Young Writers Society

Ken’s expression remained neutral but inside, his mind was going at top speed. Manipulating time... there were so many ways he could use that. “That’s a pretty big power. Almost makes me wonder why you’re here instead of locked up in some secret high-tech lab.” Ken grinned.

"I was," said Cloud, "But it was easy to escape, because of this."

Feeling the wires that kept all matter in place, Cloud warped them, bending them, and sending him directly behind Ken.

Ken tilted his head. Now that was intriguing. “And yet you enrolled in a public school. You do realize that goes on a record right?”

"I was . . . going by a different name at that time," said Cloud. He probably didn't need to mention that the people who had been hunting him down were already dead-- in the early eighteen-hundreds.

Ken laughed. He had underestimated this kid. “You still chose to enroll in high school. You were free. You just got yourself in a whole new type of cage without realizing it.”

"I haven't been to a modern school at all, that's why I came," said Cloud, "And all cages can be unlocked with the right key."

Ken’s smile dropped and he stared intently at him before another more sinister smile arose. “A modern school?”

Cloud quickly un-messed up that situation, "Oh, uh, yeah I've been going to a lot of traditional schools, so a high-quality one like this is pretty new for me."

Ken laughed. He didn’t buy it but he let it slide for now. “Well, I guess if you call a public school high quality then cheers to modernism.”

Ken sat, his feet stretched out in the aisle next to his desk, trying not to show how bored he was. “Now, when we focus on the trigonometric parts of the triangle—” Ms. Shephard was rambling, and Ken shifted in his seat slightly to hide his annoyance. He’d never use any of this in life.

Cloud closed his eyes, speeding up the time around him, hearing random babbling, excluding Ken and himself from the time-change.

Then, he heard the teacher, "Class dismissed."

Ken blinked. What the... he glanced at the clock but sure enough it was time for the bell to ring. Then, his eyes narrowed and a small grin came across his face as he glanced at Shelly. Maybe he’d be useful after all, the sneaky dog...