Edgelord Reality Check
Summer 2021, Week 2
Monday morning
Paige's Home, The Heights
Paige Nelson
Eating cereal before school the morning after the incident at the University, Paige overheard her foster parents as they watched the morning news. "It's so sad. I can't believe those kids are having to deal with that. I hope they have counselors for the kids to go talk to, I can imagine some of them are going to be pretty disturbed by the losses and what they saw." "Oh Linda, I'm sure they're taking care of everything. The University heads are going to want to protect themselves from any liability." Paige wandered in, holding her bowl. The pictures of the two kids that died on the scene were showing. She spewed a mouthful of cereal all over, trying not to choke. It was THEM. The two she talked to last night. 'No fucking way!!' "Paige, dear, what's wrong?? Are you okay?" Linda turned towards her. She could tell the woman wanted to give her more comfort but wasn't sure it would be well received. Coughing and clearing her throat, she finally answered. "I'm fine." "Okay..." Bob chimed in. "Chew slower next time!" Smiling as he shook his head and turned back to the tv. Paige emptied out the bowl, grabbed her backpack, and flew out of the house. 'How in the hell did I talk to them if they died in the fucking dorms? What the hell is going on?'New Victoria High School, Old Towne
Paige Nelson
She was drawing the college kids from last night in her sketchbook as the teacher droned on about physics. She was taking special care with the details, down to the charred spots she'd seen on them. They were seared into her brain, but she wanted to be sure she'd never forget them. 'Why is shading always the hardest to get perfect? Ugh.' "Ms. Nelson? Sorry to interrupt your art class over there but come to the board and complete this problem please." Paige rolled her eyes and put down her pencil. "Oh, and before you come up to the front, put away that artwork. This isn't the time." She rolled her eyes even harder and shoved the sketchbook into her backpack before trudging up to the front of the class.At lunch, her one friend asked about what she'd been drawing in class. Paige told her about the night's events and the two got deep into the possible conspiracy theories of what happened to the point that they screamed when the bell rang for them to go back to class. Laughing, they threw away their lunch and went about their day. But one of them stuck out in her head. 'What if I really am like those freaks you see on ghost movies? What if I really can fucking talk to the dead??' She decided that after school she'd go do some research before heading home to see if she could make sense of anything else on her own...
Royal Metro Library, Old Towne
Paige Nelson
The sullen teenager quietly walked into the library and headed straight for the counter. As she waited in line, she held open her sketchbook and continued to perfect the drawings of the two college kids she'd "talked" with last night. Too busy looking down, she hadn't noticed it was her turn next. "Miss? Can I help you?" She quickly slammed the book shut and walked up as close to the counter as she could. Quietly she stammered, without making eye contact. "Hi, um, I'm looking for the person on the ads? Ya know, the Evo? They help people find anything they're looking for?"Lavrentis
The librarian nodded, calling out to Lavrentis, who was working close by. They come to the desk and see the teen and give that small white person smile - but on them it seems genuine. "This young lady was looking for an Evo," the librarian explains. Lavrentis nods, looking to the teen. "Well, would you like this to happen here on this level, or in my office, or...?" Giving the teen options, as they know sometimes finding out you have magic can be scary, and you might not want everyone to know quite yet. "There is an Evo specific section to the library, as well," they explain.Paige Nelson
"Thanks. Um, your office, I guess? I don't know." She looked really confused and unsure of herself at the moment.Lavrentis
They nod, noticing the nervousness. "Would you like a snack? Some soda or something to crunch on? It might not help a lot, but it can help some." They look to the librarian. "If you have any dietary restrictions, as well, please let me know - wouldn't want to accidentally hurt you," at least, further than you have been hurt, they think to themselves. "Please, follow me, grab the snack on the way."Paige Nelson
"Sure, a Coke maybe. No restrictions or anything." She follows behind them and grabs the drink as they passed the machine. Her head was on a swivel as they walked through the library. Paige didn't want to be seen by anyone she may know, even as a passing acquaintance.Lavrentis
It isn't long before the pair reach their office, mostly library personnel this far back. There is one volunteer waiting to speak with them, but they motion to their small cargo behind them and give a discreet signal for 'even if you do know this person, please don't show it. We need alone time right now,' and the volunteer nods and goes away, to ask some other librarian their question. They turn to the kid, "You sure you don't want something to eat? Teens are usually hungrier than they let on."Paige Nelson
"Nah, I'm good. I ate at school." She looked around the room as the door closed behind her. "So, uh, you help a lot of those Evo freaks huh?"Lavrentis
"Well, freak is a bit strong of a word, but yes. Let me guess, either you or a close friend suddenly started acting weird?" They ask, not liking the term freak, but for this exact instant, if that's what helps, it's what helps. "Do you know if it's more of a physical power or a mental power? Though there is significant overlap, they are the easiest to tell apart for those who don't know about this quite yet."Paige Nelson
If you ask any of my foster families, they'll tell you I've always been weird. "I'm not acting weird, but... I've seen some shit. I need to know if I'm losing my fucking mind or not."Lavrentis
To help diffuse the situation, and calm down the teen, they decide on something. "Well, to be frank, a lot of shit has been happening. It makes sense any powers you may have been born with would come out now, especially with what happened at the university last night." They pause for a moment, a respectful moment of silence. "Let me guess, you finding out you have powers will not help whatever reputation you have going on at school, right? So, you want to figure out what it is and maybe how to control it. I'd say how to stop it, but, well, you're born with it - you can't stop whatever powers you have, just like you can't change your height or eye colour, once you stop growing, that is. Am I right?"Paige Nelson
At the mention of the university incident, she faltered, but then resumed her teenage emo-ness to full effort. Rolling her eyes, she spat out, "Oh yeah, my stellar reputation is at stake. You guessed it. I'm already a freak, dude, I just need to know if I've reached a new level of freak."Lavrentis
"And I'm sure you've been told either these are the best years of your life, or college will be easier, or any other number of things to try and lift your spirits. Well, tell me what happened, and I'll be able to let you know what type, and some books to maybe help." They aren't fed up with the emo teenager, they've clearly been through a lot, but if their soft attempt didn't work, then short and right to the point might make a better difference in how willing the teen is to talk and explain things.Paige Nelson
She sighed and shifted her weight around, looking a bit more nervous but trying to hide it. "Fine, whatever. You know that attack the other night? At the college? I was walking around in the area when it happened. Some kids ran my direction and told me to get lost. They seemed super creeped out, so I went home. Next morning, bam, they're on the fucking news. The two I talked to were two of the ones that died. Freak, right?"Lavrentis
They shake their head. "Not a freak. Well, not technically. Medium, if the two you talked to were in that area and had died." They crack a smile. "Congratulations, you are the winner of the ability to see the recently deceased! It's not all it's cracked up to be, but you have to find some goodness." They pause, going into a bit of a lecture mode. "As it’s a recent thing, we don't know how far back the deceased needs to be for you to contact them. You could be limited to those within a week time span, or if someone has been hanging around in one place since they died in ye olde 1700s. That's something for you to figure out. There are ways to get better, see more people, or block out most except those with urgent...not last wishes, but who have something to say, and there are a few mediums I know in town who would be willing to email or text, depending on what you're comfortable with." They pause again, letting the teen soak in the information. "You don't have to tell me anything, but if anyone in your family has or had Evo powers, they increase the chance of kids having them. Like other genetics, however, sometimes it's familial with similar hair colour or style, and sometimes genetics has a wrench thrown in the plan, and you could be the first known in your family."Paige Nelson
She just slow blinked at the librarian for a few seconds and then rebounded. "Dude, I don't know fucking anything about my family, much less if they were 'Evo' freaks." Spying a chair nearby, she threw herself into it and ran her hands through her short hair. "Fuck. I do not want this shit. You're over here tellin me I'm like that fucking kid from that old ass movie. 'I see dead people. Oooo.' Fuckin hell. You said I could block this shit out. How do I do that?"Lavrentis
They pull out a small notebook that on further glance has more pages than anticipated. Flipping to the right section, they mention what the first information a Medium should know.[Basic, 14/15 EP remaining]
Then, "One of my powers is familial. I can go back to your grandparents, the biological ones, and tell you which side your power comes from. It might be a bit much for you right now, so I'll leave it as a standing offer, if you ever want to know more, you know where to find me. It counts adoptions, or foster kids, as well as birth family."Paige Nelson
Shaking her head furiously she stands up too quickly, sending her chair tumbling backwards. "Nah, dude. I don't need or want to know anything about those people. They gave me up. They put me here. Fuck them. Fuck all of this. I shouldn't have come. It was a mistake. Clearly this isn't whatever the hell you think it is. It was just some random kids fucking with me. I'm out." Paige grabbed her bag and the Coke and headed out the door.Lavrentis
"It's not something you have to do; it is just an option for when you're ready to find out." They say. They also add, "third floor of the library, there's a section on Evos, it's private and few people go up there. If anything else happens, it's a place to start looking." They say, before the rather fast teen manages to leave the room.Paige Nelson
"Yeah, whatever." She all but runs out of the library, zoom fast; the teen's brooding façade had intensified even more than normal. Oh goody.
Type
Record, Historical
Medium
Digital Recording, Text
Authoring Date
June 28, 2021
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