Chapter 1

A Chapter by Mikayla Reed

Throughout his life Cedric Taylor was slightly different from his peers. Slightly stronger, slightly faster, slightly smarter. He noticed the way girls would fix their gazes on him from down the school hall, giggling to their friends. Perhaps he smelled slightly stronger as well. The small differences always led him to believe that perhaps he was damaged in some way. That perhaps he was crazy and everyone else was normal. Although he excelled at any problem thrown his way, expectations others had of him became raised beyond limit. So much that he would wish for a normal, quieter life.

First day back in the halls of Washinton-Lee High School after a summer of scholarship and college applications, Cedric embraced the long day ahead of him as he took his first step through the open doors. He pushed threw the ever growing crowd of obnoxious teenagers in front of the main office in order to receive the class schedule for senior year. As he reached the table of scattered papers he saw a flash of gold in the corner of his eye and looked up to see his closest friend Felicity Jones grinning at him with a contagious smile through her blonde locks. He disappeared into her lightning blue eyes that mimicked his own. Seeming to create electricity with every glance.

Felicity waved her hand in front of his face. "Hey! Cedric! I already grabbed your schedule-I may have ripped it a little trying to aquire it- we have every class together, once again. I didn't even have to look to know what I would see."

Cedric jumped out of his trance as he smirked and shook his head at the torn piece of paper in her hand. Every year since kindergarten they have been in the same classes. By the time they reached high school with eight classes in a day, it seemed suspicious. But whenever it was mentioned to the parents, they were promptly dismissed as though it was a secret two 17 year olds couldn't handle.

He snorted a laugh, "Even our lockers are next to each other, that's a new one."

"Hey, you're right. I'll get tired of seeing you within a week!" Felicity buried her face in her palms, feigning anguish. "Thank goodness you aren't a swimmer, that would just be obnoxious. Although you would pull off the uniform very well." She teases as he pinches her arm.

Felicity was a champion swimmer. She, like Cedric, had enhanced abilities and used them for breaking records in the water. Over the summer she won first place in the 7.5 mile race on the Potomac River, breaking the 2 hour 58 minute record by 18 minutes. He rowed beside her in a kayak, cheering her on as she battled the low current with long stokes with the sun watching her from high in the sky..

"Every team trembles in your name City, I'll be at every meet to have your back."

Felicity rolled her eyes at her nickname and shoved him in the shoulder, "Okay Cedric enough mushy talk, shall we head to Calculus?"she says as she offers her arm.

He looped his arm through hers, laughing, "We shall", as they marched down the halls to class.

Sitting in the math class, droning out the first day back introductions and class rules, Cedric gazed over to where Felicity sat, doodling in her math notebook on the new crisp pages. She was like a sister to him, they even looked alike, though no blood relations. They had the same piercing eyes, the same ears that were tapered to a point at the ends, and the same unique capabilities. Though the extent of those they had not explored. Many students believed them to be dating, but it wasnt the case. For some reason their parents forced them together for everything. Their only options were to resent each other or befriend each other. They chose the second option. And although they fought and argued like siblings, they always had each others backs.

Cedric perked up as he hears his name muttered, but it wasnt by the teachers mouth. A strong, bulky guy next to him, Tyler the football jock, was whispering and continuously glancing in Felicity's direction. "I'm surprised the little elf twins arent on top of each other, I thought they were siamese. They probably share the same bed and clothes." Tyler snickered just loud enough so Cedric could here. Their eyes met, Cedrics glaring blues and Tylers now frightened greens that looked away like a rabbit diving for a den. Cedric had that effect on people, he was able to transmit unspoken messages with just a glance of his eyes. And no matter what the message was, the reciever would follow the instruction exactly, without really knowing what they were doing. No one questioned it, and no one noticed. It was as though he was constantly casting a spell over all whom he met.

He glanced once more at Felicity, noticing her doodle has expanded to cover the page, then droned back into the teachers dull words.

At the end of the school day, Cedric drove Felicity and himself to Bourbon Coffeee Shop in downtown Arlington, Virginia. Their tradition for after school relaxing time as well as homework time. After a time of eraser shavings and slowly drunken coffee cups, he noticed her yawning and suggested they head out before schedule, to which she readily agreed to. He drove home to the Madison Manor neighborhood, pulling into his assigned parking spot. He glanced over at her, asleep in the passenger seat, slightly snoring. Smiling, he picked her up, knowing how hard of a sleeper she was, and headed over to her house, directly next door to his.

As he headed up the steps on the porch, he noticed an extra car in the driveway. "Her dad must be here to collect more belongings" he thought to himself. Cedric tested the door handle; it was unlocked. He carried Felicity up to her room, laying her in bed, and headed downstairs, knowing his way through the massive house like the back of his hand.

He was about to head out the door when he heard loud, angry whispers travelling from the downstairs den. He took a step towards the front door, but his curiousity got the hold of him as he turned around and stepped carefully towards the cracked open door leading to the den.

"I am tired of watching her grow up knowing everything she has ever been told is a lie, I am done with this experiment. All I wanted when I married you was you. But then you married your job, became obsessed with it, and I am done."

"Please Steve, it's almost finished. Their birthdays are in four months, the 1st on January, then it will be all over with."

"No I'm leaving, Sandra, and I am taking her with me. And possibly Cedric if I can convince his parents. They are not safe and you are putting them at risk with this game you are playing."

"Maybe you're right. It would be interesting to see how they handle stress under the real world conditions. Go ahead, take them. This is no game Steve, this is our future. Someday you will see it when those kids are this worlds last resort."

Cedric, baffled by what he just eavesdropped on, rushed out the front door before Mrs. Jones took another step toward his concealing door.

When he reached his house, he raced up the stairs, taking two steps at a time, anxious to get the overheard conversation down on paper, knowing he would never remember in the morning after the frightening dreams he knows he would have when he went to sleep.

next chapter

© 2016 Mikayla Reed

My Review

Would you like to review this Chapter?
Login | Register

Reviews

Dean Vaksman

Your writing is really impressive, and very easy to grasp on in one read.

I have two pointers for you though. If you don't mind.

If this is a short story, then you can ignore the first point, since it is about the quick progression and reveal of what are supposed to be secrets. It's a personal taste, but i would rather give small hints rather than tell the reader that things are not as they seem from the first few paragraphs.

The second, which is not a big deal but could perhaps help you, is that you might have used too much of the word "slightly" in the first paragraph. Try to use a wider range of dictionary if you can.

Overall, it is very interesting how the story will unfold, and the writing is accurate and attractive.

Keep up the good work!