Hiatus: Scene 1

Issue 5: Hiatus

The rest of the weekend passes by quickly for Venessa. Monday arrives in the blink of an eye. Venessa gets ready for school. After eating breakfast, she and Avonari begin heading out the door.

Cory: Wait!

Avonari turns around: What is it?

Cory: There’s been a spike in Hostility activity.

Annelise turns from cleaning up the table: Already?

Cory nods: I’ve decided that it would be safer if I took some of you to school in the car.

Venessa: We’ll be fine walking there. We have powers, too, you know. I could just make them explode.

Cory: No one is making anyone explode. Now, get in, or you’ll be late for school.

Venessa and Avonari sigh and step into Cory’s car.

Avonari: So…is this spike large or small? I assume there’ve been spikes in enemy activity before, but you haven’t told us about any until now.

Cory: It’s a pretty big spike, and only two days after the Commander attacks one of their most powerful associates, it’s a bold move. They could tick him off even further. That’s definitely something the Hostilities don’t want to do.

Venessa: So, they’re afraid of him?

Cory: Yes, they are, and for good reason.

Avonari: Yeah, Venessa said the Commander destroyed an entire town with his anger.

Cory: And he can do much more than that. Just ask Agent Dortor.

Suddenly, Venessa looks out the window and sees a blur of movement. She can’t tell what it is, though.

Venessa: Did you see that?

Cory nods: Yeah. Roll your windows up.

Venessa and Avonari roll their windows up.

Cory: I need you to tell me the second you see something more.

Avonari: There it is again!

The blur seems to be heading from building to building. No one notices.

Cory: Alright, I’m gonna pull over. We’ll have to wait this out.

Avonari: Wait it out?! Second Law’s out there doing who-knows-what and you just want to wait in the car doing nothing?!

Cory: That’s right.

Venessa: Won’t we be late for school?

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Cory: Being late to school is better than being dead.

Venessa: That’s fair.

Cory: Wait here.

Cory exits the car and runs through the door into one of the buildings.

Avonari: What’s happening?!

Venessa: I’m gonna go find out.

Venessa exits the car.

Avonari: What?! You’re crazy!

Avonari leaves the car and follows Venessa. When they enter the building where Cory had been, they find that everything’s normal. It’s like any normal fast-food restaurant. Nothing seems to be amiss. Venessa feels a chill on the back of her neck. She shivers.

Avonari: Well, I guess we can head back.

The buildings down the street begin to explode one by one, each getting closer to the fast-food restaurant. The customers scream. Avonari rushes out of the building with the rest of the people.

Avonari: Venessa! Venessa?!

Venessa is still in the restaurant and is trying to locate the bomb. She heads through the ‘employees only’ door and finds a blinking red box on the fridge.

Venessa:(to herself) How’d no one notice this?

She takes the bomb off of the fridge door and tries to crumple and break it with her mind. She can’t.

Venessa: What the heck?!

She tries to crumple it again but fails. The red light begins blinking faster.

Venessa drops the bomb and runs out of the ‘employees only’ room and into the dining area just before it explodes. She ducks and covers as the explosion rattles behind her. The ceiling begins to crumble. Just then, someone grabs Venessa’s arm and pulls her out of the way. She runs out of the restaurant. When she looks back, she sees someone dematerialize and disappear. A woman.

Avonari: Are you alright?

Venessa nods: Yeah, I’m fine.

Avonari: Who was that?

Venessa: What?

Avonari: The Keeper back there. Who was she?

Venessa: You saw her, too?

Avonari nods.

Cory rushes over to the both of them. His Keeper uniform has camouflaged itself into a normal outfit.

Cory: Get in the car. Both of you.

They obey.

Cory: You could’ve gotten yourselves killed! You can’t rush into danger like that in your first few weeks of being Keepers-in-training! Let alone four days!*he glares at Venessa*

Avonari: In my defense, I was only trying to stop Venessa from rushing into the restaurant.

Cory sighs: I know you were just trying to look after her, but I told you both to wait in the car and you disobeyed me! Why couldn’t you just wait in the car?!

Venessa: I…I just wanted to know what was happening.

Cory: And did you find out?!

Venessa: Not the whole thing, no…

Cory sighs: A Hostility planted bombs in every building on the street. I didn’t get to disable them all in time. Is that good enough for you?

Venessa: Who’s the woman?

Cory: What woman?

Venessa: The one who saved me.

Cory: There are many girl Keepers. How am I supposed to know which one she was?

Venessa: Well,...I don’t know. You’re the Sea Sector Coordinator, aren’t you?

Cory: Was the woman wearing blue?

Venessa: I don’t know.

Cory sighs: Do you remember anything about her appearance?

Venessa: I…I mean, it happened so fast…

Cory: I can’t tell you who she is without a description. Now, promise me you won’t ever rush into danger like that ever again.

Venessa: But…

Cory gives her a look.

Venessa: Fine.

Cory: You know what they say about curiosity. *he checks the projected clock on the dashboard* I think we can still make it to school on time.

They drive to the high school.

Avonari: Wait, what do they say about curiosity?!