[OLD] The Supers Experiment (#1)

Two

Claire looked around the school hallway, making sure there was no one around to see her. Certain she was alone, she took a step toward the double doors in front of her and held out her right hand. A rush of energy flooded her body as the door opened, seemingly by itself.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Claire's shoulders sagged. She turned around to see her sister standing, arms folded, a few feet away. The door fell shut with a loud thud that echoed around the empty hallway.

"Victoria," Claire said.

"Well?" Victoria asked. "Where were you going?"

Claire winced at the accusation in her tone. All she wanted to do was eat alone, away from the noise and chaos of the lunchroom. But looking into her sister's piercing green eyes, her voice faltered.

"I—I don't know," Claire stammered. They may have been twins, but they were far from identical. Victoria's jet black hair was practically the opposite of Claire's shorter, light blonde hair. And as she'd been told countless times, Claire had their mother's pale blue eyes.

"You were using your powers," Victoria finally said.

"Yeah," Claire replied, looking down.

"You know we're not supposed to," Victoria said. "What if someone saw you?" She glanced behind her, clearly getting impatient. Their friends were waiting for them in the lunchroom. Well, they were more Victoria's friends. Claire barely spoke to them.

"Come on, let's go." Victoria turned around and walked away. Claire sighed and followed her, defeated. What was she supposed to do? Their father wanted them to stick together. And Victoria would never hurt Claire, but she could create copies of herself and outnumber her in seconds.

An explosion of sound hit Claire as they entered the cafeteria. This was the reason she hated eating in the lunchroom. She glanced at Victoria as they approached their usual table.

Claire had spent hours trying to figure out how to tell her family that her powers were more than just telekinesis. But she could never find the right time, and now it felt like too late. Victoria would be upset she hadn't told them sooner. Claire wasn't sure how their father would react.

Ugh. Looks like Rose went to lunch with Kate again.

Claire flinched when her sister's thought echoed in her head. Mind reading might sound cool, but it was just one giant headache. She had gotten better at blocking out people's thoughts over the past few years. But when there were too many people, or when Claire was tired, it was difficult.

The chair squeaked as Claire pulled it away from the table and sat down. The others didn't give her a second look, too deep in conversation to notice her arrival. Claire did her best to block out their minds as she ate. She succeeded for the most part, but snippets still slipped in here and there.

This pizza is disgusting.

Claire tried to focus on something else. Her own thoughts drifted to their dad. He had powers, too. Super hearing. When she was younger, Claire thought she and Victoria had inherited their abilities from their father, but he told them that wasn't true. Apparently they hadn't even been born with their powers.

Did I leave my math homework at home?

But their father had never explained where they got them. Maybe it had something to do with their mom's death. Dad never explained that, either. It was what, ten years ago that she'd died? Eleven? It would be eleven years in May, Claire realized.

I need to remember to reload my gun.

Claire frowned as she realized what had just heard. A gun? She looked around, trying to figure out who the thought came from. It sounded feminine, but that wasn't much to go on.