Dear Diary, things have gotten… strange since I last wrote. I’ll start at the beginning of when I began to realize the strangeness. It was after lunch one day, and I was in the art room, waiting for the other girls to get there and for class to begin. I don’t know why I was so early except I had this weird feeling something was about to happen.
Doris and Gwen were the next to arrive. They were whispering to each other, heads close together, like girls will do when they have a secret. As for me, I wasn’t in the least interested in what was going on with them. Until they called me over to join them.
All of a sudden, my focus on Doris was like a laser beam, and I knew she was pregnant. How did I know that, though? How could I? She looked like she normally did. It wasn’t as if she was showing or anything.
Sometimes I wish I could just be quiet, but there I was, suddenly fixated on her, and blurting out everything in my head. “You’re pregnant, and your parents are making you marry Steve. You’re so scared, but everything will be all right.”
The other girls’ eyes grew large. They glanced at each other before Gwen glared at me.
“How could you know any of that?” Then, her eyes narrowed at me. “It’s that stupid Tilly! She was trying to blackmail poor Doris, but I persuaded her to tell her parents. But you couldn’t know any of that unless Tilly told you.”
“I swear she didn’t,” I stammered, my cheeks flaming crimson. What had come over me that I would just burst out like I had?
Doris shook her head so fast, I thought it might fall off her shoulders. “No, Gwen. Tilly never followed me into town, she only saw me sneaking out. She has no idea that his name is Steve. Not unless you told Gigi.”
Gwen’s chin jutted upward, and she grasped Doris’s arm. “I swear, I haven’t talked to anybody! You know I wouldn’t!”
“She didn’t,” I affirmed, my head spinning. How had I known the boy’s name?
Doris stared at me now. “You said everything will be all right. How do you know?”
I shrugged, a chill going down my back, making the hairs at my nape stand up. “I don’t know. But it’s true. You’re unhappy now, but you won’t always be.”
“What else do you see, Gigi?” she asked, taking my hand and squeezing it so hard I winced.
“I- I believe your next child, not this one, will one day be leader of the Free World. This child will follow in Steve’s footsteps at his father’s company. Try not to be unhappy or frightened any longer. Write down your experiences because they will help other girls some day who are feeling alone and find themselves in similar circumstances.”
I haven’t any idea where any of that came from. Even though I begged them not to tell anyone what happened, I noticed all the girls at the school watching me and treating me differently. Some gave me a wide girth in the hallways, as if they were afraid I might touch them. Others looked away quickly when I met their gaze. I sensed they had questions. But then, so did I.
Later in the day, Tilly pulled me aside. I suppose she wasn’t scared of anything, let alone me.
“I just knew you were special, Gigi!”
Shrugging my shoulders, I felt the familiar warmth in my cheeks. “Listen, I don’t know what happened. There is nothing special about me.”
“You’re kidding right? I heard all about how you knew the boy’s name! You told Doris’s fortune! What’s mine? Do me!”
My spine stiffened, and I regarded her with cold eyes. “I’m not some kind of parlor game, Tilly. It was all a fluke.”
“A fluke? I don’t think so. I’ve known you were different ever since I met you.”
“Than you know more than me.”
“C’mon, fill me in!”
Gritting my teeth, I practically growled at her. “I was lying! I only wanted Doris to feel better.”
She shook her head. “No, you knew the boy’s name.”
How had I known Steve’s name?
“I-I heard them whispering. I overheard it.” My voice was firm as I told her to leave me alone, then hurried to my next class.
Two periods later, I was face to face with Tilly again. Today, Miss Regan was having us work on our logic skills. That meant lots of chess matches in which she chose our opponents. I was playing Patti, Tilly was next to us, playing Meredith.
I wasn’t much of a chess player. Patti was the smartest girl in class, so it was pointless playing her as she hardly ever lost.
“I can’t remember which way the Knight moves,” Meredith complained.
“Two up and one over, or one up and two over, in any direction,” Patti said. “He’s L-shaped which might help you remember that.”
“I highly doubt it,” Meredith said.
“For pete’s sake, Meredith, you’re not even trying,” Tilly said.
She kept looking at me like she expected me to grow another head or something.
“What?” I demanded, my gaze locking with hers.
She quickly looked away, back to her game, mumbling, “Nothing.
“Have you decided what you’re doing after you graduate?” Meredith asked Patti, who was the oldest of us and leaving school in just a few weeks.
Patti hesitated, then shook her head no. “I’m not sure.”
Before I checked myself, I blurted, “Becoming a nun is nothing to be ashamed of.”
What the hell? It was like my mouth had a leak and I had no idea what would come out of it.
Patti’s jaw dropped, her face pale. “There’s no way you could know that. I’ve only talked to a few of the staff and Sister Joan.”
It was like I couldn’t stop myself no matter how hard I tried. “I know you’re worried what your parents will say, but honestly, they just want you to be happy and settle down a bit.”
All three girls stared at me like I had jolted them with electricity. For a long moment, no one moved until I abruptly excused myself from the chess table and ran behind one of the shelving units in the library.
Of course, Tilly followed me. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me behind a different shelf.
“What?” I challenged.
“Shh,” she said, putting her index finger to her lips, “Father Burnside is putting books away in the next aisle.”
“What do you want?” I asked, as if I didn’t already know.
“I knew you were lying to me,” she hissed. “I just want the truth.”
My heart was beating a million miles a minute, pounding against my rib cage like an out of control drum. “I don’t know what the truth is.”
Tilly sighed loudly and folded her arms across her chest. “I will do anything for you, Gigi. I want to be your friend.”
I pointed my index finger at her and said, “If that’s true, the first thing you will do is stop blackmailing people. Your life will take a horrible turn if you don’t stop.”
Her eyes were enormous, like saucers, and she bit her lower lip before saying, “I knew you’d read me. What horrible turn?”
I tried to answer her, but it was as if I was swept miles and miles away to a dark abyss. I shivered in the cold murkiness, with nothing but black and damp cold around me.
“The consequences will be severe,” I heard myself say as I tried to will myself out of this place.
“Gigi!”
The voice was an echo from far away. All at once, I realized I was lying on my back on the floor, with Tilly shaking my shoulders.
“You passed out cold! Are you okay?”
I nodded as I grasped her arm to pull myself into a sitting position.
“I think I need to lie down.”
Tilly nodded, helping me to stand. “I’ll tell Sister Joan you aren’t feeling well.”
“Thank you,” I mumbled.
My legs were shaky as I made my way to the room I shared with Meredith. I prayed she wouldn’t be there when I arrived. I wanted to be alone.
Thankfully, I was alone.
I pressed the palms of my hands together as if praying. What was happening to me? Whatever it was, I didn’t want it! Why couldn’t I just be normal?
“Please, please, just be normal,” I invoked to whoever was listening and could help me. Trouble was, I felt more alone than ever. My limbs were a jumbled, shaking mess, so I pushed my hands together even harder, as if that would steady me.
“What is happening to me?”
Then, the warm light appeared, seeming to envelop me like a cozy blanket.
Before my eyes, as if he was in the room with me, appeared Laris Bloodgood. The pleasant glow of the light intensified until it was a beam upon his head that he wore like a crown.
“Do not be afraid,” he said, his voice echoing in my head. “You are so special, Gigi. There is nothing to fear if you let your powers shine.”
Let my powers shine?
“What do you mean? What are you talking about?”
“I have been searching for you for a millennia, and at last, here you are. Your family line is important, but the powers seemed to die out. It was your Great Trauma that ignited who you truly are. You are more powerful than anyone in your family has ever been.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know it is difficult, but all will be clear as time goes on. You must embrace who you are.”
“H-how do I do that?”
“Open yourself to your power. It will not hurt you, but will make you wise, I promise.”
“How do you know this?”
He smiled, then, his strange eyes misty with unshed tears. “Because, Gigi, we are the only two of our kind.”
I fell to my knees, his words both alarming and comforting me.
It was then I realized the light I’d found so fascinating and warm was upon my own head like a crown.
A special thanks goes to Bee (Poses by Bee, Stories by Bee) for the poses in Gigi’s last two pictures. You can find them here: Family Fighting Updated, and First Day of School.
Ohhh wowza! Gigi has an awesomely magical power, but she desperately needs to learn how to control it. Just blurting things out like that cold land her up in a lot of trouble, not to mention the danger it could put her in. There are sickos out there who would just LOVE to get their hands on her and use her for nefarious purposes.
As to Laris – I know how all this plays out since I’m caught up. But reading this the first time, I had mixed emotions. He’s holding a lot back from her and is going on flattery to try to entice her into…something. What he needs to do if he’s on the up-and-up is TEACH her how to use her powers, not play parlor tricks with crowns made oi light and whatnot. You know who Gigi REALLY needs to help her harness her powers is Lenora and/or Aurora. 🙂
Uh…that’s nice, Laris. Seriously, tho, Gigi needs to run.
Gigi isn’t getting your message. I’m afraid with no family around, she has checked out.
I think she’ll need to learn how to control her ability and not immediately blurt out the fortunes to everyone. It can be dangerous when more people than just teenage girls realize she can do that.
Oh my goodness, you are so right about that. Hopefully, she will learn not to blurt everything out like that.
Oh, this is so exciting! I do hope she can get that blurting out her visions under control though… it’s a gift that is likely to get her some unwanted attention.
Thank you, Nya. Oh my goodness, right? She definitely needs to get that under control. lol Unwanted attention is not what she needs, that’s for sure.
You’re welcome.
Thank you, very much.
Wow, that ending was so cool, Kymber. What a great scene. Now I want to know what happens next. 🙂 Happy Writing!
Thank you so much. It’s so sweet of you to stop by and to write such an encouraging comment. xo I hope you have a lovely weekend.
🙂
I am still amazed at the work that you do; amazing! simply amazing!
Thank you so much. That is very kind. 🙂
You are very welcome.
I could see it coming!
Thank you so much! That’s cool! 😀
Oh my goodness, I’m hooked! 💚
Awesome! Thank you, Ami! xo
OOHHH wow …
Thank you, Lisa. 🙂
Oooh! She’s a seer or something. Interesting!
Thank you, Jess! Something is right! lol 😀
While it’s fun at first sight, I think Gigi should do her best to control her gift somehow. Because I believe there are all kinds of people out there who would just love to exploit it.
Thank you so much, maladi. You’re definitely right about that. She needs to be careful, for sure. Hopefully Gigi is a quick student of her new-found abilities.
My first reaction is, how fun would that be! But then, I realize it comes with a cost. Great story. Can’t wait for more.
Thank you so much, Jacqui. I thought the same thing at first, but you are right, that it comes at a cost.
Oooo this is soooo good! I do feel bad for Doris though, what a horrible predicament she’s in at such an age. But Gigi, she is certainly special. How amazing would it be to know things like this, to ‘read’ others in a way nobody else can? Amazing. Such a good idea, Kymber! This post also made me wish they made us play chess in school. That would have been far better than trigonometry in math class. xx
Thank you so much, Caz. I think it would be amazing, too, to know things like that. I’m so glad you like the idea I’ve had about the story. Wouldn’t chess have been much more fun? 😀 xo
She’s some sort of a psychic! This is fascinating. Also, Tilly should heed her words. Blackmailing never ends well for the blackmailer.
I still don’t trust Laris.
Thank you, Violincat. You’re right! She is some sort of psychic, but is that the extent of her abilities? More on that in the near future. You are also so right about Tilly. She needs to turn herself around, especially now that she’s been warned. I wouldn’t take that lightly either. As for Laris, I can totally understand you not trusting him.
I think this looks like a lot of work. You definitely make a good job of it!
Thank you so much, Jon. I really appreciate your comment. 🙂
Oh wow, this is definitely taking a turn. I’m so excited to find out the extent of Gigi’s powers and where they come from. This is such a cool storyline and very unexpected! Awesome chapter, Kym. 🙂
Thank you so much, Louise. I’m so excited that you’re excited! Gigi’s abilities will become clearer as we move on. I can’t wait till you see!
So I jumped in in the middle of things, but just wanted to say I found this really interesting!
Thank you so much! So glad to have you here. 🙂
Confusing times for Gigi. I think her mom knew of her powers and wanted to protect her.
Thank you, Jacquie. Confusing times indeed. You just might be right about Gigi’s mom and what she knows.
I knew it!!
Thank you, Jo! It’s on now! lol
Oh my … she can see most definitely see the future. But is that the only thing she’s going to be able to do. Somehow I think it’s going to be more. Much more. And just who is this Laris Bloodgood who’s been searching for her for a millennia yet looks like a teenager? So not an angel I don’t think, but definitely some sort of supernatural being. Fairy? It doesn’t really fit either. Hmmmm. So many questions. I wonder if she’ll ever reunite in some way with her father?
Thank you, Audrey. That’s a good question about what Gigi’s abilities will be. And that’s another good question about Laris Bloodgood. He is definitely a supernatural being. All will be explained. 😀 Ah! Another good question about whether she will reunite with her dad. 😀 I like how you think, Audrey.