ordered angrily at the girl.
“Stop!
Please! They’ll kill you before I can get you free if you don’t!” The girl
cried frantically, tears streaming down her pretty face. At hearing that the
girl would set her free, Cari calmed slightly and waited impatiently for her to
cut the ropes.
“My
name is Jess. I’m one of yours. They killed my father, kidnapped my mother and
me… so many years ago. I don’t even remember how long it’s been. I will try to
steal a knife or something, so I can cut the ropes. They don’t let me around
anything that could be used as a weapon, and have left nothing in here that I
can use. Until I find something, you have to stay calm or afraid. If you show
anger or rage like you just did and project it, they’ll come in and hurt you.
Do you understand?” The girl said in a rush of words, Cari tried hard to
follow.
“What
do you mean you are one of mine?” Cari asked warily.
“I’m
not human either. My father wasn’t anyway. They don’t kidnap normal humans.
They found out a long time ago that they can’t breed with them. They only
kidnap our kind, thinking that they will be able to breed with one of us since
the Valendrans can. You’re a projectionist. I’ve only met one other like you.
Those were years ago. I’m sorry if I seem to talk so fast. I don’t have anyone
to talk to except another one of us, and that’s only until I can get them
free.” Jess said on a sigh.
“If
you are one of us, then what is your gift?” Cari challenged, not trusting that
this wasn’t a trick of some kind. Her uncle told her about the gifts given to
those like herself.
“You’re
smart, like the others. Watch this!” Jess said with a mischievous grin. Jess
bent down awkwardly until her fingers on her right hand touched the ground, and
the fingers of her left wrapped around Cari’s ankle in a hard grip.
Cari
was ready to jerk her leg out of her grip, when she saw tiny sparkles forming
around Jess’s fingers on the ground. She watched in fascination as the sparkles
traveled through Jess’s hand, across her body and to the hand holding her
ankle. She felt a comforting warmth radiating through her body from the ankle
Jess was holding. She began to notice that the ache in her wrists and arms had
lessened to the point where it was no longer painful to her. Completely amazed,
she stared down at the girl's bent head as the sparkles increased in intensity
before winking out.
Jess
collapsed heavily to the ground, letting go of Cari’s ankle at the same time.
Cari looked down at her ankle and noticed that in place of Jess’s hand lay a
delicate chain of white metal, interlaced with red and white gems, giving it
the appearance of a tennis bracelet on her ankle.
“What
did you do?” Cari asked in amazement.
“That’s
my gift. I’m a crafter. At least, that is what my parents and others like us
called it. I can draw metals and gems from the earth to create something unique
for someone that they need. I don’t know what they need, but apparently the
earth does, and it helps me draw the right metals and gems for that person.”
Jess answered with a shy smile.
“That’s
incredible. I’ve never met anyone who could do that. Can’t you make a knife to
cut me loose?” Cari asked amazed and hopeful.
“No,
I can’t make any weapons. Believe me, I’ve tried. I can’t even make something
for myself. For some reason, I can’t determine what I make, or what metals or
gems are drawn to me. I’m sorry. But I promise I will get you out of here.”
Jess said with a confident smile, seeming to get her energy back.
“If
you can help me escape, then why have you and your mom not been able to escape
yet?” Cari asked, still a little suspicious of the girl.
Jess
looked up at Cari, with big blue eyes full of sadness and tears. “They killed
my mother when she tried to protect me. She had overheard them saying that
since I had matured, it was time for them to start seeing if I could bear
“Stop!
Please! They’ll kill you before I can get you free if you don’t!” The girl
cried frantically, tears streaming down her pretty face. At hearing that the
girl would set her free, Cari calmed slightly and waited impatiently for her to
cut the ropes.
“My
name is Jess. I’m one of yours. They killed my father, kidnapped my mother and
me… so many years ago. I don’t even remember how long it’s been. I will try to
steal a knife or something, so I can cut the ropes. They don’t let me around
anything that could be used as a weapon, and have left nothing in here that I
can use. Until I find something, you have to stay calm or afraid. If you show
anger or rage like you just did and project it, they’ll come in and hurt you.
Do you understand?” The girl said in a rush of words, Cari tried hard to
follow.
“What
do you mean you are one of mine?” Cari asked warily.
“I’m
not human either. My father wasn’t anyway. They don’t kidnap normal humans.
They found out a long time ago that they can’t breed with them. They only
kidnap our kind, thinking that they will be able to breed with one of us since
the Valendrans can. You’re a projectionist. I’ve only met one other like you.
Those were years ago. I’m sorry if I seem to talk so fast. I don’t have anyone
to talk to except another one of us, and that’s only until I can get them
free.” Jess said on a sigh.
“If
you are one of us, then what is your gift?” Cari challenged, not trusting that
this wasn’t a trick of some kind. Her uncle told her about the gifts given to
those like herself.
“You’re
smart, like the others. Watch this!” Jess said with a mischievous grin. Jess
bent down awkwardly until her fingers on her right hand touched the ground, and
the fingers of her left wrapped around Cari’s ankle in a hard grip.
Cari
was ready to jerk her leg out of her grip, when she saw tiny sparkles forming
around Jess’s fingers on the ground. She watched in fascination as the sparkles
traveled through Jess’s hand, across her body and to the hand holding her
ankle. She felt a comforting warmth radiating through her body from the ankle
Jess was holding. She began to notice that the ache in her wrists and arms had
lessened to the point where it was no longer painful to her. Completely amazed,
she stared down at the girl's bent head as the sparkles increased in intensity
before winking out.
Jess
collapsed heavily to the ground, letting go of Cari’s ankle at the same time.
Cari looked down at her ankle and noticed that in place of Jess’s hand lay a
delicate chain of white metal, interlaced with red and white gems, giving it
the appearance of a tennis bracelet on her ankle.
“What
did you do?” Cari asked in amazement.
“That’s
my gift. I’m a crafter. At least, that is what my parents and others like us
called it. I can draw metals and gems from the earth to create something unique
for someone that they need. I don’t know what they need, but apparently the
earth does, and it helps me draw the right metals and gems for that person.”
Jess answered with a shy smile.
“That’s
incredible. I’ve never met anyone who could do that. Can’t you make a knife to
cut me loose?” Cari asked amazed and hopeful.
“No,
I can’t make any weapons. Believe me, I’ve tried. I can’t even make something
for myself. For some reason, I can’t determine what I make, or what metals or
gems are drawn to me. I’m sorry. But I promise I will get you out of here.”
Jess said with a confident smile, seeming to get her energy back.
“If
you can help me escape, then why have you and your mom not been able to escape
yet?” Cari asked, still a little suspicious of the girl.
Jess
looked up at Cari, with big blue eyes full of sadness and tears. “They killed
my mother when she tried to protect me. She had overheard them saying that
since I had matured, it was time for them to start seeing if I could bear
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