Time passed. I was thankful of it – time away from everyone else. Time away from Yves and his worried looks. Time away from Xav and his annoying attentiveness. Time away from Sky. Sky. Despite myself, I had a fascination with the bambi-like girl. She stumbled around school, barely keeping her footing, but still slipping up every now and again, only to be rescued by her friends Tina and Nelson. It was funny to watch her do things; she was so shocked when people said things to her without prompting, as though she thought no one would want her company. It relaxed me, reassured me that in this tiny girl there was some goodness. There was still goodness in the world.
That was why I was out on the rapids with Yves and Xav, bouncing through the rough water like it was jelly; Sky's innocence had seemed to uplift my spirits, to the extent that I was in a wicked, playful mood. I smiled slyly as I narrowed my eyes, concentrating on that little part of my mind that held my savant inheritance, my power, anticipating each churn in the water, each splash and spill. I zoomed forwards, laughing at my brothers struggling behind, whooping and punching the air when I crossed the finish line first.
"No way!" Yves shouted annoyedly "That was unfair, Zed – we know you cheated on that!"
"Yeah, you don't catch me using my powers to win stuff – it's just not fair!" Xav chimed in.
"Yeah, that's because your powers wouldn't help at all unless it was a competition to see who heals fastest." I snorted back.
"Still, it's not fair," Yves grumbled.
"Stop whining," I laughed back, feeling high as the moon on my recent win.
"I know what I need," Xav said with an evil smile "Revenge!" then he leaned forwards and pushed me into the water. I had seen it coming, but hadn't had time to move away – but the stream was gentle and I just bobbed to the surface again, grabbing Xav and hauling him in after me. Yves laughed on the bank, mercifully dry – but not for long. With a rare flash of intuition, Xav and I joined forces to get our brother just as wet as we were; splash attack. Getting back up onto the bank, we all collapsed and laughed until it got hard to breathe and we had to stop.
Boys, a voice in my mind said, Dad's voice. All three of us looked up – they had received the message too. Dad was standing there, with a small group of teenagers from school. I recognised Nelson, and Neil, and of course Sky, her little golden-blonde head barely visible over the towering figures of the others.
"Get the raft launched, Dad, and I'll be right with you when I get changed," Xav yelled to him "Zed'll take the kayaker." We all stood and headed towards the ski station while the group bustled along to the rapids, Bambi and Tina in close conversation. I could see occasional glimpses at me, and I gave up to curiosity. I closed my eyes, concentrating on the little sparks of light around me – minds, thoughts, feelings. I tuned in on the small, shockingly bright one: hello Bambi.
. . . can't understand him. Why does he hate me? Is he racist? I don't understand – maybe it's an American thing? Is he testing me like Mr Keneally? Tina says it's his problem, not mine, but still...why does he hate me?
Suddenly, I flipped out of Sky's mind, ashamed at what I had just done. I had read her thoughts to satisfy my own selfish wants. I never used to be like this – God knows I used to be different, kinder, better. My eyes fell to the water still bubbling down the river I had just vacated and my mind's eye flashed with an unbidden image.
Water, angry water, bubbling and boiling ruthlessly. There was no mercy there.
Sky, eyes wide, looking straight at me as she fell backwards into that same water, disappearing. I couldn't hope that she would be ok – nature could be cruel sometimes. My heart beating in my throat. Fear that she wouldn't resurface.
I flashed back, stumbling from the vision. It seemed my lot at the moment to get terrifying visions of Sky Bright's death or possible demise – at least if she drowned today she wouldn't live to get stabbed. I shook my head and quickly changed out of my wetsuit and into shorts and a life jacket.
"I've got the rafters," I told Yves and Xav. They gave me curious looks and I shot them images of my vision. They agreed happily to switch round. I nodded, noticing their wary looks, and jogged up to Dad and the group.
"Xav and Yves are taking the kayaker," I explained briefly. I didn't want to worry Dad with the vision of Sky's 'drowning' – he wouldn't need to now, not when I was going to stop it. Dad frowned.
"I thought that was your job," he pointed out.
"Yeah, well, I saw that he was going to be a jerk. Yves' better at handling that." I answered. He would believe me. Dad looked like he wanted to object, but his eyes slid to the listening group and his lips stopped. Instead, he told the teens to get into groups, with Sky wedged next to Nelson and me. I looked at my hands in my lap, the tips of my shoes – anywhere but at those big blue eyes. It was too soon after the vision, too close to the event. No – wait – there would be no event. I would stop it.
"Girl in the middle at the front – Sky, isn't it?" Dad said. I rolled my eyes – just like him, putting her at ease by not knowing her name before asking. Of course, he already knew her name. He, like all of us, had made a mission of protecting her from her bloody fate, so he knew her name inside out.
"Yes, sir?" she replied, looking distracted. She was blending in to American life well then – at least she had the formalities down pat.
"If it gets rough, link arms with your neighbours. Girls up the end, make sure your feet stay in the toeholds on the bottom of the raft when it starts to buck. They'll keep you from falling in." Next to Sky, Nelson grunted.
"Not worried about us boys then, is he?" he said arrogantly.
"He thinks men should be able to look after themselves." I said loudly "Got a problem with that?" Sky smiled amusedly at my words. That confused me – why was she smiling when I was threatening her friend? Maybe if I just peeked. . . NO! Keep her mind her own, I thought to myself furiously. Dad pushed off, ignoring our little. . . thing. I pulled some strong strokes and we were flying over the water. Dad shouted instructions, instinctually taking the lead, and everyone followed unhesitatingly. Sky bit her lip like she was fighting off screams.
"Oh my God." She squealed when we passed a big rock "We're never going to survive that." I grinned and pushed the boat forwards again, heading straight for the drain up ahead. This time, Sky did scream, and it brought back echoes of my visions. Blood mixing with angry water. Sharp, glinting blades mixing with a falling and disappearing Sky. I pushed the images away, concentrating on Nelson's moronic whooping beside Sky.
"Devil's Cauldron's looking a bit frisky," Dad commented, not noticing my mental break-down in the middle "Keep us central, boys." I obeyed like a loyal dog – outside of work, I would rebel and disagree with my Dad all I liked, but in the rapids his word was law. The raft thrust side to side, Sky smacking into me than Nelson, but she still didn't take my arm for support. I looked to the side and saw her other arm wound through Nelson's, but the arm closest to me clutching her stomach for support.
"Having fun?" Nelson bellowed to Sky.
"In an awful 'I'm-gunna-die-any-moment' way, yes!" she yelled back, water dripping down her face and off the ends of her soaked hair. The water had dyed it darker. I tried to ignore that I had noticed that.
Then it happened. The raft got wedged between two rocks. It was a common occurrence, but I had a flash of recognition, almost de ja vu. This was it. This was the moment.
"I'm going to push us off!" Dad called back to us "All to the right." We followed his orders and I crushed Sky between my shoulder and Nelson.
"Left!" we all lurched to the other side.
"Back to your places!" again, we hurriedly did as he said and I threw my arms around Sky, planning on keeping her planted to the ground under my weight, forcing her face into the water on the bottom of the raft.
"Keep hold or you'll fall in," I shouted, even though my mouth was at her ear – I didn't want to risk not being heard. She floundered under me, choking and struggling to her feet. She flew to the side of the raft, water splashing everywhere, and then she was gone. I looked just in time to see the scene from my vision; Sky falling backwards into the furious water, fingers grasping the empty air for something to save her. Tina screamed and Dad's whistle screeched around us.
"Sky!" Nelson yelled, looking around for a glimpse of blonde hair just like I was.
Float! I screamed the word into her mind – she wouldn't understand, her mind was too simple, but her instincts would get the general gist. We all waited desperately for some sign of her, but all we got were small glimpses of colour – her red helmet, orange life jacket, blue jeans. Finally, she was spat out in the cool mercy of an eddie, clinging to a boulder like a drowned cat.
"Oh my God, Sky! Are you OK?" Tina shrieked. We steered the boat beside her and I pulled her in, Nelson clumsily hindering, and checked for injuries, trying to keep the relief from my voice and face.
"She's fine." I kept my voice cool "A bit scraped up but fine." We finished the course in dull spirits, understandably, but I couldn't help but keep the glower from my gaze. I had caused the vision. Without me, she would have been fine. It was my fault; who was to say the stabbing wouldn't be brought about by me too? I couldn't risk letting her alone, but it was something to dwell on. As we got out, Sky pointedly kept her gaze from me, her lips pouted adorably, and went to receive the hugs and concerned questions from her friends. I helped Dad unload the raft, no longer curious about what she was thinking – I could read it all perfectly well on her face. Dad led the way over to her.
"You all right, Sky?" he asked. She just nodded, her lips shut tight.
"What happened?" he demanded at me, making the words sound more accusing than they really needed. I opened my mouth to reply but Sky got there first.
"He flattened me – made me lose my grip!" she fumed.
"I realised what was going to happen – I tried to warn her." I countered. Dad and I both knew what my words really meant. And anyway, how dare she be angry? I tried to save her – she should be throwing herself at my feet, thanking me. Ungrateful girl.
"You made it happen." And there it was. The same thing I had been telling myself ever since it had happened – she had struck a nerve, more than she knew.
"I tried to stop it – shoulda just left you to it." I shot back coldly.
"Yeah, perhaps you should – and then I wouldn't be freezing to death here!" God, she was fiery when she was angry. I couldn't help but be fascinated by this new side to the English Sweetheart.
"Enough!" Dad stepped between us "Sky, get in the jeep before you get any colder. Zed, a word." He grabbed my arms and took me awhile away.
"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed "Tackling to people will not win you points, especially when you are meant to be protecting her! You know as well as I do, the better yo know her the less you can see her."
"It's not my fault she can't see a favour even if she falls into angry rapids out of it!" I cried back, furious he was blaming this on me "It's her fault."
"She is normal." He replied "She doesn't understand and never will. Cut her some slack." I growled, having no reply to his watertight logic, and stormed off.