Natalia got up just as the sun was breaking through, she grabbed her sweater and pulled it on over Max's shirt. She looked out the loft window and saw Lucy standing there looking at the barn, her eyes glowing a light blue, her hands lifted and sound waves started across the yard, Natalia got out of the way just as the glass shattered she squeezed her eyes shut as the glass hit her. She opened her eyes and stared into a white light, she moved her hand to shield her eyes but couldn't. She looked down and saw that she was tied to a gurney, a nurse was next to her filling up a syringe with something brown. She screamed but nothing was coming out. The nurse turned and Natalia's eyes widened in fear, it was Max, he pushed her down

"Hold still you freak" He said harshly.Someone moved out of the corner of her eye she turned her head and saw Lucy

"Go ahead dear, once you inject her she'll fall into a sleep like trance, then we can take out the DNA and give it to you and then you'll be able to become like me and she will be nothing more than a faint memory."

"Good." Was all he said before he started chuckle evilly and moved towards her

"No please Max, listen to me! Natalia said shaking in fear. She's brainwashed you somehow, you need to fight it, you don't ..." Max plunged the syringe in, she screamed and started convulsing sweat started dripping mixing with her tears and with the blood from her nose. She kept screaming, she moved her hands and the walls started to come off in the background. The force was so strong that the straps popped off and she became suspended in the air, through the commotion she could hear dogs barking and something shaking her

"Natalia! Natalia wake up, you're going to bring the barn down! She opened her eyes and dropped to the ground pieces of the walls and roof with her. Max came over and pulled her into his arms as she started crying, the dogs came and licked her face and hands, through her tears she asked

"What happened?"

"Well, you must have been having a bad dream, I woke up when I felt the barn shaking, you were suspended in the air, your hair was floating all around you and your hands had energy flowing through them pulling the planks off the walls and the beams on the ceiling." He finished as he wiped her tears, he used the corner of the blanket that was on the ground to wipe the blood away that had started to drip from her nose.

"Sorry"

It's okay, were you able to do that before?"

"Yes, but not that strongly, I'm sorry for the damage."

"It's okay, it's not your fault, do you want to talk about it?"

"Not yet."

"Okay." Natalia got up, it was just beginning to turn day, the mist was starting to rise above the ground in the distance horses whinnies could be heard. She went to the window and braced herself before looking out, no one was there, she drew in a deep breath and turned her attention to the barn.

"I'm so sorry about the damage, let me quickly fix it before everyone comes out." She moved her hands up, as she did, the planks and beams went up she moved her right hand and the planks went back on the wall, her left hand moved slightly and the beams went back into place.

"Cool!" He said in awe. She turned and smiled

"Come on, everybody is probably up for the day." They walked down the ladder and out into the sunshine that had already begun to turn the air warm.

"Good morning Max, Natalia, did you sleep well?" Ben asked as they opened the door.

"Yeah dad, we slept great!"

"Well good."

"How did you sleep Mr. Steele? Natalia asked.

"I slept well too." They all smiled as Ben gave them some cocoa. The stairs creaked as Lucy came down with Danny on the hip and Opal behind her.

"Good morning Mrs. Steele, Danny, Opal." Lucy nodded her head and Danny squirmed to get down as soon as he was let down he went over to Max and wrapped his arms around his legs then went to Natalia and did the same. Max cleared his throat

" So Danny, Opal are you guys up for a horse ride and a picnic? I promised Natalia that we would take her.

"Yeah me want to go on horsey!" Danny shouted while clapping his hands with glee

"Um sure I guess."

"Cool, well we have to go change but we'll meet you by the pasture." Danny clapped his hands with glee again and pulled Opal out the door

"Come on, you have ta help me get horsey ready." He insisted urgently

"Okay okay I'm coming." Opal was just finishing getting Danny onto the horse when Natalia and Max joined them. Natalia was dressed in black jeans, a cream colored tank top and a light white flowy see through sweater. Max had on black jeans and a blue t-shirt.

"Okay, so I'm gonna ride with Danny, Opal will take her own, you could use my horse if you want."

"Sure that sounds good!" Danny had a brown horse with a white mark on its nose. Opal had a white and gray speckled horse. A whiny sounded as Max brought out a jet black horse with a diamond on its forehead.

"This is StarFire"

"Oh he's beautiful!"

"Yes he is." Max brought him to Natalia, she lifted her hand and ran her hand up and down his soft rubbery muzzle she stopped and he nuzzled her hand begging for more. She laughed her tinkle laugh and rubbed his muzzle again.

"Here tali, you can have my carrot." Danny said

"Thank you, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I have a lot." He finished blushing

"Okay, everybody ready?" Max asked as he swung up behind Danny. They started down the path and rode into the yard, Max was in front followed by Opal and then Natalia. They got onto the dirt driveway and walked onto the road, then switched to the ditch since they were on a busy road, the ditch was wide enough for horse and ATV's. Natalia couldn't remember the last time she was in a saddle saying back and forth, her butt lifting up just a little as StarFire walked over hills and rough areas of the ditch. People stared at them as they passed them on the road, some kids pointed at the horses, you could see the excitement dripping off their faces and their hands as they waved excitedly. Natalia tried to wave to as many of them as she could. They got to the end of the ditch and walked out of it and onto a dirt road

"Okay Natalia, this is where we usually race to the end of the road, do you want to join?"

"Sure!" They lined up, Max and Danny, Opal, Natalia.

"One the count of three, 1-Natalia got herself ready 2-Opal gritted her teeth 3- they all took off, in a trot, Natalia kicked StarFire and sent him into a run, her hair flowing back, she heard hoofbeats before she saw them, Max and Danny were right on her tail, she kicked harder and he spurred forward, she looked back and saw that Opal was gaining ground, before she could react Max and Danny plunged on ahead of her now in first place.

"Come on StarFire!"

"On your left Natalia" Opal shouted as she flew past her

"Oh no you don't! She whipped him gently with the whip Max had given her; he sped up and passed her but she still wasn't fast enough, for Opal passed her again. It seemed as though StarFire was having a mind of his own and slowing down

"Come on, why aren't you going faster?" She kicked him again even harder but he wouldn't go any faster, she looked down at her hands, they were purple from gripping the reins so hard. The sound of screeching wheels brought her head up, flying down the road was a red convertible the driver obviously losing control and heading straight for Opal, but Opal was too busy watching her to notice,

"Opal, watch out-Opal!" But she was too far away, Natalia hit him gently with the whip again he whinnied and went faster, Natalia finally got close, she pulled hard on the reigns as Opal turned and saw her situation, she wasn't going to be able to get out of the way fast enough, By now Natalia was behind her, she lifted her hands toward the car, it flew over Opal, barely missing her head Opal screamed and tipped sideways, somehow she didn't fall and just hovered. She finally got righted and stopped her horse. A crashing sound behind her made her look behind Natalia was emerging from the smoke of the car without a scratch. Natalia rode up to her

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, what-what happened?

"What do you mean?"

"I mean how did the car fly and how did you not get hit by it?" Before Natalia could answer Max and Danny came flying down the road

"Are you guys okay?"

"Yes, we're fine just a little shaky." Natalia responded. Max looked past her at the car smoking in the distance. He trotted down the road followed by Opal and Natalia. A man was in the driver's seat looking bewildered trying to figure out what just happened.

"Sir, are you okay?"

"What-oh I think I'm okay, I don't get it, one minute I was on the road the next I'm in the air upside down and then back on the ground."

"Well I didn't see anything sir, but maybe Natalia saw something." He turned towards her and gave her a nod and a wink. Natalia got off her horse and got close to the man she looked into his eyes as her eyes started glowing yellowish gold.

"What the heck is going on Max, what's wrong with her eyes?"

"Shhh, let her concentrate."

"But-but."

"I'll tell you later." Opals face looked mortified, but she stopped and watched. After a minute, Natalia's eyes returned to normal, Max stepped back over to the guy

"Are you okay sir?" Max asked. In a cranky voice the man replied

"Yes I'm okay, but I think I will go to the hospital to get checked out just in case." He turned the car on, revved the engine and flew down the road. Opal gasped and fainted. She started to slip off her horse but Natalia held her above the ground.

"Come on, let's keep going, I know a safe place to go." Natalia put Opal on StarFire and then tied Opals horse to her's, hopped on behind her they put their horses in a canter and reached the end of the road, they went through two willow trees and emerged on a sandy beach next to a lake. There was a rundown gray colored cabin with a swing in the water. On the left and right side of the cabin were giant willow trees that were swaying in the wind

"What is this place?

"This is where we go to relax and to get out of the farm."

"Yeah Maxy found it and fixed it up for us."

"Well sort of fixed it, right bud?" Max said as he he rubbed Danny's head messing up his hair

"Yeah, come one Tali, I want to show you the inside."

"Okay." Max lifted him down to the ground and hopped off then went to StarFire and had Natalia give him Opal who was just starting to stir. Natalia hopped down and Danny took her hand and pulled her forward.

"Woah buddy, don't knock her over."

"I won't." She went up the three steps, Danny opened the creaky door and she walked into a big living room, in the center on the back wall was a huge fireplace in front of it was a Vintage Distressed Rug. The Majority of it was blue, a small gold rectangle went around the middle of the rug, in that rectangle were gold flowery shapes. Across from the rug was a blue and white checkered couch, on the left side of that was a rocking chair with the skin of a wolf on it. Across from that on the right side of the couch was a black lazy boy chair that was a bit tattered.

"Oh it's beautiful."

"The kitchen is through here. He tugged her hand through a beam archway into a roomy kitchen. An island was in the middle, the stove was behind that with a fridge, on the other side was a wall of cupboards and an area to prepare food. The sink was attached to the wall near the preparation area. She started to walk towards the teapot when Danny pulled her hand

Careful! There is a hole." Natalia looked down and saw a gaping hole in the floorboards, she could see down into the basement.

Max's voice sounded behind her "Yeah sorry, I forgot to tell you about that, I meant to fix that."

"It's okay, it's still beautiful, where's Opal?"

"In her room."

"Oh yeah, come one Tali, I want to show you our rooms!" He took off, she followed him up a set of creaky steps that spiraled up, jumping over the ones that were broken through. Upstairs there was a giant window on the left, looking down the hallway she saw several doors, Danny popped out of one of them and she went forward, the floors creaking over every step. She walked in, the room was painted yellow, there was a small bed next to a window, there were blue curtains across the window, but they were pushed back.

"So Danny, where's your sister's room?" Danny was about to answer when,

"You don't need to know." Turning around she saw Opal

"How are you feeling?" Natalia asked with concern

"Danny get over here." Opal demanded without answering.

"Why?" He asked in a whiny tone

"Because, I don't trust her, she's some kind of freak!" She replied forcefully looking her dead in the eyes.

"No she's not!" Danny replied stamping his foot

"Yes she is, she changed that guys thoughts-and she somehow made that car fly, she's obviously up to no good!"

"Excuse me! Are you serious? I saved your life Opal, you're going to thank me by saying I'm a freak?" Natalia was getting madder by the minute her eyes started glowing and the walls started shaking, pieces of the boards came up around Natalia, turning pointy on the end, she'd always had anger issues as a child, but now they were amplified.

Downstairs Max felt the shaking and the voice of Natalia getting louder, he rushed up the stairs as fast as he could, but the stairs were shaking so bad it was hard he heard Opal scream and then he heard Danny say "Stop it stop it you're making her angry!" It was like Max was stuck in slow mo, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't go any faster, he finally got to the hallway Opal was up against the wall shielding Danny, Danny was trying to get out, he saw Natalia standing there her eyes turning a darker yellow, a white light was shining around her and there were floorboards around her pointing at them

"Natalia stop!" No matter how loud he yelled she wouldn't stop. Blood started coming out of both nostrils. He pushed them out of the way just as the boards flew and loged into the wall. Natalia dropped to the ground motionless.

Opal, get me a rag with some water!"

"No, I'm not helping!" She replied tears streaming down her face

"Opal NOW!" He shouted

"NO!" she started shaking and ran into her room, Danny came up to him with a cold wet dripping rag,

"Thanks buddy." He picked Natalia up and brought her into a room with white walls that had roses painted on them, a big squishy white bed and a oak dresser with a mirror. He laid her down and pulled the blankets over her. Using the rag he wiped the blood away

"Here Maxy I brought you a bucket to put the rag in and 'nother rag." Danny set the stuff down and knocked on Opal's room. He went in to see how she was doing. Max put the other rag against Natalia's forehead and he finished wiping and wrung it out into the bucket. He went to the bathroom and washed it out, then went downstairs, tied up the horses and went back into the room and sat down at the end of the bed with his back against the wall.

(In Opals Room:)

Danny walked into a dark burgundy room, it had black curtains covering the window, a big bed with a blue comforter was in the corner, Opal was laying on her tummy with her head on her arms. Danny crawled up on the bed and laid by her he gently rubbed her back. She lifted her head and tears streaked her face

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine." She laid her head back down.

"Obvisouly not." she rolled over onto her back and turned her face toward him

"Weren't you scared?"

"No?" He replied softly

"Why not?"

"Because I knew that if I calmed down she would calm down. I mean obvisouly something happened to her that got her that way, I had a feeling that she couldn't help it."

"Oh. You know, you're too smart for a five year old" She rubbed his head.

"I know. But that's why I tried to tell you to stop."

"I'm sorry I didn't stop. It's just that I was so scared, I wasn't expecting that, I mean we have never come across someone like that."

"I know. Come on let's go check on them." He told her earnestly.

"Okay." Opal rolled off the bed while Danny crawled off, they went out and to the room across from hers. Max looked up and smiled

"You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, is she okay?"

"She'll be fine, it's happened before, just not as strong." They sat on the floor and waited for her to arouse, they played go fish and trash.

"Did you know about her?" Opal suddenly asked

"I only recently just found out."

"Oh."

"Do you think we need to tell mom and dad?"

"No, not yet."

"Okay."

(At the farm)

By then it was 4:30, back at the farm Lucy didn't like that they were not back yet. Maybe they found out about her and took her to the police. She's going to blab everything and I'll be ruined! She turned towards Ben,

"I don't get it, they said that they were going for a ride and a picnic and that they would be back soon!" Ben came and put his arms around her waist from behind as they looked out the window

"I know dear, they will be back soon, they probably lost track of time. You know how kids are. We also have to start letting them do things on their own. They have to know that we trust them to do things without supervision."

"I suppose." Lucy's phone rang and she picked it up, it was work and she had to leave immediately.

"So, I'll see you tonight"

"Yes, actually, I don't know what time i'll be home tonight.." She quickly gathered her things, fixed up her makeup, made a smoothie, and put some leftovers in a container for dinner. Then she left, her mind still on Natalia.