Leila's Point Of View
The Day After Being Dropped Off
I sit in the kitchen, eagerly awaiting my usual meal. I'm disappointed to find a bowl of spaghetti placed in front of me.
"What's this?" I ask.
"Pasta, of course!" Lay-lay says cheerily (I call Mama Leila, Lay-lay).
"Lay-lay, I don't want this." I push it away.
"Well, what do you want? Adam didn't tell me what you like to eat."
"I know…" Daddy told me not to say anything about my diet, so I can't tell Lay-lay about me wanting some people bones. I can eat normal food, I just prefer marrow. But, I do like chocolate. "May I have chocolate?"
"That'll ruin your supper!" I grumble loudly, stabbing the slimy pasta with a fork and shoving it in my mouth. I chew slowly, trying to ignore the texture and flavour without prevail.
"Ugh…" I mumble.
I finish my food substitute and sit in the living room, playing with Maru without a care in the world.
"You're so lucky you eat anything," I say to Maru. He barks, making me giggle. I cuddle into him but he runs off, causing me to fall. I can't help but start crying. Maru runs back in to my rescue at a dangerous speed. He runs up to me, and I hold up my arms in defense, afraid he's going to ram into me. I hear a muffled bark and scratching. I look around my arms and see Maru clawing at an invisible barrier. I put my arms down, and the invisible barrier is gone, so Maru jumps on me, pushing me backward.
'What was that?' I ask myself.
"Leila! Time for a nap!" I sigh. I don't like naps, and I try to stay awake, but Lay-lay gives me children's medicine that helps me fall asleep. I get mad when she does that, but I can't do anything about it. If I don't take the medicine, I'm afraid my Daddies will be mad with me, and I would never want to disappoint my Daddies. I love them!
"Lay-lay, do I have to?" I beg.
"Yes, yes, you have to! Take your medicine!" I fold my arms and shut my mouth tight.
"I won't take it," I say, muffled. Lay-lay grabs my face, forcing me to open my mouth. I struggle, trying to squirm out of her grasp. I hold up my hand to push her away, and I do; only I don't touch her in the process. She only gets shoved back a little, but it definitely wasn't from me pushing her. I stare at my hand as she forces the medicine into my mouth.
"Swallow it, Leila!"
"It's gross!"
"Not after you swallow it!" I gulp the disgusting blue liquid down quickly and regrettably. "Good girl," she says, patting my head.
'Am I a dog, now?'
"Carry me," I demand, holding my arms up. Lay-lay sighs, picking me up under my arms and holding me like a baby. That's her punishment for trying to make me sleep.
"There, you're all tucked in, now go to sleep."
"I want Maru with me."
"I don't want him in my bed," Lay-lay says.
"I don't wanna take a nap," I reply. Lay-lay sighs and leaves her room, coming back with Maru in her arms.
"Don't let him tinkle in my sheets."
"No promises," I mutter, barely audible. I cuddle him closely, rubbing my face into his fur.
"Now will you go to sleep?" Lay-lay asks.
"No."
"Try to sleep," she says calmly. I just stare at her. She closes her bedroom door quietly.
"Yeah, right…" I whisper to Maru. "I've gotta figure out what that thing was with my arm." I sit up in the bed, picking up a pencil from the bedside table. I lay it on the covers in front of me. I thrust my hand out, but the pencil does nothing. I pull my hand back and thrust it out again. Nothing. I pull back and shove my hand at the pencil again. Nothing.
I pick up the pencil and toss it in the air, holding my hand up, but nothing happens. I stare at the pencil angrily.
'Work!'
I throw the pencil across the room angrily. It barely makes a sound. Maru jumps out of the bed and runs after it greedily, jumping back onto the bed and bounding onto me. I hold my hands up in defense, and he scratches at that invisible barrier once again. I put my hands down, and he jumps on me, licking my face. I laugh quietly. I pick up the pencil and look at it curiously. I set it down and focus on pushing it away from me. I thrust my hand out toward it, but again, it does nothing. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and open them again, refocusing. I pull my hand back then shove it into the air at the pencil again. The pencil flies off the bed and across the room, hitting a wall with a light clicking sound. My eyes widen as I stare at my hands.
"Maru! Look what I just did!" I whisper loudly. He licks my hand. I giggle, because it tickles. I scratch all over his head, rubbing his tummy. "You are so spoiled," I say, smirking. I pick up a book from in Lay-lay's drawer and set it in the covers in front of me.
'Let's see what these little hands can do…'
I push my hair out of my face and behind my ears to get it out of the way. I take a deep breath and focus on the book. I feel my hands tingling, like tiny pine needle leaves poking them. I shove my hands outward, sending the book flying across the room. It hits the wall loudly, and I gasp, aware of Lay-lay being in hearing range. I quickly slide under the covers, closing my eyes and pretending I'm asleep, pulling Maru to me. Lay-lay bursts in.
"What is going on in here?" she yells. I sit up, pretending to be sleepy and rubbing my eyes.
"What?" I ask innocently.
"What was that noise?"
"What noise?" I ask.
"I heard a loud thump…"
"Maybe a book fell," I suggest.
"No, it sounded like you threw something."
"I didn't pick up anything and throw it, Lay-lay." Technically, it was true. I didn't throw it.
"Well… whatever it was, don't let it happen again."
"Yes ma'am…" Lay-lay leaves the room, closing the door gently behind her. "Maru, there's something seriously wrong with this situation." I look at my hands, wondering what kind of magic they possess.
I climb out of bed and pick up the pencil and book from across the room, climbing back into the bed and setting them onto the covers in from of me. I take a deep breath, focusing on the items. I lightly push my hand toward the pencil, making it roll. I do the same with the book, and it moves slightly.
'Am I telekinetic?' I ask myself. 'No, because I pushed Maru and Lay-lay away, I didn't move them.'
I toss the book upward and hold my hand up quickly so it doesn't hit me, and it stops, mid-air. I stare at the book it awe. I reach over and turn on the lamp, still watching the book. I see a faint haze between the book and my hand. It curves downward, forming a sort of arc. I understand.
'A force field…'