Metanoia

Chapter 6

                                            *Jovie's perspective*

I looked at my foot, taking one step at a time as I attempted not to step on the blood splattered on the floor. I'd freak out if I ever touched that.

"Wow, paintings." groaned Sora. "So kinky."

Okay, paintings? This place is legit haunted. There were countless paintings that were of a very vintage artstyle. But Metanoia was a new building built after the War of Magic. They actually had vintage stuff?

"Shut up." protested Isis. "Take a look."

"I did." she hissed.

"Well, look closer."

I wanted to refuse, but Isis's almost bulging eyes were locked on me. Plus, she was powerful. I forced myself to look at the paintings.

They came in patterns–depictions of winged people–a symbolism for higher beings— holding spears in front of naked people who had flames in their hands as they fell to the abyss below them. 

Oh wow. This was going to traumatise me for an eternity now. What's the worst that could happen?

I sighed and looked at a slightly more normal one. It was of a British man who wore a suave suit, which was the only attractive thing about him. Well, fine, except his eyes. His eyes were cerulean blue, and my mind drifted off to one fond memory I used to hold dear.

My sister would be 19 by now. She would pursue her career as a vet, and maybe she'd finally stand up to Dad and Mum for me, as we promised.

If Tally hadn't died, I wouldn't even be here.

The world was suddenly a blur. I felt my cheeks turning red, in what seemed like tears. I looked over to Isis and Sora–they better not be staring.

Isis and Sora strode blithely through the hallway. Isis was looking at her surroundings and admiring the scenery, even though I could tell she had seen it over a thousand times. And her enthusiasm creeped me out.

Sora wasn't much better. I could feel her piercing gaze falling on me. I whipped my head over to her, staring back at her. (Retribution.)

"Stop staring." I hissed, even though it wasn't the most polite thing to do. But I couldn't help it.

Seeing this, she shrugged. "Whatever you say."

I bit my lip.

"Sooooo...I've been wondering, why exactly are you here?"

"Didn't Isis tell you?" I scowled. Weirdo.

"Uh..." she muttered, sensing my (obvious) hatred. Was she going to tell me to 'chillax' now? She seemed like the type to. "No? I meant to say, how did you get sent here?"

Wow. This girl has no boundaries. But I decided to be honest anyway. At least she wasn't Isis. "My boss, I guess. Or more specifically, my enemy told on me."

A picture of Ezra's message flashed through my mind. Don't mess this up.

Yet he was the one who got me into this first. He told Mr. Garcia about my mistake. Wasn't that why Mr Garcia sent me here?

I was expecting Sora to call me Anchovy and interrogate me, but she just remained silent. Isis was still bouncing around.

So I finally let myself spit out the words I wanted to. "Tell me, why is Isis so freaking weird?"

"Oh, get used to it. People used to crush on her all the time for it." sighed Sora. "Maybe that's what got her into being such a damn good head prefect."

"Head prefect?" I asked.

"As in the head of prefects, duh." she grinned, half-amused at my confusion. "Logical, too. She fits that role of taking care of confused anchovies."

I rolled my eyes. "And keeping weirdos under control." (Of which was sort of true)

Sora's grin wavered a little. "Plus, Isis has tits."

"Excuse me?" Isis groaned, turning towards us. "Thought I heard something about me."

Isis clearly now hated Sora's guts. Sora chuckled. I stared at Isis in horror.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, which was a stupid thing to say. Sora nodded and observed Isis's expression, as she had done with me. I assumed she just liked staring at people. Like the creep she is.

"I thought I heard something about me." she repeated, this time even louder.

"What an authoritative figure," whispered Sora, "whose tits are being talked about."

Isis rolled her eyes. "Okay, okay! What's this picture for?" Sora pointed at the portrait with the guy with cerulean blue eyes. I looked away. I didn't want to see it again.

"That's Adriel Mann, the owner of Metanoia–not a nice guy. I think it's written pretty clearly in the letter." monotoned Isis. "But you forgot, didn't you. You've been here for way too long."

Was she trying to make a decent retort?

"I know." proclaimed Sora out loud, now annoyed. She walked closer to me, now seeming to hate Isis for stating that.

"How long have you been here?" I asked out of curiosity, then stopped myself. I had really gone too far this time. She was visibly uncomfortable about that, too. But not in the way Isis had refused to tell me about her power.

"Almost 20–I've lost track." Sora glared at me. I scolded myself for asking her that. She looked away from the portrait, now looking straight into my eyes. "I've got a tolerable position over here too, like Isis.

"Hey, look over there."

"There? Where?"

"Right. Your room. It's over there. Everyone has a room, you see. We're not entirely lawless." explained Isis. If Metanoia never existed, she would be a damn good teacher. Unfortunately for her, we weren't little kids. "By the way, did you know your room was built 10 years ago, so it's relatively new?

Nobody cared.

"Lawless, huh." Sora walked past me and pushed open the wooden door, which made a hideous creaking noise. I heaved a great sigh and took a step, entering the room.

***