Amy's POV
"OK, loser has to steal that old lady's bag," Ellie said. Ellie was my best friend and partner in crime. I didn't want to steal but my parents didn't look after me properly and I was left to get my own food and clothes. Being savant helped of course, I could use my power of mind control to easily manipulate people just to hand over their belongings. Ellie was also savant, she could mimic other powers. She would often mimic my power to annoy her brother.
"Fine by me," I said. We were standing at the entrance of an indoor rock-climbing centre. We had just watched as a woman probably in her sixties walk in with her husband and sit on a bench near the climbing wall. She had set her bag at her feet. Ellie flipped the penny she had into the air. I crossed my fingers, please be heads. The coin landed on the ground,
"Tails!" cheered Ellie, "Off you go," She made a gesture for me to go. I rolled my eyes and sighed obviously annoyed,
"I flip it next time." I turned and started walking towards the bench. I stopped a meter away and casually leaned against the wall, pretending to be watching the climbers. The husband leaned over and said something to the woman. She nodded and the man got up and walked over to the café. The woman reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She looked like she was trying to take a photo of the climbing walls but kept clicking the record button. She then turned to look at me and I quickly looked away,
"Excuse me, you look like you know how to work these kind of things. Could you help me? I wanted to take a photo." I swallowed.
"Sure," I walked over and switched it from video to photo.
"Thank you very much. It's brand new so I'm still learning to use it," She laughed shaking her head and muttering "Modern technology." I saw my chance and quickly grabbed the bag whilst she was distracted. I turned around and started running towards the exit,
"Wait! That's mine!" she yelled, "Come back!" I didn't look back until I heard someone else's footsteps close behind me. I quickly glanced round only to see three men chasing me,
'Ellie!" I yelled telepathically at her.
"What?" She turned around and her eyes widened. I didn't reply, instead I was tackled to the ground, the bag and all it's contents spilled everywhere.
"Get off me!" I screamed as two off them pinned me to the ground, "Ellie!" she ran over to me.
"Oh! There you are, Amy," she stopped and looked at the boys pinning me down, "Sorry about that...she forgot to take her pills this morning," She said trying to help me up but the boys were having none of it.
"She's lying," a girl with crazy blonde hair that looked like a lion's mane said.
"Thanks, Misty," said a tall, intimidating looking man, " Victor Benedict. I work for the FBI" He pulled out a card from his back pocket that said FBI.
"You're the Benedicts!" Ellie gawped.
"Yes. You know us?"
"Of course! You're like the coolest family on the net!" I'm guessing she meant the savant net.
"I don't care who they are just get them off me!" One of they guys pinning me down gave me a cheeky grin before getting off me and pulling me up. He had jet black floppy hair and bright green eyes. Had he not have tackled me to the ground I might have actually liked him. The other guy who had helped pin me down was probably over 6ft tall and had dark brown hair and big brown eyes. They all, including Victor looked very handsome. The girl, Misty, waved over at another boy to come over. They just keep coming don't they? The woman quickly came over her husband at her side. She picked up her bag and sighed.
"I'm sorry. I...I..." I was going to say I would pay for whatever damage I had caused but then again if I had money I wouldn't even be in this situation.
"It's OK..." she said.
"Mom!" Victor said but the woman put up her hand,
"It's OK. She said she was sorry, what more can we do? Surely by now you know that everyone has their reasons. Just look at Phoenix she stole things because she had to." I sighed in relief.
"I would have her arrested..." mumbled the boy with black hair. I immediately shot him a glare,
'Piss off.' I said telepathically to him. His mouth dropped open and suddenly he pulled me into a tight hug lifting me off the ground and spinning me round,
'I found you!' His words sent telepathically to me made my heart leap. I felt everything shift. It was him.
Zak's POV
I had found her! My soulfinder! I hugged her close to me just trying to let it sink in. She hugged me back. I laughed out loud, now there's a story to tell my parents and siblings 'My soulfinder's first words to me were piss off' I was pretty sure my dad, and uncle Xav would laugh. I set her down,
"What's your name?"
"Amy Smith," she blushed and my heart did a little jig.
"Amy..." I said trying the name out on my tongue, "Well, Amy, my name is Zak Benedict," she smiled at me a cute little smile. Was it bad that I could have kissed her there and then?
"Still want to arrest me?" she had a smug look on her face.
"Hey I can still visit you in jail you know, makes no difference to me if you're in or out," She elbowed me in the ribs and I laughed. I turned to see the rest of the family staring at us like we had just turned into unicorns,
"Um. Someone care to tell us what's going on?" Amy's friend asked looking from me to Amy suspiciously. Amy must have told her telepathically because her friend suddenly started jumping up and down,
"OH MY WORD! OH MY WORD!" She ran over and hugged Amy, "You are one lucky girl!" she looked me up and down. Amy blushed even more,
"Ellie..." Amy smiled.
"Guys, meet my soulfinder, Amy." I turned back to my family. Their mouths dropped open and Karla, my grandmother, came over and hugged me while Uncle Victor and Saul, my granddad patted me on the shoulder,
"Congrats!" Misty and Alex said, they were both soulfinders and met in Cape Town in Africa. They were over staying with my Uncle Xav, Aunt Crystal and cousin Dez because Crystal was Misty's aunt. My mum, dad and two younger sisters and I were also staying with them as our vacation. Portrush didn't have much in it but it was better than staying in Colorado all summer. Karla, Saul and Victor were staying in a holiday house near the sea. Victor was only here because his soulfinder, Atoosa was over in Afganastan staying with her family for two weeks and my grandparents asked him to come with them using the excuse 'But you never have time for us anymore since you got your soulfinder' I found it quite funny actually that he had fallen for it.
"Well, now that's sorted, Amy, do you mind me asking why you were trying to steal my mother's handbag?" Victor asked folding his arms across his chest. Amy shifted uncomfortably and I couldn't stop myself from just having a look at what was in her head. I could say I had too but that would be a lie and that girl Misty seemed to know when I was lying... can I trust them? I don't want them to know. Her thought made me frown.
"Don't worry," I said to her, "You can trust us." she didn't look convinced, she looked at Ellie as if for help,
"We flipped a coin." Ellie said.
"It's not registering as a lie? But that doesn't explain why she stole the bag..." Misty said clearly confused.
"We needed it." Amy said finally,
"Why?" Victor pressed.
"I just needed it." I could tell she was getting upset so I quickly intervened,
"Let's talk about this later. Anyone want to grab a coffee?" Amy took a step away from me,
"I need to go home." Amy sighed turning around and walking towards the exit, Ellie shrugged and quickly ran after her.
"Wait!" I shouted running up to Amy and grabbing hold of her jacket to stop her. She turned to look at me,
'What?' she said telepathically so no one else could hear,
'You can't just leave...'
'Why not?'
'Because your my soulfinder and I want to get to know you and I don't have your phone number so I can at least call you later.' She bit her lip unsure of what to say.
"I don't have a phone."
"At all?" She didn't have a phone...very well, "Here then, have mine."
"What?" I pulled my iPhone out of my back pocket and handed it to her, "You're giving me your phone?"
"Yeah. That way I can use my parents or my sisters phone to call you and as soon as I get paid I'll get a new one," Or I beg my other uncle, Yve to by me a new one seeing as he is rich. She stared at me bewildered.
"OK then... See you later," she put the phone in her pocket and headed towards the door only glancing back and giving me a small smile.
Amy's POV
After leaving the rock-climbing centre Ellie and I sat at Ramore head looking out to sea,
"That was generous of him..." She looked down at the black IPhone 6 I had in my hand. I turned it off and on, the background image on the phone was of a black motorbike. His maybe. I had never been on a motorbike but it looked like fun,
"Yeah. I wonder if he will call."
"Well he has to. He is your soulfinder after all," a sly grin spread across her face,
"What?" I looked at her suspiciously,
"Let's prank call someone," she plucked the phone from my hands and started scrolling through the contacts, "Ok let's do his mum!"
"His mum?!" she had already clicked call. This was something she usually did to try and embarrass me. She threw the phone at me,
"Tell her you kidnapped Zak,"
"I can't say that!"
"Hello, Zak?" a woman's voice came through the phone,
"Hello." I said in a deep voice that made Ellie burst into a fit of giggles. I put my finger to my lips, gesturing her to be quiet, "I have kidnapped your son, Zak"
"What!" She screeched, "Zed! Someone has kidnapped Zak!" Oh dear she thought it was real, "We're calling the police!" I nearly dropped the phone,
"Crap! Hang up, hang up, hang up!" I yelled trying and failing to hit the 'end call' button,
"Give it to me!" hissed Ellie snatching the phone from my hands yet again and ending the call. We sat in silence staring at the phone. We looked at each other before bursting out in laughter.
"I-can't-believe-you said that!" Ellie was laughing so hard she was gasping for air which only made me laugh even more.
"YOU told me to say it!" I pointed out. After sitting there for another hour Ellie decided that she had to go home before her parents grounded her. It was eleven O'clock before I even thought about going home. The street lights cast an orangey glow on the deserted streets of Portrush. I passed the Arcades, I could hear the sound of the pinball machine and coins falling and people laughing from inside. I passed a group of men smoking and kept my head down, using my mid-length brown hair to cover my face. They merely gave me a few looks before putting out their cigarettes and heading back inside the arcade. It was a Wednesday night so Kelly's night club would be open. I had never been inside Kelly's mainly because I didn't like the people coming out. Most of the people who came out were drunk so I tried my best to avoid them.
I paused outside my house. It was a small brick terrace house and had an extremely small garden that wasn't looked after. I dreaded coming home to this house. I dreaded coming home to my parents. I slowly opened the door, praying my parents were sleeping. I crept down the hallway stopping to peek through the living room door. My dad sat watching the football on TV, a beer in his hand whilst my mum was curled up on the armchair pretending to be watching the TV. I was safe for now I could easily get up the stairs and into bed without being noticed. I started to make my way to the stairs when suddenly Zak's phone started to ring. No! I panicked and started running up the stairs. I heard my dad get up. I had nearly made it to my bedroom when I tripped over my own feet and crashed to the ground. No, please no!
"You little bastard! What are you doing" my dad shouted making it to the top of the stairs my mum close at his heels. I tried to crawl away but he caught hold of my hair pulling me to my feet,
"Please stop!" I screamed. His fist collided with my face knocking me back to the ground, the phone falling out of my pocket. I tried to use telekinesis to bring it back to me but that was pointless with my mum there. My mum's savant power was shielding, she could completely cut off another savant's power or create a shield around you so you couldn't move, which was why I never used mind control on either of them. My dad's savant power was hypnosis, he could put thoughts in your head and make you think they were real. Together my parents were lethal.
"What is this?" My dad picked up the phone, "You have a missed call from someone called 'Mom'" I swallowed hard.
"I don't know who that is," I could already feel my eye starting to bruise from his punch, "I stole the phone." He tutted at me- as if he cared.
He dropped the phone on purpose and then stood on it, cracking the whole screen,
"If I ever catch you telling anyone about this..." He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to. He turned around and walked back downstairs and I let out a small sigh of relief. It could have been worse.
Zak's POV
I had tried calling her three times. She hadn't answered any of them.
'Maybe she doesn't want to be my soulfinder.' I said to my cousin telepathically after having called a fourth time,
'I doubt it. She's probably busy...Or asleep. Dude it's 1am just call her again in the morning,' Whoops. I had lost track of time. The first time I called her it was only 9 O'clock. Maybe she went to bed really early?
'Yeah your probably right.'
'Plus you can always ask my mum to find her again. She is a soulseeker after all.' He was right my aunt Crystal was a soulseeker, I could easily just ask her to find Amy. I looked over at my two sleeping sisters, Sarah and Sophie. Sarah had just turned twelve two weeks ago and Sophie was only six. They were both sharing a double bed and I got the sofa bed. My aunt and uncles house was quite big and had two spare bedrooms incase of family visits.
I tossed and turned all night, unable to get comfortable. Eventually I gave up trying to sleep and got up and went downstairs. I found my dad also awake, he was sitting on the sofa, strumming his guitar. He looked up when I came in,
"You alright, son?" He asked setting the guitar aside,
"Yeah just couldn't sleep," I sat down beside him on the sofa,
"To busy thinking about your girl?" I nodded.
"I can't stop thinking about her. I only just met her and I think I'm in love with her, the only problem is I don't know if she feels the same way. I don't know anything about her only that she's my soulfinder... Did you feel that way with mom?" Dad laughed.
"I think people experience these things differently. When I met Sky, at first, I wouldn't even have given her a second glance! It was also difficult for me because your mom didn't even know what a savant was never mind that she was one. She was kind of distant with me at first which was very frustrating."
"But did you love her as soon as you found out she was your soulfinder?"
"Yeah," he nodded sincerely, "Man, I was in love with her. I still am." I smiled, someday I hope Amy and I can be like them.
"Daddy?" We turned around and saw Sophie standing in the doorway. She walked over and Dad lifted her up onto his knee,
"And why are you not in bed?" Dad said cradling her in his arms.
"I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you and mommy?"
"OK. Just for tonight," He stood up, Sophie still in his arms, "And you should try and get some sleep too." he looked at me and I nodded. I followed them upstairs getting back into bed. I'll call Amy again tomorrow.
That morning Dez and I headed into Coleraine in Dez's brand new Lamborghini. Dez had just passed his driving test. Had been saving for a car since he was nine and because we had lots of relatives they usually gave us a lot of money for birthdays and Christmases, especially uncle Yves who was rich. We parked the car and walked into the town centre. I hadn't called Amy again that morning because Dez said I sounded desperate. I was. I was worried, not sure what to do. We browsed through a few shops buying bits and pieces. I bought a CD and a book whilst Dez bought a magasine about cars. As we left Eason we started walking up the street and that was when I walked straight into her...
Amy's POV
Ellie and I had went into Coleraine to see if we could find somewhere to fix Zak's phone. We didn't have much luck. The man who worked in Carphone warehouse said it was beyond repair. As we walked out of Carphone warehouse I bumped into him...
"Oh, Hi!" Ellie said as I quickly tried to hide the smashed up phone behind my back. I looked up to meet Zak's eyes. He was smiling from ear to ear. It must have been contagious because I suddenly found myself smiling too, a massive 100 watt smile. I had the urge to hug him.
"Hello!" Zak and I said at the same time. He looked past me into the shop we'd just come out of, "Were you getting a new phone?"
"Uhh..."
"I tried calling you last night, you didn't answer." I wonder why,
"I'll just leave you two too it, then." Ellie interrupted but I knew she was trying hard not to laugh,
"OK," Zak said. Ellie smirked and started walking down the street, probably going to Waterstones,
"Yeah... I might join you," The guy who I recognised from the rock-climbing centre said going to walk with Ellie. Zak and I were suddenly left alone in an awkward silence.
"I wanted to answer your call." I said breaking the silence. He tilted his head in confusion and I slowly showed him the phone, "Yeah, uhh... I think it's a bit broken." I said placing the phone into his hand. His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened.
"Yeah just a bit broken..." Please don't be angry, please don't be angry, "I think we'll just try using telepathy next time,"
"I'm not so good at telepathy over a long distance," I bit my lip.
"I'm sure we'll find a way. Coffee?" He gestured towards Starbucks and I put my hand to my chest,
"I'm touched. You truly are my soulfinder!" He smiled,
"You like Starbucks then?"
"Do I! It's practically my second home!" He laughed at that and I realised just how easy it was to talk to him, my soulfinder, "Now all you have to do is guess my favourite drink." He held open the door to Starbucks for me. The smell of coffee filled my lungs. I pulled out a five pound note that Ellie had given me this morning and walked up to the counter,
"Hi, Amy. Your usual?" the barista asked,
"Yes please. Extra cream."
"Of course. And what can I get for you?" the barista turned to Zak. She suddenly started batting her eyelashes at him. Some how I felt... betrayed. Betrayed by the barista whom I was friends with. Not anymore. I surprised myself by suddenly getting jealous and I laughed silently to myself. Zak hadn't seemed to notice that the barista was trying to flirt with him. If Zak is my soulfinder that meant that he was the same age as me, seventeen. The barista had long blonde hair and a slim figure and looked in her early twenties. Zak looked down at me,
"What do you recommend?"
"Frappuccino?"
"Ok. I'll have a Frappuccino," He was still looking at me. I didn't think he would like my usual of a strawberries and cream Frappuccino.
"What type do you want?" again he looked at me and I rolled my eyes,
"He'll have the coffee one." Once we got our drinks we took a seat near the window,
"So... Amy, tell me about yourself,"
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything." I smiled.
"I have an unhealthy obsession with Disney movies, my favourite being the Lion King 2. My favourite food is steak and chips and my favourite colour is red."
"Interesting. Well my favourite movie is Spiderman and my favourite food is doughnuts and my favourite colour is black," he smiled and looked at me through his dark eyelashes, making my heart flutter, "I've never seen the Lion King 2. Is it as sad as the first one?" How could he not have seen it!
"That's it. Do you have a DVD player at your house?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"OK, we're going to borrow the DVD of it off Ellie and we're going to watch it tonight at your place." He laughed,
"Great. It's a date."
"Date?"
"You are my soulfinder, so we're stuck with each other, might as well start with a date," I hadn't really thought of the whole soulfinder thing through properly, had I? Being his soulfinder really meant forever. I had only just met the guy. So that would mean me getting away from my parents...
"I guess you're right. OK it's a date," He wiggled his eyebrows up and down, "Stop it."
"By the way, what's your savant gift?" It would do no harm to tell him.
"Mind control. What's yours?"
"I can control electricity... but mind controls pretty cool too," he smirked and I hit him round the head lightly,
"Don't diss the mind control. I could easily make you go up and get me another drink!" He put up his hands innocently in a 'just-saying' gesture. I rolled my eyes - something I was very good at doing.
Zak's POV
"By the way, did you call my mum saying you kidnapped me?" I asked as we walked down the street to meet Dez and Ellie.
"Oh yeah... sorry 'bout that. Ellie's idea." she shrugged. I laughed remembering the chaos of yesterday evening. Everyone had been gathered into the living room when we had got home. As soon as they realised I had not been kidnapped, I had to explain the whole soulfinder-phone-thing to everyone. My dad laughed and my mum just shook her head and said 'You've got you're hands full with that girl.' Surprisingly she hadn't got angry, but now the rest of my family wanted to meet Amy... and they would...just not tonight. I had to get them out of the house.
Once we had gotten to Waterstones, where Amy had arranged to meet Ellie and Dez, we found both of them standing outside, arms wrapped around each other...kissing.
"Ellie May Anderson!" Amy shouted at them, "You rascal!" she smacked the now blushing, Ellie lightly on the arm, before she started laughing.
"We were just...Uhh...We were..." Ellie stumbled over her own words.
"Amy, Zak, this my soulfinder!" Dez said proudly, his arm still around his newly-found soulfinder. Amy grinned,
"Well at least you can be sure you got the best." She said. That can't be true, I thought to myself, Because I got the best. I hadn't even realised I had taken hold of Amy's hand until she let go of mine. I frowned looking down at my empty hand. Amy went over and hugged her friend, "What do we do now?"
"Well, I need to go home before my mother finds out I still have homework to do." Ellie said.
"And I need to find a way to get the rest of my family out of the house for tonight," I said,
"Tonight?" Ellie asked looking from me to Amy wiggling her eyebrows up and down.
"Oh yeah, can we borrow the Lion King 2 movie off you?" Amy asked poking Ellie's arm,
"Depends... What are you doing?"
"Uh, we were going to watch the Lion King 2 movie." Amy said sarcastically.
"Where at?" She gave Amy a look. The sort of 'Remember-that-thing' look. I gave them a confused look.
"His place," she gestured towards me, "You can come if you want."
"Actually, It's my place. Zak's only staying for summer." Dez butted in.
'Only the summer?' Amy asked me.
'I'll probably stay longer until we work out a way we can stay together."
'Oh... OK.'
Once we had sorted out a time to meet at Dez's house, we all departed. I had offered Amy a lift home but she had quickly rejected the offer saying she was going to go home with Ellie.
"So what happened to Amy?" Dez asked as we made our way to the car.
"What do you mean?"
"You know, she had a bruise on her face." I hadn't noticed any bruise. She had used her hair as a curtain to hide her face behind, but I thought that was because she was shy, "I could have healed it if she wanted me to." Dez had the power of healing, like his dad.
"I'll ask her later on."
Amy's POV
"I don't think he noticed." I said to Ellie whilst trying to cover the bruise my father had left on the right side of my face with concealer, "Or at least if he did, he didn't say anything."
"I think you should tell him about your parents," Ellie frowned, "He is your soulfinder and it might be a chance to get away from them."
"What is he going to do that I haven't already tried?"
"I don't know. Call the police, maybe? It doesn't matter what he does. I hate seeing you like this!" I groaned. I leaned across the dressing table in Ellie's bedroom, looking at the reflection in the mirror. My mid-length wavy brown hair came down just past my shoulders and my brown-yellow coloured eyes looked dull, all emotion had been beaten out of them by my parents.
"Fine. I'll tell him, just not tonight." Or for as long as I could avoid it. She smiled satisfied with my answer.
"Good. Now come on or we'll be late!" Ellie clapped her hands excitedly taking hold of her handbag that contained the Lion King 2 movie and a bucket of popcorn. We left the house and started walking to meet Dez and Zak. Dez's house was on the other side of the town. Portrush wasn't a big place so the other side of town really only meant a 2 mile walk. Ellie had went for the not-so-smart option of wearing a flimsy pair of sandals,
"Geez, my feet hurt!" Ellie said, stopping yet again to rub her blistered feet.
"Oh come on, their house is just around the corner!" All of a sudden we were surrounded by three people all wearing black masks. Ellie collapsed to the ground. An invisible shield came up around me so that I couldn't reach her. One person of the three stepped forward towards Ellie, crouching down beside her, "What are you doing? Get away from her!" I yelled. The person crouched beside her had the build of a man. He reached out his hand towards Ellie, "Stop it!" I yelled again. He brushed his fingertips across her forehead. Use your mind control, I ordered myself. Just as I was about to, I felt a surge of power flow through my body. Ignore it. I forced my gift through the shield giving me a migrane. Leave her alone. Go away. It had worked they started to back away before turning and leaving. It was another minute before the shield around me dropped. I rushed to Ellie's side, shaking her shoulders gently, "Ellie, can you hear me?"
"Hmm..." She grumbled.
"Ellie, get up!" she didn't reply this time. I called out her name again and again, willing her to get up. I grabbed her arms and tried to drag her. I only got half-way before falling over, "I'm going to get Dez!" I said bouncing up onto my feet. Tears spilling down my face. I sprinted round the corner and ran straight for Dez's house. I felt sick, my heart pounding in my chest. I burst through the door, "Dez! Zak!" I screamed. It only took seconds for them to appear in front of me,
"Amy, what's wrong?" Zak pulled me in for a hug but I pushed him away.
"Please! It's Ellie!" I cried. I spun around sprinting back up the street, Dez and Zak close behind. It started to rain down, in heavy sheets of rain. I skidded down onto the ground beside Ellie scrapping my knees.
"I'm going to take her back to the house!" Dez yelled over the noise of the rain. I nodded. Dez scooped Ellie up in his arms easily, lifting her. I sat on the ground momentarily paralyzed from shock. Zak seized me by my shoulders hauling me up to my feet.
"Come on!" He yelled, hooking his arm around my waist and pulling me along with him as we jogged back to the house trying to keep up with Dez. Once in the house Dez kicked open the living room door laying Ellie down on the black leather sofa. He pushed her long, ginger hair out of her face.
"What are you going to do?" I asked nervously.
"Dez's power is healing." Zak said taking hold of my cold, shaking hand.
"What happened?" Dez asked.
"She collapsed when they surrounded us and they crouched over her and-" I was cut off by Dez,
"They?" I nodded,
"There were three of them," The image of all of them surrounding Ellie and I sent a shiver up my spine, "all savants. One of them put a shield around me so I couldn't get to Ellie. Another one of them, a man I think, touched her head. I think he was using his savant gift on her but I don't know what it is."
"No!" Dez suddenly burst out.
"What? What is it?" I asked frantically.
"It's gone! I don't sense anything!" I grabbed him by the shoulders,
"What, fricken' What?!"
"Her savant gift is gone! The soulfinder bond is breaking!" he had tears in his eyes,
"Well then we stop it, you're a healer aren't you?" he nodded, "Pull yourself together!" I wasn't sure if I was telling that to Dez or myself. He took hold of her hand, closing his eyes. I took hold of the other hand. I felt like I was using my gift but I had a mind-controlling gift not healing. In my mind I saw almost like a connection from Ellie to Dez. It was like a line of images or a washing line being blown about it the wind, Dez using his power to try and hold it all together. I reached out taking hold of it too. After a while it got easier to hold on to. We were stabilizing it! Finally it was done. I let go of Ellie's hand and turned to look at Zak. He was sitting right next to me. I suddenly got a feeling of sickness wave over me and I gagged. Zak quickly pulled a bucket for me. I didn't throw up though.
"How did you know I would feel sick?"
"Last time Dez used his gift he threw up everywhere." I gagged again. I looked over at Dez who also had a bucket but unlike me, had used it.
"How did you do that?" He looked up at me from his bucket, "I thought your gift was mind-control. You were healing."
"I don't know." I brought my knees up to my chest so I was curled up in a tight ball. Zak gently rubbed my back.
"Dez?" Ellie's eyes fluttered open and she turned to look at Dez.
"I'm right here, baby." Dez quickly took hold of her hand. Next Ellie turned to look at me.
"You stole my power..."
"What?"
"I don't have it, you have it."
"That's impossible." she shook her head stubbornly.
"No. You have it."
"That would explain how you healed her. You mimicked my power," Dez cut in.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. Why would they give me her gift? And what happens now she doesn't have a gift?"
"I'm not savant anymore," Ellie said. She looked like she was about to cry, "He said I would be normal and soon we all will be..."
"Call the rest of the family," Dez said to Zak, "I think we need to talk to them."
"You think?" Zak said sarcastically.
Zak's POV
I called the rest of my family on Dez's phone seeing as mine was a little...smashed up at the minute, "We're on our way." Dad said through the phone.
"OK, please hurry up." I hung up. I hadn't told them about the attack yet, only that we needed them back home now. I walked back into the living room. Amy was still sitting on the floor. Her clothes were soaking wet from the rain, "Come on, we'll find you something else to wear," I said to her as I helped her up off the ground. She nodded and followed me over to my bedroom, "I don't think you'll fit into my younger sisters clothes or my mothers either..." She stood quietly in the doorway shivering. I didn't like seeing her like this. I walked over and hugged her. She was smaller than me and fitted perfectly in my arms. She was so cold. I slowly pulled away keeping hold of her hand and leading her over to my drawers, "You can choose, I don't have very good fashion sense." I opened a drawer and looked down at all the black T-shirts.
"That's a lot of black." she said reaching in and pulling out a T-shirt.
"Black goes with everything." I smiled.
"Even black?"
"Absolutely!" She set the top aside and pulled out another one that said 'SWAG' on it. She looked up at me,
"Really?" I grinned.
"That's my favourite."
"Fine, I'll wear this one then."
"There's some pants in the bottom drawer." I said.
"Pants?"
"Trousers." I corrected myself. Forgot we weren't in Colorado.
"Oh... OK," she looked at me expectantly, "I need to get changed then."
"I know." I stood there, wiggling my eyebrows up and down.
"Get out." I still didn't budge. She put her hands on my chest and tried to push me out. I still didn't move,
"Not very strong, are you?" She glared at me.
"I will slap you." I rolled my eyes.
"Fine. Don't take too long..." I winked at her before walking out into the hallway, closing the door behind me.
She appeared beside me two minutes later. The 'SWAG' T-shirt was far to big for her and was nearly at her knees. She was also wearing a pair of jogging bottoms that were extremely baggy on her. All in all she didn't look that bad to me, just really cuddly, like she'd just woken up and had thrown on the first thing she'd saw. It was cute.
"I'm drowning in these clothes." she sighed. We walked back into the living room where Ellie and Dez were stretched out on the sofa. Dez was whispering reassurances to Ellie. Dez looked up when we came in and smirked when he saw Amy,
"Nice outfit. Going for the sleep-all-day-sleep-all-night kinda look." Ellie whispered something to Dez, "Oh yeah. Amy do you want me to heal that bruise?"
"Can't I just do that myself now?"
"Yeah, but I need to find a way to say thanks for helping me with the whole soulfinder-bond-thing and this is kinda the only way I know how."
"OK then." Dez got up and walked over to Amy, tilting her head back to take a look at the bruise,
"It's not too bad, actually. What happened? Walk into a door or something?" I had a quick glance into her thoughts. I wish. she thought.
"Now's your chance," Ellie said sitting up to look at Amy, "Tell them or I will."
Amy's POV
I just stood there as Ellie told Zak and Dez about my parents. It dawned on me about how little Ellie actually knew about it. She thought it was a few bumps and bruises and them not giving me money for food and clothes. I hadn't actually told her about them having tried to kill me six times this year or them using my gift on other people. They thought of me as an item. They would give me to other people in exchange for money, fifty pounds an hour. Most of the people my parents sold me to only used me for things like business meetings or getting the bank to hand over money. Last time a guy was trying to convince his wife not to get a divorce from him. He made me force her to love him. Poor woman .
"How could they! I'll go over there right now and-" Zak had started his own little rant but was rudely interrupted by me,
"If your angry at that I dread to think what you would do if I told you the rest of the story!"
"What?!"
"Never mind. Shouldn't we be finding a way to get Ellie her power back?" Dez finished healing my bruise.
"Was that why you tried to steal the bag?" Dez asked ignoring the fact I was trying to change the subject, "Why didn't you just stay with Ellie? Or tell her parents?"
"They're afraid of my parents and they don't exactly like me that much." Zak sat down on the sofa, pulling me down onto his lap. The sofa was one of those large L-shaped sofas. There was a massive flat screen TV in the corner of the room beside the window that looked out onto the street. Zak took the blanket that was sitting on the back of the sofa and wrapped it around both of us. I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes letting all my shields drop and allowing myself to relax. He wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. Ellie and Dez were also wrapped in each others arm. We all sat there silently.
After a couple of minutes we heard the front door open and my eyes shot open and my heart started racing.
"It's just our parents..." Zak said pulling the blanket over our heads.
"Hello?!" A woman's voice called from the hallway. Next there were lots of voices and shuffling about.
"In here!" Zak called. He turned to look at my grinning before whispering, "Get ready..." Next the living room door burst open and nine people walked in. Nine! How do you even keep track of all of them? I thought to myself. A little girl who looked no older than six or seven bounced onto the sofa,
"Who's are these people?" she asked looking from me to Ellie confused. Zak leaned over to her,
"Remember when we would play princes and princesses and I said someday all savants find their Prince or Princess?" She nodded, "Well this girl, Amy, is my princess and the girl with Dez that's his princess." My heart did that weird cartwheel thing in my chest. The little girl giggled and jumped off the sofa to courtesy.
"So this is the girl?" An extremely small woman with long blonde hair asked smiling at me.
"Yep, this is Amy," Zak said pushing me off his knee so that the woman could hug me, "Amy this is my mum!" Zak got up and put his arm around my waist.
"Nice to meet you Mrs Benedict."
"Oh please, just call me Sky. This is my husband, Zed." I was only a couple of inches above Sky so, like her, I had to look up to see Zed. He was tall and looked quite scary. I could see the resemblance between Zak and Zed.
"Pleasure to meet you, love. I hear you're a trouble maker." I looked up at Zak and glared.
"I try not to be but then again you can't be something you're not and Ellie doesn't help," I looked over to were Ellie was talking to Dez's parents.
"Great, double trouble!" Zed laughed, "So what is it you needed us here for?"
Everyone had gathered at the table after Zak's little sisters had been put to bed to talk about what had happened. I left it to Dez, Zak and Ellie to tell the story although at the end I was questioned by Zak's uncle Victor about what I saw, "Did you recognise any of them?" Victor asked.
"No, they were all wearing black masks."
"Did they say anything?"
"No."
"Not even telepathy?"
"No."
"And you said you used your power of mind-control to make them leave even though you had a physical and mental shield around you?"
"Yes." Any thing I said came out truthfully because Misty was there. Suddenly a thought hit me. I know someone capable of creating that type of shield... my mum. Shoot! I shook my head, Why would mum want to make Ellie human? She didn't even know who Ellie was, did she?
"What is it?" Zak asked noticing that I had zoned out in thought. Part of me was saying 'just tell them' but the majority of me was yelling 'say nothing'. I turned to look at Misty. If I said anything it would immediately be the truth.
"Do you know something?" Victor's eyes pinned me to the chair.
"Yes..."
"What?" Everyone's eyes were on me. I just sat there opening and closing my mouth trying to find something to say but coming up with nothing. Damn it! Say something woman!
"I know the alphabet." Way to go! Say something completely irrelevant to the conversation. I cheered myself on internally. Everyone stared at me completely baffled, "You just asked me if I knew something..."
"Not what I meant..."
"I need to be going home now. I'll go and get my clothes..." I jumped up to leave before they could question me even more, but Zak jumped up and blocked the doorway,
"Don't even think for a minute I'm letting you go back to that house of yours!" I tried to push past him,
"Please, Zak." You will not cry again. You will not cry again.
"Zak it's OK. If you're that worried about her I'll drive her home." Zed intervened. Zed thought Zak was worried I would get attacked by the three masked people.
"No dad..." He told his dad telepathically about my parents. I gave up trying to get past.
"Oh... right." The rest of the family had started talking about how they planned to try and get Ellie's gift back and how to catch the three masked people. Of which one of them could be my mother. No had my mother have been there she would have cut off my power completely... Unless she can only do one at a time, put up a physical shield or cut off my power? I shook the thought from my head.
"Please," my voice came out as a whisper, "They'll hurt me even more." Zak took my hand and kissed it,
"Princess, no one is going to hurt you, ever again."
"Amy, you can have the sofa-bed in Sarah and Sophie's bedroom. Zak you can have the sofa." Zed coming over and patting his son on the back.
"Oh, so we don't get to share a bed then?" Zak asked winking at me.
"Absolutely not!" Zed said, "I don't want to end up on The Jeremy Kyle Show with a pregnant seventeen year old!"
"Dad, mom was seventeen when she had me..."
"That's not the point."
Zak's POV
I laid wide awake on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Everyone had agreed to try and get a good night sleep but for me that was impossible knowing that my soulfinder was only up the stairs. I wondered if she was sleeping. I tried to listen in for her thoughts but her shields were up. She had probably guessed I could read minds as well, although, I could only use it on people if they had extremely weak shields or none at all.
'Zak, are you awake?' Amy's voice was like a gentle ripple of water entering my mind.
'Yeah...'
'Oh.'
'Is something wrong, princess?'
'No. Yes. Maybe? I'm not sure but I think I know one of the three people who attacked Ellie...' I sat up.
'You do?'
'I think one of them was my mum.' A minute went by and we both said nothing.
'We'll talk about it in the morning. Try and get some sleep.'
I turned over and closed my eyes trying to figure this all out but instead I ended up drifting off to sleep.
Amy's POV
I slowly got out of bed, being careful not to wake Sarah and Sophie of whom were fast asleep. I envied their sleep, I had never been a good sleeper always worrying about something. Ellie said I was am insomniac. I walked out into the hall and down the stairs. Dez had taken Ellie home earlier along with Saul and Karla, Zak and Dez's grandparents. I was still wearing Zak's T-shirt although had taken of the jogging bottoms because it was too warm in bed. I stood in the downstairs hall. What do I do now? I hadn't thought this out. Usually I would go outside or walk along the beach if my parents were asleep. I walked over to the front door and tried to open it. locked, great. Backdoor maybe? I tip-toed down the hallway and through the living room where Zak was sleeping. He was sprawled across the sofa one leg dangling down the side. He wasn't wearing a top so I could see his bare chest of which was very defined and muscular. He hair was a mess, sticking out in all directions. I was tempted to run my fingers through it or just sit there and play with it. I shook my head. My life was messed up, I don't want to bring him into it. The thought of running away crossed my mind. I could see myself heading off down the road not looking back, having a fresh start somewhere completely different, where I don't have to be afraid of my parents.
I continued through the living room to the kitchen. Now I thought about it running away didn't sound so bad, although then Ellie might not get her power back if I had it. I guess that means no running away until that was sorted. I walked to the back door. I'm not going to go anywhere just sit outside for a while, I said to myself. I saw the keys on the kitchen counter and opened the back door. I stepped outside breathing in the cool, night air. I turned to close the door when I suddenly came face to face with a masked person. I screamed backing away and tripping over the door frame and falling on my butt, my hand catching on the handle of a pot that had been waiting to be washed. It flew off the counter knocking plates and glasses over onto the floor, smashing them. The masked guy reached out towards me when suddenly the light turned on and everyone stood in the doorway.
"What's going on?!" Dez asked staring at the broken plates and glasses and then at me sitting in the middle of it all. I turned to look at were the man had been but he was gone, vanished into oblivion.
"What is it?" Sarah, Zak's sister asked pushing through the rest of them to see. I quickly stood up my heart still racing. I looked at the mess and put my hand to my head. A sudden realization hit me. I hadn't seen anyone at all, I had been under hypnosis. That's how He had just disappeared. This was all my parents doing. I slammed my fist onto the kitchen counter in frustration.
"Amy what happened?" Zak rushed to my side.
"My parents happened." I looked up at him, "I'm going home." I spun around and walked out the back door.
"Amy!" Zak ran out after me picking me up and throwing me over his shoulder in a fireman's lift.
"Put me down!" I yelled kicking my legs.
"No! I love you not them! I won't let you go back!" I stopped trying to fight him. Once we reached the backdoor he set me down but didn't take me inside. I noticed that everyone else had started to clean up the mess I had made in the kitchen and I suddenly felt quite guilty, "I didn't think having a soulfinder would be this hard." I watched as he scratched the back of his head and laughed.
"I'm sorry. I'm not exactly soulfinder material... all the more reason I should go and talk to my parents, convince them to give Ellie her gift back and then I can leave. Stay away and not cause anymore trouble for anyone." He stopped pacing and stared at me, then shook his head but remained silent. I sighed and sat down on the door step, "All because we flipped a coin. All because I was stupid enough to think this would work. I am an idiot."
"You're not a complete idiot." He sighed and sat down next to me, putting an arm around my shoulders, "Talk to me, Amy. Tell me about everything that worries you, scares you, anything that can hurt you and We'll work our way through them, one at a time."
"I'm worried about you. I'm scared of slugs, no idea why. A car could hurt me. It could run me over."
"I'm serious... I want the truth."
"Technically they are all the truth."
"Slugs. Really?" He gave in to the temptation of laughing then went back to being serious, "Tell me what happened in there, What your parents really do to you, everything." so I told him. Everything. "Wow..." He said once I had finished, "And you told no one about this?"
"Nope, just you."
"Well now we have a problem, what do we do now? If you think it's your parents that are doing this do you know anyway to stop them? Any weaknesses at all?" I shook my head. I'd already tried everything and I knew calling the police wouldn't work because they could just use their gifts on them. I let out a sigh when another surge of power shot through my body and a scream came from inside. I looked up at Zak before we both leapt into action. We ran back into the kitchen but nobody was there anymore instead they were out in the hallway crowded in a circle. Misty was being held back by Alex. I could hear Xav's voice over everyone "Crystal! Wake up, cupcake, wake up" He said holding her in his arms.
"What happened?" I pushed passed everyone.
"Someone rang the doorbell, she went to answer and then..." Sky explained. I looked over too Dez and he seemed to understand.
"Dad, we can heal her." Xav nodded and took Crystal into the living room and set her on the sofa.
"I'm starting to feel a bit of Deja vu?" I muttered and sat down next to Crystal taking her hand, Dez taking the other.
"Dad, can you help? You're a healer as well." Xav nodded and pressed his fingers against her wrist. We closed our eyes and I saw it again, a thin line of images and memories connecting her to Xav, only this time there were way more images to hold up...
Zak's POV
The rest of the family and I sat quietly waiting for Crystal to wake up and everything to be OK. "Saul, maybe you should get the bucket for Dez again." My Grandma suggested to my Grandpa. He nodded getting up and disappearing into the kitchen to get the bucket. Amy was sitting very still eyes shut. She hadn't moved since she sat down ten minutes ago. My parents were upstairs putting Sophie to sleep... again. Sarah had insisted that she stay to make sure aunt Crystal was OK. Misty was on edge, Alex holding her tightly.
"What the...Dez? Xav?" Crystal mumbled.
"Crystal!" Sarah cheered bounding over and giving her a hug. Dez dropped Crystal's hand but he didn't look happy, Amy then pulled back next and bit her lip before turning to Xav.
"What's wrong?" I got down on the floor beside her.
"It didn't work. The soulfinder bond is broken." Everyone fell silent and looked at Xav who still had yet to let go and open his eyes. Amy gently leaned over and shook Xav but he only held on tighter. A tear slid down his cheek and then another.
"Xav?" Crystal suddenly panicked and started shaking him, "Xav!" he slowly opened his eyes. Without a word he got up and left the room. Now Crystal was crying and Grandma and Misty.
'I'm going to find dad. Watch mom for me.' Dez said telepathically getting up to go find Xav.
'OK.' I looked up at me with a blank expression and I tilted my head to the side questionably, 'What?'
'There was a third person... If we get him then we can stop this from happening.' She gestured to Crystal. 'Oh and I think I have Crystal's gift as well...'
'What? How'd you work that one out?'
'I can see how every one has all this stuff connecting to their soulfinder... In Misty's mind I can see everything that is important to her and how it all leads to Alex, but when I look into Crystal's mind I see, well, nothing. Everything is just floating about not leading anywhere, like someone who's not a savant would think.' That hit hard and I suddenly realized how empty uncle Xav must feel now
"We have to fix this." I mumbled and Amy nodded in agreement.
"If you let me go-" She was cut off at my sudden sharp glare. There was no way I would let her go home. After a pause she continued, "If you let me go home I might be able to find something out and if it makes you feel any better I'll let you come with me."
"That doesn't make me feel much better."
"Well I'm going anyway so it's up to you if you want to come." I sighed and looked at the rest of my crazy family, the ones that weren't crying were trying to comfort the ones that were and I suddenly realized uncle Victor wasn't in the room.
"I'll come with you but I want to bring my uncle." I stood up and put my hand out for Amy. She took it and got up. I lead her through the group of people with hope of finding Vic.
"Which uncle would that be?" I noticed a little smirk on her face and lightly nudged her, "What it's not my fault you have so many!"
"Yeah but there's only two of them here."
"Really? There's so many people I don't know how you keep up with it all." I shook my head and rolled my eyes.
"I want my uncle Victor to come with us. He works in the FBI." She nodded.
"That's sounds good to me."
We found my uncle Victor on the phone in the hallway, "No, you can't come over. I know but it's not safe for you. No it's not safe for me either but-" He saw us and sighed, "Look I'll call you later. Love you."
"Atoosa?" I asked and he nodded.
"She wants to come over and help us even though I told her she should extend her holiday."
"Soulfinders," I muttered, "What can you do with 'em." Amy elbowed me.
Amy's POV
Victor drove us to my house. I grimaced when we pulled up in front of the red brick building. Zak was holding my hand tightly as we walked up the little stone pathway towards the front door. "They're probably asleep." I muttered under my breath.
"Then we wake them up. Simple." Zak smiled down at me and I suddenly didn't feel so worried. I stood up on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek. He started to blush but was grinning now. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "I don't know what happened there, but you missed my lips." I smiled sweetly.
"It looks like I need more practice then..."
"Maybe I should teach you..." Zak wiggled his eyebrows up and down.
"Hey you two love birds! you can do all that mushy stuff later but let's deal with the problem at hand first, OK?" Victor said and I suddenly remembered he was here. I quickly fished my house key out of my pocket and unlocked the door. We stepped inside and I walked forward first, being as quiet as possible. I tip-toed up to the living room door and peered in. The TV was off and my parents were talking in hushed voices to some one else.
"We had a deal, Smith. My son doesn't want to wait any longer." I didn't recognize the voice that was speaking, it was deep and husky whereas my dad's voice was more sharp.
"I know, Amy is playing her part well, we need her to get close to the Benedicts. They're the biggest obstacle we have at the moment." I was suddenly very confused. What do they mean I'm playing my part? My dad turned toward the door and I quickly backed away. Zak and Victor were looking at me also confused. "Amy, we know you're there come on in." Dad said. I sucked in my breath, trembling with fear. I pushed open the door and stepped in, Zak and Victor standing right behind me.
"Hi dad," was all I could think to say, "Um.. uh..W-what's going on?" Great going, Amy. I looked back at Zak pleading him to help. He stepped forward and took hold of the waistband of my trousers and pulled me back a bit so I could feel his breath against the top of my head.
"What's going on?" dad mimicked, "What's going on is, you found your soulfinder and didn't tell us!" He smiled and got up, moving towards Zak as if to pat him on the back or something. I didn't know what he was playing at but instinctively put my arms out blocking my dad from getting to Zak.