The Duns

Meeting Her Parents

Chapter Five

Peter

The cold hospital bench sends a shock throughout my body as soon as I sit on it. My faltering hands, realizing that there is nothing to do now except wait, pick up a newspaper lying beside me. The paper turns increasingly blurry. Once again, I feel my eyes turn a shade of bleached blue. The colour flows through my eyes like water breaking off a cliff, forming a waterfall. Please tell me she is okay. She has to be.

It is now 3 days since the events that had taken place, two days since she was shot by one of my closest friends- my only friend. Due to the rituals that had forced itself into my schedule, I wasn't able to meet Catherine. Today, however, I decided that I must, despite the futile warnings from Igetis and the shock that hit me from yesterday's talk, I had to meet her.

My eyes, clearer now, start scanning the papers in front of me uselessly, hoping to buy some time. I flip the page- and stop. Printed clearly in black ink are the words that had left me turning and cursing throughout the night. Does she know? I grimaced. It will destroy her.

"Peter?" a voice cuts through my thoughts. I jerk up sharply. "Peter, I think she's ready to see you now. It was really nice of you to come along. She has been asking for you since she got up..."

I smile gratefully at the perfect parental figures standing before me. Catherine's mother is a short, slightly plump lady with a bob-cut hairdo and jingling bangles on her arm. She is dressed in sweatpants and has dark circles below her eyes. Her husband, Catherine's father, has his arm around her waist. He is tall, with thick grey hair and an unusually fit body. He smiles at me painfully and ushers me towards the door to Catherine's hospital room. I smile dully back at him, excuse myself, and push open the blue doors.

She is lying on her bed. Her usually fair skin, now even whiter, her face drooping with exhaustion- but Catherine's eyes jump open when she realizes I walked in. "Hey..." I whisper.

"Hey..." she replies, her unfaltering smile back on.

"So, what did the doctor say? When are you out?"

"In another couple of days... Can't walk yet though... Might have to get around in a wheelchair..."

I nod uncertainly.

"Thanks for coming."

"Of course." I pause, now standing right over her, "I'm really sorry. The guy who shot you..." I stop mid-sentence and sigh.

"Shh... Don't, its okay." Right. Riiight. It was totally okay.

She pats the space beside her. I sit down, taking her hands in mine. "There's something I need to tell you." she says, earnestly.

I laugh, "There's a lot I need to tell you, but I'll start with saying that you're in danger." My astonishing statement makes a surprisingly small impact on her.

"Did you hear anything about Shailene? She knows about the thing too, she way there with me as well..." her words fade away. She looks at my face, which now hangs down, staring at the floor. "Oh."

I glance up suddenly. An eye-piercing feeling breaks into my retina and I know my eye colour has changed again; I'm feeling vulnerable, it's probably yellow. I groan inwardly. Why did this happen? "I'm sorry I couldn't save her. I swear I was searching-"

She stopped me. "We need to talk. Right after I'm out."

I wonder what is so important that she placed it in front of her own best friend, but I don't get a chance to ask her. Mr. Davis walks in and clears his throat, signaling for me to leave her hand. I smile and do so reluctantly. Guess I have to leave now.

"Get better soon Catherine." I say to her.

"Catherine is an exceptionally long name isn't it?" Mrs. Davis asks out of the blue, with a funny, sort of mocking expression on her face. Oh, I got it. I mouth her thank you and turn to Catherine. Once more, a pulse beats behind my eyelids and my heart flutters. Pink. "Cathy." I say reaching out to stroke her face. She leans into my hand.

"That's pushing it a bit too far young man." Her father mentions from the bottom of the bed. Well, I tried. Grinning, I leave the room.

It is only once I exit the hospital that I realize that neither one of the Davis's commented on the change in my eye colour. The sudden plot twists behind my eyes should have been colour-changes, I am sure of it. Funny.

-

Time is passing surprisingly fast. Cathy would be leaving the hospital today and her parents have allowed me to be her escort- probably her idea, and a good one, seeing that we need to talk.

Over the last few days, it being a weekend, the school has been empty and so we Oi Alloi's occupied the premises to our fullest capacity. Each hour was spent training and improving our powers; focusing not only on our strengths, but weaknesses too.

My flaw, however, was incurable and so I used up every minute making my four exceptional abilities stronger and more controlled.

Over the course of two days, I experienced at least 15 simulations for my 'exceptional' fighting skills, also learning how to wield many different weapons if necessary; I had learnt how to use fire to my advantage- lighting things up, and cooling them down; I was locked up in a room with no lighting, just blinding darkness, and silent creatures- so that I could sharpen my ears; and probably the most frightening of them all, I was thrown into an enclosed tank of water, without any oxygen, only my will to survive, thus improving my 'no need to breath' power.

Fortunately, none of these astonishing capabilities were a lie and I could drag through them all; there was no test that I would not pass.

And now, finally, it is Monday. I race out of school on my bike, pedaling as fast as my feet could possibly, to the hospital from where Cathy (on her wheelchair), and I would go for a walk (you get the point) in the park.

Hurry Peter! I willed myself to go faster. I had to be back in time for training in the evening.