The New Girl Around

Chapter 21 ~ Powers...

"That was amazing Hope, but you need to work on it. You're getting exhausted quickly because you're not focusing on the right thing. You need to focus on the feeling, the power you are emitting from you. What you're focusing on is the pain and the result." She says, and I take it all in. I've never thought of it that way.

"That makes sense, thank you." I say, happy I'm finally getting the help I need.

"No problem. Now, Let's try again!" Wanda says while showing me what I should be doing. I sigh slightly, but put my arm out, ready to go again.

Nat grabs the knife out of her pocket again and Peter grabs her arm, "no, not again! She's already done it once and she nearly passed out!" He says, worry encasing his face.

I look at Peter and smile showing him I'm okay before grabbing the knife from Nat and cutting my arm in the same place she did last time, still not even wincing at the pain.

Peter tries to look away without me noticing but it doesn't really work. Wanda grabs the knife back from my hand, "ok, now focus on how the magic feels, not the pain." Wanda says whilst lifting my arm up a little.

I hover my hand above the cut starting off slowly, focusing on the blue mist that circles down across the slice in my arm.

I try to push the pain out of your head but it keeps creeping back in, I stumble backwards slightly as my energy begins to drain.

"Don't try to push the pain away just focus more on the power you are releasing." I listen to the voice, unsure of who it came from. I focus on the blue mist and the tingling feeling it makes my arm feel.

I start to feel more relaxed and aware of everything around me rather than tired and unsteady. The healing process is faster and less painful and by the time I finish I had as much energy as I did when I started.

I smile widely and they all smile with me as I jump with excitement, "When I've had to cover up my bruises before I've had to spread it out because of how tiring it is! Thank you so much!" I say, not even thinking about the words that leave my lips in that happy.

I hug her and she hugs me back, laughing at how happy I am, "this is only the start. How happy are you going to be when we reach your full potential." She says, her eyebrows raising slightly.

I laugh as you carry on explaining about what I can do. "I haven't done anything major like lift a person or a large object but I've lifted small things and I've made a few things explode by accident..." I say as I look at Peter and laugh a little as he looks back at me and joins in laughing.

"Ok, try to lift up that punching bag over there." She says casually, pointing in the direction of the object.

I turn to the punching bag and let out a little laugh, "I don't see that happening any time soon." I say honestly, the lack of confidence evident in my voice.

"Well I do. Now, focus on every part of the punching bag." She says, turning my body to face the bag. I look at it and scan the whole thing, not taking your eyes off of it for a second, "right now think of something that makes you angry. Picture it in your head, really feel like you're there." She says strongly.

I start to think of Flash and the date you went on. I starts to think about him hurting Peter and what he's said about him to his face. I can feel myself getting angrier and angrier and before I know it, I've lifted it up, it only lifts a couple inches off the ground, but I lifted it.

I drop it and smile, "I just did that! I've never lifted something so heavy!" I say, shocked at the control I have.

Nat laughs as Wanda looks around the room a little. Nat starts talking to her and I turn to Peter, "hey, what were you thinking about?" He says walking towards me with a smile on his face.

"oh, nothing. This is great though, isn't it? I didn't know I could do this much!" I say, still so happy with my achievements.

He laughs as he watches my expression get happier, "yeah it really is amazing. You're doing really well." He says, a genuine look on his face.

"Thank you, Peter." I smile as I look him in the eyes, he smiles back nervously.

"Ok, Hope. We are going to push you a little. We want you to lift up a bed with a punching bag on it, It's not too big or heavy. This will help you get to the stage of lifting things like cars or trucks." Nat explains, knowing this is going to be a lot more difficult.

My eyes widen a little and I let out a nervous giggle, "you have to be joking. I could barley lift up that punching bag by itself let alone while it's in a bed!" I say, unsure where she's got this random confidence from.

Nat rolls her eyes and pulls you up the stairs, Peter and Wanda following shortly behind. "Outside there should already be the bed and punching bag set up. We will help you through what you should do and then you will do it. Easy as that." She says, as if I'm cutting a piece of cake for her.

She takes me outside and there it was. The bed and punching bag, "Why is this outside?" I ask, confused.

Nat and Wanda turn to each other then look at me, both shrugging. "Now, focus on every little detail of the bed." She says, repeating the same things she said for the punching bag.

I hesitantly turn to the bed and scan it, noticing every chip and every scratch that's embedded in the dark wood.

"Maybe she shouldn't do this." Peter says stepping forward, concern evident in his voice. Still focusing my attention on the bed, Wanda quietly talks to Peter, trying not to distract me.

"Now think of something that makes you really angry. Something that breaks your heart, think about something that really tore you to pieces, something that changed your life forever and changed who you are." She says, and I know exactly what will fuel me.

I start to think about that night in the car with my parents, flashbacks start to rush through my head and tears start to slowly fall down my cheek. Flashing lights and fire breaking out everywhere. Flashbacks of Mrs Bernadine hitting me over and over again as I wept on the floor. Her words echoing through my head 'you're a pathetic murderer.' Other carers neglecting me and giving you mental and physical scars flash through my head.

I can hear Nat screaming at me in the background to remember how I felt in that moment, how hurt I was, how angry it made me feel. "Channel it all!" She shouts.

I start to sobbing, tears soaking through my trainers. I hear the faint arguments from Peter, but Nat ignores it as she pushes me further. Finally, I think of the time my mother's body laid next to me covered in blood. Her final words echoing through my head, "It wasn't your fault, we will always love you baby..." and then her lifeless body relaxing out of consciousness. I think about how I spent the last minutes of my consciousness trying to heal her body, causing me to pass out and nearly die, if only that ambulance didn't get there...