Chapter 2
Sara
By the end of the day I found out that Austin was my age, thank-goodness. Justin and Jen were both Brittany’s age. We all sat at the kitchen counter talking. Just about anything! I listened and every once in a while I actually talked. Then sorrow was washing over me. The three of them were all getting ready to leave! “Wait no!” I was almost yelling. “Come stay!” I was saying. “I’m sorry…we can’t just say…” Justin began but Brittany interrupted him. “We have plenty of rooms…” Brittany insisted. “What my friend means is we don’t want to intrude.” Jen said smiling slightly. “Really…we have two open rooms…it’s no problem.” I was really hoping our new “friends” wouldn’t leave. “We really shouldn’t stay…” Austin said frowning at me. My heart was sinking, really low. “Why not you have no place to stay!” Brittany said walking and shutting the front door before they could get out. “Please we already caused you enough trouble!” Austin said as he motioned fro Brittany to move. She slowly moved and Justin lifted his hand. The door slowly flew open and they stepped out. It was now starting to rain…thundering down on us. “Please you don’t have to go!” I yelled over the thunder. “Now come on let’s go!” I insisted. “No…we have to go.” Jen was turning to leave…when I ran and jumped in front of her. “Before you go…I want to know…how about a quick sparring match?” I asked. “What are you talking about?” Justin asked almost laughing. “I want to see you’re skills and see if you really are that good.” I had a plan. Wear them out and they spend the night…maybe longer if they like it here. “We can’t fight two girls…that’s unfair!” Austin was trying to get out of the fight. “No powers…just a little fun…” I was trying to sound casual. “I’m not sure…”Justin was still thinking. “Simple attacks…unless you’re afraid…” Brittany taunted. “Afraid…me never!” Jen was almost shaking with enthusiasm. “Fine…just simple attacks…nothing deadly!” Jen said. I nodded in agreement. We all went to the tiny clearing behind the house. It was just a small clearing behind the house…trees ending behind the patch of grass. Brittany and I stood on one side and the others stood opposite of us. “Okay just go easy…” Austin told Jen…but mainly looked at Justin. “I know don’t fry their minds…I got it.” He said as he waved his hand in the air. “Ready…set…” Justin got in a crouched position. Jen stood up. Austin raised his fists. I just stood absolutely still. Brittany yelled “GO!” Fast as lightning Austin sprang at me! I flipped out of the way and landed lightly on my feet. Brittany dashed at Jen. WOA! Jen was really light on her feet. She flipped out of the way and threw a kick at Brittany! Brittany rolled out of the way and Jen fell flat onto the ground. Just then out of nowhere Justin jumped out of the shadows! I flipped out of the way but missed my feet and landed on my side. Just then everything was dark! My mind was clouding. The last thing I saw was Justin standing over me…his eyes glowing. “What was happening?” I wondered. I slowly began to slip into unconsciousness. “Don’t worry…it’s just a temporary sleep.” Justin said. I could still hear the thundering around me. And the sound of laughs. I opened my eyes a few seconds later. I looked up. Justin was lying on the ground laughing hysterically. Jen and Brittany took turns attacking each other. Both girls were gasping for air. They both kicked at each other. Their feet met and they both fell to the grass…laughing and coughing. Austin was walking out of the house…with an ice pack to the side of his head. “What happened to you?” I asked. “Well…Brittany punches hard.” Brittany sat up…her face red. “Sorry again.” She said. “No problem…I’ve felt worse.” He said. Brittany stood up. I helped Justin up and Brittany helped Jen up. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay?” I asked. Jen frowned. “We really shouldn’t…” Austin said. “Why not?” I asked. “Well…maybe…for a day or too…okay?” Justin asked. “Sure…you’re welcome to stay.” Brittany said. “Well…thank you.” Jen said smiling large. “Come on…let’s go…find you’re rooms.” I led the others inside. We all were soaked to the skin. I glared at Austin. His blond hair was dripping, covering his icy blue eyes. I smiled at him. Brittany led everyone upstairs. “Sorry…someone will have to share a room.” She apologized. “Jen…you can stay in my room…we have an extra bed set in my room.” I spoke out. It was true. I had the biggest room in the house. “Okay…if you say so.” I led Jen down to my room. I could still hear Brittany talking to the boys. “This is my room…” I opened my door. I had pink painted walls and a pretty good sized closet. I had a smaller sized bed across from me. This used to be Brittany’s room. We had the extra bed in case we ever fell asleep in here. “That’s you’re bed.” I said pointing. “Cool…thanks…” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “So…I see you seem to like my brother…” Jen said as she stood back up. “What?” I asked feeling my face turn red. “Come on…you were drooling over you’re self when he ran up, downtown.” I frowned. She was totally right. “Don’t point out the obvious.” I said as I dried my blond hair with a towel. She laughed. I rolled my eyes. “So…are you all really family?” I asked. “No…just like family though.” Jen replied. “What about you?” she asked me. “Brittany is practically my sister but she isn’t.” Jen smiled at me. She sure loved to smile. “You’re lucky…you have a caring family.” She said. “Actually I don’t…have family…” I said, sorrow filling me up. “Oh…I’m sorry…I know how you feel.” She said. I looked up at her. “You don’t have family either…” I said. “It’s sad at times but I have Justin and Austin to help…its nice having some one care about you.” She said. I had to agree. We sat in awkward silence for a moment. “Well…I guess good night.” Jen said as she leaned back on her bed. “What you don’t have much for a change of clothes?” I asked. “Well…not really…actually we HAD stuff but those robots chased us away from our “Home” She said resting her head on a pillow. What could I do to help? I thought hard for a moment. What could I do to help them?



Chapter 3
Brittany
I sat at the dining room table, with a warm steaming hot chocolate in front of me. “So this is you’re house, huh?” I jumped a tad, some hot chocolate dripping onto the table. I turned around in my chair. Justin was there leaning against the wall. “Oh…yeah this is my modest home…I guess.” I said as I walked over to the sink and grabbed a paper towel. “Sorry for scaring you.” He said walking over to me. “I don’t get scared…well easily.” I said muttering to myself. “You know I’m a telepath, I can hear all of you’re thoughts.” He said. I could feel him standing in the doorway. “So…you live here with Sara and no one else, correct?” he asked. “Yeah…pretty much.” I wiped up the hot chocolate and tossed the towel in the trash. “So how are you?” I asked…trying not to make eye contact. Secretly I was some what terrified out but at the same time, curious. I hope he didn’t just read my mind. “Well…I guess I’m good…going out for a nice flight.” I froze. Since when could he fly? “I heard that…I can use telekinesis so I can fly and make others fly as well. Jen can make a shield appear under her and that can cause her to glide for a while as long as she concentrates…Austin…is the ground set person.” The he stopped for a moment. “You’re…curious but also…a little terrified.” I wish he would quit reading my thoughts. I invite him into my house and he reads all my thoughts! “I heard that too…look I can’t choose what to listen too…it’s like you’re mind is yelling it’s thoughts at me…it’s odd.” He said. He turned to the doorway and I could hear the back door open. “Guess I’ll see you later…” I had the urge to run and ask him a bunch of questions…but I decided not to…that would be creepy. “Want to come along?” He asked. I turned around. A flight…with another boy? I wish my heart would stop thudding so loud! “UUHH…no thanks…you go ahead.” Justin smiled. “Are you sure you don’t want to?” He asked again sincerely. I sighed. There is no fooling a telepath…I should have realized that about an hour ago, so he didn’t all the things I was thinking. I nodded and I slowly walked towards him. He stepped outside and I followed. He rose into the air and I watched in amazement. “You’re turn.” Instantly I began to feel weightless and soon I was flying! Yes flying! Justin took off slowly and I was right behind him. “This is great!” I yelled. “Yeah it sure beats walking, huh?” He asked with a grin. We flew for a while. The moon was just right. Then the thought hit me! I was alone…with another guy! EEK! I tried to push those thoughts away but they came back every time I glared at him. I tied to start off a conversation. “So…is it fun being a telepath?” I asked. “I guess…” He said shrugging. “I mean reading girl’s minds…” I hope he realized I was just joking with him. “It does have some perks.” He said. I looked down. I had to say even though I wasn’t a fan of flying it was pretty nice.















Chapter 4
Austin
“NNNOO!” I groaned feeling sick to my stomach. We were at the place of total pain forever. THE MALL! “Why do we have to go here?” I asked glaring at all of the people walking around. “Because you guys need a new wardrobe!” Brittany said smiling her blond hair in a ponytail. Jen had a red cap on that read “Tough girls play baseball.” Justin had his hair smoothed back. My short blond hair was as usual. Messy. “Please can we just leave?” I begged almost falling to my knees. “No…you need something a little better than what you have.” Sara said as she brushed her short blond hair behind her ears. “Now come on!” Justin pulled out eighty bucks. “Austin…Jen we have eighty dollars…buy something nice” He handed me a small roll of green paper. “Let’s meet back here!” Sara said. “Yeah at lunch but where?” Jen asked. I looked around. TACO BELL. DAIRY QUEEN. McDonalds. Nothing sounded really good. “Cool…we’ll meet up then.” We all split up. I looked behind me. Jen and Sara were walking into one of the shops. Justin was going to the INTERNET CAFÉ. I guess I had to roam along by myself. I walked into one of the random shops. I scanned the shelves, racks and hangers. Not only was there nothing I liked…nothing fit me! I looked down. Well…I was pretty lanky… I walked out of the shop and walked down to another. A couple passed me holding hands. I rolled my eyes and kept walking. I came to another menus store and entered. They had rows of pants and different colored shirts. I scanned the racks. I chose a pair of black jeans and a black shirt with white stripes. I paid for the clothes and dashed out of the store as fast as I could. Maybe I could find the others. I walked towards the shops. I wondered where everyone was. Just then a shrill scream broke out from behind me! I turned around. A little girl was on her hands and knees crying because she had tripped over her shoelace. Her mother was shushing her…the girl slowly stopped crying. I smiled as the mother kissed the girl on the forehead. I turned around and kept walking. I saw Sara looking at a fluffy pink skirt. Jen wasn’t with her and I was starting to wonder where she was. I waved to Sara and she waved back. She was talking to some tall muscular man in a white long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans. I shook my head and kept walking. Jen was just coming out of another store. “Hey Jen!” She had a green short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans with a blue hat on. Her brown hair was all the way down to her shoulders. “Hey Austin…you look nice.” Jen was always the one for compliments. Before I could say anything else another scream erupted from behind me. Another girl falling or was it the same one? I turned around. That was no girl! A green scaly monster was standing over a bloody person lying on the ground. Then I realized who it was. “Sara!” I yelled. I dashed towards her. Jen dropped three bags of clothes she was holding and followed. People were running and screaming! People were running from shops dropping everything! I ran past all the people. I could see Justin and Brittany running through the crowd too. We all made our way through the crowd. The scaly creature had giant eyes on each side of its head! It had three fingers on each hand and two webbed feet and it was all slimy! “What is it?” Jen asked catching her breath. Sara was lying on the left of the scaly monster. Justin made a quick dash for Sara but was hit in the chest! He flew and smashed into the food court rolling off the top of a counter. “Justin!” Brittany yelled. Jen raised her hand and a blast of energy was quickly hurled at the monster. It glared at her…growling menacingly. She backed up. “You asked for it!” Brittany raised her hand a blast of fire smashed the creature. It howled and smacked her away with the back of it’s, well what I thought was its wrist. I charged at the creature and slammed it hard in the chest. It smashed into a pillar and fell to the floor. Justin was just making his way toward Sara when I was smacked on the side of the head and I slid across the floor. Justin was trying to heal Sara and Jen was putting a protective shield around them and fight the monster at the same time! “Hang in there Jen!” I ran after her. I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way so the creature didn’t crush her. I pounded the monster in the chest again and it let out a horrible shriek! I covered my ears and I jumped back avoiding a blow. “How does a person beat this thing?” I asked aloud. “I can try and read its mind!” Justin jumped in front of me and raised his hands to his temples. His eyes began to glow. The creature stood still for a moment. Just then there was a weird high frequency. KABOOM! The whole creature exploded! Literally! Green slime splashed over me and my friends. Justin smacked to the ground. Sara and Jen were covered in green slime. Brittany was standing still totally grossed out. “EEWW!” Jen said as she stood. “I think I’m going to be sick!” Justin said. I glared at the floor where the creature had been standing. A small white piece of paper was on the floor. I walked over and picked up the paper. It read:
Slime clone 3478
Expiration date:
2/20/09
That was today! A monster with an expiration date. Weird and gross. I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. “Sara you okay?” Justin asked. She slowly stood up with help from Brittany. She was really, really pale! “I…guess…” She was sounding very weak and tired. “Guys look at this!” I flashed the label at Brittany. She walked over and looked at the tag. Justin read over her shoulder. “That’s weird…who could have made a clone?” Brittany asked. “Why have it attack us?” Jen asked. “Maybe it was a test…to see if a clone can really fight as well as us.” Jen said. “Who could have sent that?” I asked. “Simple…” Justin caught in. “Whoever sent the robots after you guys downtown, yesterday.” He said. That was a very good point. “Now can we leave?” I asked. “Yes…let’s go before the police show up.” We all walked to the nearest door. I looked behind us and saw three guys in black suits watch us leave. Who were they?

Chapter 5
Jen
After I took a shower I immediately felt better. What was that green, icky-stuff? I actually didn’t want an answer to that. I walked into the bathroom and brushed my wet, soggy brown hair. After I combed my hair I walked to my room. Sara was asleep in her bed. “Get some rest, you need it.” I walked down the stairs. Justin was reading a book and Austin was watching TV with Brittany. Then I remembered. We were supposed to leave today. I frowned at the thought. “Well…” I broke the silence. “I guess I’ll go get ready to leave.” I said as I turned away. “What do you mean?” Brittany asked. “We have caused you too much problems…we should go.” I said. “No…don’t go…it’s fine…you can stay as long as you like.” I stared at her. “Seriously?” I asked. “Sara and I want you guys to stay…with us.” Brittany said. My heart skipped a beat. “Really…seriously?” I asked. “Yes…we want you guys here.” Brittany said. Justin finally put down his book. “Well…we really shouldn’t.” Brittany glared at him. “Come on…why not stay?” I had to admit it was nice here. And it was nice to sleep in the same bed every night. “What do think Austin?” Justin asked. Austin looked up at me. “We all should stay together…someone is after us…we need to stay together!” Austin was right on the money. Someone was after us and it would be dangerous to split up now. “If it’s not too much trouble.” I said cautiously. “It’s fine.” Brittany assured me. I hoped no one saw the tears running down my face. I’m usually not that emotional…but now I really did have a family. I was happy for a long period…the first time in my life. I just stood there, like an idiot and smiled widely at everyone. “I say we all go for a nice night out…What do you think?” Brittany asked as she rose to her feet. I nodded in agreement. After our little mall incident we needed to celebrate…our survival. “Where do we want to go?” Justin asked. I thought hard for a moment. “Why not the BLUE CORAL?” Brittany asked. “What’s that?” Justin asked. I knew what it was. It was like a nightclub…or dance party. “It’s like a night club.” I explained. “Oh…let’s go!” Justin said smiling. “No thanks I’m going to bed.” Austin said as he got up and left the room. I could hear his feet walking up the staircase. “What do you want to do…fly?” Justin asked as he gestured to the door. “We can take my car…meet me in the garage in fifteen minutes.” Brittany said as she pointed down the hall to a small white door. “Okay…” I got up and went to my room. I quickly changed into a bright red jacket and blue jeans. I walked out and sat in the living room. I picked up the book Justin had left when he went upstairs. I read the cover:
The Gateway to MAGIC
I shrugged and dropped the book on the table next to me. I looked back up and Justin was walking down. He wore a blue button down shirt and black pants. Brittany was wearing a yellow short-sleeved shirt and blue pants. “Let’s go!” She cheered. We all made our way to the car. It was a blue van. “OOH…I’ll drive!” Justin jumped in the driver’s seat and Brittany jumped in the passenger. I jumped in the back seat. Justin carefully drove the car out of the garage and soon we were zooming down the street. “Wow…nice ride!” He said smiling. I leaned back in the seat. Brittany opened the window and her long blond hair blew in the wind.