Denise and John

Chapter Thirteen

Catching these two ditching was definitely a bonus to Michael's morning, but the look on the girls face.... Priceless! Sitting at one of the monitors her jaw dropped open.
"Unreal." She stated. "Are you following us or something?"
So much to do where to start. He thought.
"Um... shouldn't you be in school?"
"Who's the kid?" asked John before he could hear the girls excuse.
Forgetting the small child's presence in the brief happenstance he lied. "Oh this is my brother's son Ben. Just babysitting while he's working." Smiling he kept his eyes on Denise. "So, shouldn't you be in school?"
Shifting his eyes from the girl, the boy kept watching his young companion. Taking his hand he slid the boy partially out of John's sight. "Well, someone going to answer here?"
Finally without hesitation the girl spoke. "What's it to you? I don't know you. The fuck? You stalking us?"
"Don't flatter yourself kid." Pulling out his phone he brought up the screen. "Actually when I spoke to your mom a little earlier she mentioned you were in school."
Showing them the screen the girl fell silent.
John quickly interrupted. "What's wrong with the kid?"
Looking behind him he noticed the boy was staring John down, unblinking. He felt like telling him if you're trying to have a staring contest against him you're going to lose, instead he quickly covered. "He's autistic." Looking back at John he seemed skeptical to that comment. "Also he's shy. Bad combo really."
Again brushing the boy behind him he said. "I heard something about names. You guys looking for someone? I'm pretty sure you're not here for a class project, I mean where are your class mates." Glancing toward the monitor Denise quickly shut it off.
"What's it to you anyway?" she continued. "What so you're another friend of my mom's, big fucking deal you people come and go!"
Seeing she wasn't going to drop her hard ass attitude he decided on a different approach. "Your mom told me you didn't get along with her friends, I got that and I can see why but I'm not going anywhere, and honestly I wouldn't mind helping you guys out. Just give me a chance. I will make a deal with you guys' ok? If I can't help you I will walk away, won't bug ya ever again."
Interrupting, John said. "Worth a shot Denise, fuck it. You can't tell my mom we were here though or what we are doing got it?"
"That's fine I wasn't going to anyway. The school has that covered." He chuckled.
Staring down at Denise he could see she was still skeptical.
Finally meeting his gaze she said. "So what do we say John, I seriously can't think of one thing that makes sense."
"Then have it not make sense just tell him everything, he won't tell mom."
"This must be some pretty serious stuff then huh?" He said curious as to what could have changed in the small sixteen hours since their last encounter.
"Yeah," the boy replied "seriously weird."
Reaching for a chair Michael sat the small boy down and grabbed another one for himself.
"Do you believe in super powers?" John asked.
Michael smiled, the question was a little more than he bargained for. "Excuse me?"
"Shut up John!" The girl said. "We don't have super powers."
"Ok, what would you call it?"
"Not super fucking powers, you dweeb!"
"Ok telekinesis."
"John really, do you even know what telekinesis is?" She chuckled.
"Ya when you can move shit with your brain."
"Tell me Johnny can you move shit with your brain?"
"No but same thing."
"No it's not."
"What about ESP?"
"No John..."
Before they could continue their banter Michael quickly interrupted. "How about gifts?"
Relaxing now that he had their attention. "Maybe abilities?"
Placing one hand on his knee he watched as the children contemplated the fact that he may be open to the unknown. "Like I said, give me a chance."
"Wow." John said. "That's what Denise calls them."
They eyed each other for a moment as though they were in a silent conversation only they could hear. Shrugging at the boy Denise said. "Well John go nuts."
John smiled. "Ok," he met Michaels gaze and continued. "So, um... Denise has been different for a long time, she has always had like ice hands."
"What the fuck John that's not where you start."
"Ok where do I start then?"
"I think why we were here at the library..."
Before she could continue, Michael intervened. "No please go on with the ice hands thing." Michael smiled genuinely curious.
"No." the girl said.
"Denise chill out I got this, but we have to start from the beginning."
"I agree." Michael stated. "Please continue."
Continuing John said. "Denise, like for a long time has been able to manipulate water, like freeze it and she doesn't get cold either. The other day you know when I saw you at the park?"
"Yeah."
"I actually had something happen that made me like... burn another kid. I don't know I got angry or something. I was there at the park trying to burn something again."
"Did you?" Michael asked.
"Well no, but it goes further than that. So Denise like opened something else in her mind. She saw someone get murdered."
"So what does burning and ice hands have to do with that?" he asked.
"Nothing like I said, good job Johnny you tool."
Snickering at her he said. "I don't know but I know it all ties together somehow just I don't know how, yet. Anyway it gets weirder."
Taking a deep breath Michael watched as the girl sat silently waiting for her brothers next actions. "Go on." He stated.
"So Denise like saw something, like she was that person. But she didn't see who it was. She saw me, like I was the guy that killed her or something. I didn't believe her when she said she saw me because I didn't remember seeing that shit. Like at all! Then I went to bed early and I was.... I don't magically transported..... And I saw... and heard actually, the guy Denise was talking about. It's like I was him seeing through his eyes. He made some cop like shoot at people and then himself, and then he threatened me, I mean this guy knew I was there."
In the brief pause from Johns rambling, Michael asked. "So are you looking for some headlines or something to confirm this happened? Or what?"
"Well yeah, that, and we wanna know where he's coming from. I mean he threatened me. Like he's coming after me."
"Wow looks like you guys are into some pretty serious stuff huh."
Denise looked at Michael and stated. "In my defense I never said anything about kill I said she was more than likely dead but I only saw Lil John hit me in the face, and I came back to reality."
"So wait neither one of you know what this guy looks like?"
Both kids shook their head.
"Does he know what you look like?"
Leaning forward Denise said. "I'm sure he saw me, I mean when he charged the woman he, at first, looked surprised. Then he just charged her or me."
"Hmm...." Michael asked. "So what have you found?"
Turning the screen back on, she turned it to him. The headline didn't do the article justice. A lone officer went on a shooting spree before turning the gun on himself in the mid evening in Colorado Springs just off Academy Blvd.
"Interesting." Michael said. "My home town."
"Really?" asked John. "Do you know if there's a street called Academy?"
Meeting his gaze he said. "Well yes and it says right here this is off of Academy."
"Wait what?" said Denise, the girl turned the screen back towards her. "Shit I must've been looking so fast I completely over looked the street."
"See I'm helping already." Michael smiled. "Well this seems legit."
"So," Johnny asked. "Now what?"
"You believe us?" The girl looked at him perplexed.
"Well I have no reason not to, I told you I will help you as much as I can just give me a chance."
"Well we have a place, I say we turn in what we know." Stated the boy.
"John you are such a goober, we have no clue who he is, what he looks like, nothing. Cops won't believe us." Continuing the girl said. "And I'm not about to look like a fucking raving lunatic but if you want to bro go ahead. I would love to hear you explain it to the cops' just try not to start out on the ice hands." She chuckled. "Cause I sure as hell don't want to be explaining to mom why they carried you away in a paddy wagon."
John chuckled. "Fuck you Denise."
"Guys." Michael said. "Focus okay. We are not running to the police they can't help you guys at all, and really there is no explanation. Last thing we want to do is waste our time."
With his last words and before he could continue Denise stiffened. He watched in awe as her face went pale and her eyes turned from their color of hazel to sky blue. The same color as the one he had seen while peering into her ability.
"Denise?" John quickly got up and went to grab his sister in attempt to pull her back into their reality.
Halting him Michael said. "Wait."
"Why? I think she is....."
Cutting the boy off, he said. "I know but you don't know what it will do to her if you pull her back now."
"Fuck, what do we do then?"
Thinking quickly he peered at the non-existent child who was tapping his hand to his side pocket looking directly at him.
"Good idea." He said, feeling in his pocket he pulled out the MP3 player with the music he had chosen for John. "Here."
Looking at him confused, John asked. "What's this for?"
"Obviously to play music. I made this for you last night I have a feeling this will help."
"Help what?"
With everything happening so fast he couldn't find the right words. "I don't know get in there."
Feeling they had a limited window he took the boy by the shoulders and coaxed him into a more relaxing position. Unraveling the ear buds he placed one in each ear. Hitting play he could hear the music play furiously in the boys ears.
I should've adjusted the volume, damn!! He thought.
Before he could reach the MP3 player to make the small adjustment, John's body stiffened and his eyes turned the furious red like the image he saw in his ability.
Fascinating.
He looked over at the child he now called Ben and smiled. "Well, let the games begin."