IceShine

VIII

A week has passed since the Shadow Monster incident and my talk with Miranda. It’s, still, hard for her and John to come to terms with what happened. They seem to be fine. But, sometimes, I see them looking lost in space, like they have something in mind. And I know exactly what it is. I see it’s difficult for them, and because of that, I decided to let them be for a few days. I can understand that it’s difficult for them to learn that everything they believed to be a fantasy and not real, suddenly became reality, but I think I let them long enough. They must begin their training.

In this week, I thought about it and came to the conclusion that I must help them train. And to do that I need a place with lots of space and away from the public eye. My father trained me, when I was still a child, so I could train inside our basement… But that will be impossible for the two of them. They are too “big” for my “toys”, as my father used to call them.

I must talk to Jason about this. He must have something in mind. So, that’s exactly what I’m doing now. After all, he must be ready for it, as he told me that he planned to tell them everything when they turned 18.

I’m sitting in front of his office and wait for him to come to talk about it. He said to go ahead and wait for him, as he had something to take care of, via phone. As I’m thinking all these things, I hear the door behind me close, and someone walk in quick steps towards me. I turn my head and give a small smile to Jason. He returns it and goes to sit behind his office.

“I’m sorry for the wait, my dear, but work is kind of pilling up, with all the shooting and moving.”

“Don’t worry, I understand.”

“So tell me, what is it you want to talk to me about? Is there something wrong with school or your living here?”

“No, of course not! Everything is going perfectly… After all, you know very well that you have put two very perceptive bodyguards to keep an eye on me…”

I say with a small grin. He laughs at that. Well, it’s true… John and Miranda, really keep looking out for me and ask about 4 times a day each if everything is all right… I know that I said, it’s nice to have someone worry about you after two months of total loneliness, but that’s the total opposite end of it.

“I’m sorry, but it’s all on them. I just told them to take care of you.”

“I can take care of myself, and believe me… I know you’re all here for me. So when I have something bothering me, I will talk. I won’t keep quiet about it.”

He looks at me with a small sad smile. I can see the guilt in his eyes resurfacing. But it was gone as soon as it appeared, so I didn’t get the chance to point it out.

“So, what is it?”

“I believe we must train John and Miranda.”

As soon as I said that his playful expression turned serious.

“You had something in mind for them, right? I could train them in my house, but the basement, where I was trained, is not the best option.”

“You’re right… I had something in mind.”

He gets up and walks to the bookcase behind his office to take two books. Then, he puts his hand in the, now, free space, and takes out a small box. He comes slowly back and sits back down on his seat.

“In every house we moved, I was absolutely adamant on having a basement big enough with special and resilient walls. Of course, this basement remains, always, a secret to John and Miranda. And this house is not an exception.”

He slowly opens the little box and takes out a key.

“This is the key to the said basement. Get up. Let’s show it to you.”

Before he finished talking, he was already up and walking. I get up and follow him, out of his office and to a door behind the staircase. The door was concealed with a heavy curtain, red in color, contrasting with the cream color of the wall. He puts the curtain to the side, unlocks the door, and begins descending a staircase. I follow after him, carefully as there is little to none light.

Finally, we stop at the bottom of the stairs and there I see a very big, almost empty room, with very high ceiling and many windows, that bring enough light inside the room.

“You can check the walls to see if they’re okay…”

I turn to look at him. Then, I turn towards my hand, and get ready to throw some ice-knives. I jump high enough and let them off my arms. They hit the wall with very big force, but the only thing that happens, is that my knives become smithereens.

“Okay, yeah, that’s what I call special wall…”

He laughs behind me.

“It’s also very resistant on high temperatures. Miranda will be able to do whatever she wants in here, without setting the house on fire!”

I laugh too.

“You think, they’ll be ready to start? I know that it’s difficult for them, but we must begin… I’m afraid that he’s much more close than we believe… And I really don’t want anything to happen to them.”

He sighs and comes closer to me.

“I believe that the sooner the better. They must come to terms with their powers. And there isn’t a better way to do that, than learning to control them.”

I look at his face, but he seems to be lost in thought. After a moment, he turns to look me in the eyes, and smiles.

“So, when do you want to start?”

I give out a short laugh and turn to look at the room. Then, I return my eyes on his.

“Right now.”

His eyes get bigger and he looks at me as if I was an extra-terrestrial being.

“Right now?”

“We don’t have school for two whole days… It’s not like we have something better to do, right?”

Then he just closes his eyes, and begins laughing.

“You’re more like your mother than I thought you were… Go and bring them here, I’ll wait to help you.”

“Thank you!”

As soon, as I finish talking, I turn around, and start to go up the stairs.

When I’m at the top floor, I go first to John’s room. I’m sure he’ll be the easier to convince. And that makes me have more help with Miranda. I knock on the closed door, and wait for a while.

“Come in, Lila… It’s not locked.”

Surprised, I open the door and find him laying on the bed on his back, reading a book! Okay, that’s something I was not expecting. When he hears that I entered, he puts his book down and gets up to a sitting position on his bed.

“Hey…”

“Hi… Um, do you have some minutes?”

Ugh… I can’t believe how I’m sounding like, right now. It seems like my voice has a mind of its own and just puts her intensity on her own, and with a slight tremble too. Thankfully, he seems to not have heard the tremble, and he just pats the place beside him on his bed.

“I have many more than a few. Come sit.”

I put my whole body inside and close the door behind me. I go and sit beside him.

“How did you know it was me?”

He snorts and giggles.

“If it was Mom or Miranda, they would have come inside without knocking at all… And Dad would knock but wouldn’t wait for an answer.”

He continues to laugh, the sound sending happy shivers through my body. Oh, God, I’m so stupid!!

“Anyway, what is it? You seemed kind of nervous when you were outside…”

Okay, here goes nothing!

“Look… I believe it’s time to start with your training… I know that it’s kind of fast and all, but you must learn to control them… It’s not as easy as it sounds, it takes a lot of time. And we must begin… John, I feel him… Every time a monster appears, I feel him more close than before. And I know that I mustn’t push you into doing things like that, especially after having kind of peaceful days, after that incident, you must train. Because, when he comes, I’m sure I won’t be able to fight alone… I need you, both and…”

I stop in my tracks as I feel his finger on my lips. I turn to look at him perplexed, and then he begins talking.

“I know… I know… Don’t worry, I’m ready for this. I have gotten over the first shock… I’m okay.”

Only then does he take his finger from my lips and turns his head to the floor. I ignore the feeling that cripples in my chest at his missing touch, and continue our discussion.

“Really?”

“Really… After all, I totally agree with you… We must train not only to protect you, but also ourselves. And I believe that, with training, we’ll come to terms with our powers faster.”

I look at him and start giggling. He turns to look at me, slightly surprised.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry! It’s just that your father said exactly the same thing not too long ago.”

He starts laughing too. Then, we stop and a comfortable silence settles between us.

“Have you spoken to Miranda?”

“No… I thought, it would be best to start with you, so you can help me convince her.”

“Ah, so I was the easiest to convince in your mind, huh?”

“Of course… Remember your reactions to your powers… Miranda was in fits of crying, whereas you were fine enough to help me with my things from my house.”

“If you put it that way…”

He says teasingly and I smile at him. The silence returns and we just look at each other, as if time has stopped. But, then I remember Jason, that is waiting for us, and master all my strength to look away from his eyes. I clear my throat still smiling and get up.

“Come on… Let’s go talk to her now, because your father is waiting for us.”

“Aah, so it was premeditated…!”

He says and gets up too, following me to the door.

“Of course…”

I say teasingly and walk out first. He comes after me, and stands beside me while I knock Miranda’s door. But, before Miranda can answer, John bursts open the door and goes inside. Miranda is laying head down on her bed and looks outside, but doesn’t seem fazed. Then I notice them. The headphones, from where music flows out loud enough for us to hear exactly what song is she hearing.

Before I can do something, John again beats me to it, and takes the headphones off.

“Hey, I was hearing that!”

“I know, but we must do something urgent.”

“Urgent?”

Then she notices me standing behind John. I smile at her and go near her. I sit down before her and take her hands in mine.

“I think it’s time.”

She looks at me confused.

“Time for what?

“Time for the start of your training!”

Understanding dawns on her and she stares at me seriously… It’s an expression that I don’t see very often on her face, and I find it really weird. She then looks at John. I turn my head and look at his face too.

“Don’t look at me… You knew it was bound to happen sooner or later…”

She looks back at me and then turns her stare down. I try to say something, but John touches my shoulder and motion for me to keep quiet. I nod and turn my attention back to Miranda. I can’t exactly see her expression, so I start to get worried.

Suddenly she lifts her head, with a determined look on her face and stares me right in the eye.

“You’re right, it’s time! The sooner we begin the better!”

I smile brightly, and get up with my hands still in hers. I drag her up from her sitting position and start walking towards the basement. John follows behind us.

“Where are you taking us?”

“You said it yourself! The sooner the better… And that’s exactly what we’re doing!”

“What? But where?”

By that time we are in front of the basement door with the curtain. I take the curtain aside and start descending the stairs for the second time in an hour, but this time with John and Miranda.

When we arrive at the bottom, Jason gets up from his chair where he was sitting while waiting for us and smiles at me.

“Okay, I must confess that I thought it would take you at least an hour to get them to come down.”

“I’m fast!”

I return to him with a smirk and release Miranda’s hand from my grasp. He puts his hand on my head and pats me there, a few times.

“Jason, I’m not a dog, please stop doing that!”

He laughs at my angry face but stops doing it. Then he turns to see his children wondering about the huge room and taking in every little detail.

“Okay, I’m so sure that this wasn’t in here, last time I checked!”

“Miranda, if you knew about this basement, then I would have done a poor job in hiding it… And considering you didn’t notice, in any house that we’ve moved, it means that I always do a good job.”

I laugh a little at that… He really did it!

“But… Isn’t it a bit dangerous to do training here? I mean… it’s exactly under the house and in a civilian area.”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Jason says, and almost immediately his hand is enveloped in raging thunders. He lets them go and they hit the wall beside him, with so much force, that could kill someone. But the wall was still undamaged.

“They are special walls. Everything that happens inside here, stays inside here.”

The twins look at each other as if having a private conversation in their heads. Then they nod their heads and turn to look at me and Jason with determined looks on their faces. I smile at that and took a step towards them. Then I put my right fist on my left hand and smiled.

“Let the training begin!”