Free Child of Time by Spencer Johnson

happened in the lake.
How did you change it?”
    “Please don't tell anyone, I don't want them to look
at me like that. I saw it and I couldn’t stand it, they were afraid
of me and they looked at me like I was someone else.” Kiyan blurted
as he felt his plans crashing down around him.
    “Don't worry I won't tell anyone but what do you mean
you saw it.” Carlisle saw the conflict on Kiyan’s face. It reminded
him of when he had first discovered his abilities.
    “I was in the future three days then I woke up
yesterday.” Kiyan wasn't willing to admit more. More about any of
the other things that had happened like being a descendant of an
ascended. The dreams that had been bothering him. Or about what the
future had been like.
    Three days, in detail, Carlisle thought, I
rarely have visions with that level of clarity. Kiyan was
indeed special but he could understand what he feared. The burden
that Kiyan would have been forced to carry was something Carlisle
wouldn't force on any one. “ Your secret it safe with me. ”
Carlisle sent the message to Kiyan who seemed to calm down. Hearing
people approach he turned in time to see Fred's mother arrive in
the clearing.
    “A kayloo? I have never seen one like this before.”
Fred's mother said as she grasped Fred's hand. “I'm here now Freddy
there isn't anything to be afraid of.”
    “It is a dryad, they are usually pretty reclusive
until they decide to bond.” Carlisle relayed the information Kiyan
offered him telepathically.
    Fred began to wake up again and Addy released him
from her vines. Kiyan could sense the Addy he remembered. Addy must
have notice all the people around her because she suddenly began
emanating waves of nervousness. Fred sensed this also and whispered
something in his mother's ear. Smiling she looked at her husband
and said something in his ear. Kiyan smiled to himself as he turned
to go toward home.
    “Kiyan! Wait up.” Fred seemed insistent. “Addy is
nervous being around so many people so mom and dad are going to let
me go on a camping trip to finish bonding and I was wondering if
you and Jeremy could come. It would be a lot of fun wouldn't it
be?”
    “Let me go ask mom and dad” Kiyan replied.
    “OK I'll go ask Jeremy then.” Fred was off in a
run.
    “Before he could open his mouth when he returned
home, Marisa started speaking. “Of course you can go, I'm happy for
you and Fred. Fred's dad was already here and he asked if we would
let you go with Fred.”
    “Awesome, let me get my camping stuff.” Kiyan
responded enthusiastically.
    “Oh I almost forgot, there is a bender in town, he
came by while you were swimming and asked if he could train the
three of you boys instead of you having to go to the academy. I
think his name was Corban or something like that.”
    As Kiyan grabbed his pack he thought about what
Marisa had said. Corban, strange that he should show up when he
hadn't last time. Well come to think of it not having to go to the
academy wasn't a bad thing but the deviation bothered Kiyan. This
was an aberration that had never occurred to him as a result of his
actions. If this could change what else would?
    -----------
    As Corban ate breakfast he reviewed the last few
hours of his life. Only a few hours ago he'd been preparing to
teach a class at the academy. As a protégé bender he had been
offered the teaching position some time ago. Teaching had allowed
him to learn of the other two schools of bending from the other
instructors. It was possible for him to manipulate both earth and
water on a basic level. Nothing more than causing a pebble to
levitate or a few ripples. He didn't like anyone knowing because it
was commonly thought that only ascended could do that. He had been
feeling bored with the academy after the first few years. Teaching
the same thing day after day, few were the pupils that could even
approach his level of bending. There had been no challenge in life
and for a near immortal with a sense of adventure