“Special”

It was a beautiful day, and Katie Brooks, a pretty fourteen year old girl with waist length brown hair and bright blue eyes was sitting at a sunlit desk. She was reading over a letter for the third time. Her brother, David, was in college, and Katie missed him immensely.

Dear Katie,

This month has been extremely exciting. My roommate got a scholarship, so a guy named Conner is replacing him. He seems nice, but I’ve got cold feet about him. Aunt Betty is visiting me, since she is moving just 26 miles north of me. She is bringing her cat, Silky, though that name doesn’t fit her very well, because she is really rabid. I hope to see you soon!

Your brother,

David

She was so angry at David. Did he even care about her? Even if he said so? Katie looked at the letter. She just wished it would stuff itself away. As soon as she had thought it, it stuffed itself away. Katie froze. Was she hallucinating? She ran downstairs and checked her temperature. It was normal. Her eyes were just playing tricks on her. Surely when she went back to her room it would be sitting on her desk, exactly how she left it before she got the mail. But what if it was stuffed away? Was this some reality TV show that was playing a trick on her? But still, how could they read her mind? No, it couldn’t be that. She was just tired. While Katie was putting the letter away, she probably imagined it stuffing itself away. Yeah, that’s it.

“Maybe I should just take a break,” Katie said to herself, as she was opening the door to the bedroom. She jumped onto her bed and splayed down.

Katie sat up. Someone had called her name. Then she heard it again.

“Katie!” Called her mother.

“Yes?” She responded, leaning over the railing. “Can you get the mail?” Asked her mother.

“Okay,” she responded, dully.

She climbed down the stairs, thinking about the letter David had sent her. But when would Katie see her brother again? “Soon” wasn’t specific enough. She walked out of the house and to the mailbox. It was a beautiful, sunlit day. She reached inside and grabbed the contents. As soon as she walked in the house her mother said to open the mail, because she was busy washing dishes.

“I’ll do it later,” Katie said.

She walked up the stairs and threw herself and the mail on her bed. She looked through the mail.

“Bills, bil- what? A letter addressed to Katie was at the bottom of the stack. It had Katie’s name in big, curly, writing. The last time she had a letter to her other than David’s was when she was little and got birthday party invitations. But that was long ago. She was fourteen, and people didn’t have birthday parties anymore. She slowly opened it. It looked real fancy.

Dear Katie,

We have been informed that you have special abilities, such as being able to move objects without making contact with it. Because of this, you have been accepted into a special school for people such as yourself. Do not inform your parents or anybody else about this ability, or the purpose of the school yet. This evening, the headmistress of the school that you will attend shall come to your household to explain to your parents why you should come to our school, and I will tell them of your powers.

Sincerely,

Headmistress Hall

So she wasn’t hallucinating. This was real. Unless it was a dream. Katie pinched herself. “Definitely not a dream,” She thought. Could she really make things move, though? She thought of her brush on her vanity, and it floating toward her. And just what Katie thought happened. It floated gracefully in her direction, and started brushing her hair. It was so cool! What if she could make her hair move? She looked in the mirror and she saw her hair braiding itself. She thought of telling her parents, but then a burning feeling erupted inside of her. She had to tell David, she just had to. She itched to call him, but then the headmistress’ letter lingered in her mind.

“Do not inform your parents about this ability, or the purpose of the school yet.”

Parents, not brothers. But she still would get in trouble. She couldn’t face the truth; not telling David about it. Katie came down from her room for dinner. They had chicken salad sandwiches. After they just finished, Katie heard a knock on the door. That must be Headmistress Hall! She thought. Her parents opened the door, and looked surprised when they saw the woman standing in the doorway. She was tall, with a tight gray bun.

“Come in, sit down!” Her dad said. He looked worried. The lady sat down on a hard seat, while Katie and her parents sat on the sofa.

“Is it about David? Is he in trouble?” Her Mother blurted out.

“David?” The woman asked, confused.

“Our son. He’s in college.” Said Katie’s dad.

“No, no.” She replied. “This is about Katie.” Katie’s parents exchanged looks.

“She has been accepted into a school for children with special talents.”

“Really?” Her parents looked surprised.

“Yes. My school is in London,”

“London? But that’s so far away! Imagine the price for a trip all the way over there!” And then Katie thought of a tuition to this school. Her parents must have been thinking about that too, because her dad was chewing his lip while her mom’s eyebrows were knitting briskly.

“And the tuition?” Asked her mother, expecting a high number.

“291 pounds in London, but since you’re American, 325 dollars,”

Katie’s parents were smiling.

“And term?” Her dad asked. “She gets summers and Christmas off, right?”

“Of course. But I do need to tell you something about the special abilities part. Katie has well, magical abilities. Katie, I think it would be best to show your parents.” Katie nodded and made a book from a nearby shelf float to her parents. Her parent’s mouths and eyes were open the widest she had ever seen them.

“What in the world?” Her mother said, amazed.

“Katie, this is amazing!” Her father said.

“Well, I need to go, all the information is in this letter,” she said, checking her watch, and handed a letter to her parents. The woman opened the door.

As the door closed, Katie ran to her room and closed the door. She squealed as she jumped on her bed. Katie decided to write a letter to David. Of course she wouldn’t tell him the truth, but it wouldn’t hurt to tell him about the school. She sat down at her desk and got a paper and a pen out.

Dear David,

I got accepted to a boarding school in London for advanced learning. I wonder if I will fit in! The Headmistress came by and explained it to us. I still can’t believe it!

Love,

Katie

She sealed it and put it in the mail. Then, she decided to practice her powers. If she couldn’t go now, she at least could be at the top of her class! She made a pillow soar across the room, but on the second time, it fell down with a soft thump. She practiced and practiced until she could make the pillow do six laps around her room. Katie was super tired, and slumped down on her bed. What a wonderful day…