Elevated (Book 1): Elevated Read Online Free PDF Page B

treatment room. I pull away. “No.”
    “You can’t want to be a—”
    He goes silent.
    “What? Can’t want to be a what?”
    Elliott looks away. “Don’t you understand? My grandmother is desperate to unlock an ability. And here you go walking away. And in a few years, where will you be?”
    “I wonder what your grandmother will say if you find out your power is spraying ink.”
    “That’s not what’s going to happen.”
    “Right. It couldn’t happen to you. You’re like everyone else, Elliott. Act all modest. Deep down hoping you’ll get some big power.”
    He starts to walk away. “Goodbye.”
     “Maybe you’ll get the ability to spew foul smelling spray from your butt. I think I saw that on that show, My Ability Stinks.”
    His face gets red. “Rose!”
    “Or maybe you won’t get anything? Elliott, a failed bud.”
    I stand there, panting, horrified by my own words. He clenches his fists. If I were a man, he’d have decked me by now. His eyes widen. There’s a bright flash of blue.
    SMACK!
    My body hits the ground hard. There’s a tingling sensation all over. My head throbs with a rhythmic pulse.
    Elliott’s voice shudders. “Are you ok?”
    “Stay back.” I crawl away from him on the floor.
    I’m not sure what happened. I hadn’t felt his hands on me. A strange jolt knocked me over that I can’t describe. It surged through my body. Picking myself off the floor, the stinging pain fades. A surge of adrenaline brings an urge to run from my attacker. “Do you have some sort of electric spark?”
    His horrified face reveals he’s as confused as I am. “I didn’t t-t-touch you. Besides, they tested me for electricity.”
    “You have something, that’s for sure.”
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t, I had no—”
    “No. I’m sorry,” I say, walking over to him. “I shouldn’t have been such a jerk.”
    “You didn’t knock me to the floor.”
    My balance still isn’t normal. I start to fall over and he catches me. I jump back instinctively. “I wonder what that power is. Get them to focus on your hands. Could be good when you get it figured out.”
    “Hope so. I don’t exactly want to go around zapping people to the floor,” Elliott says.
    I flash him a smile. “You could always join the Xtreme Power Warriors. You’d be a ratings bonanza.”
    Elliott smirks. “Don’t think anyone would want to see me in a tight spandex outfit.”
    We laugh.
    After a moment, I remember where I am. “Ummm, is there any way for me to sneak out of here without someone worrying why I’m back here?”
    Elliott pauses. “You really aren’t going to do it are you?”
    I shake my head.
    “Since you cancelled, the system has you as done for the day, so you should be able to leave any exit. There’s one down that hallway to the right.”
    “Thanks.” Before I reach the exit, I stop myself to turn and wave goodbye. A part of me wishes he would have had given his phone number, or that I would have been brave enough to ask for it.
    After a few turns, I reach a long hallway. A figure stops and glares over at me. Mom. I haven’t seen her so upset since they took Dad from us. She runs out and hugs me.
    “We were looking for you everywhere! I-I can’t believe it. Why were you cancelled?” Her watery eyes cut into mine and she finds the answer. She starts crying again. “How could you do this?”
    “Mom, I won’t talk about it. Not here anyway.”
    She breaks off the hug. Her voice is louder now. “We will talk about it.”
    I gesture my head to show Mom the gathering group of people eavesdropping on our conversation. “Mom. Just take me home.”
    After I make it clear there is no way I can convince them to let me back in the line now, she caves. Now to brace myself for the long ride home.
    ***
    When I get to my room, all I want to do is snuggle in blankets and cocoon away from the world. Away from mutants. Away from Elevation Day.
    The ceiling of my room glows with my father’s stars. They fade as