PARABNORMAL SISTERS

Chapter 2

Something must have happened over the weekend. Karen catches bits and pieces of conversations as she weaves through the gossiping students while getting as much distance as she can from the boy with the camera.

"I heard she was due in court this week on drug charges," adds another voice trying to one up the others with their intimate knowledge.

The  solemn voice of the principal comes on over the loudspeaker. "As you may have heard by now, one of our students, Sarah Smyth died yesterday. Counselors are available anytime for anyone that wants to talk. Please, if any of you have any thoughts of harming yourself. Please talk to one of us."

Karen trudges to class relieved not to be the topic of conversation... almost.

"I always thought if anybody was crazy enough it would be her." Two snooty girls scoff at Karen as they pass.

She ignores this insult as she has the ten-thousand insults that came before. But it still upsets her. She thinks of the mantra, 'everyone is fighting their own battle.' Theirs must be a struggle against stupidity.

To make matters worse the teacher also has to give his insight into mental health and his fleeting judgmental looks at her and the sideways glances of her classmates do not go unnoticed. It's a very long uncomfortable class and Karen doesn't hear a word of the lecture. The only sound she cares to hear is the bell ending this period.

As soon as it rings Karen brushes past her classmates to get free. Today might be a good day to cut school. She decides the side exit offers the best escape when Amy floats up next to her wearing a smirk that makes it hard for Karen to stay mad.

"Where were you?" asks Karen coyly.

Amy's stupid grin grows.

Karen shakes her head. "You were in the boy's locker room again, weren't you?"

"I may have taken the shortest route here," declares Amy shamelessly. She giggles. "Boys."

"I don't think I have to worry about any boy complicating my life." Karen turns to leave, running face first into Chuck's chest.

"I was looking for you," he says.

"You found me," replies flustered Karen, trying to act like that didn't just happen.

"I wanted to apologize."

"No need," says Karen dismissing the moment.

"No," adds Chuck. "I wanted to apologize for taking another picture." He turns his camera toward her so she can see the tiny rear screen. It shows her at her locker and the misty 'anomaly' a foot away.

"Stop taking pictures of me!" Karen shouts and quickly sidesteps around him. "Now go away."

"Okay," he straightens up. "But as a photographer I have a duty, no, a journalistic responsibility to turn this story over to the school newspaper."

Karen halts. Ever muscle in her body tenses. She takes a deep breath and spins to face him. "Story? WHAT story?"

"I don't know." He shrugs. "You could be radioactive."

"That's ridiculous!"

Chuck smugly turns the camera around again showing her the anomaly. "Really?"

Karen growls in frustration and stomps off.

Amy stays put, glaring in his face, resisting the urge to do something rotten, but only because she knows Karen would be blamed.

He shivers as his chilled breath becomes visible.