Heroes Chapter 8

The door we stopped at wasn't even a door. It was just a bunch of beads lined down from the ceiling. Past the beads I could see what looked like a little apartment with shag carpeting. There was a couch, a tiny TV, which was playing a black and white movie. There were no windows, which made sense, us being underground and all. I looked at the others, and they were just staring at me.

"What?" I asked. Mira said, "Sorry, but you have to go in by yourself." I muttered, "Of course." I went past the beads and looked around. I saw a door leading into a kitchen and I smelled cookies. I walked slowly and said, "Uh, hello? Miss Oracle? Anyone here?" I saw an old lady that could have been my grandmother. She was short, had extra curly white hair, and wore coke-bottle glasses and an apron. She turned around from the oven she was leaning over, holding a tray of cookies. She said, "Hello Alex. I know that's not your real name, but I know that its the name you prefer for now."

I blinked, I hadn't said a word about myself since I came in. "I'm guessing you're the Oracle." She smiled and set the tray on a table. Then she said, "And just so you know, these coke-bottle glasses, as you call them, are to help me see. I have terrible eyesight." I flinched. Was she some kind of "Mind reader?" she finished my thought. "Yes. I also get visions of the future from time to time. I knew you were coming one day Alex. Here, sit down and have a cookie."

I sat down and took one. I said, "So, what? Am I supposed to be some 'chosen one' or what?" She laughed. "No, no, honey. But I do sense something special about you. You see, you play a very important role in the near future." She leaned in for a whisper, "Don't tell Ares, but it's you that is supposed to lead this group. You are going to save them from those who wish to destroy them." I whispered back, "I'm no hero. I can't lead any team out of a paper bag."

She smiled, "Not a hero, you say? And yet, when you were sitting in church on the second balcony, and those terrorists came in, you dropped on them and used their own men and weapons against each other? That's heroism. As for the leader, well, there a many trying trials ahead. On each one, you will get the chance to prove me wrong."

I stared at her. Then, something came into my head. "Is Agent Walker one of those trials?"

She sighed. Then she got up and handed me another cookie. "Come on." she said, "Let's not keep the others waiting. If you're going to stay here, we might as well get you introduced to everybody."