The Monochrome Army (title subject to change)

Part One, Chapter Seven

Starr jammed her helmet on her head, jumped on her scooter, and twisted the key in the ignition. She stepped on the gas and the scooter purred, leaping forward. She maneuvered down the street, the wind racing past her helmet. Riding her scooter always felt like she was in a different universe, just her, the bike, and the wind. She grinned to herself, tapping the brakes and twisting into a tight turn onto Addi's street. She puttered along the curb, then stopped in front of Addi's, taking her key and climbing off. She took off her helmet and shook out her hair.

Madison had just arrived and was looking at her with a peculiar expression, eyes squinty and cheeks flushed.

"What?" she said irritably. Her face reddened and heat crept up her neck.

"I- nothing. Nothing," Madison said and brushed past her, looking flustered. His hand brushed hers and he jerked it back hastily.

Addi jogged up with a quizzical look. "What was that about?"

"I don't know." Starr blinked. " I think I hurt his feelings."

Addi huffed. "By the end of this, you'll be a regular heartbreaker."

"Sorry," she said in an oddly strained voice, but Addi was already consoling Madison. Starr loped after them, mentally berating herself for being so hard on Madison.

Leave it to me to mess up something like this, she thought. To be fair, the whole superpower thing was a lot to take in, even if she didn't show it. Her mind was a mess, what with boys and magic, and having a real conversation with someone who wasn't her friend.

She pushed open the front door to Addi's house and set her helmet on the table. She snuck past Addi's mother and slipped into the basement. She knew that Addi's mom wouldn't mind her being here, but she couldn't deal with questions right now.

Addi and Madison sat side by side on the couch, Madison's classic smile on his lips and Addi's head listed slightly. Starr sat on a chair and tugged on her hair. "How do we figure this out?"

Madison worried his lip with his teeth, then said, "Give me your hands." He held out his own.

Starr gingerly placed her hands in his, which were warm and dry, his fingers wrapping around hers. He drew a breath and began singing. Lulling, lethargic notes hung in the air before her. Her eyelids felt heavy and Madison's grip on her hands tightened. She vaguely recognized the song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." Madison's voice had a dreamlike quality, lulling her to the edge of sleep.

Just as she thought she was going to doze off, Madison's voice spoke loudly, seemingly in her head.

"Okay," he said. "I'm going to rummage around in here a bit if that's alright with you?"

She responded drowsily, "The singing."

And he didn't stop singing. For what seemed like a long time, her own brain wouldn't do what she wanted. She wasn't remotely concerned about this, oddly. 

A moment later the music stopped. As quickly as the sleepiness came, it dissipated. She sat bolt upright, jerked her hands out of Madison's, took off her glasses, and scrubbed at her eyes.

"What did you find?" Addi asked in a chipper voice. 

Madison leaned back and said, "It's some form of mine. I have hypnosis." He said this like, "I have a cold," or "I have scoliosis."

"Now, I don't know how to help you use what you've got. Madison does." Addi jacked a finger at him. 

"How," she said at Madison.

"You just close your eyes." Madison stuck his hand in the front of his hair. "And think about somebody else and their head. Then you talk to them in your head." 

"Just like that?"

"Just like that," Madison said with a soft smile. 

She closed her eyes and pictured Madison in her head, then thought, Madison.

Nothing in reply. So instead. . . 

MADISON, Starr thought at him, mentally hurling his name toward him.

Yes? came his reply. His voice was different now, sort of sleepy, addled, and dizzy. She half-expected a hiccup to follow the affirmation.

I did it.

You certainly did, Madison replied. You might not like this, but I should show it to you anyway.

I have a feeling I don't have a choice, she responded wryly.

I have a feeling that you're right, he responded.

And so it began.