Behind the Walls. NOVEL By Claire Darcy.

36. To Dream or to Die.

ACE.

I tried to yell for Whisp as he jumped off the building, but he'd already disappeared into the blackness of the night. He was right, though; I was freezing. The night air was colder than even Cell Z, and that was saying something.

Sitting at the edge of the roof, I rocked quietly back and forth, cradling my legs and watching the stars go by. It was as if time had stopped since I'd come to the Academy. Every day was so full of activity, each one dragging on for an eternity. It was hard to believe it had only been four days since I'd walked into Shed 5 and met Rowan. So much had changed.

'Did you miss me?'

I gasped as Whisp's smoky voice invaded my thoughts once again. Turning around, I found him standing behind me with a sly grin on his face. His hood and mask may have hidden his identity, but nothing could suppress his gleeful confidence.

"A little bit," I shrugged, tipping my head back to see him way above me. In his hands was a soft black fabric. He passed it to me and sat down.

"Now you won't be cold," he said gently. I looked at the object in my hand. Unfolding it, I found it was a sweater; one of his, to be exact. After making a scene of suspiciously looking it over, I pulled it on. It was too big for me, of course, and the sleeves covered my hands, but the fabric was soft and warm. I smiled and gave a small sigh, then suddenly noticed the delightful smell of the fabric. Holding my hands up to my cheeks, I breathed deeply, taking in the smell of the sleeves. It was something spicy yet sweet; like cinnamon. Something familiar. Like the smell of a leafy breeze. Of high spirits. Of new beginnings. I just couldn't place it. I gave a small laugh.

"You smell amazing!" I giggled, wrapping the huge sleeves around me.

Whisp laughed and shrugged, "That's better than the alternative."

I looked at Whisp and pulled closer again, so our legs were touching. I felt safe with him near. "So, will you tell me about your other gadgets?" I asked, looking over his suit. Buttons, pockets and tiny wires covered his chest and arms, and the fabric seemed to be infused with metallic contraptions.

"Well," Whisp began, puffing out his chest proudly, "Every gadget I have, I've made myself- working to make and remake the technology until it's perfect..." 'I can use telepathy,' "...Which you already know, and that comes from this little gadget here."

He spoke in my mind as a demo, pulling back his hood enough to show me a silver shape on his neck. It was no bigger than a ten-cent piece, and had a tiny silver chain running around to the back of his head.

"You've seen the healing technology, and you undoubtedly understand how the grappling hook works. I can stick to any surface using hyper-charged magnets," he held up his palms to show glowing rings around his wrists, "But there's one more thing I can do. The first gadget I ever created."

"What is it?" I asked, my mind whirring. Whisp stood up, then took a few steps backwards- into the darkness.

"I can teleport."

Suddenly he melted into the shadows, like he had done the first time I'd seen him. He was just gone; completely vanished. I leapt up and ran to the spot where he had been. It was magic. Impossible. Unbelievable. He'd really disappeared.

"It's okay, I'm right here."

I turned around to find him standing on the complete opposite side of the roof. He walked over and took my hands. "Isn't it amazing?" he asked, his gleaming eyes looking brilliant blue in the moonlight.

"Yes, it's incredible," I whispered, "How on earth does it work?"

Whisp grinned and led me back to the edge of the building, where we sat down. He began pointing out certain cords and wires, certain pieces and fragments of his suit that all connected to make teleportation possible.