-"I'm okay with it if it means that I'm more powerful than pretty much all of you," I joked, trying to lighten up the mood.
-"Paul, you don't understand. This is serious. Being able to go both backward and forward in time is very rare. Up until now, there only had been two others who had this ability, and then you came. We thought it was over, that there will never be travelers who had this power ever again..."
At this point, she was talking to herself more than she was talking to me. She was looking down as if remembering some really bad memories. Still, I decided to let her continue her monologue. After all, I was gaining useful information, even though I was getting only about one word in ten out of her speech.
-" Turns out there was a third one..."
She then threw a look at me, and I could have sworn I saw compassion and sadness in them. Getting a look like this from Samantha was strange; she never peered me like this before. Usually, whenever she gazed at me, the corner of her eyes would lift, and her face would light up. This time, there weren't any smile on her face, just a frown that made clear how much of trouble I was in; in a low voice, she added: "Not only is it rare and uncommon, but it is also really perilous."
-"It slowly kills the person without him or her noticing," a familiar voice cut her off.
My head whipped towards were the sentence came from, but I didn't need to see her face to know who had spoken a few moments ago. Her voice was easily recognizable; nevertheless, I glanced at her. Her face had paled even more now, and she was trembling from head to toe. Seeing her like that, a supposedly strong woman having a panic attack, did not make me feel any better about my so-called dangerous situation.
I mean, it can't be that dangerous now, could it?
It slowly kills the person without him or her noticing...
Slowly, the meaning of this sentence began to sink in. Suddenly, everything around me felt like a blur; I could hear Sam and Amanda talking, but it was as if they were talking underwater. Their muted voices were intruding on my brain, but I couldn't concentrate on them.
-"Amy! Why did you...Go rest, girl, you don't have to do this. I will explain everything to him, don't worry," said the distant voice of Sam.
Not only is it rare and uncommon, but it is also really perilous...
Only now did it occur to me that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't exaggerating.
-"Sam, it's okay. I can do it. After all, if he's my protegee, then I will have to face the truth sooner or later," came the muffled answer of Amanda.
I'm her protegee?! And what does that mean exactly? I opened my mouth to throw a sarcastic remark at her, but no words came out of it.
What was happening to me? Why couldn't I think straight? My life was in danger, so what? I was used to this. I had taken part in a multitude of missions, each one more dangerous than the other. But why was the mere fact of being able to do both affecting me so much?
-"I can take him under my wing if you want, it'll be easier for you."
What were they talking about? I was getting more and more confused by the second. I assumed it was time for me to start paying attention to what was going on outside my head.
-"And you think I'll accept your offer because it's easier?" Amanda replied, narrowing her eyes infinitesimally.
-"Well, umm...yes?" dared to hope Samantha. "Okay no, I admit, you will never accept the easy way. However, if you can't bear it anymore, don't hesitate to come and see me. I'll see what I can do to help you."
Amanda rolled her eyes, and a frustrated sigh escaped her lips.
-"Sam, I'll be fine; it's him you should worry about, instead. And besides, you should go and see where did the boys go, because I saw them take the stairs that lead to the cafeteria and not their bedrooms."
-"Fine, I'll go after them."
And then, turning towards me, she added: "Whenever you feel like she's not feeling well, you immediately tell me. Understood?"
-"Yes, Ma'am!" I teased.
She then went to search for the boys, and I turned to face Amanda. Our eyes met, and even though I did not know what she has been through, I immediately knew that what she had experienced was much, much worse than what might happen to me because of my uncommon ability.
She took a deep breath, preparing for the worse.
Seeing her like that, I couldn't help but think that she might not be the only one who won't be feeling well after this.
***