While he waited, Tip flexed and rubbed his right wrist, until it limbered up. Tip cocked his head. He was hearing a slight hum radiating from the normal people around him. After several days off the mind blanking herb, his curse was awakening.

      Soon he would start feeling people’s emotions. He couldn’t help it. His defenses were too weak. From now on, Tip knew he must be on guard all the time so that he would not give himself away.
 
      When Tip’s curse had started last year, he had found that only his friend, Ian, did not spew out emotions. Ian was surrounded by a comforting blankness. Tip didn’t know if Ian was without thoughts or if he could block his thoughts.
 
      Either way, Tip felt so safe and relaxed around Ian; he did not have to guard himself. Then the Genecist had come and taken Ian away.
 
      “Oh, oh,” said Ami, interrupting Tip’s thoughts. She was poking his arm and pointing.
 
      A wave of fear and anger hit Tip. He saw Journot and his gang shoving their way through the workers, leaving staggering tree monkeys in their wake. Journot was a huge ground worker with a pimply face. His followers were just as big.
 
      Pushing another member of blue squad aside, Journot strode forward and bumped into Tip. The bully’s lip curled in a sneer. “Out of the way, Midget.”
 
      Disturbed, Spot woke and hissed loudly. Tip grabbed the lizard and put him in the pack before Journot could hurt him.
 
      “Sorry,” said Tip as he backed away.
 
      While struggling against the emotions that were flooding into him, Tip bumped into someone. He was shoved forward towards Journot.
 
      Glancing around, Tip saw that the gang had surrounded him, Ami, and Culmen. He stared way up at Journot while hiding his fear.
 
      As usual, Journot was chewing on tabac leaves. His jaws paused as he smiled unpleasantly. “Say you’re sorry again, Midget, real nice this time.”
 
      Tip felt something sickening radiating from the bully. Then he heard Stu say, “Leave them alone.”
 
      Journet turned his head towards Stu. “Butt off, Weirdo.” Then he looked back at Tip.
 
      Ami barged between Tip and Journot, shaking a fist, anger flowing from her. “Quit bothering my brother.”
 
      “Don’t you know little bugs who talk back get hurt?”
 
      Journot grabbed her by the arm and threw her to the ground. She lay motionless.
 
      Tip gasped. Ami was hurt. He growled as anger surged through him. All of his mother’s cautions and all of Doctor Garner’s talks flew out of his mind. He could only think about helping his sister, but Journot was standing in front of her.
 
      “Get out of the way,” Tip yelled. He stamped his foot and clenched his fists.
 
      Journot folded his arms across his chest and smirked. “You gonna make me?”
 
      “Yes.” Tip darted forward and stomped on Journot’s foot.
 
      When Journot looked down in surprise, Tip punched him in the nose. Howling, Journot put his hands over his face. Pain flowed out from him. Tip concentrated on his anger to block the pain.
 
      When he heard a noise, Tip spun around and saw Culmen hitting a gang member. The rest of blue squad was pummeling another bully. Stu and his team were restraining the rest. Journot’s gang backed off.
 
      “Let’s go,” moaned Journot, still holding his nose. He took a few steps. Then he turned around.
  
      “You, Midget.” Journot looked at Tip. “And you, Crazy Head.” He glared at Culmen. “If it weren’t time for assembly, I’d pound you all into the ground.”
 
      “You touch my sister again,” said Tip, “You’ll get more than a sore nose.
 
      Journot lowered his hands from his nose. “Just you wait. Someday me and my friends will be running things on this side of the camp. Then you’ll be sorry.”
 
      Journot bared his teeth and snapped them together. Then he turned around and shoved his way through the crowd, surrounded by his gang.
 
      Looking at his sister, Tip saw Kelly gently checking her head. Tip knelt by Ami, who was now stirring. “Are you hurt?”
 
      Ami opened her eyes and rubbed the back of her head. “Don’t think so. I was just knocked out.”
 
      Relieved, Tip let Kelly help him support Ami as she stood up. Tip braced her until she was steady.
 
      Tip gazed up at Stu and Kelly. “Thanks guys.” 
 
      “Any time.”
 
      Then Tip looked up at Culmen. “Thanks for watching my back.”
 
      “Hey, we gotta stick together.” Culmen grinned and clapped Tip on the shoulder.
 
      “Yeah,” said the rest of Tip’s friends. 
 
      “Don’t think we’ll have any more trouble from those airheads,” said Culmen.
 
      Tip thought a moment. “I’m not so sure. They might wait and then ambush us when we are not watching. Ami, don’t go anywhere by yourself, especially after dark. And you better watch your back at all times, Culmen.”
 
      “They’ll never catch me. I’m too quick.”
 
      “Just be careful.”
 
      Culmen smiled. “Thank goodness, you’re no longer acting like a walking, dead person. Welcome back.”
 
      “We’ve been worried about you,” said Pat, the newest member of blue squad. “You’ve been gone so long.”
 
      Tip winced. He had forgotten his disguise. He had forgotten everything. He chided himself. Anger leads to carelessness. Carelessness leads to being discovered.
 
      Culmen raised an eyebrow as indecision flitted across his face. Then resolve settled on his features. “Why did you go away?”
 
      Clenching his teeth and closing his eyes, Tip made sure the monster was still caged.
  
      “Might help you if you talked about it.” Culmen put a hand on Tip’s shoulder. “I know a really good place, where we could be out of sight of you know who.” Culmen indicated the guards with his eyes.
 
      Tip breathed in deeply. “I can’t.”
 
      Culmen dropped his hand.
 
      Tip felt hurt and confusion radiating from Culmen. Before the curse, Tip had shared everything with his friend. They had been as close as twin brothers. Now Tip was shutting Culmen out for his own good.
 
      Tip looked down and scuffed his foot in the dirt. He bit his lip, restraining the words of explanation. If he talked, the rulers would hurt Culmen. He looked up. 

© 2003 Cathy Brunson. All Rights Reserved. 
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