The deafening sound of the darkness encompasses Crystal’s mind. Her eyes slowly open to nothingness. Where was she? How did she get here?
A swirl of color gathers in front of her into the form of a circular image of hazy images. As they clear Crystal feels as if she has seen the images playing out before. Images of sneaking to visit Talula, hiding in the closet when Page knocks on the door, the talk they had after that, trying to get back to their room, being stopped by Steven when Crystal saw the blue blob swirling around him frantically then taking off, following it to the rainbow pond, seeing the shadowy ninja-like pursuer, convincing Page to jump into the pond, and finally jumping. All of the events of what happened right before Crystal blacked out bring back the true memories to Crystal’s mind. But the images didn’t stop there.
This silent film continues on showing a shadowy figure at a phone booth late at night. The image splits to show a male sitting at a desk with a mini Chinese flag sitting in the corner listening to the call. The image shifts and shows what must be the same shadowy figure from before sending an email this time. Most of the words are hazy in the image except for one sentence: Too many powerful benders here to take the Camp on head on.
With that final “happy” note, the colors disperse leaving Crystal back in the floating blackness with her head filled with burning questions. What did that last image mean? Is that person someone from Camp? If they are, that means there is a traitor, right? And while I’m on the topic of people, where is Page?!
As if to answer her silent call, the space around her shifts again and a figure is moving towards her. Before Crystal can comprehend what is taking place, Page grabs her hand and pulls her towards the surface. Had they always been underwater? It didn’t feel like it a moment ago.
An orange light moving light suddenly appears above them. Crystal’s lungs begin to hurt as she and Page swim frantically to what they hope is a friendly beacon. They finally break the surface and pulls themselves onto solid ground.
“Its land! I thought I would never see it again!” Page exclaims in relief.
Crystal looks around to make sure that whoever followed them is gone. She takes in a few more breaths before attempting to speak, “What happened down there?”
“Darkness, and a whole lot of it,” Page answers back in disgust, “that place is huge beneath the surface. I thought I would never find you!”
“How did you?” she asks curiously. How come Page didn’t see those images as well?
“At first I couldn’t, but then I saw this flash of light and I swam towards it. When I did, I found you floating there. I thought you drowned!” Crystal thought she sees Page’s eyes brim with tears, “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!”
Crystal can feel her own eyes fill with tears, “Okay, I’ll try not to.”
They hug each other, grateful to be alive. Grateful to have escaped their brush with death and whoever it was that was after them.
“Thank God!” someone exclaims.
They jump and look towards the end of the grove. Sonya is standing at the end with two other higher level waterbending students. They run to the girls’ side and check to make sure they are ok. Sonya hugs them both tight when they are cleared by the two students.
“Do either of you two realize how worried we were? You too have been gone entire night,” She asks them once she releases them, “We thought they had gotten you too.”
Crystal looks up to be greeted by a pastel pink and orange sky. How is that possible? They couldn’t have been underwater that long…could they?
“Who’s they and what do you mean get?” Page inquires.
YOU ARE READING
Element Academy
Science FictionWhat looks like an ordinary camp on the outside, is unlike anything else on the inside. Could bending the elements really be possible? Crystal has her doubts and Page has her excitement and once inside, there's no telling what will happen.
