Strangers

One

I walked down the hall, head down. My head was pounding from the amount of information my brain was trying to process at once. Kids were shoving through the crowd making my head spin. I could easily filter who was who by their thoughts. A blonde cheerleader was wondering why math was a thing and a football player was running plays.

My focus was on the pinpointing instead of watching where I was going, so when I was pushed, I lost my balance and fell into someone. My head immediately cleared and I became dizzy, nearly collapsing. I hadn't felt that sensation since... No it couldn't be.

"Are you okay?" I could hear someone ask. They seemed very loud without the whole school's thoughts running through my brain. My body wouldn't move because of the shock of the change, so I just sat there, frozen. "Do you need me to take you to the nurse?"

"Uh-" was all I was able to get out before the sensation struck again. I grimaced and grabbed my head in pain. The worst part about my power was the transformation from one persons power to the next. It was painful and draining.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay? Did I hit you that hard?" They asked, trying to help me stand up. I couldn't move. I could hear them conversing with their friends through the pain but I couldn't concentrate on what they were saying. I sensed the friends left and I could feel them carefully lift me up, and begin carrying me. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Clayton, what happened?" The nurse, Miss Rayburn, gasped as I was carried into the nurses office.

"Someone shoved her into me in the hall and she collapsed and was grabbing at her head. She tried to talk but then she became dazed and it seemed like she couldn't move." I assume Clayton explained, worried. The throbbing came again and I hissed in pain, grabbing at my head.

"Oh, my! Set her up against the wall, and keep her awake. If you can, get her to talk to you. I have to see if I can find her name real quick and call an ambulance." Miss Rayburn rushed off into her office, out of earshot. I took this as my chance.

"What are your-" I tried to start, the pain getting worse with each word.

"What? I'm Clayton. Clayton Burbank. I think we have Pre-Calc together." He tried to supply, obvious to what I was asking. If I said the word I know he would know. To stronger the pain the stronger the powers.

"Powers." I said, nearly panting. I could see panic flash in his eyes, but he covered it up quickly.

"You must have hit your head hard." He tried to cover up, but I cut him off.

"Tell me. I know you have them. I know you felt it." I said quickly, grabbing his arm. I felt a jolt of electricity before I felt my mind get pulled somewhere else. It felt like a dream, but I could tell it was a memory. I saw a kid, not much older than eight, playing with trucks. There was a flash, and suddenly I was back. I took in a big gasp of air, realizing I must not have been breathing while seeing that vision.

"How did you know." His voice got quiet and menacing.

"I have them too." I said slowly. The pain quickly came again and I grunted, grabbing at my head again.

"What's wrong with you then?" Clayton asked before Miss Rayburn rushed out of the room.

"Marley, its ok. The ambulance is on its way." She tried to soothe me, but panic set in. Questions would be raised when the doctors didn't find anything wrong with me. I shot a panicked look to Clayton who realized my fear. "Now Clayton, you should hurry back to class."

"Can I stay with her and make sure she's okay? I feel like its kind of my fault and I'd feel better staying with her until then." He asked smoothly, eyes never leaving mine.

"I'm going to inform the principle about this incident then wait for the ambulance to come here. If you can keep an eye on her you can be excused for today." And with that she was gone.

"What's wrong with you. Is it your power that's causing this?" Clayton stood up and began pacing.

"Yes." I said weakly.

"Why are you here then. This is a easy place to get caught at." He said almost angrily.

"My power is... Special." I began. Another spike hit and I could see the empathy still flash in his eyes.

"Isn't everyone's?"

"I copy other people's powers." I said quickly. Clayton quickly turned to me, shocked. "I had mind reading before, and now I have the same powers you have."

"No. That's impossible." He stormed over to me kneeling down to get eye level. He looked me in the eyes, groaned, then got up and continued pacing. "Shoot. This can't be happening."

"What powers do you have." I stated nervously, before cowering and simpering in pain again. "We have."

"Lie detector." He said calmly. "But that's not what I'm worried about."

"I saw a vision. Of you playing with trucks before a flash of light." He froze in his tracks, snapping his head back at me. "Is that your powers?"

"How did you see that. That's not my power." His eyes were full of terror and pain. The air suddenly got warm and I could hear a hissing sound, slowly becoming a quiet crackling sound.

My eyes shot to his hands where a yellow light was radiating from. There were a few loud cracks before a bolt of electricity shot out, hitting my leg. I hissed in pain, grabbing it and the air rushed back to normal temperature and Clayton rushed over to me in a panic.

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you with it. Are you okay? I'm so so sorry. It's out of control." He stumbled over his words as he tried to pry my hand off my leg.

"Electricity." I said quietly with realization. Another spike hit, this one worse than the rest, and I gasped in pain, grabbing my head again.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I burned you." He said sadly lifting my pant leg to reveal a rather large spot of charred skin.

"Marley, the ambulance is here to help you." Miss Rayburn burst in, two paramedics following her. I shot Clayton a worried glance before looking blindly ahead of me, tightening the grip I had on my head.

"Miss Hakes, can you hear me? My name is Harry. We are going to help you, but you need to try and help us too." One of the paramedics kneeled in front of me, taking my pulse as he tried to get a reaction from me. I gave him nothing but a wince of another spine.

"Matt, her pulse is high and she's not responding." Harry said worriedly, studying my face. "Marley, can you smile for me?"

A terrible spike hit, causing me to jerk backwards, hitting my head on the wall. I squeezed my eyes shut, the world spinning and nausea appearing out of nowhere. I felt someone lift me, carry me somewhere, move me into a laying position then someone grabbing my hand. I opened my eyes to see Clayton next to me, his hand in mine.