Chapter 1
PREFACE
My name is Tyler Richards. On a chilly night near the end of winter, my brother David and I had visited our cousins, Nick and Joe, at their house with our parents. After reluctantly joining in on a game of ‘Hide and Seek’, I was chosen to be the first seeker, and what happened next had struck deep within the realm of nightmarish experiences. At first I thought it was only Nick and Joe who brought on the terror, later to learn that my brother David had sided with the two against me. They toyed with my thoughts, along with my fathers, using their telekinetic powers and illusions to manipulate us in believing that the night was nothing more than a really bad nightmare.
I was soon to discover it was all true.
Now, because of their actions, my father and I have gained incredible powers ourselves, and we have yet to reveal our telekinesis to the three. They probably believe we haven‘t yet obtained the awesome powers. To this day, Nick, Joe and David still think they have long gotten away with what they did.
But they are wrong.
“Good morning, and welcome to Channel Four Action News, for Saturday, May 28th. I’m Carol Matt. It’s eight o’clock and the temperature is sixty-seven degrees, cloudy skies this morning but soon to clear up in the afternoon. The high today will be eighty-eight, so get out your swim trunks and crank up you air conditioners, it’s going to be a beautiful weekend.”
Nick yawned, tilted his head and cracked his neck. He had just woken up not long ago, sipping on a glass of orange juice as he watched the news in the family room.
“Top stories after the break - preparing for the big election of Michigan’s new governor, a small riot in Detroit that broke out yesterday evening, and the Michigan State University’s report on the potential for telekinetic minds. The well known theory of the existence of this super-human ability has sparked severe controversy lately. Local professors and scientists have come forward in debate on whether there are those out there with such abilities. All this and more when we return.”
The news cut to a commercial. Nick grinned lightly, and then flipped the channels in search of something else. He was in a good mood, for today was his twenty-first birthday, and he would be having a party here at the house later in the day. And what a perfect day it would be. His mom and their step-dad Billy had gone to Virginia to visit Billy’s relatives, so the house would belong to Nick and Joe all weekend.
David came down stairs and walked into the kitchen.
“Morning.” Said Nick as he continued to change channels.
“Hey.”
“If you want breakfast, help yourself.”
“Not right now, I have a stomach ache.”
David sat himself on the family room couch, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
“Is Joe still sleeping?”
“I think so, his bedroom door was closed.”
David’s father, Johnny, had dropped him off at Nick and Joe’s place the night before, since Nick had invited him to his party. He wasn’t planning to come a day early, but Johnny insisted that he stay the weekend because he had some important rendezvous this day, and wouldn’t have the time to drive him that day. Surprisingly, David’s brother Tyler declined attending the celebration, saying that he was going to accompany his dad in whatever he had to do.
The telephone rang and Nick lifted the phone off its charger to check the caller ID. It read LaRose, Lloyd, with the number right below. He pressed Talk.
“What’s up?”
“Happy Birthday!” Greeted Lloyd on the other end.
Nick grinned. “Yes, thanks.”
“What time do you want me over?”
“Come when you want. The party won’t be fully ready till about three o’clock, because that’s when Joe’s gonna pick up the food and the beer and stuff.”
“No cake?”
“Joe’s already got the cake, but he won’t show it to me until everybody arrives.”
“Sound’s good.”
“Yes, cake always sounds good to you, Lloyd.”
“Damn right. Oh, I wanted to ask… can Krysta come too? She’s back in town for a while.”
Krysta was Lloyd’s long distance girlfriend, who was living all the way in South Carolina.
“The more the merrier, Lloyd.”
“Great. I’m off now, peace out brutha!”
“Yeah yeah, later homeboy.”
Joe finally came down the stairs, hair sticking up on one side from the night.
“What’s up, guys?” Joe eyed Nick. “The big twenty-one.” He said as he walked into the kitchen. “I’m getting the food at three.”
“I know. I just told Lloyd on the phone.”
“Oh, so he decided to come?”
“Yup, and he’s bringing his girlfriend.”
“Yeah? I thought she was away.”
“She came back to visit Lloyd for the weekend.”
Joe nodded. “So what kind of drinks should I get?”
“Get some Smirnoff, some Mikes, and some Bud light for those who want beer. Oh, and Captain Morgan! That along with soda, for the teen over there.” Nick pointed at his cousin.
David was only fourteen years old, soon to be fifteen, so of course he wasn’t allowed to drink. He was the only minor that was attending the party, but that didn’t bother him. Joe and Nick were cool cousins, and this party was going to be a great time.
