Adanic: Chapter 6

The class started to process out the door and march to the football field. I wanted to be at the back of the group, so I was one of the last out the door. None of my friends came for me; they knew I’d catch up if I wanted to. This wasn’t normally how things worked, though; I was almost constantly by a friend in any situation like this. But the only person beside me now was Topaz.
I still hadn’t really formed an honest opinion about Topaz. I just knew for a fact that she was the most intimidating person I’d ever met, even if she hadn’t meant to be. I wasn’t the only one who thought this; as I’d listened to friends and various people chat about their experiences meeting her, I noticed their ideas weren’t far from mine. The strange thing about her was that she didn’t appear to have a flaw; it seemed that everything was her strong point. I talked with at least one person from each of her classes and each person had said that she was the top at any activity, being academics or P.E. It was like she wasn’t a new student at all. She was a perfect prodigy.
Of course, none of this helped me get used to her, especially with the dream I had only two nights ago. I felt uneasy around her.
I kept an awkward distance from her as I started down the hallway. I only allowed myself one glance toward her, finding not only the same strange satisfaction as before, but also curiosity, like she’d never seen anything like my mutation before. Her stares were the reason I was avoiding anyone and all of their questions I could today.
“April, I need to talk to you”, said a very distinguishable, flawless voice. “I think now would be the best time; I see your distress”.
I couldn’t help jumping at the sudden appearance of Topaz by my side. After I collected myself, I said, “Um, it’s not really the best time now. When a fire alarm goes off, every student is expected to be in one safe area. And what distress?” I added, still trying to fool whoever I could.
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t try to hide it. Anyone can see that you don’t appear your usual self today”, she almost snapped at me. I knew she meant that I didn’t physically or mentally appear the person I was just yesterday. “Now, we’ll just stay back for a while. There’s no silence in this school…” she said, obviously irritated.
“Well, it’s a big school”, I pointed out; but I wasn’t about to disobey my teacher. “Is whatever you have to tell me so important that we have to ditch a fire drill?”
“Vitally important”, was her immediate answer. I came to a halt, my lips pursed. “Walk slow”, she commanded in a lower version of her normal tone. I still didn’t like it, but I didn’t disobey her.
As soon as everyone was far enough ahead, Topaz began, “Don’t be afraid of yourself”. I was puzzled.
“Looking at you now, I can’t help but feel awe at the difference there was from only yesterday until now”, she continued. I narrowed my eyes. What did she know that I didn’t?
“You’ve probably figured it out by now, but I’m not a human like everyone is here”, she said quietly. I couldn’t let this one slip.
“Then what are you?” I asked, not believing her.
“I’m Adanic”, she let the words sink in, but my face still held a confused expression. There was something vaguely familiar about that word. Where had I heard it before? Nonetheless, I was stunned into silence.
“To be precise, I’m a second generation Adanic. You might recall my race as being the one condemned from this planet over fifty years ago. You might also recall that our home has been the planet Pluto since then”.
I determined at that moment that Topaz must have been crazy. I stopped breathing. It was all impossible; Pluto was impossible to live on, and she looked just as human as me.
“The reason for your improved appearance today wasn’t a mistake. My arrival triggered it. You’re somehow like me; you’re Adanic. Your human shell is gone, and you are now in your Adanic form. One state of it, anyway. I didn’t believe them when they said there was a human girl half Adanic. But here you are, right in front of me”, she smiled gently, looking over my paralyzed body with the same amazement as I saw in her pink eyes jus a minute ago. Who was crazy- Topaz or me?