NIGEL

[smile]

“What is our plan now? When do we get powers?” asks Xander longingly. I don't know why he is so eager. Yes, I am sort of excited to get powers, but I don't feel like it's right to be excited when we just stole the powers from innocent kids.

“In time Xander, you will get what you want. In the meantime, you need to set up the canister for the transfer. It will happen tomorrow. Have you gotten rid of the kids?” Replies Grae Wulf from the big screen.

“We have. Nigel dropped them off on the side of the road.” Explains Icarus. Grae Wulf’s bearded face nods his approval.

“I will be visiting in about a week for the power transfer.” He smirks at my shocked expression.

“What? Did you not expect me to want powers too, Nigel?” I frown. That wasn’t exactly what I was thinking. The truth is that he scares me. He means business. There is no hiding the truth around him.

“YOU WILL ANSWER ME WHEN I ASK YOU A QUESTION!” Storms Grae Wulf. I cower in fear.

“N…N…No, sir.” I stammer in a hurry.

“Great. Nigel, you’re fading. You aren’t having regrets, are you?” He questions.

“No, Sir.” I reply. On time this time.

“Good. I will be here tomorrow. Get to work.” Grae Wulf’s image dissolves.

Silence.

“He said go, so GO!” Huffs Icarus.

“Aren’t you supposed to help too?” Counters Xander.

“Don’t worry, I will. I just have…something else to work on right now.” He says in a voice I’ve never heard him use before. It seems like…secretive. I’m worried. What is Icarus up to? Did Grae Wulf put him up to it? Or is he rebelling? I’m so lost in my thoughts that I crash right in to Xander.

“Ahh!” He yells as the box of supplies he was carrying is flung into the air. It lands upside down a few feet away from us. I get up in a hurry.

“S-” I’m about to apologize when Xander cuts me off.

“What’s your problem!? It’s going to take FOREVER to untangle those cords and to re-organize it all.” He storms away from me and starts to clean up the mess I made. I sigh. I start to go over and help, but then I think better of it. I would rather not make him angrier. I speed off towards my office/bedroom. I’d rather not make another mess. I sit down on the end of my wide cot. I lay my head in my hands. This day is giving me a headache. My head is pounding, and I can’t think.

I know that I need to get ready for tomorrow, but I don’t know if I can survive another accident. I lean back onto my cot. I close my eyes. This helps to dim my headache. I hear someone coming up the stairs, Ugg. I guess I have to actually be doing something. I sit up and take a deep breath. My headache is a bit better.

I walk over to my computer and start typing up a sheet of everything we know about the powers and which powers there are. I figure this will come in handy later. I hear the door squeak open. I turn around in my chair. Icarus is leaning against the door. I groan. Icarus never comes up here. Upstairs there is only my office/bedroom and a bathroom. This can’t be good. This is going to be bad. I rub my hands along my face. My head is still throbbing, and this is not going to help.

“What do you want, Icarus?” I ask grumpily. I’m scared to hear what he says.

“I know that you aren’t as bad as the rest of us, but I thought that you would get over that. I thought you would become like us. You didn’t. I can’t express how disgusted I am right now. I knew that you used to sit and talk with… Ivy… or whatever her name is. I allowed it thinking it would show you what is actually happening. I never thought that you would feel SORRY for her!

I was talking to Grae Wulf and he is NOT happy about it. We have decided on a punishment for you.” He pauses, letting all that he just said sink in. I’m terrified. They are going to hang me. I just know it! My heart is pounding, and I can barely concentrate on listening for my punishment.

“We have decided to relieve you of your job.” He says smoothly. I’m startled. Does this mean I can leave? But it can’t be that easy. Can it? I’m even more terrified than I was before.
“W…What do you mean?” I ask nervously.

He steps outside of the door. He holds the door open so I can hear him.

“It means that we have made you our slave. Goodbye, Nigel.” He slams the door. I hear a click. I bolt for the door. I shake the door handle frantically. He locked me in! I try to calm myself down. What just happened? How could this happen? I feel sick. They are truly evil people. I loathe them. How had this gotten so out of hand.

A thought hits me. I stumble back with pure terror. No. I. Can’t. Let. Them. Get. The. Kids. I’m determined to make sure they are safe. I walk over to my cot and plop down. What am I going to do? I can’t possibly escape. I helped set up the security of this place. It would be impossible.

I would go out my window, but that’s a death wish. It’s a 50 feet drop. Ugg. Why did I think this was a good idea? How could I get caught? I’m trapped. It’s like what happens in that one story when a girl’s stepmother locks her in her room because she doesn’t want her to be happy.

I feel like I’m living that right now. My headache has gotten worse. It feels like someone is pounding a hammer against my skull.

I lean back, trying to get rid of it. It doesn’t work. I have medicine. I used to get headaches all the time when we first started this, so I brought my own little supply. But, of course, it’s downstairs. I decide to try to get some sleep, what else can I do right now? I’m too worried and my head hurts too much to type on my computer.