manda . r a i

[[EXTRAORDINARY]] PAGE SEVEN

Kevin approached her with slow, sure steps. Sandra glanced around wildly. She pressed up against the kitchen counter, trying to get as far away from Kevin as possible. "Come on Sandra, don't be afraid. It's me, Kevin." Sandra stared deep into his eyes, trying to read them. They were warm, kind, like before. She slowly started forward toward Kevin. "Seriously Sandra, it's me." He held out his hand to her. She advanced cautiously. The air became cooler, and breezy.

"Is it you Kevin? What just happened?" Sandra stopped a yard away from Kevin, still afraid of getting closer to him. She glanced up curiously at his face. All traces of sweat and furrowed brows were gone. In place of it was the Kevin she knew.

"I'm sorry to scare you like that Sandra. But I had to show it to you." Kevin sat down in a chair, and motioned for her to sit down too. He rubbed his forehead, worn out. Sandra sat down the chair opposite from him, like before. "I'm really really sorry Sandra, I mean it."

Sandra gave a small nod. "I believe you Kevin," she murmured. "But what were you doing? Why didn't my mom hear you? She should have, you know, and yet she didn't come down to check. Where did you learn that from?"

Kevin sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I'm hoping it's still working, because I don't want your mom to come down in the middle of this..." He gazed around carefully, as if looking for someone or something. "Well, ok, I guess here it goes," Kevin folded his arms and studied the ceiling. "You remember how I told you my grandmother studied omens and superstitions and magic and stuff?" Sandra nodded. "Well, she also studied a bunch of other stuff. I don't know exactly what, but she taught me some things. For example, what I just did was use my brain power to melt the soda can, and make it burst into flames. And I also stopped time, which was why your mother didn't hear me yelling."

"You stopped time?" Sandra gasped. It seemed too eerie to be true.

Kevin leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. He stared intently into Sandra's eyes. "Yes, I did. That was why the air got so hot and suffocating. I basically froze the molecules in our environment, leaving only our molecules to move. However, I gave us enough air molecules and such to make it possible to stay alive. I know it sounds supernatural, and it is. I don't even know how it works really. That was the way my grandmother explained it to me. All I know is that I stopped other things from moving, and I only let what I wanted to move, move." He put his head in his hands in frustration, "You know what, I'm not even making sense. Do you get what I kind of mean?" He glanced up at Sandra hopefully.

Sandra gave a tiny smile. "Yeah Kevin, I think I know what you mean."

Kevin smiled back, "Great, that's all the better." He sighed, put his head down on the table, and closed his eyes.
Sandra looked around the room nervously, "So, is time stopped right now?"

Kevin's eyes suddenly opened, "Yeah, I think it is. Well, a little bit. It's not stopped, but it's not going as fast as normal. It's kind of in slow motion, you know what I mean?"
Sandra nodded again. She could sense Kevin was tired. "But why did you have to show it to me? I don't understand...." she trailed off.

"Well, it was my grandmother's idea. She had this feeling that you were the one. I had to communicate with you. I had to bring you to her, and show you what you can do. Well, I guess the next step is to bring you to her, if you want to meet her that is." Kevin looked up at Sandra expectedly.

What should I do? What does he mean I'm the one, and that she can show me what I can do? Go along with Kevin, Sandra. Follow Kevin, go to his grandmother. Are you sure...? I'm sure Sandra, go with Kevin. Go.

Sandra let out a small sigh, Here goes nothing. "Ok Kevin, I'll go with you. I have no idea what you're talking about, but I have a feeling that I should go with you to meet your grandmother. I hope I'm doing the right thing."

Kevin flashed his amazing smile at Sandra, "Great! I guess I'll pick you up tomorrow when my grandmother's ready. Good thing today's Friday and we don't have any school tomorrow." Kevin laughed and stood up from the table, stretching his long legs.

"So is time still going in slow motion?" Sandra stood up too, she felt short compared to Kevin.

Kevin laughed, "Oh yeah! Forgot about that!" He looked sheepish as he sat back down. "Got to get time back to normal now, don't we?" Kevin's face went back into deep concentration. Drops of sweat formed on his forehead again. The room grew hot and stuffy. Sandra wasn't scared this time, now that she knew what was going on. Kevin closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Sandra saw his face clench up as he changed time back to normal. He let out a ferocious cry and then slumped back in his chair, even more drained of energy.

Sandra held out her arm to him as if to give him a hug, but quickly pulled it back. What am I doing? I've only known him for a day, and I'm already thinking about giving him hugs? I've never given anyone a hug before, much less a guy.

Something's changing. Yes Sandra, something is changing. You're changing. Yes I am, I'm changing. Sandra felt the old Sandra let go... being replaced by the new Sandra. The Sandra with confidence, with power over herself. "Are you ok now Kevin?" she rubbed his muscular shoulder.

Kevin pinched the bridge of his nose as he opened his eyes. "Wow, that was tiring," and yet he found the energy to smile. Sandra smiled back. Kevin rose to his feet and looked down at Sandra with his soft eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow Sandra, be prepared." Kevin swiftly walked out the door, leaving Sandra with her thoughts.

What am I getting myself into? What am I going to do with his grandma? What am I going to say? How should I act? What should I wear?! It's ok Sandra, it's ok. Just be yourself Sandra, be yourself. It'll all work out ok Sandra, it'll be ok. Go get some rest Sandra, you're going to need it tomorrow.

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