The Playing Fields First Draft

Chapter Four

     "Hm." Claire bit her lip, she wanted to spill the beans to Mari. "Is...?" Claire glanced at Will.

     "No, he's not." Mari replied. "At least we don't think he is."

     "How do you know?" Claire asked.

     Mari shrugged. "He's a shy kid, it took a while before we got him talking regularly with us. He still doesn't like to talk about himself."

     "So..." Claire began.

     "...why haven't we found key components if Rick and I are psychics?" Mari finished for Claire. "Well, we currently don't have them."

     "Don't have them?"

     "The fae put us on blockers." Mari explained. "I suspect that they knew who we were when they abducted us."

     Odd, Claire's powers were beginning to come out. Although they weren't out of control like Mari's had been, courtesy of the Fischer family training, she still had her powers. Perhaps the fae couldn't tell if a person needed their powers to have one last push to bloom.

     Questions for later. Claire thought.

     "So, what if one of the abductees came in without psychic abilities, but they began to manifest after waking up here?" Claire asked.

     "Psychics grew into their psychic abilities while they were awake." Mari told Claire.

      Right, like I was taught as a child. Claire thought, somewhat annoyed. "So would that mean that if they were to detect that ability, they'd need to have their subject conscious to detect that power."

      "Perhaps." Mari said, thoughtfully. "Are you developing psychic powers, Claire?"

      The question took Claire off guard. "What if I was?" Claire asked, guarded.

      "I'd suggest you get a mentor." Mari looked over at Rick, still rereading the note, still searching for what else needed to be done. From his frustrated expression, it didn't look like Rick was finding anything new.

     "I see." Claire said.

     Mari smiled at Claire. "He's not as bad as he lets on." Mari said, knowingly. "He's far more charitable than he lets on."

     "I'll keep that in mind." Claire replied. Well, that cat's out of the bag. Mari was no fool, despite what her previous profession would lead Claire to believe.

     "I should see if Rick needs some help." Mari told Claire as she turned toward Rick. "Hope you think over what I said."

     "I'll think about it." Claire promised.

     And then Claire was alone.

     How long will we be here for? Claire wondered.

     Then Claire noticed Will was off at the closest place to a corner, by himself. Claire wondered what had happened to him before his abduction.

     I should talk to him. Claire thought as she stood up from the rock. Make certain he knows that he's not alone.

     As Claire approached the young man and observed him. It was odd, it was like she was looking at him for the first time. Will wasn't the best-looking man Claire's ever seen, there were many imperfections about his features, some of them, the imperfect balance of the eyes, though slight they were, could lead to childhood bullying.

     The foolishness of youth, I suppose. Claire was no stranger to being bullied, but that had come after her psychic powers failed to bloom.