Read Her Writer's Block :: Talents

Chapter Seven

TALENTS

“BUDDY?! What do I do?!”

The words echo within Junior, having him experience a feeling that is a stiffening sense of fear and despair. “What was that” he glares, gasping for air, towards the door. “That overwhelming sense of dread” he creaks the door open not realizing the ding of his phone. “Huh? Is she still awake?” he mutters under his breath, catching the gleam of the computer screen.

“Think!”

“Is this how she writes her stories” he ponders quietly, tip-toing closer to the couch.

“BINGO!”

A faint feeling of excitement rushes over Junior, focusing on Lily’s thoughts, Junior whispers “these are her emotions, yet they feel much stronger than others” he peers over the back of the sofa taking note “she’s sleeping?!”

“Okay that’s heavier than I thought.”

“Pfft- “Junior toils to hold his chuckle, closing the laptop as he places it on the coffee table. He rushes to return to his room when he witnesses Lily’s shaded brown bangs poking her in the eye.

“Gentle”

He thinks to himself as he slides her bangs to one side, he thinks aloud “Beauti-”

“This takes the cake.”

Frozen stiff from the sudden voice, his gaze slowly shifts to a glare as he makes eye contact. “S- Sammy what are you doing out here” he mutters clenching his jaw shut.

“I should be asking you that” Sammy insinuates glancing Junior up and down as he bends over the arm of the couch hovering over a sleeping woman “you cannot tell me this is a side effect of your talent” she questions “cause if that is the case that means you’re going off Lily’s emotions and that would make her the same type of creep that I’m being forced to witness now” Sammy props her hand on her hip placing all her weight on one leg “care to explain.”

“I- I don’t need to explain myself to you.” Junior snips standing straight, just when he overhears Lily’s voice.

“Don’t get to cocky. Uhm-”

“Tell me before I wake Li- “

“Shh”

“Don’t shush me”

“Shh” Junior glares, as his focus falls back on Lily taking note of her shallow breathing and cold sweats. He slightly lifts her shirt off her belly.

“What do you think you are doing” Sammy slaps his hand.

“She’s bleeding” Junior’s expression grim, bring Sammy’s attention to Lily.

“Turn around” Sammy orders “now! Do it hurry!”

Following Sammy’s direction, Junior turns around giving her time to lift Lily’s shirt just enough to see that there is gaping hole in her torso. “How- “the shutter in Sammy’s voice has Junior flinch.

“It looks like she got pierced but how?”

“Stabbed!” Junior flinches, leading him to swivel around to witness the dizzying sight before him.

As Sammy and Junior sat there perplexed, as Lily’s torso practically non-existent yet she laid breathing shallow yet steady.

“What is she thinking?” Sammy questions looking towards Junior for the answers “is she in pain?”

“…”

“I don’t know” Junior mutters, shifting away “for the first time I actually want to hear somebody’s thoughts” Junior grimly sits on the floor, by the couch “but its only silence, it’s been like that since I saw the blood” Junior ponders, sitting crisscross “but it was weird.”

“What was” Sammy questions trying to soak up the blood.

“Her thoughts before, her emotion I felt” Junior looks at Sammy “her thoughts were don’t get too cock” he looks away towards the ground “and what she felt when she thought that was like she resigned to her fate” he states, “I never wish to feel like that again.”

Sammy’s expression is of shock as she glances back at Lily “I never thought she would just resign” she thinks aloud “this is probably our fault” Sammy recoils.

“What do you mean” Junior snaps his attention towards her “this is our fault?” his voice trembles.

“Yea, this is probably the result of a talent” Sammy frowns towards Lily “they are most likely to be a dreamer type” she explains “You and I are mental types however we are vastly different and so is a dreamer type which are also mental type but since they only effect dreams, the stronger ones are classified as dreamer types.” Sammy glares “which you would know if you studied even the basics.”

Flinching at her words “are you really getting on my case right now” Junior grunts “I study just fine.”

“The studies you need to know in order to protect your loved ones are a different type, Mark Junior” Sammy glances over towards Lily. “Huh?!”

“What! Is she all right” Junior jumps up to see.

“Yeah, it’s amazing” Sammy exposes Lily’s stomach “she’s all healed” she points out “I mean there is a bruise, but it is better than a big gaping a hole, wouldn’t you agree?” Sammy smiles brightly towards Junior, who wears a horrified expression.

“Yes, I would have to agree, a bruise is better than a- BIG. GAPING. HOLE.”

The voice, soft yet stern, Lily shares a puzzled expression.

“Ah- Lily” Sammy stands up off the coffee table “W-we can explain” she stammers to find her words.

Lily sits up from the sofa, bops her head side to side stretching her neck “I’m waiting” she sets herself into a more comfortable position.

“Well- “Sammy’s eyes bounce about when her thoughts give up, leading her to elbow Junior who stands next to her, shyly looking away.

“We’re sorry Lily” Junior comes right out “I was only trying to get you in a more comfortable position, when Sammy came out.” Junior’s ramblings are steady and paced.

While Sammy glares at him for throwing her under the bus, she feels the need to interrupt “that is not what happened Lily!” Sammy shouts in defense.

“Come on Sammy just fess up” Junior shrugs in offense with a smirk, feeling confident in his words “I was simply leaning her back when you came out, and you were about to assist me when we realized Lily was- “

“Alright, that’s enough you two” Lily slips a sigh of discontent “honestly it was funny at first however there are two things I do not condone” she frowns towards the two “cover ups and exposer of a sleeping person.” She holds two fingers up making a peace sign.

The two exchange looks “cover up?” They question aloud.

“I was your age, like Sammy said, not too long ago” Lily shrugs, picking Kyle up, checking his diaper. “You see I was quite the prankster myself” she snickers in recalling a pastime “I had once made my brother think he was adopted for two days” her mischievous crackle “but I always fessed up to my misdeeds “responsibility is key to a good character” she lectures collecting Kyle’s day clothes, along with a new diaper.

“Right, a prank” Sammy agrees elbowing Junior in the side “you are so right being responsible is key to a good person right Junior” she compels him to follow suit.

“Yea, you’re right Lily, I’m sorry” Junior without fight, apologizes, however he feels strange for a different reason. “We will reflect on ourselves in the rooms” Junior grips Sammy by the elbow leading her to the hallway.

“Well, I guess that’s a step up from shedding all the blame” Lily shrugs, taking the fussy Kyle into the kitchen for a bottle.

“What was that for” Sammy questions as they meet by Lily’s bedroom door.

“I cannot hear her anymore” Junior’s expression grim “I don’t know what happened” his tone perplexed “I heard her just fine last night but then she started bleeding and now I can’t hear anything since!?” Junior rambles.

“Take a breath, can you still feel her emotions” Sammy directs him, before he snaps his gaze towards her.

“No, I don’t feel anything” Junior, as if he sees a ghost, stares at Lily “you- you don’t think she died and revived again do you” Junior’s tone in a panic “is she a zombie”

“Junior, calm down” Sammy raises her voice just enough to snap his attention again. “Other than the dead who else can you not hear”

“I can only hear one person at a time, they must be in range, and they must be as talented as me if not less” he lists, glancing back at Lily “wait do you think she’s a talent?”

“She must have found her talent last night” Sammy explains with delight “she must be a healing type” her smile brightens “I did hear that healer types must be on death’s door in order to make the discovery.”

“What- you said she was fine last night” Junior whines.

“Dude, she had a big gaping hole in her belly- how do you think that is fine” Sammy snaps, “either way she is fine now right, plus she’s a talent, a rare one at that” Sammy rattles Junior’s shoulders “so what happened to the kid that tried to pretend to be all quiet and mysterious” she frustratingly claps his face “now repeat after me” Sammy clears her throat.

“I am Mark Junior”

“I am smart”

“I am cool”

“And I am annoying”

“And You are annoying”

“See there’s my annoying little brother” Sammy ruffles his hair before heading into the living area “Hey Lily we wanted to properly apol-AH!” Sammy swivels around blocking Junior’s gaze “Lily what are you doing” Sammy glares “I thought you don’t like exposer?”

“What exposer? I needed to clean my shirt, speaking of which what did you use” Lily curiously scratches her forehead “I don’t think it’s ketchup” she examines up close trying to smell “it’s very pungent, and oddly familiar” her expression weary as she places the shirt in the soap filled sink.

“That still doesn’t explain why you are walking about in just your bra” Sammy blurts out feeling Junior flinch to her words “you do know you have a teenage boy here right?”

“Oh, please Sammy” Lily chuckles, flicking her wrist “first off, it’s a crop-top that shows a bit of the stomach, calm down and second, Junior is a good-looking kid- why would he gawk at somebody ten years older than himself when there are plenty of pretty girls his age- speaking of which he is probably fuming due to the absurd thought” Lily points out Junior’s hand which is clenched into a fist.