The Dark Circles

Rachel was born to parents Jesse and Hayden Parker, in Black Ridge Falls Hospital at four thirty am on December 22, 1987, the youngest of three siblings. Her childhood was filled with mostly happy memories. Rachel's brother James and sister Isabelle looked out for her, even when they left home and found places of their own. The family did the best they could with what they had, although at times it obviously wasn't easy. Rachel inherited her mother's wild curly red hair and her father's height. She did pretty well in school and made some good friends along the way. She really enjoyed playing the piano, art and creative writing. But one of her favorite things to do was teleport.

Yes, you heard correctly.

For as long as humans have existed on this earth, so have those who were born with abilities. In certain families, they skipped a generation or two. But time passes like it always does. Nobody was aware anymore of the origins of such things. There was no telling what kind of abilities a person could develop, once puberty set in. Gifted people soon became the norm. They were just something else to either be admired or envied.

With Rachel, Jesse was the only other abnormal one in the Parker household. She could levitate. Hayden told his kids that when they first met each other he caught her 'in the act', so to speak. He thought it was the coolest thing, dating a Gifted girl. Who would have known years later that everything was about to change?

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Rachel woke up early on a Monday morning in April, at first not keen to get out of bed. It wasn't like she had anywhere urgent to be or much to do. She made her way towards the bathroom across the hall and had a shower, washing away any tiredness she still felt. She pulled on jeans and a t-shirt, picking up her sneakers as she left the bedroom. Her dog Maisie was on the stair case. "Hey girl. Time for some food?" Rachel poured a scoop of dog biscuits into a bowl and put the kettle on for a coffee. Her parents were already at work.

After eating breakfast, Rachel went to the study and switched on the computer, mainly to check the e-mails for new assignments given to her by the creating writing course she had recently signed up for. Okay, she thought, here we go; choose an old photograph and write up a story which may explain its content. 5 pages long. 2500 words single spaced, 1250 words double spaced. Be sure to check your grammar, punctuation and spelling. This assignment is due in two weeks. Good luck!

Rachel immediately thought of her grandmother Rose. Eighty five years old and still quite active, she lived in a nearby retirement home and had stacks of albums containing all kinds of photos, some of which Rose had taken herself. Others were given to her by various family members and friends. She did not have any abilities, but that hardly mattered. She'd raised a daughter by herself and was proud of everything Jesse had accomplished.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, Rachel pressed Call on her grandmother's number. "Hello?" "Hi Nan." "Rachel sweetheart, how are you?" "Fine as can be. How about you?" "A few aches and pains, but that's probably old age talking." "Most likely. Hey, I have a story project in mind which I could use a bit of help with. Can I drop by and look at some pictures?" "Of course. See you in a minute."

They said goodbye and hung up. Rachel filled a shoulder bag with notebooks and pens. She typed an identical text to both Jesse and Hayden and grabbed a jacket in case it got cold. Then she shut her eyes, thinking of the small one bed apartment which had been her grandmother's home for nearly fifteen years. She disappeared from the front hall of her own house and reappeared in Rose's kitchen.

Rose was happy to see her granddaughter. "Would you like a drink?" "Lemon flavored iced tea?" "I always keep some in the fridge just for you." The two of them looked through so many photos. Rachel chose a few which she was considering. By the time lunch came around, she had finally narrowed it down to one picture. "This is it." Rose glanced at the old black and white image; a young couple in midair. The man had huge wings growing out of his back. The woman was staring at him as if he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen.

"My great grandparents loved adventures. If there was something dangerous and out of the box, they'd try it." "What happened to them?" "Never came home from one of their trips. We've all had our suspicions, but no proof." "Meaning?" " You have grown up with the knowledge that not everyone is okay with abnormal people. Fear and hatred can be powerful motivators in the wrong hands." Rachel noticed that her grandmother had gone pale. "Are you alright?" She shook her head. "No. I've suddenly got this strong feeling that something terrible is going to happen." Jesse often said that her mother may not have been Gifted, but her instincts were never wrong.

Rose got up from her chair and was crossing the lounge, headed for the kitchen, when out of nowhere an explosive blast burst through the windows. Rachel quickly grabbed her grandmother and transported them outside the building. Black vehicles and men in military looking outfits swarmed the retirement home car park. She could feel Rose trembling with fear. Rachel knew it was risky to go back for her phone, but they really needed to escape from here.

Before they could even make a move, there was a weird buzzing sound and something hit them. They fell. Rachel's vision blurred as the taser paralyzed her body. A sharp blow to her head, sent her into darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED.