Serena Blacksmith's Story

I awoke groggily to the yelling of my friend Serena. I clutched a pillow at wrapped it around my ears to somewhat mute her. It was silent and I looked up to the loft and she wasn't there. But I heard the shower turn on so I assumed she must've been saying something about the shower while I was muting her. I sighed as I sat up. I'd fell asleep on the couch last night and my neck hurt now... I'd had a vision last night in my dreams... And not a good one.... I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and sighed. I didn't want to remember the dream so I better keep myself busy... This power was like a burden... Each night i'd have a dream. Good or Bad. Vivid or Blurry. Last night's dream was bad... And very.. Vivid.

I stood up and crossed over to my bedroom which was right beside the bathroom and across from the kitchen/living room. I walked into my bedroom and quickly glanced in the mirror. I was a mess. My blonde hair was all over the place. It had tangles and I didn't have time for a shower because Serena always took the longest. I had to comb my hair since i had no time for a shower. I winced as I dragged the comb through my hair, wincing and crying as it forced itself through the tangles. Finally I was done and my hair was straight and soft, with no tangles. I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my curling iron and waited for it to heat up so I could curl my hair. Once it was hot enough, I curled it giving me loose curls.

I unplugged the curling iron after and walked over to my dresser. I spent a couple minutes trying to figure out what to wear before i picked a blue long sleeve shirt and some black pants. I always liked a bit of cute so I grabbed a black and white polka dot head band with a bow on it and I put it in my hair. I picked out a pair of boots and I slipped into some boots. I walked over to my desk and grabbed my bag. I walked out of the room and into the kitchen to prepare so breakfast. I glanced at the clock. Had it only been 15 minutes? I looked in the fridge and grabbed some stuff to make so breakfast. It would be a long day. I needed some food.

I walked to the cafeteria. I glanced down at the tablet in my hand, checking the time.
Oh god.
8:45.
I started to run, and I reached the cafeteria. I bump into a girl. I turn around continuing to run,
"Sorry!" I yell (and I mean it)
I reach the cafeteria, and sit and a table by the buffet. I feel my eyes turn color, then I slowly lift a bowl of fruit salad up off the table along with some orange juice. It floats into my hands, and I start to walk back to my dorm for personal study.

A bell sounded. Sanders snapped his book shut. Art class. Sanders didn't need an art class. He only needed his pencils. But still, it was better than any of the other classes the school offered. The classic academics were all boring. He didn't put much effort into those subjects; he expended only the energy needed to pass the class.

Reluctantly, he shelved his book. His pencils had finished with the drawing quite some time ago and lay still beside the notebook. Sanders took some time to admire the work of art. The horses seemed to move on the page. They were shaded as if the evening sun was setting behind them, the rays slinking away beneath the horizon. It was beautiful and Sanders couldn't help but feel a burst of pride in his pencils. They were always doing the most miraculous things.

He carefully closed the notebook and placed it in his messenger bag, along with the pencils. After checking that he had not forgotten anything, he left the library. The art classroom was not too far away, so the walk was not a long one. As he stepped inside, he noticed a few people were already there. Sanders did not care for other people's names, but he recognized some of the faces. One of them, a small boy around his age, was actually in the same dorm as Sanders.

Sanders decided to take a seat next to the other boy. He avoided eye contact with the people in the room and waited impatiently for class to start, fiddling with a loose thread on his sleeve. He couldn't wait for this to be over with so that he could go back to the library and read. That book had been fairly good and Sanders had wanted to finish it in one setting. Obviously, that wasn't going to happen. He would just have to bear with it and push through the useless class like always.

I saw Amelia and another girl coming into the class, and I motioned for them to come over, and I patted the seats on the left and right of me. I leaned over and into my bag and grabbed my art kit. The lights in the room began to dim, and the large screen on the wall lit up. A plain face appeared on the screen, and I recognized her as Megan Morlani, the head teacher and operator of the quarantine.
"Hello, students. Today we will be continuing on your individual art projects, and to our new students, we have many options. We have fashion design, graphic design, and traditional art. Using your tablet, if you double click under art, the projects will come up. These are due in a week from today. All the supplies you need are in the back of the room. Enjoy yourselves." She said.
The screen went dead, and I went to go reclaim my tablet.
I walked to the back of the room. I picked up a sewing kit, some thread, a machine, a pile of some light pink and green floral fabric, and a piece of thick, black fabric elastic.
The machine is too heavy to carry, so I levitate it to the table.
I hear a crash.
Oh god. Oh god. I dropped the machine.
I turned around, and the machine is on a nearby table upside down, a piece broken.
I sigh a bit. And run to the table to check it, and it turns out I only dropped it a few inches.
I seriously need to either stop levitating things, or start paying attention in training.

I rushed down the hall and down a corridor into the art class. Serena patted a seat beside her so I slid into it. I put my bag down on the floor and slid out my tablet. I listened to Mrs. Morlani's instructions and when she was done I tapped on art and tapped on traditional art. The projects appeared and I smiled. I'd have fun with these. Now the visions of the final product were coming. I tried to push them out, probably looking constipated to everybody else for a moment as I fought hard. I closed my eyes and imagined it going away but the thoughts came and I gave up. In my mind i saw the finished product.. I saw all the right moves to get there... And the ones that would lead me to disaster..

I got up and left my stuff at my table and headed to the back. I grabbed the 3 primary color paints and a canvas. I grabbed some materials so I could add texture to my project and I got some brushes and a fold able easel. I set up my stuff by the window and grabbed a pencil and started the basic sketch of my painting. It was pretty easy considering I already knew how to do all of it. It was just a matter of finishing it before the due date.

I plop the partly-broken machine in front of me. I take a needle from the sewing kit and begin to tinker with the machine. It takes me a few tries, but I end up fixing it. I turn to Amelia and smile, and say Hi.
I begin to start prepping the fabric, cutting it into circle shapes perfect for a skirt similar to the one I'm wearing today. I actually made this one, for an earlier fashion project. I start sewing up the edges, then sewing on the belt. I call these skirts speedskirts, because they are very quick and easy to make. I like the style of them. I pull a loose thread off the skirt, then continue to work.

Addie goes to her art class after saying a quic hello to her roommates Jordyn and Hannah. Walking down the hall, she spies the art room and gratefully enters, taking a whiff of the familiar smell of charcoal and paint. Scanning the room, she spies Amelia and Serena seated over in the corner and chuckles when Serena breaks one of the sewing machines trying to levitate it. Oh, that girl...

"Hey, guys," Addie says, taking a seat next to Amelia and grabbing her sketchpad from the usual cubbyhole she hides it in. "How are your projects coming? You have something against sewing, Serena?" Addie giggled and crossed her legs in her seat so she could comfortable sketch. Feeling her friends embarrassment over the broken machine, Addie shook her head jokingly. Amelia's emotions were neutral, but Addie felt her frustration at trying to push away her visions. She put a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze before returning to her sketching, beginning to draw an outline of a boy's face, feeling the need to draw something human for once instead of landscapes.

"Oh, it's going pretty good. Minus my levitating skills. I tried to jump off the loft today and levitate myself down, but I fell on my butt." I laughed. "Oh, it's going pretty good. I actually like sewing a lot when the sewing machine isn't busted."
I continued to sew, and I could see that the skirt was coming together. The size wasn't perfect, the belt was a little crooked, but, it looked good overall and it can be easily fixed. I looked down at my tablet, that read 10:56.

"Guys, I'm going to go get a head start for the library for Personal Study. See you guys at lunch!" I smiled and waved at Amelia and Addie. I started to gather my stuff up, and go and put it back on the back table. I took the machine first, and without dropping it, brought it to the back table. Soon after I put the mass of fabric on top of a small cabinet in the corner of the room. I grabbed my tablet, cord, and bag and started to walk to the library. I started down the hall, pulling out my tablet. I reviewed my schedule once again as I walked, to make sure I wasn't going to the wrong place.

I then entered the library, and went straight to the academic material. I levitated a math textbook off the shelf and onto a nearby table, where I saw a boy was sitting. I didn't see him much, but I recognized him as Jax, one of the guys in Dorm B. I sat down where my math textbook dropped, about 5 seats away from Jax. Jax was shy, and I wanted to make him feel welcome.

"Hi Jax." I said smiling a bit.

I then returned to my textbook, and began to work on bisectors. I took out some grid paper and practiced a few problems, and began to really understand the concept. I then flipped to another page, and tried some more.

Soon Art Class had flown by and I had gotten 1/4 of my project done. I smiled, feeling happy that I didn't waste the lesson. I'd be done in a couple days. I watched as the clock ticked nearer to 10:00. I had about 5 minutes until class was done so I packed up my foldable easel and set it in the back. I grabbed all the materials and tools and put them neatly where they were. I watched as the bell rang and she I Serena disappear into the hall.

I grabbed my tablet and my bag and left the Art room. I had a dorm break for the next hour and I wanted to head back to the Library. It was beautiful and quiet. Just what I needed. I headed down the corridor and back to the Library. I finally walked in the Library and saw Serena and Jax sitting at one of the tables. Why not hang out with them? I headed towards them and I smiled at Serena as I said "Hi." and I found a seat across from Jax and near Serena. "Hey... Aren't you Jax?" I asked, putting my bag on my lap and rummaging for a textbook. I found one on Math and I opened it to the correct page.

Engrossed in a book, Jax didn't notice that someone had approached until they sat down, giving him a startle. He couldn't remember her first name, but knew that her last name started with Black...Jax was rather horrible with names so he often didn't even try to remember them. He knew it was probably a childish thing to do but did it anyway.

"Hello," he said, smiling slightly. She returned to her textbook and he decided that she wasn't going to talk to him much (which would save a lot of nervous socialization on his part), so he returned back to his book. Jax knew a few people, of course he couldn't avoid interactions, but he didn't mind. Most of the people at this weird school were pretty friendly and presented no grief so it was a relief to him, but he was still cautious of others, just to be sure.

Another girl approached, a friend of the other girls perhaps, and said hello to both. He didn't get startled this time, so he was able to answer her question without a dazed reaction.
"Yeah, that's me,"
He could've said 'Hey, you're Emily?' but he wasn't fully sure if that was her name and didn't want to embarrass himself in the process so he stuck to short sentences instead.

They both seemed to be studying, and a wave of guilt flooded over him as he realized that he should be too, but he knew that he shouldn't even try (the only subjects he was really good at was Humanities and Art) because it would never get done. He was hopeless at homework and his studying contained of making little towers from his stationary, so he just went back to his book.

I began to hear screaming from around me. I look up quickly from my book to see books walking around.
Sanders, I think. I slip my book under my arm and run over to the boy.
"Sanders, unanimate those! You'll get in trouble. I don't know how long you have been here, but that's a sure way to get punished. They hate when you use your powers for reasons like this..." I pause, and I point to a few black prisms around the corners of room.
"Those are cameras, and they are all watching."

I continued to eat, and pull out my tablet. I take out a stylus and begin to write. As soon as I'm finished a word, It changes from my handwriting to plain text about the same size. I write poetry, diaries, everything on this tablet. I turn off the tablet, finish up my lunch, pack up my bag up, and begin to walk out. According to the clock on the cafeteria wall, it's 12:15. Once I get the time, I dash out of the cafeteria. I speed-walk for the rest of the way, until a reach a large staircase going downward. I dash to the bottom of the stairs to find a large, silver grey door. I grab a pin out of my hair and begin to pick the lock of the door. I glance behind me to see if anyone is following, then I open up the steel door to find the Cellar (a storage room), a common sight for me. Using my power, I lift some boxes behind the door to block it, and then I kick the boxes into place. I climb over a few cardboard boxes, then jump down in an empty space. I then move a large box in front of me, to reveal a wood ladder that goes straight up. I jump on the ladder and begin to climb.

Once I reach the top of the ladder, I push a metal panel up from the corners. I kick the middle up. Once I'm out, I put my palm out to the world.

A breeze.

I put my hand down.

Grass.

I'm outside. I love the outside, my best friend Melissa used to take me here. Melissa was also brutally murdered for killing someone by accident with shape-shifting. I have no one left.

I climb up the ladder, onto the grass. I take off my flats and put them in my bag. I feel the grass between my toes as I walk around for a bit. The cool wind blew up my skirt. I giggled and pushed it back down. I ran across the open field, and up the largest of the hills. Memories come coming back to me, memories of Melissa. I could never quite make a friend quite like her.. no one really accepts me, and I don't think anyone really likes me. We used to sit up here and talk about our day, and when we were older, our love life. I have a crush on someone, but I don't have any friends to talk about it with. It's not just that.. I feel lonely. I'm shy, but I'm also pretty friendly. I laid back on my back, set an alarm for half an hour, and drifted off to sleep with a tear rolling down my cheek......

Addie watched Serena leap around joyously in the outside field through the conservatory window. The students were never allowed outside, apart from Physical Activity. It explained why everyone was so pale. No real sunlight, no tan skin. Addie took a deep breath and reached out to Serena using her powers. Analyzing her emotions, Addie was surprised to find...sadness? Why on earth would Serena be sad when she was able to go outside and be free? Something that none of the other students were allowed to do? Addie closed her eyes and in her mind saw Serena's emotional vibe, reflecting blue for sadness. Reaching deep down inside herself, Addie pulled out the color purple for calm from her own emotional vibe, and placed it on Serena's. Soon, Serena's vibe was a mixture of purple and yellow, because with calm there was always joy as well. Addie sensed that Serena was now asleep, so she pulled back from her and opened her eyes back to the conservatory. Leaning her head against the wall, Addie took a deep breath and tried to move her legs, which she knew probably wouldn't be able to hold her up for at least a few minutes. Manipulating someone's emotion always took a lot out of her, but she was glad she was able to bring that calming joy to Serena.

Seeing her tablet flash for the end of lunch, Addie realized that she had completely missed it. She could hear her mother's voice inside her head now, "Adelaide Dawn, you're going to waste away over that sketchbook. Why do I cook for you if you never eat?" Addie shook her head, removing that memory of her mother from her mind. She wasn't hungry anyway, and she didn't need that unnecessary weight on her body. A friend had once told her that you only needed one meal to survive, and she had always lived by that since. She would eat at dinner, for now it was time for Study Hall in the library. Gathering her tablet and sketchbook, she made her way out of the conservatory and up the stairs to the library.

Opening the library's doors, she saw that not many people had entered yet. Spying a free table, she sat down and rubbed some weariness from the emotional manipulation from her eyes and waited for her friends and classmates to enter.

***beep Beep BEEP***
I rolled onto my front, and opened my blurry eyes to the blue sky. I looked at my tablet which read 12:50. I grone and I start to put myself together again. I stand up, fix my hair, throw my bag over my shoulder and put my tablet inside. I run down the hill, smiling, and then tumble down. I start to laugh. After my nap, I feel much better. Like.. something changed.

I scurryed down the ladder, over the boxes, and out. I lock the door with my pin. Walking up the stairs from the Cellar, I ajust my bag. I start to run to the library, and quickly find a spot on the right side of the long oak table set up for Study Hall. I unpack all my supplies, and the moment I put my tablet on the table for note taking, the bell rings.

I got up from my seat, and walked over to the nearest bookshelf. I picked through a few books, and picked up a humanities textbook. I return to my seat, and begin to study. I tapped my foot for a while, anxious to train. I haven't trained in a while, and I seriously think I need to. I thought about the outside, and how I longed for it. I couldn't focus on the Shakespeare. Sometimes I have ADHD-like signs, or from what my health test. I look over to my left, to see a few people walking into the library, I say "Hi" semi-loud and then return to my book.

I turned to Addie.
"Oh, Shakespeare. I'm currently reading the Tempest. It's beautifully written. I can lend it to you if you like, once I'm done reading." I smiled at her, then turned back to my book.
"Or you can read it with me. There is an extra copy on to shelf." I pointed to the shelf closest to us, then pulled out a chair next to me.
"I don't have very many friends here..." I sighed.

Jordyn saw Hannah knick herself. "Are you okay, Hannah?" she asked.

Then, Slayer replied to Jordyn's first question.
"Oh, you know, the usual. Boring, lonely, fine overall though. Hey, you guys were just in the library, right? What was up with those flying ghost books? I've heard before that you can fight effectively with words, but that was a bit ridiculous."
At this, Jordyn started cracking up. The laughter just kept coming and wouldn't stop, but it felt good. Before today, it had been a long time since Jordyn last laughed. Finally, the laughter died down and she finished her food before replying. "We were literally jus talking about that."

When everyone was done, Jordyn stood up, checking the time. "Guys, it's time for Study Hall," she cheered. Study Hall was always amussing to her, especially when she put people to sleep. Not to be mean or anything of course. The humor she got from it was just too good to pass up. Making her way to the trash can, she threw out her trash and went back to the other girls, a small smile on her face. She slung her bag back over her shoulder, then turned to Slayer and Hannah, asking, "You guys ready to go?"


Eventually they got to the Library for Study Hall, and Jordyn went to a random table near Serena and Addie. Jordyn didn't the name of the girl Addie was talking to, but she knew they had Physical Activity and Training together. Shrugging, she put her bag on the floor and sat down, taking out the her science book.

"I love the Tempest! That's my favorite Shakespeare piece!" Addie exclaimed.

I smiled at her, happy, then I walked over to the shelf and picked up the second copy of the Tempest. I returned to my desk and slid her the hardcover book. Most of the people here are all younger then me, by as much as 5 years, but it's good to actually hang out with some people for once, instead of studying alone. I saw her and some other girls, that I recognized as Slayer, Hannah, and Jordyn sit down around us. Once they were seated, Addie broke the silence.

"How's everyone's day going? Today seems to be going by really fast, doesn't it? I kinda like it!" she says, happily. I then reply, also with the same emotion.

"Great, I honestly can't wait for training and end of the day break. Training because I don't want another mishap like the one in Art," I laugh, "and Break, because I feel I need one, I even was so desperate for a little rest I used my lunch to take a nap."

I giggle again, then go back to my book.

Within thirty minutes Slayer had covered her paper in doodles, only realizing she had been drawing too long because she had no space left. She checked the time on her tablet, which told her five minutes to 2:00. It was almost time for training. She mentally groaned. Any setting where she was being forced to use her ability made her uncomfortable.

Slayer naturally sucked at working under pressure. She could pretty much control her power while setting fire to stationary objects, but moving objects was a different story. Being able to do so would come in handy in so many ways. But first she had to learn how to do it without also setting fire to everything in the object's path. She was just so afraid of hurting someone, or herself once again. She wished that they were all required to wear fire-retardant suits, but sadly this wasn't the case.

***RING!***
Training time.

I pack up my tablet, and wave goodbye to the group of girls. I walk to the nearest bookshelf and take care to place the books in the correct places. I turn around, and begin to walk to the main training area. Walking through the large library, I begin to think. Maybe my group of friends are to young for me. Maybe I'll talk to some of the older people during training, or some people I don't usually often to spend time with, like Amelia. Maybe even Jax, and I heard about this guy named Blake. Hmm, we'll see.

I continue to walk down the large hall. I walk into the large, open training area, colored grey and a few shades of green. I personally think these two don't really match, but that's my opinion. Anyways, I walk over to the large screen on the right wall and offer my tablet up to the group. I plug it into the cord attached to the wall, instead of the portable one I carry with my tablet. Once it's plugged in, I walk to some massive cinderblocks.

I begin to concentrate, like nothing is going on in my life. My eyes feel nonexistant, which is how I know they have changed color. I begin to slowly lift a block, coming up into the air. It feels heavy. Not to heavy though, just right. I pull it backwards, then send it hurdling at the wall. It smashes into tiny bits, then the pieces dissolve into small bits.

Cool.