SAVANTS
The Chapture 31

"And you think I'm a savant too?"

"Yes of course.''

"But I can't move things."

'' Have you tried it?"

''Well, I mean not yet. I don't know what to do. I think I've seen something— like aura, you can call it so—but I don't see it anymore.'' Not that I'll admit it.

We sat for a while, holding hands together, looking out the window. The sky was thick with iron gray clouds.

The snow started to fall, thick and fast, gusts of wind pushed it horizontally before letting it descend back towards the bottom slowly.

''I think this season will be very good, '' said Zed. ''The first snow is worthy and it's with you. I'd love to teach you how to ski, but it's not safe for you to be with me out there.''

"I don't think that's a good idea."

'' You have to make Tina teach you skiing, she's pretty good.''

''I might do it. But he'll laugh at me.''

"Yes, he'll laugh at you." He did it again—read the future.

''Then again, there is nothing more embarrassing like the skeleton suit I wore when Helloween.''

''Use that skeleton suit again. I love it and will beg you to wear it on special occasions later"

I kicked myself. I really shouldn't fall in love with this man, but I want to curl up and tuck myself inside him, never leaving him.You want to teach me to make a shield? I don't want your family to read every thought that comes to my mind."

He put his arm around me.

" No, I don't want that. I catch some thoughts of them sometimes, you know. I like the one where you ...'' He whispered the rest in my ear, making me want to explode out of embarrassment.

''Shield—I need a shield,'' I said as my cheeks stopped blushing.

She laughs. "OKAY. The technique is simple but you need practice as often as possible. Better use visualization. Imagine building like a wall, and putting yourself in it, keeping your emotions, ideas, thoughts safe behind the barriers you create"

"What kind of barrier?''

''it's your shield, you decide.''

I closed my eyes and remembered my bedroom wallpaper. Turquoise.

''That's great.'' Said.

" You can see what I see?''

''It's like an echo. When someone uses a shield you will only see something faintly faint. I just saw a shadow, a little bit faded. The color is pale blue, right? ."

"My bedroom wall."

''Yes, that's good. Safe, familiar. When you throw that between you and anyone who wants to see your mind, they will find it hard to get in. But if you want to make it strong it takes effort—and we must forget to focus again"

"What shot at us that time was so expert—or did he destroy the shield surrounding the house?''

Zed shook his head. ''That's why we know he's strong. Either he's a paid Savant or indeed a certain group of organizations, but we doubt it.''

''They will try again?''

''We think so. We hope so, because now we expect them, that we will have a chance to arrest them, and they may be thrown in jail. But knowing they haven't been caught, you have to be extra careful, promise?'" He moved his finger lightly on the back of my hand, sending vibrations to my spine.

"I promise.''

''I kept you a secret, even from my family. You are too precious for me to risk approaching this chaos.''l

°°°

Tina doesn't understand why I didn't tell Zed to teach me skiing. ''You have a girlfriend who is one of the best skiers in this district—and I am still mad at you for not telling the truth about your relationship, by the way you asked me to teach you?''

''That's fine.'' I picked up the scraper and helped him clear the snow from his car windshield in the school parking lot.

''Why?'' ask Tina.

''Because according to Zed you were really great swaying on the slope. You are my Obi Wan and I am your loyal disciple"

He was happy for the compliment. ''Thanks you. I don't think he pays attention to girls like me''

''He is not what you think. He is not as approachable as he seems. He had just gotten a little into trouble so he was relaxing around people.'' And he's stressed all the time watching a big crime for the FBI to deal with, but he doesn't need to know that part. "And our parents didn't really like it when we spent time together outside of school—not since we ended up at the police station."

''Oh my God, it's like a West Side Story movie !''

''Alright, I will teach you, Tina continued. ''Anyway, there were only a few times a girl wanted to fall down in front of the man she wanted to impress.''

Actually, he has a point. It might be better to learn from him.

''You are very wise in speaking yes, Obi Tina.''

She laughs. ''None of that—I'm just telling the truth"

I hit my forehead slowly. ''You're right. So I can only frown and act badly when you try and teach me something.''

''Try to relax instead of tense while skiing.The results will be better. I'll take you Sunday morning if you like, after the church's over. We'll be at about eleven o'clock so I'll pick you up at a quarter past.''

"All right"

''Got his skis?"

''No. ''No. What do I need?''

''Don't worry. I'm gonna bring you my old suit—the clothes didn't fit in my growth for the past year. You can rent ski equipment at the sports shop.''

"I can't wait."

''You think you'll be a natural?''

''Um.''

''Of course. Feel the pleasure, Sky.''

°°°

I'm not a natural skier—no. But I fell down many times. I need a lot of balance training.

" you daydream sometimes" said Tina. I gasped for breath, putting away the snow that had my face.

"How can you ski so nimbly? You got a knack for being a professional ski? "

Tina patted my back just to cheer me up. " I used to practice all the time and well this is the result."

"That didn't happen to me."

We are still at the foot of the slope for beginners. I could see the cable car moving well carrying more experienced skiers to the top, Xav guarding the ticket booth.

It's the perfect day to ski—the pale blue ceiling, the snow sparkles and makes it look tempting to climb, but the altitude gives me a warning.

The mountains are at their most hospitable.

Tina caught my eye. "Zed may be on top. Mr. Benedict paid his boys to work the weekend shift."

At least he's not here to see my failure and laugh out loud when he sees me fall.  But I'm providing Xav with enough entertainment like that and maybe he'll tell his story to zed.

''Okay, let's go again. Remember, Sky, this is just your first lesson.'' said Tina.

I watched with despair as a four-year-old skied on mini-skiing without falling over. He doesn't even use a stick.

" You can't compare yourself to that kid. They were not too far away to fall and were indestructible at that age. Once more. Yeah, that's all. Keep the skis aligned. No, don't let your legs widen"

''Okay.'' My forehead yelled in protest as I was about to do a split.

"That's nice—better."

''Better than what?''

''Better than before. That's enough for today"

''Oh yes.''

"Do you mind if I go upstairs to skate down?'' said Tina

''Of course not.''

"You can come too."

''Are you kidding me?''

"You can take the cable car and go back down. You might like the view from above.''

I grinned, it was great that Tina let me come to Zed for a date. He had dropped his dire warning, lowering the threat level to 'yellow alert' rather than 'crisis'. "I might have done something."