The Morganville Institute

Chapter 2

“Shhh,” Emmie whispered, trying to soothe the poor girl. She didn’t move. She didn’t speak or do anything but blink, unmoving in the same horrified expression. “Is she okay?” I asked in the nicest voice possible.

“She’s still in shock, if I could find Isa she could calm her down from within her head,” She replied.

“Hmm I wonder where she got to,” I pondered. The girl started to stir and shake. I knew what she was going to do so I went to push Em away from her but my reaction time was too late, the brunette had already launched Em into the table across from us. Cats always land on their feet, don’t they? Whispered the voice. I shook my head trying to block out the voice.  The girl screamed and backed into the nearest wall, a few of our friends went to calm her but she threw them back without so much as lifting a finger. Telekinesis! Boomed the voice louder than before. If I could slow her down her reactions then maybe one of the Empaths could reach her and calm her.

 “Em, go find Isa!” I shouted as she rose from the table, she nodded and sprinted off. I didn’t even know how to begin on slowing her down.  I could slow her body down with water then maybe that would slow her mind, would it work? Let me take over then I could burn her till she gave in, tempted the voice. I couldn’t allow her to take over again, not like last time. I pushed the particles to condense around her. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the flow wrapping around her, slowing her movements down. As I opened my eyes I saw she was cocooned up to the neck in water. Isa moved quickly up to her and placed one palm onto her forehead as she did the girl smiled and relaxed her stance. I allowed the particles to return to their normal state.

Everyone let out a sigh of relieve except for one, Jessica let out a spluttered laughter. We all turned and glared at her. “God she hasn’t been here one day and already she is an attention seeker-“her sentence was cut-off by her body being pushed off its chair. I clapped, turning to the brunette who now had Emmie and Isa helping and explain everything she needed to know to her. I smiled knowing she would have people there for her unlike so many people here when they first joined but me & Em tried to help them all as best we could including Isa. Isa’s blonde hair looked out of place when she stood with the girls, its ash-blonde colour was a complete contrast against the brunette and golden hair of the other two. I walked out of the canteen, having lost my appetite. 

(2hrs Later)

Everything had calmed down with the new girl, she was still fascinating to everyone but she hadn’t sparked out again. People had bombarded questions at her for the better part of 2hrs which she was happy to answer, apparently. I only heard fragments of the conversations around me. After leaving the canteen I had taken up a perch on one of the lower roofs on the building, I liked it here and came here often as none of the cameras could see it neither could anyone reach me without the help of a ladder which I could easily push over. It was about noon right now which meant everyone would be in their rooms or with their counsellor, some lucky people would be free to wander like myself. I haven’t been admitted to a counsellor since I nearly burnt the room down when she tried to use hypnosis on me and released the “other side”. The wardens and workers here don’t bother me anymore thanks to my little accident then again they don’t bother most of us in ward 3 as they can’t control us or our powers. I was in mid thought when I heard…

“Oi butthead!” I didn’t move. “Don’t ignore me, I know you can hear me!” I kept as still as possible, knowing who the voice belonged to. “Fine stay there, I know it was you that made me fall before or at least you made someone else do it for because you couldn’t face me. I will get you back for that, you stupid twat!”  I lay there frozen, not moving for fear of laughing and angering Jessica further. If I was going to pull a stunt like that then I would at least do it myself and not make someone else waste their ability on her.I imagined her falling again but my thoughts kept being interrupted by the boy and his brown hair. Aww somebody’s got a crush! Taunted the voice. No I don’t, I thought but not even I could stop my cheeks burning up.The voice within started singing to herself:

 You don't know anything

 You don't know anything

You don't know anything about me

 

Once it starts, it never stops

 Discipline, it's all I'm not

Can't help myself, you listening?

Why can't I say just what I want?

 

 You don't know anything

 No, you don't know anything about me

 

 Steady damage, cross the line

 What's become clearly defined?

Steady damage, cross the line

What's become clearly defined?

Where'd that come from? I asked it. The voice remained silent.