The wind was blowing so ferociously as if a storm was coming but we knew it was just a hoax, it haven't rained a single drop for over eleven years and somehow the water bodies were not dried up.
The world: 0
The gas: 1
We carried a sample of the water and then we headed home.
The mutants were outside, mostly the young ones playing around in the yard using their powers openly without fear of being whisked away by those mad scientists.
I waved at one of them, who just stared at me and looked away, she was sitting far away from the others.
"That's Ashely, she has Telepathy, she hears people's thoughts. I advice you to stay away from her. She can be a little crazy"
Carlo whispered to me.
"I heard that" The girl shouted from where she sat.
"Hey Ashely"
I waved at her again
This time she smiled.
"You are beautiful"
I heard her voice in my head. I knew she had to be the one talking, I looked at her and I smiled back.
I handed the 'miracle' water to Carol, telling him I'll meet him later. I walked to Ashley and sat down beside her.
"Why are you not playing with the others?" I asked her calmly.
She scoffed
"They all have juvenile brains"
she replied.
I let out a small laugh as I looked at her. She looked smallish with a nerdy glasses perched on her nose. Her eyes beneath the glasses were a forest shade of green, and her skin which look pasty was caramel coloured. She looked sickly pale.
"How old are you?" I asked her
"I'm twelve, but my Ma always said my brain is bigger than my age"
she said with a look of pride on her face.
"Is that so? Where is your Ma?"
She hesitated before she replied
"She was taken away from me"
World: 1
Gas: 1
She sniffed
I didn't want her to start crying
so I changed the subject immediately.
"I have powers too you know. I can communicate with animals"
Her eyes became large with excitement.
"Really? I love animals. I've always wanted to talk to Poodles, sometimes it looked like he was trying to have a conversation with me"
"Who is Poodles?"
"My pet golden retriever. But he ran away on the day of the explosion. I think it scared him"
She looked sad again.
World: 1
Gas: 2
I didn't know what to say again since everything I say always ended up in a sad conversation.
Looking at the girl before me, I couldn't help but think if she was actually healthy, she looked sick.
"I'm not sick. I always look like this"
"How did you....oooh your powers"
I smiled at her and she smiled back. In that moment I knew we would be really good friends.
"You never told me your name" She said suddenly
"I'm Keturah"
She made a face
"What sort of name is that?"
"It's a hebrew name. It means Fragrance. My Ma always said I always smelled like flowers"
"Was your Ma taken too? I heard some of the adults talking about it"
"Yeah. She was taken away from me when I was seven"
"Did she have powers too? Because my Ma was taken away because she had powers"
"No. She didn't. Her only crime was being a scientist"
We became quiet as we watched the kids playing around the large compound.
After a while I stood up.
"I'm going to head inside now. If you need anything, feel free to come talk to me. Okay?"
She nodded quietly and smiled at me again. He smile never gets old.
I walked towards the house, my heart still feeling light and free.
It was time to find out if we have a cure or not. I hope the answer will be leaning towards the former.
^^^^^^^^
My heart has never raced as fast as it was racing now. I couldn't move.
It's all over, I kept saying in my head. I wished right then and there the ground would open up and suck me into its depth.
"I said, what exactly are you looking for?"
There was no mistaken the voice of Katherine with another.
I watched her drink the whole glass of water with sleeping pills.
How is she awake?
I cursed silently then I slowly turned around to face the witch.
She was standing behind me in her white sleeping gown with her hair flowing around her. Her eyes still looked heavy with sleep.
"Mum is that you? I've missed you so much"
She drawled and threw her hands around me.
I was as confused as anything. I'm very sure a large question mark was drawn over my head.
Is the almighty Katherine Mayer sleep walking.
I almost started laughing.
I tapped my earbuds.
"Cathy there's a problem. Come here now"
"Mum..." She kept whining over my shoulder.
I've never delt with a sleep walker so I was so lost as to what to do.
I started slowly backing her towards the bed.
I sat her down slowly but she immediately reached out to me pulling me down with her.
"Maaaaa" She whined again.
I cursed again.
Cathy rushed into the room and froze as she took in the scene before her.
"What's going on?"
She mouthed.
I shrugged.
"Come help me lay her down on the bed"
I whispered
"What's happening?"
She whispered back as she helped me pull her up.
"I think she's sleep walking"
Cathy made a face.
We pulled her up and carried her to the bed where we lay her down properly. Which turned out to be a straineos excersise.
After everything, we started breathing hard as if we ran a marathon.
"God she weighs a ton" I said bending down with my hands on my knees. I was definitely too old for this.
Cathy was sprawled on the posh rug.
"Stop exaggerating and come help me crack this safe" I said walking towards the safe.
"What do we have here?"
She said walking slowly towards the safe.
"I've never cracked a safe before"
"There's always a first time for everything" I said pulling her closer to the safe and making her stand in front of it.
"You got this" I said tapping her on the shoulder.
She subtly rolled her eyes and went to work on the safe.
"Shouldn't we look for a clue or something as to what the code might be?"
I looked around the room checking for unique numbers around. I looked into her drawers and closet for a diary or something that might give us a code.
"There's nothing here, it seams 'her highness' doesn't keep secret notes"
A thought came to my mind but as soon as it rolled out of my mouth I knew it had to be wrong.
"Try her birthday...7885"
She inputted the code but it was void.
Of course, that's too obvious.
After much thought, I had another idea. This better work.
"Try 7822"
The safe made a ding sound as it slide open.
"What date was that?"
"That was the day we signed the contract"
It was the highlight of our lives.
"Here is the moment of truth"
Cathy said as she pulled open the safe.
Our hearts dropped as we finally saw the insides of the safe.
Cathy cursed under her breath.
I just shook my head and shut my eyes.
What a waste of time.
The safe was empty.