"Like you're drowning?"
Stiles nodded. "Yeah."
"So if you're drowning, and you're trying to keep your mouth closed until that very last moment, what if you choose to not open your mouth? To not let the water in?"
"You do anyway. It's a reflex."
"But if you hold off until that reflex kicks in, you have more time, right?""
"Not much."
"But more time to fight your way to the surface or to find a way down?"
Stiles shrugged. "I guess."
"More time to be rescued?"
"More time to be in agonizing pain. I mean, did you forget about the part where you feel like your head's exploding?"
"If it's about survival, isn't a little agony worth it?"
Kya stared Ms. Morrell down. "Agony can turn to better or to hell. I know that all too well."
Stiles sighed. "What if it's agony now and then -- and it's just hell later on?"
Ms. Morrell looked at him. "Then think about something Winston Churchill once said -- "If you're going through hell, keep going.""
They left the guidance office.
After a moment, Stiles asked, "Are you coming to the championship game?"
Kya nodded. "I wouldn't miss it."
The next week, they were all gathered in the locker room. Kya was standing in the back, between Melissa and Scott. Coach started his speech. ""Mankind -- that word should have a new meaning for all of us today.""
Melissa frowned at her son. "What the hell is he talking about?"
Kya shrugged. "I have no idea."
Stiles glanced to Melissa. "He does this every year."
"Seriously?" Melissa wondered.
"Yeah."
""We are fighting for our right to live"," Coach continued.
"Yeah!" the players cheered.
Melissa frowned before her eyes widened. "Wait, is this-"
Stiles nodded. "Yeah, it's the speech from Independence Day."
""But as the day the world declared in one voice-""
"It's Coach's favorite movie."
""We will not go quietly into the night!""
"He doesn't know any sports speeches?" Melissa wondered.
Kya chuckled. "Pretty sure he doesn't care."
""Today we celebrate our Independence Day!""
"Yeah!" the guys cheered.
Gerard appeared in the locker room. "Well spoken, Coach. I might have chosen something with a little more historical value, but there's no denying your passion. And while I haven't been here long, there's no denying my pride in having a winning team for this school. I know you'll all be brilliant tonight, even with only one co-captain leading you. Now, I'm your principal, but I'm also a fan. So don't think I'll be content to watch you merely beat this team. Get out there and murder them."
"You heard the man. Asses on the field!" Coach cried.
Before they got out to the field, Kya rushed up to Stiles and said, "Something felt off with his speech. Be careful, okay?"
YOU ARE READING
Translucence
Mystery / ThrillerKya Hansen was invisible to all but one. Her rambling spaz she liked to call him. Six years before, she had died and was left wandering aimlessly. Until she found out that one could see her. From then on, she stayed by his side, as a guardian ange...
