Uncomfortable silence joined the trio around the breakfast table. Abigail stood on the verge of a breakdown. Her eyes watched Lance like he was on death row. Valencia did her best to comfort her.
Lance couldn't stand his mother's sadness. After she wallowed in it for months, he couldn't watch her go through it again. He grabbed his backpack and headed to the door. "I'm going to school. Maybe my history teacher knows something about eidolon."
Rachel shook her head, "We agreed to find answers..."
"I can't see her like this again." before anyone could respond. Lance dashed out the front door. The presence stayed silent for most of the journey. He made it to the front doors as the bell rang.
Lance had to make it through English to get to history. While the information was important, Lance also needed to feel like a normal kid for a minute. The eidolon made him feel like a freak.
***
Lance rarely noticed girls. After the national junior scouts came to see him play two years ago, all his efforts went toward making the team. The presence drew his attention to a girl two desks ahead of him. Her brown skin glistened under the fluorescent light.
Lance ignored the eidolon and did his best to focus on the smartboard and the teacher's talking. The eidolon flashed a picture of the girl and then a danger sign. Was she in danger or dangerous?
The girl next to her saw Lance and opened her mouth in horror. Lance looked down. His body started to glow again. What are you doing? Lance thought. The eidolon forced him to his feet. The light expanded and formed a spectral animal around his body. "Stop it. I'm not in danger."
The teacher grabbed the emergency phone off the wall, "Security, I need you in room 104. No, a gun isn't involved. I can't describe what's going on. Just get down here." His hand shook as the phone slammed against the mount.
Long ghostly wings extended from Lance's body. The eidolon forced him to stomp his foot and raise his head. A sonic shriek shattered windows and emptied the room faster than a fire alarm.
The girl stopped at the door and stared at him. She raised a hand and waved to him. Her skirt trailed behind her as she vanished into the crowd.
The eidolon wouldn't be discouraged in this instance. The door smashed into pieces from the force of his blow. Chunks of wood and metal spread across the hallway.
Portly security guards entered the hall. They held up their stun guns, "What the hell is that?"
His slimmer partner pressed the mic on his radio. "We need police back up." He held up the taser and said, "Easy kid, no one has to get hurt."
While the eidolon prepared for battle, Lance attempted to bring it under control. "If you don't stop, I can't guarantee the police won't shoot us." He paused to gather his breath. "I'm no good to you dead."
The eidolon relented, and Lance surrendered to the security guards, who gave each other nervous glances.
***
Rachel and Abigail came to pick up Lance. Abigail invited Rachel to join them. "Principal Turner..."
"Save it, Ms. Ryder." Turner steepled his fingers and leaned back in his chair with a smug grin. He projected superiority with every word. "We've been here before, haven't we, Ms. Ryder."
"It's not her fault. It's mine. I lost control." Lance rushed to his mother's aid. The eidolon's anger assaulted his mind. He started to glow. "It's doing it again."
"What is going on with him?" Turner rolled back, and his chair crashed into the wall. His hands went up.
"We don't know yet," Abigail said. She tentatively touched Lance's shoulder. She couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.
"Mrs. Rider, you look terrified of your son. Why should I allow him to attend this institution?" Turner asked. The man had a point. The eidolon proved its power. "My security guards are terrified of him."
Rachel glared at the bald man. "What are you suggesting?" Her gaze earned fear from the bald man.
Principal Turner cleared his throat. "Lance is a good student. His teachers like him. He works hard to keep his grade up, and I rarely see him in detention." He steepled his fingers again. "I saw the thing attached to him. It's dangerous. He can return when he's got that thing under control."
Lance rose from his chair, and Abigail pulled him back down the chair. "Lance mentioned a girl. May we stick around and talk to her? She might help us understand what's going on."
Turner rocked back and forth in a chair. "If things go wrong, I'll deny this conversation ever took place."
***
Rachel offered to use her badge to search the classrooms. Lance shook his head, "No, Let's see if the eidolon can find her."
"I think we should leave. People are terrified of you, Lance." Abigail grabbed Lance's hand, and he shook it loose. "Mom, that girl is in danger or is the danger. I can't leave until I know."
"How do you know that?" Rachel asked.
"The eidolon has been trying to communicate," Lance said. "It uses pictures, colors, and emotions."
Abigail started to come undone, "Why does this keep happening? I need a drink..."
"Don't talk that way, Mi Amor." Rachel embraced her and rocked back and forth. "I think we should find the girl and figure out what comes next." She kissed Abigail and caressed her face, "How about you give Geoff a call while Lance and I search, okay."
"The eidolon said something about him, didn't it?" Abigail asked.
"It said something about bloodlines, and it came from dad's side of the family." Lance headed down the hall.
"Why didn't Geoff mention it?" Abigail rubbed her temples, "It's a big secret to keep."
The bell rang, and the students filled the halls. Lance took a deep breath. "Okay, eidolon, guide me to the girl without putting the whole school on red alert." A green checkmark appeared in his mind, and an arrow pointing right, "Come on, Rachel."
Rachel followed close behind. "I hope this works out, or it might cost me my badge."