Lofty living

“I love this place,” Kelly pranced around in her web-crawler outfit. She pretended spider silk would shoot from her wrist and wrap around a potted plant. When she tugged, it would sit there, unmoving. “I got you!”

Nepal and Armand found this loft at a reasonable rate. It was big enough for the three of them, and it was close conveniences found only in the city. Armand could get to his performances in no time using the modern transportation that blanks use.

They were watching their web-girl as she explored the immense space they would all share for at least 6 months, when the lease runs out. After that, they would see.

“Will my brother come to live with us?” Kelly asked.

“Not right away,” Nepal answered.

“And then only if you guys really want to,” Armand added.

“We planned to visit him this afternoon.” Nepal asked, “would you like that?”

Kelly jumped into the air and pretended to land cat-like on the floor. She feigned disinterest in visiting her brother, “I guess,” but her agitated movements gave her away. Excitement lay just underneath her composure.

“Thought so,” Armand said, joining in on the fun.

Kelly wheeled around twice and stopped in her spider web shooting stance. “Bam!” She let her web fly and pulled. This time the potted plant moved toward her. Not much, but it was there.

She screamed in surprise. Her hands flapping back and forth like she was trying to throw off the feeling.

Nepal ran over to her, “Kelly, it's alright. Don't be scared.”

She was shaking in his arms. Sobbing tears heated up her face.

At first, Kelly seemed to like her new abilities, but increasingly she found them harder to deal with. Nepal and Armand noted that more often than not, her abilities took her by surprise and scared her.

“You just have to learn to control it,” he told her.

“We'll take you to a special school that will help teach you how to not be afraid of your ability,” Armand said.

Kelly was shaking her head, “I don't want to learn.”

“Oh, honey, if you want it to stop, you have to learn to make it stop,” Armand said gently.

“That's right, you have to learn to make it stop,” Nepal agreed.

“I'm scared,” she said.

Nepal could see the silver threads that lined her eyes, and for a second, he sensed something strong stirring within her. “Kelly, are you feeling more than just scared? Are you having any bad dreams or feeling sick?”

She looked scared, and simply nodded.

“Are you having a dream right now?”

She nodded again.

Another flash of power from within Kelly jumped to the surface. This time Nepal recognized the power. It was Karden. “Let's get you to Uncle Jueqel,” he tried to sound like a caring parent, and he hoped his fear did not show.

Armand, however, did notice the alarm in Nepal's voice. Nepal sent out his thoughts to Jueqel, and let him know they were coming.

Armand grabbed a few belongings and came over and gave them a group hug. “Let's go.”

The room shimmered, but they didn't go anywhere. Nepal looked to Kelly, and her face was scrunched up. She was concentrating. “Oh, dear. Don't be scared. Let's get going. We need help.”

Kelly relaxed and the next shimmer landed them in the gym at the Red House.