The Gifted and the Talented by Haley Jade (i can read with my eyes shut .txt) 📖

My name is Halley and I am not like most people. I have powers that allow me to do amazing things. You remember those times as a child when you thought about flying or turning invisible? So did I but I actully had superpowers. As I got older, the more powers I had and the stronger they were. Then came the markings. For every new power I had, I got a tattoo like mark somewhere on my body. I would tell you how many I have but i have lost count.

For all my life, I lived with my mother and my twin sister, Harley. Harley was my built in best friend. We were identical twins. Because we shared the same DNA, we got the same powers. More or less. Our mother taught us everything from how to defend ourselves to how to make a flower blossom. We lived in a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. One day I asked my mother why we lived out there and she said it was because bad people were trying to find us. Hence the reason I was making this shitty ass journey. 

Lets just say that the bad men came and I had to leave. The last I saw of Mom and Harley, they were being dragged through the front door while I hid in the bushes. They were dead and I  ran.

Right now I'm outside of L.A. hiding in some rich guy’s trees. Not my proudest moment but I needed a place to change. After I laced up my black high-top Converse, I swung out of the tree as graceful as can be and headed into the city to find some food.

I was walking down an alley when I stumbled upon a crate of slightly out of date chips that made my belly rumble. I looked around, opened my backpack, and shoved as many as i could into it. Something grabbed my shoulder, yanked me around, and pinned me to the wall by my throat. I saw it was a young man maybe in his 20s. He was surrounded by at least a half a dozen others.

“What do you think you’re doing little lady,” the man asked with a smirk on his face,”Better not be stealing my chips.”

I knew better not to answer him. Instead i focused all my energy into my hand holding his wrist. I felt it heating up and soon heard him scream. I held on for dear life as he begged me to let go. I finally let go then lunged over his shoulder. Someone grabbed my waist and i through an elbow into the nearest face. I kept throwing punches and swiping at them with my heated hands. Soon they were all lying on the ground moaning in a haze of pain and confusion.

I looked down the alley and saw a man standing there. I recognized him. We didn't get many visitors at our little cottage and it helped that i had a good memory.

“Halley? Is that you?”

I was about to run but the look in his eyes told me to stay still. And the alley was a dead end.

“Halley your mother contacted me just before she was killed. I’m here to take you to a safe place. Please just come. Everything will be explained. I know what you can do and there are others like you,” the man kept a calm look on his face the entire time he was talking.

“I know you,” it wasn't a question. “Yes you do. Please just come with me.”

I grabbed my bag and told him the lead the way.

“My name is Mychal Stevens. I'm taking you to a place called the Institution for the Gifted and the Talented,” Mychal said. “Institution as in the nuthouse?” I asked nervously. “Oh no, my dear! It is where others like you learn to use their gifts,” Mychal said laughing.

I turned towards the window and quickly fell asleep

I woke up to Mychal shaking me awake. I instantly recoil and press into the corner. Mychal is talking to me but all I can hear are my mother’s and Harley’s screams. I saw him walk away and I scrambled to get out. We walked up a paved driveway like them to a large gate with a 12 foot privacy hedge on either side. He walked other to a panel and punched in some kind of code and the gates opened.

Before I had taken 2 steps I heard a shout and looked up. There was an arrow flying straight toward me. I simply held my hand out and caught it. The kid came running but stopped short.

“How did you do that?” the kid asks, surprised to see me holding the arrow. I just shrug. I could already feel myself withdrawing. I handed him the arrow and walked away. I hated showing the side effects of my powers much less my powers. I could get out of control very quickly. I followed closely behind Mychal to wherever we were going.

A man walked toward us and stuck his hand out to me. People all stopped and stared at us as he introduced himself. “Dan Anderson, dean of IGT.” He was all smiles and I instantly hated him.

“She doesn’t talk much.” Mychal explained. Dan lowered his hand and started towards the huge building in front of me.

“Halley, we will start with your evaluation then you can start training next week. Sound good?” there he went with all that smiling. Why do people smile so much? It is so overrated. “In the courtyard you will show us you ability.”

“Abilities,” I said. “What?” “I have more than one dipshit.” after that i just shut my mouth and walked toward the courtyard. I stood in the middle while Dan explained that all i had to do was show my abilities. “Why must I do this? And why are all these people here?” I asked. “You are doing this so we can figure out how your training will go. And the people are here because they are allowed to watch.” Dan said. “If I’m going to do this I need my bag.”

“Start when you are ready.” Dan said.

I grabbed my bag and dug out my rattan stick, my knives, and my swords. You might be wondering why I carry around sharp objects. For one, self defense. And for two, my mother taught me kali with these and she had all of it special made for me. The swords, Spirit and Courage, were long silver blades with Roman numerals running down each of the centers. The hilts were engraved with the words Spirit and Courage. I set them down and grabbed the rattan stick. I got into ready position and started. I heard oohs and ahhs so I through in a little fire. It danced everywhere and I willed it not to burn the stick. I stopped the fire and added ice. Wherever I stepped, ice formed along the ground. Quickly, without any hesitation, I dropped the rattan stick and grabbed the knives and spun. I stabbed a tree and it froze. I pulled it out, did a back handspring, and grabbed the swords.

I instantly felt the change. Every time I touched the blades I felt like I was invincible. I spun them around and around my body, gathering the wind and strength. I slammed the blades into the ground and forced the wind outward with all of my might. It gathered the snow and ice that had formed, blowing it toward the crowd. Before it reached them, I forced it up ad over their heads. Before they could a word I kept going. About half an hour later I sat on the ground and cleaned my blades

“You are different than anyone hear, my dear.”

“Call me dear again and I will shove my rattan stick up where the sun don’t shine. And yes I am different from everyone else. Found that one out pretty fast didn’t you?” I sneered at him while I said all of this. But instead of answering me, he turned and yelled for someone named Alex. “Halley, many Gifteds only have one power sometimes two or three powers. You have so much more. So does Alex. We call you the G7Ws.”

Text: me
Editing: me
Publication Date: 12-27-2017

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