Chapter 22

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    Recently Vandailia's condition had been worse. She was finding it harder and harder to gather her thoughts. The professors had been visiting her less. Vandailia had hoped they would give her a bigger room,but she was still stuck in the same tiny room with the bed. The most troubling thing was the fact that she had wild dreams every night.
 
Vandailia dreamt she was flying over the mountains. A slight snow was fluttering in the air. That wasn't uncommon here in November. After a while, she saw the reflection of the lights on the river, and she smiled. Vandailia dropped down closer so she could she the town. She saw the murals by the river, depicting scenes from history. She saw the eerie statue of Mothman, whose red eyes seemed to glow in the night.
  
She saw the small house she shared with her father. Vandailia flew down closer. She landed in the big sugar maple tree in their yard. The windows in her house were dark. Of course her father wasn't home, he almost never was. For a minute the sight of her house comforted her.
  
Then suddenly, morning daylight flooded the sky. Vandailia opened her eyes and squinted at the sunlight. She sat up in her bed and realized that it wasnt sun, but instead the lamp beside the small bed. Vandailia glared at the headmistress, who had woken her from her dream. Professor McKinley didn't even look at Vandailia when she set the tray of food on the table. Professor McKinley finally looked up at Vandailia. For a moment she had an odd look, then she simply said nothing and left the room. Once the door shut Vandailia was left in the room with her muddled thoughts.

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  "Carly! Wake up! You need to see this!"
 
I moan and roll over in my bed. Isa continues to prod me. "Come on,Carly! This is important!"
 
"I'm up already." I say,sitting up. I rub my eyes in an attempt to wake up. "Isa, it's Saturday, we don't have classes."
 
"I know." Isa says. I see she is already dressed in a soft green sweater and gray jeans. "This doesn't have anything to do with classes. Hurry up and get changed, you have to see this."
 
"Hold your horses, Isa." I complain, taking some clothes out of my dresser drawer.
 
Isa is looking at me with an odd look. That is the look that means she is the all-knowing mind reader. "I think it may have something to do with that omen Professor Zeithman was talking about."
 
"How did you-?" I begin,looking at Isa.
 
"I was testing my range." Isa begins to explain. I know Isa has been working on making the range of her skills larger so she can hear more people's thoughts. "I was listening to your mind through that whole conversation with Professor Zeithman. I could only hear your mind though. I still couldn't hear his." Isa sighs and sits down in her bed.
 
I grab a purple hoodie out of my dresser and pull it on over my shirt. Then I look at Isa. "Does that trouble you? That you can't read his mind?"
 
"Yes!" Isa says. "I asked my parents about it. The only people who minds I can't read is other mind readers. And he is definitely not a mind reader. That I am sure of."
 
"I'm sure we can say that he is no normal Electra." I say.
 
Isa scoffs. "Agreed."
 
"Now what is it you wanted to show me?"

 
Isa led me through the corridors. I have no idea where we are going. "I had woke up and little early and I was just laying in my bed. I decided I should try to test my range more." Isa whispers to me, guiding me down a hallway. "I heard a bunch of thoughts in the faculty wing. Some I didn't recognize. It's odd and I don't quite understand what's going on."
 
Isa stops before a wall. She looks at the hall to our left, then to the one to the right. She pauses for a moment then grabs my wrist and leads me down the left one. I realize we are in an unfamiliar part of the school. "Isa, how do you know where to go?"
 
"I'm following the thoughts." Isa whispers. "Now we are getting close so anything you have to say..." Isa points to her head. "Got it?"
 
I'm about to speak but then I just think it. Like this?
 
Isa nods and smiles. "Yeah just like that."
 
Isa takes us down the corridor. It ends at a large room. Isa crouches behind the corner and motions for me to do the same. I gently crouch behind her and look around the room. It is a big room with a high ceiling. There is comfortable-looking carpet on the floor. Several couches and armchairs sit around a big coffee table. I see a separate doorway leading into a room that looks like a kichen.
 
What is this place? I ask Isa mentally.

  Teachers lounge maybe... answers Isa in my head
 
I didn't know you could do that.

  I didn't know I could either! Isa's voice sounds excited in my head.
 
Suddenly I hear voices. I see a group of professors walk into the room, Professor McKinley at the head. Two men enter the room behind them. With their black suits and large sunglasses, the pair look like something out of a spy movie. The two start talking to Professor McKinley.
 
"We have license to search the school. You cannot interfere." One says.
  
"This is outrageous!" Professor McKinley shouts. This is bad. Professor McKinley almost never raises her voice. "There is nothing dangerous in this school!"
 
From our hiding spot, I can see the two men look at each other. The second one speaks. "We have gathered intelligence about something being kept in solitary confinement."
 
"That is a student at the school!" Professor McKinley answers. "We are well aware of her condition, and it is being controlled. She isn't a danger to anyone! In fact the only thing dangerous here is you two!"
 
I listen closely. I have a feeling they are talking about Vandailia. They are. Isa tells me mentally.
 
"Do you not admit her condition has gotten worse over the past week?" The men ask.
 
Professor McKinley looks at the men. I can tell she does not want them in the school. "I was with her just today. While it has indeed worsened-"
 
"What could cause the girls condition to flare so suddenly?" The men interrupt.
 
"No one knows." Professor McKinley tells them. "Her condition is only known by her family and those of us at this school."
 
The two men look at each other again. I can't tell if they are Electra. One scribbles something on a clipboard. The men start talking to each other. "This is bad. The girl is unstable. She must be moved."
 

 
  

   

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