Free Radium Halos by W.J. May Page B

focus.” He grinned, his typical Seth grin.
“Own them.”
    “Until they
wear off,” Heidi said.
    “Will they?” I
asked. Part of me hoped it’d happen tonight. Another part for some
strange, crazy reason didn’t want it to ever wear off.
    “Yer jokin’,
right?” Kieran looked around the table at all of us, his eyes
finally settling on Seth. His eyebrows mashed together. I followed
his gaze. “You wan’ ta do this again?”
    “I’m serious.”
Seth straightened, his knees bumping on the underside of the table.
“No one knows we’ve got these skills. We could be…heroes.”
    “You read too
many comic books,” Brent said.
    “We could
train, and get outfits –”
    “Costumes, you
mean.” Rylee laughed.
    “I’m not
wearing spandex.” Heidi smiled for the first time this evening.
“It’ll be bagging on me no matter what size.”
    “I’m serious,
guys. We --” Seth set his mouth in a tight line when Max walked
over to our table.
    “I’d like to
thank you again.” Max’s eyes glistened. “Anytime you come in, the
food’s on me. I can’t believe you got to her in time.” Max wiped
his hands on his apron. “Of all nights I leave the bar for half an
hour. I make it back just as the cops are pulling in.”
    Nobody spoke.
It seemed we couldn’t meet each other’s gazes. The silence began to
get uncomfortable. I could hear all our bodys shifting and bumping
into each other erratically. Somebody needed to say something.
    “Th-Thanks,
M-Max,” I stuttered. “We…We just saw Abi go down the hall and those
guys following her. It didn’t seem right.” I hoped the excuse
worked. I didn’t want special attention because of this. Abi’s
shattered face flashed before my mind. Maybe Seth has a
point . I definitely didn’t want that to happen to someone
else.
    “If you hadn’t
been here…” Max heaved an enormous breath out. “I don’t know what
would’ve happened. You saved the day.” He shook his head as he
collected our mugs and returned to the bar.
    Seth leaned
forward. “See. We are heroes. Tomorrow we need to start
training. Then everyday after school.”
    “How’re going
to train? We blind fold you and make you smell things? I do taste
testing?” Heidi said.
    “No. We gotta
learn to focus and zone in on it. It’s bigger than just one sense
for each of us. Wayyyy bigger.”
    “Where will we
train that nobody in this town is gonna ask what the heck we’re
doing? It’s not like we can hide all us.” Rylee shrugged and shook
her head.
    “Back at the
mine?” Seth asked.
    “No!” I jerked
by the volume of my voice inside my head. “You couldn’t drag me
back in there. I’m not going inside there ever again.”
    “How ‘bout my
place?” Brent said softly. “We’ve got a basketball court outside
and the gymnasium inside. My folks’ll never care. Shoot, my dad
only built the thing so he could have some charity fundraiser once
a year. He’s got offices in the back but nobody but me and Nate go
in the gym now.”
    No one spoke. I
heard everyone agree simply by their body language.
    “It’s settled
then,” Seth said. “Tomorrow afternoon, at two. Forget saving the
day, we’re gonna save the world.”

Chapter
8
     
    The radar sense
of my hearing seemed to sharpen at night. It kept me waking
constantly. One minute I’d bolt up, terrified by someone moaning
and then gag when I realized it came from the neighbour’s wife with
her husband. Ick! Disgusting! Several deep breathes
to slow my racing heart couldn’t erase the image forming in my
mind. Just when I managed to drift back to sleep, a car screeching,
or a diesel truck flew by. Sirens, horns, animals, laughter,
crying, all of it kept me from sleeping. Ear plugs didn’t help,
nothing did.
    Screw saving
people . After a night of no sleep, I was more interested in
killing them for some peace and quiet. By lunch time I couldn’t
wait to head to Brent’s -- anything to work of the crazy jitters
and figure out a way