Free Whisper Cape by Susan Griscom Page A

She enjoyed living alone, but there were times—particularly on rainy nights—she felt somewhat jittery.
    Secure in her warm apartment and relieved the campfire outing was over, Addie changed out of her wet clothes and towel-dried her hair. She fixed a cup of chamomile tea and took two ibuprofen then headed straight for the sofa, pulled open the hide-a-bed and straightened the covers before getting in. She was still a little chilled and snuggled under the fluffy blue comforter, reaching for the remote to check the news. Once again, her veins grew hot. A prickly and burning sensation radiated down her arms, and before she even touched the power button, sparks shot out from her fingertips and the TV screen sprang to life. Startled, she jumped up from the bed, no longer cold.
    “Okay ... now I’m beginning to freak out. First the radio in my truck, then the television at the bar, and now here? What’s going on?” Her voice trembled and she fought to steady herself.
    Addie thought about the day her dad died and remembered the note she had found on his desk the day of his funeral. She didn’t know what it meant but felt it was important no one else find it, so she’d placed it in her keepsake box along with her other valuable possessions. The box and its contents were the only things she had belonging to her mother who had purchased it during a trip to Scotland. It was an antique, intricately decorated with wood mosaic. She remembered her father saying it had substantial value.
    She went to her closet and took out the box, sat with it on her lap and flipped open the lid. Inside were her mother’s watch and gold bracelet, both her parents’ wedding rings, and the note. The only other valuable thing she owned was the locket she never took off. She picked up the note, carefully unfolded it, and read it again.
    Addison will soon be of age. She will inherit the powers. Her safety is my main concern.
    Addie stared at the note for a few minutes. What would she soon be of age for? What powers? Bart’s story raced to her mind. That’s absurd! She frowned and thought back to her childhood. Was there something special about her dad? About her? Surely, Maia would know. She read the note again and thought of her dad’s warning about keeping her safe. She considered her options and resolved to remain quiet for now.
    Standing with her hands outstretched, palms up, she examined them—turning each over and back again as if they were foreign to her.
    “If I can turn the television on without touching the remote, can I turn it off as well?” she whispered.
    She hesitated, stretched out her hand toward the remote, trying to suppress the stinging pain in her veins as a stream of electricity flashed from her fingertips and the television turned off.
    “Whoa, this is amazing!” she said, letting out a nervous laugh. Again, she stretched out her hand toward the remote, more sparks flew, and the television came back on.
    She sucked in a breath. “This is unbelievable. What is going on here?”
    Addie repeated the little game a dozen times before she walked to the kitchen to try it on something else. She stood by the blender on the counter, placed her hand close to it and it buzzed on as electrical energy shot out again. She clapped her hands with excitement, then proceeded to the toaster, and the same thing happened. She experimented with the distance. It worked just as well from ten feet away as it did from one. She flitted around the apartment like a giddy child with a new toy, turning on one electrical appliance after another, jumping with delight each time. She wondered if there was a way to tone down the sparks so she wouldn’t draw attention to herself. Sitting on the bed, she placed her hands under her legs and faced the remote, thinking only about turning the television on.
    Nothing happened.
    “Hmmm ... mind over matter, Addie. Meditate.” She stared at the remote and thought of nothing except the TV for twenty minutes. All