Ben got a picture of a mask on his left peck (“It’s easier to hide it there”), Samantha got a picture of a bear hugging a heart on her forearm and Celeste got a picture of a crescent moon on the inside of her ring finger on her stonehand. Then, she decided to make it real. It didn’t hurt, but maybe that was because of her healing abilities.
    She was staring at her new tattoo when it happened. It happened all too quickly. There was the screeching of tires, the three gunshots.
    Bang
    Bang
   Bang
    and Celeste looked up; it was as if the world had turned on slow motion. A black van skirted past them, a single window was rolled down and a figure in all black, black hood, black surgical mask with a white smile on it, tanned skin, blue eyes, and freckles. A final resounding bang was heard before the figure retreated back inside the van, pulling the gun inside and rolling up the window. Ben fell backwards and hit the ground.
    “Ben! BEN!” Celeste shouted, kneeling down beside him on the ground. Ben shook violently and spat up blood. Samantha screamed and cupped her ears. “Call the ambulance...CALL THE AMBULANCE!” Celeste hollered. Samantha nodded before quickly taking her phone out. Celeste rested Bens head on her lap and pulled his shirt up. Ben mumbled something and coughed up more blood. Celeste began shaking almost as violently as Ben when she say that his stomach was covered in blood, and more blood was pouring out.
    She knew what she had to do. She refused to be like Lason, she will help him. She adjusted Ben before leaning forward before pausing, the bullet. If she healed him, would the bullet come out as well? Who’s to say? Ben groaned and his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Celeste took a deep breath before whispering; “Bullet.” Seconds later, a bloodied bullet appeared in her hand, Ben let out a pained moan. Samantha was relaying on the phone what had happened. “Baggie.” Celeste whispered and a small bag appeared, wrapping itself around the bullet. Celeste threw it on the ground before searching for the bullet wound. After pressing around she found it. She had accidently pressed her fingers into it, causing Ben to jump and moan and her stomach to drop.
    Celeste tried to wipe away from some of the blood before leaning forward. This was for Ben’s survival. His live depended on this. Celeste forced herself to ignore how gross and warm Ben’s blood felt as it flooded her mouth. She just busied herself with healing him. She sucked on his wound. Ben was overwhelmed with a tingling numbness. Celeste spit out a heap of blood before examining the wound. Almost shut but not quite. Celeste leaned forward and began sucking once again. Samantha just watched and mumbled panicked words. Celeste spit out more blood and looked back at Ben’s wound. It was healed, a small scar was there, but he was all right, hopefully.
    “Ben? Ben, can you hear me?” Celeste asked leaning forward and smoothing down his hair, leaving streaks of blood in his blonde mane. Ben’s eyes were faintly open and he let out a small smile. Celeste heard sirens in the background and looked up. Surprisingly, nobody else had been hit. Celeste was filled with a sudden rage, and that showed when she began to glow a fiery red. She grabbed the baggie and stood up. “Here;” She said handing the baggie to Samantha. “Give this to the police...Down.” She thought of the figure from the van. He did this. This was his doing.
    She appeared in an old wood house. There were five guys staring at her, it looked like they had just gotten there and were about to sit down. One of them were holding a bag upside down, money falling out of it. Celeste really looked like a demon now. Her eyes became orange and her pupils slits, and her canine teeth were sticking out, sharp and pointy. Not to mention the red glow made it really seem as if she were on fire. After about two beats of silence, the five men began shooting at her.
    Celeste gritted her teeth as she felt the pain of each bullet, but none had entered her body. They men quickly realized this and ceased fire. Celeste found the figure from the van; his hood was down revealing shirt, auburn hair. “Traitor. Foul creature. How could you. You’re supposed to be a healer.” Celeste said, her voice deep, raspy, and angry, with each word she said, it sounded like a thousand whispers said it behind her. She marched up to Lason and gripped him up by his throat, lifting him up, Celeste couldn’t remember if her were taller than her or not. “P-please! I-its n-not what y-you think!” Lason wheezed, his legs kicking for something as his nails scraped at Celeste’s gloved fist. “Really? I think you tried to kill my best friend...Why? For money? Is that all that matters? You’re a healer, you’re supposed to heal, not kill...Scum like you should burn.” Celeste said, whispering the last word. Lason let out final attempts to plead before being overcome with blood-curdling screams as the stone began to burn into his skin.
    Celeste’s nostrils filled with the smell of burnt skin, but she didn’t care. The other four were to shell shocked to do anything but watched. Finally, Celeste felt that his throat was brittle, and squeezed. With a sickening crunch, Lason stopped moving, becoming limp. She tossed his body and looked up at the guy nearest her. He was involved as well. He was as much to blame as Lason was. She turned and made a step towards him, but as soon as she did, she was pelted with bullets again. Frustrated, Celeste let out a deep growl before standing up straight and pointing two fingers at the guy, like a gun. The man froze, confused about what was about to happen. The other three stopped too.
    “Bang.” Celeste whispered and from the WillowStone came out a small, silver bullet, it streaked through the crease between the two fingers before hitting the guy right in the heart. He grabbed at his chest as he stumbled and fell to the ground. Then Celeste pointed her fingers; “Bang...bang...bang.” One by one, they each fell down. It took two beats of silence before Celeste remembered why she was there. The fire extinguished itself, her eyes darkened, and pupils widened. “Down.” She whispered, thinking about Samantha just in case Ben was in surgery or couldn’t have visitors for some reason.
    But when Celeste teleported, she appeared in a hospital room, Ben was laying in the hospital bed with Samantha standing beside him, her hand in his. His parents and the twins were also there along with Asher and Eros. Everyone was busy staring at Ben that no one had noticed her appearance. Then Samantha looked up and gasped. Everyone turned around to see what she was staring at and instantly Celeste was flooded with hugs and kisses.
    “Celeste! Oh my lord!” Mrs. Link said through tears as she smothered Celeste in a hug. “Ben told us everything. He only has a mild concussion. You healed him! Why didn’t you tell us you were a healer?” She asked, pulling Celeste away and looking at her for an answer. “O-oh um, I-I didn’t think it was important.” Celeste stammered. What she had just committed was now settling into her. She was a murderer. “The police got the bullet you’ve extracted from Ben, hopefully that’ll help them catch whoever did this-oh honey, don’t cry. Ben’s alright, because of you!” Mrs. Link said, mistaking Celeste’s tears. Celeste looked over at Ben who was sitting in the bed with a smile on his face. Asher cleared his throat before suggesting that they gave Ben and Celeste some time alone. Samantha wanted to stay but Mrs. Link Beckoned her to leave as well and you don’t say no to Mrs. Link.
    Celeste slowly walked up to the foot of the bed. “Funny, I went to the hospital for a gunshot wound and leave with a mild concussion.” Ben said with a small laugh. His smile quickly disappeared when he saw the tears streaming down her face and the fact that she was shaking. “Hey, I’m fine...What’s wrong? C’mere, talk to me.” He said scooting over and patting on the empty spot. Celeste walked over and sat down, resting her head on his shoulder before erupting into a fit of tears and burying her face into his arm. Ben rubbed her back until she pulled away. “I-I...I killed-s-someone...” Celeste said through choked sobs.
    Ben looked at her with a look of great concern and Celeste was sure he was going to stop being her friend right then and there. Instead, he sucked in a bout of breath before nodding. “I-It was Lason...H-he was the one who shot you...I-I was so angry that I...That I...” Celeste looked down at her lap. She questioned his morals, telling him that he was a healer, that as a healer he shouldn’t kill. But she...She had killed him. “Celeste...It’s alright.” Ben said putting a hand on her shoulder. “No, no it’s not. I killed him a-and four other guys I-...” She fought against the new set of tears that dared to approach and rubbed vigorously at her eyes.
    “Did you...did you dispose of the bodies? Cause, if you just left them, then they might get discovered, and you’ll get caught.” Ben said. Celeste wiped at her eyes and looked at him. “I-I didn’t but...I will...” She said. “H-how did you..?” Ben asked cautiously. “I-I burned...I burned Lason, t-then I-I shot the others.” Celeste answered, remembering it vividly. She shook and held herself. “Shot? You summoned a gun?”
    Celeste shook her head. “Finger gun.” She said. Ben let out a snort, and then tried to cover it up. Celeste couldn’t help but laugh too, it did sound absurd; killing someone using finger guns. They both fell into laughter for a brief moment. Then Celeste looked down at her lap, biting her lip and playing with the sleeves of her sweater.  “When’s the last day of school?” Celeste asked. “June sixth.” Ben answered. “That’s about a month away; I think I can make it.” Celeste said looking at Ben and smiling.
    After Ben had been discharged, Mrs. Link had insisted on taking Asher, Celeste, and Eros out to dinner, they didn’t decline; they were going to their restaurant. Celeste was mostly quiet and Samantha didn’t come, she said it was because it was getting past her curfew, but Celeste was sure it was because Mrs. Link didn’t really want her to come.
    “I-I’m gonna head to bed.” Celeste said as they reached their house. “Hey Cel?” Asher said and Celeste turned around. “Maybe you should brush your teeth first, their stained red.” Celeste nodded before unlocking the front door and going upstairs. She did brush her teeth, then she laid in bed until Asher and Eros went to bed themselves. Then she got up, changed into all black attire, then teleported back to the house.
    When she got there, she immediately had to swallow a hunk of throw-up that threatened to escape from her mouth. She pulled her shirt over her mouth and nose and examined the bodies, at a reasonable distance. How was she supposed to get rid of the bodies? Why did she have to be put in a situation where she has to get rid of bodies? Celeste took a deep breath before lifting her stonehand and hovering it around the room. “Evaporate.” She whispered. Nothing happened.
    Eradicate.
    “Eradicate.” Celeste whispered, waving her stone over the bodies once more. And slowly, one by one, they turned into ash. She heard a creaking noise nearby and quickly teleported back to her room. Although very tired, Celeste found it extremely difficult to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she kept seeing images of what she had done. When she did eventually fall asleep, it was two am. She forgot to go back to the bookshop.