Alchemy

Chapter 3

First day of school came around quickly. Georgia was trying her best to forget about the incident at Poppins the other day. She kept thinking about her encounter with Zachary, replaying it over and over in her mind. She couldn't shake the mysterious feeling around it; however, welcomed the distraction so she wasn't so cut up about her break up with David.

Georgia was looking through old messages between her and David when her phone started buzzing. She ran downstairs and picked up her bag to meet a very excited Clara and Sophia.

Clara nudged her, "So, how are you feeling about the new school year ahead?" 

Georgia shrugged her shoulders. 

"Well, I will tell you that I am just excited to get out the house and keep busy. Mum is on another bender and I don't want to be around her at the moment." Clara was always keen to keep busy and be out the house. She was an only child and her and her alcoholic mother did not get along. Clara didn't really remember her dad as he had left when she was really little. She swished her brown hair and perfectly manicured nails and turned to Sophia, "how about you? Excited for a new school year?"

Sophia was like an excitable puppy, "I don't know about you but I was so ready to finish last year. I don't want any drama this year... unless it's boy drama" she winked, "I can deal with that. Like that beautiful boy, eh Clara. Honestly Georgia he was gorgeous, he had these dazzling purple eyes." Sophia always involved herself in new good looking boys – she couldn't help herself. Beautiful, blonde Sophia. A real princess. She was involved with everything at school and enjoyed being a teacher's pet. Georgia liked to be more in the background but Sophia made sure the three girls got involved in most school activities.

"Oh Sophia, you do make me laugh. Let's get going so we are not too late to start off our last year!" Georgia linked both their arms as they walked down the road.

*

As they were walking past the park Georgia felt like she was being watched. She looked around but the park next to them looked empty and the path around them was deserted. Georgia couldn't shake the feeling so decided to stop. "Girls, I just need to check I have got something in my bag, I will catch you up." They both put their thumbs up, whilst in mid conversation, and walked off. Georgia looked around. Nothing seemed different. The clouds were gloomy overhead, birds tweeting, squirrels running around on the trees...

Out of nowhere a creepy old man started walking towards Georgia, "Oh hello young lady. You on your own?" Georgia turned around in shock. She noticed his dirty brown beard that went down to his neck and his teeth were all sticking out, almost like he had fangs. His eyes were piercing yellow and his hair looked like it hadn't been washed in years. His clothes were all cut up like he had been in a fight. Not something you would usually see out in the streets early morning. It was still quite dark out and Georgia started to feel uncomfortable.

She tried not to act like she was scared, "oh hi. I am just catching my friends up. They are just up there", she pointed up the path hoping he would leave if he thought she wasn't on her own. Everywhere seemed so quiet around now. Georgia looked over in the park hoping she would see someone, but all she could see were the empty tennis courts and children's park. She thought about running but looked down and knew she wouldn't get far in her school pumps. The creepy old man cut off her trail of thought. 

"Yes. But they are not here, are they?" he started walking closer and closer to her.

"I don't have any money. Or anything valuable. I am on my way to school." Georgia was trying to think of anything that would make him go away. She started wishing she had stayed with the girls. She couldn't even remember why she had stopped and split off from them in the first place. 

 "Maybe I don't want money. Maybe it is you I am after." 

Georgia just stared blankly at him. He came so close she could smell the liquor on his breath. It made her feel sick. She closed her eyes, hearing nothing apart from his breathing that made the hairs on her arms stand on edge. His body seemed to be shifting, almost like he was not human.

Georgia blacked out and minutes later woke up on the ground. She looked up and faintly saw a figure with sparkling blue eyes staring straight back at her. "Are you okay?" he asked, gently holding the back of her head. Georgia blacked out again.

*

Clara and Sophia heard the sirens and looked back to the path, realising Georgia hadn't caught up to them. They started to worry and ran back to where they had left her. Poor girl. She was on the side of the gate near where they had left her. There was a dirty looking man lying next to her. Dead. What looked like teeth marks – an animal attack? It was not worth thinking about.

"Georgia! Are you okay?" Sophia asked, standing over her. She had clearly had a shock. "Are you hurt?" 

Georgia shook her head silently. 

Clara rushed over too, school bag in hand, with her hair flying all over the place. "Georgia, what happened?" she shouted at her. 

The paramedics rushed over, one being Sophia's mum, Tina. "Georgia are you okay darling? What happened?" Tina glanced at the man's body near Georgia and put her gloves on to look at the bite mark on his neck. "Animal attack." She turned to face the other paramedic with her whom none of the girls had seen before.

The other woman took charge. "Georgia, my name is Joanna. You have had an accident and it is going to be a bit of a shock but I need you to get up and leave the scene." She turned back to Tina, "could you call Georgia's mum and make sure these girls get to school. I will clear this up." Tina nodded like she was in a trance and shuffled the girls away, helping Georgia up and walking them to the car they had arrived in. 

Georgia looked so dazed but got up and grabbed Sophia's arm. "Yes Mrs Nichols." Sophia stared at Georgia as she had not said a word since the girls arrived.

"Georgia do you want to talk about it?" Sophia put her hand on Georgia's shoulder to comfort her but she shrugged it off. 

"I said let's go" Georgia said, pulling her bag over her shoulder as they left the scene. It was getting busy as some cars that looked like the police started turning up.

*

The girls arrived at school like they had not just witnessed something awful. School was exactly the same as it always was. Same Malibu Barbies walking up and down the hall. Same sporty boys rushing around and drooling over the girls in the year below – fresh meat! Clara and Sophia sat Georgia down and went to go get their timetables and bits of paper for the new year ahead.

"Do you think she will be okay Clara?" Sophia asked worriedly, she couldn't get the picture of the man lying there next to Georgia out her head. 

 "Yeah, she will be okay. I don't think anything happened. I am so glad we got there when we did. Although it looked like it was sorted. Did you see the teeth marks on that man's neck? Georgia was lucky, that could have been really bad."

They both stared at Georgia, concerned, and shuddered. It was not worth thinking about how things could have gone. Georgia was sat there expressionless like she was in a daze. The girls got called back to their seats by the head of sixth as the common room door swung open.