Miss Quick

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Day Two

We walk into Smith's classroom just before the bell rings. I sit down in front of Tara, and Chaste sits beside me. Smith goes to the front of the room.

He gives us the same introduction we got in English, but continues it by saying "This class is the one thing that sets us apart from all other schools. Here, you will learn to hone your ability and perfect it so it may be used to better the world, and so you will have the opportunity, if you want, to join the N.G.A.C., or the National Gifted Association of Control."

And he continues "We're meeting in my classroom for today only. The rest of these classes will be held in the storage room, because it has much more space and no desks. So, lets go...."

"So does Smith just really not like his classroom or something?" I joke to Tara. "He doesn't seem to have us spend a lot of time in there."

"The library thing was only for today," Tara says seriously.

The storage room is big, with industrial carpet and gray concrete walls. Long, bare fluorescent lights hang from the ceiling. Masking tape marks of squares in random places along the walls.

"In this class, you will learn more about your ability and how to use it, and you'll practice basic techniques like self defense and protection. Each of you has a unique ability, and I can't help you all by myself. Which is why my teaching assistant, Becca Nelson, will help me run the class." Becca stood by Smith, looking around the room.

"This is how it will go today: Becca and I will give each person a chance to demonstrate their ability and ask questions to us. Some of you need special conditions, but don't worry, they are taken care of. Sometime after all this, we will start training that is specialized for each if you. Any questions?"

No one had any.

"Ok, let's begin."

When I heard Smith talking about demonstrating your power, I had a sudden vision of something that resembled the scene in that movie Sky High where everyone was forced to demonstrate their power in the middle of the gym.

But it was nothing like that. Smith and Becca walked around to each kid carrying clipboards and taking notes while the kids showed their ability. I was probably the only one watching, everyone else was talking to their friends and glancing up occasionally to check for when their turn was getting close.

It was hard not to watch. Some people changed things colors, or created storms right there in the storage room. There was a girl who apparently was an astrologist like Laurie, and for her, a fake sky was projected into the ceiling. She said that there was a disturbance in the alignment of the planets so some type of danger was coming.

To that, Smith said, "Well, it's a good thing that this sky was simulated by Mrs. Newman."

Soon it was Tara's turn and I realized that I had no idea how she was going to demonstrate her intuition. But when Smith came over, she just whispered something to him. He nodded and then asked her a question. She answered and I wondered if this was part of her demonstration.

She came to sit back down by me and I was going to ask her what that was about but Smith interrupted me. "Okay, Ari. Your turn."

I stand up. "Whenever you're ready, Ari."

I nod and after a pause, dart to the other end of the room in about half a second. I do this a couple more times before stopping in front of Smith.

He looks impressed, and a little surprised. "Wow. Very nice."

"Thank you," I smile.

Out of nowhere he flings his pencil past me. I have a fleeting thought that his aim isn't very good, because it's heading straight for someone's face. I reach out and catch it inches from its unintended target; Becca's face.