The New Experiment

"What did you find out?" asked Kyle seriously.

"I don't know. I think it was something personal about Latnok."

"I have to go find her."

"Do you need my help?" asked Adam.

"No, I think I know where she is." Said Kyle thinking that Adam's presence would be a definite negative in his case.

"Then I must be going." Said Adam resigning. "I don't want Latnok to cause you any more problems for today." Kyle followed Adam to the door, giving him a few more words of farewell.

"I'll be back shortly." Kyle said to his family.

"Wait!" said Jessi running down the stairs.

"You can't come either, Jessi." Commanded Kyle.

"No matter how much you don't like to admit it, Kyle, she's dangerous. And she's even worse when she's emotional; take it from someone who knows."

"That's exactly my point, what is she going to do when sees that you came with me."

"Fine." Resolved Jessi. "If you're not back in an hour I'm coming after you." Kyle knew that he couldn't budge her decision. "You better start moving, I'm already counting." She said sitting down on the porch chair.

Kyle took off at a run. The formerly beautiful day had turned dark and stormy and raindrops were already starting to fall when he reached the park. It was completely vacant not a soul in sight, well except for Essence. She was sitting, hugging her knees, in the middle of the merry-go-round. She was rotating slowly round and round. Kyle walked up and stopped it when she was facing him. Her clothes were soaked and her feet were bare. Her eyes were bright, but there were tears mixed with the rain on her face. She kept her gaze down looking like she was ashamed of herself.

"Do you want to tell me what you showed Adam?"

"Showed him?" she mentally yelled at him. "I didn't show him anything, he got into my mind and saw everything." She was already standing, shaking furiously. Kyle stood calm; he knew that he had to keep composed when she was angry.

"He didn't understand what he saw." She looked surprised, but not totally convinced. The storm was beginning to rage around them, much like the emotional storm that was raging inside Essence. She looked like she was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Kyle gently stepped onto the merry-go-round and cautiously embraced Essence. She automatically stiffened; Kyle assumed that this was probably the first time she had ever been hugged. She burst into silent sobs and hugged Kyle back like a little kid who had just been forgiven for doing some sort of wrong.

"You don't have to tell me what it was." He said softly after a minute. "But I wish you would." Kyle stooped down and lifted her, and, like a toddler who had fallen asleep on the couch, he carried her home. Jessi jumped out of her porch chair when she heard him near the house. She stopped when she noticed that Kyle was carrying Essence.

"What's wrong with her?" she asked, but not that worried.

"Nothing," Kyle replied. "She's just asleep." Jessi pushed the information aside and continued to question him again.

"What did she show Adam?"

"Let's not talk about this now Jessi." Said Kyle. "Just let me put her to bed." Kyle walked inside and, for the second time that day, he lay Essence down into her bed. He then walked into his room and found Jessi waiting there.

"I don't know what Adam saw, but she won't tell me what it was." Kyle started. "I don't think it's anything dangerous because she would have done something already."

"Why won't she tell you, she likes you a lot? Well, at least more than anyone else in this house."

"I don't know, but I think it was something traumatic." He thought. "We should keep a close watch on her. If you ever notice anything different about her tell me. Maybe we can guess what it is and we won't have to force it out of her."

"I don't like not knowing everything about her." Jessi stated.

"Well she doesn't know everything about you either."

"And that is the way it's going to stay."

"Just watch her."

"Fine."

The next morning no one acted as if anything had happened the night before. Essence even acted that way, which Nicole explained as normal. Kyle and Jessi, however, were both always calculating and watching; they were not always inconspicuous.

"Have you gained weight?" Jessi asked Essence carelessly.

"Yes!" Snapped Essence. "What do expect when all I do is sit around here and eat your fatty human food."

"Maybe you should go exercise." Jessi shoved back.

"Yeah, maybe." Essence sarcastically added. "Want to race?" Jessi shut her mouth fast. Last time they had raced Essence flat out beat her. Jessi hated being defeated and trained the whole week afterwards just to be disappointed again.

"Girls." Reprimanded Nicole. "That's enough." They shot icy stares at each other. "You know that school is only a few weeks away," she said still watching the two of them. "I was wondering if you wanted to try going." She steered at Essence.

"I don't like people." She automatically stated. "Plus, I don't know everything."

"You go to school to learn." Nicole reminded her. "Kyle could tutor you. So don't be discouraged just because you don't know much about History or English."

"Too bad you weren't a super genius like the rest of them." Said Josh plopping down on the couch to eat and watch TV.

"I'm still smarter than you." Josh snorted and started laughing at himself. Essence liked joking with Josh because he could take it.

"Just try it for a while and if you don't like it you can stop." Nicole continued. "There's nothing you can lose. Kyle and Jessi will be with you so Latnok won't be an issue. Just think about it." Essence nodded, but seriously disliked the thought of getting out of her comfort zone.