Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

'Very good, Emily,' Madame said with approval. 'Now you can begin to use your gift realistically.'

Emily was feeling pretty good when she left the classroom with Tracey. 'I'll tell you the best thing that came out of this whole experience,' she confided. 'My mother's giving me a cell phone. Of course, she'll probably call me every ten minutes on it.' She shivered and stopped. 'I left my sweater in 209. I'd better go back and get it.'

'See you at lunch,' Tracey said.

Emily went back to the classroom, but she paused outside the door when she heard voices. She recognized them-Madame and Jenna were talking.

She knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop, but something about the intensity in Jenna's tone kept her there, listening.

'I read her mind, Madame. Clare-before she got away. It was just a glimpse, but I learned something.

She didn't care about robbing that bank. This was a test-of us. Some of us, at least.'

'I was afraid of that,' Madame said. 'What was she testing-the extent of their gifts?'

'Yes, but more than that. She wanted to see how much resistance the students would present-if they could be manipulated and coerced. I can understand why they didn't take me. I'd have read their minds and known what they were really up to. I don't know why they didn't take Charles or Ken. Or Amanda. Well, they did take Amanda, but it was an accident. But this whole thing, it had nothing to do with robbing a bank. It was an experiment, Madame.'

'And was she pleased with the results of the experiment?' Madame asked.

Emily had to strain to hear Jenna's low voice. 'Yes. And she didn't care what happened to Howard or George. There are other people involved, but not them. And the other people-they've got plans. I don't know what the plans are, Madame, but I think something big is going on. Something a lot bigger than a bank robbery.'

Madame spoke calmly. 'Yes, I can believe that, Jenna.'

'Who are these people, Madame? What do they want?'

'I'm not sure. But you're right, Jenna. They're planning something. And they're very dangerous.'

'What are we going to do, Madame?'

'We're going to work together, and you're going to learn how to use your gifts defensively.'

'Are you worried?'

Emily wished she could see Madame's face. She had a feeling it might tell her more than her words.

'I'm not worried about you, Jenna. Or your classmates. I'm worried for the world. And how my gifted students are going to have to save it.'

There was a silence in the classroom. Which was fine with Emily. She didn't want to hear any more. She could leave her sweater there for the time being.

The halls were crowded now as people hurried to their first classes. Emily hurried, too, and tried not to think about the conversation she'd overheard. But she had to think about it because it was there, in her head, and it couldn't be pushed aside. And the questions went around and around.

What did those people want from them? Who were they, really? Would she be called upon to predict their motives? And how could a handful of middle school teenagers save the world? So much to think about, to worry about …

But oddly enough, she didn't feel panicked. She and her classmates were special. They had gifts. Maybe now they'd begin to learn the real purpose of those gifts. Hearing voices, reading minds, snatching bodies--there was a reason why they had these unique talents. Maybe now, in the face of something really big, they'd learn how to use them in the best possible way.

Emily would have her visions. She'd try to see what she could in the future and try to understand what she was seeing. She'd look for clues and read between the lines. She would interpret; she'd weed out the irrelevancies.

And always keep her eyes open for butterflies.