The Oracle

Chapter 7

Copyright © 2010-2012 by Kymberlee Elliott. This work is protected under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act of 1988. All rights are reserved; any infringement of this copyright can be punishable by law. Infrigements include any unauthorised selling, broadcasting, copying, duplication or distribution of the work.

Chapter 7

That night sleep was slow in coming and when it finally did it brought disturbing images that I didn't understand, but even when I woke up two faces kept flashing through my head as well as an outside garden with a stone bench and old twisted oak tree. Rubbing my eyes with the heel of my hand I tried to push the images back, but they wouldn't go so I got out of bed and grabbed a pad of paper and a biro. I sketched the garden first and then the faces. They were as different as could be; the first was of a girl about my age with eyes that seemed to take up most of her face, they were full of sorrow and fear as they gazed helplessly at me. Her mouth was pulled tight and I imagined that she was chewing it. Her long dark hair was pulled up in to a fancy twist and decorated with daisies, she had an aura of sorrow, but I could tell she was good. The second face was a man. He looked to be a couple of years older than me, but his eyes were ancient and evil, just drawing him made the hair on the nape of my neck tingle. I sketched his bottomless and emotionless eyes; I saw his mouth take the shape of a cruel, mocking smile that promised some form of horror. I put the pen down and shivered, now that the images were on paper they disappeared from my head, but they left me feeling sick. I decided that a shower would rub a little of the lingering evilness that covered me off. Twenty minutes later I was showered, had a new pair of black leather trousers on teamed with a shocking red tee. I re-painted my nails red even though they were hidden under my black gloves. I shrugged in to my leather jacket, scraped my hair up and checked my earrings and bracelets. Finally I felt able to meet the world. Grabbing my bag I headed down to the caf seeing Mari come from another corridor as I got to the bottom of the stairs. She whistled. 'Izzy girl you are one hot tamale.' I grunted and took off at a swift pace. It took all of two minutes before I realised that Marissa was running to keep up. 'You're in a fine mood today.' I nodded but didn't say anything. She sighed. 'Well far be it for me to interrupt your silent brooding, but it looks way better on men if you don't mind me saying.' I rolled my eyes and grabbed her hood before she could walk in front of Kez and her gang. Marissa jerked to a stop rubbing her throat and glared at me until she saw Kez. She stepped closer to me like a child with their mother. I glared at Kez and waited until she was safely passed before prodding Marissa forward. She started walking again secure in the knowledge she had a six foot shadow. She went to get food leaving me to slip in to my seat next to Chris and Magenta. Chris gave me another long stare and something about it made me feel uncomfortable. 'What is your problem Chris?' Magenta jerked backwards as if she had been slapped and gasped nearly inhaling her toast. She waved frantically, but I didn't take my gaze from Chris. 'You are my problem.' His voice was surprisingly deep and gravelly. I slid my glasses off and stared him in the eye. He growled low which struck me as odd and rather animalistic. I didn't move my gaze. He stood slowly and loath to give him the height advantage I stood too. By this point Magenta was yelling for Jace to and I quote, 'get his ass over here and diffuse this god-damned situation.' I didn't pay any attention I was sinking in to another state and I really didn't want to go there. I fought with everything I had, but the visions washed over me like waves lapping at the shoreline. I saw a boy that must have been Chris when he was a child, he was begging his mother to play with him, but she wouldn't she just sat in the kitchen gazing with unseeing eyes at the wall behind him. He ran to her but she jerked back and cursed at him for touching her. I felt my jaw drop as I watched. The woman was covered from head to toe in clothes, she had gloves on and a silk scarf tied around her ears. Blinking frantically I stepped back and realised that a light was shining in my eyes. 'Jesus Christ turn that off.' I turned my head away and saw I was standing in the same place as before but Chris had been led away and a circle had gathered around me. Miss Adams was the one with the pen light and she did not look impressed. 'You went in to a comatose trance like state Miss Depardieu, have you taken drugs this morning?' I snorted and shook my head. 'No I haven't taken drugs, I do this a lot it starts out with me daydreaming and before I know it hours have passed, my yoga teacher called it involuntary meditation.' Miss Adams nodded and stepped aside. 'Report to the nurse to give a blood test and then hurry along to your lessons.' I nodded and gratefully escaped the caf. That had never happened like that before. I mean I have had visions before like the dream last night, but I don't fall in to visions when I look at people, not unless I have a connection to them or am touching them. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and as I rounded the corner I walked in to someone. 'Oh excuse me.' I muttered taking a hasty step backwards. 'What did you see glykia mou?' I gasped and looked up. 'Why are you always hovering around? Are you stalking me?' 

'You are avoiding the question.' 

'So are you. Look Kit I don't know what you are here for, but I think you might need some professional help. You need to see someone so that you can talk through your delusions and until you have sorted it out I don't think we should be alone.' I stepped back but he came with me. 'I am not delusional glykia mou, just because you do not believe something someone says does not make them mentally impaired.' I snorted and he shrugged. 'Look at figures from the past, Galileo was locked up for merely suggesting that the Earth wasn't the centre of the universe.' 

'Kit we are hardly discussing a lack of knowledge and research, what you suggested it's just...impossible.'  

'Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast.' I shook my head, his delusion was pretty strong. 'I have to go get a drugs test Kit, I'll see you around.' Without waiting for an answer I strode off to the office.

The drugs test was pretty routine except for the look of disappointment on Miss Adams face when she realised I was clean. She tested me twice more before accepting that I wasn't on drugs. Finally she admitted defeat and nodded. 'You are clean Miss Depardieu; go on to your class.' I nodded and headed out. The hallways were quiet as I wandered to class. I had math with Dr Philips which was a chore to get through so I was actually sad that Miss Adams didn't want to do another drugs test. Slipping through the door I headed for my seat at the back totally unsurprised that Kit was sitting next to me. I growled and rolled my eyes as he grinned at me. I slumped down and clenched my gloved fists. He moved his paper so I could see the top half and I saw he had scrawled something at the top.  

You still don't believe me glykia mou? Everything I have told you is the truth; you must believe me it is for your own safety. 

I frowned and looked at him, there was one way for me to know whether he was telling the truth or not, but I didn't really want to touch him. I grabbed my pen and his paper.  

Fine you want me to believe you? Let me see. Give me your hand. 

I slipped my glove off and waited as he read it. He looked at me in shock as I held my hand out; he grinned and held his hand over mine. I took a deep breath and then touched it. Images and feelings flooded my brain and coated my tongue. I took a deep breath and filtered through trying to keep a barrier between me and Kit. Finally I managed to navigate through the thoughts until I focused on what he had told me. I saw images of other people and a school of some sort. I could tell that they were like me, or at least they had gifts, then I saw something that horrified me. I saw red eyes and sunken skin that was a sallow white. Overgrown teeth had ripped and shredded its lips. I gasped and pulled back. My chair rocked and Kit reached forward to steady it, but I thought he was going to grab me so I jerked even further back tipping my chair over. The room went quiet as I lay sprawled on the floor. My ungloved hand held tightly to my chest. Kit was staring down at me with a bemused smile on his face. I looked up at Dr Philips. 'Sorry sir I felt a little faint.' He nodded and then motioned to the door. 'Why don't you go and see the nurse.' I nodded and stood slowly, my head was spinning slightly. Kit grabbed his books carefully taking mine but covering his hands with his jacket. 'I'll take her.' I nodded and stepped out of class leaning back against the wall. 'So do you believe me now glykia mou?' I nodded still catching my breath. 'That...that thing was a vampire?' He nodded slowly staring at me as if I might pass out. I laughed; I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face.