The Species of Power [Draft 1]

Chapter 9

"It's one of the old underground Shape Shifter facilities," said Marsh. He led Ruth and the others down square cement hallway, with tubes and wires dangling from the ceiling; the place was pretty wrecked.

"How many of them were burnt down?" said Ruth.

"Many," he said. "Margaret did a great job."

"You burnt all of them down?" Ruth said. She turned around and eyed Margaret who walked behind them, with her hands in the pockets of her baggy sweater.

"It's a hobby," Margaret said with small smile on her face.

"Not all of them," Sami said. “Most, but not all." She walked closely behind Margaret. Her long curly blonde hair bounced as she stepped.

"And how many have you done?" said Margaret. "Let me count... Oh, wait. That's right, none."

"Yeah... I know, I'm just saying that others helped too. Hero did one-"

"I helped her with that."

"And also Eryn did one."

"That was a mess."

"Caton, Liam, Rune, Garret..."

"They all failed."

"Jada and Sky..."

"I'm getting tired of playing this game Sami."

"I know, and I'm not trying to be mean or anything I'm just-"

"Ladies," Marsh said. "Shut up, you're confusing Ruth. Also I don't want you fighting in the lounge."

"Sorry," Sami said. Margaret rolled her eyes.

"This," said Marsh. "Is the lounge."

The lounge was a fair sized room with cement walls and no windows. It had a couple of old looking blue couches surrounding a television, where two boys sat hunched over playing video games. There was a small kitchen and a table close by where a girl was microwaving left overs. A boy sat in a corner on some beanbags and strummed strings on an old guitar with a blank look on his face. Another girl who looked to be the youngest out of all of them, sat curled up in a ball in a different corner, staring at a mirror. Ruth rolled her eyes; the girl was a Child of Peace, typical. The boy on the beanbag was a Shape Shifter, and one of the boys playing video games was a Child of Rage. Ruth was speechless.

"Kay guys, clear out! Sami, Margaret, Caton and Hero, you stay."

The mirror girl, Hero, stood up, still staring at her reflection. She had long red hair and a white t-shirt on; she was incredibly tiny and apparently obsessed with herself. One of the gamers, Caton, stood. He was really tall, taller than Joseph, and had short blonde hair.

"Kay guys, this is Ruth," said Marsh. "Ruth this is Hero, a Child of Peace, you may have already guessed that. And this is my son Caton."

"Why are you wearing a dress?" said Hero.

"Reasons."

"We pulled her out of one of the fancy first class parties," said Margaret.

"What the hell even happened?"

"Have a seat Ruth," said Marsh. "All of you as well, pull up a chair."

The all squeezed around the small table by the kitchen, Ruth sat squished in between Caton and Margaret.

"Alright guys, first things first," Marsh said. Ruth couldn't get over how he was speaking, it didn't sound like the Marsh she knew. "Margaret, you are here because you saw what happened at the party, so you will be explaining that to Ruth. But Sami, Caton and Hero, you, along with Ruth, are not members of the Under Species; you are the only beings of the Species of Power who know about this place, other than me."