Chapter 4
"Amber, honey. How are you feeling?" I hear my mother ask as she enters my room.
I open my eyes and squint as the sun streams into my bedroom, before moaning slightly. "I'm OK."
My eyes focus on the room a bit more and I can see a concerned look across her face.
"Are you sure? You don't look so good...More pain killers perhaps? Your father is going to give you another check-up when he returns home."
I nod, sending a shot of pain through my head, "Owww, yeah, painkillers would be great. Thanks."
I've been bedridden ever since I returned home on Monday after the trip. It's now Wednesday.
I told my parents I'd caught a cold, but they haven't bought it. My father thinks there is a virus going around, one that causes severe headaches. All my parents can do is give me painkillers and let this run its course.
All I know is that this isn't a virus, and I think I caused it. I know I caused it.
I think back to the trip and the events that unfolded. Something happened back there, something weird.
My mother returns with a glass of water and some painkillers, which I quickly take, before leaning back against my pillows again and sighing.
"Honey, I've got lots of work to do, so I'll come and check on you in an hour. Unless your father returns before then. Rest will do you a world of good."
I grimace slightly in reply as I try to nod again, "Ok, thanks."
She gives me another sympathetic look before turning and strutting out of the room, already back on her phone to discuss a trial again.
I close my eyes and try to sleep once more, but the painkillers haven't started working yet and my head keeps pounding in a dull thud. This sucks so bad.
I groan and fumble around for my phone on the bedside table, picking it up and staring at the lock screens wallpaper. It's a photo our group took on Monday, Ashlyn and I are closest to the camera as she holds it away from us at arm's length, Lyke is laughing in the background at the pose Selina is doing while Marco and Luca are just on their phones in the back of the picture.
I chose the photo as my background because it was a perfect depiction of my group, and since they're the five classmates I was with when everything started to get weird.
My throbbing head seems to process these thoughts and I decide to open Facebook Messenger on my phone, maybe one of them is online, I think I sent a friend request to everyone in the group after I got back to school from the trip on Monday. Yes, I even sent one to Marco.
I quickly scroll through my list of friends to see if anyone is online, thankfully Ashlyn and Selina are.
I open a group message with the two of them.
Amber Hayes: Hey, are both you at school?
A few seconds later, both girls reply.
Selina Lilly: No, I'm dying in my bed and trying to get some online shopping done.
Ashlyn Darnell: Nah, I've got this killer headache, I swear, I'm going to die soon.
My brow furrows, that's weird, I thought since I was the one who picked up that spear the other day, I'd be the only one suffering the consequences - Or whatever this is. I remember my five group members getting sore heads at the same time I did, but I didn't think they'd get worse like me.
Amber Hayes: Wow, that's odd. I'm bedridden too.
Selina Lilly: I'm not surprised, I mean, we were all in that room at the same time you...you know.
Ashlyn Darnell: Yeah, we were. You must've triggered some killer headache when you picked up that spear.
I sigh, I guess I've got to take the blame for this.
Amber Hayes: Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't know that this would happen though!
Ashlyn Darnell: Don't worry about it Amber, none of us did.
Selina Lilly: I hope you realise how mad I'd be at you if I wasn't able to get some online shopping done. You should be grateful, Amber.
I smile a little, trust Selina to be like that.
Amber Hayes: Thank goodness! Hey, have either of you been in contact with the other guys in our group? I don't have anyone's numbers yet, and none of them are online right now.
Ashlyn Darnell: Lyke texted me a couple of hours ago, he's just the same as the rest of us.
Selina Lilly: Yeah, I was messaging Luca yesterday and he said he'd had the worst headache since Monday too.
Amber Hayes: I guess we can all assume Marco's the same?
Ashlyn Darnell: I suppose, but Selina, how's Damian - your boyfriend? Hmmm....
Selina Lilly: He's fine Ashlyn. Anyway, I'm going to get some more sleep, my head is throbbing.
Ashlyn and I both message a quick goodbye to Selina, before saying goodbye to each other.
Luckily my head is starting to feel a bit better, the painkillers must be working now.
I'm about to close Facebook Messenger and mindlessly read something in my iBook's collection when my bedroom door opens and my father enters the room, looking like he just got out of his work uniform.
"Hey darling, how are you feeling?" He asks, trying to play concerned father and professional doctor at the same time.
I sigh, "Bearable. This thing had better blow over soon."
He nods, "I hope it does, we'll give it another night of painkillers and antibiotics, if you're not feeling any better in the morning, we'll have to rethink our approach and take it from there."
"Alright. Some of my friends have gotten the same thing, so it must be going around at school or something..." I reply, trying to keep him from getting too confused about what is wrong with me.
"I suspect you're right." He mumbles, taking a seat on the edge of my double bed. "Now, let's see how that hand of yours is doing."
Oh, yeah, with everything that's happen I guess I put thoughts about my cut to the back of my mind.
I hold out my right hand and wince slightly as my father takes off the bandage and gauze covering my wound. And when it's uncovered, it doesn't look much better. There's still a large gash, held together by thick black stitches.
"It looks like it's improving, slowly but surely. We'll just have to keep checking it every night. I should be able to take the stitches out next week."
I nod, "Ok, thanks. I'm sorry I've had these weird problems ever since we moved here."
He chuckles, getting off my bed before turning and smiling at me, "Don't worry about it, things like this happen. I just want you to get better. Try and get some sleep."
"Sure. And thanks."
He smiles once more before walking out of my room and closing the door softly behind him.
Then, the throbbing pain in my head begins to dull, and I slip into a blissfully easy slumber.
~~~~~~
"Hoot. Hoot."
My eyes snap open and I scream as an owl appears right in front of me, its eyes glowing.
The owl continues to sit on the edge of my bed, staring at me as I attempt to calm myself down. Then, after one last "Hoot." It dematerialises into the thin air.
I reach up and run a hand through my hair, scanning my bedroom. I'm just dreaming.
This is just a dream.
A flash of gold catches my eye and I stumble out of bed, walking out of my room and onto my balcony, the sky is inky black and the only light is radiating from the full moon.
The air is cool and calm, another sign this is a dream. It was blowing outside when I fell asleep.
Then, I notice the object creating the golden shine, leaning up against the railing.
My breath catches.
It's that spear again.
"Oh my God." I gasp, "What kind of insane dream is this?"
Amber.
I gasp again, just staring at the spear, why did I just hear a voice in my head?
What have these painkillers done to my mind?
Amber. Listen to me.
I lean against the railing, breathing hard, "What?! What do you want from me?!"
There's not much time to explain. Take the spear Amber.
I shake my head, glaring at the spear, it gave me such a killer headache, why on earth would I touch it again?
"No."
Just take it Amber! You're supposed to be the rational one...this spear isn't going to hurt you. It's yours.
My hands reach up and I press against my ears, trying to block the voice out, what is happening to me?
But then again, maybe that voice is right, maybe if I touch the spear I'll reverse whatever sickness I gave myself and the others, and then everything will go back to normal.
I grit my teeth and wrap my left hand around the dark hardwood shaft, watching as the spearhead glows softly, before I feel the shaft shrink.
I let go of the spear and jump back as it begins to get smaller and smaller. Then, what once used to be the same height as me, is the size of my smallest finger.
I crouch down on the ground and stare at the now miniature spear, which is now connected to a small gold chain.
It looks like a necklace.
Take it Amber. It's yours now. You've got to have it on you in case you need it.
I pick up the necklace and look down at it, "Why on earth would I need a spear?"
Because it's not safe anymore. Nothing's as it seems. Now, listen to me. Here's what you need to do.
I wait for the voice in my head to continue, I guess it would be better to know what is going on than being clueless, even if this is just a dream.
Amber. Find the others.
My brow furrows, 'the others'? Who are they?
There are twelve of you. But be aware, there are others, who are not part of the group of twelve - Yet they are just as important.
But, how do I know where to look for these twelve people? And there are 'others' other what's?!
You'll have to figure that out for yourself Amber. But stay on guard, something terrible is coming. And you need to be ready when it arrives.
Something terrible?! Why can this voice just tell me everything! It's my own dream, why does it have to be so cryptic?!
Good luck Amber.
~~~~~~
I wake with a jolt.
Sitting upright in bed instantly and groaning as a sudden head rush hits me.
I did not get a good sleep last night at all, I feel completely unrested.
All because of that dream...ugh. What was my mind even on when that happened?
I just remain in my bed for a few minutes, trying to piece together what that was all about, when I realise something.
My head doesn't hurt anymore.
I slowly get out of bed and walk over to my wardrobe, I've already missed a couple of days of school, so if I'm feeling better, I need to go back straight away.
Maybe that's how the headache want away, I just needed some crazy hallucination to clear my head or something...
Just a thought.
"Amber! Are you awake?" My mother calls, entering my room.
I run a hand through my hair and walk back into my room, "Yeah, I'm feeling much better. I think I'll go to school today."
My mother looks relived, "Oh, that's great. Just take it easy though, if you feel like your head is hurting again, just let the school know and I'll find a way to come and get you back home. I don't want you driving if you're in a bad state."
I nod and say goodbye to my mother as she walks out of the room, before turning to my wardrobe and pulling out a pair of patterned shorts and a white tee. Then I spend a good five minutes putting on my white converse, before tugging on one of my favourite tan jackets and putting all my school things into my bag.
I check my watch to find I only have forty minutes until first period starts, and spend the next ten minutes brushing my hair, eating breakfast, brushing my teeth and putting on a little bit of makeup.
I'm hastily reorganising some class notes when my hand slips and I get a killer paper cut up the side of my index finger.
"Owww..." I groan, shaking my hand a little and putting a tissue on the cut to absorb any blood, before walking down the hall to my bathroom to grab a plaster.
After a few minutes of fumbling around in the bathroom cupboards, I find a small plaster and unwrap it, before taking the tissue off my finger and putting it in the bin.
I look down at it as I get ready to apply the plaster and my brow furrows.
I swear there was just a cut running up the side of my finger, but now, it looks as good as new. No sign of a paper cut at all.
That's weird.
Maybe I just imagined it. But then again, no one can imagine the sharp pain of a paper cut.
If that's the case then...
I put the plaster in the bin and slowly unwrap the bandages around my hand, suddenly curious to see how it looks.
After the bandages and gauze are gone, my eyes widen as I stare at the palm of my right hand. Where there was once a large red cut and black stitches holding it together...The cut has now disappeared completely and my palm looks fine, what's even weirder is that there is a length of black sutures resting in my hand.
I take the black sutures, bandages and gauze before running back to my room.
What is going on?
How am I going to explain this to my parents?!
I rush into my wardrobe and stuff the things from my hand into one of the empty drawers, before heading back into my room and over to my notice board for one final test so I can check if I'm going crazy or not. I yank a pin out of the board and wince as I prick my finger.
Then, I just stare at my finger and watch in awe as the small hole repairs itself.
No blood, nothing.
This can't be happening. What is wrong with me?
"Just forget that happened Amber...." I mutter to myself, "Everything is fine."
I walk over to my bedside table to grab my phone and keys before I leave for school. But I begin to feel faint as I notice something resting atop my phone.
It's a necklace, with a gold chain and small spear - identical to the one in the temple.
"This isn't going to go away, is it? What on earth is going on?" I say to myself, looping the chain around my neck and fastening it, before grabbing my phone, keys and bag, heading out the door.
I guess I've got to take the dream I had last night seriously, because if I don't, I think I'll go mad.
I'm already doubting my mind; how can I heal like that? It's not normal.
I guess I'm going to have to find the twelve others, whatever that means.
But 'twelve what'? How am I going to know who to look for?
And how could there be more, I thought only my group and I were the ones who got sick.
Maybe this isn't the case.
I look down at the spear on my necklace and sigh.
I've got to figure out what is going on before this day gets any weirder.
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