Nothing Super [COMPLETED]

Chapter 8 - "Save the planet and whatnot?"

Taylor stepped out of the mass of students and into the library. It bore the typical school library appearance: round tables at the front and a long line of double row of bookshelves behind.

What did not fit with the cliche tableau was the librarian. He was a man in his mid-forties with wild black hair. He resembled a praying mantis, all long limbs and elbows. He had his feet propped on his desk, ankles crossed, and book in hand.

As Taylor entered, he eyed her over the rim of his circular spectacles, noting her presence. She nodded in greeting. He returned to his reading, the mental note taken.

Not seeing Dominic, Taylor cut through the collection of tables to the bookshelves. After a minute of searching, she retrieved a calculus and physics textbook. She walked to the furthest corner and dumped her backpack onto the ground. When she heard footsteps, she turned. Dominic had his hands shoved into his pockets as he eyed the corner.

"How do you want to do this?" he asked. "I have to be in contact with you in some way for this to work."

He ran a hand through his hair as if realizing exactly how that sounded. Taylor found nothing strange in the statement; it was something she already knew and didn't see an odd meaning to.

"Sit down here with your legs stretched out," she said, pointing to one side of the corner.

Unslinging his backpack, Dominic dropped to the ground and extended his long legs. Somehow, with the position, his legs managed to seem even longer than usual. Taylor plopped down perpendicular to him and draped her ankles over his ankles.

"That work?" she asked.

"Yeah, that works," Dominic said.

"Great."

Taylor hauled her backpack closer and dug through it, pulling out her binder and notebooks. She flipped open a page when the world sucked in its breath. Despite knowing that nothing would be different, she raised her head, gazing about.

As predicted there was no change she could see. The air felt odd as if she could reach out and touch the frozen particles. Unable to restrain herself, she lifted her hand and waved it through the air.

"Strange, right?"

She looked at Dominic realizing he was watching her.

"Yeah."

The first time he had stopped time, she hadn't known and the previous two times were crammed with other distractions that she wasn't given time to process the feeling. It was like being in fog, you felt it against your skin but couldn't touch it.

"You'll get used to it over time," he said. "I'll get used to teleporting, right? I won't always want to puke?"

His question snapped the trance Taylor felt caught in. Finding a pencil, she nodded.

"The next time should be better. It will probably go away after the third. I'm not sure. I've never teleported someone more than twice."

The single statement was a peek into a bigger part of her secret life and she noticed Dominic tilt his head, forming the question that would widen the gap. But as she had that morning, he kept the question to himself. Taylor moved the moment along by riffling through the textbook to the right page.

"How much time do I have?" she asked.

"About an hour, maybe less. I don't know how long I can hold it with someone else in the Time Stop with me. I've never done this before."

It was Taylor's turn to be given an opening. There were two curiosities that could be explored. She went with the safest one.

"Time Stop?"