Morph [EDITING] || Wattys 2017 Winner

~THREE~

~amelie~

It's been a week since they took Izzy. I haven't slept properly the whole time for fear of what's happening to her. The worst part is that Dad's trip still took priority, so now he's gone. I've been granted as much time off school as I need, to deal with what's happening, but Sophia's at school and Mum's out. It really does seem like she couldn't care less about me - she just leaves when I need someone to talk to. It's like she's trying so, so hard to distance herself from me.

All my friends, usually active and chatty through texts when we're not together, are silent. They've all been told to give me space. So now I'm home alone with the painful scene on permanent loop inside my head. And then there's the unfamiliar boy.

I'm in my bedroom now. I'm lying on my back, staring at the ceiling, wondering why they took Izzy and not me. I keep seeing her inside my head, petrified and panicked. I haven't gone near my ability since the first time I used it, afraid of all the consequences it might bring, so for the moment I just sit and think.

The rasp from someone opening a window sounds from Mum and Dad's room, next to mine. It's probably just Mum, although I thought she was still out. She likes to keep the air fresh. I wish I still had Izzy to talk to, or even someone I could just tell about my power with absolutely no consequences, but that's just a wish. It's not going to happen. Is it?

Someone appears in the doorway. Their frame is silhouetted from the light, so I can't make out their face, but there's only one person in the house and that's...

Me. And I'm sure that Mum's still not home. So... who is this?

I open my mouth in a sudden, overwhelming panic and begin to scream, but before I can make any sound the silhouette darts forward and clamps a hand over my mouth. I start struggling and sobbing, clawing at the hand that's covering my mouth, but then I hear it speak.

"Isabelle is safe."

For a moment, I'm shocked, and I stop struggling. It's enough time for the figure to manoeuvre itself in front of me so I can see its face. It's the boy who took Izzy.

"Amelie, please don't scream. I'm taking away my hand. Just hear me out, okay? I promise everything's fine."
Tears well up in my eyes as he removes his hand, face concerned. I push myself up against the wall, huddling up. My voice is a whisper. "How did you get in? Where's Izzy? What do you want? Who are you?"
He doesn't smile or offer any sort of comfort. He just relaxes his body posture and begins to speak. "My name is Ryan. I flew up to the window and opened it from outside. Izzy is fine. And as for me and what I want, I'm a member of the rebel organisation that's trying to rescue people like you."
"People like me?" I whisper.
Ryan grins. "Don't pretend, Amelie. I know you've got powers."

His words hit me like a hammer. If he knows, then he'll tell someone. If he tells someone, they'll take me away. And if they take me away-

I don't realise fresh tears are falling until Ryan's tanned hand touches mine. "Hey. It's okay. I'm not going to tell anyone. I mean, I've got them too, so it would be pretty stupid to hand both of us in to your dad's unit, right?"

I nod slowly. Somehow, my fear has eased. He doesn't seem like a bad person. Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe Izzy really is okay.

"What do rebels want with me?"
"We want to recruit you," says Ryan, running a hand through his hair. "We need people with abilities to help with the fight."
"I'm not a fighter," I say uncertainly, "and you still haven't told me exactly where Izzy is."
He sighs. "Izzy's safe; I can promise you that. She's in no danger. The only reason we took her... was for you."
My eyes widen. "Are you blackmailing me?"
"Blackmail? No. But she would have told those guards about your ability. We had to keep your powers a secret." He grins again. "But don't worry about any of that now. All I want you to do is think about it. Whose side are you on? Imagine your dad is just a normal guy with a normal job. Imagine you've discovered you have powers and you're about to be tested. Who would you side with?"