Extraordinary by Amanda McGee Read Free Book Online Page A

reaction the first time you opened this,” she laughed.
    “It was unexpected,” I said. “A lot to process. Thank God you showed up.”
    The two of us giggled like it was something we had done our whole lives. I had worried our first meeting would be awkward; little did I know we would be immediate friends. Not since Kate had I bonded with someone instantly. I cared for Sadie a great deal already.
    “Judging by the fact that you are here, I assume you aren’t concerned about ‘the danger’ either,” I said.
    “What’s the deal with that anyway?” Sadie asked while flipping through the journal. “Danger! Danger! It keeps being said but no one can explain what it is.”
    “From what I can figure, our powers are dangerous, like, not to us necessarily but maybe to others? Ohmygah, we’re gonna be accidental terrorists or something.”
    “Wow, dramatic much? Take a look at this woman.”
    Sadie had discovered a photograph tucked in the back pocket of the journal. The snapshot was old and tattered. The edges were worn and the rest was faded. Yet, the face of the woman was visible.
    Her hair was long and black and pulled into a tight, yet stylish, ponytail. There was no smile on her face. There was no life in her eyes. Darkness was all that seeped through.
    “She tried to steal my life, don’t let her steal yours,” Sadie read aloud from the back of the picture.
    “Well, hello danger.”
    “How did you miss this?” Sadie asked. “Wait, there’s more.”
    Sadie reached back into the pocket and retrieved three more photographs. One photograph was of Sadie, aged ten, grinning as she displayed her ribbon for winning “Camper of the Summer.” The second photograph was of Blaze, aged eighteen, standing tall and stern in his dress blues. The last was of my Dad, smiling, holding Blaze with one arm and the other wrapped around my visibly pregnant mother.
    “Man, blonde is popular in our genetic code,” Sadie said, noticing that everyone but Mom and I were blonde.
    “That was probably the last time they were together,” I said.
    “You mean…that y’all were together,” Sadie said. “There’s a little baby Alex cooking in that belly.”
    “Sadie she’s not an oven,” I said, appreciating the humor. “Wait, I’ve seen him before. I’ve seen you before!”
    “In pictures?”
    “In a dream! What does this mean?”
    “Adventure, baby!” Sadie shouted.
    Regardless of the so-called danger that lurked, waited, or was no longer a threat at all, it was a small price to pay for what we would gain in the end. For once, I would not overanalyze. Sure, the situation warranted contemplation but to sacrifice the only relatives I had left was not an option.
    I was no longer frightened or anxious. I had purpose. I had direction just by being unintentionally tangled in this bizarre situation. I had family and the potential to possess undisclosed magic abilities. Dangerous or not, this was the most interesting thing to happen to me.. .ever.
     
     
     
    ****
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
    The morning sun, hidden by the trees that surrounded us, had become a warm afternoon glow.
    Sadie’s temperament was soothing, a possible antidote to my obsessive mind wanderings. No subject seemed in need of psychoanalyzing, yet all topics, big or small, vital or irrelevant, could be discussed without fear that my brain would journey off into the land of unnecessary ramblings. I was safe with her, able to be myself, or at least this new version I had become since her arrival. With a childlike aura and an enlightenment that extended well beyond her years, Sadie had enraptured me and for a piece of time I loved being lost.
    “Shoot, the day sure got away from us, huh? I’m starved, how do you feel about Mexican food?”
    “Oh, I feel great about it! Plus, you can give me a tour.”
    Running inside for a quick change of clothes, I caught sight of myself in the mirror again. My skin was still pale and I was still thinner than usual.