The Scribe

Chapter Five

Sadie woke up exhausted. She groaned, holding her head in her hands with her eyes squeezed shut willing herself to fall back to sleep despite the sunlight pouring through the window.

It was Saturday, so at least she didn't have any classes to go to. She had originally planned on it being a homework day but had a feeling that wouldn't happen. She rolled over onto her side and peeled her eyes open.

She snapped them open wide when she noticed Meredith sitting on her own bed staring at Sadie. Sadie pushed herself into a sitting position keeping her eyes on her roommate.

"Good morning?" She questioned.

"Where did you get that?" Meredith asked, nodding in the direction of Sadie's desk.

Sadie cast a glance to her desk and noticed her notebook and quill sitting out. She gasped jumping out of bed. She took hold of them in her arms. "How did this get out here?"

"I went through your backpack and found them," Meredith stated.

Sadie glared at her. "You went through my backpack?"

Meredith sat up straighter in her own bed. "Well, you've been acting so strange and keep holding onto your bag as though your life depends on it. So yeah, I went through it after you went to sleep."

"Did you go through the notebook?"

Meredith shrugged nonchalantly. "I thumbed through the pages."

"I wouldn't have expected you of all people to go through my things." Sadie glared at her.

"I told you, you've been acting weird. I wanted to know why. Where did you get the notebook?" Meredith asked.

"I'm not telling you," Sadie said defensively.

Meredith stood up exasperated. "Tell me where you got the notebook."

"No!"

"The notebook is bad news, Sadie."

"How do you know?"

Meredith sighed. "Because it used to be mine."

*

Meredith pushed a plate of bacon in front of Sadie. She shook her head and Meredith took it back grabbing a piece. The two sat in the way back corner of the cafeteria. Meredith had a full plate of eggs and toast but Sadie knew she wouldn't be able to stomach anything.

"So you had the notebook first?" Sadie asked tired of the silence.

Meredith nodded chewing a piece of buttered toast. "Hobbs tried giving the notebook to me. He told me to keep it a secret and to use it wisely, that it was special paper."

Sadie nodded while she listened. It sounded as though Professor Hobbs told Meredith the same things he had told her.

"There's no such thing as special paper, right?" Meredith said. She dropped her half-eaten toast back onto the plate and wiped her hands together. "So I used it."

Sadie leaned in closer, but Meredith didn't seem keen on continuing her story. Meredith shifted her weight in her seat and pushed her plate away as though suddenly losing her appetite.

"What happened?" Sadie pressed.

"Things changed," Meredith whispered. She bowed her head refusing to look Sadie in the eye anymore.

Sadie leaned back in her chair wondering if she wanted to know the details. Meredith didn't usually get quiet like this. Sadie had to know, though. The notebook was in her hands, she had to know what would happen if she used it.

"What did you write about?" Sadie finally asked.

Meredith glanced up at her roommate and quietly said, "You."

Sadie stiffened.

"I kind of wrote about how I wished you were... different," Meredith said. She pressed her lips together, her gaze darting the opposite way again.

Sadie narrowed her eyes. She wasn't expecting that one.

"I wrote about a girl, me, with a roommate who snored a lot. They weren't close friends and I wrote how I wished they were," Meredith explained softly.

"I've never snored a day in my life." Sadie took offense.

"Not in this life." Meredith shook her head. "You snored, had brunette hair, we were barely friends. In fact, I think you were planning on requesting a new roommate when the semester was over.

"I wanted to be friends with you but didn't know how," Meredith continued. "When Hobbs gave me the notebook, I used it to write my feelings. I didn't think it would change anything. Who would believe anyone if they said a notebook had special powers?"

Sadie stared blankly at the table in front of her. She didn't know what to say, she didn't even know what to think. She didn't want to believe it, but with everything else going on, she did believe it.

"When I woke you up for class the next morning, you were a completely different person. You were... well, you as you are now."

"So that's why you were freaked out and thought I was a stranger that morning?" Sadie asked. Sadie remembered that morning clear as day. She had woken up and Meredith was so spooked that she avoided Sadie at all costs for a week. Meredith hadn't even gone to any of her classes.

Meredith nodded. "I gave the notebook back to Hobbs the next day. I hid it in his pile of papers in his office. He never said anything to me about it again, so I assumed he got the hint. Apparently, he decided to give it to you."

Sadie drew in a deep breath. She pinched herself, but all it did was give her a red mark on her arm.

Meredith narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing?"

Sadie exhaled.

"Are you mad...?" Meredith asked quietly.

"No, I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

Sadie shook her head. "I know I should be. If anything, the shock is making me numb. Still, you made me realize something I've been struggling with. I thought this was all a sham. I thought I was dreaming, but you just proved I'm not." Sadie took the notebook out of her backpack and ran her fingers over the cover. "This notebook is the real deal. I'm a Scribe."

Meredith cleared her throat. She looked around the room, but there was barely anyone in the cafeteria. She leaned forward anyway. "What are you talking about?" she muttered.

"Professor Hobbs thought you were the Scribe. You didn't use the notebook the right way and its power scared you. You failed the test," Sadie said. Meredith raised her brows. "By using the notebook the wrong way, you rewrote my future and now I'm the right Scribe." Sadie's heart was racing now.

She tossed the notebook back into her bag and jumped out of her seat. She put the backpack on over her shoulders. "I have to go see Professor Hobbs." She turned to leave, but Meredith grabbed her arm.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," she said.

Sadie hesitated. "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I think it's an excellent idea," Meredith replied without any thought. She stood up and walked by Sadie.

Sadie smiled. "Lead the way."