Month ended with 65k. Late but here it is.

Samantha flushed a bit. “Um I read some papers that I wasn’t supposed to and truly couldn’t understand at the time. Words have always attracted me. I was reading by the time I was four, but was looking at them before then. Do to how my brain works even if I couldn’t understand it when I saw it the facts are there. So if asked something or if I see something related it comes back to me. I don’t recall the actual words just the sense of them, unless I have set out to memorize the words. It is one of changes I know for sure I have, but it has been hard to find out just what else Adsons might have done as the books on it were carefully hidden from me. All I have seen are a few pages, and edited documents.” She realized she had been babbling and stopped, but there was something about his gaze that made her feel like she should keep talking. She would have to be careful around him or she would say way too much. There were other a few things she shouldn’t know and dared not admit to. Her Grandfather really was bad about leaving classified papers out. The teacher smiled and nodded. The girl was strong, not many could fit the spell that fast. It was going to be a fun group. “Well then you will be delighted to know that I am going to tell you a few things about the changes you have. I will have a list of books for you tomorrow that will be able to tell in more detail what all it does, for I am sure that is something you all want to know but I have to focus just on the one change we all have. Sadly it is very shocking and a bit freighting. Also it is every bit as illegal as what I just told you. First though, some of you have questions for me. We need to get those dealt with then we can move on.” One boy said. “What kind of joke is this? They can’t engineer a virus that changes dna. That is imposable! No virus can work at that leave. If so then it lends weight to the labeling of Adsons is a contagion.” A few others nodded. One said. “If all have it then it isn’t a contagion is it? Still it is scary if they can change DNA with a virus. No wonder they don’t want it out. Just how big of a role did such virus play the war that ended the control of the Tinkers?” The teacher said. “They do believe that the virus had a role in the massive death that were seen after the last hold was bombed. However the first cases of Adsons appeared just before the start of the war. No one is sure how it was done and luckily those records went up in smoke. All I can say is everyone tests positive for it, even if they are labeled clear. It is scary to think of what could have been. The how of it is not understood, but no one is looking too hard. It is scary enough to see that it is there. It was at first thought to be something natural but there are markers on the virus that are found only in the other engineered animals.” Samantha said. “Then what is it the east uses to test? They do identify the ones that will show the dieses at birth, for all most do not show it until they are in their teens. Though those that they say are positive can be given extra shots to try and keep it from showing to soon, but not all get it.” Sam said. “Could it be some thing in the shots that newborns get to help the lungs work. Don’t all births out east have to have a licensed attended who administers the shot? We don’t here, but as newborns who don’t get it have higher mortality rates most parents will agree to the shot.” The teacher smiled, good this was going to be fun. They were indeed as bright as he had been told. There wasn’t half the protest he had expected. “Indeed there is a second component to the virus that is found in those shoots and it is how it binds to the virus that determines who will be affected. They did try modifying the shots but found that the enzyme was what made the shots save the babies. That was what confirmed the virus was man made, as the shots were in place when it appeared and there was no rise in infant deaths before the shots where added as there should have been had the change been natural. Yes there are scientists in the east working on a way to keep the befits with any of the changes. That is the cure they say they are looking for. So far they haven’t managed.” Samantha realized that they were close though. The government officials used their positive children to test the cures on. That was widely know as they used that to try and get others to see it was better to let them go then to keep them. A number of the upper class likewise agreed to let their children be test subjects, hoping to win more favor. Hear the last two years though a higher number of them had been dying. She also realized that saying that would cause panic. “Do you have your own manufactures of the shots out here or do they share a lab? Might be best to have one that is not involved in that cure, least the east tries to use it for other things. I wonder just what role my allergies played in it hitting me so hard. I bet my first seizers were more a reaction to one of the complaints then to the Adsons. I had my first seizures before they administered the test.” He hoped his concern didn’t show. That meant the poor child had been even more affected then he though. No wonder she was so good at fighting the spell. Another set of papers appeared on the tables, and this time some of them saw them appear. A few of them jumped, Samantha was clearly freighted when it dropped on top of the others as she had been looking at them. However her need of the words had her reading the paper even before he said what it was. “We do have and we have noticed a few differences in the two compounds, though we are still looking into why they are there. The new papers will go over the differences for those of you who are interested.” He nodded as he was right about which ones looked and which ones didn’t. Of course it was hard to know if Samantha was truly interested as she couldn’t leave it unread do to her compulsion. “Now of this can leave here, but you can ask to see it again at any time though out the year. After today I will be in the room before class starts to answer any questions, but I expect you to talk freely until the bell rings to start the class. You are going to need each other to get though this, and cope with what you hear. For some this may well be the only place you feel it is safe to talk about what you are learning. Like I said we can’t go slow so you all need to see the evidence, so you will believe me. Most of you are aware that the government laws tend to be wrong about some things. However you might find it a bit hard to believe that the one on the board is a lie as well.” A lot looked shocked he had said it like that after saying that there were some who had not had the introduction. It was usually eased into, with talk of the new pathways that had been created in the bran by Adsons, but he felt the direct approach worked best. It would still be unbelievable. It was clear a number of the ones who knew didn’t believe it and they needed to all be convinced by the time they left. Most of them were awake now and the few that weren’t would be soon. A boy said. “Come on that is just stories. Fables from the old world, people talking to animals, making things burn buy looking at them. It is just nonsense made to amuse. It is not something that has even been seen.” A girl said. “Only littlest think that can be real, it is up there with fairies.” Samantha had her eyes closed, not wanted to admit it, yet the evidence was right there. The virus had the same signature as the fairies coding had. “There are fairies. There is a verity that is common in the cities. The wild ones might not be seen here but they do exists.” She flushed as she hadn’t meant to say it. Yet it did need to be said, as wrong as it felt someone should voice it, the truth they were all wanting to deign yet couldn’t. “However there is nothing anyplace that has ever hinted at experiments involving humans. Yet it fits, if they were trying to make the stories real, which is what I was taught. However how did they hide it?” He looked at her and wonder why she was not more disbelieving he had expected her to be fighting it more, yet she seemed closer to convinced then some of the others. It should be harder for to accept that the law was a lie. He nodded. “We have no idea how they managed to hide it, but we can not deign that it was done, that some how they have managed to make it so that some people can do things that are understood to go against the nature of the world. That is things defined as magic. All those individuals have what as know as Adsons. It seems as though that is the point of the changes. It is rewriting your brain so you can use the energy of the world to make changes in your environment. We do believe that the government doesn’t realize it is so, that there laws are about the myths associated with the changed animals, and feel it is important that they do not know. It is scary and alarming to hear, but I must say it and somehow convince you. You are all mages, wizards, magic users. And as you are among the most changed you will see things soon, and you must learn how to use the changes, even if you never do anything with it. For if you do not it can use you and it will not be good. That is what happened in Malaysia three years ago. It is the true reason there was a massive explosion, it is the nonexistent gas line that exploded. I am sorry. I wish I didn’t have to tell you this. Yet it would be irresponsible of me not to, and you need to know before you see something, do something you can’t explain away as your imagination.” He stopped there and gave them a bit, nodding as he saw his words sink in. It was going to be a hard day, but it need to be driven home. Samantha paled a bit think of Windsong and Moonstone, realizing she had heard them. She didn’t want it to be so, but she knew all to well that wishing couldn’t change the truth. Looking around she could tell she wasn’t alone, there were others looking as upset as she felt. Erin looked at Samantha, fearing that she might be ready to run. It had to be troubling her for all she had admitted it was possible. She did look pale and a bit shaky, but not as bad as she had feared still. “It is scary to hear it, but well it is better then waking up and finding your pillow floating above you not knowing it can happen. Then to have it explode, well I screamed and woke everyone and then had no way to explain what had happened. Luckily they all agreed that have a pillow burst would be shocking, though they were amazed at how far the feathers and foam had flown. I fully understand not wanting to believe it, but yet it was such a relief to learn it happened to others. Even as I wish it wasn’t so, I mean the way that Adsons forces me to see made me feel like enough of a freak without this. I am a bit less scared but will feel better have a way to control it. I do hope there is some way to know just what I can do before it appears.” The teacher nodded. “I know it is alarming, but at least you didn’t start a bon fire, which is how I found out. I went around scared I was going to set everything on fire for a month before I was in a class like this. Just know that you will not set things on fire in your sleep, even if it easy for you to call, it will come only when you are asking it to, and you can not ask it in your sleep. Yes you will all learn how to ask it and be able to, though some will be better then others. Most will have one or two things that come easy, some will find more. I am sorry but we have no way to know what will be easiest for you, and it is those that will just appear. When something does, come to me and I will help you get control of it. Erin can you stay after school for an hour? I don’t have time to get to the lessons in class today, but I can help.” Erin nodded. “Yes sir, I can do that and thank you.” He said. “No thank you for sharing with us. I know it is hard to admit it even to your self. I am sorry I have to drop it all on you like this and then let you go. However it takes time to sink in. Just know that yes you can do most of things in the stories. We don’t think that curse work, but crystal balls can show the future, animals can be understood, things will fly, and fires can be started by your mind.” “Broom sticks?” He said. “As far as I know no one has tried that, but there are some that have teleported their selves, relax you can’t do it without trying. And I don’t see why they bother. Now moving none live items is useful but it is far harder to move living and I do not find it worth it. Using the energy takes energy so you will find you eat more just to keep your weight up, especially at your ages as your metabolism is getting ramped up as it is. These lessons are going to make it worse, but yes you are actively going to be leaning to use it. Starting tomorrow. In the process you will learn more about the engendered animals abilities and that will give you something safe to talk about if you need it. We are trusting you to know when it is safe to talk about this and when it isn’t. I know it is a lot to ask, but you are all old enough to understand why it needs to be hidden.” There were nods. “If this got out then those saying we should be killed will have a stronger platform and be sure to gain follows, and if not then the government will seek to use us as weapons. It is to scary to even think what they would do, they do to much as it is.” He nodded, most likely no one would believe them but they need to feel trusted so they would in turn trust him, and he did believe this group wouldn’t say anything, though half of them would never use what he would teach them they would listen to him. It was better than he had hoped, there was a bit of disbelief and disgust, but not as much as he had expected there to be this first week. “I fear we are out of time, and change the flow would mess too much up today so I must let you go. Just know that none of this makes you a monster. Have the ability to things others can’t is scary, but it doesn’t mean you are evil. All things can be good or bad deepened on how they are used. You are the same as were when you entered the room. Knowing that you can do things beyond others abilities doesn’t change who you are. Now try not to laugh too hard in government, for all it can be hard at times to believe that kittens are murders.” There were a few laughs then one girl said. “Say did they ever make a walking tree or a sprite. I don’t recall any gnomes either.” The teacher said. “Walking trees and sprits they tried to make but they couldn’t get any that could live outside of the lab. Gnomes we don’t think they tried for, but then we can not be sure. I all I can say is there are no records of any.” As they left Sam wondered if there was a way to get Samantha to trust them enough to talk to them. She was going to need help as she learned just what it meant to be a four. “Sorry Edith, I know you were hoping that you wouldn’t cross. Erin if it helps I can hear thoughts a bit, just what people are about to say, but still it is a bit spooky. I also think I might be moving things around as I sleep but I am not sure. I can just bet that was terrifying. I truly don’t know what would be worse seeing the pillow above me or having it explode.” Erin smiled. “It helps in that none of you are looking at me like a monster now that you know. It is fitting that we are together for all I am sorry you have to go though this as well. Fours are more impacted by the changes, Samantha. I fear it means there is a good chance that the visible effects will get more noticeable, and the invisible effects are going to strength. Such as the way you can remember bits of books you read years ago or the speed at which you can memorize the items you want to. It is rough as the last of the paths set, and can at times feel like they are burning.” Samantha shuddered a bit. “I hat that feeling and it was worse as the doctors said I was making it up when I told them my head felt like it was on fire. I take it none of the others ever said it, but then most in the care homes are too drugged to say anything. It will be interesting to see just how my changes strengthen, if they do any more after this last round. I once memorized half of the Gram’s tenth biology in an afternoon, including the D.N.A. charts that are in it. I was board, we had to stay inside and there was nothing else to do so I decided to try and memorize the book, as it seemed like an imposable task.” John shook his head. “Wasn’t there something that was at least a bit interesting. That book was a good cure fro insomnia, but that was all I found it good for.” Samantha said. “I like science so it wasn’t that bad, though I have found far better books sense then, and have memorized bits of other genetic text books. That was just the first one, perhaps I should add I was seven at the time, so to young to real even be reading it, but my siblings had given up on trying to keep any of their text books from me. In fact I am sure they brought a lot of them home just so I could have something to read.”