THE GIFTED

C H A P T E R 6

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere." Jerald informed Alganier, as he enter their shared flat on the university's dorm. He squint his eyes, trying to read Alganier's movement, while arranging his shoes at his shoe rack. "Are you gonna answer me, or I'll throw you this sock?" Alganier's face grimace at the thought of Jerald's sock being thrown at him, shaking his head.

"I was bored and decided to go to the library, on the top floor." Jerald gasped running to Alganier's side. He clung on to his arm. Alganier gently push his hands away from him, pinching his nose. "Get off your hands, uhh, your sock stinks." He hurl, running to their kitchen. Jerald snort, tossing his sock on his shoes.

"Tell me about it." Alganier flop on their sofa, and tell Jerald everything. He didn't miss a thing, and made sure his friend got to sink every single details in his head. After hearing Alganier, Jerald give him a mischievous smile, and whisper. "I heard, top 10 students can enter the private building too."

It was a building near the laboratory, it's where the black door is located, though they didn't exactly know which part of the building it is. The building is known, to be the experimental building. It was also known, to have the display of human anatomy. There's a room where they display, the anatomy of brain, muscle and other parts of the human. All students are only allowed to enter it every once a year. And that's during their Science fare activity. However, none of them are allowed to touch anything. Not unless they want to see what's inside the black door...

"Really?" Jerald nodded.

"Yes, and guess what?" Alganier glance up at him, raising his eyebrows. "Jonathan is part of the top and he's at rank 7. He went there. He didn't tell why, but we also saw him enter the laboratory. Not once, but a couple of times already." The next part of Jerald's statement went to nothing, as Alganier's mind flew on to why Jerald would go there. Maybe he's curious, but in the pit of his stomach. His guts telling him, there's a reason to why Jonathan went there. He's up to something. As what Alganier put it. He sighed, finding himself, laying on his bed. He can't sleep. He want to go out, but they have curfew and was not allowed to leave their dorm starting 10. Or else, they would face their consequences.

Time passed by, and it's been a months since the class started. Slowly, their class is starting to become closer and closer. Though, some are still quite distant, nevertheless all of them interact just fine with each other. As usual, Alganier and his group of friends sat at their spot at the corner of the cafeteria, eating happily. Chattering as they shared story. The peace inside was cut off, as the five newcomers enter the cafeteria.

"Make way!" One of them command. Within a second the students on their way, stepped away. No one speak a word as they all watch the newcomers made their way inside. They were all wearing black uniforms, which means they belong to the last class. There's two girls, both of them have white locks and intimidating look. Alganier look at their direction, and as soon as his eyes land on them. His eyes meet Jiro's, whose smirking at him. His hands, still inside his pocket as he followed the rest of his friends. Jiro removed his one hand from his pocket, pointing his head.

"It was nice to meet you here, buddy." With one last glance, Jiro's face return to his resting taunting face. That grin on his face, like he's mocking anyone who'll look at him. They heard one of them requested a dish, which only meant one thing. He's part of top 10. Alganier looked down at his plate, deep frown shown at his face.

"Are you okay, Alganier?" Heather cautiously asked. The rest glance at the said boy, worry written all over their faces as they asked what's wrong. Alganier shook his head, telling them he's fine, and he's just thinking of something. They didn't push him to tell them, but rather let him be. He let out a sigh, and continue eating.

A sudden yell grabbed their attention. And they all turn their heads at its direction. To find one of the two girl earlier, standing with her hands raised as she look at her stained uniform. It was followed with swear words, then her eyes meets the person who accidentally spilled his tea. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Someone tripped me." He's looking down, fidgeting to his fingers. His heavy breathing can be heard to the silent cafeteria, as the glare of the girl pierce right to his head. "I can help you clean it." He tried to appeal, but was reject.

"No." She gesture him to stop. Her eyes darkened, as she raised her chin. There's no emotion at her eyes. Only darkness. "Look at me." Without hesitating, the boy look at him, his eyes reflecting as hers. When the girl was about to speak, the other one intervene.

"Stop it, Pearl. Don't." She told her. Her voice holds authority, that everyone seems to stiff at their seats, waiting for the next thing to happen. Pearl turn her head, as her eyes shift to the direction of her friend. The girl stood up, with one motion of her hand, the boy's eyes return to its normal color and immediately run out of the place.

"Why do you always do this, Dorothy. Why do you always tell me what to do. And why do I always end up following your words." Pearl stated, her brows knitted together. It's not a question, but a statement she seems to dislike. It almost taste bitter to her tongue, as she said it. Her gaze. Her aura. Her eyes. Everything about her is dark. Heather could feel her emotion, it's the same as Madison, back during the time on their class, that first day of school. As she thought of Madison, she felt how tense the girl is. Realizing something, Heather's breath hitch. She heard Kenley, telling Madison to calm herself, as her heartbeat's making him deaf.

Even though his eyes were on Pearl and Dorothy. Alganier's mind was on Madison. He doesn't want it, but it's so tempting that he let himself do it. He reads her mind. He froze. Slowly, he turn his head to her. Her eyes, it turns like Pearl. But unlike Pearl, there's a shade of red swirling around her dark pupils. She's enraged. Before Alganier reach Madison, a loud explosion was heard. Everyone screamed, covering their heads, others were quick to leave the place, as the light bulb on the ceiling starts to explode one by one.

"Let's hurry and leave!" Jeffrey told them. But when he look at the direction of Madison, she's no longer sitting on her seat. His eyes widen in horror. They watch Madison, like she's being consume by a big shadow looming over her. Her hair is flowing at her back gracefully. She's moving farther from them, making her way towards the direction of Pearl.

"She's gonna hurt her, we need to stop her." Alganier told them. His eyes stared at the back of Madison. In one moment everything seems to stopped. Series of random pictures flash on his head, making him stop on his track. Clutching his head, Alganier fell on his knees. Struggling as the pain got unbearable to his liking. "Madison..." He called with his voice wavering. He felt a hand on his shoulder, which made him look at the person beside him. It was Raymark. The moment he look at him, a strong wind filled the room, making some tables and broken glasses flew around. "Try stopping her."

With a nod, Raymark run through the strong wind, trying to make his way in front of Madison. The wind twirl around the cafeteria, making it hard for him to move. Cussing under his breath, Raymark try to hypnotize Madison without looking at her eyes. "Trying won't hurt." He mutter as he focus, and he chanted silently to stop Madison. But the wind intensifies, making Raymark lost his balance, going along the direction of wind.

Jeffrey who was at the ground together with Micheal, raised his head. He calmed down, closing his eyes. When he open his eyes, the wind is no longer strong. And Madison is back on her feet, but not exactly back to herself. She was towering Pearl, who was on the floor. "Who are you?" She asked Madison, fear crept up on her entire body. She looked at her friends. Only Jiro who's standing still, the rest are knocked out. Even Dorothy who was lying at the floor, unconscious.

"It's not important. You," Madison spoke, there's a venom lacing at her words, that it made them, who's conscious shiver. "You are a destruction. You don't deserve to live, you bring misfortune to people," her tone it was not how she usually speak. It sounds nothing but like a whole different person.  It was like a an evil in disguise. There was a whimpering noise at the background, that no one pays attention. "Death is what you desire. It feeds your soul."

"Brain; it's not big. It's not small either. It's not heavy, neither light. But it holds the entire characteristics of a person. It defines the person, their entire being. It holds many things, that people can't see. And it controls your body."