Lithium

Chapter 2: Commencement

Idly I turned towards my mother, “Okay, Mom. Let’s talk.” My mother scrutinized me with a very sober look, “You know how serious this is, Esther, don’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“And you who said that she would never get her powers,” Mom said laughing.

I was extremely freaked now, “Um… I still think we’re not quite on the same page here.”

“Honey, you have received your first debt.”

“What? But that’s impossible. How the heck am I supposed to protect someone when I can’t protect myself. Is this some kind of joke! I don’t even have any powers yet, except for that stupid shield thing. So what if my mind can’t be read, that’s not going to help anyone here.”

My mother sighed, “Esther, how many times have I told you that you may not have active powers yet, but you being a shield is a great power. You have the ability to block any mental power.

Now it was my turn to sigh, “Yes, Mom, I know that. The fact that seems that you can’t possibly fathom is that that doesn’t progress anything. I can’t even keep my shield up half of the time. My powers haven’t arrived yet and I’m still not allowed to go with the rest of the family on hunts. There’s no way I can take on this debt.

“Honey, I’ve told you that this takes time. The fact that you have found your debt is an incredible progress. This should mean that your powers are soon to come! Tell me, have you felt anything yet?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you know, things that you can’t explain, intuitive feelings or guesses - better yet, predictions.”

Flashbacks of earlier occurrings came to my mind, “Well, I’m not particularly sure…”

“Really, tell me!”

“I think I could have felt things, but they could just have been from my imagination. I mean, before I found her I felt like I knew that lightning was about to strike, that someone was calling for help, feelings that didn’t belong to me. Ugh, this is stupid,” I added frustrated. I was getting my hopes up. I really did want to be a successful witch. Although, this was completely frivolous. There was no way that I was beginning to get my powers. I was already comfortable and used to knowing I would never be like my family.

“Esther Zehira, this is not stupid. This gives us even more proof. Oh, I couldn’t be happier sweetie. You’re finally getting what you desperately wanted. Now, back to what I was saying. Being a Saba takes a lot of responsibility. This debt is going to completely alter your life. You will be passionately dedicated to this case. I know this is scary, but I do believe in you - I always have,” my mother’s eyes were watering.

“Thanks, Mom. I just hope you’re right,” I said while giving a very needed hug.

“Don’t worry. Now go upstairs and I’ll be in the kitchen if you girls need anything. Hmm, how do you feel abut spaghetti?”

“Yum, love it. Thanks again, Mom. You’re a life saver, literally.”

I jogged up the stairs and entered my room. It was a bit messy. Clothes were thrown on the floor and the bed. My personal possessions were scattered everywhere. I had a bunch of my favorite band posters like Paramore, Evanescence and My Chemical Romance on my purple walls. My bed was unmade and there sitting on it was our guest.

“Hi.”

“Hey.”

“You have a very interesting room.”

“Um, thanks.”

“I recall I haven’t properly introduced myself. My name is Amy, by the way.

“Oh, well I guess you probably know my name is Esther by now, Esther Zehira. Um, welcome, I guess.”

“What’s wrong? You seem perturbed.”

“Uh, I guess the weight of all the things that have happened today are finally coming down on me. You probably have already figured out that I’m new to this. Apparently, you will be my first debt.

She looked at me incredulously first, but then her gaze turned sympathetic. “Oh, wow. I don’t know what to say. I thought your mother would be my guardian, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have faith in you. I mean, you’re a Saba. That means a lot."

I scoffed, “Not really."

“What do you mean?”

“Hate to break it to you. But I haven’t received my powers yet; I don’t think I ever will."

“But that can’t be true. If you didn’t have any powers, you wouldn’t have found me."

“Well, I am a shield, but I don’t consider that very useful.”

“Are you kidding? That’s an amazing gift. That means you can’t be detected by a dark lumeni and you can block off any other mental power- as well as shielding everyone else around you.”

“Well, I’ve never seen it that way. But it still doesn’t matter because I haven’t perfected that power very well yet. So…”

“I see that you don’t see your true potential. Don’t you have any other powers? How did you even find me?”

“That I can’t truly explain either. I did feel odd things before I happen to find you.”

“Like what?”

“Feelings, assumptions. I even think that I predicted that lightning would strike and as if someone was calling for help. I assume that was you. Also, I felt as if I could feel your pain and sorrow when you told me what happened to your family. But, I don’t know, this just seems silly.”

“You’re truly amazing.”

“Who, me?”

“Of course you! Don’t you see how gifted you are. You’re a shield, a possible psychic and empath.”

“Whoa, let’s not get carried away here” Did this girl really think I had all that power. There was no way. This was too confusing. I could actually feel her excitement and her certainty. This couldn’t be possible. “This just happened to me today. I have no control over what I felt, or what I’m feeling right now.”

“So, I am correct. What are you feeling right now?”

“I don’t know. Excitement, faith - but these aren’t my feelings.”

“Of course not silly, they’re mine.”

I was speechless. My powers were finally emerging. I admit I had made myself resign to the fact that I was going to be the odd one of the family. Though now, everything was happening so fast. It made my head spin. Something weird was going on through my head. After that I felt the presence of my brothers and the doorbell rang.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it, sweetie.”

“Hey, Mom!” my brothers’ voices boomed through all the house.

“You felt that didn’t you,” Amy said with a knowing smile. Great, here came my brothers to rain on my parade.

“Felt what?”

“You know what?”

I desperately needed to change the subject to a less irritating one. “So are you ready to meet the atrocity that are my brothers.”

“Oh, come on. They can’t be that bad.”

“Uh, yes. Yes they can.”

We went down to the kitchen where my brothers were pigging out on Doritos, mini sandwiches and such. Eros had my father’s straight nose, wide smile, hard features and mom’s auburn hair. Zarek had wavy black hair, my nose, which was a weird combination of both our parents and brown eyes like me. Eros was the lucky one, he got our grandmother’s green eyes. They were both sweaty and dirty from playing; Eros, track and Zarek, baseball. They were so into their food that at first they didn’t notice anything.

“Oh, don’t worry girls. The food is just about ready,” my mother said.

I guess the plural made them look. “Boys, don’t be rude. We have a guest. Esther’s first debt.”

Eros rose his eyebrow contemplatively, but Zarek looked dubious. “Honestly, I mean, this isn’t a joke, right? Big sis here finally got her first debt. Wow, Ze, I didn’t know you had it in you. I would have thought that you were never coming out of that miserable, cynical black hole you live in.”

“Ha ha. Yeah, thanks for your moral support, little bro. Anyway, this still isn’t very clear yet. Due to the fact that my ‘powers’ aren’t adjusting quite well to this moment. I can’t control them; they come on their own.”

“You have to patient, Esther. This takes time,” Eros said trying to assure me.

“Well, whatever, I really don’t want to talk about this now. So… can we change the subject, please.”

“Okay, hon, while your brothers help take out the dishes, your father would like to speak to you.”

“What? Like now?”

“Yes, now.”

“He’s up already?”

“Yes, now no more questions. He’s waiting for you in his study. Hurry up!”

What did my father want? What was he doing up so early? I started walking up the stairs when I heard giggling. Leisurely I turned around and saw Zarek talking to Amy. Nice. Now my brother was flirting with my debt. Things couldn’t get better.

My father was reading a book I didn’t recognize when I entered the study. He was sitting in his favorite black velvet chair. He looked up at me and smiled, “Take a seat, sweetheart.”

I sighed, “Hey, Dad, what’s up?”

“Your mother told me that you have received your first debt. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“You don’t seem too happy about it. Is there something wrong?”

“Not necessarily. I’ve just had a long day.”

“Hmm, I bet. Albeit, since you have started getting glimpses of how your life is going to be now as a witch, I wonder if you have been feeling any part of your other half.”

“Uh, I think I did, but I’m not sure.”

“What did you feel?”

“Well, when I found Amy, it wasn’t because I saw her first. It was because, um, because I smelled her. She was unconscious and was surrounded by blood; it kind of smelled good,” I lowered my head bashfully.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of Esther. You are half vampire and it’s part of who you are. Those reactions are natural. I’m just worried because there will be times that you will find the scent overwhelming. You have to be careful. Just because you can survive on human food only does not mean that your body will not crave blood at other times. You understand this, don’t you?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Are you taking your supplements?”

“Yes, Dad.”

“Good,” my father stood up and at an unnatural speed, got over to me and gave me a hug. “Love you. Now behave, act responsibly and good luck. Even though, I’m sure you won’t need it” I scoffed internally, “Thanks, Dad. I love you too.” If only I had as much faith in me.