The acrid smell of chemical smoke clouded my vision and continued their assault on my senses. They coiled and wormed their way up through my nasal cavity and then deeper into my skull. Once there, those same caustic vapors worked their way around the surface of my brain and continually tried to leech their way inside of it, warping it, twisting it, and finally corrupting it.
More and more smoke poured out of the various fires I had been working with. As more and more of the awful smoke built up, it formed into grey and black clouds that started to coil up onto itself around the fires that spawned their creation.
Another drop of wolf's bane in this vial, some more essence of maiden’s tears in this flask, turn the heat up on this other mixture of grave breath and troll’s blood.
More and more, the dark noxious cloud curled itself into large snakes of smokey ash. They glared at me then, with eyes of embers and full hatred.
I was constantly working and never stopping, not even for a single moment.
Eventually, the long, twisting strands of smoke started wrapping themselves around my body and limbs. The misty grey chemicals started to feel heavier and heavier as time went on, my body was able to move less and less.
Mother cannot afford to let me stop. She needs these. She needs my help.
Money is always tight, and paying to cover up my shame, my disfigurement, it always feels like such a ruinously expensive obligation.
So I go back to mixing the foul-smelling chemicals, adding in even more bizarre and hard to find ingredients. I let my mind dull itself on the fumes, as I once again accepted my burden.
Whenever I would try to move my limbs now, past what my smokey bonds allowed, the sound they made was almost metallic. The smoke that was still smoke now looked and sounded like chains of heavy cumbersome metal.
As I considered my need for additional ingredients, my vision shifted to a scene of a forest and being surrounded by trees and other vibrant vegetation. Still, more than that, I was also surrounded by a constant unidentifiable feeling of danger. Something is out there. Something else is out there in these woods with me. It's looking for me now. It knows I’m here taking from it.
I rush headlong through the trees and undergrowth, searching for even more rare and valuable ingredients that were called for in the recipes my mother had spent so much of her time teaching me. She needs these herbs and plants to complete the recipes. Without them, we’ll never have enough money, we'll run out of clients, and I won’t be able to afford to leave home anymore.
So I run, heedless of the feeling of danger all around me, ignoring the strange sounds of rustling and of branches breaking. I could choose to stop and look, to try to see what death looked like before it took me, but why bother.
Surrender to the moment, and be happy, even if it's a lie.
Thumping sounds started to reverberate from the air around my head, and the thumping began to turn into sounds I could understand and recognize. They were sounds that put me at ease and made me feel content and happy for at least a little while. My mind detached itself from the fears and anxieties that surrounded me as I drifted further and further into the rhythmic and pounding music that was continually penetrating my eardrums.
I closed my eyes for a long while then, and when I finally reopened them, I was no longer in the woods. Now I was in a stale, slightly antiseptic-smelling bathroom. Ahead of me was an empty stall, the feeling it gave as I looked at it was one of safety, but also shame. I’d been hiding there just moments ago, desperate not to be seen or known by the other people outside this small isolated haven, detached from the rest of the world. I had sacrificed so much just to come to this place, yet all I do is hide away in this ugly foul, smelling stall. The burden it's placed on me and my mother filled me with such a sense of shame that all I could do was turn away from looking at it.
What I saw once I turned around was a mirror, a mirror that was over a sink, the same kind that you'd expect to find nearby in any normal bathroom. This mirror though, it had my face in it, it was staring back at me. I began to examine all the features on my face that I expected to see, I the same eyes, the same lips, and the same chin. Even my hair color was the same, up until I looked down at their tips. The tips of my hair were purple now, and hidden amongst the strands of my hair on the side of my head was something else. Something that was poking out and looked very out of place, and made me feel a profound sense of discomfort when I caught a glimpse of it.
Leaning in to get a closer look, I adjusted my hair to get a clearer view. Those were ears that were sticking out, pointed ears, actually.
This wasn’t me. Who was she?
As I had that thought, the vision in the mirror suddenly stopped reflecting my movements. It stood up straighter before turning to look at me with a mixture of anger and resentment in their eyes. There was also a noticeable hint of fear hiding in there as well.
She knows me, and I feel as though I know her as well.
“Don’t make me do something we’ll both regret.” Said the reflection, still staring deeply into my eyes from the other side of the mirror. “Don’t make me hurt you.”
****************************************
“Wake up, Jenni. It’s time for school.” A familiar voice told me, shocking my mind into wakefulness.
“Gah!” I practically shouted, my body shooting straight up in bed. My sheets and pillows all tossed away from me as I knocked them aside in my confused panic.
“Woah there, sweetie, calm down. It’s alright. It’s just me.” The voice that I now recognized as my mother said in a calm and placating tone. She sat down beside me and placed a comforting hand onto my arm. “Are you alright, dear? Did you have a nightmare or something?”
Or something. That felt much more intense and real than any nightmare I’ve had. Except for that one time…
Yeah, it felt exactly like the time I fell asleep in English class.
Skills Updated:
Portents 1=> 2
Well, I guess that confirms it then. Another horrifying dream vision for me. Hurray.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m alright.” I told her with a slightly forced smile.
“Well, that’s good to hear then, but like I said, you’re running late for school, so you better hurry up and get yourself ready if you don’t want to miss the bus.” She politely informed me.
Ugh, as much as I enjoyed learning, waking up at such an ungodly hour to do it though, was not something I was in favor of.
As my mother bustled out of my room and gave me back my privacy, I got up. I started neatening my bed sheets and pillows back into some sense of order and decorum very quickly.
While I did this, another blue box popped up and interposed itself in front of my vision.
New Quest!
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
Side Quest: Girl in the Mirror
You’ve had a dream and a vision about a girl with purple in her hair and unusual ears hidden within. Why? Find out who she is, and how her fate might be tied to your own.
Objectives: (0/3)
Success: ???
****************************************
“Principal Temple will see you now.” One of the robotic sounding secretaries informed me.
I’d have to remember to ask Gunderson about humanoid robots, cause there had to be something off about these perpetually silent and mechanically moving front office workers.
Making my way quickly to a now familiar door, I knocked politely on the wood and waited patiently for a reply.
“Come in.” The loud commanding voice told me from the other side.
Obeying, I opened the door and stepped inside. This time Mrs. Temple was thankfully by herself, and there were no more surprise guests that were waiting to ambush me. Not that things turned out badly by meeting Gunderson, but I still didn’t like the feeling of being unprepared to meet with what was essentially an unknown stranger. Also, I was left without any time to prepare myself mentally, like at all.
“Take a seat, Jenni.” Principal Temple asked me while gesturing at the same set of chairs I had just been sitting in a few days prior.
“Uh, sure.” I replied while moving forward to take my spot in the same seat I chose last time.
“So, you might be wondering why I called you in to meet with you again?” She asked calmly.
“A little, yeah, but you did mention wanting to go over what happened privately last time we talked, so I just assumed it was related to that.” I told her.
“True, that is more or less what I wanted to go over with you, assuming you are comfortable with that?” She asked in a warm, polite tone of voice, but I could still tell that the question was a rhetorical one. Mrs. Temple was the principal of this school, and when she called you in and gave you options, most of the time, there was really only one right choice.
“That’s fine. I’m happy to answer whatever questions you have for me, Mrs. Temple.” I said while trying to convey an air of confidence that was only partially real, very partially.
“Excellent, but before that, I had one of the secretaries go and pick us up some food to eat as we talked.” She said to me with a big smile.
She ordered food, for both of us?
Mrs. Temple pressed down on some kind of intercom on her office phone and started having a discussion with one of the office workers outside.
“Yes, can you have the food I requested brought in, if it's arrived?” Principal Temple asked in a strong but polite voice.
The phone's intercom crackled with static slightly before a voice responded. “Of course, Principal Temple, it has already been picked up and delivered. I’ll have it brought in to you shortly.” Said the monotone voice of one of the secretaries from the front office.
“Excellent, thank you very much.” Principal said with a keen edge to her otherwise professional tone of voice.
Only a few seconds passed before there was another knock at the door that was then opened before any reply could even be given. In walked one of the nameless yet diligent secretaries, she made her way over to Mrs. Temple's desk, and placed a large takeout platter of sushi onto it. She also then placed a large brown paper bag beside it.
Sushi? She had sushi delivered at lunchtime to school?
“Ah, this all looks amazing. Were you the one who drove down and picked it up?” Principal Temple asked cordially.
“I am, Principal Temple.” The office drone replied with mechanical formality.
“Well, thank you for the trouble.” Mrs. Temple said sincerely.
“It was no trouble. Good day.” With that, the strange secretary quickly turned around and left the room.
“They really are so diligent. I have absolutely no idea how I’d manage things without them.” Principal said, her voice strong with conviction.
“Yeah they, uh, seem very diligent and eager with their work.” I said to her uncertainly.
“Very.” Was all she said in response. “So, please help yourself. Some of this is for you to have and enjoy as well, assuming you like sushi that is.”
Again, the question was essentially a rhetorical one. It would have been pretty rude to turn down an expensive gift from someone in a position of authority like Principal Temple. Thankfully, I did like sushi, so accepting the surprise meal wasn’t too much of a burden for me.
“Ah yes, I would be happy to try some.” I cheerfully told her. She had already begun unpackaging the food, spreading the sauces, napkins, and disposable chopsticks. “Lovely, feel free to help yourself. I don’t usually treat myself to such an expensive meal at lunchtime like this. But, it's been a challenging week for all of us, myself included, so I decided to treat myself a little.”
Unpackaging my chopsticks and some of the nearby sauces, I replied back. “Well, it’s very generous of you to share it with me. I don’t often have the chance to have sushi.”
Dad liked it, but Mom hated it for some reason. She said good fish deserved to be cooked if you wanted to serve it properly. Her explanation didn’t make much sense to me, but I did enjoy the few times Dad had treated us to some whenever Mom was away on a business trip or at a weekend getaway with friends.
“This indulgence is also supposed to be, in part, a small reward for you as well.” Principal Temple informed me.
“What?” I asked while covered my mouth full of food with my hand. I couldn't fully comprehend that Principal Temple would be rewarding, me specifically, sushi for lunch. “What do you mean?”
“For your actions last Thursday at Damien Carlisle’s house.” She clarified.
It was the response I had expected, but I didn’t know how I felt about receiving such a lavish gift for what happened that night, my appetite for the food in front of me dwindled somewhat.
“Oh…I didn’t really do anything super special.” I told her morosely, tired of having to tell people this. “I was just defending myself and protecting my friends.”
“And such actions deserve to be rewarded.” Principal said matter-of-factly. “This small treat is only some of what you deserve for protecting the lives of your fellow students.”
“That’s nice of you to say, but I…did you have some questions you wanted to ask me?” I asked her, trying to force a change of topic in the conversation.
“Nothing major. I just wanted to hear how things went during your meeting with the FBI and to check in with how you were feeling in the aftermath of everything.”
“The meeting went fine. He more or less asked about what happened that night and seemed content with my answers.” I told her truthfully. The best lies were the ones based on the truth, after all.
“That's good to hear, very good to hear.” She said while picking up a piece of nigiri before dipping it into some nearby sauce. “But how are you feeling, though?”
Not wanting to answer at first, I also started to pick up pieces of food with my own chopsticks. I started with what looked like a spicy tuna roll.
“Um, I’m feeling okay.” I finally responded after taking the time to eat the tasty sushi roll that actually was what I guessed it to be. “I’m honestly doing fine.”
Hopefully, she wouldn’t press me on my blatant lie.
“Well, that’s good to hear.” Principal Temple said in between more bites of food. “A lot of your fellow students have been impacted, not just physically from what happened to them, but also emotionally.”
“I can imagine.” I told her after snatching up another one of the spicy tuna rolls.
“We have recruited some extra counselors so that they are available to any student who might wish to talk to someone.” Principal Temples said while making her insinuation and her offer to me more and more plain.
I needed to try and change topics once more, and try to get her away from this line of discussion.
It wasn’t as though I was opposed to talking about what happened, or my feelings about it. It was just laughably pointless when I couldn’t even talk about what really happened with them. Maybe, the IDPA had some therapists on staff? But do I trust them enough for that yet? Not really, to be honest.
Deciding on a line of questions that might lead to something actually helpful for me, I asked. “So, is anybody going to be in trouble for going to the party that night.”
It was a bit bold to point out that we all went to what was technically an illegal party that would ordinarily get the culprit into a fair amount of trouble at school. Still, given the more significant crisis, I doubted they were looking to punish us for a little bit of underage drinking. Hopefully.
“No, we had no current plans to pursue any disciplinary actions for whatever…illicit activities may or may not have occurred that night.” She told me pointedly.
“Ah that’s good.” I said nervously, unable to maintain eye contact. “So, I was wondering about a girl who had attended the party that night?”
I hoped I could use this opportunity of sitting down with Principal Temple to uncover the identity of the strange girl I saw at the party, the same one who I had an equally strange dream about this morning.
“Hmm, are you worried about if she was okay or not?” Principal Temple asked after finishing off the last piece of nigiri. She could really put this sushi away it seemed. Maybe it’s like, her favorite food or something.
“Yeah, uh, I saw her that night, but I don’t know what happened to her. She was a girl that I didn’t recognize, so I don’t think she’s in my grade. She had black hair with purple tips. She also seemed to be a bit shy and reserved.” I explained.
“Purple tips, you say, well I don’t keep track of all the hairstyles of the girls in our school, but I do actually know of one girl who likes to keep her that way.” Principal Temple responded. “The only problem is that the girl I’m thinking of is in your grade.”
Wait what? Was there a girl like that in my grade? I couldn’t remember anyone I know looking like that.
Squinting my eyes with uncertainty, I asked. “Really, are you sure? I don’t remember anyone like that.”
After chuckling slightly, Mrs Temple replied. “Fairly sure, yes. I believe she’s actually in your English class this afternoon.”
What? There was no possible way. This random mysterious girl was actually in one of my classes? Was I literally that oblivious to the things that happened around me?
“Uh, what was her name again.” I asked her sheepishly, feeling more and more unsure of myself.
“Her name was Mira Torres, if I recall correctly.” Principal Temple revealed to my ever increasing embarrassment.