The Frozen Good-Bye

Athens always knew that she was different. She knew that she was one of the chosen few. Her mom told her that from birth. Although, she really did not understand what that entailed. She knew that the tiny tattoo on her neck was only given to the special ones in the city where she lived. She also knew that people treated her differently and that she could sense things others couldn’t.  It was not until her sixteenth birthday when she discovered her unique power, the ability to pause time. 

It happened by accident. She was running late for class and she missed her bus to school. She decided to jog to school. If she was lucky she would make it by second period and have her mom call the school to give her an excuse for her being late. She slung her backpack over her left shoulder and started jogging, figuring that it would take her no time at all since she was a fast runner. She was jogging as fast as she could when it happened. She tripped over part of a crack sidewalk. She knew that she should have stopped and walked over that part of the sidewalk but in her hurried quest to get to school she kept jogging.  As she instinctively braced herself for the inevitable fall, she felt an odd sensation deep inside her belly. It felt like a switch turning on. Suddenly everything stopped around her completely.  Birds stopped flying in mid-air, people stopped walking and looked like statues frozen in time on every street corner and sidewalk, cars were in the street motionless. Athens didn’t understand what had just happened.

After a few minutes of looking around at her surroundings she felt a tug inside of her, and with a thought of movement, time resumed. The birds which were motionless in the sky started to fly again on their way to parts unknown, car horns blew as people sped off, and people started walking again on the sidewalks going about their daily business. And most  strangely of all, Athens did not fall on the ground. She was fine.

Athens returned home after school to find her mother waiting for her in the kitchen. Athens mom was standing near the kitchen counter stirring sugar into a hot cup of herbal tea. Athens stood there and watched her mom for a few seconds until her mom turned around and noticed her daughter standing there looking confused and pale. 

“So, you found your powers today, right?” Her mother asked while sipping the hot tea.

“I guess I did.” Athens said. “Why didn’t you tell me that I could pause time?” She asked her mom.

“Because the time was not right. I could not tell you. You had to figure it out for yourself. That is how it works.” Her mom explained.

“Do you have any powers?” Athens asked.

“Sit down, Honey, I have to explain all this to you. Not everyone in the city has powers, only the chosen few and no I don’t have any powers. One person in each family has a special power and in our family that is you. You have the power to pause time. But, I caution you to only use it when absolutely necessary. If you abuse the power it can be taken away.” Her mom said.

“How am I supposed to know when you use it?” Athens asked.

“You’ll instinctively know when to use it.” Her mom explained.

“ What if I don’t know and use it when I am not supposed to? What will happen?” Athens asked.

“All of this will be explained tonight at the meeting.” Her mom said.

“Meeting? What meeting?” Athens asked, looking confused.

“There will be a meeting of elders tonight at the old town square at midnight. I will take you and they will explain how and when to use your special powers. You are one of the chosen few and with that comes great expectations and great power.” Athens mom explained.

“Until then go upstairs and do your homework and rest. I will wake you up later so we can go to the meeting. “ Athens mom said, as she put her empty mug in the sink.

Athens mom took her to a house she didn’t know existed. It was a small house deep in the woods surrounded by trees with branches reaching up to the sky and a few squirrels running up and down the tall Redwood trees. The house was dark except for one light flickering through a back window. The door creaked when Athen’s mom pushed it open. Athen’s mom made a motion for Athen’s to follow her as she walked slowly to the rear of the house to a back bedroom. In the bedroom was a round table. At the table were a group of six women sitting there sipping tea in coffee mugs. In the middle of the table was a bowl of bread, cut into slices and a pitcher of water. The woman looked up when Athens and her mom entered the room. The elder woman at the table smiled and motioned for the women to sit down at two empty chairs around the table. She pursed her lips into a half smile and started to speak.

“Athens you now know that you are special and have special powers. You know that you are one of the chosen few.” The woman said, still smiling.

“Yes, I know that now.” Athens said, softly.

“What you don’t know is that this power is not to be taken lightly or played with. It is an honor to have this power to be one of the chosen few. If you do not take it seriously you will lose it.” The woman explained.

“I do take it seriously. But, how can I lose it?” Athens asked.

“Let me explain. This power is to be only used for good and we, the sisters of the covenant, will decide if the use of your power is for good or not. If you use it and don’t contact us before you use it then and only then will it be taken away from you forever.” The woman continued.

“So, before I use it I have to have permission?” Athens asked.

“Yes, but there will be times when the power will use you. For example if you are in trouble it will protect you. Like the other day it protected you from falling.” The woman continued.

Athens nodded her head in agreement and after a few more sips of tea Athens and her mom left the house. 

“Remember what the women told you.” Athen’s mom warned her after they got into the car. 

“I will, Mom. So, I have to go through you to contact the women if I want to use the power and if I don’t I will lose the power to pause time?” Athens asked.

“Yes.” Her mom simply said.

For the next few years Athens only used her power to pause time once with the women’s permission. 

One hot summer’s afternoon Athens was on her way to the mall on the other side of town. The streets were bustling with kids and parents and she even saw an ice cream truck passing by. Then she heard the crash. The crowd of people started running to the street where the ice cream truck was passing. In the middle of the street the ice cream man was there bleeding and barely breathing. Near him the ice cream truck was a big pile of metal and a few steps beyond the truck was another car just as wrecked as the truck. Athens saw a young woman leaning over the ice cream truck driver pushing on his chest trying to start his heart again. Behind her was another woman who was also bleeding from her head. She was screaming hysterically and Athens could not make out her words. All she could understand was the word, “Henry.”  

First respondents arrived and took over trying to revive Henry. The woman walked over to Athens holding a piece of cloth on her head covering her bleeding cut. Athens looked at her and didn’t know what to say or do. She didn’t know what the woman could have wanted. 

“I wish I had more time with my dad.” The woman said.

“That’s your dad?” Athens asked.

“Yes, he and I were on the truck together. In the summertime I go with him to sell ice cream to the kids. Well, sometimes the kids don’t have money so my dad will just give them the ice cream. He believes that all kids should have ice cream. I don’t know what happened. That car just came out of nowhere.” The woman said.

“I’m sorry.” Athens managed to say.

“I think that my dad is dying. He’s not breathing. I know by the looks on the paramedics faces it is not good. I know he is not going to make it. He’s too still and the blood has not stopped.” The woman said to Athens.

“Don’t lose hope. He might make it.” Athens said, hugging her.

“Is your name Athens?” The woman asked.

“Yes but how do you know my name?” Athens asked.

“I just know. I am like you. I have special powers too but not yours. I know that you have the ability to pause time.” The woman said.

“What’s your name?” Athens asked.

“It’s Milan. I was at the meeting that you went to. I don’t think you noticed me. I was sitting at the very end of the table next to Minda, the woman who was dressed in the red blouse.” Milan said.

“I do remember Milan. But, no I don't remember you. So, what is it that you need from me?” Athens asked.

“I know that my dad is dying. I need you to pause time so that I can say good-bye. I need to pause it right now before he dies. I need to say some things to him before he passes away. I know that you can do that. I would do that if I had the power. But, you have to help me. I know that you normally would have to get permission but we have no time.” Milan said.

“If I do, I might lose my power. “ Athens said.

“Please, you have to help me. This might be my last chance to talk to my dad. Please. I am begging you.” Milan said.

Athens could not say no to the sobbing woman and they both walked over to her dad lying in the street with the paramedics kneeling beside him. Athens looked at Milan and she did it, she paused time. She gave Milan enough time to say goodbye to her dad. 

Athens mom was at the kitchen table again when she walked into the house. Her mom looked up at her. Athens knew what was coming next. Or she thought she knew what was coming next. 

“Athens, I know what you did.” Her mom said.

“I know. I didn’t get permission and now I can lose my powers.” Athens said, looking down.

“You're right. You didn’t get permission but you used your powers for good. If you use your powers to pause time for good like you did you will not lose them. If you had abused your power then you would have lost them. Athens, I am proud of you. You gave that woman a chance to say goodbye to her dad and not many people get the chance to say one final goodbye. But, because of you she did. You don’t take your powers lightly and you will always remain one of the chosen few.” Athens mom said, embracing her.