Warm sea breezes are thrust into the atmosphere, lost in the endless daze of a summer’s sapphire skies as waves lap at the shoreline, hungry for another greedy gulp of sand. Frothy, white seafoam curls under the crash of each wave before emerging at the crest of another. Imprinted in the sand, footprints trapeze the delicate boundary between the ocean and shoreline, littered with seashells and beached driftwood. Gradually, the waves erode the prints as the wet sand returns to its prior, glossy state.
The footprints belonged to a girl; she seemed somewhat malnourished despite her sun-kissed skin, but her complexion was flawless, akin to that of a diamond. Her hair resembled a mixture of ivory and frosty blue. A ruffled sundress donned her body, billowing in waves of turquoise and cloud-white with each meticulous step. Her eyes resembled the sky above, an endless expanse of blue, brimming with beauty; soft, pink lips arced into a smile. Ignoring the tempestuous waves, she continued her trek along the beach. Aside from the monotony of the waves, it was quiet—a paradise undisturbed by humans.
A small tear suddenly caressed her cheek as it fell to the ground, swallowed by the greedy lap of the waves gnawing at her feet. If she could scoop the tear up and put it back, she would, but it seemed not even her own sorrows were immune to the forces of gravity. She gazed out over the watery swathe before her, wondering if the ocean would be kind enough to wash the rest of her problems away. Crouching down, she began to draw with her finger: “Lacia” is read in fancy letters emboldened in the sand.
“It seems this will be my final performance.”
***
Riing! The bell for 5th period blared through the student-filled hallways. To everyone’s dismay, lunch was officially over.
It was a lazy afternoon in April. As per usual, it had been raining all day, forcing everyone to savor their midday meal indoors. The occasional rumble of thunder boomed through the school, barreling down the hallways like a runway train as it rattled the lockers. The outer walls were made entirely of glass, normally offering marvelous views of the college-like campus: white blossoms adorning the budding cherry trees, verdant hedges along the sidewalks, and towering mountains against the horizon. Instead, today, the sky was a blanket of emotionless grey. Wet petals stuck to the sidewalks like glue—not even the mountains could be seen through the rainy daze.
Lacia glanced at the clock on the cafeteria wall: 12:25pm. Class started at 12:30. She’d arrived at lunch late, promptly devouring her food, nearly choking several times in her haste.
“Late to lunch, late to class,” she sighed. The cafeteria was on the opposite side of campus, and, with the rain, the stairs would be a slippery nightmare. Unfortunately, class was on the third floor, only adding to her dismay. “Oh, how much I love this school sometimes,” she mumbled. “Can’t things just go my way today?”
Despite her disdain, she found comfort in the simplicity of the uniforms. Spring dress-code was relatively unrestrictive: students were allowed their choice in socks and legwear, but white button-ups were mandatory. It wasn’t much to work with, but she could make do. In fact, today’s outfit included a red and black pleated skirt she tucked her shirt into. An accompanying black bow around the collar and over-ankle socks completed her outfit, excluding the white raincoat stuffed into her backpack.
Cold air poured from the vents above her head. She shivered, displeased, as she cleaned her place at the lunch table. Tossing her trash, she slung her bag over her shoulder and began the long trek to class.
"You’re late,” Mr. Krone said, looking at the clock.
She was only two minutes late, but attendance was attendance—being prompt to class was important. “I’m sorry, Mr. Krone. I didn’t plan for the weather. I should’ve left earlier,” Lacia said, apologizing to the class as well.
The day’s lecture continued as Lacia took her seat. Today’s lesson was Alurian History and the beginning of a new unit, which meant lots of note taking. It kept her mind occupied, though and she enjoyed the class despite Mr. Krone’s unforgiving attention to the time. Unfortunately, today just sucked.
A soft whisper crept towards Lacia’s ears, but she shrugged it off, chalking it up to the patter of rain on the windows.
It came again, forcefully this time:
“Lacia!”
“Yes?!” she replied, shooting up from her seat, panicked.
Mr. Krone sighed. “I didn’t call you, Lacia. I understand the rain is distracting, but please try to focus.”
“S-sorry sir.” Lacia returned to her seat as Mr. Krone continued the lecture.
“Lacia, it’s me,” the whisper-y voice said. “Relax. What has you so up in arms today, anyways?”
“Geez, Mana. You scared me half-to-death,” Lacia said, placing a hand on her chest in relief. “What’s so important?” Lacia hissed.
“You just don’t seem like yourself today. I know when something’s up—I’ve known you long enough to tell,” Mana reasoned.
Mr. Krone stopped lecturing again, tapping the plastic marker cap in his hand against the whiteboard. “Would you two like to have that conversation in the Principal’s Office?”
Mana glanced at Mr. Krone, then back to Lacia. “We’ll talk after school. Meet me in the locker room,” she whispered.
Class seemed to drag on without end. Mr. Krone had managed to spend the last ten minutes of class ranting about being punctual and how being late won’t fly in the “real world”; Alurian history felt like an after-thought, and English was about as entertaining as plucking weeds from a garden.
To Lacia’s dismay, there was still Biology to attend, and they were going to be dissecting frogs. She wasn’t one for grotesque things, but she could handle a little blood. Unfortunately, her poor, amphibious specimen held a little more blood than she would have liked.
“Good work today, everyone. Class dismissed!” the biology teacher said.
“Thank god,” Lacia thought, washing her hands from the dissection disaster. She fumbled around in her bag for her phone and sent a quick text to Mana: “I’m going to be a little late. Plz don’t wait for me. I’ll change when I get there.”
She stuffed her phone back into her bag and headed for the gym—a little down-time after class was always a blessing, especially on days like what she’d just had. Even though it wasn’t the best, it wasn’t the worst either, she decided. “Life sucks sometimes, and I know wasting time on being sad is useless, but…”
The scent of wood floors, sports balls, and air conditioning rushed her as she pushed the doors to the gym open, sluggishly venturing into the girls’ locker room. She placed her bag on the bench behind her as she slipped into a pair of sneakers. Rummaging around in her locker for a change of clothes, a small note floated to the floor at her feet—it was from Mana: “I’m in the back row of bleachers gym. Come find me—I’m worried about you.”
“This girl never knows when to quit, but I guess that’s why I love her,” Lacia giggled. I don’t know why you care so much sometimes, so much so I can’t even go five minutes without you wondering where I am,” Lacia said to herself as she finished changing.
The gym had emptied significantly by the time she made her way to the bleachers. Only a few remaining students dotted the bleachers here and there since after-school activities had been cancelled due to the weather. The damp air from outside in combination with the air conditioning made for a chilly afternoon, but it was whatever. She needed to find Mana so they could begin the trek home.
As if on cue, she stood up, hidden in the back row, and waved Lacia over. “We need to talk,” Mana started. Her face was full of pride—one hand on her chest, another on her hip. “Seriously, girly-pop. What’s up? You know you can tell me anything, right?”
“It’s nothing,” Lacia said, leaning back against the wall. “I’m just having a bad d—”
“I don’t think so. Girl, we aren’t playing this game. Tell me what’s up,” Mana interrupted.
Lacia’s mouth twisted into an aslant frown. She knew there was no getting anything past Mana, but she wasn’t ready to divulge into what she was feeling, much less have an entire therapeutic session about it with someone else. Unfortunately, there was no getting out of this one. She sighed.
“Fine. I was having really severe growing pains again last night, and I ended up passing out in the hall outside my bedroom,” she paused upon finishing her explanation. “Look, I don’t want to worry you with this. I’ll be fine. I promise…”
She stared into her green eyes, lost in the sea of emerald irises, as a cool breeze suddenly crept under her shirt, up her chest. Lacia’s own eyes promptly grew to the size of golf balls as she blushed from embarrassment; Mana had lifted her shirt to expose a small, but apparent, area of deep purple bruising.
“You weren’t supposed to see that,” she said, pulling her shirt down, face still flushed.
“Lacia!” Mana hissed, “is there a situation at home? Where did that come from?”
Her secret was out, and to Mana, of all people. At this point, she figured she might as well come clean. “There’s something else I need to tell you,” she said reluctantly. “The pain always begins after I have this one dream. Really, I should call it a nightmare, but it starts off with me standing on a beach and, for some reason, I feel like I’m always smiling,” she explained. “I walk down the shoreline for a while until I’m dragged into the water, but I can’t swim. As I’m drowning, this voice pops into my head, telling me it’s too soon—it’s not my time, and I’m the catalyst for something.”
“Lacia, I–”
“Let me finish,” she said, cutting Mana off. “After the voice stops, I get hit with these super intense waves of excruciating pain. I wake up and my bedding and clothes are soaked from sweat.” Lacia began to cry as she finished.
Her emotions were high. Not only did she just divulge her biggest secret to her best friend, she was certain that if word got out, people would think she was diseased or had some strange medical problem; most students would shy away from her under the guise of giving her “space” as she worked through whatever ailed her. The school would call her parents who would find the bruising, then refer her to a psychiatrist because they thought she was harming herself.
“And maybe I’m just overacting,” she thought, but she didn’t need someone who knew nothing about her to tell her something she knew wasn’t true.
“You’re going through a hormonal stage right now. It’s normal for young adults to feel confused about themselves,” the therapist would say.
“Let’s try medication, and if that doesn’t help, we’ll take a different approach. How’s that sound?” the psychiatrist would say.
She knew better than to think Mana would spill her secret, but her head was a minefield. Someone would eventually ask why she changed her bedding so often, or why she always changed right after school let out. Even worse, she was terrified of someone accidentally seeing her bruises; she was even more worried about becoming the source of new, abhorrent rumors.
Lacia shook her head. “The pain is so intense at first, I want to cry, but I can’t even make a sound or call for help—it's that bad. I even threw up straight blood last night for the first time ever. By the time I knew what had happened, I was curled up in the corner, soaked with blood,” she finished.
“And you thought it was a good idea to keep this from everyone? I know what you’re thinking—no one is going to think you’re crazy. Still, though,” Mana interrogated.
Most other students in the gym had excused themselves, ready to call it a day and head home. Lacia and Mana remained huddled in the bleachers as Lacia broke into tears—it had been a long day.
“I’m supposed to be your support system, but I really don’t know what to do right now,” Mana whispered to herself.
“Just hold me for a moment,” Lacia said through tears.
Mana’s embrace was warm and comforting, bringing Lacia a bout of relief. Her skin glowed in the yellow lights that hung from the rafters of the gymnasium, a far healthier glow than Lacia’s ghostly appearance.
Her hair smelled like lavender. Its silky, black appearance reminded Lacia of onyx, sleek and polished as it reflected the light above. Something about Mana’s hair calmed her down; it was always perfectly brushed and so soft. When asked what products she uses in it, she was met with a lackluster “Nothing special. Just a shampoo and conditioner from the store.” She loved that about her, always so carefree but so attentive to the world around her.
Mana released Lacia from her hold, checking her wristwatch as she spun the face around. The band was light pink, scattered with imprints of white flower petals; the watch face itself was a similar shade to the band, but the clock hands were a contrasting black.
“Is that new?” Lacia asked, regaining her composure. “I’ve never seen you wear it before.”
Mana stared into her eyes before replying, though she could care less about the watch. She could tell Lacia was troubled by her nightmares, and she wished there was more she could do for her, but she didn’t have the slightest clue what she could even offer. Was it enough to just hold her like she asked? Should she push her for more answers? If so, at what point would she be crossing the line?
“Mm. Yeah, it’s new—an early graduation gift, but enough about that. How do you really feel, Lacia? What else can I do to help? With a little luck, I might be able to get you on my health insu—”
“No. Don’t. I’m just stressed, is all. With graduation coming up and all plus my nineteenth birthday…” She tipped her head back. “I’ll be okay once things calm down.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Mana thought. “For now, let’s just head home. Campus closes for the day soon; it’s already almost twenty to four, anyways.” She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Oh! And I called your mom’s cell and left a voicemail, by the way. I told her you weren’t feeling well, and I’d watch you for a few days. Sorry I didn’t ask first,” she said, clasping her hands.
Lacia waved her hand. “It’s ok. I appreciate the sentiment. It’ll be nice having you around for a while, anyways.”
“Then it’s settled! Do you have everything you need from your locker? Also, definitely don’t forget your umbrella—it’s a torrent out there!” Mana turned to face Lacia. “Still, I wish there was more I could do to help you. I kind of feel like I broke a promise to myself in some way. I just want you to be ok.”
“I know, and I really appreciate it,” Lacia said, drying the last of her tears.
Mana was thorough. Over time, however, Lacia had discovered what she deemed “loopholes” in her surveillance. Simply putting on a brave face and acting the part was all it took to convince her, though Lacia had become increasingly aware that she was having to work a lot harder than usual, trying to keep her from worrying.
“Mana— Thank you—for all of this. There have been times I wouldn’t have been able to support myself, alone,” she said. “When I say this is not one of those times, though, I mean it. This isn’t like those bullies in middle school who used to stick gum in my hair, and it’s not like I’m depressed or anything, you know? I just… need time to relax right now.”
She pulled her backpack towards her, removing her raincoat from between the straps as she slipped the polyester fabric on. With a ziiip and unraveling of an umbrella, she was ready to go.
“It’s been a long day, and I know you’re probably tired, considering everything you’ve told me, and all.” Mana walked over to the gym doors, holding them open for Lacia. “Shall we take our leave?”
Either someone had prayed for rain, too much rain, or the sky had turned into an ocean—it was coming down so hard Lacia feared she’d be washed away like the sand in her nightmares. They’d decided upon Lacia’s house as she was currently living alone, but at this rate, they were better off jumping into a nearby river; the swift pace of the water would be faster than a full-on sprint through the torrent. Besides, they’d get just as wet, anyways.
“It seems that, regardless of what we do, we’re going to get wet,” Lacia sighed. “I’m not sure if we can even make it to my house, Mana. How close is your apartment?”
“Not, like, real far, but… We’re not going to my apartment. Lol. Ok? We already decided.”
Lacia lowered her head, defeated. “Fine, but I don’t have much food right now. Kinda waiting on my monthly allowance to hit and all.”
“It’s fine. Once the rain stops, we can run by my apartment or the convenience store and get some stuff! Just wait until you feast your eyes, and, I guess, stomach, upon my marvelous culinary skills!” Mana beamed with pride. “Oh? Now where did you get this?” She snatched Lacia’s umbrella from her hands.
“Mana!”
“Sorry! Your umbrella is just so cute! I’m especially fond of these little clouds. What other cute little things are you hiding?” she teased.
Lacia frowned. “Can we, uhh, just go? I am kinda tired.”
“Mm. Sorry. We’re gonna get so wet, though. Umm…” Mana looked around, spotting a couple extra towels for emergencies in her locker. “Wrap one around the stuff inside your bag. It’ll keep it drier than throwing over the outside.”
By the time they arrived at Lacia’s house, they were soaked: pruned fingers, dripping hair, and clinging clothes.
“Hachoo! I-I think I got—achoo—water up my nose,” Lacia said, sniffling. “Today was just fantastic, wasn’t it?” she said rhetorically, keying into the house.
The interior was dark as night; there were no lights on, the blinds were closed, and drapes drawn; the deep gray clouds similarly blocked any sunlight from reaching the lonely home. Even so, as soon as the door swung open, the air conditioner kicked on slamming the girls with an icy blast. Goosebumps stood like miniature mountains on their skin as they shivered.
“God, it’s so dark in here,” Lcia said, rubbing her hand across the wall, finally flipping the overhead light on. She placed her bag on the mat by the door where it began to form a puddle. “I’ll, uhh, run the bath upstairs. You can go first. I need to remake my bed, anyways,” Lacia trailed off, recalling the soaked sheets and horrific nightmares.
Mana shook her head. “I’ll help you with the bed, but how about you take the first bath? You need some time to relax, and the rain is lightening up,” she said. “Go— Get in the bath. I’ll be back by the time you’re done but call me immediately if something happens.”
“Ok, mom,” Lacia rolled her eyes. “I’ll make sure to eat my vegetables and brush my teeth, too. While I’m at it, I’ll make sure I’m in bed by bedtime, as well.”
She stared into Mana’s eyes for a moment before the girls broke out into a fit of laughter. In that moment, she felt better than she had in months. “I’ll go first then, I guess. There’ll be plenty of hot water by the time you get back since it takes a lot to fill the tub and all.”
“Perfect,” Mana said, wringing her hair out with the towel from her bag. “I need to grab some changes of clothes, too.”
“Yeah, that tracks,” Lacia laughed. “See you in a bit, then?”
“Mhm!”
Mana waved bye from the doorway as Lacia handed her a spare key. She watched from the kitchen window until Mana turned the corner, disappearing from sight. “The least I can do before she gets back is take everything out of our bags to dry,” she said, clearing the dining room table. “And now, for that bath.”
“Ahhh… Yeah, this is going to feel sublime.”
Water splashed from the tub as Lacia carefully slid into the porcelain fixture, reverberating off the tile walls of the bathroom. She placed her phone on the countertop in the event she’d need it, purposefully turning the ringer on, though she didn’t anticipate any trouble. Leaning against the back of the tub, her shoulder blades connected with the top edge of the tub, sending a chilly shockwave down her spine as she slid further into the water.
“How did I ever manage to get myself in so much trouble, much less inconvenience my bestie?” she said, heaving a sigh.
The nightmares began around the start of the new year, their recurrent nature leading to innumerable sleepless nights, but the excruciating pain was a recent addition—and the most concerning.
She moved her hand through the bath. The drag created by the water felt eerily representative of life as of late: weighted down, dragged along, and ambiguous. Tenderly rubbing her side, she winced at the pain. Much of her abdomen had grown sore and her muscles felt stiff—even bending over was painful, and she had no idea why. For now, she figured she’d wrap it with gauze, forget about it, and continue with her life. After all, graduation was fast-approaching, there were entrance exams still to take, and application fees to pay if she wanted into a specialty-school of her choice.
Still, though. If her pain and suffering were meant to be catalysts, what were they catalysts for? Out of approximately eight-billion people, she was supposed to be the one to suffer? She didn’t even know who or what she was meant to suffer for.
She shook her head. Her “symptoms” weren’t severe enough to run up countless medical bills that would send her spiraling into debt—she decided she liked soaking in the bath more as the steam filled her nostrils. Right now, there wasn’t a thing in Heaven or on Earth that could disrupt her moment of bliss. The warm water had managed to unravel the knots in her muscles and warm her rain-chilled bones. She was surprised to find she could even think clearly for the first time in what felt like forever. Although, realizing just a few a medical tests could probably cure her, the idea of ensuing medical debt wasn’t exactly comforting.
A couple knocks at the bathroom door pulled Lacia from her steamy daze. “Lacia, I’m back. I brought enough food for the weekend, so don’t worry. ‘K?” It was Mana. She’d probably want the bath before long. Water splashed onto the tile floor as Lacia began to lift herself out.
“No, no. Stay in there as long as you need. Besides, there’s a couple things I want to ask you,” Mana said, pressing her back to the bathroom door.
“Umm, ok then. Sure,” Lacia responded. “I guess you’re going to sit against the door until you get your answers, though, aren’t you?”
Mana gave a soft chuckle. “Here’s my first question: who exactly found you last night? I saw the note on the counter from your parents explaining that they’d be away for business and all the emergency numbers they listed for you.” She paused for a second, thinking about how to word her next question. “Who else knows about these “episodes” besides you, me, and your parents? Wait. How much do they know?”
“You’re talking to one of the only four people who know right now—there’s two in this house. We— My parents explained to our neighbors that I’ve been incredibly ill lately, but it comes in waves which is why I go to school on days I feel well enough to attend. We have to play the entire ordeal off as a chronic condition, though,” she explained.
It was the truth. Her parents spent several days crafting as believable a story as they could upon learning of Lacia’s condition. Their intuition was to rush her straight to the Emergency Room, but she’d managed to convince them that wasn’t necessary, and she’d be fine with a little rest. Of course, no one wanted to involve the neighbors, but someone had to keep an eye on Lacia in her parents’ absence.
“It honestly kills me inside that I have to be portrayed as the poor, sick girl. I was perfectly fine up until this year!” she cried out. “As for who found me, though… It was the neighbor's son—the one who goes to the art school. I turn the lights on when I feel bad and back off when I feel like I can sleep again, though I should note these episodes usually only happen at night for some reason… Either way, he must have been up late one night, saw the lights go on and off, and used the other spare key to come check on me,” she finished.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Being found precariously draped half across the foot the bed and the floor wasn’t ideal, and it was embarrassing to think someone had seen her in such a state. Her face was plastered to the bed in a puddle of drool, hair matted and tangled. At the time, she didn’t care; her mind was blank; her legs felt like deadweights; her head pounded like a drum, and her stomach felt as if it were being prodded by thousands of tiny needles. Had the neighbor boy not shown up, things could have gone a lot worse. She knew it was extreme, but…
“What if I’d died? No, that’s ridiculous,” she thought.
“Hey, Mana? Can I, um, get out of the bath now?” Lacia asked. “What am I even doing? Asking for permission to get out of my own bath in my own house. Lol. Life has me all kinds of cooked, I guess.”
“Oh! Yeah, sorry. We can talk more later if you want,” Mana said. She’d completely forgotten she was still wearing her rain-soaked clothes, shivering as she moved away from the door. “I just needed to know how you’d managed to deal with so much, alone.”
The sound of sloshing water and tapping of wet feet reverberated through the bathroom once more. “You had every right to ask, but…” she paused. “What did you think I was doing in here? There can really only be a handful of things a girl can do in the bath for,” she checked the time on her phone, a bit surprised, “nearly an hour and I assure you it wasn’t that,” she laughed awkwardly. “I’ll draw your bath after I get dressed, because, ya know, the water has to drain and all first. Do you like bubbles?”
“I’m fine with just a plain bath, thanks, though,” Mana replied. She was amazed how Lacia could be so selfless at a time when she should be spending time focusing on herself. “Still thinking about other people at a time like this… You’re incredible,” she whispered to herself.
“Huh? Did you say something?”
“It’s nothing. I was just, uh, talking to myself,” she said as Lacia stepped out into the hall, towel around her body and in her hair.
“The tub should be drained in about another minute—just turn the knob left for hot water and right for cold or to turn it off. I’m going to put some sheets on my bed—I can at least do that much for myself,” Lacia said, easing the worry on Mana’s face. “I’ll make some tea once I’m done. Any particular favorite flavors you’d prefer?”
A week had passed since the incident and Lacia’s confession of the situation to Mana. Surprisingly, though, she looked, and felt, better. The morning grass shimmered with dew, and the air was damp yet pleasantly cool, nothing a hoodie couldn’t fix, as she made her morning trek to school.
Cherry trees had started to bloom within the last few days, but the spring rains were relentless, nearly drowning the marvelous displays of pink and white. The rain was a bummer, but she wasn’t about to let a little water ruin her newfound splendor.
To further enhance her mood, there was a well-known bakery by the school that baked the best croissants her tastebuds ever had the pleasure of savoring. She was giddy with excitement, each step bringing her closer to soft, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
Walking up, she couldn’t help but overhear a nearby infotainment center. The weather was on: “If you thought it’s been a rainy month so far, just wait. The atmosphere is primed for more excessive rainfall. Unfortunately, many of the same areas that are currently dealing with the impacts of flooding won’t be finding much relief with this forecast.”
Lacia knew spring was wet, but she had to agree—it seemed like it had been an especially wet season thus far, even the sidewalks along the riverbank were beginning to flood and more rain was forecast yet. Maybe she was just overreacting, but it seemed like the seasonal floods were early this year, by nearly a year, at that.
“It’s whatever,” she thought.
The glow from the bakery’s sign reflected in the sidewalk puddles like mirrors, and the smell of fresh baked goods was irresistible. “Good morning,” she said, “I’d like two croissant rolls, please.” She placed her order and stepped off to the side to wait.
“These are literally the best thing ever. Mana is going to love these,” she said, checking her phone while she waited, “but not if I’m late. I should really spend time on time management…. Class starts in ten minutes and I’m at least another five minutes from campus.”
The morning-duty teachers were strict: gates were closed and locked by 8:30am, and class started as soon as the bell rang. Tardiness would not be a good way to start the school day unless she wanted an earful about being punctual and “a responsible adult” first thing in the morning. If she ran, she could still make it to class on time.
“Yeah, sounds like a pain,” she thought to herself, thanking the bakery staff as she grabbed her order. The bag was warm and smelled of freshly baked bread.
Pushing open the door, she noticed tiny ripples in the surface of the puddles—tt seemed rain was already on the way. The sidewalks weren’t in bad shape, but the sides of the roads were covered in ankle-deep water still—one wrong move and she’d find herself with sopping wet clothes and a ruined breakfast. Suddenly, a car engine revved behind her as it tore down the road, luckily only soaking her shoes and socks; she’d managed to jump out of the way just in time, avoiding a fully soaked uniform and hair.
“What the hell?” She threw her hands up, but the driver continued on without a moment’s hesitation. “Ugh. Can’t stop now… Wet socks and shoes will be the least of my worries if I’m late,” she muttered under her breath. “I have dry socks, but that’s if I can even make it to campus without getting the rest of my uniform wet, first,” she said. “Surely I can do that, right?”
BOOOOM! Thunder roared overhead. Lacia nearly jumped into a passing car as lightning struck a nearby tree; the air fizzled with electricity. For a moment, she wondered if it would have been better to have been struck. Not only was she now soaked from head to toe, she was for sure going to be late.
“ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Rain? Now?” she shouted at the sky. “I swear— If I don’t get an excused absence so I can go home and change, I can’t guarantee someone makes it through the day without getting punched in the mouth.”
Huddling under the awning, Principal Leery impatiently awaited the arrival of the final stragglers as they were handed tardy slips, umbrellas velcroing and rustling as they hurried to class. Lacia brought up the rear, drenched.
“Principal Leery,” she paused, giving him time to assess the situation, “I’m just going to assume you understand,” she said, a puddle forming where she stood.
Principal Leery wasn’t an unreasonable man and always went above and beyond for his students but, like most of the school’s teachers, drew the line when it came to attendance.
“Your tardiness will be excused this time,” he sighed. “More importantly, what happened? You look like you dove straight into the river. You’ll need a set of dry clothes before I can release you to class,” he said, scribbling something down on a clipboard. “I’ll let Coach Elaise know you’ll need her showers. I’ll send a spare uniform down as well. Unfortunately, you’ll have to manage with wet shoes.”
“Thank you, Principal Leery. Considering I was almost hit by a car and struck by lightning, all in the span of five minutes, I think I’ll take my time… Thank you, again, for the excused absence. I just need first period…”
She was thankful Principal Leery was so understanding, but she still felt frazzled by the near-miss of the lighting strike. The faint stench of burning hair wafted into her nostrils, realizing the bolt must have been close enough to singe several hairs on her head. Being late to school, would have been the least of her worries if she were even a few closer to strike.
Slogging off towards the gym, she remembered the croissants, swinging her bag around to ensure their safety. The bag itself was a little damp, but the croissants were still warm and undamaged. Thank goodness.
By the time Lacia finished getting ready, first period had just ended. Her shoes were still slightly damp, but a thicker pair of socks made them a little more comfortable. While she appreciated the dry uniform, she still had to redo her makeup, dry and brush her hair, and figure out what to do with her wet uniform. It wasn’t that she despised the rain, in fact, she loved it; cloudy, rainy days gave her energy, and they were infinitely more relaxing. It was a difficult feeling to explain, but the sun always seemed so harsh on her skin and if she squinted too much, she’d get forehead wrinkles.
“No thanks,” she said to herself, waving a hand across her face. “Cloudy days are just easier.” She leaned against the wall, taking a moment to catch her breath. “There’s nothing quite like getting ready twice in one day.”
Without warning, Mana suddenly called out. “Lacia! You were late again?” she said accusingly, pushing through the crowd of students.
“No,” Lacia reassured her, making room for her against the wall. “You know that bakery just around the corner from here? I stopped by this morning to grab breakfast, but it’s like someone stood over top of me and doused me with a bucket of water. It started pouring out of nowhere and I was literally almost struck by lightning!” Lacia foraged around in her bag, removing the croissant roles. “Here. You’d better eat it since I went through all the trouble to get these,” she joked.
Without hesitation, she graciously accepted the delicacy. “Mmm! This is delicious! The dough practically melts in your mouth, and you can taste the love the baker put into making these,” she squealed with delight. “What other secret places do you know?”
“It’s not really a secre—” Harsh whispers and a growing crowd near the windows abruptly cut her off.
“Where did those come from?” a girl asked.
“I’m not sure. They weren’t there yesterday,” another replied.
Two small fishing boats had washed ashore and were obstructing the railroad tracks that cut through the center of town. Lacia surmised the recent floods must have run them aground, though she realized that still didn’t make a whole lot of sense. The floodwaters hadn’t been that high. Right?
“Ok, well, that’s definitely weird,” Mana said. “Those are usually miles out to sea. I suppose it’s possible they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but the middle of town?” She trailed off into thought.
Lacia took a different approach. “What if something put them there, as crazy as that sounds? I mean, think about it. Whatever’s been happening with me isn’t normal, right? Who’s to say this isn’t somehow related?”
She knew it was a long shot, but something didn’t sit right with her. Two fishing boats don’t just appear in the middle of town, blocking an important route that transportation services use. Not only that, they’d effectively sealed the most direct route in and out of town. Her suspicions continued to grow.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet, ok?” Mana said encouragingly.
Lacia’s phone chimed with a flurry of notifications, local news headlines glaring across the LED display:
Town of Azalea Struck by Mysterious Appearance of Fishing Vessels.
Sailors of Mysterious Fishing Vessels Sickened. Samples Sent for Testing.
“Mana, look at this,” she said, flashing her phone. “Tell me these aren’t weird headlines. Words like ‘mysterious’ and ‘sickened’? I don’t know…” She turned to assess the room. “Think about everything that’s happened in the last week,” she said, addressing Mana.
The rain had picked up in intensity, yet Emergency Response crews were still trying to clear the vessels from the tracks. Maybe she was getting too conspiracy-like, but there was no sense in trying to remove the fishing vessels right now; the rain was so heavy the roads were flooded, and visibility was nonexistent. The pounding rain against the glass reminded Lacia of road trips she would take in the summer, just to have to pull over because the rain was too heavy to see.
Granted, this was an important route used for commercial and public transport, and she didn’t know what constituted “bad weather” delays, but couldn’t they just reroute any transport? The new route would take them miles to the north, a small price to pay, though she doubted anyone would want to pay the extra fare. It was a lose-lose situation, unfortunately.
Mana moved closer to the window, squinting through the torrent, hoping for even the tiniest view of something, but it was no good. “Wanna know what makes this even weirder?” she asked.
“I don’t know if I’m ready,” Lacia groaned.
“Oh, just look at my phone for a sec.” She directed Lacia’s eyes to a local broadcast. Apparently, the rain wasn’t as bad on the other side of town. “Look at the name on one of the boats.”
“The Wisher?”
“Mhm. It was reported missing three months ago, last seen off the coast of the Aviid Isles. What makes this even weirder is nobody reported seeing it either, so why is it here, in Azalea, of all places?”
“If I remember correctly, no one on the islands reported seeing it again after it disappeared. So, I’m thinking, maybe this is some really dumb joke? I mean, come on. This is getting a little too real,” Lacia tacked on.
“So, did it magically just appear here, or did it pull a crack-in-the-sky wormhole thing? Oh! Maybe it was aliens,” Mana joked.
“Sometimes I have to wonder if you’re the one who needs help, Mana,” Lacia said, concerned. “In other news, it looks like the Student Council is about to make an announcement.”
Students were filing into the cafeteria where a semi-circle had begun to form around a projector screen, anxiously awaiting whatever it was the Student Council had to say. It was rare they made such sudden school-wide announcements as the president usually had his face buried in a book, and the rest of the staff were normally tasked with other duties such as honor societies and class projects. For some odd reason, today was different.
The projector screen flared to life as the President began to speak: “My fellow classmates, due to the increasing threat of life-threatening adverse weather and obstruction of a widely used route many of you use to get to and from campus, the school’s board has come to the conclusion that it is safer to end classes early for the day.”
Hushed whispers and silent cheers crept through the crowd of students as Mana and Lacia entered the room. Large rain droplets pelted the window wall behind them as the President continued.
“The forecast calls for more rain and the Budding River is set to breach it’s banks later today. Seeing as the school faces the river, the decision was also made to suspend classes for the foreseeable future. This is subject to change as conditions warrant, so please stay tuned to your school emails,” he explained. A bright flash of lightning illuminated the cafeteria as the ensuing thunder rattled the windows. “We want you all to continue your education, so we ask that if you are able to attend virtually via the Holo-system while you are home to please do so.”
The storm outside had intensified, dropping hailstones the size of tennis balls, threatening to break the glass at any time. A metal shade was promptly drawn overtop the windows, cracks forming in the glass from the repeated flurry of wind and hail.
The President cleared his throat. “If you are unable to attend, we understand and will not penalize you for lack of attendance. All supplemental materials and lessons will be available through the Holo-System as well. Your instructors will be frequenting their classes and answering any questions you may have. You will be notified later this afternoon when you can be dismissed from campus grounds.”
He swapped the facecam to an open document on his desktop, though it remained blank. “Wrapping up, I ask that you limit travel to other classrooms so that we can determine all students are accounted for. Please check your school Holo accounts for future updates.” The screen stayed lit, but the broadcast had concluded.
Confused chatter filled the room. There was little semblance of what exactly was happening. To be dismissed so early in the day was uncommon and usually only reserved for finals weeks at the end of each semester. After all, second period hadn’t even started yet and now everyone was to be sent home indefinitely?
“They’re sending us home over a freak rainstorm?” a male student asked.
“Did you hear about the two boats that appeared on the railroad tracks? Maybe that’s part of why we’re getting dismissed early.” a girl pondered.
The Student Council President’s voice came over the speakers again, a new list of names also appearing alongside an active radar loop. Judging from the radar, what looked like a coming break in the weather would allow the school to dismiss the first set of qualifying students. The noise in the cafeteria devolved into an uproar, too noisy for conversation as Lacia tried to grab Mana, attempting to pull her back into the hallway, but she was too distracted, finding herself with tangled feet and face to the floor.
“Owwie,” she groaned before realizing she’d tripped someone else up in her rush. “Oh my gosh. I am so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention and…” Her heart momentarily skipped a beat. “You’re cute— Err, no, I’m cute— No, no, no. Wait!” She couldn’t find the words to say.
“Of course, I had to go and make an idiot out of myself in front of an upperclassman,” Lacia thought. “Especially a cute boy.”
“It’s alright,” the mysterious student chuckled. “Honestly, I should’ve paid more attention, myself. With everything going on right now, I got a little too absorbed,” he said, apologizing. “My name is Brendan. Brendan Greyriter. From the looks of things, I’ll be here a while,” he said, glancing at the list on the projector. “You?”
He seemed to have great manners and was exceptionally polite. Most other boys would have just sneered at her and walked off. Perhaps some might have apologized and genuinely meant it, but it was truthfully her fault this time for not watching where she was going. Still though, this guy seemed to be the exception.
His hair was fluffy and covered his ears; his eyes were a shade lighter than hers, like endless windows into a life other than her own; his smile was a bit goofy, too, but something about the way dimples formed in his cheeks when he did smile warmed her heart.
“I— I’m Lacia, Lacia Amana. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, blushing. “My name isn’t on the list either. I guess they wanted to use the last names of every letter and not just A through H or something,” she said, meeting Brendan’s eyes.
The life in them was astounding. They were like vast oceans, vibrant and reflective. It took everything she had not to stare. He radiated such carefree vibes, as if there wasn’t a thing in the world that could phase him; he was immune—impervious to the frightful world that existed beyond the walls of school and home.
“Compared to him, I must look so dead inside,” she thought.
“You know, our eyes are almost similar in color—they’re so pretty,” he said, “but I can tell you’ve been through a lot, too.” Lacia was completely caught off-guard. “Anyways, you were in the middle of something before we got tangled feet, right? I’d better leave you to it.”
Before averting her gaze, she noticed a small mark above his left eye, like a misshapen star. She recognized it immediately: the Greyriter family birthmark—a family with a long history of persecution, but incredibly gifted. Regardless, the mark was proof of inheritance into a prominent family, one she’d have to do a little digging on later.
“Actually, I think you’d be an amazing person to get to know.” The words fell out of her mouth before she knew what she’d said. “I’m sure you of all people probably understands more about what’s happening than I do.” Her tone shifted, more serious, as she tried to bring her hormones under control.
If Brendan was from the Greyriter family, like he said, she preferred to have him on her side. Considering her crazy nightmares, the weird weather, and now the mysterious fishing boats and sick fishermen, she figured it was better to be safe than sorry.
“Lacia? Are you done being hormonal?” Mana teased.
“Hey! That’s not a very nice thing to say,” she hissed. “Actually, you know what? Brendan, Mana, could you follow me into the hall? It’s too noisy here. I can’t even hear myself think,” Lacia said, leading the way. “I, uh, think we might have a lot more in common than we realize.”
Just as she’d hoped, the hallway was quieter and far less crowded—perfect. The rain had slowed to a light shower as students occasionally rushed by, clearly anxious to get home. Even so, the hallway remained a far better venue for impromptu introductions.
“First, Mana,” Lacia said, shifting her weight to lean against the wall, “this is Brendan Greyriter—part of a family of prominent mages. But I have a feeling you already knew that.”
“How—” Lacia cut Mana off.
“I could tell by your reactions to the headlines about the fishing vessels, almost as if you knew I’d react the way I did. Anyways,” she said, “I thought the Greyriter family was also just a myth but look at the mark above his left eye. Notice how he hasn’t corrected me, though. That means I’m right, aren’t I?”
She looked at Brendan and smiled. “I promised Mana I wouldn’t keep any more secrets from her, but there’s one more thing I need to mention…” She left the conversation open-ended on purpose.
Brendan spoke up first. “You deduced all that just from my last name and birthmark? Wow. I’m surprised you figured me out so quick, but you aren’t the first to make that deduction.” Curiosity crept into his voice. “I’m more interested in you now. What else were you going to say?”
“Well, I can, quote-un-quote, see things most people can’t, but I’m not really sure why. It all just started mostly within the last few months, but I’ve always seen these “things” here and there.” She shook her head. “I did a little research, stumbled across the same cult-like websites most people do when they claim they can see things others can’t, and came across a group of people called Mitera."
“I can tell you people like that do exist, but they don’t have any official designated name like that,” he laughed. “However, what you read was likely true. Most are born with the ability to see things that don’t normally exist in this world, but those “things” are few and far between. Can you remember any specific instances and what one might have looked like?”
“No, unfortunately. It’s usually a hazy image and is gone almost as soon as I blink. I’m not really very privy to the whole magic conversation, but I know everything that’s gone on recently isn’t normal.” Her breathing began to grow heavy. “Any instances of these “things” usually drain me to the point I’m exhausted,” she said, sliding to the floor. “Mana is better at this magic stuff than I am.”
“Does this have anything to do with your nightmares and the pains?” Mana questioned as she stooped down to help Lacia to her feet. “What I can do isn’t important right now. Are you feeling okay?”
If there were a connection between the pain she’d been in, the bruises on her side, and the nightmares, she’d have to figure it out later. “If it does, I’ll have to figure it out later,” Lacia replied. “And, I’m fine. Just tired from the morning is all. I don’t have much practice with anything related to magic. Even so, it’s something I’ve kept hidden my whole life.”
“Today sure turned into an interesting set of events, didn’t it? I’m from the Greyriter family, that much is true, but my magic is woefully inadequate,” Brendan said, scoffing at the thought. “However, Lacia, because you are seeing these other “things”, there’s enough reason for me to believe that whatever is going on with you, it’s for a reason.”
Without warning, Mana dropped to the floor. She’d exhausted herself taking care of Lacia the week prior; she must have been more stressed out than Lacia had realized—something she felt guilty for missing considering Mana’s benevolence.
Brendan stooped down to help her up, but a thin, black haze had enveloped Mana’s body, before it promptly vanished almost as soon as it had appeared. He stooped down once more, grabbing her hand as he imbued a trace amount of magic into her palm. Analyzing its reaction, he was surprised to find the magic react so negatively, almost as if it were angrily attacking a foreign energy that didn’t belong. Likewise, Mana’s own magical energy seemed to be chasing something out.
“You saw that too, right?” Lacia asked, frightened by the sudden appearance of the strange mist.
“Yeah, but she isn’t just exhausted. That dark mist— It was imbued with a type of magic known to absorb life energy. It’s incredibly hard to cast and control, but where it came from… That’s what’s important,” he said concerned. “She’ll be alright, but there’s a very marginal chance this was just an accident.”
Noticing the confusion on Lacia’s face, he gave her a simplified version: “Everything is made of matter, correct? Well, someone can only cast this type of spell if they’re nearby or had previously “marked” her. That is, another type of magic that clings to its victim and allows for long-range casting.” He looked back at Lacia. “But this is only possible if the caster can manipulate matter—whatever that was, was not matter. Too much information?”
“Umm, for now, maybe it’s best we stick together… and get Mana off the floor,” Lacia said. “She’s totally out of it. Let’s take her to the nurse’s office.”
“Good idea. We’ll continue the conversation later.”
***
Groups of students continued to leave school grounds as the day grew progressively later. Dismissal had started before noon, but lunch was now quickly approaching, leaving the remaining students to wonder if lunch would be served or not. The anticipated break in the rain was short-lived but precipitation remained light, making for continued easy dismissal.
As Mana slept, Lacia and Brendan held an anxious conversation, hoping to uncover any additional information they might be able to glean; Lacia’s nightmares were first on the itinerary, but the only thing of particular use was the setting. She explained the beach, subsequent drowning, and voice telling her it’s not her time.
In exchange, Brendan offered to let her drill him: family history, abilities—even his favorite foods. She was both slightly disgusted and surprised that anyone could ever love black licorice as much as he did.
“Ok, so we have zero idea who or what attacked Mana and why, we’re no closer to solving the mystery of my nightmares, and we’ve determined you have an unhealthy obsession with black licorice. Are we missing anything?” Lacia summarized.
Brendan laughed. “What gets me, though, is whatever that haze was. I didn’t sense malevolence from it, but it certainly wasn’t benevolent. And to top things off, it was almost matter-less. Like,” he scratched his eyebrow, “it’s hard to explain. It’s like it was something from another world, almost. It’s not a curse, either, though, as there are no markings anywhere on her body, right?”
Lacia nodded, having done a full examination herself. “Hey, do you think, maybe… Maybe this all has something to do with me? I mean, it’s no secret I’m next to useless at the moment,” she sighed, planting herself in a nearby chair. “I still don’t know why I’m having these nightmares or what they even mean. Like, if someone is trying to go through Mana to get to me,” she gestured toward herself, “I think they’re going to be sorely disappointed.”
She looked over at Mana, resting peacefully. It didn’t take a genius to tell she was exhausted, but she looked so at-peace it was difficult to tell whether she was just that at-peace or if she had slipped into a coma instead.
“Wish I could sleep like that,” she grumbled.
“You’ll get your chance, I’m sure,” Brendan said in response. “C’mere for a minute. There’s something I want to try.”
Normally, she’d be reluctant to offer herself to a stranger she just met, but this was different. If Brendan was just as much an inconsiderate, dumbed-down guy, he would have proved it by now; he’d shown his intellect, charisma, and willingness to help, instead. As hesitant as she was, she realized she stood at the precipice of something she didn’t understand in the slightest—either she stepped up to the plate or watched as her life continued to devolve into chaos.
Brendan studied her over for a moment. “Your bandages— What are they for?” He noticed the apprehension in her face as he tried to quell her doubts. “I understand if you don’t want to tell me—I’m not going to force you to disclose anything that makes you uncomfortable. Like you said earlier, it’s probably best that we stick together, but I need your trust.”
Lacia briefly wondered if maybe she should remove the bandages. For all she knew, they were the missing piece to the puzzle they were missing. “He asked me to trust him,” she thought. “I can’t be the innocent girl everyone pities—time to make a choice.”
She looked Brendan in the eyes. “It isn’t that I don’t trust you, it’s that I’ve been thrust into something I know nothing about. I do trust you, but I need a little more time to figure myself out, I think,” she replied. “I’ll take the bandages off, but how did you even see them through my uniform?” she asked, untucking her shirt.
“Your shirt came untucked a little which revealed the gauze,” he explained. “I swear that’s the only thing I saw.”
Her cheeks flushed a little. “How long did he know my shirt was untucked? I really should be more careful next time.”
“Not that it matters anymore, but it’s still really embarrassing for a girl when you tell her you saw something you shouldn’t have, ok? I swear I’m not mad, though.” She unraveled the bandages to expose the bruising. “They’ve actually started to heal a bit. These look a lot better than they did this time last week,” she said, surprised.
“Are you sure? I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Brendan said, worried. “Look at the pattern of the bruising, does that not stand out to you? Look in the mirror.”
Now thoroughly confused, she looked in the mirror; the color drained from her face. There were darker patches, sure, and the coloring wasn’t consistent, but the strange, spiraling pattern that wrapped around her side was startling.
“Was it always like that?” she wondered.
“Big question: does it hurt?” Brendan’s face was full of surprise.
“N-not as much as it did a week ago,” she stuttered, “but, yes. It’s super tender, and if I press on them too hard, it pretty knocks the breath out of me.”
Brendan stood up, attempting to ease her nerves. He grabbed her shoulders, settling her back into the chair. “Here’s what we’re gonna do,” he said. “First, from what I can tell, your life is not in danger. However, this is definitely something we need to look into as it could offer a vital clue into what’s happening with you. Second, logic: you said they were better than they were this time last week, right? That’s good. It means your body isn’t impervious to its own healing abilities.”
Crackle. It was the Student Council President again. “Attention students, those with last names A through L, you are now dismissed. This is the last of the large groups. All other students please prepare for dismissal after the current group has exited campus. Thank you.” The intercom fell silent once more.
Lacia slapped herself across the face. “Get a grip, girl. This isn’t the time to completely lose it.”
“Glad to have you back,” Brendan smiled. “We should get going, though. We’re in the current group of dismissals,” he said. “Err… What’s Mana’s last name?”
“Lhumin. Pretty, isn’t it?” Mana said, now sitting up in the bed.
“Hey, you’re awake! When did that happen?” Lacia laughed, “but how long were you listening to our conversation? You could have said something, you know?”
“Sorry, but you two were just so in the moment, I couldn’t help but lay here and listen to you two for a while,” she admitted.
“That’s so evil,” Lacia pouted. “I really feel like, sometimes, you’re out to get me, and you’re actually trying to sabotage me.”
“That’s not true! I promise, so please stop pouting like that. You know I hate it when you do that.”
“Oh. So, like this?” Lacia’s face became even more animated.
“I might as well be in the presence of royalty because you two are quite the drama queens,” Brendan joked. “It’s time to go, anyways.” He turned to look at Mana. “I can’t explain everything right now, but—”
“It’s fine. We can all talk about it later, but if you’re about to offer to carry me, please don’t,” she said. “Besides, what good am I if I can’t support myself through all of this?” she asked. “Either way, let’s go home. It’s been a long day—for all of us.”