Nymphix

Chapter Fifteen

The light that filtered through the leaves were a soft hazy orange, and Kat found herself moving her fingers over her legs, watching the way the shadows danced. She understood now why she subconsiously tried so hard not to make friends with anyone; because the first friend she had made she had killed along with countless others. The image of children and teachers sprawled across the grass, unmoving, burned itself into Kat's eyes and she saw it every time she blinked. Her stomach swirled and knotted and Kat wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed. She never should have left the prison she was kept in. She was so tired of feeling this way. Of feeling like she had no control, feeling that if she took one wrong step; everything and everyone she had worked so hard to get close to would suddenly realise what a monster she was. She had come so close to hurting so many people, and no amount of training, or remembering memories was going to fix that. 

Leaning over, Kat eyed the ground from her high perch on the tree. Dark thoughts began weaving their way into her mind, and although she knew the fall wouldn't kill her, it would make her feel something other than this pit in her stomach of constant anxiety. She rocked back and forth on the branch, toying with the idea. In the back of her mind, Kat knew she would never do it, but feeling the branch give way ever so slightly began to feel exhilarating. She sat that way for hours as the sun moved through the sky, but the discomfort in her mind never left and each time she swung forward a little too far she held her breath in anticipation. 

Only when the grumble in her stomach overtook the presence in her mind did Kat finally swing down to begin her descent back to the forest floor. The walk back to school stretched out as Kat dragged her feet, knowing that eventually she would have to get back...but wanting to delay it as long as possible. Out of the corner of her eye, Kat spotted a shadow move ever so slightly and she slowed

"who's there" Kat's voice came out as a croak but before she could repeat herself a figure stepped out from the trees. 

"Hey-" the rest of the sentence was cut off as Kat lifted her eyes and met the intruder. His sickening smile was no longer there, but there was no mistaking the sadistic glint to his eyes, or the raspy voice that has whispered obscenities into Kat's ears for years. 

Kat opened her mouth to speak but her breath hitched in her throat and suddenly she couldn't breathe. She reached a hand out but black spots began to swim into her vision and suddenly the ground came rushing up to meet her

*   *   *

Felix had followed her as soon as she left the infirmary, unable to tear the look on her face out of his mind. Behind the bloodied eyes he saw such a range of emotions so painful, it hurt to look at her. Now he ran as fast as he could through the forest with her limp body in his arms. It frightened him how little she weighed, and as he could feel her bones digging into his arms as he moved. In the hours she had sat in the tree, silent and unmoving, Felix had sat and waited at the base of a tree far away enough that she wouldn't spot him. He needed to speak to her. He needed to know what was wrong. There was just something about her, something about her pain that he shared, and he needed her to know she wasn't alone. 

The infirmary practically empty when he reached it, with only one of the beds occupied and a nurse milling around. 

"Help" He called out to the nurse, laying Kat on one of the beds. She began to run over, but when she saw who was laying on the bed she called out to another nurse and they both ran over. 

"What happened?"

"I-I don't know, she just collapsed" Felix found himself slightly out of breath - not from the run, but from looking at Kat's small fragile body collapsed on the bed. It was an image too close to his heart, but he blocked out the memory and focused on Kat. 

"Do you know what's wrong?"

The second nurse that had been called in closed her eyes and placed her hands gently on Kat's head. 

"She had just come out of a memory session, but she had gone under for so long I didn't know what was wrong. She should have rested after but instead ran off-"

Kat shuddered under the nurses' hand and suddenly began convulsing, magic leaking out of her hands. It was a a terrifyingly dark shadowy black, with no shimmer whatsoever, simply black. It wrapped itself around Kat's arms and began moving up towards her face. 

"Take your hand away" Felix snapped at the nurse as he stared at a tendril of smoke rapidly approaching the nurses arm. She hesitated only a second, but it was all that was needed for the magic to latch on and as soon as it made contact it threw the nurse back so strongly she flew half way across the room. At the sound of the crash a couple more nurses came running in - including Lacey who stopped when she saw them. 

"What-" She murmured but she stopped when she saw Kat whose body was now engulfed in the black smoke. She came to stand next to Felix and looked down

"Why is her magic that colour" She whispered, almost afraid to hear the answer

"I don't know. Just don't touch her."

Kat stopped moving all of a sudden and her eyes snapped open, the bright blue piercing the black smoke and staring straight into Felix's own. 

"Kat?" He leaned forward but Kat opened her mouth and screamed.