I woke up and saw the sticky note I left on my bed. It was shouting capital letters "FIND A WAY TO DIG INTO PEOPLE'S MEMORIES WITHOUT THEM KNOWING." I ripped it quickly as I went out to throw it in the flames. It burned to ashes and I walked away with a satisfying smile. I realized that the Feds can ask me what the note was about so I took a moment to memorize. I incorrectly told mom a fact. She chuckled as she corrected me. I sadly stared her as I tried to explain how I was going to do the test online. I needed to verbally answer all the questions. I left a sticky note on my bed but I forgot. Mom smiled as she told me to relax and worry about it later. She told me to eat my breakfast. After breakfast she sat me down and had me memorized a page. Then we went to back where she helped dad to build the pool. I watched them as I watered my plants. I used the bathroom and came down to see down rubbing his pencil on mom's post it notes. He said impressions can help tell what was written. He wants to know what mom got his birthday.
I took a sip of water and went back to my room. I used the back of my pen to make an impression that I had written down a date and an event from history class. It was the day of the great earthquake. I hope it fools them. I sat down and played video games and mom suddenly asking me a question about history. I gave her the answer and she said that I only got half the answer correct. The other half was incorrect. I turned to face her and she asked again. I paused the game and thought about it. I repeated the answer. I asked her how it is wrong. I memorized it word to word. I asked her if this one of the conspiracy stories. She was neutral. I finally gave up and grabbed the book. I showed her I was right. She blinked three times and checked the page. She was shocked to see I was right. She tried to understand what was going on. I told her get herself checked out. Mom went her friend and dad stayed at home.
Dad asked me what I was going to on day eight. I explained that I will go out on day nine. I am some stuff delivered. It will come on day nine. Dad called mom and it turns out mom was just stressed out. She was fine. The doctor told her to find a way to relax. She came and ate an apple. I promised mom we will go on a trip once the travel ban was lifted. I had high hopes that it will be lifted soon. She gave me a small smile. She needs to stop listening to the news because all it does is induce stress. I told her to check cooking shows, DIYs and beauty tips. She can even listen audiobooks and play video games. There are chatrooms she can use. She was grinning the entire time. Dad chuckled as he started channel surfing. He found a comedy channel and she sat down to enjoy a moment of levity. I got her a tub of ice cream. She happily ate as the hosts pulled pranks and told dad jokes. I went upstairs and filled a tub with a water and dropped a bath bomb. It was called midnight garden. I lit candles and scattered flower petals.
I got up to see mom and dad stare with joy. I raised a finger, "I will be right back with a chocolate bar and kombucha. I charged the iPod so mom can listen to music as she relaxes." I walked out calmly and got her favourite bittersweet chocolate bar and hibiscus Kombucha. I placed everything on the only surface possible and switched on the iPod. It placed jazz music and I walked out and pulled out her mulberry silk bathrobe and her fluffy pink slippers. I even made her hot chocolate made her bed. I came out and dad gave me a thumbs up before he locked the bathroom door. I walked in to kitchen and made noodles soup. Then I made a fruit salad. I wanted to make a chocolate lava cake but I didn't have the ingredients. I can't accept any deliveries so I have to wait till dad or mom comes. I sat down and switched on the TV. I was flipping channels when I saw breaking news about a plane crash. It looked exactly like my drawings. I chose to keep my expression neutral since there is a camera facing me.
As dad walked in I switched channels to a cooking show. Dad asked if I needed anything. I answered, "I want to make a lava cake but I can't answer the door if they delivered because I would be sent to solitary confinement." He stared with interest before he asked me to make a list. He walked outside to smoke and saw the government notice was ripped out. Dad called the cops. Mom told me to go upstairs. Then he called the guy from the grocery store to deliver my list and a little extra. When the detectives arrived dad showed them the lawn camera. In my defence I didn't know existed until now since it wasn't in the tablet. I chose to ignore it as they handled the situation. They arrested the crook. I asked dad who did it. His tablet showed high resolution that it was the Fed. The officer explained he will be arrested and fired. FBI had no proof I was different. So they can't harass me without just cause so they will have to keep their distance.
Dad asked me to sit down. He wanted to clear the air. He took me upstairs to the attic and mom was nearby. He showed me the footage of the rock cracking. I kept a neutral expression till the video ended. Mom explained why she was worried. She met the girl on the news. She warned everyone about the plane crash. She also mentioned another girl with ability like her. She can only see the future. I grimaced, "I can see the future. I can hear thoughts, I can find missing people and I shattered a rock with a flick of my wrist. I am not the girl she spoke of." Mom and dad gave a sigh of relief. I told her that the girl isn't missing. She is hiding in the attic. On the ninth day I will go jogging. I will listen to her thoughts and figure out if she is trying to help the Feds catch people like me or not. I will be subtle about it. I will pretend to catch my breath. They can't tag someone who is exercising. Both of them grinned ear to ear. I explained that I drew the plane crash but I burned the sketch. I used it as kindling as I made S'mores.
Mom asked, "You can also find missing people other than cracking things." I am not going to tell anyone since I would be taken away to some black site where I will be trained to be an assassin or taken to a lab and cut open. I know because the Fed was thinking out loud. He is also a member of clandestine group who are abusing people like me. I have seen he review of the gifted being held inside jail cells like they were common crooks. He was angry that only teenagers were the ones who got the gifts. He kept thinking that he should be amongst the ones to get it or be able to decide who gets it and who doesn't. He has visited facilities where bone marrow and other organs were harvested and implanted to others. The theory is they can transfer the gift." Mom let out a noise and dad shook his head. Both promised to keep it a secret. I told her the soldier was in the coma ward.
She asked me how I know. I explained that I have to look at image of the person and go to sleep. A missing person's spectral form isn't going to come over and tell me that he or she is missing and tell me where they are. I have to find out just like everyone else. In my dream I see a cute bunny who takes me to see the missing person. Dad laughed, "Alice our daughter is Alice in Wonderland." Mom happy replied, "At least she didn't meet the queen of hearts. Or the Cheshire cat or the mad hatter." I shook my head and they promised not to say anything even to their friends. Mom promised not to tell her best friend. She gave me a wink as her phone rang. I told her that we will go on a trip. We will go to the Maldives and spend the entire day snorkeling or diving. Maybe even see some rays or turtles. I told her I can hear what she is thinking. Dad told me to learn how to block people. If I can find them they can find me. I told him that is tomorrow's problem. Today I am learning how to dig through memories. I want to be able to tell if a person was honest or not.
The police called dad to tell him they had arrested the crook. They explained that he was fired since the video was made viral. He was being transferred to jail as they spoke. Dad gave a sigh of relief as he walked out for a smoke. An official from CDC stuck the new document on the door and asked dad if I was going out for a full day or a half day. He made it clear I was only going out for an hour. I chose to go jogging to stretch my legs. I will be home before the hour is up. Dad and mom want to make sure I completed the thirty days of quarantine. The official gave him a pat on the back before he went back to his Citron. He smoked a cigarette. I heard a honking and dad walked back in with the groceries. I opened the little Paris kitchen cookbook by Rachel Khoo. After a few pages were flipped I found mom's favourite chocolate lava cake recipe and I also made the chocolate mousse too. Dad made macaroni and cheese while mom cleared the table.
Mom got a call from her friend. I heard mom say that he was lying. Mom was sure he was lying. She asked her to change the subject. Dad grabbed the phone. He explained that she was told by her doctor to relax. Dad won't stay quiet while anyone harassing mom to induce stress. He demanded an apology then gave the phone to mom. He winked at me as he mixed the pasta with the cheese sauce. He boiled a lobster and cut it into pieces before adding it to the pasta. He kept mixing as mom talked to her friend about the money they were saving for a cruise. They were talking about the next shopping trip. They wanted to donate their old stuff away to make room for new things. Mom said that I am not going with them. I am still under quarantine. I just want to go jogging for an hour and come home safely. I am not interested in shopping. I am interested in videogames. Mom explained her discomfort that I may infect someone. She wants to be as safe as possible. Right now measured optimism is best. Mom stared laughing. She wanted to know what lunatic told her that.
Finally she hung up and smiled, "Dodged a bullet" dad asked if she believes I am not normal. She smirked as she sat down to grab a grape. She answered, "She was curious if I had the gift or not. She lost her son in the recreation centre. He says he is trying to find him. So he can bring him home. I told her not to believe him. He is trying to find an excuse. She asked Cassie was coming for shopping day. I told her that Cassie is staying at home. She is not going to be Typhoid Mary. She apologised profusely." Dad gave her a wink and sat down with a cup of spiced tea. Mom drank kombucha as we figured out the next move. Dad told me to find out how my gift works. So I can counter anyone who can use the same abilities. I ate dinner and sat down to meditate on the living room floor. Mom and dad did the dishes. I sat down to complete all of my homeworks. I emailed it after I proof read it. Dad told me to go to my room to meditate. I went up to the attic to clear my mind so I could do it. I sat on the beanbag and focused.