Destiny

Chapter 10: SQUEAL

After I got over the shock of what he had just said, I squealed. Like, a loud squeal. And I may or may not have jumped up and down. Just a little bit. "You mean I get to stay here? Like, for good?" I said excitedly.

Mr. Green sighed. "Yes, you get to stay here for good. After careful consideration from yesterday, and seeing what you did just now we have decided to let you live here, under a few conditions." I stopped squealing and stood straight, listening carefully. "One, you may not have any contact with drugo izmerenie under any circumstances." My heart fell. 

"You mean I won't be able to see or talk to my parents anymore?" I asked quietly. He shook his head. 

"No, it is too dangerous for you to visit them anymore," he said. Ms. Red shot him a glare.

"That is absolutely not true," she said sternly. "Of course you may see them!" I smiled at her hopefully. Mr. Green looked at her in a disaproving way. 

"But the rules-" he started, glaring at her.

"-are made by the board and therefore can be changed," she finished.  "Contact will just be limited. You can call daily but visits will just be once a month. You surely understand how important it is that our world stays a secret," she said, looking at me. I nodded. "Having outsiders come here would be a catastrophe. They would demand help from us and use us as tools and weapons for their personal gain. But we won't just pull you away from your family," she said, smiling at me. I felt relief wash over me and my tight muscles relaxed. Mr. Green spoke again.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Number two, you will be expected to study and learn here. Life isn't just fun and games now that you've come to a new world. We learn similar things at Velichie Ochakva Academy that you would at a regular school. But we also take a few class periods to develop your gifts and talents. Ms. Wánshàn oversees the school." He pointed to a woman who was in the yellow robe. She was Chinese, and had jet black hair that was up in a bun. She smiled stiffly at me.

"I am glad to meet your acquaintance Ms. Maughn," she said in a Chinese accent. "I look forward to seeing you at the academy."

"As do I," I said politely. She looked like someone who could be either strict or fun, depending on the day. I was excited. Goodbye Birchtrude Middle, hello whatever-it's-called-academy! Mr. Green relaxed in his huge chair that had been moved back to its position a while ago along with everything else, thanks to a few guards who had rushed in after hearing the noise. They had quietly set everything back up and then left the room.

"And number three," Mr. Green said, "You will tell no one who you are and why you haven't been in Tikh all along. We will tell everyone that you have moved from somewhere else in Tikh, not from drugo izmerenie. Understood?" I nodded slowly. "The only people you may talk about this to are the nine other people in this room. And I guess your parents," he said, nodding to Kort and Jaquellen. "If Beda were to find out someone had been living there..." He stopped, making me wonder just how bad the Beda people were.

He shook his head and exhaled. "Well, if that's everything, then I guess we will see you Monday," Mr. Green said. He stood up from his chair as if he was going to see us out. 

"Wait!" I shouted. I still hadn't told him about the dream/vision that I had. But I stopped as I opened my mouth to tell him. For some reason I felt like I shouldn't tell them about it. That was a mystery I would figure out myself. Besides, it was probably just a dream, nothing else. I realized that everyone was staring at me. "When should I expect you to come? To talk to my parents?" I said slowly, trying to think of something to cover up what I had said. 

He thought for a moment. "Monday," he finally said. "After school. Don't say anything until then. Do you understand?" I nodded my head. "Good. See you then." Kort, Jaquellen and I knelt and then left the room. 

                                                                                   .....

As soon as we were outside Jaquellen said, "Well that went well!" And she was right. They had seemed very impressed with my work. I was very impressed with my work. I didn't think I would ever be able to do something like that, yet here I was. And I would get to live in Tikh! I'd probably be homesick for a little while, but at least I could call my family and visit monthly. And no more Birchrude! Plus, I would learn how to develop my gift. I didn't exactly want to kill anyone.

"Yeah, it did," Kort said. He looked relieved, and I wasn't sure why. He wasn't the one who had to display his gift. Maybe he was happy I would live here, although I seriously doubted that. Jaquellen came over and hugged me.

"You get to stay here!" she said, squeezing every last bit of air out of me. "Maybe you can stay with my family until we get you all sorted out." She let go and I gasped for air. She cringed but smiled. "Sorry, I'm just really excited!"

"Yeah, I can tell," I said, rubbing my side. "I'm excited too. But I'm also really worried. People are going to be able to tell that I'm not from here. I don't even know what domakinstvo I'm in! I haven't even started training my powers, and I don't know anyone but you two. I won't have parents or a family and-"

"Sarah, just stop," Jaquellen said. "You'll be fine. Everyone is the new kid at one point. We'll teach you everything you need before school starts."

"Oh yeah, that's another thing," I said. "I'm going to be in school with a bunch of nine year olds."

"What makes you say that?" Kort asked.

"I'm going to have to start from scratch on my gift I'm assuming," I said. "That means I have to start with all of the other kids that are just starting."

"Yeah, no," Jaquellen said. "Everyone starts training their gifts when they feel ready. Some people's gifts aren't even really clear until, like, their third year of school. It'll be fine. I'm sure some of the teachers will know about your situation. They'll take it easy on you." I inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"I sure hope," I said, without much hope in my voice. Teachers never went easy on me. I was always the "smart kid". That reminded me... 

"Is everybody here really smart?" I asked.

Jaquellen looked at me confusedly. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone always said that I had the brain of a tenth grader. Is everyone like that here?" I said a little nervously.

"No, everyone else is fairly normal," Kort said. "I forgot about that. But don't worry. Some people are just really smart. You're one of those people." He smiled, but even that couldn't shake off the feeling that I wasn't normal. I tried to shrug it off. We all stood there looking at each other. It was silent for a little bit. Finally Kort spoke. "Well, the 'movie' isn't done yet. Do you want to go to my house?" My heart beat quickened. Go to Kort Landstrom's house? Heck yeah! 

"Sure," I said as casually as I could. He and Jaquellen pulled out their waihonas. Kort yelled "home" and Jaquellen yelled "Kort's house". One of their bubbles surrounded me, and off we went to my crush's place.