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Curious, I ask, “What happens if I take the blue pill?”
“Your memory will be wiped of this moment and your powers will be locked down. You’ll have no identity of who you are or where you came from. Because of your age, you will not go to foster care. More than likely, you’ll end up on the streets, addicted to some substance and eventually, kill yourself over the memory of losing your parents.”
I gasp and take a few steps back. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”
“You asked me what would happen and I’m answering your question. Now, if you were to take the red pill…” He air quotes. “You would leave here with my friend, go on an adventure of your life, learn something about yourself you never knew, and who knows, maybe grow into the powers you’ve just discovered. All because you took a chance.”
I sniff and blink the remaining tears away. I exhale a long breath and take in the still forms of my mother and father. “What will happen here once we’re gone?”
The professor turns his back to me. “The human’s will do what they do best. Clean up as if nothing happened.”
“Come, child,” the woman from the car says, and slips her hand around the inside of my elbow.
“Please, don’t judge me for what I’m about to ask.” I can feel the tears once more in my eyes. I think maybe at some point they would stop producing but they keep coming in abundance.
“Never,” she whispers.
“Please, hold me and tell me I’ll be okay. I just lost—”
“Your parents,” she continues, and envelops me in her arms. I have no idea who this person is, but for the first time since the accident, I don’t feel alone. I allow myself to fall into her and she embraces me tightly. It’s as close to motherly love from a stranger as I could imagine.
“There, there,” she whispers. “I’ve got you, baby girl. I’m right here.”
This woman, whose name I don’t even know, walks me to the side of the car and opens the door.
I lift my head and wipe at my face. “What’s your name?”
“You can just call me Honey,” she answers.
I nod, accept it without question, and slide into the passenger seat.
Honey closes the door and silence once more wraps itself around me. She joins me in the car and turns on the ignition. “He was right, you know,” she says and puts the car in gear. “You’re about to go on the adventure of your life.” She smiles and reaches over to pat my hand. “We’ll be at the dock soon. Rest for now.”
I fiddle with my fingers in my lap as the scenes continue to repeat over and over in my mind. My mother, my father, both gone. And now I’m being shipped off to God knows where… Well, I do know where, but still. I’m alone in the world and literally have nothing other than what’s on me. “I have no clothes or belongings with me.”
“You won’t need them where you’re going.” Honey turns down a road and continues. “You’ll have everything you need right there at Blackthorn Academy.” She is silent for a moment, then asks, “Were you aware your parents had powers?”
I nod as if on autopilot now.
“Well, then that’s a good thing. One less shocking thing to add onto your plate.” Honey types in an address into her GPS and we take off.
One less thing to be shocked about?
I have no idea where to begin here.
My life has been erased.
My parents are dead.
I’m off to some academy that specializes in whatever I did today.
I never thought today would have turned out like this when I woke up. I wonder what lies behind door number two.
CHAPTER2
Steppingout into the early morning hours, just as the sun began its ascent over the horizon, I sip on my tea and enjoy the spicy flavor from the chai. The warmth blends through my mouth, down my throat, and comforts me in a way only tea can.
I wish all mornings could be this peaceful, but today is not a day of peace. I fetch my phone from my jacket pocket, glancing at the time as well as the date. It’s the anniversary of my parent’s accident… the day they died and I became an orphan. The day I was picked up by Professor Dunlop and Honey, his driver, and brought to Blackthorn Academy.
