Web Of Secrets: Calin's Story

Jail break

Loneliness was something the kids at Saint Andrews boarding school were relatively used to. Everyone, including Calin Suzimiya. Even as a kid, she played alone most of the time. It wasn't always like that though- At first her older sister played with her. It was a steady balance of dress up and sword fighting, since Calin preferred to have modeling contests and her sister preferred playing pretend.

The loneliness began when her sister started to disappear. It bothered Calin. At first, that is. In actuality, she has her sister to thank for helping her grow accustomed to what continued to be a theme of constant solitude throughout her time at the school.

When the elder did come around, the younger was patient and cooperative so as to enjoy the little time she did have with her only sibling. When she inevitably left, the younger would rush to the gymnasium to play sports. The adrenaline and the pure violence that she wasn't allowed to act upon in everyday life could come out on the field, the court, the sidelines- any sport she decided to participate in. It made her feel alive in a way she couldn't put into words. It was pure instinct.

Nobody hid on the court, they made a conscious decision to be fully present and invest everything they had into the game at hand. While she knew it was impossible to feel what someone else was feeling, Cale always felt like she fed off of others' emotions. It filled a void in her. She could engage with other students feeling the same passion that she felt, and in this way she was able to fend off her sadness. It all made her feel not as alone.

And eventually she wasn't. She became exceptional in sports such as soccer and tennis, though she chose the latter to focus on completely. She made an extra effort to connect with her team and became popular within her crowd. Everyone loved her for her sensitivity and compassion. She was truly a natural born leader, and she was even being elected for divisional titles like player of the year.

So, things were looking up- Calin was getting Bs and As with the occasional C, was one of the most popular kids in her class, was the captain of her tennis team... The only thing was the last couple weeks. She began to have these... episodes. Loy keeps telling her that they're a manifestation of her psychic abilities and that she's a late bloomer. Which is fine, psychic powers are pretty cool. It's just that she can read people like books now. She sees the passion and excitement of people on the court. She also sees the anger and ill will in her friends and it's been an adjustment. She feels right where she was at the beginning of her arrival here. Isolated. Cale thinks that she's almost completely used to it though. She just needs a couple more days-

"Calin?"

The fourteen year old sighs pulls her covers over her head, turning away from the voice of her sister.

"Calin?.. Are you asleep? Come on, we have to go."

"Alloy?" Cale's groggy tone embodies complete confusion. She had been in deep thought, but on the brink of falling asleep.

"Yup, it's me. Get up. I've packed you a bag-"

"Haumazu we really have to get going." The aggression stemming from the fourth house in the man at her door makes Cale shiver, while the vague protective energy emanating from Loy's fourth house brings her a comfort to counteract her unease.

Cale senses the irritation in her sister's voice. "I'm fully aware of that, boss." Her tone switches back to a gentle urgency. "Okay, Calin I'll explain on the way, but for now I need you to trust me."

"O-okay," she replies, still too tired to question the elder.

"Grab what you want to take, we might not be back."

Suddenly, she gets an awful feeling- fear and concern push her to stand her ground and toxic waste sloshes in her stomach. "Loy, what did you do?"

Loy stops rummaging about the room and raises a black eyebrow at her sister. "What? I didn't do anything-"

"She has to leave and so do you. A deal I made went wrong and now they're coming after my best man and yourself. It's time you guys got out of this hell hole anyway."

"W-"

Cale pauses in concern when Loy flinches and presses her palm to her forehead. "Times up, we have to go. Put this on."

Cale grasps the head band with her slender fingers, barely having time to put it on before Loy grabs her wrist and drags her out of the room.

They wander through the dark hallways, Loy leading the way and the man following behind.

'This is bad, there's something wrong.' Cale's teeth nibble on her nails as her nausea worsens.

It's when they filter out through a tiny back entrance that Cale realizes fully what's happening. They're leaving the boarding school. For good.

"Wait!" She yanks away from Loy and stares at her with a sudden mix of fear and betrayal. "I don't want to leave! Why didn't you ask me about this first?"

"Calin I'm sorry, but you'll have to trust me on this. We can have a fresh start just the two of us! We can get away from this awful place and build our lives any way we want."

"I'm kind of... Actually starting to like it here though..." Cale's meek voice travels to Loy's sensitive ears.

Loy actually looks torn, but she jolts and whips her head around frantically before staring at her with pleading eyes. "Calin, please. Come with me."

"Your big sis is right, kid. They'll be here any minute." Cale finds that rich and doubts he actually cares for their well-being at all.

She turns back to stare at her older sister's vulnerable expression and determines that Loy needs her- whether she realizes it or not. "Okay, let's go."