PART 1: BECOMING

Chapter 1

BoardingSept. 8, 1969

I woke up at 6:04 a.m. that morning. I remember it perfectly because that’s the day my life changed. I dressed quickly, slipped on my coat and grabbed my back pack. My plan was to escape through a second story window before anyone in the house was awake. Then I could jump onto the porch roof and from there it would have been easy to grab my bike and pedal to freedom. I had it all planned.

But by the time I hit the second floor landing she was already standing just around the corner with one raised eyebrow. Holy crap, am I ever going to get rid of Margret? She knew I was planning on leaving. She looked at me with her ‘good grief’ expression and told me I better be packed by 7am and ready to go. She is the worst stepmother on the planet! I walked back up to my room. I wasn’t defeated yet. I would have to find another way.

Just before 7am Margret and my dad stepped into my room. I sat on my bed with my packed suitcase. “Happy Birthday darling,” my stepmother said as she crossed my room to smother with the hugs and kisses of a joyful middle-aged woman who was clearly acting. She was sitting there, suffocating me. My father was smiling at me from the doorway. My stepmother had waltzed in acting all interested in me and my birthday. She was only really concerned that I was packed and ready to make it to the train station on time. My stepmother was sending me away; on my birthday and she wanted to make sure I was leaving. I was hoping my father could feel my despair and announce a change in plans. Nope. He just stood there smiling at us.

You probably have read stories where there’s a father whose wife has died and he remarries. Then his new wife tries really hard to fit in and the kids end up loving her too? Well, this is what happened to me when my mother died except my father married an evil witch, she never tried to be kind, and I will never love her.

She is evil because: 1) she tries to act like my mother and she could never be anything like my mother; 2) she takes every opportunity to get rid of me so she can have my father all to herself (She seems to have forgotten that I was here first and, unlike me, she could be replaced) and finally; 3) she convinced my Dad to ship me off to boarding school hundreds of miles away.

It was bad enough we moved to England to live in her house but now this! I heard her telling my father that the new school would have, and I quote: “state of the art security”, no doubt to keep me from escaping. Some may think she is reasonable about

this since I have become a specialist at escaping boarding schools. It is true that I have run from every school to which they sent me except the last school. But I always thought the real issue here was the ‘sending me away’ part not the ‘escaping from tragic places’ part. My father never understands that I worked hard to escape school because living there was hell for me. There is no doubt I went to extreme measures but I needed to be extreme because ever boarding school I had attended was extremely terrible. Once I even tricked my aunt and uncle into thinking stepmother had sent me to their house instead of another boarding school. I spent almost six months with them before stepmother caught on to the scam. I must admit I was proud of that escape.

There is also a pattern about stepmother’s plans. She tries to get rid of me every time the anniversary of my birth comes around, just to remind me how much she wishes I wasn’t born. My caring father doesn’t know a thing because adults never listen to kids. In a way I was glad to be going away this time. I was expelled from my last school almost a year ago and instead if being sent to a new school, stepmother thought it best for me to stay at her house. I had been under lock and key ever since.

Margret had turned out to be harder to escape from than any other headmaster had ever been. Since returning home I had made twelve escape attempts, well thirteen including this morning. Sadly all of them failed. The best one got me on the train to London but somehow when I stepped off the train at Red Bridge, Margret was there, like an evil witch to grab me and ‘escort’ me home. I had had zero fun since my imprisonment and at least I could find some excitement at a new school. New escape plans to hatch; new teachers to freak out. I could make it work.

We all piled into Stepmother’s death mobile and headed off to the train station. I call it the death mobile because every time I was forced into it I was somehow inches from death itself. Stepmother always drove and my knuckles always turned white from clutching to the door handle for dear life. Stepmother weaved in and out of traffic at neck breaking speeds. Her car also made me sick. It was a bright pink French vehicle with a neon pink interior that smelled like fifty different perfumes put into one bottle that had been shaken a thousand times then sprayed all over it. It really reeked like perfume vomit. I cracked the window but it didn’t help.

I hoped we were heading into town to take the train into London so I could get out of the car but before long I figured out we were not heading to the train station and we were not even going into London but south toward the coast. After an hour or so of driving, my father mentioned to Stepmother that we should stop for a restroom break. I took this as my chance, maybe the only one I would have. I slumped down and put my head on the seat, pretending to be asleep. As Stepmother pulled into a station, Dad got out of the car and went into the station while Stepmother exited as well. I heard her ask the attendant where the bathroom was.

I gently opened the far side door. I arranged the blanket so it would look like I was still there and sleeping if either of them should look back. I crawled out of the car then pushed the door closed. I kept my head low and waited by the back wheel until it was safe to crawl behind another car. I noticed that the truck was not closed completely so I quietly climbed into the trunk and closed the hood, but not all the way. I could hold it open just a little for air and an easy escape. I didn’t really care where this car was going. I was just glad to get away. After a few minutes the car owners returned and pulled away. Yes! I had done it.

After about twenty minutes the car slowed and then stopped. I wondered what was happening and then the trunk opened. Holy Crap! I was looking up at Margret. She yanked my arm and brought me back to the death mobile. AS she closed the door on me all my dad had to say was, “really Dex, you are going to like this new school. I promise you it will not be like the others but I need you to promise me you are going to give it try. No running away.”

He didn’t wait for my reply. He turned and faced forward. I could hear Margret apologizing to the man in whose trunk I had tried to escape. She got in the car, turned on the motor and we drove for three hours in silence. Finally we pulled up to an abandoned junk yard, literally in the middle of nowhere. The rusted gate was pried open and Stepmother drove us right into the clearing in the middle of the yard. There were only a few other vehicles parked near where Stepmother had parked the death mobile.

I rolled down my window falling in love with the fresh air. For a moment we all just sat in the car then my father looked back at me and he looked deeply concerned and anxious. He got out and my stepmother followed. I gave them noticeable glances of annoyance before grabbing my bags and getting out too. We walked for nearly five minutes, in silence, through a maze of metal debris and crunched cars piled twenty feet high. Finally my father stopped. He looked around clearly trying to find something. Then he bent down, picked up an old tire, and the ground in front of me fell down revealing a flight of stairs. “Holy crap” I gasped.

“Be quiet Dexerphil,” the witch said snippily. I mumbled under my breath about how glad I was to be rid of her. My father wasn’t paying either of us any attention as he was already half way down the rickety stair case. So I followed behind him (accidently of course) bumping into my stepmother on the way.

Once at the bottom we followed a long tunnel that eventually opened into a large cavernous space. I was shocked to find a train station before me. The underground hole was enormous. We had walked onto a long platform that circled around the outer edges of the cavern. There were walkways connecting the platform into the Center where

there were lots of people and trunks and luggage. It was like a big wheel with spokes connected in the middle. And in the center there was an amazing double decked train.

“Where is this place?” I asked my Dad looking around in awe.

“Darling that is something I cannot say. That is your train,” he said pointing to the large train at the Center platform. “Here is your ticket Dex.” He reached into his jacket pocket and placed the boarding ticket in my hand. “The train will take you to Offseer, that’s the name of your new school.” He stopped a moment and bent down to look me square in the eyes with his hands on my shoulders. “I will miss you. Offseer will be your home now, it is where you belong. Trust me and remember I love you so much,” He said as he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. Then he nudged me onto the walkway to the train platform. I took a few tentative steps forward. I stopped and I smiled back.

“I’ll miss you too Dad. Wish me luck!” I said hoping he understood how much I loved him.

“I already have.” He said.

I waved goodbye to my father and stepmother at 12:37 a.m. as I headed toward the train. Stepmother was clinging to my father’s arm and crying into his sleeve, and holding up a handkerchief to wave goodbye. The minute he turned to go she gave me a glare and mouthed, “Don’t come back.” She turned and they walked away.

It was a very peculiar train; it was shaped differently than you would expect a train to be shaped. I couldn’t put my finger on it but it was different just like the house we had moved into after the wedding. It had been her house, big and tipsy like it had been drinking something disgusting. The colors had faded to grey and if the windows were eyes they would have looked depressed. The garden was vast but not well kept and after I had explored every inch of it I figured out that all there was were a few demented peach trees among the weeds. It was a pathetic sight. The house was just the opposite of me. It was unkempt, depressing and sad, as opposite as opposite can be. As I headed down the platform I couldn’t help but wonder where I was going.

I was told that this time everyone in the new boarding school would accept me. “You’ll find lots and loads of friends,” my dad had promised. There wouldn’t be anyone who had committed a crime, no one who had illegally used a gun, and especially no one who had been to court on major felony charges. This is exactly who I had met at my last five boarding schools. My stepmother was convinced I needed to become street savvy and aware of the real world. What better way, as she told me, to help you better yourself than to witnesses other people’s follies. She meant that sending me to reformatories would encourage me to do a bunch of good in the world. She was demented.

I walked to the center platform tugging my suitcase behind when a uniformed porter asked to see my ticket. I handed it to him and he escorted me to car 1103. He extended his hand to help me up the steep steps, took my suitcase and he told me my cabin was the second door on my left. I took a deep breath at the second door on my left, turned the knob and went in. The cabin had two benches facing each other and a large window at the opposite end of the door. I might have doubted that Offseer would be any different from the other boarding schools I was sent to except I found a girl sitting on the bench to my right. She looked pleasant enough and she was, at least at a first glance, not psycho.

“So where are you from?” she asked as I sat down on her bench, she didn’t introduce herself at all. She just jumped into the middle of a conversation. She was the only one in our section except for two boys on the bench across from us. I took in all three of their features. The girl had short wavy dirty blond hair and a pale circular face covered in freckles. Her eyes were blue. She wore a dark collared shirt underneath a pale blue sweatshirt with the school insignia on it. It was part of the school uniform. I saw a similar one in my suitcase that Stepmother had packed. The girl’s frame was sturdy but she was shorter than me. The boys had their heads down flipping through an X-Men comic book.

The bigger one had shaggy brown hair, green eyes and a slightly tanned face with a pronounced and jagged scar down his right cheek. He clearly played football because he wore an Offseer soccer team jersey and had an athletic build. He was definitely cute but I didn’t particularly like his vibe.

The other boy had glasses and slick black hair that fell messily around his face, almost over his copper-colored eyes which seemed to have seen things that he really shouldn’t have had to see. He wasn’t too pale or too tan either, just kind of in limbo on the skin color scene. He was wearing a crisp collared shirt under the same kind of blue sweatshirt the girl was wearing. Tall and lean, he was lying casually against the backboard of the bench, looking over the first boys shoulder. Compared to the first boy, he was ten times more attractive in my opinion. They didn’t seem to be carrying any guns and no one had any visible bruises or busted lips. It was a pretty good start. The boys were engrossed in their book and didn’t even notice me sit down.

“Well?” she looked at me funny, head tilted.

“Huh?” she had gotten my attention and I remembered she had asked me where I was from. Before I could answer she impatiently asked again, “Where are you from? I’m from Whales; they ‘re from America,” she said gesturing toward the boys, “and where exactly are you from?”

“Oh, I live in small village just north of London, but I was born in America. My dad’s American and my mom was French so I spent a lot of time in France too” I responded as I squirmed on the bench next to her.

“You don’t look French. The French are more sophisticated,” she said matter- of- factly.

“Maybe I’m not who I appear to be,” I said defensively as I wondered if she was trying to insult me or compliment me. I suddenly realized she might think I’m some wealthy snob or something flying off to the continent any old time but that wasn’t true. My dad was a successful banker but my stepmother convinced him that I shouldn’t have all that his money could buy me. She believed it was better that I grow up the way he did so I would not value material things and become vapid. Can you imagine it, this coming for the vapid queen herself? But my Dad bought into it so no modern comforts for me.

As usual my stepmother took my father’s declaration that I should be “down to earth” to the extreme. I didn’t have my own room in a house with 11 bedrooms. She thought it best I reside in the attic. According to my Stepmother this was the best room for me. She also said chores were essential for any down to earth girl so I had to clean the whole house every morning and scrub the chimney too! Ok well I wasn’t exactly Cinderella but I felt like she did. Stepmother made me feel invisible in my own house. To her I was nothing more than someone to clean up after dinner, do laundry and cook on Saturdays.

Bottom line I couldn’t be a snob if I wanted to be one. If history was any indication, I was usually cast aside for a long list of reasons and I had never been liked let alone thought of as a snob. I was always an outsider. I often came to a school late in the year and I never knew anyone when I arrived. Kids at my other schools didn’t like me much because I wore a tough leather jacket with a pack of cigarettes in the pocket, (which I never smoked) I kept my feelings to myself, and I never approached any of them. I always sat alone. No matter how I tried to be anonymous I always got a bad reputation. The other kids would soon start whispering about me and pointing at me and eventually they would act like they were scared of me. I had learned to cultivate a thuggish reputation to avoid other kids not because I didn’t want friends but because my peers were thugs, hoodlums, sociopaths or psychotic. I didn’t want friends like that. I wanted people I could be loyal to and who would be loyal to me.

But this time my dad kept saying this place would be different and deep down I really wanted it to be. The truth was I was lonely ever since my mom died. I understood why kids in my other schools assumed things about me that weren’t accurate. Normally I didn’t try to straighten the rumors out. This time though, I wanted a clean slate.

“I wasn’t trying to be sophisticated at all.” I said.

“That’s grand. I am not a fan of the sophisticated. I’m Foss, short for Florence but never call me that, 7th year.” She said while extending her hand.

“I’m Dex, 7th year too. Nice to meet you.” I was feeling more comfortable than I had meeting any of the students from my other boarding schools.

“Are you from another Centeran school or did they just find you? Homeschool freak?” her voice was distant and I could tell she was working some things out in her head.

“They?” I questioned.

“The Council of Agents of course. Who else did you think?” she shot back. Then she refocused her gaze and saw my perplexed expression. “You mean, you don’t know?” Her eyes were wide with shock and I could see her hands shaking nervously in her lap.

I asked her “Well what is this council then?”

Foss smiled, “And if you don’t know about them then you aren’t from another school so they must have found you late?” She said as both a statement and a question. She looked as confused as I felt.

Then Foss leaned in close to me and whispered, “Just so you know no one ever comes to school this late. I mean the latest anyone has ever been accepted to Offseer is 5th year. He wasn’t even named so that didn’t work out very well.” Was she trying to warn me or intimidate me?

I responded slowly beginning to bite my lower lip, “Nope I don’t know about this Council or other schools. I guess I don’t know much about this place,” Thanks a lot dad, you could’ve at least given me a brochure.

“I just thought you must have transferred from some foreign school like ours. Usually we are named in our 4th year so we don’t see any new students after that unless they are a transfer from another Centeran school” she said trying to be light hearted. Her mood switches were confusing me. I hoped it was because I confused her for some reason and that this moody vibe of hers wasn’t permanent.

I sighed, choosing my words carefully, “Well I haven’t been Named or at least I don’t think I have and I don’t have a clue what a Centeran is.” I decided honesty might get me some answers before we arrived. I clearly had no idea what I was getting into.

“Wow I don’t know where to start. Are you sure no one told you about Offseer and why it exists?” She asked clearly still surprised.

“Nope,” was all I needed to say.

“Ok I’ll try to explain this. Offseer is a school for kids who have special abilities, these abilities are called Centers and we are Centerans. We come here to learn about what makes us special.” I could tell she thought that was a useful explanation. I still didn’t really understand. I said ‘ok’ and Foss gave me an exasperated sigh. She lowered her voice once again.

“Dex here is the deal. You must have a Center to attend Offseer. My parents are both Centerans so naturally I am too. Since you don’t know what a Centeran is I’m guessing your parents are Normals?” she said again as both a statement and a question. As if continuing to think out loud Foss said “although on occasion two Centerans produce a Normal but that is very rare. Clearly that is not the case here. I mean she is on the train. It is more common, although still not an everyday thing, for two Normals to have a child with a Center. And then there are the half-breeds” she trailed off. I coughed to draw her attention. She looked back at me. I suspect she saw my confusion. I still don’t think Foss understood how clueless I truly was. I didn’t want to feel like I was in over my head but I did. What is going on here? Where am I going?

She said more confidently “well you must be a child of two Normals” “I…don’t know,” I answered.

“Well that explains a lot,” she muttered sarcastically.

I was getting angry. Couldn’t she understand what ‘I don’t know’ meant? “Look… Foss, I don’t know what crap you’re pulling but I don’t know what’s going on. So I won’t be able to answer any of your questions!” My voice had risen above our previous hushed whispers and the two boys shot me weird looks.

“Sorry,” Foss said. “I didn’t mean to come off that strong or aggressive. I’ve just never met someone like you before. I just assumed you knew something, anything.” I looked Foss in the eyes and saw that she didn’t mean to upset me.

I smiled. At least she was trying. “It’s not a problem, really. I just need a minute to digest all of this.” Holy crap! What is this girl talking about? A special school for kids who can do things other people cannot? OH JEEZ, this is utterly INSANE. I took several deep breaths to get a grip of myself. We sat in silence for a while. Then I eventually turned to Foss I needed to get some clarification.

I asked questions, “Foss, what kind of things can people with Centers do that other people cannot?”

“Well Dex, it depends. If your Center is wind you can conjure the wind to blow how and where you want. If your Center is fire you might be able to create fire and impact the temperature. There are over fifty known Centers. Everyone I know or have read about has a Center listed in the master registry. So your Center will be one of those. I assume you will be named quickly so you can be registered. The teachers probably already know or have a good idea about your Center,” she answered and I could tell she hoped she had been thorough enough.

“What if I don’t believe you?” I asked. This was a lot to take in and I’d dealt with too many crazy people to just hop onto this crazy train without proof. “Show me your powers.”

“It doesn’t work that way. There are complications to working with your Center on Offseer property, including this train.”

I laughed, loud and hardy, receiving another set of glares from the boys. “Right…so you just expect me to believe you?”

Her lips pursed with frustration, “If you don’t believe me wait until you see what goes on inside school. Then you’ll believe me.”

“I guess we’ll see then,” I concluded.

“One more question, how do I know what my Center is?” I asked in a calm and kind voice. I didn’t think I had some superhero skill like controlling the wind, making fire, or flying or something. I was just a little weird, not paranormal. And I regretted speaking so harshly to Foss. I could tell she was nice afterall she hadn’t stopped trying to explain things.

“Dex don’t worry the teachers will help you with that. You’ll see you’ll love Offseer. Just stick with me and I’ll show you the ropes,” Foss smiled reassuringly.

We sat in silence for a little while. I was trying, and failing, to take everything in. Foss was just giving me space. Finally after a few minutes, Foss just started talking about everyday stuff and we fell into conversation. We talked about politics and books and places in the world. We talked about boys, school and friends (mostly hers) and before long I found myself really liking Foss and I could tell she liked me too.

Foss and I had started a friendship in the four hours it took to ride to Offseer. I just knew she and I would be thick as thieves and I had a good sense about people. My instincts were never wrong. It was perhaps the coolest thing that had ever happened to me. I’d never connected with people before, and Foss and I just clicked.

Fifteen minutes before the train stopped at Offseer the boys finally acknowledged us, well, me. “Hey, Foss who’s the newbie?” asked the athletic boy, finally looking up from his comic book.

“Lay off Jeremy,” Foss shot back, “Her name is Dex and she’s actually interesting.” She said implying that he was not. “I am sure we are going to be the best of friends. She’s going to tag along with us. She’s in 7 th year too.” Foss gave Jeremy a determined stare. It was clear they were used to joking around with each other.

The boys looked over at Foss with concern expecting her to explain. I assumed they were as confused as Foss had been.

Foss spoke right up “ I know it is weird but her parents are Normals and they just found her.” With that the boys shrugged their shoulders as if that explained everything.

“What do you say Jofe? Should we let her tag along because I’m not so sure?” Jeremy said as he poked the ribs of the boy next to him. Jofe looked up and gave me the once over. Who does he think he is anyway? Treating my future social life like a game, throwing it about like a rag doll. Maybe I don’t want to be let into this group anyway. But I knew the real truth. I had the best four hours of my life talking with Foss. I really did want to tag along.

“I say, she’s in. I like her already,” Jofe said with a crooked smile. His glasses lowered to the ridge of his nose. I smiled back, at least he was nice. Besides he was cute too. Really cute. Heck, he was probably the best looking boy at this school. Correction, the best looking boy in the world.

“She’s not like the other girls I’ve seen,” Jofe continued swinging his hair back from his face and looking right at me. He smiled at me and I found myself smiling back.

“I don’t believe we’ve been officially introduced. I’m Jofe, wacky name I know, but it’s the one I got. Pleasure to me you, Dex.”

I squeaked, “Nice to meet you Jofe.” Oh boy, he had charming written all over him.

“Ok Foss she can tag along with us since we don’t want her going with them now do we?” Jofe said as a matter of fact. “Besides she looks smart. And we don’t need too many of them to be smart,” He said.

All I wondered was who are “them”? But at this point my head hurt. This was starting to sound like Offseer wasn’t going to be as normal as I had hoped. Maybe these guys were nutters. I had run into a lot of them over the years. I thought I was pretty good at spotting them now. It can be challenging though, because nutters start off

looking and talking like a normal person and then BAM all of a sudden they say or do something completely nuts. You could be having a normal conversation and then BAM they tell you that they need to check in with the mother ship. I guess time would tell if these guys were nutters. Besides, Foss told me once we got to Offseer I’d completely believe her.

I hoped she wasn’t crazy. I also hoped that this Jofe kid wasn’t crazy either.

Chapter 2

Learning As we approached Offseer, the train pulled up beside platforms, which lead into a

large depot building. I could see that the building, looming in the distance, had a tall iron fence attached at both sides. The fence was covered with ivy creating a wall of green I couldn’t see beyond. The porters were going up and down the cars directing kids which way to exit the train.

We waited at the cabin door for the porter to pass. My gaze kept returning to Jofe who didn’t seem to notice my stalker-ish stares. Holding my hand encouragingly, Foss told me to leave my bags in the cabin and that the porters would deliver them to my room. I walked out of our compartment behind Foss and followed the crowd to the left and down the red carpeted aisle. I continued being moved by the crowd until pull-down stairs led everyone off the train.

I kept asking Foss questions about the school as we were herded toward the train depot. I wasn’t even sure she heard me over the noise of hundreds of students disembarking from the train and cramming onto the platform. Foss just kept hold of my hand as we made our way with the crowd into the depot building. Holy Crap just don’t let go of Foss’s hand. You might get crushed. We made our way into the depot and Foss dragged me across the atrium to the doors on the far right side.

It felt like the crush of humanity as we made our way. I felt suffocated and gave up turning to see who it was that was poking me. I held tight to Foss’s hand and her death grip remained the only sure thing. As we made our way out the doors and onto the platform on the other side of the depot, I saw hundreds of boats lined up on a long boardwalk that ran parallel to the train. We were directed past an open arch in the fence towards the boardwalk.

The moment we passed through the fence, Foss squeezed my hand and signed for me to look up. In that moment I saw Offseer for the first time and immediately understood that we would have to cross the water to get to the base of the mountain on which it stood. Somehow we’d get to the top.

It was hard to see looking up from the depot. But Offseer was an enormous place. From the base of the hill looking up all you could see were dense trees rising up the mountain, with the towering edifice of Offseer’s main building rising into the sky. Offseer was like a campus with a central square lined with several buildings and a group of other building behind them. These buildings were obviously dormitories that house students, classrooms, auditoriums, gyms, dining halls, science labs, and so on.

The buildings were ancient and looked medieval with big gargoyles hanging from the eves. There were colossal pillars separating the first and second stories of the main building which is the largest on campus and extends the entire length of the central square. The main building had over a hundred windows facing into the square with more than eight stories.

The massive stone steps that lead up to the main gate and into the courtyard, could be seen from the depot. Off to the right was an enormous stair case leading down towards the water. At the bottom there’s was a circular stone that opened to a long stone jetty reaching out into the water with a huge dome structure at the end. I wondered what that was. I went to ask Foss but it was pointless as we moved through the crowds gathering on the long boardwalk.

The water was dark and as wide as a large river. It must be a couple of miles across. It was mesmerizing. The river appeared to surround the mountain island upon which the imposing fortress of Offseer sat. It was a dramatic contrast to looking out where the river wound into the wilderness. That territory looked like a never ending forest.

Eventually we were pushed into lines, two people wide, as we walked down to the boats. I had spent so much time looking up that I hadn’t noticed that I had been separated from Foss. As I started scanning the crowd to find her, a tall man spoke to us using an amplifier. He stood at the bottom of the small hill directing the students to go to their sides. He bellowed, “Secrets go to the right line, Speeds to the left then line up by year.” I had no idea where I should go and I still hadn’t found Foss, Jeremy or Jofe. The man continued, “Make haste, make haste. We don’t have all night to start the opening ceremonies.”

As everyone began filing into their lines I was unsure of where to go, thinking left might be good I headed in that direction. I was knocked about by students rushing by, students who knew where they were going. Then suddenly someone grabbed me by my shoulder and spun me around with such force I nearly fell over. It took me a while to refocus my gaze on my harasser.

“Dex, you do not want to be in that line. It’s not the right place for you,” Foss’s facial expression showed her seriousness as she looked me square in the eye. I nodded nervously and felt a little scared, before following her to get into the line on the right side. I was standing next to Foss with Jeremy and Jofe behind me. In front of us stood a tall, thin boy with shoulder-length shiny black hair and a pointy nose and another boy who was clearly his twin, except his hair was blonde. I kept on bumping into them since we were forced to walk so close together and I was trying to get a closer look.

We had to walk down the shallow slope from the depot to the boardwalk. It only took a few minutes but it seemed a lot longer. I was gripping onto Foss’s sweatshirt. I did not want to lose her again. It was loud as we made our way to the boats. Jofe nudged me and said, “Kinda crazy huh?” as we approached the boats. His smile was from ear to ear and I felt my stomach do a somersault.

The boats were kind of like canoes but they had sails. Each boat accommodated twelve students and everyone was being put onto the boats like an amusement park ride. Once filled, the boat moved off to be replaced by another. I hoped that I wouldn’t be separated from Foss. Sensing my nervousness Foss shouted to me, “We have to get to the school by boat!” It was as if Jeremy couldn’t resist, “The river is filled with creepy crawlies. Keep your hands out of the water,” he said into my ear.

“Jeremy, knock it off.” Foss reprimanded him. “Dex there isn’t anything in the river except normal river stuff,” she explained while glaring at Jeremy. He stuck out his tongue just a little but Foss didn’t see.

“That’s good to know, where they put all of these boats once we are on the other side,” I asked wondering if this might be my next mode of escape, just in case the need came around.

As we moved up in the line, Jeremy explained, “Once everyone is across they pull the boats back and lock them up in that massive boat house over there.” He pointed to a rather large structure at the far end of the boardwalk. “Unless you steal a boat, you can’t come to Offseer.” He explained this to me as if being at Offseer was a privilege only for the invited.

We climbed into the next empty boat with the two twin boys, and the three pairs of students behind us. Once we were seated in the boat it seemed an appropriate time to ask the next obvious question, if people can’t get in then it also means people can’t get out. Maybe the river, the boats and the climb were designed to keep us in. As I sat down next to Foss, it was clear this wasn’t a normal school.

“Um… Foss it seems like the school was designed to keep people out but is it also designed to keep us in? Is there a reason we would want to escape?” I asked watching my hopes of a paradise boarding school wash away as the black-haired twin answered my question.

“Oh yeah, this place is where they keep all the insane children.” He said very seriously. “I was tortured five times last year and my brother, Vito here,” he said while pointing to his blonde haired twin, “he was almost killed by our math teacher when he tried to ESCAPE. That’s why they put Offseer on an island you know – to keep all us

loonies in. And I really hope you aren’t a Normal, I hear they lock them in the Cellar and let them starve to death.”

I gulped; I had handled some tough places before but never anywhere with torture and starvation. After a moment of silence Jeremy, the boy, and his brother burst out laughing. Tomorrow I would think it was a good prank but I had been pranked twice already and we weren’t even at the school yet. I was angry that he had gotten to me.

Reaching back to extend his hand he said “I’m Price,” but he was still unable to control his laughing. I refused to shake his hand and he withdrew his. I think he got that I didn’t think it was so funny. More seriously he said, “Don’t worry it’s not that bad here. I’m sure you’ll love it,” a giant grin of amusement spread across his face.

“Don’t listen to them, they’re joking. That’s their thing.” Jofe interrupted, punching Jeremy in the shoulder. “And Price loves to exaggerate. If he didn’t you’d see how boring and lame he really is.” Jofe added to which Price said, “Oh come on that is low, even for you.” But everyone could tell they were both being light hearted and weren’t trying to hurt feelings.

Turning to me and lowering his voice Jofe said, “Don’t worry Dex, this school might be full of kids who are gifted but the teachers don’t let things get out of hand. Besides you can only use your Center in the assessment and training building anyway. Remember you wouldn’t be here if your blood tests had said you were Normal or you hadn’t passed the exams. So relax and don’t let Price get to you. He may be a jerk sometimes but he can be really funny too. He’s alright.”

I had decided that I liked Jofe. He gave me information and I needed to feel like I had a grip on this place. It had nothing to do with attractiveness, of course. Just stay cool, Dex, stay cool. His voice was calm and reassuring unlike Price who took the first chance he had to make a joke at my expense. I felt like I could trust Jofe. I had learned to trust my instincts about people. So I lowered my voice and leaned into him.

“Jofe, what kind of exams?” I asked. He looked at me and knew I really didn’t know about any exams at all. He didn’t turn away or change the subject. After a moment or so, his brow furrowed in contemplation, he told me. “There’s the blood test. The blood tests are new. We were all tested in year four. Now they take samples at birth. The science has advanced so that they can tell if you have a Center gene. There is also the written test and the agent interviews too. They take them all into consideration now.” Holy crap! What was going on here? What is this place? I kept my voice low and looked Jofe straight in the eye. I need to know what’s going on.

“I never took a written test and I didn’t have an interview and are you saying I have abnormal blood?” I asked my voice betraying my hysteria. For the first time I was

really concerned about this place. It was probably Margret’s idea- her evil sadistic way of messing with me.

“No not abnormal, just different. We all have special abilities, our Centers, and Offseer is where we develop our Centers and learn how to use them. We also study a bunch of other stuff too. But our parents send us here so we can control our Centers. What Center did you register at your naming?” he asked.

“My naming?” I said. I could tell he was getting a little freaked out by me. Then his eyes changed from confusion to compassion as simple as that. I lefted his head and looked around. I could tell he was concerned someone might hear us, “Trust me Dex, you wouldn’t be here if you were a Normal. You have a Center even if you don’t know what it is” he said. It was the way he said it that made me feel like everything would be alright. Immediately I felt calm.

Jofe turned to talk to Jeremy and I leaned in to ask Foss more questions. “Foss, what is going on here? I’m utterly freaked out now. What’s this Naming thing?” I could see Foss trying to figure out how to explain that one. Finally she spoke. “Dex, we have all been Named,” she said looking around at everyone. “When you are Named you register your Center. It’s like a coming of age thing. There is usually a party on your Naming day and then your Center is registered with the Council of Agents. Then you become a Centeran, a full member of the world of Centers. I really think you need to talk to the teachers about all that. They will explain everything to you in a way you can understand. I feel like I am telling you things out of order or something. Got it?” she asked me.

Not really. What did Jofe mean by tests, I hadn’t had to take a test and I was just told I was going here last Monday. Did this have to do with the whole sides’ issue? Everyone here is special and I am too? My head was swimming with questions as I stared out at all the boats gliding across the water.

Jofe turned back to me and we started talking about ordinary things like music and comics. I laughed whenever he said something particularly funny and found myself forgetting about everything else besides him. While talking with Jofe my mind was processing all this new information. Maybe a place like this could make some kind of sense; the weird school on top of a mountain, eerie boats to take us there, Secrets and Speeds, strange new ideas and Centers and Centerans. If Foss and Jofe were right then I had a Center too. Maybe that’s why I never made friends at all those other schools. I always knew I was different. I guess I didn’t know how different I really was. Everyone on the boat was talking and laughing. I let the conversation continue without any more questions from me. I enjoyed just being in the presence of these guys without

being shunned by the group. There is no doubt that I watched Jofe most of all but not so much that is was obvious I was more interested in what he had to say than anyone else.

All of a sudden I felt a chill ride up my spine. Everything became quiet then I noticed movement in the corner of my eye. I turned my head but all I saw was the forest. I could sense something but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I frowned a bit, there was something off. I could just sense it and my instincts are never wrong . Holy crap what is going on here? Something just isn’t right.

A quiet voice caught my attention. “I sense it too. It feels dangerous somehow” he said.

“Yes it makes me feel nervous too. What do you think it is?” I asked still looking across the water. ‘I don’t see anything do you?” I asked turning around to speak with him.

“No I don’t see anything. I just felt something is all” he said. I looked around to see who was speaking. No one was talking to me. Who’s talking to me? Maybe they are playing a prank on me.

“No pranks here, Dex. I am looking right at you” he said. I looked around again but the only one looking directly at me was Price’s Brother Vito.

“Hi Dex I’m Vito. It’s amazing you can hear me” he said.

It’s more amazing that you can speak without moving your lips.

“Well I wouldn’t call it amazing because I am not talking at all because I can’t speak. I am thinking. So I guess what’s really amazing is that I can hear your thoughts and you can hear mine.” Then I heard Jeremy’s voice cut through the buzzing of boats of students talking. My head was spinning.

“Ok. Ok. Jofe I was wrong. I can be wrong a lot, just let me warn you if she isn’t Named soon Willard will claim her. Did you hear her? She didn’t even take the test!” Jeremy said turning to look at me. Jofe quickly yanked his arm and put his finger to his lip and whispered…Shhhhhhh

Instinctively I lowered my voice “Who’s Willard?” I asked flatly. I was going to take this one question at a time. Everyone in the boat looked at me, dark looks crossing their faces. I simply shrugged, “What? Who is he?”

Jeremy lowered his head and leaned in towards me, “Willard is a jerk. He is also a Speed who thinks he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. He’s in that boat over there,” Jeremy pointed to a tall, handsome boy with pretty blue eyes sitting in a boat

only a few feet away from ours. I remembered seeing one of the boys in the boat push me about as he rushed to the left earlier.

“What makes him a jerk?” I asked still whispering.

“He’s a jerk because he is a Speed and he wants you,” Jeremy answered while still keeping his eyes on Willard’s boat.

“Why would he want me anyway?” I asked. Could this guy answer something without creating new questions? Seriously this is going nowhere. Our boat was already half way across the river and soon we would be looking up at those daunting pillars and there wouldn’t be time for talking.

“Willard is a Speed and he is always trying to recruit un-deciders. Willard will want you as a Speed as soon as he learns you transferred here,” Jeremy stated.

“I don’t understand. How will he find out about me? I’ve only talked to you guys,” I reminded him.

Looking at the last pair of students at the end of the boat Jeremy said, “Because we are not alone.” It was clear that the girls were Speeds by the disgust in Jeremy’s voice.

One of the girls spoke up, “Oh please Jeremy, the minute she stepped onto the train everyone knew anyway. When have you ever heard of a new 7 th year transfer? There must be something…um…unique about her,” The girl said with a good amount of sarcasm.

Jeremy turned to me, “they are right without being named you are neutral. I suppose that might have some advantages but in the end you will be named and you will choose – Secret or Speed.” Jeremy was looking directly into my eyes. He put me on edge. He was super serious.

Jofe lowered his voice to a whisper as Willard’s boat moved closer to our boat. “Just know it’s important to hear us out before you make any decisions.” Foss passed me a worried glance and Price winked mischievously as he licked his fingers and he moved closer to the girls who sat near him. It was clear Willard intended to talk as he drew his vessel alongside and awkwardly stepped into our boat.

“Hello there Dex, welcome to Offseer. My name’s Willard Preston, pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Willard said as he sat down in between Jofe and me and extended his hand to me. The canoe swayed at the shift in weight and I grabbed at Foss, afraid of falling out. Once I regained my balance I gave his hand a firm shake, and let the handshake drop.

“My pleasure,” I said sizing him up and trying to see what made him such a jerk.

“I know you are new and probably undecided. You might be confused or overwhelmed. I mean Offseer can do that to a person. I get it. I just wanted to tell you, you are always welcome with the Speeds.”

“I’m glad to know that,” I replied. Wow! Someone so nice to new people couldn’t be that much of a jerk, right?

“You see, here in Offseer, people as special as you are rare and we want to offer you the best opportunities to showcase your abilities,” he continued.

“That’s very…err… thoughtful,” I responded, still unsure of what was so bad about him. “Why did you come to our boat?” I asked. He didn’t seem too bad.

“Valerie and Beatrice wound up on this Secret boat and Professor Jordan gave us permission to bring them to our boat,” he answered as he pointed to the two girls in the back of our boat. Valerie was the one on the right. She had a bony face with straw-like, cropped brown hair. Her plaid mini skirt was cleanly pressed, her collared shirt was ironed and sharp and her go-go boots were clearly American.

Nose in the air she looked at us instead of the ground as she noticed the attention turning to her. The other one, Beatrice, short with long golden hair and shiny grey almost silver eyes, wasn’t paying us any attention but instead was giggling at Price’s funny expressions. I almost started laughing myself.

Suddenly Beatrice broke into a fit of laughter as Price whispered a joke in her ear. She turned and smiled at him, completely ignoring Willard, who was now glaring at her. Valerie, who sat on the other side of Beatrice, gave her a worried glance but Beatrice didn’t notice.

“Beatrice, shut up, and get in the boat” Willard barked. Valerie immediately began navigating herself around Beatrice and got onto the other boat. Beatrice didn’t move.

“You useless twig, stop talking to that Secret and get on the boat, Beatrice,” Willard was practically yelling. “We do not socialize with them,” Willard snapped at the girl. I saw her give Price an apologetic glance before she maneuvered onto the other boat. I eyed Willard suspiciously. Willard was controlling. He’d been mean to Price and disrespectful to Beatrice. Apparently no one got away with ignoring him. Jofe stood up. And in that moment I felt that if Willard was Jofe’s enemy then he would be mine too.

“You are just upset that your girl likes a Secret over you,” Jofe said in a sing song voice intended to insult.

“You don’t know anything Jofe. So let me handle her,” he said dismissively.

“I think you should leave now. We do not want you here. So you can go,” Jofe said clearly willing to fight if Willard didn’t move off.

“You don’t know the powers you’re denying yourself by refusing me,” Willard continued, standing up.

“I guess I don’t,” I said. He was clearly trying to intimidate me but I wasn’t scared of him in the least. I smiled sweetly into Willard’s pretty eyes which didn’t seem so pretty anymore. “I suggest you get out of my way before I make you move.” I was standing now, invading Willard’s personal space and staring him down.

Willard pulled back. “You can do better than these losers Dex. We’ll talk later,” Willard said as he hopped back onto his boat.

“Oh yeah. Now run along bonehead, you’ve got freaks to control,” Jeremy spat back. The boys burst out laughing, even quiet Vito was smiling. Completely and utterly quashed; Willard pushed his boat off and floated away.

“You’ll regret this, but when you come to realize what we really offer and how these low-lives want to oppress you. You’ll be a Speed.” Willard yelled now that he was safe distance away.

I turned to Foss and said loudly, “I don’t think so. He’s a terrible spokesman for his side. I am happy right where I am.” Everyone on my boat cheered.

“He is such a bonehead,” Price exclaimed while I sighed in relief that the incident was over. Since I had gone to many other boarding schools for juvenile delinquents I knew how to stand up for myself. This would surely make Jofe and Jeremy and Foss want me in there group, right? I hoped so; they were the first people who had been nice to me in a long while.

“Dex, that was real smooth!” Vito said. He was beaming at me. But Price just talked over him not paying him the slightest attention. Vito slumped down on the bench in his small corner. I could tell he was feeling neglected. I felt really bad for him.

I lowered my voice and asked Foss, “Why is Price doing that?” Maybe Price wasn’t that nice either. “Why doesn’t he listen to his brother?” I added. It was obvious I wasn’t talking as quietly as I thought. Almost in unison they all turned and looked at me with screwed up faces and everything grew strangely, eerily quiet.

“Price and the rest of them can’t hear my thoughts Dex.” Vito explained.

Price took the lead and spoke first, “Dex, Vito was touched by the voice-snatchers. He can’t talk.” I gazed at their faces. They definitely thought that was all the explanation I needed.

“It’s true my speech was taken from me.” Vito conceded.

As if continuing my conversation with Vito I asked, “OK I’ll bite, what is a voice snatcher?” I asked.

Foss spoke up. She said, “Dex, voice snatchers are used as a form of punishment.” She could see I was horrified by what she was saying. She added, “Voice snatchers are only used if you violate one of the Five Rules.’

I continued to be annoyed. Stop talking to me like I know everything you know.

Vito interrupted, “You have to give them a chance. There is a lot to learn but you will sort through it.” Vito was very reassuring.

“All right” I said. “What are the rules?” I asked.

Jofe looked directly at me. I felt his eyes trying to make a special connection with me. He listed each rule.

“One: You are never allowed to use your Center on a classmate or teacher.

Two: You may never form a group or participate in a group that exists to promote a Speed or Secret agenda.

Three: You cannot interact with any students who have not been named

Four: You may never leave the Offseer grounds until the end of term

Five: Registering your Center with the Council of Agents is Mandatory”

I took a moment to let the rules sink in. All I knew was that I don’t like rules in general but really didn’t like these rules. So I asked the obvious question.

“What did Vito Do?” I asked. Price started talking but his voice dimmed and Vito’s voice was all I could hear.

“Dex, I formed the OSSA – the Offseer Secret Student Alliance. As you might have figured out Secrets and Speeds are rivals. We see the world differently. Over the past year or two Speeds have become more brazen than ever. We know that they are approaching younger students to convince them to register as Speeds. They are also getting louder about their views of how Centers develop and as a result they have been bullying and terrifying students who disagree wether they are Secret or Speed. The

administration hasn’t done anything to stop them; I decided it was time to do something. We started meeting in secret and planning ways to limit Speed influence on campus. Miss Fetter found a few of us together and well as the leader I went to the voice snatchers. I am just grateful that most members were not there when we were caught. It has been impossible for me to communicate with anyone to keep OSSA alive.” Vito explained with a smile.

Then I noticed that everyone had stopped talking and they were staring at me. It looked like Vito and I were talking but we were not speaking. After a moment Price had had enough.

“What? You think you are talking to him now I bet. Let me spell it out for you. Vito doesn’t speak so either you heard someone else or you are really really tired,” Price said while using his finger to make the universal gesture for crazy.

“Price, knock that off,” Foss said. Then she turned to me, “Dex, it’s true Vito doesn’t talk anymore. I’m sure you just thought you heard him.” I wasn’t sure if I should tell them that I could talk to Vito because I could hear his thoughts and he could hear mine. I was beginning to feel completely overwhelmed. This was all too much to take in. In fact, this entire day had been unbelievable right from the start.

“It’s OK Dex just breathe in and out slowly. I get this is crazy for you. I would be freaked out too if one day I was dropped off at Offseer without even knowing I had a Center or anything about our world.” Vito said compassionately. Yes, thanks Vito I just need to take a few deep breathes. This is crazy and everyone will think I am crazy too – really, hearing people’s thoughts! I will sound like a nutter. Was this some kind of a joke? Disappointment welled up inside of me but I ignored it. And I was definitely not going to show my feelings. You’ve been through a lot of crap and this is no different. It’s time to take charge.

I felt like I had to stand up for myself. I looked them all in the eyes and said “Vito is talking to me. Well not talking but thinking and I can hear him and he can hear me.” They all were confused. They stared at me as if I had lost my mind. I looked desperately at Vito for help.

“OK if you say so” Price said while making the crazy sign. “Trust me if he could communicate, he’d be talking to me and not you. So don’t get any ideas,” Price gave me a vicious stare.

“Dex let’s just show them” Vito said as he laid out a plan.

I turned back but the boys had moved to the front of the boat. Foss was there looking at me with great concern. I grabbed her hands and said “I’ll show you. Vito will

say something. I will whisper to you what he said. Then Vito will write down whatever he told me. It’s bulletproof. I can’t cheat,” I explained.

Vito told me that he was thinking about… an evergreen pine tree. Then he wrote it on Foss’ hand. Then I whispered it to Foss. Foss turned over her hand.

An Evergreen Pine Tree

Foss looked at me and gasped. She knew I was telling the truth, “That is exactly correct. How can that be? I mean how can you hear him?” I didn’t know how we did it I only knew we could. Foss was rubbing the ink off her hand and looking at us with disbelief.

“Wow. I’ve never heard of something like this” Foss said as she called for Jeremy. But as she did the boat crashed against the shore of the Offseer beach. I’d completely forgotten about the school, being so focused on proving my sanity.

Gulping I took a deep breath as a fresh wave of nerves shivered through my body. The boys jumped out of the boat as a group of men had reached the boats and were pulling them onto the beach shouting instructions for us to file out and get in line behind the yellow flashing light. We all scrambled out of the boat. Looking up at the cliffs of Offseer one thing was sure there would be no easy escaping to my aunt’s house this year.

We were herded into huge cargo elevators at the base of the mountain. Foss and I were separated from the boys but I was thankful she was holding my hand so tightly. I didn’t want to go up there alone. Once inside the elevator, steel doors closed and moments later they opened into the grand foyer of the great hall of Offseer. On the ride up I was thinking this is just fantastic, I’m hearing a silent guy, had my own personal set of enemies, found a new friend and the freakiest most bizarre “home” ever. All this had happened in less than twenty-four hours. I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen next. All I wanted now was to get to my room, put my head on a pillow and try and sort out the day.

Chapter 3

Breaking

As Foss and I entered the great hall of Offseer I had this paranoid sensation that we were being watched. My new friends, consisting of Price (well maybe not), Vito, Jeremy, and Jofe were moving into the hall just in front of us. The great hall was enormous and the most elegant place I had ever seen. I was in awe. As Foss and I made our way through the gigantic engraved doors, which were held open with golden statues, I began to feel a bit paranoid.

My feeling of being watched was growing stronger. I quickly turned to look at Foss but she didn’t seem concerned at all. In fact, none of the students seemed to be anxious. Yet I still couldn’t shake the idea that someone was watching me. Not the guards or the escorts or Willard even, but by some-thing. It seemed that only I knew it was there. It was like I could sense its presence. It felt harmful and dangerous somehow.

We meet up with the boys nearly half way into the hall. The anxious feeling left me and I finally focused on making a good first impression. I wasn’t going to be what my step-mother wanted me to be; unwelcomed and nothing but trouble.

I was going to be the optimist. Foss and Jofe made it easier to see all the good things that might happen for once. And I was determined to make a first-rate impression. I was pretty sure that if the teachers really liked me they would tell me what was going on and make my life here much easier. The teachers were perched on a dais at the end of the hall where everyone could see them. The teachers stood and a bell rang out to get the students’ attention. We stood and listened to the announcements. A women in a long black dress addressed the students. I whispered to Foss, “Who is that?”. Foss glanced over and said “She the headmaster of Offseer”

The headmaster or in this case the headmistress spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear. She instructed us that e were to stay in the grand hall. Food would arrive shortly and after that we would be assigned to dormitories and meet our roommates. When the announcements finished there was a collective groan. I figured everyone else was as tired as I was and just wanted to get on with it.

Foss told me to wait right there, she had to talk with Jeremy and moved up to where the boys were standing. She was gone in a flash. Then some other boys about our age came around and pulled Jofe, Vito and Price away. In the middle of a crowd I

was alone to take in the great hall of Offseer. The inside of Offseer is not like your average school. The room was enormous, a long and wide rectangle. As you entered the hall there was a shiny gold painted wall with shelves upon shelves of gold trophies and metals and awards lined up behind thick glass cases that didn’t have a single smudge mark. To the right of the metals, still on the left wall, were an assortment of armor, shields and dangerous weapons hammered onto the golden paint behind humongous spikes. Some of the weapons were as common as an axe and others completely foreign, such as a wooden log with a circular spike poking out of the top.

Over a hundred feet straight in front of me to the right of the dais were two flights of stairs. The one on the left was slender, with painted black concrete and lead downwards to who knows where. The one to right truly fit the description “grand staircase” complete with white marble lions standing guard at the base. To my right there were a wide variety of beautiful butterflies ranging from Monarchs to Tigers fluttering around. They would land momentarily on equally stunning flowers of every color in the book (I bet a few out of this world too) in what seemed to me to be a mini green house that sank deep into the wall . It was stunning.

The ceiling was over twenty feet above us, flat and the most boring part of the whole room (which is saying something). It was simply painted in an optical illusion of white and black shapes that formed a checkered pattern. I couldn’t tell if they were rhombuses or squares, they seemed to keep on changing their shape. As a looked over the crowd, there were hundreds of kids of every race, shape, and size crowding the hall, milling around, talking to one another, and waiting for further instructions. I was hungry. I had barely eaten anything all day.

All of a sudden I sensed that it had returned. I looked behind me but everyone seemed normal. Then suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my head. Then a rush of voices entered my mind. I could hear every conversion being said in the room as one big jumble of painfully loud noises. Then I heard a thumping. I could sense everything moving, stepping, tapping, and as a wave of noise rushed throughout my body in earth quaking vibrations I yelled out.

STOP! Suddenly all the sounds and feelings and vibrations went away as if they had never been in my head. I took a deep breath. I was afraid to open my eyes. I was certain the entire room would be staring at me. They are all going to think I am a nutter. I braced myself and took another deep breath and opened my eyes. Holy Crap! Nothing has changed. No one was looking at me at all. It was as if no one had heard my scream but me. Had that all been in my head I wondered? As the thumping in my heart calmed down I figured I was probably just light headed from starvation or maybe I was sick. Or maybe I was overly nervous. I barely had time to figure out what just happened when a voice murmured close to my ear.

“Cool huh? The room blows me away every time I see it.” It was Jofe. I was glad to see him. I was still feeling unsettled. “Look over there,” Jofe said pointing to an extremely tall thin woman with sharp angular features and pursed lips. Her distinctive air of distaste for the world was written on her face. She stood glaring down at everyone with her jet black eyes perfectly ominous and her elbow-length jet black hair perfectly straight in the far right corner of the hall. Her dark brown chocolate complexion deepened the darkness of her eyes.

“Yes the Headmistress” I said.

“Well her name is Miss Fetter,” Jofe said. “I know creepy, right.” I nodded in agreement. There was something about her that reminded me of death. I felt timid and very scared of the lady. My stomach flipped and I thought for sure I was sick.

“That’s none other than the devil itself,” Price said as he joined us. “Flesh and blood; she rules this place and is practically the leader of the Speeds of Offseer. She’s the one who checks to see if anyone is out of line. You better watch out Dex if you screw up you’re going to the Cellar.” I couldn’t figure Price out. Was he always going around scaring people or was it just with me.

“Price shut up,” Jofe interjected. “Dex will be fine. You and I both know you have to do something extreme to get the Cellar.” Jofe said to reassure me.

Foss, who had returned with Jeremy added, “Just stay clear of her Dex. She’s part of The Council. She is horrible to the students and she is flat out miserable to be near. I shiver every time I go within a fifty foot radius of the woman, which makes sense since her Center is killer,” she said.

“Well I have to agree, she doesn’t exactly look welcoming. If she hates it here so much why doesn’t she leave?” I asked. Jofe started to laugh; as I turned I saw Foss and Jeremy laughing too right along with Price! “What’s so funny about that, guys? I was being serious.”

“I think they’re laughing because Miss Fetter always says how much she loves it here. Making little kids turn into Speeds. You know she creates rules to hinder Secrets from sharing secrets. She makes it hard for students to gather in large groups. She has forbidden us from publishing a student newspaper. She even went so far as to track everything written on paper here. We all live under the ink rule, so watch out.” Vito was once again talking to me but not really talking. The others were just standing there watching us as we responded to each other with the kind of body language that corresponds with conversation.

“Wow I guess Foss is right. I should just stay away from her.” I said. I was grateful that someone was explaining what happens around here.

Vito continued, “That’s good advice Dex. Miss Fetter enjoys being evil and distasteful. She’s like a female Nicolae Ceausescu. What a communist, perhaps they are related,” Vito said very seriously. Of course I had no idea who Nicolae Ceausescu was. Just add it to the list of things I realized today I didn’t know; what was the ink rule? Who were the Speeds? Who were the Secrets? Who was… Who am I?

Price had been watching our silent exchange, getting angrier by the second. Finally he exploded.

“You’re one bloody liar Dex. Or you’re just mentally unstable. Vito…is…NOT…talking to you. Stop fooling around,” Price hollered at me before he whipped his head around and yelled at Vito, “You too. Knock it off Vito.” Foss began to open her mouth to speak, because she knew I could hear Vito even if the rest of them couldn’t. I shot her a glance so she was quiet. I caught Jofe’s eye as well as he gave me a questioning look. I wanted Price and Jofe to believe me. Not just groan and agree because Foss believed me. There had to be some way to prove it.

That was when it went down. In the awkwardness of the moment Vito took out a red pen from his back pocket and looked around. For a while he tried mouthing things to Price and using his hands to explain but nothing got through to him. Vito was losing it. He tried and tried to say something but had gotten so frustrated no one could tell what he was doing. And no one but me could hear.

“I’m tired of not being heard!” Vito was screaming now and I could tell he wasn’t talking to me. Finally after a minute of silence he rolled up his sleeve and uncapped the pen. I gave him a perplexed look.

“Vito, doing that in secret is one thing. We are in the main hall. It’s too dangerous,” Foss exclaimed drawing in closer to Vito. He shook his head, ignoring her advice, and began to write on his left arm. Foss gasped and I noticed Price biting his lip. He was just writing on his arm not committing murder I thought.

Jeremy, Foss, Price and Jofe glanced around nervously trying to see if anyone saw what Vito was doing. Slowly they began to block him from the view of the others in the room. I joined in, feeling the anxiety of the group, as we formed a small circle to protect Vito, although I didn’t get why he needed protecting. I stopped thinking questions and starting asking them.

“Jofe, I don’t get it. What’s the big deal?” I whispered into Jofe’s ear as I stood in between him and Foss.

“Have you ever passed notes in class knowing the teachers wouldn’t catch you?” he replied softly in my ear. I nodded my head up and down.

“Yea, but what does that have to do with-” he cut me off and continued.

“The paper here is programmed. Every single line of ink or lead written on a piece of paper is automatically entered into the school database. There are no secrets that can be kept written down. But they can’t track anything written on the body so if anyone is caught doing that it’s a trip to Cellar. It became a rule when a group of Secrets began organizing,” I notice him shoot a hated glance to the right of us, “So Speeds accused them of planning to sabotage a Naming and the rebellion of 56’ started. Ever since then no written communication is allowed outside of class and the Council has completely taken over all Namings.” I followed his gaze and caught a glimpse of Willard surrounded by tough looking guys and frilly girls. I sighed.

“How can you program ink and paper?” I asked softly. He was scaring me.

“You will learn all about us soon enough,” Jofe replied as he stepped back.

“Miss Mordisphere, how do you like Offseer so far?” I spun my body around to find Miss Fetter smiling down at me. She was smiling like my stepmother, a middle-aged woman who was clearly acting. I looked her up and down extremely freaked out by her. She was really intimidating. The way she stood, the way her face laid blank of emotion, everything about her freaked me out.

“Yes, it’s very…peculiar. It’s like no other school I’ve attended,” this was true of course and it didn’t sound like I was saying anything negative. I shot a quick glance to Vito and let out a breath of relief when I saw his sleeve rolled down, but I could just see the red…Miss Fetter began to ask me a question I wasn’t quite listening to, as I hoped Vito would cover it up more. I didn’t realize Miss Fetter had noticed I wasn’t completely focused on her.

“Miss Mordisphere what are you staring at…?” Miss Fetter bent to my eye level and followed my gaze as I tried to focus on something else, like my shoes. She was fast and I knew I’d just messed it all up. I didn’t know much about my surroundings but I knew that the ink thing was a big deal. Vito said he was a risk taker. He had thought Miss Fetter wouldn’t catch him. Holy Crap I hope he is right. I felt guilty. I led her right to him. I might have just ruined any chances of being accepted in their group. I wouldn’t want to be friends with a girl who didn’t know how to be inconspicuous, especially at a school like this. I normally was better at this sort of thing. I couldn’t believe I had just done that.

“Vito could you roll up your sleeve for me,” her words cut through me like a sword. I heard her heals hitting the glass floor as the room grew silent. My eyes were still locked on my shoes as I knew that Vito would do as requested.

“Vito show me what you wrote,” I shot my gaze upward to find Miss Fetter within inches of Vito, her bony hands fingering his right arm. I heard Price groan as the hall grew quiet. I knew three things in that moment; ink on skin was banned, Vito was caught doing it and it was my fault.

Slowly Vito pushed up his sleeve for all to see what he wrote.

It’s the Truth

I gulped. The look on Price’s face said it all. He instantly knew I had been telling the truth. I could talk to Vito and he could talk to me.

A crowd had formed around our gang and Miss Fetter. It was so quiet if a pin dropped it would sound like an elephant was on a rampage. The worst part of the scene was that Miss Fetter was smiling a mean smile that had nothing but bad intent behind it. Vito looked like he might cry. It was all because of me. There had to be something I could do.

“Now Vito, tell us what “it’s the truth” means. Then we can figure out where you should spend the night,” Miss Fetter’s words sliced through the silent air with extraordinary viciousness. If her voice was a sword everyone in the room would have been dead right then.

Vito looked up at her and stayed silent.

“Oh yes I forgot you are a mute now. Price, tell me what his writing meant. You would know, you are his twin after all,” she turned to face Price who was standing behind his brother.

“I-I don’t know ma’am,” Price stammered. I could tell Miss Fetter didn’t believe him. There was going to be hell to pay if someone didn’t step up…

“It was my fault,” I blurted out. “A fellow student told me about the whole ink issue and I thought it would make a good dare. Even I know Vito wouldn’t wimp out. It doesn’t mean anything; he probably just made it up. Vito is the victim here. So punish me,” I said more defiantly than I felt. I stepped between Vito and Miss Fetter.

I was more surprised at the words that came out of my mouth than Miss Fetter. Jofe gave me a ‘what are you doing’ look, while Miss Fetter contemplated my confession. I gave him a quick stern glance warning him not to interfere. I had started this mess the least I could do was keep Vito from getting in trouble. I’d never had real

friends before. It had always been me, going solo, and ready to fight anyone who messed with me. Now I think I might have friends. I had to be a different person.

“Well then Miss Mordisphere since you have confessed you can spend the night in the Cellar,” Miss Fetter smiled while my friends gasped in horror. Foss jumped in front of me, her arms outstretched as if to protect me from a blow.

“You can’t. I don’t think you should, violating the ink rule really doesn’t warrant the Cellar. She didn’t mean what she did. She’s new and she doesn’t understand the rules yet. That’s where they put the third time offenders!” Foss pleaded frantically. But her words fell on deaf ears. Miss Fetter pushed Foss aside. Now this was going to be interesting.

She pointed her finger at Vito and with piercing eyes said, “You will serve a week of detention” then she turned back to me

I looked at Foss and said, “Foss, thanks a lot for trying to help but I can see this is something I’m going to have to face. Besides how bad can a cellar be?” I stood there strong with my head up. I walked up to Miss Fetter and said, “I’m ready.” It’s on.

Then to my utter embarrassment Miss Fetter stepped toward me and grabbed my ear, beginning to drag me across the hall. “Excuse me but can’t I at least walk on my own?” I tried to reason with the witch. She didn’t even flinch. I tried to yank her hands free but her grip was firm. As we headed to the end of the hall the students parted like the red sea making a path for us. She was leading me to the staircase; not the beautiful marble one. Instead I was headed for the dark one that led to who knows where.

No one followed us except Jofe and Foss. They were there the whole time no matter how many times Miss Fetter turned and threatened them if they didn’t step back. Without words I felt a bond forming. These guys are my friends. As we headed down the stairs I glanced back at them. I could tell from the looks on their faces they were terrified for me which made me even more scared than I was already.

We must have descended fifty steps before we reached a landing and turned to go deeper underground. As we did the light and sounds from the great hall faded away completely. As my eyes adjusted to the dark and from a swinging light on Miss Fetter’s belt, I could see the walls of the staircase were made of jagged rock. It felt like we were walking down to a dungeon in the heart of the mountain on which Offseer sat. For a time it seemed the stair case would never end. Being dragged down a staircase by your ear is not a very comfortable experience, if you were unaware. Do not try it at home.

When we finally reached the bottom off the stairs Miss Fetter let go and I crumbled to the landing. I was in pain and completely terrified. Miss Fetter extended a

key on an elastic band from her pocket and opened the door in front of us. The door opened and she reached down and yanked me to my feet. Then she shoved me inside.

The cell had a short, grey ceiling and narrow, grey stucco walls that made one feel confined and claustrophobic. As she turned to go she said, “You will learn to follow our rules Miss Mordisphere. After your night here you may even come to appreciate them. I see you will be a challenge. You are, after all, your mother’s daughter,” with that she turned and walked away.

While she was talking I could see light from her flashlight but it faded fast. I heard her close the door and turn the lock and then I heard nothing. I stood there in the dark overwhelmed with the entire experience and I started crying. I didn’t like crying but now I was alone so what did it matter. I didn’t have to act smooth in a cellar where no one could hear or see me.

I was in total darkness. I moved toward the wall. When I found it I slid down and wrapped my arms around my knees. I was alone with nowhere to go and it was clear that I shouldn’t dare try to fight with Miss Fetter again. My head hurt, my ear was throbbing and my hair was tingling and I could not stop crying.

As I sat there crying and thinking over everything that had happened, I heard a voice. My heart sank and I froze. I couldn’t see anything past the end of my nose.

“Hello there, are you alright?” said the voice, a boy’s voice. It took me a moment to determine that the voice was coming from the other corner of the cell.

“I guess so,” I mumbled not sure if I should talk..

“Alright then,” he said and I could tell he was moving toward me and my eyes were adjusting to the dark. He stepped on my foot and found his way around me and slide down the wall to sit next to me. Once he was settled he said, “I’m Marv and what did you do to tick off Fetter and get yourself sent down here on the first day of school?” His voice sounded kind of friendly.

“I guess I could ask you the same thing.” I replied. It took me a minute to realize the real reason I was being punished. I said, “I stood up for a friend,” and realizing that was the reason I was proud of myself.

“Well it looks like we both went up against the devil today, what did you do exactly?” Marv asked.

I wasn’t sure how to explain anything let alone Miss Fetter and her reaction to me. “It’s a long story.” I said with a sigh.

Marv chuckled and replied, “Well we do have a lot of time down here. I feel up for a long story.”

So I began telling the story of my trip to Offseer. As I started talking I realized I couldn’t stop. I told Marv every detail. Somehow it was helping me put the pieces together. Marv asked questions I couldn’t answer but he always stopped to explain what I didn’t understand. It remained the most amazing day of my life but somehow I didn’t feel so overwhelmed anymore. I could tell that Marv was caring and compassionate. It was nice to be able to talk to someone.

I nudged his shoulder and said, “OK, it’s your turn. What did you do to get sent down here for the night.”

Marv took a deep breath and I could tell his story was going to be a long one too. He started. “She threw me in here because she found out I was planning on reviving the OSSA.”I couldn’t help but jump in because I actually knew what that was. I said, “Oh yea the Offseer Secret Student Alliance. Vito told me about that. It must be a really big deal because he had his voice snatched.” I could tell he was smiling when he said “Well know you know more than I thought.”

I felt I needed to clarify. “Not really. I just know what it stands for and about what happened to Vito. He only said it had something to do with Willard trying to recruit undecideds. I would love it if you would explain it to me.”

Marv began, “Sure. But I have been working on the Offseer Speed Student Alliance. You see I am a speed and Vito? He is a secret. But we both believe that the separation between Centerans has gotten very wide, too wide”

Marv and I sat in the damp dark cellar while he explained how the advances in science had created a growing rife between the two sides. Speeds, like Willard, were taking their lead from the Speeds on the Council and they were using a thing called genetics to make plans to take over. Apparently genetics are all about how we have the features we have and these genetics are proving that Centerans are really different from Normals. Speeds, on the other hand, feel like they need to protect Normals and stay behind the scenes because Centerans are more like Normals than Speeds think.

Marv continued, “Vito and I decided to starts the OSSAs for his side and mine. There are extreme views on both sides. The trouble brewing out there is starting to come in here. Speeds like Willard are like fascists. They are bullying Speeds into acting like they believe in Speed superiority. Out there they want to take control of the Council. In here they want to recruit as many kids as they can. And it’s not so good on the other side either. There are secrets who want to fully assimilate with Normals and they want to destroy the Council and Speed villages and schools like Offseer. Vito and I and a lot of

others, both out there and in here believe if we don’t meet in the middle we are going to have a civil war on our hands.”

Wow that is so heavy.

“Well then I guess you are kind of brave. Standing up to all that” I said.

Marv came right back and said, “You are kind of brave too for standing up for a friend.” And with that we both were quiet. Eventually we lay down on the floor. I think we were both utterly exhausted. I had no idea of the room’s size or proportions. I was just glad that the Cellar was big enough for me to stretch out and that was pretty good for the time being.

As a drifted off to sleep, it didn’t feel awkward or scary; it was just peaceful and there was a sense of understanding that came between Marv and me. My instincts told me he was a good guy too.

Chapter 4

Talking

I woke and sat up against the wall. I figured Marv had drifted off too since I could hear that rhythmic breathing that comes with sleep. I was tired. My head still hurt and there was no way I could sleep. What did Margret get me into? It seemed everyone here knew things I didn’t and it seemed some of those “things” were about me and my family. Miss Fetter had said I was like my mother. Had she come to this place as a girl? If so why didn’t my Dad tell me? The entire thing about Secrets and Speeds still felt like there was a lot more to learn.

After a while Marv rolled over and asked me how I got the Offseer.

“I got here on a train, how about you?” I replied.

“I know that. I mean how did you end up here?” Marv clarified.

“I really don’t know. I was living at home and a few days ago she said I was going to a new school. She’s the one who sent me here.” I told him. Marv was silent. I wondered if he thought I was lying. I knew that I was an anomaly in the Offseer world coming so late but I really didn’t know why I was sent here. I certainly didn’t think I had special abilities. No doubt I had learned a lot of important skills like picking locks, avoiding guards and disarming alarms. But I had the distinct feeling that’s not what everyone was talking about.

“Who is she?” Marv asked me.

“She’s my stepmother. God, she hates me- good thing because I hate her more. You don’t know what it’s like, living with her and letting her control my dad all the time. Ever since she came into my life she has been shipping me off to reformatory schools, detention centers and now this! I am here because of her. You have no idea how hard it is to lose your mother and have that creature try and replace her,” I explained.

I was still so angry at my stepmother for every crappy experience I had had since I was five years old. I was trying not to be angry for me, it would just hurt me in the end- I knew that for sure- but sometimes I couldn’t help it. “Never mind, forget I said that,” I told him, my voice louder than I intended.

“You’re wrong you know,” he stated plainly but I could sense the secret emotions lying behind those words.

“About what?” I replied, anxious to hear him out.

“I do know what it’s like. At least your father’s alive and you live in the same house! My folks are gone,” he replied his voice shaking slightly.

“Oh, I’m sorry. So you’re an orphan?” I asked not sure if I should have. There we sat in silence as he thought of the right words to say.

“Not exactly. I was adopted,” he said with a sigh.

“That doesn’t mean your real parents are dead. Did your parents ever tell you who they were?” I felt like I was snooping, getting too personal, but this was personal. We had both suffered a loss. Well, different in the sense that I lost my mom while he never knew his. I wasn’t sure what was worse. Losing a mom you knew and loved or losing a mom you would never know. They both seemed pretty sucky. Loss is loss. On some level it was the same in my mind.

“My parents don’t know I know. I’m supposed to think they are my real parents. If I hadn’t come home early from practice one night, I wouldn’t know anything at all. That night I overheard my parents talking about me from my dad’s study. They hadn’t heard me come in. I could make out only five words…’Marv’s birthmother was never found’. Once I heard I knew I needed to find out more,” he paused for a moment. He stared at me and I wanted him to know that I was really listening. He continued and I sat there hearing what he had to say.

Marv took a big breath and started, “I waited until the house was dead silent before I crept down to my dad’s study. I knew, I just knew, the answers to those five words lay in his safe. I broke in and rummaged through it. He had files and money in there. And then found it. It was my birth certificate. Under my mother’s name it read, Charlotte R. Holione. My birthfather was listed as “T.B.” – deceased. It really hit me hard. The file said my mother- whereabouts unknown – likely deceased. I guess that means her body was never found. It looks like nobody knows who my father is,” Marv sighed and I knew he had accepted it.

“Why not tell your parents?” I asked. “Maybe they know more. Maybe they would tell you the truth?” I was trying to be helpful.

“I can’t. Dex I have always known that I didn’t fit in with my family. It is hard to explain. I remember once when I was eight I asked my mother if I was adopted. The look on her face Dex, it was devastating. Then she told me I wasn’t adopted and that was that. I still felt like I didn’t belong but I knew I would never bring it up again. Then when I found out the truth, I couldn’t tell them. They would be crushed. They wouldn’t get it, I know this for a fact,” Marv said as he lowered his head into his chest.

“I’m sorry,” was all I could manage to say.

“About what?” Marv asked.

“About your parents. I’m sorry I ranted about my stepmom when you don’t even know who your real parents are and I’m sorry you had to deal with it alone,” I said softly.

“I’ve never told anyone that, it’s just, you’re the first person who kind-of knew what I meant. At least the only person willing to talk like this,” He said. His eyes weren’t needed for his emotions to cross through to me. He felt connected and so did I.

“I won’t tell anyone. I promise,” I said to reassure him of my secrecy. “trust me I can really hold a secret. An that made me want to tell him my secret.

“Did you know today’s my thirteenth birthday?” I blurted out. “Interesting birthday huh?” I joked trying to lighten up our conversation.

“Well happy birthday then. But hey, hold up,” Marv stopped talking and started searching his pockets until he found something. “I found this in a box with my name on it a couple weeks ago and I started carrying it around. It’s really for a girl and besides I don’t need a good luck charm anyway. I’m glad I didn’t throw it out,” he explained as he pulled a chain from his pants’ pocket. I smiled as he approached and handed it to me. The chain was slender with charms. “ I am sure it’s beautiful. But Marv I can’t take this,” I said holding out the chain for him to take back.

“Sure you can. What am I gonna do with it anyway?” he said as he reached for the chain and wound it around me wrist. “ Here, it is a bracelet.”

“Thanks you Marv. It means a lot to me that someone cares it’s my birthday,” was my reply.

I swear he was blushing. He quickly started talking about football and which were my favorite team and we went on like that. Laughing, joking and making silly faces for what felt like hours. Every once in a while we’d get silent and just sit there, or lie there –whatever, until someone had the courage to come up with something else to talk about. I asked him “Are we, are we friends now?” a sudden knotting happened inside my stomach. I was pretty sure of the answer. I just wanted to be sure for sure. I wanted to have a friend like him. I’d never had one with the same connection.

“Yeah, we are.”

We had been in the Cellar for hours and before we heard noises behind the door. It suddenly swung open. There with her flashlight was Miss Fetter.

We got up and stood there. We were looking at her and she was looking at us. Finally she looked as us queerly and said, “I presume you do not wish to continue your stay here” as she stretched out her had for us to go.

Marv and I brushed past her and headed up the steps with her light shining behind us. Neither of us said a word. When we reached the top Foss and another boy were standing there obviously waiting for us.

“You” Miss Fetter said pointing at Marv then pointing at the boy standing there looking scared of Miss Fetter “Walter is your roommate for this term.” As Marv starting walking toward Walter Miss Fetter reached out and grabbed his arm, “I better not hear of you making disruptive plans. If I do it is the voice snatchers for you.” She released him and Marv walked off with Walter.

Miss Fetter spun around and looked directly at me and said “Miss Mordisphere I expect from this point forward I will not have any problems with you. You certainly haven’t made a good first impression. She pointed at Foss, “She is your roommate for the term. You will be in Gralet Hall.” She turned abruptly and said “Goodnight.”

We waited for Miss Fetter to turn the corner and Foss and we fell into each other’s arms. Foss pulled away as if to have a good long look at me.

“Dex I am so so sorry this happened to you. You did not have to step in like that. But it was very brave and Vito is just sick over it I can tell and Jofe and Jeremy are still awake and… Oh Dex it must have been awful.” Foss pulled me back into a hug and I hugged her back. It was nice.

When she released me we started walking toward the door to the left. Foss explained “We are staying in Gralet Hall. It’s the building over there,” she pointed. I could see Marv and Walter not too far ahead going up the steps to Gralet Hall.

As we entering the building, Jeremy and Jofe were standing there. There were clearly waiting for us to arrive. Foss started toward the staircase and I followed her. Jeremy had run to catch up to Foss and with Jofe walked beside me. Jofe explained that this was the dormitory for all 7th years and there was a girls’ side and a boys’ side and that we were both on the same floor. We took a few more steps when Jofe asked me “Well, how was it down there?”

“It was cold and the concrete floor was uncomfortable and my eyes never really got used to the dark.” I replied.

“Wow it must have been scary?” Jofe asked.

I answered after really thinking about it “I guess it was at first but I was lucky because I wasn’t alone. There was this guy named Marv so we talked a lot to kill time.”

As we approached the landing on our floor, Jofe turned to me and said, “You might not know this but Marv is a Speed.” As if being a Speed was enough to condemn someone. I thought that was utterly unfair but I was too tired to argue with Jofe.

Foss hurried to my side and looped her arm in mine as she lead me to our room and we said goodnight to the boys. Our corridor had arches that made it look like we were traveling through a tunnel. There was a grey carpet in the hall and about every 8 feet there was a brightly painted door with a brass set of number drilled into its middle. Our room was at the far end of the hall and the door was a bright red. I’m not sure what it was but the red door seemed to be perfect, which was weird since I didn’t even like the color red.

Foss handed me the key and said “Welcome home Dex.” I can finally lie down. When I went to put the key in a sizzling sensation went up my arm. A shock of electricity pulsed through my veins as I turned the knob. I had paused long enough for Foss to reach her hand in and for the split second her hand rested on the door and I swear I could feel her heart beating, steady and strong. Then the sensation was gone. Holy crap I’m delusional. I need sleep. I shook my head clear.

Inside, the room was nice and quant. Our two canopy beds with black bedspreads and misty blue sheets were centered on the far wall. The beds were big with fluffy pillows. The floor was slick black marble. We each had an identical set of furnishing: a nightstand to the left of the bed, a plush deep blue arm chair diagonal to the bed, a desk and chair, and a dresser.

All these objects were made of a shiny metal material. The walls we abnormally smooth, resembling the door in texture, and were glowing a faint purple that mimicked the color of the ceiling. My bags were next to the bed on the left side. We each had a window to the left of our beds that overlooked the grounds behind the building but it was too dark to see anything. I wished I could see it all.

I got into my pajamas and slipped into my bed and told Foss the basics. Everything except what I had learned about Marv’s parents. Somehow that seemed private and something I shouldn’t share. They weren’t my secrets to gossip about. I was so tired I was beyond caring about my personal hygiene. “Night Foss, thanks for being my friend.”

“Right back at you,” I heard Foss’s bed creak a bit as she shifted about sliding under her covers. I yawned in reply and slowly drifted into a deep sleep. That’s how my

first day at Offseer went. If you thought that was something then stick around. It only gets better… correction, worse.

Chapter 5

Starting

The next day I woke up feeling knotted inside. It felt like there was a pit in the bottom of my stomach that was rumbling and shaking. My head was still throbbing, although not that bad, just enough for me to remember I had a headache. I turned to look at the nightstand while rubbing my eyes. The chain Marv gave me was still there. It was all real, thank goodness. Offseer, no matter how weird, had already given me what I’d always wanted… friends. I yawed and sat up; putting on the bracelet. I turned over to see that Foss’s bed was empty. I started to get panicky.

I always wake up early, what time is it? My thoughts scrambled around as I tried to focus on the time. After a few desperate seconds, I saw it was only 7:03 in the morning. That took me a little too long to figure out, keep your mind sharp Dex! Foss had said classes started at nine am. Where was she? Had something happened? The pit was growing larger and I took a moment to regain my thoughts. I was more freaked out by my freaked outness than anything else. I normally never overreacted but right now I couldn’t help it. I quickly walked over to my suit-case, which now lay sprawled next to the bed and pulled out a uniform set. I dressed quickly in the empty room. I was getting nervous that Foss was gone.

I considered all the reasons Foss would be absent from our room. Maybe she went to talk to the boys? Maybe Miss Fetter changed my roommate? I scanned the room and found Foss’s things were still there. The latter guess was obviously out of the question. I was surprised at how relieved I was. The idea of Foss being in any room but mine completely deterred me. Now I was at least sure, if nothing else, Foss was still my roommate. It was amazing really how in such a short period of time I had come to rely on her to help me make sense of Offseer.

Then it hit me. I grabbed my travel-size bathroom bag (the kind filled with a tooth brush, soap, and so on). The girls in this side of the floor shared a dormitory style bathroom down the hall. I ran to the bathroom. As I pushed open the door I was so relieved to see Foss standing in front of the mirror brushing her hair along with a few other girls.

“Thank God you are here,” I blurted out. Foss turned around with a worried face. She quickly replied “Why? What’s wrong?” All of a sudden I felt foolish. There was Foss thinking something must be burning or someone must be dead from the look on her face. How could I tell her that I was anxious because I didn’t know exactly where she

was? That from the minute I woke up until just now that anxiety had been building and it was the sight of her that relieved it. She would think I was a nutter,

“No no, it’s nothing tragic.” I tried to explain. “I just had a bad dream and I woke up feeling anxious without knowing why.” I could see Foss’s face muscles relax. Her facial expression went from, “Oh God what happened” to “It’ll be ok Dex, relax” in an instant. .

The bathroom was surprisingly plain with thirteen average metal stalls lining the right side of the long rectangular wall. Eight showering stalls with plain, white cotton shower curtain took up the far back wall. To the left of the door opening lay a long mirror that covered most of the wall allowing only a small space for the metal sinks and plumbing beneath them. Quite strange indeed, I never expected to see a boring room at this school.

All of a sudden the bathroom door flew open and a red headed girl raced in. “Has anyone seen Veronica this morning? I can’t find her anywhere! I think she left sometime last night and she hasn’t come back! Were you all playing some first day game without me?!” The red headed girl looked to each girl by the mirror as each shook her head or said no they hadn’t seen Veronica. The red head stomped her foot, “Just great. Veronica has my rabbit’s foot and I cannot start my first day without it.” Speaking to everyone she said, “If you see Veronica tell her she is DEAD. D.E.A.D. Dead. I can’t believe she would run off without me!” And with that the red head left in as big a huff as she had entered. “Who’s that?” I asked Foss. “Oh that’s Marilyn. Don’t worry she is very dramatic,” Foss responded while the other girls at the mirror started to laugh.

I smiled good morning and grabbed my brush gracelessly yanking the snarls from my tangled mess of so called hair. My head was still sore. The pit in my stomach hadn’t completely gone away. I turned on the faucet and decided to put cold water on my face. I leaned over the sink, closed my eyes and let the cool water from my hands splash over my face. I sighed audibly as my hands slid to hold onto the rim of the sink. Then I opened my eyes and caught my breath as I realized I wasn’t in the bathroom at Offseer anymore.

Nov. 27, 1963

I looked down and saw that I was still wearing my uniform. I looked back up and I was overlooking a beautiful park. I didn’t understand how I had gotten to the park but I was surprisingly calm about it. I stood behind a bench along a pathway. In front of me, maybe, fifty meters away, was a tidy playground with swings and a see-saw. I looked to my left and I saw a woman holding hands with a girl who was maybe seven years old. The child was skipping next to her mother. As they got closer I began to feel like I knew them.

I remembered the flower dress the woman wore. I remembered how much I thought it looked like springtime. It was a favorite of mine. I used to ask my mother to wear it when we went to the park. Suddenly I was surprised at how beautiful my mother really was. Her chestnut hair was shinny and warm in the sunlight. And her eyes looked lovingly down at me as she began swinging my hand. My heart ached to see her again. I had loved her and she had loved me so very much. I watched them as they walked toward me appreciating even new detail that came into view. I was mesmerized.

I did not take my eyes off her until a tall slender man wearing a black suit crossed in front of the bench. He was heading in her direction. I could tell she noticed him. She grabbed the child’s hand more tightly. She had stopped and nervously looked around then began walking briskly toward the man.

They met about ten meters from the bench. She was unhappy to see him. Then she grabbed the child and walked directly to the bench. She sat the child down and kneeled to talk to her. I could actually smell her. It was wonderful. I remember that smell; that perfume. I breathed it in as deeply as I could. I wanted to always remember it.

“Honey, stay here I just have to go talk to a friend of mine over there for a few minutes. Don’t go anywhere; can I trust you Dexerphil? This is really important, you understand?” My mother’s voice was sweet and cool. She was a strikingly beautiful women in that floral dress and sandals; reddish-brown hair pulled back. Her golden skin shimmered in the sun unlike the pale people around her. I nodded and smiled. “Good girl, I’ll be right back,” with that she stood up and walked towards the man in the black suit.

I watched her talking with him. She was angry. I could tell. Then I looked down at the child. I hadn’t remembered myself that way. I looked small and a little scared to be away from my mother. The little girl sat on the bench. I could tell she was trying not to move one single muscle. She wanted to do exactly as her Mother had asked her to do. But the noise of other children distracted her. She turned and looked behind the bench. I did too. I saw a bunch of school kids marching by on the sidewalk. They all looked about her age; they wore uniforms and walked in lines two people wide.

They were obviously on a field trip. I could see the school Bus parked on the street near the front of the line. The child on the bench was clearly fascinated by the children going by. Then the children stopped. I noticed there was a girl at the end of the line by herself. She looked over at the child on the bench and made a face. The girl on the bench made a more gruesome face back. The two girls started to giggle and continued making faces at each other.

While I was watching them I hadn’t noticed that Mother had come back. She reached down for the child’s hand and said, “Come on Dex let’s go to the swings.” The child turned back around, hopped off the bench and headed towards the playground with her Mother. When I looked up again I was staring at my own reflection in the girl’s bathroom at Offseer.

Sep. 9, 1969

“Dex, Oh My Gosh, Dex!” Foss was shaking me. I looked into her eyes. She was scared. “Dex, come over here,” she said as she guided me to the bench opposite the sinks. “Dex, are you Ok? Really are you alright?” Foss questioned. I sat on the bench and tried to nod my head yes.

“What is wrong with her?” a girl was bent over looking at me quizzically.

Foss exclaimed, “Be quiet, Darlene. She is obviously not feeling well.” Darlene shrugged her shoulders and left. Foss sat next to me and took my hands in hers, “Dex I think we should go the Nurses’ Station. Can you stand up?” she asked. I turned to my friend. Foss was so kind. I knew this is exactly what a best friend would do. “Yes,” I said. “I can stand but I don’t think I need the Nurses’ Station. I was just feeling dizzy. I think sitting in the dark was disorientating and the ear pulling gave me headache, that’s all.” Foss didn’t look convinced. “Go ahead; take your shower I am going to sit here for a minute. I promise I am fine.” I told Foss. She said ok and went to the showers.

I sat on the bench. Holy crap! I knew everything about the park had actually happened. I was utterly certain it was a memory. I was also certain that it was the last time I had gone to the park with my mother. She disappeared later that day and I never saw her again. Who was that man she was talking with? Why was she so angry with him and scared of him too? Was he somehow connected to Centerans or Offseer? As I sat there my instincts told me that that specific memory had come to me in that specific way for a reason. It contained information I needed to know.

I wanted to tell Foss what had happened but I was certain if I did she would label me a nutter. I needed to put this incident on a brain shelf and spend some time reviewing what had happened. But that was reserved for a later time. For now I needed start my first day at Offseer. If I knew anything then I knew I would need a clear head today because at this place almost anything could happen.

Chapter 6

Fighting

Foss and I made our way down the staircase as we headed to the Dining Hall. We were both looking at our schedules and seeing if we had any classes together. I was grateful that we did. Foss was telling me a bit about some of her favorite classes when a rush of boys filed out from the Boy’s wing of our dorm and poured down the stairs.

Soon we were being pushed around as they hurried to get their breakfast. It was a little after 8 a.m. now and I was starving, but too groggy from The Cellar to move with the speed and force of the boys. We allowed them to pass us without complaint, even though inside I couldn’t wait to load up my plate. I hoped they had croissants. I just loved those.

As we entered the dining hall, Foss stealthily navigated the traffic and we got into the serving line. I looked around and tried to pick out where we might be sitting. There were a few hundred rectangular beige tables in organized rows with matching benches, lining the entire room. The room itself was spacious and rectangular, and a line was already forming around the perimeter to a buffet style kitchen at the other end.

“How many 7th years are there?” I questioned Foss. She mumbled to herself a moment about the different homerooms and average number of students before responding.

“There are about six hundred give or take,” she responded waving her hand about the room. Jeez, that’s a lot of people. “Oh, finally we’re at the front. Follow my lead,” Foss replied. We picked up plastic trays and made our way along the food buffet. I inhaled a big whiff of air around the buffet and felt my eyes beginning to water from the pure goodness of it. I closed my eyes to enhance why smelling sense. I needed some of that glorious food.

As we placed our trays on the counter I caught a glimpse of what was being served for breakfast. At first I smiled thinking it was something else and then it hit me that we were actually supposed to eat that and it wasn’t decoration.

“Holy crap! What is that?” I gasped, nudging Foss in the ribs. For a split second she looked confused and then understood.

“I know our food looks different,” she explained. “But trust me it is completely the best!” Foss’s explanation left much to be desired. It didn’t really help me understand why the pancakes were seaweed green or why a bin had purple poached eggs.

“Sorry Foss,” I said, implying that her explanation was unsatisfactory. “But what is up with the purple eggs?” Foss explained that supplements and special herbs were added to all the food at Offseer. The additions were designed to enhance abilities and make them sharper. And I’m supposed to know exactly what you’re talking about. Just nod and pretend to understand. I smiled at Foss then turned and asked the breakfast lady for exactly what Foss had selected.

As we moved through the crowd I could tell Foss knew exactly where she was going so I followed her. We turned down the second row and I could see Jeremy, Price, and Vito sitting together and waving at us to join them. I frowned for a moment, realizing how much I’d been hoping Jofe would be there too. We slid onto the bench and said good morning to everyone.

“Morning Foss,” Jeremy said in this sickingly romantic way.

“Good morning to you too,” Foss responded and then blew him a kiss across the table.

I nudged Foss and asked what that was all about. She said very causally that she was going with Jeremy since the beginning of the last term in 6 th year. “Do you think he’s cute, or what? I mean I think he’s the cutest but I want an opinion that lacks any bias,” she whispered to me.

I nodded understanding before replying, “Yeah, he’s definitely cute.” I hoped that was what I was supposed to say. Sure, Jeremy was very attractive but he seemed washed out whenever I saw him next to Jofe. That boy was something else…

A voice dragged me back down to reality and cut my trailing thoughts of Jofe off. “I know the food looks weird but it is great. Trust me,” Jeremy commented as he noticed my reluctance to eat. I shrugged and he began to plow through his orange colored runny scrambled eggs.

Whatever, be spontaneous Dex. Don’t wanna seem like a wimp. I cut off some of the purple egg and closed my eyes as I put it into my mouth. At first I frowned, waiting for the nastiness to sink in, but then my eyes opened wide in surprise. This was the best thing every invented. It was delicious… no better than delicious. I dove in and started trying all the things on my plate. I was so interested in trying all the exotic foods, I didn’t even notice Jofe approaching the table.

“Good morning everybody! So sorry I’m running late just had something to take care of,” Jofe said looking right at me before running off to join the serving line. I immediately put my head down and looked at my food and not at Jofe walking away. I knew I would start staring at him.

But I couldn’t help it. I looked up and holy crap! He wasn’t just cute, that would be an understatement. He was gorgeous and looked practically beaming in the daylight. I had never felt this way before around a person. It was like my insides were getting all jumbled up with anxiety and giddiness. But as soon as Jofe was out of sight my nerves dissolved. I sighed.

The Dining Hall was a buzz of activity. As I scanned over all the pairs of eyes at the table I met Foss’s and she winked and twitched an eyebrow in Jofe’s direction. My cheeks must have flushed red! I shook my head frowning and focused back in on the tablet conversation.

“Did you hear about Marilyn? I heard she is screaming bloody murder over Veronica.” Jeremy was telling Price. Foss chimed in about how Marilyn had gone ballistic in the bathroom. Price commented on how theatrical Marilyn was and how no one but Veronica could stand to be her roommate. I stayed out of the conversation not knowing either Veronica or Marilyn personally and continued plowing through my food. Suddenly they all grew very quiet.

“Oh no,” I looked over to Vito who had broken the silence. Oh yeah, no one but you can hear him. Then an instant later Price said, “Oh no.”

“Oh no what?” I demanded. But neither Vito nor Price had to respond as I turned around and saw for myself. Over by the entrance to the Dining Hall, Marilyn was being ushered away by two staff members, and she wasn’t going quietly.

“Tell me where you took her! I’ve searched everywhere! You bring her back or God help me I’ll-” Marilyn was screaming. They had been right when they said she was theatrical. She broke free from the attendants and started to run into the hall. Suddenly she froze and everything within a few feet of her went fuzzy.

“Oh my Gosh,” I heard Foss mutter under her breath as the Dining Hall went silent. By this point Miss Fetter had joined the attendants. She didn’t even flinch. Within a few seconds Marilyn could be seen clearly again and she was on her knees.

“Follow us Marilyn. I am sorry, but you are hysterical,” Miss Fetter spoke in a voice that didn’t make anyone believe she was sorry at all. Marilyn only nodded and stood up to follow the devil and the other men. As soon as she left the room everyone resumed talking and speculating about what was really going on.

“What was that all about?” Jeremy exclaimed. Everyone shrugged and shook their heads.

“See, she’s such a drama queen!” Price said.

“At least she was trying to get answers,” I offered trying to think of what reason Marilyn would have to make such a scene like that. “Maybe she is really worried about Veronica?” I offered.

“I don’t know Dex. Miss Fetter doesn’t use detention methods like that on students very often. It is only for extreme cases. Marilyn must be over the top worried about Veronica to act like that. Those two are always together. They are practically glued at the hip,” Foss explained with a worried look. Despite Foss’s concern it was clear that just about everyone thought that Marilyn was overreacting and that Miss Fetter was just getting her out of the dining hall. Eventually the breakfast conversation changed to talk about what everyone had done over the summer break.

Jeremy joked he just chilled for the summer, and rested to get enough strength to return to Offseer, and withstand all the punishments he was bound to get.

“Really Jeremy? You call last summer relaxing? You almost got me killed in a fight!” Jofe shot back as he sat down across from me. Jofe continued, “It was a great plan. I heard there was going to be a cool music festival in upstate New York and I wanted to go so I got my parents to believe me and Jeremy were with my Aunt on Martha’s Vineyard. We hitched rides to the festival. It was great. We made friends and hung out and heard great music. We even danced in the mud. It was a lot of fun. I would have gotten away with it too except Jeremy started a fight with guys who were much bigger than us. He was getting beat to a pulp so I had to step in. Let’s just say we barely made it out of there. And when my folks saw my bruises I was busted. I was grounded for the rest of the summer. But it was worth it!” Jofe said cheerfully. WOW! He fooled his parents to ESCAPE too! I blushed again but I don’t think anybody noticed.

“Just what I said, being grounded was still relaxing,” Jeremy muttered. Jofe laughed and said “Jeremy nothing you to is relaxing for too long. I guess after all that relaxing you came back to school and needed explosives. Very relaxing you should tell Foss about your explosive deal with ‘Get if for me Greg’” Jofe was challenging Jeremy to spill it.

Foss nearly jumped out of her chair, “Why in heaven do you need explosives?” clearly she didn’t know about it. And Jeremy explained the whole thing. I think he was more interested in getting Foss to calm down than anything else.

So that is how I learned all about ‘Get it for me Greg’ from Jeremy who had had some infamous dealings with him. ‘Get it for me Greg’ was a tall, lanky redhead in my Biology class. But I only knew of him as Gregory. Not ‘Get it for me Greg’. Apparently I seemed to be the only one who didn’t know his nickname.

In the great hall Jeremy found Greg and told him he needed some soundless explosives. He never really said why he needed them. He decided he had to ask ‘Get it for me Greg’ for them since he was the only person who could get you anything in Offseer. He let slip that it had something to with Greg’s Center. Jeremy explained that to ‘Get it for me Greg’ was very talented but there was always a price. Usually he would request a homework assignment or a specific item or more often than not, information. He ate secrets and gossip up for breakfast.

Greg’s price for the explosives was one piece of information. It was what my Center was. Since Jeremy didn’t know what my Center was he didn’t get his explosives. I was just shocked that knowing my Center was worth highly valued soundless explosives. After explaining the whole thing Jeremy turned to me and said, “Even if I knew your Center Dex, I wouldn’t ever give you up.” He seemed to need me to know that. I just couldn’t believe how suddenly I had made real friends.

I knew ‘Get it for me Greg’ would a good person to know. He could really get you anything you wanted as long as you could pay the price. And I knew that would come in handy.

“How about you two? Any mischievous actions up your alley,” Jeremy asked looking over at Vito and Price.

“Vito and I took a very interesting trip to Venice,” Price said.

“I heard about that! How did it go?” Foss asked. Everyone’s eyes were suddenly on Price.

“It went better than we expected,” was Price’s only reply.

“That’s all you’re going to tell us,” Jofe said adding a small booing sound.

“As far as I know Vito and I are completely clueless. Well, our parents believe that. And I’m going to keep the details confidential until further notice,” Price added smirking from ear to ear. What was that about? What confidential information were Price and Vito withholding? No matter, if the others didn’t press the issue, I certainly had no right to. Foss mostly talked about her family and fun at their lake house. Then Jofe turned to me and asked what I had done over the summer.

“I…I,” I was trying to find the words to say what had happened. Do I tell them I was expelled from school and was basically under house arrest for months or do I make up something that sounds better. I went with the truth. You’re doing the right thing, lying always causes more problems in the end.

“I was expelled from my last boarding school and I was sent home where my stepmother acted like I was a criminal, her house was a prison and she was the warden. I think my Dad felt sorry for me but even when I went with him on business trips I was being watched all the times,” Realizing how bad it sounded I tried to be cool about it.

“Why were you expelled?” Jofe asked refusing to take his eyes off of me, making me feel exposed and embarrassed. Wow, they’re going to hate me now, maybe I should've lied…

“Well it’s a long story but basically sometimes someone has to take a stand against mean people. I don’t like bullies. And I took care of a notorious one,” I paused hoping that was enough. Looking around the table I could tell they wanted more so I continued, “he was hurting people so I challenged him and the challenge went too far.” They were all really listening to me. Should I tell them I almost killed someone? I took a deep breath and continued. “I just, I can’t stand it when people think they can be jerks and get away with it, especially when they’ve been doing it for years. I didn’t mean for it to go so far...” I trailed off.

“That sounds pretty courageous to me,” Jofe said. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. I was glad I chose to be honest.

Foss joined in too, “Wow, you have guts. We support that kind of take-action, being Secrets, and definitely like you even more. Come on, first period is in a few minutes and we’re going to be late if we don’t get our books,” Foss said nudging me as she stood up, taking her plate to the dumpsters. I followed and gave a smile to my friends. My friends.

Foss and I headed to our class. As we were ready to enter the classroom a tall girl with blond hair and blue eyes came bouncing over to me from the other end of the hall.

“You must be Dex, right?” she asked. I started to say I couldn’t talk because I needed to get to class but she just kept talking. “Are you really Marv’s girlfriend? I heard you guys spent the night in the Cellar and I was just curious. You know, wanted to clear up the circulating rumors. I’m Susan by the way, nice to meet you,” she announced in a steam of words she said without pausing. I didn’t like the way she implied something was going on between me and Marv. We were just friends, guy and girl friends. Being trapped in a cellar for a few hours can do that to people.

There was no way Marv and I could be together. He was pretty cute, I’d give you that, but I just couldn’t see him like that. Besides I think he thinks of me as a sister; someone who can relate to losing a parent. It’s time to squelch this rumor before it spreads all over the school.

“No we’re really just friends” I told her. I could tell she didn’t believe one word I had said when she leaned in and said, “Dex, you can tell me truth. I promise I will keep it to myself.” She acted like we were best friends when I just met her. I backed away and tried my best to make it clear that Marv was a friend and only a friend and that I would appreciate it if she didn’t spread rumors about me on my first day. I didn’t wait for her to respond. I opened the door to the Designing Arts class. I wasn’t sure what the classes at Offseer were going to be like but I was utterly sure they weren’t going to be your usual classes.

Everyone was already inside, and an awkward silence filled the room as I walked shyly through the aisles. I said ‘sorry’ to the teacher, Mrs. Jefferson, and sat down at the table next to Foss.

Chapter 7

Reading

The classroom was like any other average classroom with wooden tables for desks and a blackboard. The assignment for the semester written on the board in large letters - FINAL ASSIGNMENT: YOU MUST RENDER AN ACCURATE DRAWING OF A DEATH KIN IN ITS ORGINAL FORM - I was definitely at a loss because I had no idea what a Death Kin was in its original form or another. Mrs. Jefferson was already describing the assignment when I opened my book to ‘CHAPTER 1: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE DEATH KIN’. Mrs. Jefferson had moved to the center of the class. She was looking down at a notepad in her hands when a hand flew into the air. It was the girl from the bathroom. It was Marilyn.

“Excuse me Mrs. Jefferson,” she began without being called on, “Is it true that the Council added this class because they believe the Death Kin prophecy may be fulfilled?” Marilyn was certainly determined.

Mrs. Jefferson looked up from her notes, letting her glasses slide down her nose. She peered over the rims and paused just long enough for everyone to feel utterly awkward. She pushed her glass back up her nose and, “Now Marilyn let us not speak out of turn. And no I do not believe the council actually believes that a Centeran is massing a Death Kin army to destroy the world of Centers. In any case I think that question is better suited for Mrs. Logan in your Cultures class don’t you?” She turned toward to the other side of the room, effectively dismissing Marilyn.

She began, “The Death Kin are a very secretive species. This semester we are going to learn all we know about their history, culture, and habits. We will also learn about their anatomy, relying on Dr. Mendosa’s seminal work on the subject. We will explore what they eat and how they digest food. We will learn how they see to better capture a rendition of their eyes and so on. For the final exam you will hand in your drawing of a Death Kin in its original form along with a paper describing your drawing.” Mrs. Jefferson turned to write notes on the board and then began talking very rapidly.

As I thumbed through the book it was obvious I was going to have to do a lot of reading because before Offseer I had never heard of the Death Kin. Personally, I doubt most people would believe the things existed, but I have a great imagination and besides who would believe in the world of Centers if they weren’t in a place like this?

I was sitting in the front row, by choice of Foss, and carefully looking into Mrs. Jefferson’s eyes. Rule Number One with Teachers: if you don’t want to be called on look at them with an attentive but forgettable stare. That way they think you’re paying attention and they won’t ask you any questions. I tapped my pencil on my desk and looked Mrs. Jefferson up and down.

She was a slender woman in her early forties. She was exceptionally tall with small beady eyes, her sloppy bun falling out at the sides. She wore a white blouse and a long wool skirt that came just above her ankles with laced up shoes with a thick one inch heel. She’d stopped pacing and talking at that insane pace and had started to write on the board. I frowned. I was furiously copying it trying to make a quick short-hand knowing I couldn’t get most of it down. How am I ever going to get it all, heck any, of this? She is writing too fast and she talks to fast too. BLASTED, I’m going to fail now…

“It wouldn’t be so difficult for you Miss Mordisphere if you had arrived on time,” I looked up at Mrs. Jefferson who had her back to the class as she continued to write on the board. It was as if no one had heard her. The other students had their heads down working. Was I mumbling? Wow, I was four minutes late and that old bird is still going to give me grief for being late. I almost want to switch classes. She’s crazy, insane; you don’t put that much work on the first day!

“Miss Mordisphere it is rude to insult your teacher and unacceptable in my classroom.” Mrs. Jefferson replied to my thoughts. I was certain I hadn’t said anything out loud. I was confused and looked around to see if anyone else was listening to this strange conversation. I nudged Foss and asked if she heard anything. She looked up and shook her head before going back to taking notes. I looked at Mrs. Jefferson still writing on the board.

How did you?

“It’s my Center dearest,” she responded before I even finished my thought. She couldn’t read my mind; she just couldn’t, could she?Maybe this is like Vito and me?

“Are you trying to be funny? I’ve heard from Miss Fetter that you’re quite the handful but I wasn’t ready to make a judgment,” She turned from the board and raised her eyebrows in disbelief while looking at me. You have got to be kidding me?

“Too many questions dearest; you make it impossible to think,” Mrs. Jefferson responded without making a sound. Me!? This old bird has got to be kidding…..

Something hit me on the head.

“Ow!” I exclaimed in pain. “Who did that!?” I turned about trying to identify a guilty figure.

“I did,” I looked up to see Mrs. Jefferson move toward our table. When she arrived she took the pencil she had thrown at me and used it to lift my chin. You seriously just hit me in the head with a bloody pencil. Oh crap, I just thought that, oh golly. Sorry Mrs. Jefferson… I couldn’t help but look directly at her.

“You were thinking out of turn and need to be shown some lessons. You may stand outside the class for the next five minutes,” she bellowed. I tried to slink out the door but it was a long way from the front of the room to the back. Now everyone heard that, and a dozen pair of eyes followed me out. Keeping my head held high, I shut the door behind me. There I stood in the hallway. I went and stood next to the door. I collapsed to the floor and put my head in my knees making sure my skirt didn’t ride up. How could she read my thoughts? Why hadn’t Foss warned me? This just sucked, I already made a fool of myself, and it was only my first class. Thank God Jofe wasn’t in that class.

I sat there for a few moments feeling sorry for myself until I heard footsteps approaching me. A tall boy who must have been in my year or older was walking with a much younger girl. They were both Offseer students and they had a badge of some kind on their uniforms. Great, Hallway Police.

The boy had shaggy blond hair that lay flatly on his head. His eyes were deep green, almost evergreen like, and his face slightly tanned. He was big in a muscular way but his pleasant bearing made him appear less threatening. He smiled at me as the two approached. I could tell by the snarky look on the girl’s face she was a firecracker. She had flaming red hair that flowed like fire down here back. She had a look of defiance that showed through her tightly pressed lips.

As they approached the boy asked, “Why are you here?”

Before I could answer, the younger girl butted in, “Yeah nobody’s allowed outside after the bell. Do you got a pass?” she asked holding out her hand.

“Nope. I don’t got a pass,” I said mockingly. I was getting sick of this place’s weirdness. Someone should have given me a rule book or something. Yup, if I can get in trouble for just thinking, I am so dead.

“Then move,” the girl blurted.

The older policeman was looking at me strangely then he asked, “Are you Finn’s sister?”

“Who?” I asked

He replied, “Finn, Finn Brown?”

I stated the obvious, “If I don’t know who he is then chances are I am not his sister.”

“I don’t care if you have a brother or a not …you got to go” the younger girl insisted.

“I keep getting kicked out of places since I got here and to tell you the truth I am not really sure what I did wrong or right for that matter. But I do know if I move I am going to be dead. Mrs. Jefferson is very angry and she sent me out here and I am not going back in there now. I don’t want to be dead,” I replied, not really thinking before talking. It was like a light bulb turned on and the little girl punched the older boy in shoulder, as if she came to an incredible revelation.

“Oh my gosh! She’s the new girl who got sent to the Cellar last night. Plus she brought Marv up with her and I heard they’re dating now,” the girl informed the older boy. I wanted to scream. When were people going to learn the right facts? Finally how did these people know any of this?

Ok let’s try to again to set the record straight here.

“Yeah somehow everyone knows me already. And by the way, I am not dating Marv just wanted to clear that up. NOT, I repeat, NOT dating Marv. Spread that fact around if you don’t mind. Names Dex what’s yours?” I said this with a lack of enthusiasm that showed. I was tired of talking to people. I was too tired to think straight. My teacher could read my mind!

“I’m Chris and my sister’s name is Georgiana but everyone calls her Georgy,” I was surprised they were related. They looked nothing alike but I only nodded in acknowledgement.

“We’re the hall monitors today and I’m sorry but you have to move,” Georgy said. Did she not understand what ‘I can’t move” meant?’

“Nope I’m the one who’s sorry Georgy. I can’t move because Mrs. Jefferson will kill me,” I responded. Georgy shrugged her shoulders and crossed her arms over her chest. Apparently I had won that argument.

Chris and Georgy stuck around for a minute and I learned that he was an 8 th year and she was in 4th. Chris told me everyone was talking about what happened in the Cellar and that they would do their best to set the story right. I really appreciated that. Georgy just frowned until Chris insisted that they needed to keep to their rounds.

Chris said, “Sorry to cut this chat short Dex, but we have strict orders from Miss Fetter. We have to be on the lookout for anything unusual.”

“I see, it was nice talking with you,” then before the two of them could leave, I asked, “Is that standard practice?”

“No,” Chris answered. “But a lot of people are in the nurse’s station.”

Georgy added, “Kids are dropping like flies.”

Weird… sounds like a contagious sickness. They were ready to go and Chris sighed, “Well, it was nice to meet you Dex. We need to get moving”. As Chris and Georgy turned the corner, the door swung open and Mrs. Jefferson ordered me back into the classroom. I quickly sat next to Foss and she only had to look at me to know I was angry. She mouthed the word “Sorry” but I didn’t even dare to think anything back. I started taking notes and reassured myself that all of this must be in the book and I would have time to read it and then I would understand what Mrs. Jefferson was talking about.

As soon as the dismissal bell rang Foss started in, “Dex I am so sorry I just forgot that you didn’t know that Mrs. Jefferson’s Center is reading thoughts. She cannot read your mind per se but if you create a complete thought and sort of say it to yourself she hears all that. We’ve all had her as a teacher for years I just never thought…” Foss was rambling and she knew it. She looked over at me with pleading eyes. I told her I could see that happening. We hugged and headed to our next class.

We were making our way across the square to get to our next class when all of a sudden it was like someone turned off the TV set. My peripheral version turned to darkness and that darkness closed in until I couldn’t see anything. I began to hear things I normally wouldn’t. I heard an explosion of sound. I tried to focus on one sound at a time. Suddenly I heard a fly beat it wings and I heard someone crying and I could hear chalk scrapping across a chalk board. Then, as if someone were ringing a bell in my ears I heard Foss scream. It was as if her scream brought me back. I saw a bright light then the world came back into focus. I looked around trying to get a hold of myself. I was lying on the grass, my head was throbbing, and everything was blurry. I felt my eyes begin to lose focus. I tried to stay alert but it seemed like too much work and before I knew it everything was going black again and I was falling. Then I felt nothing at all.

*******

I blinked a few times before my eyes adjusted. My head hurt a little but it wasn’t a headache it was more of a congested feeling. My arms and legs were weak and I couldn’t image sitting up. My mouth was dry and I wanted water more than I wanted

answers. I had no idea where I was but I would have sold my soul for a glass of water. My head to the left and saw a picture and a glass on a tray next to which was Foss sitting in a chair.ter. I move . I was lying down so I couldn’t see much but I saw Foss sitting next to me. I cleared my throat and she looked up from the book she was reading. I croaked out the word ‘water’. She moved quickly to pour some from the picture into the glass in which she placed a straw. She brought it do my lips and I drank and drank and drank. It was the most delicious and satisfying thin I had ever had. I closed my eyes and drifted back asleep.

When I woke up again Foss was still sitting in the chair reading. “What happened? Where am I?” I asked groggily. Foss described the scene on the lawn; how I had collapsed to the ground. She yelled for someone to get the nurse and stayed with me holding my hand. Orderlies from the Nurses Station arrived quickly, put me on a stretcher and brought me to the Station. Foss said it looked like I fainted. But then she bit her lower lip and I knew there was more to this story. She lowered her head and responding to her look I asked, “Holy crap! did my skirt fly up or something?” .

“Oh no you fainted very gracefully” she said hesitating before she continued. She sat up from the chair and sat on the bed beside me. She bent over and whispered “Dex the nurse here says that you were dehydrated and that is why you fainted. But as you were collapsing I saw a purple light glow around you just before you hit the ground. I know you probably think I am crazy but I know what I saw. I don’t think being dehydrated is what happed.” Foss said solemnly.

“What time is it?” I asked Foss who replied that it was around 9 o’clock in the evening. I thought wow; I missed my first day at Offseer. I was disappointed I missed my first day. After Mrs. Jefferson I was utterly convinced this place was indeed very,very different. But I was also disappointed in myself. I know that I was getting completing and utterly overwhelmed. After Mrs. Jefferson’s class I was concerned that I wouldn’t understand anything in all my other classes too. I wondered if I fainted because I was scared and if I did that would be utterly lame. My head began to clear. I looked up at Foss who was still being very secretive.

I felt the need to whisper too, “Ok, if I was not dehydrated then why do I have an IV in my arm to fill me up with water?” I really felt my mind starting to kick In ”and why am I so thirsty?” I said pointing to the water picture. Foss immediately reached over and filled the cup. She brought it to my lips. I sipped and sipped.

A little defensively Foss replied, “You don’t glow purple when you are thirsty.” Foss was adamant that this was the central fact and unless it could be explained any suggested cause of my fainting was incorrect. I just didn’t know how to respond except to ask the next logical question, “Ok what exactly is the cause of making a person glow

purple then?” The moment it left my mouth I wished I could take it back. I could see that Foss was hurt and she thought I didn’t believe her. I quickly changed my tune and my tone. Foss was the closest I had ever had to a best friend and I wasn’t about to lose her.

“Foss I am sorry, I didn’t mean to say you didn’t see a purple glow but this is utterly crazy.” I said reaching out for her hand in an act of contrition. She lifted her head, cocked it to one side then smiled. I knew it was alright.

“Well maybe a purple glow has something to do with the sickness? Maybe it is a result of the shield over Offseer that prevents us from using our Centers.” she said. It was more of a question than a statement. I sat up looking around for anyone else and was surprised. The nurse’s station was completely empty. It was big and roomy with several curtained off spaces. It would’ve been very hard to miss anyone. There were white cots in rows of five, painted white walls, and not a soul in site.

“Where is everyone?” I asked Foss. “Chris and Georgy said the nurse’s station was full of people?” Foss leaned in and lowered her voice.

“News of the sickness is spreading like wildfire. I expected this place to be overflowing with sick kids too. The nurse tried to keep me out but I insisted on seeing you. Dex, something is up. I nearly had to kill someone to get in here to make sure you were ok. Dex would if you have the sickness? You were changing colors for a minute there.” Foss asked with concern in her eyes. “A mysterious illness would certainly explain a purple glow” she added.

“Maybe, but if I have the mysterious illness I would be wherever the other sick students aree? Chris made it seem like people were really sick. Maybe they are quarantined and kept someplace else.” I said looking for Foss to weigh in on the possibility. She nodded her head and I could tell she was wondering about that too.

I suggested we look at the facts: There were no patients in the Nurses Station. I wasn’t being quarantined. If I were contagious then Foss couldn’t be with me. Also why would they lie about me being dehydrated unless I was or it was to hide something worse? Foss and I were thinking about the facts when the door across the room opened. A short squat older woman came in wearing a white apron, white pants, a white blouse and even white shoes. She was obviously the nurse but she didn’t speak to me. She ordered Foss out of the room and said I would be released in the morning. Foss leaned forward and gave me a hug. It felt really nice to have a friend just then. We said goodbye and Foss said she would be back to get me in the morning.

The nurse changed the bag on my IV and I was more tired than I had thought. As I drifted off I was struck by an utterly horrible thought – Holy crap! How am I going to

make up the work I missed? If the other classes are anything even half as hard as Mrs. Jefferson’s class I am going to be in trouble? But I was too tired to be anxious.

Chapter 8

The Discovery Sept. 9, 1969

Harriet sat at her breakfast table reviewing her notes from her latest assignment. She had returned home late last night from traveling to Wonton, Mississippi. She had been completely exhausted from her trains, planes and automobiles adventure into the back woods to even review her notes let alone write up her report. She had called into the office earlier that morning to report she had completed the assessment of the Whitman baby and the report would be filed as soon as possible. Although she knew the Council would like to see the report that morning Harriet decided to get a few more hours of sleep.

She knew as a junior agent her first few years on the Council would keep her busy with non-classified assignments but she hadn’t expected to be traveling all around the country conducting Center assessments. At times she wondered if the Council was trying to keep her out of DC. Wonton, MS was the third Speed village that Harriet had every spent time in. She hated to admit it but she had had three wonderful experiences. Like most Speed villages, Wonton was an off the beaten track tightly knit community. Harriet liked being able to heat a pot of tea without thinking about it. She enjoyed wearing shorts in Garbon, Wyoming when she was there last February instead of always remembering to check the weather so she would not look out of place on the streets. Wonton had been especially hospitably. The Whitman clan was large and inviting. Harriet had been greeted by Gary Whitman’s parents when she arrived at the general store in the center of town. The Whitman’s were non pulsed that Harriet was a Secret. In fact, several of the village children had arrived at the Whitman porch her first morning to ask questions of Harriet. What struck her most was how terrified the children

were of Normals. One boy asked her if she slept with a gun in case a Normal came to get her.

The assessment of the Whitman baby had been a joy. His mother had had a trouble free delivery and his father beamed ear to ear at the arrival of his first son. His two older sisters were well behaved and desperate to hold their little brother. Harriet had taken a blood sample and conducted the traditional assessment. Benjamin Whitman showed signs of a healing Center which pleased his mother to no end. Harriet was confident that when the blood sample was analyzed at the Council lab her conclusions would be confirmed.

The Whitman’s had marveled at the advancing DNA technology that allowed the specific Center gene for their son’s Center to be identified in a matter of weeks. Unlike most Normals everyone in the Centeran world had been following along with the increasing advancements in genetic research that was developed by Centeran scientists. They were decades ahead of Normals in understanding the human and the Centeran genome.

As a result of new scientific discovers the distance between Secret and Speed beliefs was growing. And with the divergent views came more tension, distrust and dislike between the two groups.

As a Secret, Harriet had grown up with the Secret view that she was the next version of a Normal. More advanced, yes, but not better than. For hundreds of years Secrets had worked to enlighten Normals with the hope of one day stepping out from the world of Centers and into the Normal world where they could coexist peacefully. But the idea that Centerans could have evolved separately was made possible when Centeran scientists discovered fossil evidence that there were many types of humanoids on the planet at the same time. The evolution of Normals and Centerans could just as likely been a branch off the same tree or a completely different tree all together As a Secret, Harriet had believed tin the Secret view of things. But when she was in Wonton she wondered whether that was true. These new ideas caused conflicts and many Centerans feared a civil war was inevitable. Harriet didn’t see war in the future but she did see a growing rift between Secrets and Speeds and the need for a bridge to reunite them. She believed that there were many Secrets like her who saw validity in the Speed view and many Speeds who saw the same in her views.

Harriet came to see that Centerans were really different from Normals when they were together in large groups. Even language evolved differently since there were many ways for Centerans to communicate with each other. The residents of Wonton had developed a kind of short hand when speaking to each other that made sense to Harriet but would be difficult for a Normal to follow. In Wonton families worked their Centers

together to accomplish common goals. She remembered her time at Offseer and how much she had loved being with others of her kind. It had been so liberating.

As Harriet sipped her tea and remembered the happy faces of the Whitman clan her telephone rang. She walked to the wall phone mounted in the Kitchen. She thought it might be John checking up to make sure she hadn’t slept in too long.

“Hello” Harriet answered.

“Hello, is Eloise there?” a woman’s voice asked.

“No, There is no one here by that name. You must have misdialed” Harriet said doing her best to keep her voice even and calm. The phone went dead. Harriet replaced the receiver and ran to her bedroom. She put on her puddle pushers, a cotton shirt and slipped on her loafers. She ran into the living room, grabbed her purse and jacket and raced out the door.

Harriet’s heart was pounding in her chest. She looked around as if someone might be watching her and she ran down N Street. As she turned the corner onto Wisconsin Ave she had her hand out to hail a taxi. Harriet climbed into the cab and breathlessly told the driver to take her to the National Gallery of Art. She leaned back and tried to catch her breath. She knew something serious had happened. James would never have used the coded phone call to reach her if he didn’t suspect others were watching.

Harriet entered the National Gallery of Art and moved quickly but not conspicuously across the rotunda through the sculpture hall to the west garden court. She sat at the far bench. She waited until a family walked passed to reach under the bench and locate the package. She tugged to free the large manila envelope taped there and checked to make sure no one had seen her. She placed the envelope in her bag, left the museum, and headed to Independence Avenue where she caught the first taxi she could. After a few minutes she opened the envelope and took out the pages inside. She quickly scanned the document and realized it was a copy of an emergency document sent to the Chairman of the Council. With it was a copy of a telex communication between Samantha Fetter and Ted Milestone. Also tucked into the envelope was a hand written note.

H.B.Enclosed is information you must destroy upon reading. I trust you will know what to do. I remain under house arrest. Thank God Margret continues to have friends.

J.M.

Harriet got out of the taxi at her townhouse in Georgetown. As she walked into the foyer John practically ran into her.

“Where have you been? I called and called. You didn’t answer and then I got here and you were gone” the anxiety in his voice was obvious. Harriet took him outside and told her husband to walk with her.

“The house me be electronically monitored. I suspect the phone is tapped.” She whispered to John as they headed down the front porch steps. She explained that James had sent her a distress signal. The code would be a woman calling for Eloise. When she got that call a few hours ago she panicked and went on autopilot. John was surprised that Harriet and James were even speaking to each other never mind that they had developed such an elaborate drop system to share information.

John stopped and grabbed Harriet’s arm and said, “Wait a minute I don’t get this. I always thought you and your brother had some kind of falling out. He hasn’t been in our lives, well ever.” The way he looked at her Harriet knew that she had to find away to explain. She took John’s hand and asked him to walk with her.

Harriet began, “A few months after Dex was born Margret came to visit me. She is James’ new wife. Margret told me she suspected that Dex had a center and it was a dangerous one. She scared me something awful. She made it clear that there would be consequences for me and you and even Finn. She wasn’t threatening me. She said she would do her best to keep us out of the way but it was clear we all would be in danger. She said our family and my brother’s family needed to break ties. She was afraid for Finn and I, well…., I believed her. I spoke to James a few times a year. He wanted to know about us and I wanted to know about them. Then about four years ago James said we could no longer call each other. He was certain our letters were being intercepted and the phones where being monitored. I know it sounds all cloak and dagger but it wasn’t like that at the time. Anyway we decided to use the Eloise phone call to communicate if there was an emergency.”

John began to dread what might be in the envelope in Harriet’s purse. They walked quickly up the steps of Lauinger Library on Georgetown’s campus and went into the Library. They found a study room and pored over the documents.

Harriet could not believe what she was reading. Apparently the night before there had been a massive breach of security at Offseer. Seven students had been kidnapped. She scanned the list of names: Jason Brooks, Alicia Justie, Harry Tossel, Tomas Wedtrizert, Veronica Herebanks, Wesley Jamstring, and August Flemings. Harriet said a silent prayer that Dex and Finn were not on the list. She read further and gasped out loud; all the evidence pointed to a raid by Death Kin. Harriet shook her head in disbelief.

“John how is this possible? The Death Kin on the Offseer campus? How could they get through the outer defenses never mind the perimeter security?” Harriet asked her husband. He was in a state of shock as well.

John ignored her questions and asked his own.

“Harriet it says here that Dex spent the night in the cellar. Samantha put her there for a minor infraction. Apparently the outer reaches were breached as the children were disembarking from the train. Dear God Harriet, if the death kin had broken through the perimeter before the children crossed the river. They could all be dead.” John said as he raised his hands to cover his face.

Harriet continued to read. It was unimaginable. The Death Kin had crossed the river. They roamed the halls of Offseer while the children slept. And no one detected them. This was the most unsettling news Harriet had ever heard. She simply could not understand how this could happen. The Death Kin, though powerful in their own way, were nothing against the collective powers of Centerans. The outer defenses had been laid with traps that would reveal the Death Kin and there were military stationed there to kill them if they crossed the lines.

Harriet’s mind was reeling. She also knew that Death Kin could not penetrate the defenses of Offseer without help. They must have had the help of Centerans to do this Harriet concluded. She wondered who in God’s name would put both Speed and Secret children at risk.

John had read the telex communication from Samantha Fetter that arrived hours before the report. It was chilling. He handed it to Harriet to read.

September 9, 11:23pm

Chairman,The Death Kin have breached the outer defenses. Dexterphil is safe in a mind sealed room. We do not know how they got through or how they know she is here. We will fight to the last to protect our students and our school. Send reinforcements.

Samantha Fetter.

“Clearly they thought Dex was the target. But why did they take the others?” John asked as Harriet handed him the report written about 6 hours later.

Harriet answered, “The report says that the students were taken around 12:20pm. While the teachers were responding to a breach on the river there had been a second wave scaling the other side of the cliffs. While the teachers battled the Death

Kin on the river, the second wave had entering the dormitories. Each student was taken at the same time as the others. Samantha had thought it was about Dex but the way the strike was undertaken they were clearly targeting these other students. The Death Kin had also targeted one other student that they did not get because she was not in her room where she should have been. Apparently, Foss Goldstein was out of bed. She was with Jofe Rorest in the common room. Thank God for that.”

“Yes” John said as he continued to read the report. “Samantha says on page 3 that the teachers agreed to use a mysterious sickness story to explain the missing children.” Harriet added.

“Wait” John interrupted. “Harriet this list of kids, don’t you see it?” he said pointing to front page of the report. Harriet looked dumbfounded. John explained, “Harriet, these are all the children of members of the Council of Agents.” Harriet grabbed the report. “Are you sure John?” she asked as she reread the list of names. He didn’t need to answer her. She couldn’t believe she had missed it.

BEING