Walking Among Humans

Chapter 21 - Part 1

Ben

"What the hell happened to her?"

"We don't know. Nothing like this has ever happened before."

I open my eyes and once again find myself in John's office, flat on my back staring at the ceiling. My head is pounding in rhythm with my racing heart, my body frozen in place like a stone sculpture, and my mind races with a million thoughts. I don't understand why this is happening, I've never been sick a day in my life.

"Mona! You're awake!" Ben is by my side within seconds, scanning my entire body for injuries.

I try to respond, but my voice refuses to work. The voices in my head keep getting louder.

I have only felt this weak one other time that I can recall, and that was when they came for Abigail. An equalizer would explain the inability to move, the drained feeling, and the failure to initiate my telepathy with Ben.

I plead with him the only way I can, with my eyes. My only hope is that he will understand. Please, Ben, please figure it out, I can't take much more.

A look of understanding washes over his face. "Where is the equalizer?"

"He's back on Talonia. Why?"

"Is it possible that there's a student here that hasn't started their trait cycle?"

"No, parents are instructed not to send them here until they get their mark. And Lois can't track them until then either, so it would be impossible. Why?"

"Well, she seemed to react more strongly to him than anyone else. Wait, do you think this could be a side effect from the few minutes he was there?"

"No, if this had anything to do with that she would have shown signs earlier."

Up to this point the Council has remained silent. Perhaps that is because they prefer not to waste time postulating what could have caused it. Perhaps they already know and are just waiting for Ben to figure it out. As if they are testing his logic and reasoning in the face of tragedy. That's it! They are doing this to me to test him.

I let my eyes close and focus every last ounce of my energy on Ben. I have to find a way to connect with him. I block out all the ambient noises around me, and clear my mind of everything but him. "Ben, it's a test."

Nothing, damn. I try again. "Ben, they're testing you."

He kneels down next to me and takes my hand in his. "They're testing you. It's a test."

Ben's eyes go wide. "What do you mean, a test?"

"They want to see how well you react to my being ill, to make sure you can handle it."

His body goes rigid, his fingers curling into a fist around my limp hand. "This is sick. How dare you do this to her to test me!"

"Benjamin! Watch your tone, Son. You are still addressing the Council."

"I know exactly who I'm addressing, Dad. They're doing this to her. They want to see how I'll react to her being ill. To make sure I'll be able to handle whatever comes at us."

John stands there for a minute. He turns to the Council and bows his head. "Please forgive my son, he is very close to Mona and is distressed at her current state."

"His reaction is understandable, even if he is wrong. Please young guardian, tell us how you came to that conclusion."

"She told me."