Out of Body Experience

Chapter 10

"You killed a monster?!" Lucas entered Ella's room without knocking a full two days after he returned from his mission.

Ella jumped and almost looked at the boy before her eyes returned to her homework, "yeah, so?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, sitting on her desk, becoming an effective barrier between her and her homework.

"You didn't ask," Ella stated with a look of exasperation.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I had to ask 'what monsters did you kill while I was gone?' instead of 'how was your week?'"

Ella hummed, "well, that's your mistake then," she tried to pull her homework out form underneath him to no avail.

"And you were worried about Abel not liking you?"

Ella sighed, "I killed the wolf with a knife, not magic."

"Oh, come on, there had to be some magic involved there, even if you weren't consciously doing it, maybe you have a battle instinct?"

Ella shook her head, "Abel tested me for that."

"Why aren't you excited?"

Ella took a deep breath, "how was your mission?"

Lucas' expression darkened. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it."

"Exactly." Ella stood up and turned her back on the boy. "If my magic is some fighting thing, I'll become a weapon. No matter what my magic is, I become a tool. Like you."

Lucas stared. "I'm not... I don't..."

Ella stood still.

"You're right."

"I know I am."

Lucas finally stood up from the desk, he slowly walked towards Ella before embracing her from behind. "You'll never be a weapon or a tool to me."

Ella relaxed, "I know."

"I love you, for who you are. You're like family to me."

She smiled, "you're my family too."

"New film tonight?"

"Yes please," she leaned into the embrace.

The next day, the sound of knocking was muffled by the thick wooden door.

"Come in." Benjamin's voice sounded. And Ella entered the office.

"You wanted to talk to me."

Benjamin nodded and pointed to the seat in front of his desk, signing the last of his paperwork and moving it to the side.

Ella climbed up onto the seat, she looked at Benjamin's arm, it was bandaged and in a cast. Benjamin pulled his sleeves further down and Ella moved her eyes to her own armrest.

"How has your week been? I've been hearing some good things."

Ella frowned, "it's been... eventful."

"That's one way to put it." Benjamin sat back and watched the little girl hide her face from him. "Killed your first monster, impressive, you feeling okay after that?"

She shook her head, "there was a lot of blood."

Benjamin nodded, "have you talked to your therapist about it?"

She nodded.

"Good. Have you thought about what Abel said?"

Ella shook her head, "he's wrong. I killed it. But there was no magic. It was just survival instinct."

Benjamin hesitated, but didn't push. "You have plenty of time to discover your magic. There's no rush."

"Then why am I here?"

"Your mother wants to come this Friday; she's upset she couldn't come last week." With Benjamin gone visits were strictly forbidden.

Ella nodded, "she won't like what I did."

"What, fend for yourself?"

Ella nodded.

"Then don't tell her."

"She deserves to know what I've become."

Benjamin took a quick note. "Okay, well, I'll be close by if you need support, as always."

"Thank you, Sir."

Benjamin frowned. "That's all, you can leave if you wish."

Ella didn't move. Benjamin waited for her to speak.

"Why does Lucas have to go on missions?"

Benjamin straightened his posture, "did you miss him?"

Ella nodded, "but that's not the point. I don't think he likes them."

"I think you are right."

"Then why does he have to go?"

Benjamin crossed his arms, "it's not as simple as what we like and don't like, Ella. Monsters and others can be dangerous... we can't just let them be. We have to act. And Lucas has a useful power set that can minimize casualties."

Ella nodded, "so he doesn't have a choice?"

Benjamin played with his pen, "did Lucas tell you something?"

Ella shook her head, "he won't talk about it."

Benjamin nodded, "well, I'll see what I can do."

Ella understood that to be adult talk for, I won't really do anything about it but don't want to talk anymore about this subject. So, she nodded and left.