Do You Know Indigo?

Chapter Sixteen

I blinked.

The world above me swirled in portal of colours and garish light. My throat ached and my head pounded. A crowd of people surrounded me but faces were expressionless, blotches spinning in frantic orbit. I remained immobile, waiting for realisation to overwhelm me and for my vision to become focused.

"Chris, are you OK? Back off people and give her some room, sheesh you'd think I was talking to idiots or something, that goes without saying though really." Beth was clutching my hand unnecessarily tight. I turned my head to process the worried spectators. Miss Johnson was pale and talking in murmurs to the head teacher, Mr Clark.

I raised myself, with difficulty, onto my elbows. Everyone was watching my every move excruciatingly closely. Flinching, my head pulsated with pain. I lay back down. 

"W-w-what happened?" How had I ended up like this. Beth bit her lip, not sure what to do or say to calm me.

"You just kind of collapsed," she whispered. "You started talking to yourself. You started screaming Kieran's name. It was like you were having a fit or something. Where you having a fit? What the hell happened Chris?" Beth sounded as shaky as I felt. My cheeks burned, despite still feeling a shadow of mysterious chill within.

"Kieran? Why Kieran – but no I couldn't have." I racked my brain, urging for something to click. I rubbed my head, grunting. My mind wouldn't reveal what it held so close.

"Should I get her a drink or something?" Andy Smith asked.

"No I think she'll be OK but thanks," Beth replied, smiling awkwardly at Andy and then turning back to me. "Chris you're going to have to tell me what's wrong, I'm not a mind reader."

"Mind reader?" I repeated and something, a tiny connection sparked in my mind.

It wasn't possible. I couldn't have. The realisation hit me, pinning me with an awesome weight to the floor. I looked around for someone, someone of great importance. He was't there.

"Kieran," I whispered. It just couldn't be. It was a dream, hallucination...anything but...

"Someone check the news on the computer or something, now! Check the news." David Wicks, looking rather gormless, dived onto the computer seat and searched the first thing relevant to live news.The computer screen's image was projected onto the interactive whiteboard. David clicked on the first result of many hundreds of thousands. As the page loaded I caught my breath. The headline read:

DOUBLE BOMBING MASSACRE IN CHICAGO

There was an eruption of noise and a tremor of fear throughout the room. The words 'terrorism' and 'death' circulated the room in murmurs. Beth was at my side and held my shoulder with incomprehension.

"Kieran," I said, scanning the screen once more for any indication of his name. I refused to crumble, retain my dignity. Not even the invincible were indestructible.

"What about him Chris, what's the matter?" Beth brushed my hair from my face.

"That's where he was working – I mean Sophia, Kieran and their family were staying there,  Chicago, I mean." I felt tears roll carelessly down my cheeks.

"But how did you..." She stopped. "Oh God." Beth choked on her words.

Miss Johnson put her hand on my shoulder gingerly as if I was diseased.  I'd have shaken her off if I'd had the energy. She gave me a pearly smile that made my blood boil.

"Now Christine I've had a word with the head and he thinks you should go home. He says there's a sixth form boy who's offered to take you home. A friend of yours?" Peering over Miss Johnson's shoulder, Tom was arguing with Mr Clark. Sensing my gaze, Tom pushed passed the head and came to help me to my feet. I didn't argue.