Mind Reader

Chapter 3: Voices

I wake up to the feeling of being carried, my aching head throbs with each step.

"I wonder what happened to her?..."

"She must have gotten her gift..."

"18 years today..."

"I heard she didn't get teleportation..."

"Wonder what the freak got instead..."

I open my eyes, feeling like the room is spinning out of control and I have no way to stop it.

I look up to see my fathers face looking straight ahead as he carries me effortlessly and quickly down the bustling hallway. His jawline is tense and taught, and I feel resentment and anxiety blooming from deep within him...

And something else..

Disappointment... He feels disappointed.

He notices me looking up at him, and glances down at me as he carries me.

My head spins.

"I love you, my little girl." I hear him think.

"It's going to be okay."

I do nothing but stare back at him in astonishment, confused and dizzy. I still don't understand what is happening.

Unease and fear radiates from the hallway, and I realize the comments I have been hearing since waking up, haven't been comments at all.

They were thoughts of the other students.

People that I have grown up beside since kindergarten.

They are afraid of me. They are uneasy. A few of them feel downright petrified.

I don't understand why.

I tuck my face into my father's chest, my eyes burn with tears at the shocking realization of why these people have avoided me my whole life.

I am off-putting to them.

Against my own will, I hear another thought cross the boarders of my brain.

"I must stay away from her..." I hear.

I turn from my father's chest and look towards the direction where I think it came from.

Just as my father and I exit the school, I make eye contact with the dark haired, spunky girl from Mr. Callaway's class that I admired earlier today.

Kyla.

She looks into my eyes as I look into hers and time seems to slow down.

"Danger..." she thinks.

The only thing I can think in response to that is why?

Why am I dangerous? Why does everyone feel that way? I wouldn't hurt a fly. I can't even seem to speak up when I want to ask a question in class, much less hurt anyone or anything.

Her eyes widen, her cheeks flush to a bright pink.

Quickly, she ducks her head and swiftly walks past us and we exit the doors and step outside. I'm left watching her walk away, and it almost feels like I'm sensing a wall forming around her mind as she does so.

I can't hear her anymore.

***

In the car, my father stares ahead at the road, his thoughts a jumbled mess of confusion and anxieties. He doesn't understand why I wasn't gifted with teleportation, yet somehow, he's not 100% surprised that I wasn't either.