The Affected: Dancing Wind Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

I was never so embarrassed as I was right then. 

Well that did take that LOOK off of Dr. Ramble’s face and instantly my nausea lifted.   That is when I put two and two together and blabbed “you’re one of the Affected too!”

She did have the good grace to blush and she did apologize.  Yes she was one of the affected and her ability was twofold, she knew when someone was lying or keeping something back and …this is where the nausea came in for me… she could force someone to tell the truth.

She didn’t forget that I was going to share my last ability with her but I put up my hands and told her “I make plants grow too…please don’t hit me with that LOOK anymore!”

She laughed “well it is only fair that you now know about me since I got your secrets out of you.”

We both forgot about Selman as we shared our stories and how we became affected and all that came with it. 

Dr. Rambles had also been in a plane that day and while she was up towards the older limit, whatever happened did not spare her.    She did get a headache but she did not tell the FBI about that and she was able to convince them she was harmless.   I guess being honest did not extend to her!  Hahahahahaha!

We talked for over two hours about our abilities in the proto-room so that no one would be able to overhear us while I finished up planting the milkweed.  I also planted a couple radish seeds so she could see what happened.  She was amazed that they germinated within fifteen minutes.

We also could not hear Selman beating on the various doors.  

“At that rate, they will be ready to eat in just a few days.  Does anything happen to those who eat your enhanced foods?”

“Well, several people have been eating them for months and so far, no effects at all.”

And that got us into the experiments I was conducting at my home.   

When we finally came out of the greenhouses, Selman was still there…we had totally forgot about her.    And she was NOT happy!   (the greenhouses automatically lock so no one can just walk in without a keycard or key) 

Dr. Rambles apologized to her and bid me a good day and walked off.   I don’t blame her. 

I also walked off…or tried to.  Selman grabbed me by the arm and forced me to stop.

“I can arrest you and detain you for a very long time if you keep messing with me.”

Now her grabbing me really made me mad and since she was bigger than me, I did not think I could break her grip.

“I am NOT messing with you; I just want you to leave me alone.  I’ve done nothing wrong.” (oops good thing Dr. Rambles did leave) “I am NOT going with you to your lab.  Not now, not ever.  So leave me alone or I will go to the press and spill all about you trying to intimidate me and who knows how many others who have had this EVENT forced on them!” 

I was so mad.

“And if you EVER come near me or my family again, I will turn every animal within my range on you.   Just leave us ALONE!”  And with those words, I jumped up and she finally let go when we were about six feet up in the air. 

I thought I was done with her but she was more clever than I gave her credit for.  But hey, I’m only 17 and had been pretty sheltered for most of my life.

Well one day, Dr. Rambles and I were out in the prairie garden at the school (we have five different gardens going) and I got stung by a bee.  Or I thought I had.  Turns out it was a tranquilizer dart.  Dr. Rambles was shot too but I did not know that until later. 

I woke up on a cot in a dim room that had no windows.