"If I have to be your little experiment, you have to contribute to the research too," Dylan says, brushing the ash from his bed. 

"Well I was contributing until someone set my journal on fire," Ellie mumbles, futilely searching through the pile for any remnants of her notebook that might have survived. 

"Not with your notes, Ellie. I'm talking about trying to access your powers, too."

Ellie freezes in place.

"Dylan, I'm not sure," she says, her eyes wide.

"Why not? I've done it twice now"

"Yes, and look where this time got us." She motions to the pile of debris. "Maybe we shouldn't use our abilities until we're sure that we can control them."

Dylan shakes his head. "It sounds to me like you are just making excuses, and I understand why. Being able to wield such power is terrifying. You have every right to be nervous. You don't think that I was scared when I blistered Connor with my bare skin, or how terrifying it was to see fire coming out of my hand just now?"

Ellie smirks at the memories.

"You have to set that fear aside, Ellie. I don't think we would have been given these abilities if we couldn't control them. Besides, we'll never learn how or when to use them if we don't practice."

"There's no guarantee I even have any abilities," Ellie says. "Maybe your magic is an oddity. Maybe you're just special. That doesn't mean that I am."

Ellie pretends to pick lint from her shirt, avoiding Dylan's eyes. Dylan places his hand on hers, forcing her to look at him.

"You'll never know unless you try," Dylan says with a smile. "Besides, Ovi said that we all have abilities, not just me. If he was right about my ability to wield fire, why would he be wrong about you?"

Ellie still seemed unsure, but Dylan can see by the look on her face that he had almost convinced her. He takes a step closer and looks deep into her brown eyes.

"It's just me here, Ellie. You know I won't judge you."

She lets out a deep sigh and gives Dylan a reluctant nod. He smiles reassuringly and takes a step back. Ellie closes her eyes in concentration. Her eyebrows furrow and her lips pucker as she tries to bring forth some unknown magic that dwelled deep inside of her.

After a few minutes of nothing occurring, her shoulders slump forward with defeat. "I feel ridiculous. I don't know what I'm doing." 

"Remember what you told me- our abilities stem from our emotions. Think of something that brings intense anger or sadness. The rest should happen naturally," Dylan suggests.

Ellie continues to concentrate but, still, nothing happens. Dylan racks his brain, trying to think of how to help her find her magic like she helped him find his. He knew he had to press her emotions and there was one definitive way to do so... he just dreaded doing it.

"How does it make you feel when Jemma and her lackeys call you '2XEllie?" he says, guilt coursing through him at the offensive name.

Dylan watches as Ellie's face reddens and her mouth presses into a fine line. Her eyes dart to his, staring daggers at him, and she grinds her teeth in irritation. Only a moment after the cruel nickname left his lips, the window to attic flies open and a gust of wind soars in. It was so powerful, it knocks Dylan on his back for the second time in less than a day.

"Oh my god, are you okay?" Ellie asks, running to Dylan's side.

Dylan gets to his feet as the squall subsides. He groans and starts to rub his lower spine, feeling aged before his time. He was certain to have a bruise. 

"I'm fine," Dylan lies, trying to gather the breath that had been knocked out of him. "How did that feel?"

"Amazing!" Ellie squeals, clapping her hands together. "It was just so... freeing!" She grins and Dylan can see the excitement and intrigue coloring her face. Her eyes were bright with shock and wonder.

"That was impressive, Ellie. Much better than my tiny ball of flames," he laughs.

Ellie beams at the compliment. "I can't believe what Ovi said is true... I can control the air," she mumbles to herself. "We have to tell Jemma and Connor. If our powers are real, theirs must be too."

Dylan wanted nothing less than to talk to Jemma and Connor. Since they had learned about their abilities, it had scared them so much that they had avoided Dylan and Ellie like the plague. Dylan had enjoyed the peace and quiet at school that day. He didn't want to poke the bear and risk falling prey to Connor's taunts or Jemma's snarky smirks.

But he knew deep down that Ellie was right. Like it or not, whatever had happened to provoke their magical abilities, it had happened to all four of them. They had no choice but to communicate with one another- they were in this mess together now.

When they get to school the next day Dylan and Ellie try to communicate with Jemma and Connor, but they refused to be alone in the same room with them. The duo avoided their eyes when passing in the hallways. At lunch Connor sits on the opposite side of the cafeteria. In science class, Jemma wouldn't even look in their direction.

"What now?" Dylan asks as they leave school that day.

Ellie thinks this over. "I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it will work."

"I'm not sure we have any other choice. We have to do something," Dylan says.

Ellie grabs Dylan's shirt sleeve and pulls him into the shadows at the side of the school. She closes her eyes, her brows knit together in concentration and her breathing begins to accelerate. At first Dylan wonders if something might be wrong, but he quickly realizes she was trying to access her power.

He watches in amazement as a small breeze picks up. It wasn't a big gust of wind or anything that might raise suspicion, but it was just powerful enough to blow Connor and Jemma's school work high into the sky. They chase after the papers as the wind carries them into the shaded area where Dylan and Ellie hid, far from the prying eyes of their peers.

When they see them, Jemma and Connor stop in their tracks. They try to turn away, but Dylan grabs them by their school bags and pulls them further into the darkness.

"Nice of you to finally acknowledge us," Dylan mutters.

"What do you want, dweeb?" Connor spits.

"We need to discuss our little... situation," Dylan mumbles, his eyes searching for eavesdroppers.

"There is no 'situation'," Jemma says. "Some crazy man was trying to scare us, and it obviously worked with the two of you. But we're not that gullible."

"Really? Then what happened to your hand?" Dylan points toward Connor's knuckles.

"Freak accident," Connor mumbles, narrowing his eyes. "Let's get out of here, Jemma. Before the insanity wears off on us, too."

Connor and Jemma begin to walk away. Dylan begins to panic, unsure when they would get the opportunity to talk to them again. He couldn't let them leave. Not until they had the chance to discuss their powers.

"I did it again!" he blurts out, causing them to stop in their tracks. "Summoning fire, I mean. It wasn't just a a figment of our imaginations. I tried it again last night and it worked. And Ellie accessed her power as well."

"What?" Jemma asks in shock.

"It's true. It's called 'aerokinesis'. I was able to control the wind," Ellie says.

"I don't believe you," Connor spits. "I think you're just trying to play us for fools."

"We're not trying to trick you, Connor. I know it's a little... strange. But believe it or not, it's the truth. This weird magic must be real," Dylan says.

"Please... you're such a liar!" Jemma shouts. "The two of you will do anything to try to get attention."

Dylan sighs, exasperated. How could they make them understand that it was true; that their powers really did exist?

"If we're lying, then how do you explain Ovi's appearance?" Ellie counters.

Connor opens his mouth to retort, but he doesn't get the chance. A loud pop echoes through the air and a puff of smoke forms behind them. Once the vapors cleared, Ovi was left standing. 

"You rang?" he asks with a smile. Jemma screams and Connor shakes his head.

"No, no, no, no... NO! This CANNOT be happening!" he bellows, rubbing his forehead like he had a headache.

Suddenly, a water fountain a few yards away explodes with a loud bang. The metal box goes flying through the air, causing kids to scream and run for cover. Water sprays high into the air, drenching everyone in a ten foot radius. Connor stands with his mouth agape and his arms by his side in defeat as he stares at the suddenly flooded school yard.

"You were saying?" Dylan mutters smugly.

Thank you for reading this chapter! If you are enjoying my story so far, please don't forget to comment and/or vote! :)

© Dawn Norwell