O.M.G: Oh My Gravity

Shadow and I gazed at each other for a while, both blushing deep shades of red as the small girl returned to her training area where her partner was waiting.

Shadow smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. I looked at the ground, hiding my own smile and shuffled my feet. It was an awkward situation and I felt like an absolute failure.

“So,” Shadow said suddenly, breaking the silence between us. “What now, Chief Alex?”

I looked around the room and hummed under my breath. Each of the training stations were taken up and there were no remaining stations to move onto. I was stumped and clueless just like I was when I first came here.

I turned back to Shadow and the burning bonfire flickering behind her.

“First thing’s first,” I told her. “We need to disassemble this fire incase it does damage and then we’ll go from there.”

As I tried to cover up how clueless I was, Shadow stared at me with an amused grin on her face.

“What?” I asked her, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden.

“You don’t know what to do, do you?” she questioned, tilting her head back as she laughed. I shrugged my shoulders and looked down.

So much for trying to be in control, I thought.

She slapped her hand to her face, still laughing playfully, and walked over to the flaming wooden logs. She held out her palm and let out a blast of cool water on the warm fire, putting it out and sending up a wisp of silvery grey smoke.

“You really are funny,” Shadow said, pulling her hair back off her face. “You try to put across the fact that you know things when really... you’re clueless. Luckily I know things... Follow me.”

She walked off into a section of the room which had nothing but a few marks mapped out on the floor. I really hoped Shadow knew this stuff... If she didn’t we would be stuffed, barbecued chickens.

“Okay,” Shadow said as she turned to face me. “This is a very advanced training station... but I think you can handle it. These marks on the floor are just there so you know where the area for this activity is.”

I nodded and Shadow continued.

“This activity requires you to use your imagination,” she continued. “I want you to picture a creature, any creature. Go on.”

I closed my eyes hesitantly, feeling like the first day I had met Shadow. With my eye lids shut, I imagined a dog. A dog much like Dallas.

“Now hold out your hand,” she whispered, her voice closer than usual and her hand placed gently on my wrist.. “Palm out in front of you. Now imagine that creature made completely out of fire.”

I imagined a flaming Dallas wagging his tail and looking up at me. I opened my eyes and nearly screamed when I saw Dallas sitting in front of me covered in flames. I was absolutely stunned.

“That’s amazing,” I said under my breath.

“It is, isn’t it?” Shadow squealed. “It’s always better to challenge yourself. The best way to develop as a Super Human, if you as me. Now try to think of something bigger. Something more challenging.”

“Hmm,” I breathed, trying to think of a large, impressing creature. Then an Idea hit me.

I shut my eyes and thought of a pitch black Stallion. I pictured it rearing up on its hind legs covered in fire, its fiery mane billowing in the breeze. I placed my palm up in front of me and opened my eyes.

Standing there, on its hind legs was the fiery black horse I had pictured.

“No way,” I yelled, ecstatic. “That’s so cool!”

“Wow,” Shadow marvelled, impressed by my concoction.

Yes! I thought to myself. It worked!

Shadow smiled and said, “it’s my turn now,” with a mischievous grin on her face as she closed her eyes. She looked so beautiful with her eyes closed. She held out her hand and shortly after, opened her eyes. Materialising in front of her was a woman made of water. She wore a long trailing dress and gripped a rainbow crown atop her head, sparkling under the industrial lights and the spectacularly, ginormous, fiery sun.

Shadow moved her hand toward the rearing, flaming Stallion and her aquatic woman walked gracefully over to the horse. She lifted her hand and the woman made of water climbed onto the horse. It was so magical to watch that I forgot everything around me.

I lifted my palm to the horse and swiped the air, it was a gut feeling and I went with with it. The horse began to gallop around the room wherever my hand pointed. The woman on top of the horse picked up her crown and threw it to the floor, laughing with glee. But it never splashed on the floor, because the small girl with pig tails shot out her hand. Streams of ice flowed out of her fingers and caught the crown, turning it into ice. It came so close to smashing onto the concrete, but a girl with silver skin swished her hand and brought the crown slowly to the ground with a gust of wind. A third girl who had metallic green skin, walked over to us with a curious look on her face. She looked at me, as if asking for permission and I nodded watching her as she knelt on the floor.

She placed her hand on the concrete surface, took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. Grass, flowers and peculiar trees spread out around the whole training hall filling it with vibrant greens, pinks and yellows. The whole training hall gathered around and watched our little magic show. They gasped, clapped and pointed as the horse ran in and out of work stations gracefully. I was just as awed by the scene as everyone else. I could feel my mouth hitting the floor.

“Beautiful,” I whispered. “So beautiful.”

Shadow exhaled and slipped her hand into mine, leaning her head on my shoulder. She closed her eyes, her lashes brushing her cheeks, and so did I, breathing in her scent that I could never get enough of. I clenched her hand tighter and opened my eyes. A bright gold light engulfed the Stallion and its rider. When the light subsided, the horse was gone and so was the woman. Instead, standing tall on all four hooves, was a female centaur: half human, half horse.

The human part of the centaur was covered in rippling water. Its hair snaked all the way past her shoulders and her eyes were a deeper blue than the rest of her watery body. The horse part of the centaur was covered in deep red flames, its fiery tail swishing from side to side. Words couldn’t describe how intensely gorgeous it was.

The Super Humans around us were stunned into shock, gazing at the mythical creature standing before us.

I never knew that together, Shadow and I could create something so powerful. I guess it was destiny or fate. Nothing that powerful happens by accident.

Just then my stomach grumbled and I glanced at the large clock on the wall.

12:00 pm, it read. Lunch time.

“Come on, Shadow,” I said wrapping my arm around her shoulder. “Let’s have lunch. I believe we have a lot to talk about.”

I wasn’t sure what look I had on my face, but I was feeling nervous inside. Nervous to talk about Daniel Whitmore.

I began to feel off again. The happiness and awe faded away into anxiety. I tried my hardest to put on a brave face and smiled as Shadow and I made our way to the dining hall.

The dining hall was packed with hungry Super Humans. Almost all the tables were full except a small table for two on the west window.

“Go sit at the table while I order lunch,” Shadow said with a smile.

I walked over to the round table and pulled out a clear glass chair. It was so immaculately clean I didn’t even want to eat on it. But I was hungry so I put cleanliness out of my mind.

I gazed out the window at the sparkling ocean, thinking about how the conversation about Daniel will go with Shadow. I was slightly panicking about it but as I thought of how I felt when I gazed into her eyes, I felt slightly better. Just then shadow walked over carrying two trays of food in her hands. I stood up and grabbed one off her setting it on the table. Both trays had servings of salad and a large, juicy hamburger with hot chips.

“Eat up,” Shadow said. “Then we’ll talk.”

I nodded and picked up the hamburger taking a big bite. It was delicious and within seconds the burger was gone along with the salad and side of fries.

“Now talk to me,” I said, finishing off my last mouthful. Shadow took her last bite and followed it down with a glass of water. She looked at me and held my hand across the table.

“Okay,” she looked down at our intertwined hands. “It’s kind of hard to say... and I feel like I shouldn’t be the one to tell you. But...”

“Shadow,” I said softly. “You don’t have to tell me. I think I know what this is about.”

“You do?” she said, her voice sounding hopeful. I nodded and held her small hand tighter.

“I had a dream last night,” I told her and she looked up into my eyes, a serious look sat on her face. “It was about me and another boy.”

I stuttered and a small tear rolled down Shadow’s cheek.

“Who was the boy?” she asked, but I it was obvious she knew.

“My twin brother,” I said, my throat catching at the last word. “Daniel Whitmore.”

Shadow wiped the tears from her face and leant closer to me over the table.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you,” she apologised. “I know it’s a big secret to keep... but we had to keep it to protect Daniel... if you had found out earlier it would have been a distraction to the both of you. He was still so young and so were you but you were more mature and understood more... I’m so sorry.”

I smiled and it was genuine.

“It’s actually okay,” I said, surprising myself.

“It is?” she questioned.

“Absolutely,” I answered. “I got over the shock this morning when I saw you... I actually want to meet him.”

It surprised me, how different I was when I was with Shadow. With her I was a person of no fear, or anxiety. I was the person I’ve always wanted to be. A person who was okay with change.

I stood up, then, and knelt next to her, placing my hand on the back of her seat. She looked up at me and a shining tear caught in her thick eye lashes

“Stop crying, Shadow,” I told her, wiping a tear away with my thumb. “There’s no need to, it’s not your fault. I understand now why you kept the secret. It protected us and I am so grateful for that. Thank you, Shadow.”

I held her hand and moved closer to her, gazing into her deep blue eyes. She was so pretty and so genuine, I couldn’t help but get slightly dizzy when I was around her. Pulling myself together, I pressed my lips slowly to the slightly moist skin of Shadow’s cheek. It was a short kiss but it was sweet. She leaned into it and hugged me close.

“I’m glad you think that way,” she whispered. “I’m so glad.”

I hugged her to me and really thought that everything was going to be okay. It was the first time in what felt like a long time I had felt that way. I rested my head on hers and closed my eyes, thinking about the major task that was set in our young hands and whether or not we would succeed. Then I thought about my brother and for the first time I actually felt excited to meet him. I let out a small laugh and exhaled, letting out all my worries and finally feeling content.