A Smile to Hide (CYOA/WWYFF)

Chapter 3

    Dr. Phillips tells you to lie down in the back seat so no one can see you, and frankly you don’t want to see anyone either.  Despite the early morning, there are probably some people awake and spying through their windows.  Everyone at Winston-Salem had probably already heard about you having to take the Psychic Exams and testing positive, so they were probably prepared to gawk when you had to leave.  You inwardly bet that everyone would call you a freak, and say “I knew it, that’s why . . . .”  You also could imagine that Father Gordon would be preaching about it, faking his sadness and say something along the lines of, “Kimberly Upshaw was cursed from birth, but may the Lord have mercy on her sweet and kind soul.” 

    “I’m glad you didn’t go through with it,” Dr. Phillips says.  The ride had been quiet until he said that.

    “Go through with what?”

    “Murdering Father Gordon.”

    You sit up violently, and about to argue with him.

    “You wanted to know what happened three years ago, but you’re angry.  If you had seen him, you would have killed him.  I know this because you’re not the only one with abilities.”  He looks in the rear view mirror at you.  “Trust me, you’ll know the truth, and better understand it when you’ve learned more coming from the other side of the fence.”

    You know he’s right—if you had seen Father Gordon, you probably would have at least harmed him, but killing him seems far-fetched to you.  Dr. Phillips was probably only trying to scare you.  “What do you mean?”  The question is aimed toward the second sentence.  “What ‘other side of the fence’?”

    “Do you know where psychics go?”

    “A facility?”

    He chuckles.  “Not quite.  We don’t force the exams on people unless there’s a valid reason where a person‘s safety might be at risk, along with if there are a number of complaints, but we try to encourage them to take the exams on their own to clear their names.  Those over the age of eighteen and have held a job for a while get transferred to another area, yes, because the Psychic Exams aren’t discreet.  We’re trying to change that.  Those people, after they transfer, can do whatever they like.  They can come to our ‘facility’ to better understand their ability, or they can live the rest of their lives to try and be normal.”  He looks at you again.  “You on the other hand are underage, and normally when there are a number or complaints or suspicious observances, the same courtesy of giving you a choice to take the exams or not is given.  However, since Father Gordon seemed convinced that you would harm him, you didn’t have that choice, but since your ability seems to be rather harmless, we would like for you to come to our school.”

    “But you just said my ability was harmless.  Why do I have to go to your school?”

    “You may not be a danger to others, but there are some in that town that are cruel, aren’t there?”

    You nod, remembering all the acts of bullying you observed.  High school students were exceptionally cruel.  One of the freshmen boys was hospitalized because of his excess hair.  At first, people joked that he was a werewolf even though your school only allows humans, but one day the freshman got angry and physically violent, so the “normal” people fought back and claimed that he as a shape-shifter or a werewolf even though it was a blatant lie.  Ultimately, since it was considered self-defense, no one was charged.  “So, I’m just going to be at a new school?  That’s it?”

    “The school you’ll be going to isn’t just for human psychics.  Believe it or not, these ‘monsters’ as your friends call them can have a strong psychic gene as well, and they also get the brunt end of things.  Discrimination, a very sad thing, is everywhere, even between them.”