Out of Body Experience

Chapter 18

Ella, no, Abigail, stared at her hands, she took a deep breath and bit her lip, "please don't make me."

"Abigail, tell me."

Abigail began to cry, "I didn't mean to."

"Tell me."

"Magic."

"You know what your power set is?"

The girl nodded, "I can switch bodies with people when I look them in the eyes."

The revelation caused a couple of gasps and surprised muttering.

Caroline stared the girl down, "what happened to Ella?"

"She died." Abigail stared down at her hands, a couple of troubled breaths that were nearly sobs. "I didn't mean for her to die. It should have been me. But she was there, and she looked at me, and then I was watching myself die. Except it wasn't me, it was her. And I didn't even know how..."

Benjamin moved from his spot intending to pick up the now sobbing child. But Caroline glared, "no." Was all she needed to say for Benjamin to stand still next to his son.

"I didn't mean to."

Caroline turned to look at the other people in the court. A woman raised her hands and ice walls raised from the ground surrounding Abigail. The girl screamed and made herself smaller.

"Ella!" Lucas moved towards her but Benjamin grabbed him by the shoulders.

"She needs blindfolding," a man pointed out.

Caroline nodded.

"Caroline," Benjamin stared at her, "she's a child."

"We'll take it from here Benjamin. Take your son to medical."

"I'm not leaving Ella," Lucas hissed.

But Benjamin's hold on his shoulder tightened, "come Lucas. I'll drop you of at the infirmary and sort this out after."

"No." Lucas pulled away, he made his way over to the ice, his hands touching the wall. Ella was curled up in a small ball, sobbing. "Ella."

She looked at Lucas' feet, tears running down her face. "I'm scared."

"Benjamin," Caroline's tone was a warning.

Benjamin nodded, grabbing Lucas, "let's go."

"No."

"Things will only be worse if we don't, trust me. I'm going to sort this out." And he dragged Lucas out of the court room. Down the hall towards the infirmary.

"No," Lucas tried to pull away but Benjamin had a firm grip.

"Stop that now," Benjamin ordered. His arms went around Lucas' shoulders. "If the superiors see you acting like a child we're all going to get in trouble, including Ella."

Lucas stopped struggling, "she's scared."

"I know, I'm going to go back there and take care of her."

Lucas shook his head, "they're scared of her."

"Rightfully so," Benjamin frowned, "it's a whole new powerset never seen before, of course it's threatening. Listen," he knelt down, "go to the infirmary and I promise I'll be there as soon as possible."

Lucas was tense, he wanted to argue. "Okay."

Benjamin watched Lucas head down the hall towards the infirmary before turning back. When he got to the court room Caroline was standing outside.