Gifteds: And Then There Were None

Chapter 16. V

Kal sat and watched the reactions of his fellow ex-classmates. Was he unsettled about the double deaths? Yes, yes he was. Was he worried? Yes, yes indeed. But what really got to him was that no one was doing anything about it. They weren't trying to prevent another murder, they were only concerned with themselves and their own coping methods. Oh, and Kal was quite convinced that these were murders, not some petty accident. These were intentional. And that was the last straw for him. Mitchell was the only person left that he could actually talk to, and now that he was gone, Kal was nothing but goggles and lab coats once more. Is this selfish of him? You might think so, but to Kal, it wasn't. Was a person to chat with too much so ask for? Mitchell and Alex were his friends, more so than the others, and friends don't just let other friends die at the hands of some unknown bastards.

Kal fingered the plastic bag he held in his hands. The bag that contained the evidence of Salwa's death, the pathetic smudges of blood that served as her only remains. Here he was losing sleep trying to complete the DNA tests in hopes of making them realize the severity of the situation, hoping to band them together for all their sakes. But all the good it does is become the root for more fractures and more strain, straining the already thin tolerance that they have for this and each other. Didn't we use to be so close? We were practically family. How could we have lost that touch so easily? How could we be so out of tune? Kal wondered. He caught himself. Since when was I so emotional? But he already knew the answer: he had always been emotional. He just chose to disregard his emotions and set them aside over the more prominent things, burying them under the void of knowledge.

Suddenly, he felt a new sense of purpose thrusted upon him. Kal leapt to his feet unexpectedly, and marched to the door. He swung it open to reveal a very ruffled Tess squatting against where the door was moments before.

"Tess, get in. Now." He ordered, pointing towards the entrance. She gave him a perplexed look before trudging into the room. She had never seen him as commanding as this, nor had anyone else. He was known to be the quiet one with loud but unvoiced opinions. This change was startling, and Tess didn't dare challenge him.

Kal strode up to the middle of the room, dominating it with his sudden change of character. He took a deep but intent breath. He knew he had their attention, the room felt more alive than it had in ages, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath with him, as if they knew something important was about to happen. Then I better not screw up.

"Is this what we have come to? Sulking around, waiting for the world to crumble around us, waiting for the ground to shatter and the sky to fall? Have you really given up on our friends so easily? Have their deaths meant nothing to you?" He asked. There were a couple of half hearted grunts from the small crowd. Come on, you can do better than that. You're losing them already. Make them care, drive the point home.

"Would that be a yes or a no? Max, stop rocking, sit still. You're not a ball not matter how much you distort yourself to resemble a sphere. Angela, get your eyes away from that window. If pigs were flying, I'm sure you would have spotted them by now. Nico, how long have you been eating from that nutella jar? The glass is so clear, they could rival those window panes. Maybe if they replaced the windows with that jar, Angela would have a better view of the flying pork. Tess, put that book down. And don't give me the 'Oh, but I'm at a good part'. I know you're not reading it because I've read that book thrice already and you still 'can't recall' what happens after chapter five."

The rec room got even quieter, if that was even possible.

"Now, lets try this again." Kal said, enunciating each syllable.

"Would that be a yes or a no?"