Flesh (completed)

Chapter Sixteen

~Now~

Sighing, Elizabeth plopped her tray down onto the table and began her usual routine of staring blankly out the window while listening to her classmates' conversations.

Also as per usual, she heard the other voices as well; The voices belonging to people that only she could see.

"Lizzie, why do you look so sad?" One of them asked.

The other gave him an incredulous look. "They're so mean to her! Have you forgotten that they don't understand her gift?"

Lizzie sighed, deciding that if she couldn't tune them out, she may as well join the conversation. Why do you two always hang around me? I've already offered to cross you over and you refused.

"We're here to protect you," The boy answered. "Madam Lilith is very busy and she instructed us to watch over you."

Lilith? So that's her name?

The girl nodded her bald head. "The one and only."

Why do you need to protect me? What are you protecting me from?

They both hesitated, looking down at their hands, which were neatly clasped in their laps.

"Those who don't understand your gift. Those who wish to be rid of your existence."

The girl chuckled. "You'd better understand them as angels. And the good beings."

"Beings of the light," He added.

Lizzie's brows scrunched together in confusion. "Are you saying I'm not of the light?" Her eyes widened when she realised that she had said that out loud.

Several people from the table next to hers turned and gave her confused looks.

She ignored them.

"You were," said the boy. He traced the scar that ran the length of his left arm.
The girl gave him a wide eyed look. "NonoNO! We are to tell her nothing!"

His eyes suddenly widened too. "Forgive me!" He shouted. "I-I didn't mean it!"

Before Lizzie could question further, they uttered a hiss before vanishing.

A tray suddenly plopped onto the table and a girl sat down across from her. "Hiya. I'm new here. The name's Alice."

Lizzie didn't reply even though several questions shot through her mind.

The girl ran a hand through her short raspberry hair. "Oh, yeah..sorry. I guess it was pretty rude of me to just sit here without asking, huh?"

Lizzie continued to stare at her.

Alice offered a smile. "You don't mind, do you, Lizzie?"

That sparked a question out of her. "How do you know my name?"

Alice smiled at the victory. "That's what I've heard people refer to you as." The smile vanished. "Boy, they sure like to talk shit, don't they?"

Lizzie shrugged, averting her eyes.

"So what's your deal?"

She looked back up in confusion.

"Why have you been deemed a freak?" Alice began to peel the paper off of her straw.

"You'll figure it out," sighed Lizzie.

"Doubt it," remarked the other girl as she slid the straw in her chocolate milk. "I was called a lot of names in my last school and have no clue why I was called any of them. Freak seemed to be a favorite." She made a face after taking a sip. "Bleh, this stuff sucks ass!"

Lizzie nodded, perplexed by this girl who so boldly sat and talked with her.
Alice scooped some of the macaroni and cheese into her mouth and sat the fork back down. "I can see why you didn't even touch your tray."

"Why are you talking to me," Lizzie asked bluntly.

Alice grinned. "I'm much better company than those two brats that were sitting beside you."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "You can see them?"

"As clearly as I see you," she answered.

The bell rang then and Lizzie jumped up and scurried off to dump her tray and head to class.

Alice sees them too...