7.
Gabriel watched in silence as the two teens tried to slowly deliver the news.
"So...everyone thinks I'm...dead?" Claire said, breathing deeply.
"Yeah..." Zach nodded.
"So..what now?" Claire asked. "I mean...I can't just go home and say 'Hey dad look who's not dead, watch what I can do when I stick a steel rod through my neck!' What am I supposed to do now?"
Zach sighed, for those few weeks Claire had been presumed dead, he had thought time and time again about what would happen when he finally woke her up. Now he had to face the music and try and figure a way around the entire situation.
"I-" He had tried to answer but was interrupted by the other male in the room.
"You could come with me."
Claire finally turned around then, "Who are you?" She asked.
"Gabriel." Was all he said.
"It's so cool Claire, he has a power too!" Zach remarked.
Claire's eyes widened and she looked to the older man expectantly.
Gabriel smiled and raised his hand to force a few single pieces of hay to float around the barn.
The teenage girl looked around the room in amazement as she poked at the floating objects. Quickly, she turned back to the other two teens. "How'd you guys find him?"
"Um..we didn't." Zach told her. "Actually...how did you even find us like this?"
Gabriel took a moment to answer, "I-. I collect the gifts of other people with powers. I got wind of a rumor of a girl who went into a burning train and came out woundless. Thought it was that Jackie girl...sorry kid but I listened to your conversation with her...and now I'm here."
Claire didn't really know the specifics of why Zach would even try to talk to Jackie, but she figured Gabriel wasn't all that bad. After all, he did just save her from death.
"I don't exactly know who you are..." Claire said.
"That's okay, I was just laying an option down for you." Gabriel said.
"...but.." Claire started again. "I don't really have anywhere else to go...and...it's not like you or anyone else can really hurt me..."
Gabriel nodded.
It didn't take long for Claire and Gabriel to be ready to leave together, the only thing Claire needed was a change of clothes out of Lori's closet because her funeral dress wasn't exactly camouflage.
Zach handed Claire her cellphone which nobody else could find. "If your parents try to get rid of any of your stuff...I'll find a way to get it to you." He whispered to her.
Claire mouthed a thank you as she hugged Lori and went along with Gabriel.
The two walked together to the bus stop where Gabriel bought two tickets and they only had to wait for fifthteen minutes before one showed up.
Claire boarded the bus and sat in the very back with the hood to her sweater up, just in the case the bus driver was someone she knew.
When she finally took a glance at the ticket Gabriel had wordlessly purchased for her.
Gabriel had already explained how long it would take to get to where he really lived.
'New York.' She thought. 'First time for everything.'
To be continued…