Chapter 14

  The next day, Luna was able to acquire the rest of the components needed to trigger her and Solomon’s superpowers. Apparently, she was such a good student in her AP science class that the teacher was fine with letting her borrow a few things, as long as they were returned after the weekend.

  Solomon got quickly lost whenever Luna started talking about the science side of things, so he nodded along and acted like he understood. When Luna said that Friday evening, that very night, would be the best time to trigger their powers, he nodded. When she said that they might need the weekend to recover due to unforeseen side effects, he nodded. And when she said that the giant metal Monument was practically the perfect location for the triggering process, he nodded.

  Solomon had convinced himself that it was Luna’s job to worry about logistics and his job to imagine what kind of powers they might get and what they could do with them. Daydreaming was his specialty, after all. But a small concern pricked at him. The note said, “Use it wisely.” He had assumed it had been referring to the BBO crystal. But if the “friend” knew about the twins’ future superpowers, could the note have been referring to their powers instead?

  Just a few days ago, Solomon would’ve assumed that Luna would be the one to keep him in check, but now… now he wasn’t so sure. He had discovered things about her that he’d never known. And by the time their adventure was over, who could tell what other dark secrets she might reveal?

  The twins left on their adventure right after dinner, Luna toting her bag of science supplies. Luckily, it was still early in the fall, so they had an hour or two of daylight to work with. Solomon had told Mrs. Peterson that they were working on a science experiment, and while it was strictly true, he still felt guilty for misleading her.

  “Are you sure this will work?” Solomon asked as the duo set off on a brisk walk toward Spritewood Town Park, where the Monument was located.

  “Ask me again later. Here we are!” Luna turned into the park, and the Monument loomed above them, overshadowing all but the tallest of trees. No one in Spritewood was really sure what the Monument was supposed to represent, with its two metal beams stretching toward the sky and its seven other supporting beams holding it up like a tripod. But the Monument was somehow important to the town’s history, and that’s why Spritewood High had been stationed right next door to the park. To Solomon, the Monument represented a chance at a new, awesome, and exciting life. And that was a chance he was going to grab onto with both hands.

  Luna gently set her supply bag on the ground and began arranging her scientific equipment. Solomon gave her a boost, and she secured an optical cavity to each of the two metal beams that pointed heavenward. The optical cavities – basically boxes with mirrors in them – were supposed to refine sunlight and moonlight into a sun laser and a moon laser, at least according to Luna. Then, the BBO crystal would amplify the power of the lasers, turning them into radioactive lasers, which would then hit the twins and infuse them with the energy needed to jumpstart their superhuman genetics but also had the possibility of killing them instantly.

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  Solomon froze when Luna told him that last part. “This could kill us?!? Are you crazy?! Why are we even considering this?!?”

  “All experiments come with danger – that’s just how the world works!” Luna set up the BBO crystal and its stand, making the final adjustments to make sure it was in the precise position it needed to be in. She glanced up to make sure the optical cavities hadn’t shifted. “Alright, it’s ready. I’d suggest getting out of the way in case something goes wrong.”

  Solomon stepped to the side, his stomach feeling like a sinkhole about to crumble any second. This is a terrible idea. It’s the worst idea in the history of ideas! “Are you sure this will work?” he asked, secretly hoping the answer was no.

  “I’m absolutely sure it’ll work!” Luna sounded way too cheerful for someone who could be on the verge of death by radioactive laser. “The only question is what it’ll do to us! Ready?”

  “Not in the least,” Solomon muttered, and then his sister flipped a tiny switch, and the BBO crystal lit up so brightly that Solomon had to shield his eyes from it. Two glowing lasers shot between the crystal and each of the optical cavities, one pale and silvery, the other warm and golden. The two lasers twined together like threads of yarn and pierced the crystal, rushing forth as a brilliant ray of pink and purple that made the air tremble with its power. The ray splashed down just at the foot of the monument, whirling around itself to create a tornadic orb of pure energy. The cloudless sky suddenly darkened, a huge storm front blowing toward them furiously.

  “Was this supposed to happen?” Solomon shouted to his sister. He could barely hear her response over the fierce wind that howled around him. “No, the files didn’t say anything about this!” Luna shouted back. “The scientists thought it was going to be an invisible laser, not a giant purple-and-pink light storm!”

  The ground shook beneath them, and Solomon fell to his hands and knees. “Luna, we need to get away from here! It’s too dangerous!” Hearing only the sounds of the ferocious tempest, he cast his gaze around, searching desperately for his sister. “Luna? Luna!” Amidst the colorful specks of light flying from the orb of energy, he saw Luna trying to push against the wind and storm, doing her best to reach the center of the giant orb. “What are you doing?!” he yelled. “Get out of there!” But still she pushed on, blind to the danger. Solomon scrambled up from the ground and sprinted for his twin, desperate to save her and terrified of what would happen to her if he didn’t reach her in time.

  But he wasn’t fast enough. Luna saw him coming. Just before he reached her, she jumped into the whirling orb and disappeared into the bright pinks and purples.

  “NO! LUNA!” Solomon skidded to a stop and stared at the orb in horror. His twin sister – his other half – was gone. How was he supposed to live without his better half? At that moment, he decided that he didn’t want to live a life without Luna. They were siblings, and siblings go down together.

  Solomon faced the orb with determination and more than a hint of fear. After this, there’s no going back. Whether I die or miraculously gain superpowers, this is the end. I hope I lived a life worth remembering. Goodbye, Mom. Goodbye, Dad. Goodbye, Grant. Here I go! With his final farewells finished, he leapt into the orb.