Altered

Three: A New Reality

Sun light streamed in through the window, flooding the space with a hazy brightness. Charlotte sat bolt upright, her skin tingling and her heart pounding. The light confused her. For a moment she couldn't figure out where she was, but the memories of her meeting with Elmhirst started creeping back.

Frustrated, she threw herself against the pillows, pressing her palms to her eyes. She kicked back the covers on her new bed and rolled over, burying her face and hiding from the unfamiliar light. She longed for the darkness of the old, windowless room in the New School she had shared with Iseult. It was strange how one conversation could have such an impact on a person life. The phrase 'head of house' had changed her life in a matter of moments and Charlotte doubted it would be for the better.

Biting her lip, she sat up again, too aggravated to stay still for long.

"I am head girl," she whispered into the eerie solitude of her new room. Her words echoed of the walls, the high ceiling, and the monstrous furniture. The words tasted bitter in her mouth, the phrase unnatural and uncomfortable. She didn't even believe the words as she said them. She felt a fraud. She felt betrayed. Nothing had prepared her for this.

Charlotte frowned. She couldn't understand why they had picked her. Elmhirst seemed to hold to some idea that she was an impressive talent. She doubted that. She knew that she was one of the most dangerous, and she also knew that she was the least in control of her alterations.

Charlotte knew what she was; she was a monster, or at least part of her was. Elmhirst saw that as a strength. It made her valuable in his eyes and it had to be the only reason she hadn't yet been abandoned to become a Forgotten.

James Alexander was different. He was an obvious choice. He was infallible and nothing it seemed would weaken his blind obedience.

Charlotte tried to suppress her worries about working with James. She need to focus on one problematic aspect, being head girl created at a time. She needed to come to terms with the promotion, before she started to worry about anything else.

The head students were like royalty to many of the students and even a few of the staff. They had special privileges when it came to school access and curfew times.

As head girl she would live in the Old School. Her rooms were opulent. Hand-painted blue and cream silk wallpaper covered the walls. The furniture was mahogany and monstrous. In the centre of the room sat a large four-poster bed, dressed in blue and cream. She even had her own study and bathroom.

Charlotte didn't know what she was going to do with all the space. It seemed far too much for one person. It was far more than she was used to.

Dragging herself from the bed, she grabbed her clothes from the floor and threw them on. She would have to get her training gear from her old room before the day was out.

She washed her face with cold water and brushed her teeth before braiding her dark hair. She needed to find Iseult and Ian, before they found out about her promotion from anybody else. She didn't think she could stand the humiliation.

Marching into the Food Hall, Charlotte couldn't conceal her frustration. The bell sounded just as she passed through the arched doors, calling them to eat. Most of the students were already sitting down at the rows of tables and benches, helping themselves to the platters of food laid before them.

The walls were white-washed and comprised of a lot of exposed beams, stained with age. The staff table was at one end of the room on a raised dais, while the prefect table was at the other end on another dais. Though it was conveniently not as elevated as that of the staff's.