Gifted #Wattys2015

Chapter 6

Adult Tula 

"Yes," Tula said, smiling at Lennor, "You have a combination of more than one Gift. That's supposed to be really rare."

"What about you?"

"I have a combination of Gifts too. What's happening to you is exactly like what happened to me."

"Can you tell me about it?...Please?"

"Sure. When I was your age, I always thought I was making it up, imagining people's thoughts and feelings. I figured out how to block it, except at the time, I thought I was learning to stop imagining things. One day I read a book about Gifted people, and it finally struck me that it might not be a joke or my imagination. So I looked it up and realized that there were many people like us who can sense things. I never told anyone but my best friend, Helen. I didn't try to use it like you, because I always felt like I would make a fool of myself."

"You can control it? 

"Yes, I'm going to teach you how. How do your gifts work?"

"Well, I automatically know when something bad happens, but something forces me to go help whoever it is. I can't help it, I can't block it out, I can't stop myself. I'm literally helpless. I've grown to not mind it though. I actually like helping people."

"See, that's your combination. Sensing the needy and having the ability to twist circumstances to let you help them. Remember how you were able to take Stacey and just walk away from those guys?"

A look of complete understanding appeared on her face. Here was the solution to the things that had haunted her since the start. Lennor now understood how it had been perfect every time. And boy, was she proud.

Tula was proud too. "Lennor, would you like to learn how to control your Gifts?"

"Yes please!"

"Okay, listen carefully. Every single type of Gift is only in your head. Everything is in your head. Imagine, maybe, a filing cabinet, with a file labelled 'Gift'. Now, all you have to do, is focus on something that fills you with a really strong emotion." Tula paused as Lennor found what she needed. "Now let it fill you till you can't think of anything else at all." As Lennor did so, she closed her eyes and smiled broadly. " Now imagine physically pushing that thought into the back of your mind." Lennor nodded, and Tula continued, "Describe my clock."

"It's white, with blue numbering and fancy swirls around the border."

"While you said that, did you feel like there's was something slightly cloudy in your head? Like the kind of feeling you have when you're forgetting something but don't know what?"

"Yeah."

"That's your memory that is blocking your gift from working. All you have to do to get rid of it is forcibly clear your head. Everyone does it differently, but it isn't hard to figure out how to do it."

"Okay," Lennor said, biting her lip in concentration. A couple of seconds later, a look of utter suprise came across her face. Her lips parted in a small 'oh'. 

"Got it?"

"Yup."

"Just in time too. The bell's going to ring. See you later!"

"Bye! Thank you so much!" 

"It was my pleasure."