Chapter 1
By Teresa Gaskins
Chloe's nails dug into her palms. She stood at the edge of the sidewalk, staring at a woman a block ahead of her. The woman kept glancing back and forth, then down at something in her hand.
Go ask if she's lost, whispered a voice in Chloe's head. 'Are you lost?' Three simple words. Chloe took a deep breath and forced her hands to unclench. She took half a step, then stopped again. The town's not that big, she'll be fine. Besides, even if I try to help, I'll probably take her to the wrong place.
She hesitated a second longer, then, with a sigh, turned to continue on her way.
Normally Chloe appreciated the quiet afternoons, but today she would have liked some hustle and bustle: the soft sound of her own footsteps were not enough to drown out the voice nagging at her for leaving the woman alone. Even once she'd reached her goal, a small park three blocks away, and it was too late to change her decision, her conscience grumbled on.
Taking a deep breath, Chloe forced out the voice, replacing it with the sights, sounds, and smells of the park.
It was a small park, several trees spaced sporadically, some benches — a couple even with tables — along a path that wound through the grass. In one corner sat a small playground. A brick wall wrapped around it all, making it feel closed off from the rest of the world. A few birds chirped in the trees, and a squirrel dashed across the ground in front of her, but the park was otherwise empty.
Chloe jogged down the path to her favorite bench, pulling a physics book from her bag as she went. She hopped onto the bench, pirouetted and dropped to sit cross-legged, and was soon lost in the world of light as a wave.
"Chloe? Chloe Walker? Imagine meeting you here!"
Chloe's head snapped up.
A tall wiry girl stood next to the bench. She wore a black sweater that looked absolutely sweltering in the noon sun. Black pants of an unfamiliar material flared over black combat boots. Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a pony-tail, revealing dusky black, crystal earrings. Against all the black, the girl's cheerful smile seemed out of place.
Chloe stiffened. "Do I know you?" she asked.
"Ah, you probably wouldn't remember. Summer camp by that lake in Minnesota, three years ago. You'd gotten lost and somehow wandered all the way to town and I had to help you get back. Name's Kate."
"Heh, sounds like something I'd do," Chloe muttered, raking through her memories. "I think I remember. You insisted on taking me yourself rather than asking adults."
"Yeah," Kate chuckled. "I've always been the self-reliant type. Probably not the greatest role model material. I haven't changed much."
"Your clothes certainly haven't changed." Chloe leaned back into the bench. Though she couldn't recall much about Kate, she already liked the older girl.
"Well, they're not entirely the same. But enough about me, how've you been? You're fifteen now, right?"
"Still fourteen, actua—"
Kate sprung back. A knife whirred through where her leg had been and thudded into the ground.
Chloe went silent, her mouth still open. She twisted to see where the knife had come from, and her mouth dropped even further open as a man leaped from the wall to land in front of the bench, rolling and coming up standing. A second man dropped down and slowly approached the girls.
"Found you, Kate," said the first man, grinning.
"Really? I hadn't noticed," said Kate.
"Humor doesn't suit you, Kate," said the second.
"You're just salty that I'm better with words than you."
"Salty?" His face twisted with confusion, and his slow advance stopped.
In his momentary hesitation, Kate spun a roundhouse kick straight to his face. He raised his hands in time to block it, but she continued her spin and sent her second boot into his stomach, driving him to the ground.
The first man jumped forward, swinging a punch, but Kate flipped over the fallen man to avoid it. As she landed in a crouch the second man groaned and started to rise. With a quick flick of her wrist, she struck at the base of his neck. He crumpled, and she moved back, rising to a fighting stance.
"Useless idiot," said the first man, stepping over the still form of his companion.
"Chloe, run!" Kate said.
Chloe stood, dropping her book, but her body wouldn't go further.
"Is he dead?" she said.
"Just unconscious, I don't kill. Now get out of here before you get hurt."
"Aw, chasing your friend away?" the man said. "I was hoping you'd introduce us. Any friend of yours is a not-so-much-friend of ours."
Chloe backed away, his tone sending shivers up her spine.
"She's not a friend," said Kate. "We just met today, so leave her alone."
"Come peacefully, and I wouldn't care if you'd known her since before you were born."
Kate's stance faltered, her arms dropping slightly. The man's grin grew wider, and Chloe didn't think the term 'crocodile smile' had ever been so fitting.
Then Kate's hand moved, and in one motion she wrenched the earring from her right ear and pitched it at the ground. It landed just in front of him, exploding in a black plume.
The man staggered back with a cry, covering his eyes.
Kate jumped over the bench and grabbed Chloe's arm. "Move!"
Chloe spun to follow Kate, her legs sluggishly starting to work again. But as she turned, she saw another man had entered the park. He stood a few yards off, his hand pulled back to throw a knife.
"Kate, behind us," said Chloe.
Kate pulled up short, released Chloe's arm, and turned to face the new threat, but the man's arm was already swinging forward.
Everything seemed to shift and, to Chloe, it was like she could see two versions of the world. One was normal, the grass and trees and air of the once-quiet park. But somehow, separate from that world but also in the same space, it was like they were under water. Tumultuous water, with tides coming from every direction, bouncing and overlapping and swirling, but not overpowering each other.
Without thought, Chloe stepped in front of Kate, throwing her arms out as if to refuse the knife access. As her arms moved, the 'water' between her and the knife-thrower stopped, then exploded out in a flash of white.
Chloe's vision went completely dark, and she cried out as pain lanced up her arm. Squeezing her eyes shut she staggered back into Kate.
When she opened her, her vision was still black, but she could see —or sense— that the waves had returned to normal. And somehow she knew that the knife-thrower had collapsed, his arms over his eyes.
"Thanks," Kate whispered in her ear. "Now come on."
Kate pulled her arm, and Chloe stumbled along, blinking rapidly. The waves were slowly fading out, and as they went her regular vision returned.
The two girls had already crossed the park and were nearing a bench. Just before they reached it Kate released Chloe, and without slowing she stepped onto the bench and then launched herself over the wall.
Oh great, Chloe thought, but she managed to mimic Kate's steps and sprang towards the wall. She didn't get enough height, and her knees banged against the bricks, yet her hands caught the top and she pulled herself over. For a second, she thought she'd fall and hit her head on the sidewalk, but Kate caught her and helped her find her feet.
"Not bad. I could make a ninja out of you," said Kate. Then, "This way."
Kate grabbed Chloe's hand, and they started running again. As they reached the corner, another man appeared, hauling himself over the park wall. "Not so fast, Kate."
Chloe hesitated, but Kate merely snorted. In one motion she pulled lose her second earring and tossed it at the man. It landed just between his hands, exploding straight into his face. He screamed and dropped back out of sight.
"Can't believe I had to waste two shadow bombs. The nerve of them. Let's get out of here before any more idiots show up."
You're following a stranger, Chloe. How dumb can you get? she thought as they fled down the street. But she didn't dare wait to see who else might come.
Besides, she had questions that needed answers. "That was amazing. How did you do the thing with the light?" she asked.
"The light?" Kate said, glancing back over her shoulder, her brow furrowing.
Chloe thought she knew what the tall girl would say next, but very much hoped she was wrong.
"That wasn't me. That was you."
