Gift Academy (Book One in the Gifted Series)

Chapter Nine

Fay

I struggle to get on my knees again, pain shooting up my arms and legs. My eyesight is still blurry, more ash and smoke filling them and causing tears to stream down my face. I'm coughing like crazy, trying my best to not inhale the smoke that surrounds me.

I look around for Veronica but can barely see half a foot in front of me. I cough one more time before calling out to her in a weak voice. "Veroni- "

I wince in pain as my throat starts burning like a raging fire. I cough and fall on my side again. I start to get even more dizzy then I already was, and I start to lose consciousness. Just as I'm about to pass out, I hear a thudding from right above me. I start to panic but it quickly dissolves as a warm hand is placed on my shoulder and I hear a familiar voice softly call out my name. They softly try to shake me awake, but I quickly pass out before they can do anything else.

***

Veronica

Out of all the things I was expecting to happen at the Center, that was the last thing I would think of.

I lay on a hospital bed in the academy. The nurse's office has always been very large due to the fact that every student here has control over an element.

I sigh and look around at all the other people in the office. All of them look so hurt I can't even comprehend how terrible they feel right now.

But they have no idea how terrible I feel right now.

I've been looking around for hours, but I can't find Fay anywhere. It's all my fault. If I hadn't persuaded her into going to the Center, we never would've gone there, and she never would've gotten hurt. Or worse.

I shake these thoughts out of my head and try hard to rest, but every time I close my eyes, I picture a bloody and lifeless Fay, the Center destroyed, and the moment it all went downhill.

I hear someone being pushed in and frantic voices, and despite my pounding headache, I slowly lift my head off the pillow and see who's being pushed in on a stretcher. I get a good look at them as they pass my bed.

Fay.

I sigh in relief as I realize she's still breathing. She's being rolled in by Mr. Hernandez, our History of Gift Academy teacher.

I slowly start to rise from my bed until a nurse catches me out of the corner of her eye and quickly but softly pushes me back down.

"I'm sorry, Miss, but you can't leave your bed," The nurse reminds me kindly.

"But Fay..." I mumble, barely being able to get through those two short words without my throat starting to burn.

"She'll be fine, Miss. You just stay here, and you'll be able to speak with her soon, okay?" The nurse promises, giving me a small smile before leaving to treat another patient near me.

I look to my left where Fay is being laid down on a bed by a nurse and Mr. Hernandez.

I really hope she's okay.

Fay

I wake up to the sound of moans of pain and people talking quietly. Every part of my body hurts, and my breathing seems slower than usual.

I take a deep breath and open my eyes. A white light blinds me, so I look away, and when my eyes adjust to the brightness of the room, I'm not sure if I should be relieved or scared.

I'm in a big white room with hundreds of white hospital beds and all different types of things like heart monitors, medicines, and first aid kits.

I look around again to see Mr. Hernandez standing near my bed, speaking to a nurse urgently. I can't make out what they're saying. There's still a slight ringing in my ears.

I take one last breath before calling out to them. "Hey," I call out, my voice raspy and quiet. Mr. Hernandez and the nurse both look at me, a worried expression on both their faces. They start to look relieved when they see that I'm awake.

The nurse leaves to help someone who's being stretched in as Mr. Hernandez sits on the chair next to my bed, looking at me seriously.

"What happened?" I ask him, almost not recognizing my own voice.

"We were attacked," Mr. Hernandez explains. "by the Extras."

That's when it all comes flooding back to me. The bomb at the Center and the dream I had about the plotting. I knew something bad was going to happen. Why did I have to be so stupid?

"Veronica. Is she okay?" I ask Mr. Hernandez. He gives me a small smile.

"She's fine. Just a few beds down," Mr. Hernandez responds.

"I breathe a sigh of relief and quickly realize that Mr. Hernandez is someone I can trust. I know that I can tell him about the dream I had. Hopefully he won't start jumping to conclusions and blame me for the bomb.

"Mr. Hernandez? I need to tell you something. It's really important," I tell him. He looks at me with concerned eyes.

"I had a dream. The night before the bomb, it was about these three teenagers, plotting something against the Center," I start, then explain my whole dream to him, and how I recognize the place in my dream as the picture of Extra Academy he showed us during class.

Mr. Hernandez just nods his head the whole time, urging me to say more, and listening intently to the whole thing.

"Are you going to blame me for what happened?" I ask him cautiously, seeing that he hasn't spoken for a while.

He shakes his head. "No, of course not. Anyone could've had that dream, Fay. Just stay safe, and if you need anything, come to me," Mr. Hernandez replies, and with that he stands up and starts to walk away.

"Mr. Hernandez?" I call out to him. He looks back at me, looking tired and exhausted.

"Yes, Fay?" He asks me patiently, a small smile on his face.

"Does this mean war with the Extras again?" I ask him, though I already know the answers. I just need someone to confirm the horrible truth to me.

Mr. Hernandez sighs, a dark look on his face again.

"Yes, yes it does, Fay," He answers, then walks away, looking tired and depressed, but also looking ready to fight.

And I know that I'll have to fight now, too.