ALIVE , legacies

TWO

"I heard that."

"No, you didn't."

"Didn't have to."

"Everyone, behave." Dr. Saltzman playfully scowls. 

The two girls look back at him. "Love you, Dad." I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Dad. Wowie.

Dr. Saltzman looks at my brother and I. "So... let's get started."

♞

Dr. Saltzman leads the way as we walk through the elegant school. "I'm curious, Landon-" He pauses to scold a couple of students. "Slow down!" He looks back at us. "Were you aware of us when you lived in Mystic Falls?"

"Uh, I knew Hope went to some fancy boarding school." Landon shrugs.

My brother and I peer around, watching little kids run around cheerily. "People in town said it was for troubled rich kids." I explain, remembering the whispers. "I see the rich part is true."

We see a little girl, lifting a book with her mind. Like Hope with the doors. "Nobody in town mentioned anyone in here could do that." Landon mumbles.

The four of us step into what looks like Dr. Saltzman's office. "No one in Mystic Falls knows much about us. We blend in just enough. Participate, contribute just enough. Keeps people from asking too many questions." He tells us.

"What is there to know, exactly?" Landon asks.

Dr. Saltzman places a band on his desk chair. "Well, I used to have a speech prepared, carefully unpeeling the layers of mystical history, but it turns out most people have read Harry Potter and are actually cool with me skipping the tee-up."

My eyes widen, "You're a school for magic?" I ask, smiling. This was, by far, the coolest thing I've heard. I sit down in my seat, Landon hesitantly following suit.

"We are a school for the supernatural," Saltzman corrects, leaning back in his chair. "Which covers a lot of territory. Everyone here has something that makes them special in ways that the outside world wouldn't understand."

Landon looks past me, looking up at Hope. "So, what are you?"

"I should get to class." Hope says.

"No." Landon shouts. I send my brother an annoyed glance. "No. Sorry. I don't mean to be a dick, but I don't know you," He says to Dr. Saltzman, who nods as if saying fair enough. "And though the image of you whammying a priest is still fresh, I need you here." He says to Hope. I fake gag, rather grossed out by this situation. "Just tell me what all that was in the church last night?"

Hope steps closer to the two of us. "What do you think it was?"

"Well, as best as I can reason-"

I cut my brother off. "Either our birth parents are schizophrenic and we are mentally unsafe or werewolves are real." I toss my arms up in the air. It feels like my brain is turning into mush. We look at Hope and Dr. Saltzman, expecting them to tell us we're crazy.

They don't say anything.

Landon squeezes his eyes shut, shaking his head. "Th-This is beyond insane. How is that even possible?"