The Affected: Dancing Wind Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Two weeks before spring break and I met Selman.  Oh she was nice enough, asked lots of questions in that false sweet, respectful way of hers.  See I don’t trust her especially since I was right in the middle of planning  for my “caper”.  She caught me outside walking to the cafeteria for lunch under one of those big oak trees the campus is famous for.  

I didn’t say much to her at all nor did I agree to her “oh so generous” offer for me to come to her lab and be studied.  She went on and on about how those who came were able to refine and even increase their powers, thinking that would be a selling point to me.  I do have to say HER file on me was a bit thicker than the other one.

I honestly started out listening to her but the conversation that three squirrels were having about us caught and kept my attention. 

“Dancing Wind is not stupid enough to go with that woman”

“oh no, not our Dancing Wind.  She will see through all that fake talk.”

“tag your it”

“no fair!”

At that I had to look up and watch as the three began an earnest game of tag all over that tree and even into the one next to it.  I kept catching little bits of their conversation as they ran by every so often.

“That lady still here?”

“Dancing Wind needs to go eat so she is ready for winter.”

“That color of that suit makes that lady look like a dead person.”

“You missed me! Hahahaha!”

“No I didn’t.”

I was trying really hard not to laugh and FINALLY Selman realized I had not been listening to her but rather the squirrels.

“What did they say?” she asked me.

I just looked at her like she was crazy or something.  Finally I said “excuse me” and walked off to lunch.

Darn woman followed me!  Yes I have to admit I BRIEFLY entertained the thought of asking the squirrels to run all over her but restrained myself.  She should be thanking me for that.  But I seriously doubt that the thought I’d sic any animal on her ever crossed her mind. 

I thought it funny that she had to pay for a meal in order to follow me into the cafeteria.  Oh they had potato soup that day…delicious!  I fixed my salad and grabbed a cup of that soup and went and sat down without really thinking, at my usual place -an out of the way booth in the back.  As soon as I sat down, I realized my mistake.  Drat if that woman didn’t just slide right in next to me.  I was nicely trapped.

After several minutes of her describing all the benefits to ME about working with her, she changed tactics and began the “you can help save the world” line of BS.  (sorry for the swearing Aunt Becca)

The thing is, I had ALREADY been thinking about how I could use my abilities to help others, hence my little 'caper' I had already begun to plan.  Touching seeds seemed to be the only real way I could help.  But that took so much out of me, I don’t really know how much of a help it would actually be for 7 billion plus people of the world.  I don’t even know if I could lift anyone up with me.  I never tried it.  I made a mental note to try it with Kassie that weekend. 

I was getting really good at tuning this woman out.  She finally got the point and after giving me her thick fancy card, she left.  She probably went off to arrange people to spy on me.  I think she was more upset that I would not even confirm my name to her, let alone my abilities than for my tuning her out. 

Did I mention she even tried to play that video on her phone.  I just ate my salad and soup.  After fixing myself a hot cup of sweet tea in my handy stainless steel coffee mug I keep in my backpack; I took my dishes to the window that they mysteriously disappear from and went back outside.  I did look around to make sure she was really gone and headed to my next class.  I almost threw her card away but decided at the last minute to keep it and give it to my Aunt. 

And that was a mistake.