Veronica searched around Cleaves Mills, looking for something to eat. She hadn't eaten in days, and had no money. She came upon a large house, wired with security systems. She recognized it as Johnny Smith's house, from the news. Maybe he could help her, but would he want to? She ran her hand above the security gate, it shut off. She shut off the cameras too. Veronica has a power, the ability to move and control objects with her mind. She went to the back door, looking at the doorknob, waiting for the lock to un-click, indicating she unlocked the door. She turned the knob and slowly walked in, heading toward the kitchen. She quietly searched through the kitchen cabinets for food, using her powers as to not leave any fingerprints. Finding nothing of use in the cabinets, she went to the fridge. Jackpot! Leftover chicken. She took the bowl and made for the back door.
"Hello,"A male voice inquired,"Is someone there?"
Veronica panicked. She ran into the living room, finding a closet and hiding there, closing the door behind her. She wondered vaguely if Mr. Smith had a gun and if he would shoot her, thinking he was a robber.
Johnny searched around his house. He'd heard someone come in. He carried a bat with him, wondering how anyone could get past the security system. In the kitchen, he noticed the refrigerator door was open, he went to close it. Grabbing the door handle, he got a vision of a little girl, no.. not a girl, someone his age, small and skinny, grabbing the bowl of leftover chicken he'd had from dinner last night. He saw her run into the living room, into the small coat closet. He made his way, slowly and quietly, to the closet. Touching the door handle, he saw that same girl, cowering and shaking, obviously scared. He set his bat back at the top of the stairs, then made his way back to the closet, slowly opening the door.
Virginia heard the door open, she tried to hide behind the coats.
"Hi,"Johnny said,"Who are you?"
"Don't hurt me,"She begged,"I just wanted some food."
"It's okay,"He said.
He backed up and she walked out. She handed him the bowl. Johnny took it, seeing another vision. An orphanage, rundown, overcrowded with hundreds of children. A girl, sitting at a table, surrounded by other children, but none of them talking to her. The girl was sad, tears filled her eyes.
"An orphanage,"Johnny said,"You were in an orphanage."
She nodded regretfully.
"Oh yeah,"She said,"I forgot about the psychic thing."
"Yeah,"He said,"So...how'd you get past the security system?"
"It's a long story,"She said.
"I've got time,"He said.
She inhaled deeply, doubting that she would believe him in the first place.
"I can..control things,"She said,"Move them with my mind. Telekinesis, is what it's called."
Johnny was mildly skeptical.
"Prove it,"He said.
"Put that bowl away and I'll show you,"She said.
"You won't run away,"He asked.
"No,I'll be right here,"She said,"Sitting on the couch."
He nodded and put the bowl back in the refrigerator. When he came back, she was gone. How she'd disappeared so fast, he didn't know.
Veronica ran untill she couldn't see Johnny's house anymore. She ducked into an alley and hid there. She'd tried not to touch anything at the house, didn't want to leave any clues. Crap, she thought, I touched the doorknob.
Johnny saw another vision of the girl when he touched the knob on the front door. She was hiding in an alley, the one beside the bakery, searching a dumpster for food. He decided he had to help her. He got in his jeep and drove to the alley.
Veronica continued to search through the dumpster looking for something, anything, to eat.
"Having any luck,"A voice asked.
She looked up. Johnny stood at the front of the alley. He was tall, and looked strong. She dropped the trash she was holding and turned to face him.
"I'm not going to hurt you,"Johnny assured her,"I just want to talk."
She turned the other way and ran, but was stopped by a fence. She hit the fence with her fists in anger. She turned around, facing the man with a cane, who was walking toward her. He got a few feet from her. If there was anything she was afraid of, it was being cornered.
"Don't come any closer,"She warned.
Johnny stopped and looked at the girl. He didn't know her name or where she was from, or what she wanted.
"What do you want,"She demanded.
"To talk,"He repeated.
Johnny felt himself be lifted above the ground, his feet dangling off the floor. The woman was pale white, shaking. He felt the sensation of hands around his neck, strangling him. He couldn't breathe. The sensation of being strangled disappeared, and he was hurled across the ally, sliding on the ground to the sidewalk.
Veronica felt horrible. She didn't mean to hurt him that bad, but sometimes she loses her temper. She ran over to Johnny, feeling for a pulse. He was alive, passed out, but alive. She removed the car keys from his pocket and dragged him to the car, having to rely on mostly her power, and driving back to his house. She lied him down on the couch inside. She found the bathroom, using her power to turn on the sink and wet a rag. She turned off the sink, taking the rag downstairs with her, it seemingly floating in front of her. She put it on Johnny's forehead, cleaning off the scratches on his face. Johnny opened his eyes, screaming. His eyes were bright blue.
"Johnny, it's okay,"She said,"You're at home. I drove you."
"Who ARE you,"He demanded.
"My name is Veronica Huseby,"She said,"I'm 28. I'm from New York."
He sat up, rubbing his head.
"Why are you here,"He asked.
"I heard about you,"She said,"That you were psychic. And..I thought maybe you could help me."
"How,"He asked.
"How do you deal with it Johnny,"She asked,"How do you deal with your power?"
"I'm used to it I guess,"He said.
She handed Johnny the rag. He got another vision, a girl, about three years old, sitting in her room, hiding under the bed while two people, probably her parents, screamed back and forth at each other. The girl was scared, there was a loud crash, then more crashes, then more. The house was falling apart, collapsing. The girl's eyes were bright, almost illuminating.
Johnny gasped.
"You were in a house,"He said,"It collapsed."
"I murdered them Johnny,"She said,"I murdered my own parents."
"Wh..what did you do,"He asked.
"I made the house fall,"She said,"I was scared, angry. It was an accident."
She was sitting now, beggining to cry from guilt.
"It's okay,"John said,"You didn't mean to."
She wiped her tears and nodded.
"Are you still hungry,"He asked.
"Yeah,"She said.
"I'll go make something,"He said,"Why don't you come with me?"
She agreed and followed him into the kitchen, where he made some mac'n cheese.
"Well, it's no five star meal,"He joked,"But it's better than garbage, right?"
Johnny gave her some in a bowl, then served himself. They sat at the table. Veronica scarfed down her food like there was no tommarro. Johnny studied the strange girl in his house.
"Where do you live now,"He asked.
Veronica slid the bowl over to him. Johnny got another vision: Veronica lying in an alley, using newspapers as blankets.
"You don't live anywhere,"He asked,"Do you?"
"How'd you know,"She demanded.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Oh...right,"She said,"I should go."
"Wait,"He said,"You can stay here if you want."
"Really,"She asked.
"On one condition,"He said.
"What's that,"She asked.
"Don't try to kill me anymore,"He laughed.
"Agreed,"She said.
Johnny got blankets and a pillow for Veronica to sleep on the couch.