Elements: The Beginning

Chapter 9 - Let's Begin

"Ranald!" Lilly half shouted. "What are you talking about?"

I looked at my confused friends and realised that I didn't tell them what I saw.

"Um..." I began. "Uh..."  I still couldn't believe what I saw. I thought I knew everything about them.

"Ranald," someone snapped their fingers in front, I was too deep in disbelief to notice who it was.

A few more snaps from Rudolph brought me back out of my head.

"Oh sorry," I said noticing the expectant look on my friends. "I..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. "I saw our parents here," I said quickly. "Well, I saw my mom and Donald's father discussing something..."

"Wait, what?" Asked Rudolph. "No, no, no..." he said shaking his head in disbelief. "Your mom And Donald's dad is here..." he didn't finish the sentence. Well, he didn't have to, because we all know what he was going to say.

"Yeah..." I said confirming his thoughts. "That means all our parents are here."

"But, what are they doing here?" Asked Lilly.

"Maybe this is where they work," said Donald thoughtfully.

After a moment Rudolph said, "But, wouldn't that mean they know about us?"

"Or worst..." said Donald.

We looked at Donald.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"That lightning strike may not be an accident..."

"No, no, no..." Lilly said.

"Are you saying that we are our parents' lab rats?" I asked Donald.

"No, no..." he said shaking his head. "I'm just saying, there could be a possibility."

"Well, I hope that's not the case."

Our conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. We looked at each other. No doubt everyone was thinking the same thing.

Could it be one of our parents?

The door opened to reveal Gareth.

I let out a sigh of relief. There's no way I can face my parents now.

"Guys," Gareth began. " I would like you to meet the scientists wor-" he stopped mid-sentence. "What's that?" He said, putting his index finger to his ear. "Oh, is that so..." he said looking at us. "Okay, I'll bring them over."

He looked at us and rubbed his hands together. "Looks like we have a change of plan guys."

"Um, okay..." I said.

"Let's take you to the laboratory," he said motioning us out of the room. "You May also need something more comfortable to wear."

He led us to the huge lab we entered the previous day.

When I entered the lab, I thought there was something different about it, but I couldn't quite place what it was. Then after a moment, I realised.

"Has that always been there?" I asked pointing at a huge cylinder in the middle of the room.

"Well, obviously, it wasn't there yesterday."

"What is it for?" Donald asked.

"That is what we call a testing chamber," he said. "It's usually made out of indestructible glass but this one is made from plastic  because it's temporary."

"Is there going to be a permanent one?" Asked Donald.

"Yes," Gareth answered. "But when you're skilled enough to damage this one, that's when we'll move you to the permanent one. And plus, the permanent one is still under construction."