Young Writers Society

Viper carried the hot plate of pasta through to Senra’s domain, not bothering to knock this time. “Listen, I’m not going to serve her too if that’s what you’re expectin-” what he saw made him freeze.

Senra was in a seated position, but she was now hovering above her chair with an astonished expression frozen onto her face. Nikki was staring at her, mesmerised and stunned, clearly only realising the extent of her own power in that moment.

Viper dropped the plate, letting it clatter onto the low table next to him and moved to Nikki quickly. After a second’s hesitation, he grabbed her shoulders and yanked her backwards. Viper was just trying his luck, and was surprised when it actually worked. Senra dropped heavily onto the chair and gasped like she had just surfaced from the ocean. Viper recoiled with a yell as he felt power discharge off Nikki like static electricity. She staggered like she was about to lose her balance then steadied herself.

Viper’s eyes were wide, staring at Nikki. “What the hell just happened?” he said on the verge of hysteria. His eyes flicked from Nikki to Senra, begging for an explanation.

Senra blinked as she panted and quickly caught her breath as she stared up at her son from her uncharacteristically demure posture. When she spoke it was with a quiet reverence. “She... she has tapped into the Crystal.”

“What? Crystal, what do you mean, crystal? You’re not making any sense Senra-”

“The Crystal! The source of all psychic power on the planet, the very reason you can even lift a paper clip!” she glared at him, back to her usual condescendence. Glad to see she’s recovered, Viper thought with an eye roll. Senra got up with a slight shiver but with strong resolve and opened her vast cupboard. She immediately reached to the back of the top shelf, and pulled out a book.

Viper knew this book well, and even knew the story of the Crystal was one he had heard enough times to get bored at the thought of it. Even now he was starting to recall the story.

The Crystal was in a hidden somewhere in the world, and old psychics like Senra believed it was a source of all psychic power. But a long time ago the Crystal was damaged by a meteorite which was believed to have crashed in its location. Since then, psychic powers were at their weakest levels in all psychic beings.

Viper had often daydreamt of what new heights his own powers might reach if the Crystal was released. But this was just fantasy, since the Crystal was Senra’s pathetic attempt at a bedtime story. Senra was flipping frantically through the battered story book now.

He looked at Nikki who had quickly honed in on the pasta which he had spilled on the table. She didn’t seem to mind the mess, as she began tearing through it with her hands, hungrily devouring it. Viper’s eyes widened and he stared at her. She must have not eaten in days. Where was she from?

“Hey, girl,” he moved towards her “Uh, Nikki. Do you want to sit down to finish that?” She ignored him, she was that hungry. “I guess not! Don’t choke.”

At this she looked up, becoming self aware suddenly and grinned shyly. Viper couldn’t help laughing and shaking his head. She wiped her hand across her mouth and swallowed, clearly preparing to speak.

“I’m – er, super hungry.” She said, stating the obvious.

Viper shook his head with a bemused expression as he leaned on the table next to her “By all means, help yourself. Biggest compliment the crappy chef has gotten in... ever.”

She glanced at him, starting back on the pasta in a more self conscious way. Viper looked away to spare her the discomfort of being watched partaking in the act that every person should have the right to. He turned his attention to Senra who seemed to be having a revelation, pointing repeatedly at a page of the ancient book.

“Here it is! The prophesy of the Crystal! Craig my boy, this is what I’ve been telling you...” She went to him and grabbed him by the hair to bring him down to her height. Viper growled with repressed rage. She ignored this but released his hair. “This girl, Nikki, she is the key to the healing of the psychic energy.”

Viper snorted and smoothed his hair back. “What psychic energy, Senra-”

“All of it! The psychic sphere has been suppressed for too long!” She began pacing frantically. Nikki simply watched her passively. “Let me put it in terms you can understand... your power is shifting iron in mid air, right? Well imagine your capacity increased tenfold.”

Viper’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Senra smiled and thought, finally it gets through his thick skull. His breathing began to deepen as his mind ran through the possibilities. “I could expand my empire in a day...I could move entire banks.”

Senra rolled her eyes, exasperated. “I could never beat that materialistic habit out of you could I? It makes you seem like a scavenging rat, it’s not a flattering look, son. Think b-i-g-g-e-r. The balance of power can be tilted in our favour. Who needs to vote when you can physically change the lay of the land with your own mind?”

Viper blinked and shook his head. “But wait a moment, how exactly does this crystal work? Can you direct the power of the crystal to a few of us, or will there be a power surge everywhere? Because if everyone becomes powerful, then that just throws a spanner in the works.”

“The key is in the girl’s power. She can absorb the flow of the crystal’s power and whoever she touches will – should – absorb it as part of their own.” Senra replied thoughtfully.

Viper glanced away and back to Senra. “So she is the absolute key?”

“Yes, she is the only one with the power to do this, I’m certain. I learnt through our mind link.” Senra seemed a bit proud of herself at this point.

Viper closed his eyes and took a breath. “So it’s a good idea to know where she is, right?”

“What-” Senra swivelled around and saw that the room was missing a person. She clenched her fists, her nostrils flared, and Viper could hear the static in the air around her. “Find. Her!” Viper hurried out of the room before Senra’s anger caused a mini hurricane.

***

Alexia made what she hoped were calming hand gestures as she pulled Nikki into the ladies bathroom. It was cramped, with not enough space between the door and the cubicles to allow the door to open all the way. This meant they were quite close together, and Alexia had mere seconds to convince Nikki to trust her enough to escape the Angel Club.

“Uh... hi.” Alexia said

“You. Why did you pull me in here?” Nikki said. Her eyes were narrow with suspicion and she pulled away.

“I want to help you.” Alexia whispered, trying to keep the franticness out of her voice. “My name is Alexia, and I’m a psychic – like you.”

“I am Nikki. No one is like, me, I’m different.” Nikki said, and Alexia noticed a sad flicker in her eyes.

“Well,” Alexia said as she reached out to rest her hands on Nikki’s shoulders, “I happened to know a gang of crazier misfits than you, and we always help each other when any one of us is in trouble.” Alexia checked herself as she said these words. At least I know I live by that... she thought.

Nikki looked straight at Alexia in that soul searching way of hers. Alexia couldn’t help but suck in a stream of air, but she held her gaze. I am an open book, she thought at Nikki. The words themselves were not sent straight to her mind like a spoken sentence, but it was rather a feeling that Alexia directed to Nikki. As if she was opening pathway through which she welcomed Nikki’s exploratory gaze.

Frantic footsteps passed the bathroom door, not far from where they were hidden. Alexia controlled her breathing as her anxiety grew... but she had to allow Nikki to make the decision for herself.

Nikki’s eyes softened, and the tiniest trace of a smile surfaced. “You want to help me...”

Alexia exhaled. “Yes. Yes I do, but we have to leave here now. I don’t know who the Angel Club people are, but they’re most definitely bad news.” Her eyes shifted to the window she had used to climb into the building.

But time had run out. The door handle was frantically turned by someone very intent on getting through. Alexia spun herself and Nikki into the first stall, and swung the stall door open so that it jammed against the main door. The door opened only a few centimetres and a hand reached through.

“Quick, through here!” Alexia said waving Nikki frantically towards the window. It was a slight squeeze for Alexia, but as she turned back, watching Nikki reaching her arm through to grasp the ledge, Alexia saw that she had a much easier time getting through. There were loud shouts from within the bathroom as Nikki dropped quietly to the ground next to her.

Alexia took in their surroundings and instantly ran left. It turned out to be a bad choice. A skinny man with leathery skin ran around the corner blocked her path. Alexia raised her fists awkwardly and the man grinned triumphantly and walked towards her with his arms out stretched to grab her. Alexia took an involuntary step backwards, cursing this obvious sign of one who was about to lose a fight. She compensated by raising her fists even higher until they were just under her eyes. The man’s face fell quickly.

Alexia smiled as she made a mental note of the level of her fists that seemed to be effectively threatening to her opponent.

However, his eyes were not on her, but on Nikki’s. She had a hand raised and began walking in determined steps towards him. “Sty. We have met before. I will hurt you the way I did before - and worse.”

Alexia watched in amazement as the one called Sty took a step back for every step forward Nikki took. Like someone who was about to lose a fight....

A black 4x4 Kia Sportage screeched around the corner and braked hard on the road next to them. Alexia dropped her fists (scratching that pose off her mental list of Aggressive Positions) and ran to the passenger door. “Nikki! Let’s go!”

Nikki turned to Alexia and hurried after her. She gave the panicked Sty one last narrow-eyed look, then opened the passenger door, and before she even shut the door, the car began racing away.

Alexia turned to the driver. “You’ve always had the most dramatic timing. Just before I had to fight off a bunch of thugs.” Her words were scolding, but her tone was warm and she was grinning widely.

Jake glanced at her and grinned before keeping his eyes on the road again. “You’ve always had a hell of a way of saying hello. What about ‘Hi Jake, how have you been for the past two years?’ Small talk, remember that?” he was equally playful with his scolding.

Alexia laughed. “I got all of that in our Mind Link!”, to which Jake responded with a scowl and a pout. Alexia turned to him. “Good to see you Jake, and thank you for coming when I Called.” She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and he seemed happy.

Alexia turned her head to the back seat. “Now. This is Nikki. You’ll meet her properly when you’ve parked your tin can. Nikki, this is Jake, he’s a psychic too.”

“Not just any psychic, love, part of the Psychic Circle! The most awesome psychic team since Jean Grey cloned herself 10 times. Well, if that ever happened.” Jake said.

He winked at Nikki through the rear view. She responded with a bewildered expression, a giggle and a shy “Hi.”

Alexia rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind Jake. You won’t be shocked when you hear what his ability is.” She twisted in her seat to face Nikki and give her a significant look. “Welcome to the Psychic Circle, Nikki.”