Nova's Dawning
Chapter 8

Monday morning, everyone got their powers back, and it was hard at first. Sam wasn’t allowed to touch anything that reached power, such as light switches, lamps, and all of the appliances in the kitchen. Mo wore weights on his ankles, but it didn’t keep the things around him grounded, like his phone or wallet or even the hood on his hoodie. Unfortunately, Jack had it the worst, because he wasn’t allowed to think about anything for too long or it would appear. He wore headphones all the time now, and focused on a Rubik’s cube, because it was the only thing, he could think about that wouldn’t conjure random things.

Jack had a class first thing in the morning and because Sam couldn’t drive anymore Osiris got up to take him, I went with because the idea of him driving home alone worried me. As much as he worried about me, I worried about him. I wanted to talk to Jack, to have a conversation with my friend, and it hurt my heart that I couldn’t, because if I had, he could have put something dangerous in the car, like a zebra, or a bear. Those are exaggerations, but I believe the picture is clear. He mumbled a thank you and waved goodbye as we dropped him off.

“I hate this. I want so badly to be able to help him.” I felt horrible, and Osiris saw that so instead of taking us back home, we went to the coffee shop that had become our place.

He parked the car and took my hands. “I love the way that you care and worry about everyone, but he has to learn control on his own. Luckily, he has his first lesson tonight so maybe, just maybe he will be able to get some control that way he can talk to us again and live. So just trust in him and the school. They’ve been doing this for years; I think they know how to handle it.”

I was in tears, because I wanted to believe in him, but ever since the Dean had told me it was my fault, that I was the catalyst, I wondered what it would have been like if I had just been normal, if I could have just stayed to myself, then I wouldn’t have brought this upon my friends so soon.

“It’s not your fault Star, okay? Let me buy you coffee and a muffin, okay?” I nodded, wiping away my tears. “Star, look at me.” I turned to him and he was there in my face. He laid his hand across my cheek and as he wiped away my last tear, he kissed me in a way he never had before. It was gentle, yet reassuring and sweet. I could feel his support and his love and then I felt something else.

I opened my eyes and when he opened his eyes, they were brown.

“Who are you?” I asked him, inches away from his face.

He chuckled and it was Osiris’s laugh, but his voice was slightly deeper, “I’m yours, silly.”

I could tell he cared about me, just the same as Osiris, and a part of me felt pain at this, a lot of pain. It was that same part that gave me his name, but in the same instant, I lost it, it disappeared into the abyss. I closed my eyes and when I opened them again Osiris and I were dressed in black and white, the fall leaves falling around us, as we separated from our kiss and our loved ones cheered us on. I closed my eyes again and when I opened them, I was back in his car, in front of the coffee shop. He smiled at me, and I quickly smiled back, hiding the fact that I had just been lost in some form of time.

“A white mocha and a blueberry muffin my lady?” he asked me as we got out of the car.

“Um... could I get a snickerdoodle instead?” I asked, feeling strange.

“Wait, seriously?” he asked, completely shocked at my sudden change.

“Yeah, is that alright?” I was kind of embarrassed.

“Sure, it’s just strange to hear you want something else, but of course you can have anything you want.” He bowed at me and then opened the door

I smiled at him with a polite thank you as we went into the warmth of the coffee shop.

They say little changes in a person’s decisions can really give you signs to how the future can be altered, if only someone had stopped to look at the signs, maybe things could have been different.

On Tuesday of that first week back, Osiris had an engineering class, and I had my Screenwriting class. It was odd to say the least, but I was thankful to finally be starting classes again. We all needed things to distract us. Sam was in here with me, as was Jack. When he had come home last night, he had come to us with good news. He was able to think again without conjuring everything. He had to think differently, and remind himself about the things he didn’t want, but instead he had to focus on what he did want, and that’s how it worked. He ended up being able to conjure up paper and pencil whenever the teacher started talking. However, his gift came with a price. If he conjured something then it would have to come from somewhere else, because you couldn’t just create things out of thin air, so he had to be careful with what he created, or borrowed essentially, because there were ways to send things back as well as bring them to him. It had been a really interesting concept, but I knew it would take some time for him and all of us to really be able to grasp everything.

Sam and I had Mentor Training after this class, but something told me I wouldn’t have as much fun as everyone else would. I knew in my heart that my mentor wouldn’t really know what to do with me after the basics were understood, and we would probably just drink coffee all day.

“Well hello boys and girls.” Our professor said, tearing me away from my mental thoughts. Our Screenwriting teacher was Mic Rits, from orientation, the guy who had promised ease and a smooth transition into adulthood. I wondered; did he really believe those words?

After the first hour I was reassured, he did, very much so. Everything we were going to do was going to be simple and not only that, but it was actually going to be relaxing and good for our mental health. Writing exercises galore, and they were just going to help us get stronger as writers and as people.

He ended class early which allowed those of us at school able to get a meal together before we had to split up and go to our mentors.

“I want Mexican food.” said Sam and Jack nodded, and then Osiris came up to us.

“Well my class was boring, but at least we got out early.” I hugged him and squeezed his hand.

“We’re talking about getting Mexican food. You wanna come?”

“Well yeah.” He laughed, like that was a silly question and I smiled. It was hard to laugh at that point in my life.

We could have walked, but Osiris wanted to drive us, he felt like we’d be safer from prying eyes, which he was right, but it was literally a two or three-minute drive. It was a decent place, but my favorite part about it was that it was run by a Mexican family. They were sweet, old, and so funny. Their menu was a giant pun factory.

The special was a Nacho Burrito, filled to the brim with nacho cheese, black beans, and rice. Meat was optional, but not for me. When they called out my order they said, “This is Nacho Burrito, Nacho Burrito is ready!”

I giggled a little and my friends laughed. Even though I couldn’t find the energy to laugh like them, I was grateful they were smiling. It eased me to know that all of my friends were doing a little better. Sam was excited to start her training, as was I. When we finished our food, we started to part. Osiris was dropping Sam off and then I to our places of training. He was more than happy to chauffeur us around until control was guaranteed, especially for Sam. Since touching things usually meant not ever being able to use them again.

The building we dropped Sam off at was cute, it was just a normal house nearby, but it was red bricked, with yellow shutters. It was peculiar, but I could tell the vibe was good and positive, which was what Sam needed at that moment.

“I can tell you’re worried.” said Osiris, filling the void of silence as I made sure Sam made it into the building all right. I sighed deeply.

“We’ve already talked about this.” I said, as he started to drive towards our next destination.

“I know that, but it doesn’t help any if you aren’t going to listen. You need to relax; everything is going to be fine. We will learn control and we will find peace. I promise you things will get better if you let them. Isn’t that how the Law of Attraction works?” he rubbed my thigh with his free hand reassuringly.

I nodded, trying to take deep breaths to relax myself, and when we reached our destination, which was the home of my mentor, I was shocked. It was in the shape of a witch’s hat. “Don’t laugh.” I said, and Osiris put his hand over his mouth. I blew him a kiss and I got out of the car, double checking the address on the mailbox to what I was given. I smiled to myself and then I closed the distance to the door. As expected, she opened the door before I even had the chance to knock.

Now, I was not small by any means, but neither was she. Her wide hips and broad shoulders took up the entire door frame, however once she welcomed me in and closed the door she began to spin around and around. She may have preceded me in weight, but she was also more limber than I can ever hope to be. The most noticeable of her features were her bright green eyes. I almost thought that maybe they were contact lenses, but the more I looked I realized they were real. Her long dark hair was in a braid on her back as she twirled on her tiptoes through what I was beginning to see as her oh so very large collection of coffee tables.

“Why do you need all of these tables if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Because I love coffee.” she had said, confusing me even more on the type of person she was. I followed her through a room of small vials filled with tiny herbs, and we found ourselves in a room, that I believe was her living room, however it was covered in strange symbols I had never seen before.

“Welcome to yur first day of trainin’!” she seemed a little weird, but overall, she was just a big country bumpkin. Her accent was thicker than Bee’s when she was angry. Once we were settled, she noticed my giant mittens and laughed. She took them off and threw them across her living room, not making a sound as they fell lightly on a coffee table far away.

I was not one to dally around. “I have some questions, if you don’t mind.”

She waved in approval as she spun around in her computer desk chair.

“I figured you already know about my mom, but how am I the catalyst, but she wasn’t? I’m sure my mom was just as powerful.”

She stopped spinning when her back was to me, and I saw her hand go up to her face. “Hmm.” she said, and then she whipped around to face me. “Now, ya see darlin’. The power swappin’ it’s a powerful thing. When our powers peak, well that means yur baby will be affected too clearly, so maybe yur just an overbaked loaf of bread. The vision ya been havin’, well most of them are false and can be fixed if yur willin’.” She rested her elbows on her knees and her head in the hands. “So that means there are such things as false visions and things such as ‘The Truth’. Now those are some buggers, that we won’t be discussing for some time, it would be way too much to talk about now. They’re really just yur power getting out of control. It’s like looking at a TV guide, right? Cuz ya can’t block all of the channels ya don’t need. The same goes for any mind gift. You’re a radio, and ya need to hone in on those frequencies that only YOU want. Ya get me?”

I nodded, trying to follow along. Her accent was a lot to take in, and I had never heard anything like it in all of my days. It took a lot to keep me from laughing.

“So, you’re saying I just need to tune the false stuff out...? I’m sorry I don’t think I got your name.”

“It’s Michelina, but just call me Michy and yes! But ya can’t tune out too much or ya might miss something important, like tax season!” she started laughing like she had some inside joke with herself.

“Well where do I start, Michy?” I asked, and she stopped laughing and looked at me seriously.

“Now, I’m a good Gods loving woman, but I need to know if you’re serious bout this or not. I ain’t got a lot of time to be moseyin’ around with some half-hearted joker. You ain’t a joker, are ya?”

“No ma’am,” I said, quickly, suddenly a bit nervous.

“Great! Let’s get a move on then!” She got out of her chair as it flew out from underneath her and we got to work. First it was breathing exercises, as if I was warming up for some type of show or marathon. I was bending over, touching my toes, and even some yoga poses.

“They’re good for calming the soul.” she said.

However, when I started on the real practice, I immediately realized this was going to be a lot harder than I had anticipated.

“So, we’re gunna be focusin’ on the past for the beginnin’, then we’ll work on the present, and then, the future. We’ll spend a total of four days on each for this quarter to go over the basics, and next quarter we’ll have even more in-depth lessons! Now repeat after me, ‘Great Gods of the Earth and the Sky’.”

“Great Gods of the Earth and the Sky.”

“Now lay your head back and take a deep breath, letting yur body slip into the trance like state.” I followed her instructions and I slipped down. “Now say ‘Great Goddesses of Wisdom and Time’. Open the gate of Past to me. As you will so mote it be’!”

I repeated the words and as I said

them, I found myself looking at some memory of my childhood. Then I would be pulled back from weakness. Each little session made me feel like I was getting the wind sucked out of me, and like my lungs were going to collapse.

“Do the yoga poses.” she would say in between each session. For a while it would work. For hours we did these, and by the end I was so tired my eyelids were starting to close on their own accord, not matter how hard I tried to keep them open.

“It’s getting pretty late honey, so go ahead and call yur ride, but when ya get back, we are going to attempt one more thing.”

I sighed sleepily, and dialed Osiris’s number. He answered immediately

“You okay, babe?” I yawned, and I heard him chuckle.

“I’m ready just about, but you might have to carry me out, I’m so drained.”

“Okay, baby, see you soon.”

I went back to the room and I sat against her couch, crossed my legs, and took a deep breath.

When she came out, she was carrying a huge, sewn together book, but she ended up setting it to the side. “I want you to think about someone, anyone, and after you say the words imagine something happy from their past. Now go.”

I nodded and because I didn’t have the strength to say the words out loud, I just said them in my head. I tipped my head back, and I sighed so deep, I didn’t just slip into the trance I fell. I landed in a bunch of boxes, in what looked like an attic. It didn’t hurt, so much as it was just uncomfortable. I climbed out and down a set of stairs. It was warm in the house, and it smelled like gingerbread. I found myself in a kitchen, observing some family baking cookies. There was a little boy, with curly brown hair and bright green eyes, a man who looked like an older version of him, and a woman, who was small, but sweet. Two elderly people were sitting in front of the fire, reading a book to the young boy.

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” the young boy said, and they all laughed, staring down at him in love. This was Osiris’s last Christmas with his grandparents, and it made me smile. The smell of cooking gingerbread men and coffee kept me there, until I was being pulled out by my weakness. I came out of the vision with a smile on my face, however I could barely keep my consciousness.

“You still awake?” I heard her ask, but I could barely respond. I felt strong hands guide me out the door. I wanted to thank her and say goodnight, but I hadn’t even the slightest idea of how with my drained state.

I didn’t even remember hitting the pillow.

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