I slowly regained consciousness feeling myself rising from the darkness that had consumed me last night. The day before felt all like a blur. None of it felt real still. I stroked the blankets that were swallowing me whole. I could still see the stars that were peeking through behind the curtains. I knew that all of this could be taken at any fragile moment. For some reason I was chosen yesterday, and it had to do something with that orb.
What if it was wrong? What if I'm not who they thought I was?
I could feel my breath coming out in rasps. My pulse quickened causing that all too familiar sting behind my eyes. I held them back through sheer will. My pulse wasn't settling down no matter what I did to reassure myself. I stood up from the bed and sat in the corner of the room furthest from the door. I planted myself in that safe corner, and thought about what happened yesterday.
What did the orb do to me yesterday?
I thought of that spark that caused searing pain in me yesterday. None of that pain lingered but I recalled the warmth that it spread throughout my body. It might have been faint but I could still feel that sleeping spark deep within my chest. Mustering all of my courage I attempted to call it in my chest, and it seemed to respond to my attempts at calling it. It responded like one of the sleeping cats in the village, showing mild interest but still unmoving. I couldn't yet determine if it would cause me harm, but the mild reactions that it would show me felt somewhat fun to play with. After focusing internally for so long I finally adjusted to the layout of the room.
The room reminded me of something that I would have seen as a child. There in the center pushed up against the wall was that all too comfortable bed, an armoire, the door to the bathroom, and a simple wooden desk with a chair pushed into it. It looked like such a plain and simple room, but seeing such a plain and simple thing I could feel those familiar stings in my eyes. I quickly brushed my hands against my eyes fighting off the flowing tide that had built up after all those years. My whole existence felt like it was crashing around me. The roughly four years I had spent in that cell. Being stolen from my Mom at the ripe age of 8. Not being able to live as a normal child. Not understanding why I was even taken in the first place.
If I was chosen, why did they lock me up?
At that thought the waterfall that had been building crashed over. I sat in the corner of that room sobbing. Clutching at my chest I felt the need to scream, but even through all of this my voice still failed me. That squeeze that had plagued me all those years ago still squeezing the air out of me. Tears flowed faster. I couldn't even see, and didn't bother to at this point. All of it was so unfair that I didn't know what would give first the pain in my chest or the waterfall. The pain was so intense that it was as if there was a vice grip upon my throat.
I could feel the spark in my chest reaching out throughout my body, but it did little to stop the tidal wave that flowed. After sitting in the corner of that room for what felt like hours, sleep took me as its victim one more time.
I awoke to the sound of my doorknob first. I flinched upwards putting my hands against the back of the wall. I quickly scanned my room to see if anyone else was in the room with me. The doorknob had turned its full motion and it slowly started inching open. My eyes widened expecting the Warden to be standing there, bucket in hand ready to give me one of their famous baths. The first thing I noticed was the small black shoe that stepped through the door, and crashed to the floor in relief. It was only Milinda.
When was the last time I felt relief at seeing someone? I must have given her a fright because she gave a small little shriek. "Little Seph, what are you doing over there?" She rushed over to my side at once. She knelt down to give me a thorough inspection. "You ok Little One?" She gingerly took my arm. I allowed her to pull me to my feet. She moved me over and sat me on the bed. "Nightmares following you huh?" She looked into my face wiping the dried tears from my face.
"I know sweetie they follow me too. Hard to escape them. Hardest thing in the world in my opinion." While speaking her gaze left my face to look out the window. I stared at her face as she stared off into the distance. I wonder what sort of nightmares follow her? Are they of the Warden like mine? I reached out and touched her cheek. She looked back at me stunned.
"Oh my sweet little angel! You're so cute!" She squealed, giving me a tight hug. I like this hug. Much better than the last one I had. "Well you have a big day ahead of you ok sweetie?" She took me to the bathroom and rushed me through what we had gone through yesterday. Bath, combed my hair, helped me brush my teeth, and got me dressed in what I had worn yesterday. Everything felt clean, there was no dirt under my nails anymore, no dirt that felt caked onto my skin, my hair felt glossy, everything felt alien.
Don't get used to it. Please.Trying to save myself from the pain of losing all of this I kept telling that to myself. Milinda laughed behind me. "What are you frowning about there Little One?" She laughed as she pinched my cheek. Instead of looking at her face in the mirror I wanted to see it with my eyes. I looked up from where she was standing behind me to stare into her face.
Don't. Milinda stared at me with that smile on her face. "Ready Little Seph?" I nodded in affirmation. Fucking idiot. Just like yesterday she took me out into the hall and walked me down the corridor. I could see the other kids leaving their room. This time instead of what we ate yesterday they had a different spread laid out on tables at the edge of the room. One table had nothing but those Honeyed breads. My eyes locked onto my target but I waited patiently for Milinda to guide me to my seat.
"I know Little One, I'll make sure to get you more than one today!" She whispered confidently into my ear. She took off at a brisk pace trying to get to the front of the line. I watched as she started chatting up one of the male servers. He glanced back and forth and slipped her a second piece of bread.
She really did it! I inwardly celebrated to myself as I saw her quicken her pace trying to race back to my table. She confidently sat the plate in front of me. "Told you I could do it! Eat up Little One I need to get you off to your first class." I wanted to save the best for last so I plowed through listening to Milinda describe to me what I was eating like last time. "And that one…" she pointed to the bread that was gleaming in my hands, "is…"
"Br…e…a…d" I pushed through my sore throat. Seeing Milinda's reaction shocked me however. "You spoke Little One?" I could see those tears that came so easily to her, peeking at the corner of her eyes. I felt that lump in my throat from last night resurfacing seeing her reaction. I nodded in affirmation.
"I didn't think I'd ever hear your voice. I simply thought…" she stammered "they might have…" She let her voice trail off into the air. I felt like I knew what she was referring to, and shook my head no to where her thoughts were taking her.
"Good." She put her hands on her hip in determination. "If that was the case I'd go down there and show those meanies a piece of my mind." I quickly shook my head no. I knew the strength that the Warden had, and images of Milinda squaring off to him raked through my mind. I didn't want my one person to leave me like that. She chuckled behind me. "Eat up Little One. We don't want to be late on your first day."
I quickly ate every last bite of my bread, and stood up to join her. We walked down those brightly lit halls, and arrived at a singular door. She opened the door and ushered me in. There were rows of desks, and one large desk at the center of the room. There behind it was a large chalkboard similar to what they had in the village classes back home. There at the desk was a scraggly man reading a book that looked thicker than my legs. Upon us walking in he sat the book down with a loud thump.
"Welcome to class. Seat her down at one of the desks." He gestured to the desks, and picked the book back up. Milinda walked me down to one of the desks at the front. She reached into a compartment in the desk drawing out a book, pencil, and some sort of orb. That orb looked all too similar to what happened on my first day. I glared at that orb and Milinda must have noticed.
Don't be a bitch. Don't forsake this comfort. That level of pain is worth it for this. "You good sweety?" I quickly nodded while sitting down at the desk. "No maids or butlers in class. You may leave." The teacher at the front said while still reading his book. Milinda seemed to not appreciate this and glared at him. "I'll be here to pick you up for lunch sweetie."
"Her name…" he looked at Milinda over the top of the book "is Sephanie, not…" the last words came out like the venom from a snake "sweetie." She glanced down at me, then to the teacher, sighed and said "I'll be back in time for lunch…" she glanced back at the teacher "Sephanie." At that she turned and walked out the door. I could tell from the way she had left that she wasn't a big fan of the teacher, but I didn't want her to get in trouble so I sat there quietly. After five other kids entered the class and were seated did the teacher set the book back on the table.
"Good morning class, my name is Professor Staples." He stood from the desk approaching the chalkboard.
"You will be my morning class that I will be teaching, and I expect that this class will be a respectful bunch." As he was talking he was writing down his name on the board.
"This class will be teaching you how to access your magic, what magic is, and how to use it." After finishing writing his name he turned around clapping his hands together, rubbing them together while looking over his six students.
"Who here knows what magic is?" He addressed the class. I watched as the kids around us tentatively raised their hands. I followed suit. Magic was a widely known thing even in my village. There were some people who could light small fires, cure small scratches, even one older gentleman in our village had the ability to speak to animals. Magic wasn't something that was uncommon for people, so naturally all of us knew of what magic was.
"Good. What we are going to do first in class is awaken our magic. This will frankly be a tad painful, but I know that all of you are big kids who can deal with that." He gestured at the orbs on our desk. "Place your hand on the orb and let me know what you're feeling please?" I could see the other kids place their hands on the orb without worry or fear. How the fuck can they do that?
I stared at the orb on my desk like a rattlesnake that was ready to strike. I looked between my classmates and the orb then finally set my hand upon the orb expecting the worst. I pinched my eyes closed waiting for that searing pain like the first time. There was nothing. Not a hum. Not a spark. Nothing. I wrenched my eyes open to look at the orb and sure enough my hand had full contact with the orb. I picked it up feeling it's heft in my hand. It looked just like the orb on that tablet. Why wasn't it doing anything?
Is this shit broken? I could see some of the kids around me looking uncomfortable with the orb in their hand, but mine wasn't doing anything. "You there, what seems to be the matter?" He pointed at me.
"It… doe…sn't… wor…k" I pushed out. I didn't want to be labeled a troublesome kid so I tried my best forcing out my words. I could see the kids around me staring at my orb like I had purposefully planned this moment. I could tell by their faces that their orbs were most certainly working. The teacher walked over looking at me with an inquisitive face. Then he let out a low whistle. "Holy fuck! I might need to call another teacher." He hurried out of the room leaving us all there not knowing what was going to happen.
They're going to put us back in that fucking cell. Why couldn't you just act like you were in pain dumb bitch. I didn't know this was going to happen. Why did he leave? I felt sweat dripping down my back. I left my hand against the orb wishing and hoping that something would happen. I could feel the spark in my chest reacting to my panic. It's tendrils reaching out trying to calm me down like it had last night. After what felt like an eternity of fighting back tears and trying to remain calm, the teacher burst through the door making me jump in my seat.
"Her sir. Sephanie is the one that I had mentioned." He came into the room pointing to my seat while speaking behind him. I looked at him and then the man that followed. The new man that followed Professor Staples couldn't have looked more different. While Staples looked messy by nature this teacher was blonde and very well put together.
"Staples… they're twelve. There is no way one of them awoke their magic. I'm the youngest and did it at 18…" The blonde man came in scolding Staples. I felt the need to cry come on even harder. I looked down at my feet.
"I'm… so…rr…y." I pushed out through forced breaths.
"Are you lying to your teacher?" The blonde teacher stood above me glaring at me. Told you dumb bitch. They're going to send us back. Hope you miss that stone floor. I could feel the eyes of everyone on me. The kids that were spread out throughout around me. I could feel the piercing gaze of the blonde teacher. "I'm waiting?" He impatiently was tapping his foot while crossing his arms in front of him.
"I…t do…sn'...t fee…l like… the fi…rst tim…e" I forced through pinched breaths. I intensely stared at a spot on the floor while sliding my feet on the ground seeking comfort. I wished to push myself into the corner of the room. To flee. To avoid the cell. The teacher looked at my reaction and handed the ball to one of the other kids. I didn't see anything or anyone. I was attempting to become one with the spot on the floor trying to find comfort in familiarity.
"Bad kids need to sit in timeout. He said he could feel it working. Come with me." He grabbed me by my shoulder. Breaking my dissociation, ripping me away from my spot on the floor; bringing me back down to the cell.
APOLOGIZE! Do something! They're dragging us back down there you stupid bitch!
"I'm… sssorry. I'll… try hard…er pleas…e." I was nearing my breaking point. I could feel tears streaming down my face at this point. "Not… the… cell…" I was pleading with him as he dragged me to the door.
"Then don't fucking lie next time dumb bitch. Let's go!" He was nearly screaming into my face.
I could feel myself shaking in fear. They're going to put me back down there. As he was dragging me out of the door I could hear Milinda somewhere down the hall. I heard her but couldn't think of anything. NO!!!! Anything but the cell!
"What's going on here gentlemen?" I could hear the voice of the gentleman from yesterday who named me. The blonde gentlemen stopped tugging at my garments, still clutching them in his fist. My hands still on his hoping and praying he would let me out of his clutches. "Headmaster… we caught this student here lying." He glared down at me like I was some sort of rat.
"And what has she been caught lying about Gerard?" I could see a smile on his face but his eyes looked anything but smiling. I could see Milinda behind the headmaster. It looked like she was furious as her cheeks had large amounts of pink swelling into them.
"She can't feel anything from the Orb of Awakening." His eyes didn't leave mine until he had finished speaking. They landed on the Headmaster's and I could swear I could see a muscle twitch in his eye as they did. "Release her, Gerard." His tone still sounded familiar but commanding as well. I felt his grip lessen until finally he allowed his hand to drop to his side.
"I don't approve of students who are caught lying, Headmaster." He bowed at his comment and could see his jaw muscles flinch as he did so. I wasn't lying, Dickhead.
"If you don't believe her there is but a simple method on testing this student, Gerard." He started walking forward, his robe swaying against the floor as he did so. "We just simply need to commune with her spark. If we can do so then she isn't lying." He set his hand upon my shoulder.
"Do you mind if we attempt at communing with your spark?" He looked into my eyes. I could see the smile lines next to his eyes. The one thing you couldn't argue against was that his eyes appeared to be kind. I'd literally do anything to keep from going downstairs. I'd literally kiss Dickhead's shoes to keep from going downstairs.
"Yes." I nodded my head in affirmation. "Follow me then." With that he turned and started walking down the hall.
I nervously wrenched my hands to the point that I could see my scarred fingers turning white. Every step seemed to increase the sound of my heartbeat in my ears. Every click of the feet on the marble made the sounds seem further away. I don't know how long we walked but finally I stopped on instinct when the headmaster stopped in front of me.
"Come Sephanie. This is the room where you will show if you were lying or not." He turned on his heels and led me into a darkened room. If I wasn't so scared I would have thought it beautiful. It felt like I had stepped into a fairy tale. The room was pitch black except for stars that seemingly bounced around the room. They would ping off of each other and slowly almost buoyantly bounce off in a different direction. Each star was a different color, some were purple, while others were a vibrant white hue. In the center of the room stood what appeared to be a bird bath.
"Place your hands in the water." The headmaster gestured to the pool of murky black water that sat in the center of the bowl. I walked over still wrenching my hands together, took a deep breath, then placed them into the water. Everything went white.