One minute the teacher was talking about the Civil War.

And the next minute he was gone.

There.

Gone.

No "poof". No flash of light. No explosion.

I was sitting directly behind Mary Terrafino. My twin brother, Sam, was to my right, his seat beside Mary's. He looked at her then to me. "You saw that, right?"

"Uh, huh.." My voice was quiet but audible. I was trying to figure out what kind of crazy trick this was, how he just disappeared into thin air. There's no way.. No possible way.. My mind instantly went to Sam and my own strange little...abilities. It can't be the same.

And from there it was total chaos. We met with Astrid, who was my best friend, realizing that everyone over the age of fourteen was...gone.

No adults.

No teachers.

No parents.

No 911. No police, EMS, fire and rescue,

Everyone over the age of fourteen was gone. And we were on our own.

Everything was utter chaos. Sam, Astrid, Quinn and myself had left town to find Little Pete. Along the way we ran into Edilio, who proved to be just as good of a kid as I had predicted him to be. We learned that there was a barrier around the whole town, very large and very dangerous. There was no way to get through it, under or over it. And to add to that terrifying discovery, we had discovered that the animals in the area were possibly mutating. Whether we wanted to admit it or not, we were stuck. Stuck and in serious danger, we all felt that.

We finally found Little Pete at the plant and made our way back to town. We had run into trouble, the others found out about Sam. About me. About what really had happened with our stepfather. Sam had done it because he was scared and upset and had no other choice. The first time I used my power for those same reasons, I wound up in the ward.

Only because my mom wasn't there to witness what really happened. I had dealt with his shit for too long and when he charged toward Sam, I flung him backwards over the coffee table. He wasn't sure what had happened and told mom that I had pushed him. That little stunt had landed me in the kid's ward and also given the diagnosis of the thing I hated most about myself.

But that was all behind me now, especially since after Sam's incident, mom had finally dropped that loser like a hot piece of coal. I was thankful and hoped she never dated again, though I'd never tell her that. You might never get the chance to now, anyway.. I thought as we reached the plaza. It felt so good to be back in town after everything that had happened. The five of us flopped on the grass in exhaustion, Little Pete not even bothering to pay us any mind. He was too busy with his game.

Before I knew it, I was sound asleep on the grass.

"El.. Nell, wake up!" Sam was shaking me and my eyes flew open as I sat up quickly.

"Where the heck are..." The previous events came flooding back to me and I grimaced.

"Sorry, sis, not a bad dream. Come on, something's going on down near the church." He helped me to my feet and we began following the crowd of kids. Sam jumped up on the back of a park bench and I followed his lead so that I could see over the sea of kids in front of us. We balanced precariously, but managed to get a good look at the oncoming dark and very expensive vehicles cruising our way as questions rang out.

"Is it someone coming to rescue us?" A fifth grader called up to us.

"I don't see any police cars, so I doubt it." My brother answered. "You might want to hang back, man."

"Is it the aliens?" Another kid and I wanted to laugh but I couldn't. Bad timing.

"I think if it was aliens, we'd be seeing spaceships, not BMWs." It was my turn to give an answer. I tried to be there with Sam, not make him handle this all on his own. The convoy of vehicles drove up alongside the curb at the top of the plaza and stopped. Right across the street from the town hall.

Kids climbed out of each car and I recognized the uniforms almost immediately. Black slacks and white shirts on the boys. Pleated black skirts and knee-high socks on the girls. They all wore matching blazers in a subdued shade of red, with a large crest sewn over the heart. Boys and girls alike wore striped ties of red, black, and gold. The crest featured ornate letters "C" and "A" in gold thread over a background that showed a golden eagle and a mountain lion.

Beneath the crest read: Ad augusta, per angusta. To high places by narrow roads. Which happened to be the Latin motto of Coates Academy.

"They're all Coates kids." It was Astrid, speaking my mind as we watched. She had made her way over to us with Little Pete and Edilio. Astrid was speaking barely above a whisper, assessing the situation, almost as if she were commentating the scene playing out before us. I could hear every word she said but I was too busy observing to respond. As the Coates kids climbed out of the cars, the crowd actually drew a step back. There had always been a sort of rivalry between the kids in town and the kids from the academy.

The townies were normal, for the most part.

The Coates kids were kids from richy rich families who were deemed...strange. But really it was just a school for rich parents to drop off their bad ass children. Almost like taking a puppy to obedience classes. Except these kids stayed on campus and were pretty much doomed to stay until their behavior changed or they graduated or turned eighteen. I frowned slightly as the kids lined up, not quite a drill team in their order and precision, but... Like they had practiced it.

"Quasi-military." Astrid said in a low, discreet tone. She was watching them intently, ever the observer, already onto figuring out their motives. Sometimes I thought Astrid had to the most intelligent fourteen year old in the universe.

Then one boy, wearing a bright yellow V-necked sweater instead of his blazer, stood up in the convertible. He grinned sheepishly and climbed nimbly from the backseat onto the trunk. He gave a little wave, almost as if he were shy about what he was doing. Almost as if he himself couldn't believe what he was doing.

He was handsome but something about him caught me off guard. I glanced at my brother then back to the boy. They looked...not much different. Odd.. I shook the thought from my head, but couldn't stop looking at the boy, who's eyes mirrored mine and Sam's. Even his smile... I wasn't sure why it bothered me so much. A lot of kids look alike, right? Yeah, sure. I'd seen plenty of boys that looked as if they could be brothers but with no relation. Same with some of the girls at our school.

"Hi, everyone," the boy said, "I'm Caine Soren." He had a confidence about him, but without arrogance. He seemed genuine. Humble. His voice was soft. Understanding. "You probably figured out that I...we...are from Coate's Academy."

And then the show began. He joked, he comforted, he banded the two crowds of kids together. Said we should all work as one to survive. He was either really trying to survive or he was playing the shit out of everyone. Astrid was thinking the latter by her comments now and then. She obviously did not trust him. I was beginning to wonder what could these kids possibly really be up to when Caine drew me back into his speech.

"Now, who else speaks for Perdido Beach?"

And out came the cries of my poor brother's name. Bette mentioned the fire he ran into and others backed her on this with talk of him being a hero. I bumped him playfully with my elbow which caused him to glance at me for a moment. That sibling playfulness, his expression speaking for him, "Knock it off, Nell.." is all I could hear. But then his eyes adverted back to the boy approaching, who stuck out his hand, offering it to Sam.

"There are probably better people than me," my brother said, taking a step back. But Caine grabbed his elbow and had him in a handshake.

"Sam, is it? It sounds like you truly are a hero. Are you related to our school nurse, Connie Temple?"

"She's our mother." We both said in unison, surprise flashing in Caine's eyes. He let go of Sam and extended his hand to me. I took it.

"Eleanora Temple." I said confidently, unwavering. "You can call me Nell."

"Nice to meet you both, twins, huh?" I nodded and he began talking about our mother as he let go of my hand. I wondered if Sam was thinking what I was thinking. Because all I could think about was mom's computer and what we had found.

'Sooner or later, C or one of the others will do something serious. Someone will get hurt. Just like with S, E, and T.'

"Okay," Sam's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "If that's what people want."

We were all standing in the church. The Perdido Beach kids: Sam, Astrid, Petey, Quinn. Myself. Mary, Albert, Elwood and Dahra, Orc, Howard, and Cookie.

The Coates kids only consisted of Caine, Diana, Computer Jack (as he was called) and Drake Merwin.

Drake had caught my attention easily. I couldn't explain it but I felt my stomach knot at his mean eyes and shark like smile. He had shaggy dark sandy colored hair, he was tall. Slim. All in all, he looked like a normal fourteen year old boy. He was even attractive. But something about that smile...those pale blue gray eyes...held something frightening inside of that kid. I could feel it. I could feel it so intensely that it made me want to walk over and touch him just to see what would happen.

I didn't have a hold on my powers very well, but I knew I was different from Sam. I couldn't shoot fire out of my hands like him. But I could move things with my mind. I could feel things that no one else could. And sometimes...as crazy as it sounded, I swore I heard people talking but their mouths didn't move. Was I hearing their thoughts? I had no idea.

Caine introduced us all to each other. Drake was standing at his side, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk plastered on his face. "This is Eleanora Temple, or Nell as she prefers, Sam's sister." I kind of threw my hand up and glanced up to see Drake staring right at me.

"That's me." I gave them an obviously fake smile and Caine grinned, obviously just as fake. I wasn't sure if the others could tell.

"So why did Sam name you, besides the fact that you're his sister?" The leader of Coates asked, looking from me to Sam.

"I dunno, Sammy?" I nudged his arm with the back of my hand. "Why did you drag me in here?" There was slight chuckling in the room, even Caine joined in.

"She has some weapon knowledge." Sam said carefully.

"Ah, you hear that, Drake?" Caine grinned again. "What kind?"

"I know my way around a bow." I replied evenly, my tone cool. "Pretty good with a knife." The tone of my voice was level but not friendly. And the boy could tell but he played it off as if he didn't notice. He spoke about Jack getting the phones up and running, but only inside the FAYZ. He spoke of everyone working together. Even Orc was listening.

"It will take time, but together we can do it." Caine said surely, smacking his closed right fist against his left palm. "In addition to a sheriff to sort of make sure the rules are being followed, a job that I think Drake Merwin is qualified to do since his father is a Highway Patrol lieutenant, we'll need a fire chief to handle emergencies, and I nominate Sam Temple. Based on what people said earlier about his brave action in that fire, I think he's an obvious choice, don't you?"

Kids around the room nodded their heads and murmured in agreement. Astrid was whispering to Sam as Caine continued. "I also think that Nell would be a good partner, of sorts, with Drake. I nominate her as a deputy." I found myself looking back up at Drake again, who was grinning wickedly. "Everyone agree to that?"

Of course the kids all agreed like they were in some sort of trance. "Nell?"

"I think I can manage that." I spoke confidently, once again.

"Good." Caine nodded, him and Drake still looking at me. But even when Caine's eyes left mine and he began speaking again, Drake's did not.

They were talking about burying the little girl Sam had tried to save. Dahra spoke up about Mary taking care of the prees and how difficult of a time they were having, being it only Mary and her brother, John. Mary spoke up and voiced the need for help, desperation in her tone. They needed supplies for the littles and they needed them soon.

For a moment, Caine had a misty look in his eyes, as if he were moved by her actions. He walked to her, pulling Mary to her feet and put an arm around her. Caine assured her that she would be given the power to draft people to help with the littles and that they would send others out to find supplies. He also informed her that Drake and his people, along with Orc, would make sure she would get what she needed to take care of the prees.

Mary looked overwhelmed and grateful, it was all over face.

Howard did not.

And that's when all hell broke loose. Howard began running his mouth, mentioning that they weren't taking orders from Drake or anyone else. Merwin stood there just smiling like a shark as the kid babbled on angrily. A coldly furious expression appeared on Caine's face, then swiftly disappeared. Orc stood up, Cookie along with him. Drake, still smiling, stepped in between them and Caine. I was watching them, knowing a fight was bound to break out at any moment, when I noticed Diana staring at Sam and I. But more so Sam than myself.

Caine sighed, raised his hands and used both palms to smooth back his hair. Vibrations made me jerk slightly as a rumble came up through the floor and pews. Everyone jumped to their feet, thinking it was an earthquake but I quickly sensed that something wasn't right. I didn't know what it was, or how I knew... But it wasn't an earthquake.

The shrill sound of steel and wood twisting in the air and the crucifix that was attached to the wall came loose, as if it had been jerked away by invisible hands. Everyone stood frozen, watching as a shower of plaster and pebbles fell on the altar. And then it was falling. It was at least twelve foot tall, toppling over. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, as if it were going in slow motion but fast motion at the same time. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and the eerie quiet of the room as the thing fell made my blood run cold.

Caine dropped his hands to his sides, his face grim. Hard. Angry. The crucifix slammed down onto the front row pew with shocking force. The impact was as loud and sudden as a car wreck, interrupting the dead silence of the church. Orc and Howard had jumped to the side but the cross caught Cookie on the right shoulder before he could escape. He was on the ground and a red stain was spreading. It all happened so fast. Was it just a couple of breaths? The space of a few heartbeats?

Cookie was screaming and blood was seeping through the fabric of his t-shirt. He was howling in pain, Petey was rocking and Astrid was beginning to panic. She left hastily, getting Little Pete out of there before he did something that would alert the others that he had the power. Dahra jumped forward to help and Soren announced that we "have our new nurse". Caine led Diana and Drake down the aisle, past us, following Astrid and her baby brother from the church.

Drake paused halfway, turned back, and spoke for the first time. In an amused voice he said, "Oh, um, Captain Orc? Have your people-the ones who aren't injured-line up outside. We'll work out your...um, duties." With a grin that was almost a snarl, Drake added a cheerful, "Later." He gave me one last glance, his expression callous, before leaving the church.

My newest addition!

I started reading the Gone series and I just new from that first chapter that I had to add in my OC.

Hope you guys enjoy this!

~Kaila B