THE GIFTED

C H A P T E R 7

"Pearl let's go home." Dorothy told her. Instead of listening, Pearl went to different direction. Dorothy who was late to noticed that Pearl wasn't there behind her, took a deep breath, shaking her head in disbelief. Closing her eyes, Dorothy forcefully drag herself to find Pearl. It was late night, and the breeze is getting colder, making her hug the book on her arms tighter. She saw a dark alley, not far from where she was standing. A smile spread on her face, as she quickened her pace. "She must be there, since she likes dark place so much."

When she's nearing, she heard a noise. It wasn't a normal noise. It sounds like a person, spitting too much liquid out of his mouth. Then another noise, that feels like someone's hand making an impact to the wet fabric. With trembling body, Dorothy went to see it. Dropping her book, Dorothy was struck at her feet. She can't move, other than watch the scene unfold before her eyes. "Alexis.." Her quivering lips manage to say. Her shaking hands made its way to her mouth. Her eyes went blurry, as the tears started brimming to her eyes. He lift his hands that was holding the knife, and stab himself again. He repeats, until he can no longer stab himself, as the darkness consume him. Swallowing him till he can no longer breathe.

Dorothy follow where his dark eyes are looking at. The tears that welled up on her eyes, starts to fall down like an endless stream of waterfall. "Why..? Why would you do it him? WHY?!" She yelled, her fists balled at her side. She was staring at her sister's dark eyes. "You've done this for the 3rd time already." She fell on her knees, as she puts down her head on her palm. "Why..." As she cried, Dorothy felt a pair of arms, wrapping around her. It made her cry more.

"Shh, stop crying Dorothy. It made me sad to see you cry." Dorothy's head hurts, hearing Pearl sob on her shoulder, it made her want to die. But then again, just like the previous ones. Dorothy cupped Pearl's face. Using her thumb, she wipe her tears. Her eyes are back to normal again. Dorothy look at her in the eye.

"You did nothing. You'll forget about this. And the moment you wake up, you're gonna listen to me, and do whatever I say." Pearl's posture straighten up, like a robot being programmed. With one last glance at the lying blood-soaked body of Alexis. Dorothy bit her lips, holding Pearl's hand. "I'm sorry Alexis, please forgive me." And they left the alley just like that, as if nothing happened.

"What's going on here?" Everyone in the cafeteria, including Madison looked at the person standing at the entrance. There, stood teacher Kath, eyes wandering around the messy place. She's calm, and with one snap of her fingers, the place is organized again. It was back to what it is before. No damage anywhere, the table and chairs, the light bulbs. It's like, nothing ever happened. "Pull yourself together, Maddie." She told her in the most soothing way. "Don't let your emotions take the control over you."

Alganier shared a glance with Jeffrey, and with a silent communication. Jeffrey run to Madison. He hold her tense shoulder, and rub her back. For about a couple of seconds, Madison's breathing steady. As she calms down, Madison lost her consciousness, making Jeffrey catch her. He carried her, and look at Clarice, who was standing not too far from them. "Let's go, bring her to the clinic."

Jiro and Alganier, once again made eye contact. No words were exchange. Yet through the shared silence, the two understand each other. Jiro, for the first time again. Let out a sigh. A sigh indicating he's disappointed. He give Pearl a cold gaze. Then to Dorothy who was struggling to get up. "J-Jiro." Pearl called, trying to reach him. But the boy dodge her hands, he looked away from her. Alganier look at his eyes, that were now filled with different emotion, he can't read. Jiro's leg stretch out, as his feet bring him farther from them.

Before stepping out of the place, he glance at Alganier, as if inviting him to come along. That Alganier gladly accept. Teacher give them a reassuring smile, telling them to take their time, as she'll take care of the rest. The two found themselves at the rooftop of the laboratory building. It was silent, and the only thing making noise, was the wind dancing in the air. "I'm sorry." Alganier utter. He felt bad for no particular reason, but he knows Jiro is hurting about something.

"Why are you sorry?" Jiro's gaze land on him. He's back to his old self again. His hands on his pocket. There's a grin displayed across his face. His chin up, eyes looking anywhere but Alganier. "What are you sorry for?" He scoffed. "Sorry won't fix anything, remember that Alganier. Don't apologize to anyone, because some mistakes are supposed to happen. We can't do anything about it. Saying sorry will only make it worst. It won't change what have happened." He smiled at him.

Alganier contemplate. Should he smile back at him, and return the gesture or leave it like that. "But it somehow, make it less heavy." He retorted. He scan Jiro. Just like their first meeting, he's not wearing his black blazer. "Are you ashame of your class?" Jiro shift to his feet, hands grip on the rail of the rooftop. He didn't answer, but Alganier saw the muscle of his cheek move. "Guess you are." He chuckle, shaking his head. He look ahead of him and from there, they could clearly see the distant busy city.

"You know how we end up at the last class?"

"How?"

"Before we got here, they asked us to show our gifts, and tell them about it." Alganier nodded. "I lied to them, I say everytime I'm angry, the wind get stronger. And that I'm always in trouble because of it." Jiro laugh mockingly at the thought, as he remember the day they were asked to show off their gifts. That soon defined them. "They underestimate the students on the last class, and don't really care of us. All those who can't control their gifts, and has the less interesting gifts, they put them all at one place. And that's the last class. Giving us black uniforms, to identify us. But mouth and actions, don't really explains what's inside our heads. It's not the basis of brain."

"What do you mean?"

"That's their goal, to find students with the best brains. To find those intelligent ones." Jiro grab his left hand, catching Alganier off guard. Masking his flustered face, he frown. Jiro tap his device with his index finger. "That's how it works." As if it clicks, Alganier's face enlightened. A wide smiled spread across his face.

"The chip, it monitors the activity of our brain. It records the length of our minds. And if we think beyond normal people does, that's how the score adds." Alganier explained, as Jiro let go of his hand with satisfied grin. "The chip could have a meter? Something, whatever you call that. If your brain exceeds, depends on how far your thought could go. Then... that's your score will be." As he finished, his device lit up. He was beyond surprised, when the scores sums up. He got 200 points.

Then he remember. When they received the device. After he answered, unknowingly loud than he thought. He got 100 points, but he's too preoccupied to think how did it happen, especially after what happened to his classmate. "But the reason why they're doing this, is still unknown." He looked up at Jiro and agree. There must be a reason on to why they are looking for those students. And he'll find it out.

"Your brain has a large capacity. It can work faster than you thought, but you have to work with it."