Muted ((Charlie))

Carmen pulled at the ends of her long brown hair nervously, fretting over the contents of her bag. Ok, I have about two day's worth of food left. If they don't come get me today, I have time to wait around until tommorow. She scratched behind her ear absently, glancing around the crowded streets of Atlanta.

She had to leave town. What was she supposed to do, stay in her little town, surrounded by people who worshipped the very sound of her voice, until a mutant- she had to stop thinking of them like that, she was one, too -came to pick her up from one hell and drop her into another?

No. She couldn't do that.

It hadn't exactly been hard, hitch-hiking all the way from Alabama. After all, when she said 'No', people listened. And that had been all she said the entire trip. 'No' and 'Take me to Atlanta'. She didn't feel guilty. After all, the only reason he stopped was because she was a tiny girl with tears in her eyes. ...Who had expected her to be able to fight back?

Carmen forced herself to stop thinking about breaking her 'no talking' rule, and brought her attention back to her dwindling food supply. If it took longer than two more days to come get her- which it might -she'd have to start stealing. The thought left an uneasy feeling in her bones. But I wouldn't have to steal. All I'd have to do is ask for it, and they'd give it to me. It's not exactly stealing... But that was worse. At least if she stole it, it would almost be an honest skill...

Carmen closed her eyes and again started fiddling with the ends of her ponytail. This was insane. How was she supposed to do this? She wasn't a mutant. The though, in and of itself, was ridiculous. Two years ago, she hadn't even been able to talk herself into the cheerleading squad! No, Carmen Moore was no... Her mind searched for the word that had presented itself to her on the internet before she had left. Hypersuade. No. Carmen Moore was no Hypersuade.

Her purse was ripped from her hands, and though she grabbed at it, Carmen's reflexes were not gifted in any way. He's taking my stuff! My food! "STOP!" Carmen's scream was mangled with tears, but the man stopped anyway. She took a tentative step forward.

She hadn't meant to. Oh God, she'd sworn she never do this again. She didn't mean to do it... "G-g-give it back," Carmen said softly, stretching her arm out. People were starting to stare, wondering at the plain girl and the ragged their standing in the middle of the sidewalk. The purse strap was pressed into her hand.

Fingers curling around it, she jerked it away, clutching it to her chest, and closing her eyes. She didn't want to look at her latest victim. "Go. And..." She almost told him not to steal purses anymore. But the thought of taking away a free choice, and one that she herself might have to make in the not-so-distant future was more than she wanted to think about.

The man left, and the world went on, with Carmen standing in the middle of it all. She allowed herself one last whisper, knowing no one could hear her. "Please. Come. Please.... hurry."

Charlie was running. Yes she hated running and would walk when she could afford to, but now was not one of those times. Frantically she was searching the crowd, looking for her. This had to have been a first, Charlie hand't heard of it happening any way and she had been there for a while. The psychics, when they reached out to touch the minds of the teenagers who where out there that needed them, had received a sort of signal. This girl knew about them, knew about the mutants, us, she knew and she had asked us to come for her. But there was something else, Charlie couldn't place it but there was something looming and she knew she had to get to her fast. So, there she was, rushing through the crowd of people, dodging past them and just trying not to fall over. She had had her foot rolled over twice by a wheelchair and a stroller and she swore under her breath, cursing crowded cities. She was very tempted just to create like an energy hallway and make a path for her but she didn't want a repeat of the scolding she got for 'Frivolous use of Powers' when she had gotten Angel, the kid was going to set her aflame! But did they get that part? No, what they saw was Charlie being irresponsible, which, if they saw her at all, is what they always saw her doing. And it was a lie! She was doing what she had to to get stuff done! She growled a little as she thought about it but quickly shook it off, no time for that.

And that was when she saw it. Charlie saw the girl she was looking for. Long brown hair, green eyes, yes this was the girl. But what she saw was a scene, a guy was taking her purse. Charlie tried to call out but the crowd was pushing her backwards, she was having to fight just to stay where she was, and for a brief moment a wave of guilt washed over her as she watched the guy about to make off with her bag. But she said something to him, and he stopped, gave her her bag back and walked away. What the... was all the astonished mutant could think as she watched the girl, who could have been no bigger or older than herself control a criminal...with her words. Yes that was it, her words, that is what was so strange, it was what the psychics felt in her. Finally Charlie tore herself away from the crowd and stumbled up to the girl, her blond hair horribly awry and her cheeks flushed with furry and just plain work, her eyes had grown lighter as she fought through the crow, and now they where a bright green but she knew they would slowly fade back to their gentle hazel.

She was probably a good 8 feet from the girl and that was when she stopped, she didn't know what to say. Obviously something...but what, she was at a loss for words. After standing with her mouth open like she was going to say something she swallowed hard and said.

"It was your words. I saw him...you did that...." No! she told herself Wrong! Not the way to do this! taking a breath she started over
"Sorry, I'm Charlotte, and I am a mutant, like you. I have been sent to get you, if you will come with me." her eyes gentle looked her over, the girl looked a little harried herself, and Charlie gave her a weak smile.

Carmen opened her eyes and peeked around. Those that had stared moved on, disaster averted, probably making up their own little explanations in their heads, if they didn't forget about it completely. Sighing, she looped her arm through the purse strap, keeping it close...

Just in case.

But it didn't take too long to notice the blonde girl, who didn't look to be much older than her, staring. It was strange- Carmen could almost swear she saw the girl's eyes flicker from bright green to hazel -but they stood there, eight or nine feet apart, just... staring.

The girl ruined it with her words.

The blonde gasped something, something about her words, something about Carmen and Carmen's green eyes widened in fear. Oh, God. How am I supposed to deal with THIS? What would the girl do now? She could always go to the police, Carmen was sure that controlling someone was illegal, and then were would she be? She hardly doubted that the people from the school would think her important enough to form a jail break.

I could make her forget! But, no, that would just make things worse, and Carmen felt nauseous at the thought of manipulating someone who had just seen something they shouldn't have. It was like those gang leaders who killed people because they knew too much. No, she would just have to hide until the school came to get her, she would be okay then, they could make everything better...

And then, more words- Would she ever be able to escape them -ringing through the crowded air of the city, just loud enough to hear past the herd of people, the odd person blocking their view... Her name is Charlotte. And she's like me.

Carmen wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry or- But then her head re-supplied the shocked look on the other girl's face. No... there's not anyone like me, is there? But, still, Carmen thought as she fought with herself, this is better than nothing.

A weak smile fluttered at the end of Carmen's lips. It was almost like after the week she'd had, her muscles couldn't quite recall how to make that expression. She opened her mouth, wondering if she could say anything without the risk of making someone's life hell, and then closed it again, shaking her head.

Holding up one finger in the direction of the blond- Charlotte Carmen thought firmly -she dug through her fated purse, pulling out a small notebook and a purple gel pen. She flipped through green pages filled with doodles, and scrawled her words across the page in precise writing.

She held the notebook up for Charlotte to see. Thank you for coming.