CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DEREK

So, after I stormed out completely on Myrah, Essence, and North, I moped and played Call of Duty in my room for a while. Dinner was a bag of Lays chips, because it's not like my mother was conscious or anything, and it's not like my father or siblings were home to enjoy dinner with us or anything. Around 8:40 I got a text from Myrah that took up a lot of screen. It was some sort of blueprint for an attack. I started picking up on their whole scheme. They were gonna freeze the whole school in ice and snow

Step One: The day of the attack, you pack your backpacks, purses, duffel bags, instrument cases, whatever with perishable food, lanterns, batteries, water, and plenty of clothing. Take it to school and keep it in your locker till the time comes.

Step Two: The day will go on as normal. After lunch, we take action. We will stay behind, hiding out in the bathrooms until classes start. Essence and North will take action first. They will deal with the sixth grade wing. You and I will take down the seventh grade. Alyssa will fly solo, taking down the eighth grade wing and the office and such. If she needs help, she will call us in for reinforcements. After these things are done, we will grab the bags from our locker and run away. We will continue to look for somewhere to live. Along the way, witnesses are to be "taken care of". Eventually, we hope to have the whole East Coast frozen.

Step Three: From there, we will take down the rest of the world, state by state. House by house, country by country. No matter how long it takes. Then we will have what is rightfully ours. Seems a little overly ambitious, doesn't it? Whatever. Fuck it. We'll see what's ours and take it.

Little parts stuck in my head. Will take action first. We'll see what's ours and take it. Take down. Hiding out. Somewhere to live. Call us in for reinforcements. And all of the sudden, I wanted in. The part at the bottom of the message told me not to tell Alyssa because she was in trouble for… Ahem… Something. And her dad took her phone away. She would be back on Monday.

This kind of power is all I've wanted. I've always had it, but I've just been waiting for what seems like years for the right opportunity. There's always been this secret, hidden desire to have everything, every city, every person, every house, right in the palm of my hand. Under my rule. Then and only then, will my life ever be "perfect". Screw my dad and his 23-year old mistress. Screw my slutty sister who probably is racking up more STDs than cash. Screw my brother who most likely is at a party, handing out little bags of cocaine to anyone who wants some. Screw my mom for almost never being a part of my life until I don't need her anymore. Screw everything.

So you can imagine when the next day rolled around and I went to school, how willing I was to jump into this plan. Myrah, Essence, and North were happy and showed me their contributions to the plan—routes around Boston, which ways to use our powers that wouldn't attract too much attention from other people, places we could go afterwards, etcetera, etcetera. I felt an adrenaline rush. We were really doing this. Of course, we had to wait to see what Aly would say. If she doesn't want to, then that's her problem.

Everyone was planning all day. We sent emails and passed notes secretly during classes and chatted non-stop at lunch. Essence and North huddled together at the end of the table, listening in and contributing to the conversation. North had his arms wrapped around Essence's waist, looking like he never wanted to let go. If they're not already together, the attack will sure as hell make them a couple. I just know it! Leaving school that day was interesting. North had told Essence, Myrah, and I to meet him at his locker after seventh period and we did. He showed us a bunch of black pills in a plastic bag. Essence's eyes widened. North stared directly at her.

"Replace Delilah's black pills with these ones. Then give the bottle back to her." He said.

"What's going to happen? North?" Essence looked scared. North hugged her. He dropped the bag into her backpack.

"Wait and see. All you need to know is that there will be one less obstacle to take care of after she takes those." North says, his smile mischievous. He slams his locker door and hugs Essence before he leaves.

"Are you two a thing?" I blurt out. Essence sighs and starts zipping up her backpack.

"I wish." She sighs as she makes her way out the door and towards her bus. Myrah and I head towards the car dismissal area. My sister's Buick sits in the parking lot, engine rumbling, a cloud of cigarette smoke curling out the window and into the air. Myrah high fives me and we walk off towards the cars. My sister pops open the passenger door and I slide in, throwing my backpack into the empty backseat.

"Coming from work, I presume." I say.

"Damn right." Mona says. She brings the cigarette back inside the window and passes it to me. I take a long drag and hand the cigarette back to her as I blow out smoke. Mona Olwen, my older sister, was sitting next to me in a Victoria Secret Pink sweatshirt over some skimpy black lingerie. She had a skirt sitting lazily on her hips. Her curled blondish-brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her lips were slathered in red lipstick, and a pair of Gucci sunglasses hid her pale green eyes.

"Let's get the hell home." My sister snickered, throwing the cigarette butt out of the car. "If Mom's passed out, we can break out the Sharpies again."

"Dibs on the handlebar mustache!" I called out as she put the car in reverse and drove away from the school. Truth is, Mona is actually pretty awesome. She's just a slut. She knows it. That's 'cause I keep reminding her. And she keeps reminding me that I'm dickhead. It's a mutual thing.

"Your girlfriend back at school yet?" Mona asks, popping a piece of mint gum into her mouth and passing me the pack. I shake my head and she shrugs as I dig out a stick. "That's sad."

"Yeah." I say, chewing thoughtfully. I watch buildings and businesses and bikes fly by the car window. Mona turns on the radio, and "Stressed Out" starts playing. My sister whoops and starts singing obnoxiously. I groan and cover my ears. This song is so overplayed.

Mona and I pulled into the driveway of our house and snickered. We both jumped out of the car as soon as she parked it and turned off the engine.

"I'll draw a cock on her forehead, you take care of the mustache, and we'll both do… Oh, no…" Mona murmurs as we open the door. I didn't expect to see what I saw. I dropped my backpack on the hardwood floor.

My father and the girl he's cheating with, making love on the couch, clothes spread across the floor. A horrible smell hangs in the air. The girl has long honey-blond hair, a perfect body, and brown eye makeup and smudged pink lip gloss. Mona's eyes widened and pushed me back a little. My dad turned around, swore, and started trying to cover himself up.

"Guys… Oh… Hey, honey…" Dad murmured as he started getting dressed again. His face was red with embarrassment. He tossed the girl her pink lingerie.

"Dad." Mona whispered. Her face was horrified. She made eye contact with the girl. They held each other's gaze for a few moments.

"Hey, Mona." The girl squeaked. Mona choked up a little.

"Hey, Poppy." She said quietly. Dad looked at Poppy and back at Mona, eyes wide with realisation.

"Poppy, you should go…" My dad said. "Before Dana gets home…" Poppy started to messily pull her clothing on and all of the sudden, Mom burst in through the backdoor. Perfect timing.

"Tim?" My mom said, her voice shaking. Her house keys rattled as she slowly entered the room.

"Dana…" My dad whispered.

"Kids, you better get out of here… I need to talk with your father…" My mom said quietly. Mona grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of the house and towards the car. Mona slumped in the front seat and gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles turned white.

"How do you know her?" I asked her. Mona lit a Marlboro and took a long, angry drag.

"She… She works with me…" Mona stammers as she blows out smoke. I nod and tap my fingers on the console.

"She was talking about being with this guy who was cheating, but I thought nothing of it." Mona admitted, taking another drag off the cigarette.

I was silent for a long while before saying, "I could take care of her. For good."

"You don't have to…" Mona started, but her voice had a little uncertainty in it. Like she was considering it.

"You sure?" I asked, almost pleading. Mona blew out smoke and tapped the cigarette out the window.

"No." She admits. I smirk, leaning back in my seat casually. I laughed a bit. Mona rolled her eyes at me and took another drag.

"I'll think about it, okay?" She finally grumbles. I chuckle and lean up against the window. All of the sudden there was a loud whoosh and a poof sound and a flash of pale blue that came from the windows. Mona dropped her cigarette and it fell to the driveway. Her eyes were blank. Time slowed down. My heart palpitated rapidly.

"Mona?" I whisper. That's when she signals for me to get out of the car and follow me. I had a feeling I knew what I'd see when we walked inside.

The look my mother gave me when we walked in the house was warning. Don't tell a soul. The atmosphere was tense. Mona swallowed hard, fidgeting with the zipper on her jacket. I wrapped my arms around my torso and closed my eyes, the image burned into my eyelids. One I wouldn't soon forget. As my mother urged us to go to our rooms and wait for dinner. As I scaled the stairs, I turned back and processed the scene one more time.

Poppy, completely frozen in ice, her face frightened, her clothes half put on. My father frozen in ice, half up off the couch, ready to run. I shuddered and broke for my room, tears stinging my eyes.

It's done.

"She beat you to it." Mona said, trying to make me laugh.

"Yeah, I guess she did." I called over my shoulder as I slammed the door and slumped against it. I sunk to my carpet. I opened my palm and extended my fingers. A tingle ran down my spine and soon I was controlling a little snowstorm right in the palm of my hand. It made a cute whooshing sound and it diminished when I closed my palm. I sighed and ruffled my hair up with my fingertips.

A whole lotta power that's gonna be used for a whole lotta hell.