During that same Friday afternoon, Melissa sat in front of her computer,
typing up the finishing touches of homework that was due the next week, as
she had finished all her other work. Phil was at his computer too, but not
doing homework. He was searching for pictures of Anime characters drawn as
cats. He called then 'Anime Kitties.' Melissa had cable Internet, so she
signed into MSN as soon as she finished her homework, and then resumed her
story "Crimson Ashes" that she had started for Fiction Press. Phil saw,
and started a conversation with Melissa.
"Hi," typed in Phil as 'The knowledge you exist is a burden to my soul.'
"Hello," typed Melissa s 'If life gives you lemons, then shove them down someone else's throat.'
"You busy?" typed Phil.
"Nope. I finished my homework," typed Melissa.
"Next week's homework or next year's?" typed Phil. He pointed accusingly at the computer monitor and exclaimed aloud "Burn!"
Melissa didn't type an answer.
"How do they know.?" she murmured to herself.
"Any news about Scott or Matt?" typed Phil after about ten minutes of chat- room silence.
"Nothing except what everyone knows. Matt is just the average 13-year-old guy that easily blends in with the crowd, and Scott is running for grade 9 representative. Oh, actually, I know one new thing. Michelle told me that Matt has a girlfriend. Someone named Hannah."
Phil rolled his eyes and let his head fall onto his keyboard.
"fjlkso sxfjxoief koOIF FKOIDSH;SUHYO," typed in Phil's forehead.
"You wanted something more relevant?"
"YES, IN FAC.yes, in fact I did. Stupid caps lock."
"Why Phil? You jealous?"
"Kind of, hey how about no."
Melissa thought a moment before typing, "Hey! Michelle and I could arrange your life for you! We could figure out all the stuff that is wrong.eh.we could help and multiply all the strong points you have. Not that 1 is a very good start. But hey, we're all friends!"
"You must be joking. Are you feeling all right?"
"Funny. Anyway, we'll start with your hair. Seriously, Phil, you need to wash you hair more often. After all, once every two weeks isn't enough."
"Hey! As a matter of fact I do wash my hair more often than every two weeks."
Melissa's keyboard just went 'click, click, click' while her brain whirred into overtime.
"We need to get you a girlfriend."
"NO!"
"Yeah! What's your type? Blonde, brunette, red-head?"
"NO!"
"Tall? Short? Same height as you?"
"NOO!"
"Skinny, not quite so, what's your dream girl Phil?"
Phil screamed aloud (long and hard) at his home before typing,
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Melissa was giggling non-stop at her computer.
"Stop spamming me, Phil."
":@:@:@:@:@:@"
"What is something I said?"
Phil felt his left eye start twitching.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Melissa fell of her chair, laughing.
"Ok, I'll surprise you with someone."
"Oh, goody," Phil typed after seriously contemplating smashing the computer monitor with his head.
Melissa grinned. She loved doing this kind of thing to her friend.
"But back to more serious news. What do you think would happen if Scott became grade 9 rep?" Melissa typed.
"Party?"
"Phil."
"Atomic bomb threats and land mines everywhere on the football field?"
"Get you mind out of the gutter Phil."
"I AM A GUTTER!"
"Very good. I'm sure you're proud."
"D#$& straight. Anyway, Scott ran for school premier in grade 8, remember?"
"Yeah, and he didn't get it. Instead, they let him be chairperson of the sports portfolio."
"Yep. And he didn't screw that up. Everything went rather well. Better games in school than last year."
"True, except for the extracurricular girls' volleyball team. You know the teams just for fun? He totally blew posting the teams."
"Sure, but that's just about it."
"What do you think the worst thing he could do is?"
"Probably use his power to track down the two German Shepherds that attacked him as his gang (or family), and protected Diana."
"Michelle and Mike," both of them said to themselves quietly.
"Did you see that he hasn't even so much as looked at Diana since the beginning of the school year?" typed Melissa.
"I didn't see, but I heard from rumours. I thought Diana was just spreading something around."
"Well, it's true. After music once, Michelle and I saw that Scott was studying the wall opposite Diana when they walked by each other. He probably doesn't want to be bothered by her friends again."
"Yeah, but he most likely wants to know who did it if they were mutants, or who sicked the dogs on him," typed Phil thoughtfully.
"Well, at least Diana has no problems with Scott. But what will he do now? And will things stay like that?" typed Melissa.
"We really can't know."
Windows popped up at one side of both of the teens' computer screens.
"Holly signed in," typed Melissa."
"And Geordie," added Phil.
"I'm adding them."
Holly and Geordie were added to the conversation.
"Hi!" typed Holly as 'Who has my shoes? (Looks down) Ah-ha.'
"You will die three deaths. Except for Holly, with just two," typed Geordie as 'All bow to the Wheel of Time series! All hail!'
"Any new news?" typed Holly.
"Just that Matt has a girlfriend," Phil typed, then immediately braced himself.
Holly gasped at her home, and one of her dogs wondered what the glowing box could have done to make her emit that funny sound.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO!!!" typed Holly.
"This looks familiar," thought Phil and Melissa.
"Sweet.I mean, oh no. How terrible," typed Geordie.
"How.who.why.(sobs uncontrollably)" typed Holly.
"Her name is Hannah, I think," typed Melissa.
"Hannah is the most beautiful name there is," thought Geordie to himself, "Looks like I don't have anymore competition."
"Hannah is the most disgusting name there is," typed Holly, "Looks like I've got some competition."
"I thought the MG's were your competition?" typed Phil.
"Nutmeg and Melissa? No," typed Holly, and then added, "What do you think is the more subtle approach to killing someone quickly, with the least amount of evidence to clean up?"
"Hm.give us a moment." typed Melissa.
"Oh, I should be fully prepared with an answer," typed Phil.
"That is just the wimpiest way to get rid of competition," typed Geordie.
"Well, what do you propose I do?" typed Holly.
"Marry me," typed Geordie.
Melissa and Phil couldn't help but laugh out loud in their homes. This was so typical of Geordie.
"I'm sorry, I'm rather young to deal with that right now," typed Holly. She made a mental note to throw something at Geordie's head on Monday.
"D#$&.so close," typed Geordie.
"(throws a baseball at Geordie's head)" typed Holly.
"(ducks the ball)" typed Geordie.
"(gets hit by the ball in the head)" typed Phil.
"Oops." typed Holly.
"Chocolate tissues." typed Phil.
"Well that was smart!" typed Geordie.
"Me walkin' on da wata." typed Phil.
"Holly! You have worse aim than I do. And that's saying a lot," typed Melissa.
"Look at the purple bunnies." typed Phil.
"I don't get it, my aim's usually so much better outside of gym," typed Holly.
"Michael Finnigan." typed Phil.
"Great." typed Geordie.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that Scott's running for grade 9 rep," typed Melissa.
"Java Joe Millionaire." typed Phil.
"The outlook of the German Shepherds' true identities staying secret seems very bleak now," typed Holly.
"Are Michelle and Mike dating yet?"
"Anime Osama." typed Phil.
"Michelle's not allowed to date, right?" typed Holly.
"No, they are not dating, and yes, Michelle is not allowed to date," typed Melissa.
"PikaChar." typed Phil.
"Phil, cut it out," typed Holly.
"That could be taken wrong," typed Geordie.
"Fine. So long as Geordie gets serious," typed Phil.
"Geordie, what did that last question have to do with anything?" typed Melissa.
"They're the German Shepherds' identities. Sorry, just wanted to know," typed Geordie.
Holly and Melissa groaned. Geordie was always this distracted. Phil was the only one there that didn't mind Geordie's habits.
"I just remembered something," typed Holly.
"I just remembered something," typed Geordie at the same time.
"What is it, and what is it?" typed Melissa.
"What, what?" typed Phil.
At first, neither Holly nor Geordie typed.
"Just tell them, Holly," typed Geordie.
"K, around three days ago, right after school, Geordie and I saw Scott around ESA, with a bundle. It was a brown sack, I think. Anyway, Geordie and I followed him as he walked a couple blocks, and eventually he came to a small house with one of those diamond fence things. You know, like around the nature preserve?" typed Holly.
"He walked straight to the back door, knocked, and I think that Matt opened the door. Holly and me would've watched longer, but while we were walking, Scott had looked over his shoulder a couple times. And once he came to the house, he started walking backwards, so Holly and I had to hide behind a hedge, so we couldn't see much," typed Geordie.
"And I remember that Scott handed the sack to Matt, and when he did, it moved a bit. On its own. Something was in the sack," typed Holly.
"That sounds weird. I don't remember Scott ever doing anything like that before. We should check out what's happening there," typed Phil.
"But we don't know what's in the sack," typed Melissa, "They could be handling a surprise birthday party or something, and the thing in the sack could be the rabbit for the magician's act or something. Or even the person's gift."
"That's true." typed Phil.
"But that's not all," typed Geordie.
"Why? What else happened?" typed Melissa.
"Scott went back every day, ever since then. Even today," typed Holly.
"With a bundle every time?" typed Melissa.
"Yes. Every time," typed Geordie.
There was a pause of MSN silence.
"What did Scott do once he gave the bundle?" typed Phil.
"I think he followed Matt into the house. Oo.what're they doing.?" typed Geordie.
"Except for today," typed Holly, "Scott went right back home. Or so we think."
"Probably to get ready for the sleepover," typed Melissa.
"I guess this means we up our vigilance in spying on those two," typed Phil.
"Adam, Mike and Michelle are at the sleepover, aren't they?" typed Holly.
"I hope they're ok," typed Melissa.
"Let's just hope that Matt and Scott don't know who the German Shepherds really are," typed Phil.
"Fine," typed Melissa.
"Right," typed Holly.
"I can't help but want to know what Scott takes to Matt's house," typed Holly.
"Assuming it's Matt's house," typed Melissa.
"Too bad none of us can go invisible," typed Geordie.
"Michelle sort of can. She can be the wind," typed Holly.
"Scott and Matt will probably get suspicious is their home suddenly gets very draughty," typed Melissa.
"But they don't know that it's a person as the wind," typed Phil.
"They're mutants. Don't get cocky. Why wouldn't they suspect others of having mutations too?" typed Melissa.
"Because they're not Gifties. They're not in a special program for being supersmart like us," typed Phil.
"Neither am I, and I'm smarter than both the boys here," typed Holly.
"Sucker. Which could also be taken wrong," typed Geordie.
"Knowledge and wisdom are two very different things," typed Melissa.
"Too bad we don't know what are in those Bags. Michelle and Mike could morph into whatever they are," typed Holly.
"If they were animals at all. Something inside could have fallen, causing the bag to move as the weight in the bag shifted," typed Melissa.
"Little punching and kicking type of movements? Oo.more stuff that is very wrong," typed Geordie.
"All I'm saying is that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. For all we know, we could be panicking over a surprise birthday party," typed Melissa.
"I'm not panicked," typed Holly.
"We're just curious. Hm.should I say it?" typed Geordie.
"Don't even hint that what you just said was wrong," typed Phil.
Melissa heard a pouf to her left. She turned, and saw that Phil had teleported to her room.
"AAAGH! How did you.?!" Melissa took a deep breath, then said, "You're abusing your power, you know."
Quickly, Melissa typed into her computer; "Phil is at my house!"
"What?" typed Holly.
"Is there something we don't know about?" typed Geordie.
"Shut up Geordie. And Ow!" typed Melissa.
Phil was poking her back. Hard.
"Down with thy reasonable-and-wiseness!" Phil said out loud.
"It's a good thing my parent don't hear anything in my room when the door's closed, and they're watching TV downstairs. Otherwise, things could get very complicated. And stop poking me," Melissa told Phil.
"Neva!" Phil said stubbornly.
Quickly, with the agility that she wished could come to her during PE, Melissa snatched a bottle of perfume that her mother had handily left on her computer desk.
"Stay back, or I poke you in the gut and spray you with." Melissa glanced at the perfume label, ".with peach and apricot goodness!"
"Neva!" Phil said yet again, followed by, "you wouldn't dare.!"
"Yes I would!"
Two of Melissa's fingers moved in synchronised grace as her left hand moved in a stabbing motion, while her right hand's index finger bent to push what would soon trigger the coming of a pleasant aroma of two blended fruits. (Too dramatic for ya? Live with it.) But just when Melissa's finger poked Phil, the thirteen-year-old teleported to the other side of the room. However.
"Help!"
Melissa was still in a sitting position. But she wasn't in her chair anymore. She had teleported with Phil to the other side of the room! And considering that the chair didn't teleport with them.
(THUD!)
"Ow! Phil!"
"It's not my fault you fell! I didn't know you were going to teleport with me! Hey.my gift is sharable! I'm gonna test it on Geordie. Bye."
And pouf, Phil was gone.
"Melissa!" came a voice from downstairs.
"Um, yeah mom?" Melissa called.
"What was that thud I heard?"
"I fell out of my chair."
"Oh. All right. Shouldn't you be asleep? It's past midnight!"
"Homework!"
Melissa got up, brushed herself off and went back to her computer. Geordie had typed up all the innuendoes he could think of over a guy going to a girl's house and not telling anyone why or what he was doing. Holly had typed "What?!" "Huh?" "What's happening?" and "WHAZZZUUUU?" several times.
"Phil went over to my house to poke me for being wise. And apparently his teleportation gift is sharable. He's testing it on Geordie right now," typed Melissa.
"Where'd he poke you?" typed Geordie
"Shut up Geordie. Hope it works," typed Holly.
"It isn't working," typed Geordie.
"It's not?" typed Holly.
"No, it isn't. He's going over to Holly's place now. Good thing too. My brother almost walked in while Phil was here," typed Geordie.
"It doesn't work with me either," typed Holly after a moment.
"So it only works with me?" typed Melissa.
"Looks that way," typed Geordie.
"Phil has an idea," typed Holly.
"What?" typed Melissa.
"Maybe that's part of your mutation. Conducting other people's mutations. Maybe when people come in contact with you, their mutation is shared to you, as well as anyone else you're touching," typed Holly.
"Touching.hm." typed Geordie.
"Phil's going over to your place, take you to my place, (which conveniently has no parents or sisters around) and then we'll see," typed Holly.
"KK," typed Melissa.
Within a minute, a small party was assembled in Holly's family's study room. At last moment, Phil collected Geordie too. After a few arguments and some necessary restraint on Geordie's part, Holly held Melissa's right hand, Phil took Melissa's left, and Geordie put his hand on Melissa's head. Melissa began to call the shots.
"Ok, Phil, try to teleport us to the other side of the room. And Geordie, don't lean on my head like that. I don't want to obtain scoliosis and grow and get a crooked spine because of you."
Phil concentrated. Teleporting more than two people will begin to form a strain on a person's mind.
(Pouf!)
"Wow.that feel's tingly," said Melissa.
"Hey! We're on the couch! Neat!" said Holly.
"Eh-he, no. You three are on the couch. I am on the wall. And I'm gonna fall so you'd better mover over quick.!"
Geordie fell onto the floor.
"*mutterouchgroangrumble*" went Geordie, still face-first in the rug.
"Ok, Geordie, come on. We'll need you here," said Holly.
Geordie sulkily got up and put his hand on Melissa's head yet again.
"I christen thee.anyway." said Geordie.
"So, we can all see the big windows, right? Phil, think about making in snow on that rock over there," ordered Melissa.
Phil visualised the rock being snowed on, and it was so.
"Geordie, make the wind pick up those leaves over there and move them in a westerly direction."
"Which way is west?"
"Good question. Um.just blow them to the left."
"To your left, or that tree's left?"
"Just do it Geordie."
Several brown leaves blew easily to Melissa's left. Moments later, they moved back to the right.
"That was me. So far so good. Now, just to save some time, everyone except Geordie freeze a glass of water over on that table."
"So that's why you ordered water for everyone but Geordie." Holly said.
Swiftly, three frost trails floated over to the glasses from the teens' left-hand palms. Geordie's frost trail on that day had been icy blue, almost white. Holly's trail, however, had a pink-ish tinge, Phil's had a green tinge, and Melissa's had a deep blue colour.
"Wow," commented Phil.
"Who knew?" said Holly.
"I wonder what Adam, Michael, and Michelle's colours would be," thought Melissa aloud.
"What about your fire. Mine was sheer blood-red," said Geordie.
"I have a fireplace. We'll try on that, but Geordie, you have to temper your ice so that it melts over the fire and puts it out. Ok?" asked Holly.
"Clear as mud," replied Geordie.
"That'll do," said Holly.
On the fire, Phil's was green fire, Melissa's fire was blue, and hurt to look at, being to bright, while Holly had an orange flame.
"That is so neat," said Melissa.
"Different colours for different people," said Geordie as he put the fire out.
"I wonder how Mike, Adam and Michelle are doing?" wondered Holly aloud. She glanced at the clock, "Oh boy. It's 1:15 am. Where're my parents?"
"Great. Phil, you have to get me home. And Geordie too."
(POUF!)
"Hi," typed in Phil as 'The knowledge you exist is a burden to my soul.'
"Hello," typed Melissa s 'If life gives you lemons, then shove them down someone else's throat.'
"You busy?" typed Phil.
"Nope. I finished my homework," typed Melissa.
"Next week's homework or next year's?" typed Phil. He pointed accusingly at the computer monitor and exclaimed aloud "Burn!"
Melissa didn't type an answer.
"How do they know.?" she murmured to herself.
"Any news about Scott or Matt?" typed Phil after about ten minutes of chat- room silence.
"Nothing except what everyone knows. Matt is just the average 13-year-old guy that easily blends in with the crowd, and Scott is running for grade 9 representative. Oh, actually, I know one new thing. Michelle told me that Matt has a girlfriend. Someone named Hannah."
Phil rolled his eyes and let his head fall onto his keyboard.
"fjlkso sxfjxoief koOIF FKOIDSH;SUHYO," typed in Phil's forehead.
"You wanted something more relevant?"
"YES, IN FAC.yes, in fact I did. Stupid caps lock."
"Why Phil? You jealous?"
"Kind of, hey how about no."
Melissa thought a moment before typing, "Hey! Michelle and I could arrange your life for you! We could figure out all the stuff that is wrong.eh.we could help and multiply all the strong points you have. Not that 1 is a very good start. But hey, we're all friends!"
"You must be joking. Are you feeling all right?"
"Funny. Anyway, we'll start with your hair. Seriously, Phil, you need to wash you hair more often. After all, once every two weeks isn't enough."
"Hey! As a matter of fact I do wash my hair more often than every two weeks."
Melissa's keyboard just went 'click, click, click' while her brain whirred into overtime.
"We need to get you a girlfriend."
"NO!"
"Yeah! What's your type? Blonde, brunette, red-head?"
"NO!"
"Tall? Short? Same height as you?"
"NOO!"
"Skinny, not quite so, what's your dream girl Phil?"
Phil screamed aloud (long and hard) at his home before typing,
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Melissa was giggling non-stop at her computer.
"Stop spamming me, Phil."
":@:@:@:@:@:@"
"What is something I said?"
Phil felt his left eye start twitching.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Melissa fell of her chair, laughing.
"Ok, I'll surprise you with someone."
"Oh, goody," Phil typed after seriously contemplating smashing the computer monitor with his head.
Melissa grinned. She loved doing this kind of thing to her friend.
"But back to more serious news. What do you think would happen if Scott became grade 9 rep?" Melissa typed.
"Party?"
"Phil."
"Atomic bomb threats and land mines everywhere on the football field?"
"Get you mind out of the gutter Phil."
"I AM A GUTTER!"
"Very good. I'm sure you're proud."
"D#$& straight. Anyway, Scott ran for school premier in grade 8, remember?"
"Yeah, and he didn't get it. Instead, they let him be chairperson of the sports portfolio."
"Yep. And he didn't screw that up. Everything went rather well. Better games in school than last year."
"True, except for the extracurricular girls' volleyball team. You know the teams just for fun? He totally blew posting the teams."
"Sure, but that's just about it."
"What do you think the worst thing he could do is?"
"Probably use his power to track down the two German Shepherds that attacked him as his gang (or family), and protected Diana."
"Michelle and Mike," both of them said to themselves quietly.
"Did you see that he hasn't even so much as looked at Diana since the beginning of the school year?" typed Melissa.
"I didn't see, but I heard from rumours. I thought Diana was just spreading something around."
"Well, it's true. After music once, Michelle and I saw that Scott was studying the wall opposite Diana when they walked by each other. He probably doesn't want to be bothered by her friends again."
"Yeah, but he most likely wants to know who did it if they were mutants, or who sicked the dogs on him," typed Phil thoughtfully.
"Well, at least Diana has no problems with Scott. But what will he do now? And will things stay like that?" typed Melissa.
"We really can't know."
Windows popped up at one side of both of the teens' computer screens.
"Holly signed in," typed Melissa."
"And Geordie," added Phil.
"I'm adding them."
Holly and Geordie were added to the conversation.
"Hi!" typed Holly as 'Who has my shoes? (Looks down) Ah-ha.'
"You will die three deaths. Except for Holly, with just two," typed Geordie as 'All bow to the Wheel of Time series! All hail!'
"Any new news?" typed Holly.
"Just that Matt has a girlfriend," Phil typed, then immediately braced himself.
Holly gasped at her home, and one of her dogs wondered what the glowing box could have done to make her emit that funny sound.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO!!!" typed Holly.
"This looks familiar," thought Phil and Melissa.
"Sweet.I mean, oh no. How terrible," typed Geordie.
"How.who.why.(sobs uncontrollably)" typed Holly.
"Her name is Hannah, I think," typed Melissa.
"Hannah is the most beautiful name there is," thought Geordie to himself, "Looks like I don't have anymore competition."
"Hannah is the most disgusting name there is," typed Holly, "Looks like I've got some competition."
"I thought the MG's were your competition?" typed Phil.
"Nutmeg and Melissa? No," typed Holly, and then added, "What do you think is the more subtle approach to killing someone quickly, with the least amount of evidence to clean up?"
"Hm.give us a moment." typed Melissa.
"Oh, I should be fully prepared with an answer," typed Phil.
"That is just the wimpiest way to get rid of competition," typed Geordie.
"Well, what do you propose I do?" typed Holly.
"Marry me," typed Geordie.
Melissa and Phil couldn't help but laugh out loud in their homes. This was so typical of Geordie.
"I'm sorry, I'm rather young to deal with that right now," typed Holly. She made a mental note to throw something at Geordie's head on Monday.
"D#$&.so close," typed Geordie.
"(throws a baseball at Geordie's head)" typed Holly.
"(ducks the ball)" typed Geordie.
"(gets hit by the ball in the head)" typed Phil.
"Oops." typed Holly.
"Chocolate tissues." typed Phil.
"Well that was smart!" typed Geordie.
"Me walkin' on da wata." typed Phil.
"Holly! You have worse aim than I do. And that's saying a lot," typed Melissa.
"Look at the purple bunnies." typed Phil.
"I don't get it, my aim's usually so much better outside of gym," typed Holly.
"Michael Finnigan." typed Phil.
"Great." typed Geordie.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that Scott's running for grade 9 rep," typed Melissa.
"Java Joe Millionaire." typed Phil.
"The outlook of the German Shepherds' true identities staying secret seems very bleak now," typed Holly.
"Are Michelle and Mike dating yet?"
"Anime Osama." typed Phil.
"Michelle's not allowed to date, right?" typed Holly.
"No, they are not dating, and yes, Michelle is not allowed to date," typed Melissa.
"PikaChar." typed Phil.
"Phil, cut it out," typed Holly.
"That could be taken wrong," typed Geordie.
"Fine. So long as Geordie gets serious," typed Phil.
"Geordie, what did that last question have to do with anything?" typed Melissa.
"They're the German Shepherds' identities. Sorry, just wanted to know," typed Geordie.
Holly and Melissa groaned. Geordie was always this distracted. Phil was the only one there that didn't mind Geordie's habits.
"I just remembered something," typed Holly.
"I just remembered something," typed Geordie at the same time.
"What is it, and what is it?" typed Melissa.
"What, what?" typed Phil.
At first, neither Holly nor Geordie typed.
"Just tell them, Holly," typed Geordie.
"K, around three days ago, right after school, Geordie and I saw Scott around ESA, with a bundle. It was a brown sack, I think. Anyway, Geordie and I followed him as he walked a couple blocks, and eventually he came to a small house with one of those diamond fence things. You know, like around the nature preserve?" typed Holly.
"He walked straight to the back door, knocked, and I think that Matt opened the door. Holly and me would've watched longer, but while we were walking, Scott had looked over his shoulder a couple times. And once he came to the house, he started walking backwards, so Holly and I had to hide behind a hedge, so we couldn't see much," typed Geordie.
"And I remember that Scott handed the sack to Matt, and when he did, it moved a bit. On its own. Something was in the sack," typed Holly.
"That sounds weird. I don't remember Scott ever doing anything like that before. We should check out what's happening there," typed Phil.
"But we don't know what's in the sack," typed Melissa, "They could be handling a surprise birthday party or something, and the thing in the sack could be the rabbit for the magician's act or something. Or even the person's gift."
"That's true." typed Phil.
"But that's not all," typed Geordie.
"Why? What else happened?" typed Melissa.
"Scott went back every day, ever since then. Even today," typed Holly.
"With a bundle every time?" typed Melissa.
"Yes. Every time," typed Geordie.
There was a pause of MSN silence.
"What did Scott do once he gave the bundle?" typed Phil.
"I think he followed Matt into the house. Oo.what're they doing.?" typed Geordie.
"Except for today," typed Holly, "Scott went right back home. Or so we think."
"Probably to get ready for the sleepover," typed Melissa.
"I guess this means we up our vigilance in spying on those two," typed Phil.
"Adam, Mike and Michelle are at the sleepover, aren't they?" typed Holly.
"I hope they're ok," typed Melissa.
"Let's just hope that Matt and Scott don't know who the German Shepherds really are," typed Phil.
"Fine," typed Melissa.
"Right," typed Holly.
"I can't help but want to know what Scott takes to Matt's house," typed Holly.
"Assuming it's Matt's house," typed Melissa.
"Too bad none of us can go invisible," typed Geordie.
"Michelle sort of can. She can be the wind," typed Holly.
"Scott and Matt will probably get suspicious is their home suddenly gets very draughty," typed Melissa.
"But they don't know that it's a person as the wind," typed Phil.
"They're mutants. Don't get cocky. Why wouldn't they suspect others of having mutations too?" typed Melissa.
"Because they're not Gifties. They're not in a special program for being supersmart like us," typed Phil.
"Neither am I, and I'm smarter than both the boys here," typed Holly.
"Sucker. Which could also be taken wrong," typed Geordie.
"Knowledge and wisdom are two very different things," typed Melissa.
"Too bad we don't know what are in those Bags. Michelle and Mike could morph into whatever they are," typed Holly.
"If they were animals at all. Something inside could have fallen, causing the bag to move as the weight in the bag shifted," typed Melissa.
"Little punching and kicking type of movements? Oo.more stuff that is very wrong," typed Geordie.
"All I'm saying is that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. For all we know, we could be panicking over a surprise birthday party," typed Melissa.
"I'm not panicked," typed Holly.
"We're just curious. Hm.should I say it?" typed Geordie.
"Don't even hint that what you just said was wrong," typed Phil.
Melissa heard a pouf to her left. She turned, and saw that Phil had teleported to her room.
"AAAGH! How did you.?!" Melissa took a deep breath, then said, "You're abusing your power, you know."
Quickly, Melissa typed into her computer; "Phil is at my house!"
"What?" typed Holly.
"Is there something we don't know about?" typed Geordie.
"Shut up Geordie. And Ow!" typed Melissa.
Phil was poking her back. Hard.
"Down with thy reasonable-and-wiseness!" Phil said out loud.
"It's a good thing my parent don't hear anything in my room when the door's closed, and they're watching TV downstairs. Otherwise, things could get very complicated. And stop poking me," Melissa told Phil.
"Neva!" Phil said stubbornly.
Quickly, with the agility that she wished could come to her during PE, Melissa snatched a bottle of perfume that her mother had handily left on her computer desk.
"Stay back, or I poke you in the gut and spray you with." Melissa glanced at the perfume label, ".with peach and apricot goodness!"
"Neva!" Phil said yet again, followed by, "you wouldn't dare.!"
"Yes I would!"
Two of Melissa's fingers moved in synchronised grace as her left hand moved in a stabbing motion, while her right hand's index finger bent to push what would soon trigger the coming of a pleasant aroma of two blended fruits. (Too dramatic for ya? Live with it.) But just when Melissa's finger poked Phil, the thirteen-year-old teleported to the other side of the room. However.
"Help!"
Melissa was still in a sitting position. But she wasn't in her chair anymore. She had teleported with Phil to the other side of the room! And considering that the chair didn't teleport with them.
(THUD!)
"Ow! Phil!"
"It's not my fault you fell! I didn't know you were going to teleport with me! Hey.my gift is sharable! I'm gonna test it on Geordie. Bye."
And pouf, Phil was gone.
"Melissa!" came a voice from downstairs.
"Um, yeah mom?" Melissa called.
"What was that thud I heard?"
"I fell out of my chair."
"Oh. All right. Shouldn't you be asleep? It's past midnight!"
"Homework!"
Melissa got up, brushed herself off and went back to her computer. Geordie had typed up all the innuendoes he could think of over a guy going to a girl's house and not telling anyone why or what he was doing. Holly had typed "What?!" "Huh?" "What's happening?" and "WHAZZZUUUU?" several times.
"Phil went over to my house to poke me for being wise. And apparently his teleportation gift is sharable. He's testing it on Geordie right now," typed Melissa.
"Where'd he poke you?" typed Geordie
"Shut up Geordie. Hope it works," typed Holly.
"It isn't working," typed Geordie.
"It's not?" typed Holly.
"No, it isn't. He's going over to Holly's place now. Good thing too. My brother almost walked in while Phil was here," typed Geordie.
"It doesn't work with me either," typed Holly after a moment.
"So it only works with me?" typed Melissa.
"Looks that way," typed Geordie.
"Phil has an idea," typed Holly.
"What?" typed Melissa.
"Maybe that's part of your mutation. Conducting other people's mutations. Maybe when people come in contact with you, their mutation is shared to you, as well as anyone else you're touching," typed Holly.
"Touching.hm." typed Geordie.
"Phil's going over to your place, take you to my place, (which conveniently has no parents or sisters around) and then we'll see," typed Holly.
"KK," typed Melissa.
Within a minute, a small party was assembled in Holly's family's study room. At last moment, Phil collected Geordie too. After a few arguments and some necessary restraint on Geordie's part, Holly held Melissa's right hand, Phil took Melissa's left, and Geordie put his hand on Melissa's head. Melissa began to call the shots.
"Ok, Phil, try to teleport us to the other side of the room. And Geordie, don't lean on my head like that. I don't want to obtain scoliosis and grow and get a crooked spine because of you."
Phil concentrated. Teleporting more than two people will begin to form a strain on a person's mind.
(Pouf!)
"Wow.that feel's tingly," said Melissa.
"Hey! We're on the couch! Neat!" said Holly.
"Eh-he, no. You three are on the couch. I am on the wall. And I'm gonna fall so you'd better mover over quick.!"
Geordie fell onto the floor.
"*mutterouchgroangrumble*" went Geordie, still face-first in the rug.
"Ok, Geordie, come on. We'll need you here," said Holly.
Geordie sulkily got up and put his hand on Melissa's head yet again.
"I christen thee.anyway." said Geordie.
"So, we can all see the big windows, right? Phil, think about making in snow on that rock over there," ordered Melissa.
Phil visualised the rock being snowed on, and it was so.
"Geordie, make the wind pick up those leaves over there and move them in a westerly direction."
"Which way is west?"
"Good question. Um.just blow them to the left."
"To your left, or that tree's left?"
"Just do it Geordie."
Several brown leaves blew easily to Melissa's left. Moments later, they moved back to the right.
"That was me. So far so good. Now, just to save some time, everyone except Geordie freeze a glass of water over on that table."
"So that's why you ordered water for everyone but Geordie." Holly said.
Swiftly, three frost trails floated over to the glasses from the teens' left-hand palms. Geordie's frost trail on that day had been icy blue, almost white. Holly's trail, however, had a pink-ish tinge, Phil's had a green tinge, and Melissa's had a deep blue colour.
"Wow," commented Phil.
"Who knew?" said Holly.
"I wonder what Adam, Michael, and Michelle's colours would be," thought Melissa aloud.
"What about your fire. Mine was sheer blood-red," said Geordie.
"I have a fireplace. We'll try on that, but Geordie, you have to temper your ice so that it melts over the fire and puts it out. Ok?" asked Holly.
"Clear as mud," replied Geordie.
"That'll do," said Holly.
On the fire, Phil's was green fire, Melissa's fire was blue, and hurt to look at, being to bright, while Holly had an orange flame.
"That is so neat," said Melissa.
"Different colours for different people," said Geordie as he put the fire out.
"I wonder how Mike, Adam and Michelle are doing?" wondered Holly aloud. She glanced at the clock, "Oh boy. It's 1:15 am. Where're my parents?"
"Great. Phil, you have to get me home. And Geordie too."
(POUF!)