The Library of Powers

Chapter 14: On Certain, Untempered Growth

Damien's View

If there was ever a day Damien hated, it was the day the planar kids showed off their plane. He understood the point of it, they were supposed to see what planes looked like so they could better understand the broad reaches of the "superpowers are tied to a location" rule. Damien thought planes were like the "I before E except after C" of superpower locations. It's true, but only after a lot of mental math. But that wasn't the problem. It was just so boring. He had seen Selina's plane three times before, and Florence, a friend of his who moved to Portland last year, showed him around all the time. Plus, they held class in Ms.Forrester's plane. 

Jackson's plane was new and all, but it wasn't exactly the most riveting place. A large but cluttered workshop, filled with clockwork machinery. The clocks themselves seemed out of place, like an afterthought. They all varied in size, style, shape, but more importantly, they were all functioning. Not a single ongoing project. To add to the nuisance, there was only one desk being used to take the visitors in and out of the plane, as the plane was too small to fit all of the desks. Strangely enough, there were two doors out of the room, but neither were accessible. One was behind the main work desk, small and unassuming. Jackson stood in front of it but had not paid it any mind yet, which bugged Damien. The other door looked like an entrance, larger, of more solid wood. Locked. Jackson had seemed unsurprised to find it that way. Overall, not living up to his already meager expectations.

Principal Gonners, who had insisted he watch today's class, picked up a golden clock, looking closely at its hands. Then, abruptly, it slipped from his fingers, glass shattering on the hardwood floors. In an instant Jackson was there, grabbing the clock from the ground and unbending one of its hands. His brow furled, and he opened the back, gingerly slotting gears into what Damien could only assume were their correct positions. He then closed the clock and it started ticking again, despite the lack of a glass cover. "Impressive," muttered the Principal. The whole situation had lasted less than a minute.

"Shit, I mean, shoot. I need to grab the broom to clean this up." Jackson said. He walked back to where he was standing earlier but reached for the doorknob.

"So, what's the deal with the door?" Connor asked, echoing his own thoughts. Damien looked to the large boy next to him. He could be more insightful then Damien gave him credit for.

"Ah," Jackson stated, scratching behind his neck. "Normally, that door over there is the exit. Back to the real world. But it's locked, probably because you are all in here. Behind me is the library."

"Well, not The Library." Selina corrected, scowing.  The scowl wasn't new, but it was the first thing Selina had said all day. Damien had an idea as to why. Jackson snorted, and responded "Well, obviously. My library, how about that."

Selina's scowl deepened, even ten feet away the rage left a salty taste in Damien's mouth. He took a step back, just for safety. He liked Jackson, but Selina's dad was his one shot at being recognized by the AHB. He couldn't risk getting involved. It did pain him, to see Selina's enmity turn to a new foe. But it seemed like Jackson was taking it in stride.

Finally, Jackson grasped the doorknob, and let them see behind the curtain. It was a larger room, with bookshelves full of old, dusty tomes. He was able to glance one of the titles over Jackson's shoulder. "18th-century watches in wartime."

"You can all go in and take a look at the place, but I need to clean this up," he said, gesturing to the pile of glass on the floor.

"No," Principal Gonners replied, "This is my fault. Show me to the cleaning supplies and I'll deal with it."

Jackson raised the corners of his mouth, in what Damien would have called a smile if he had never seen a smile before. He nodded and walked into his Library, coming out with a dustpan and broom. "There's a garbage can under the workbench."

"Much obliged."

"Alright, let's go into my Library. It's not exactly small, so stay close." he walked through the doorway, and everyone else followed. Damien ended up near the end of the pack, next to Melanie. It was the first he had seen of her all week. They were never the best of friends, but he thought they had a mutual respect. So why was she acting so reserved today? Damien prided himself in being observant, but it didn't take a genius to notice that Melanie wasn't looking at the new sights of Jackson's plane but at the other members of the class. As if she was expecting something.

"You haven't eaten lunch with us in a while," Damien stated as a matter of fact.

"No, I haven't," Melanie responded.

Damien took in a deep breath. "I understand."

She looked at him, away from the crowd in front of them, away from Jackson parading them through large halls of mechanical manuals. She gave a knowing look. "Thank you. If it means anything, I understand too."

He ran his fingers through his hair. He felt embarrassed. "I'm not, I mean, I can't."

"I said I understand."

"Yeah."

It took Damien a long time to wrap his head around their conversation. It was after he had left Jackson's Library. It was after Superpower class ended. It was after Damien drove home. It was as he was putting on his Golden Snake costume, getting ready to walk the streets with the moon by his side. It's not to say that their conversation consumed his thoughts, no, it was more of a background hum, his unconscious mind piecing it together.

She might have understood, but she never said she agreed. To be honest, that's how Damien felt too.