Sidney and Harrison trudged along through the hallway toward Principal Herondale’s office. Neither of them said more than a word to each other, and neither of them found much of anything in either of the art or music classrooms. She was walking fast, trying to outrun him as much as possible, but he always seemed to match her pace, but he didn’t seem much offended. That did bother her, because he didn’t seem much of anything.
Except…
The door to Mr. Herondale’s office was open, probably from when Mrs. Fowler had gone in to speak with him about Tyson. That low-life wannabe piece of garbage. She could only keep from exploding on Harrison right there and then just because he sat next to that disgusting excuse for a person. There was only one person more heinous than that douche bag…
Inside Mr. Herondale’s office everything looked as it should. Harrison peeked a head in and then shrugged. “Nothin’. We good to go?”
Sidney shook her head. She walked inside and stepped around the desk, pulling out the luxury chair.
“What are you doing?”
She plugged something into the computer and pulled out her phone; pressed something on the face and then silently began typing on the computer.
“Wouldn’t you need a password for that?”
She stopped typing; waited a second longer, and then he saw the smallest grin on her face. He sighed and walked behind her—he saw that she was on Mr. Herondale’s desktop.
“You actually have it?”
“You missed what I plugged in,” she said, not turning to face him. She began clicking through folders, scanning the contents. She tapped on the side of the computer where Harrison saw the butt end of a flash drive. “It runs a program on the computer even before it boots up—it’s a fatal flaw in this school’s computer system.”
“How do you know this?”
Sidney hesitated, “I started learning things. You know, after…”
He nodded, and that seemed to answer that.
“These computers constantly emit Bluetooth signals—short distance signals that most people don’t notice unless it’s to connect their phones to a speaker or something similar.”
“Wouldn’t those signals be useless considering where we are right now?”
She grinned, “If we were trying to send a signal out, then I’d say yes. But since what I need is directly on this computer…” she closed out of the folder she was looking at and found another, looking at its insides, “…I was able to use the signal and connect it to an app on my phone. It told the computer that it’s safe to open up without the need of a password.” She held up her phone with a single hand now, “It turns this bad boy into a skeleton key.”
“Hm, interesting. You could have just said that your phone opened the computer. I don’t care much for that stuff.”
Sidney side-eyed him, “Yeah I know.”
Hurt almost, he looked back. “Rude…what are you doing here, anyway?”
She opened a file and grinned even larger, “I was looking for this…”
Harrison took a closer look at the screen and began to read the words at the top. “Psychosis Screening?” He turned back to her, confused. “I don’t see what this has to do with what we’re supposed to be looking for.”
“It may or may not. I wasn’t looking for it because it related…”
“What do you mean by that?”
She ignored him and began to read:
PSYCHOSIS SCREENING
In the past month, have you had the following thoughts, feelings, or experiences? Check “yes” or “no” for each item. Do not include experiences that occur only while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medications that were not prescribed to you. If you answer “YES” to an item, also indicate how distressing that experience has been for you.
Do familiar surroundings sometimes seem strange, confusing, threatening or unreal to you?
Yes
No
Have you heard unusual sounds like banging, clicking, hissing, clapping or ringing in your ears?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q2):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do things that you see appear different from the way they usually do?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q3):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you had experiences with telepathy, psychic forces, or fortune telling?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q4):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you felt that you are not in control of your own ideas or thoughts?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q5):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you have difficulty getting your point across, because you ramble or go off the track a lot when you talk?
Yes
No
Do you have strong feelings or beliefs about being unusually gifted or talented in some way?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q7):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you feel that other people are watching you or talking about you?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q8):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you sometimes get strange feelings on or just beneath your skin, like bugs crawling?
Yes
No
Do you sometimes feel suddenly distracted by distant sounds that you are not normally aware of?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q10):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you had the sense that some person or force is around you, although you couldn’t see anyone?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q11):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you worry at times that something may be wrong with your mind?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q12):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you ever felt that you don't exist, the world does not exist, or that you are dead?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q13):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you been confused at times whether something you experienced was real or imaginary?
Yes
No
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q14):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you hold beliefs that other people would find unusual or bizarre?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q15):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you feel that parts of your body have changed in some way, or that parts of your body are working differently?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q16):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Are your thoughts sometimes so strong that you can almost hear them?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q17):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do you find yourself feeling mistrustful or suspicious of other people?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q18):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you seen unusual things like flashes, flames, blinding light, or geometric figures?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q19):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Have you seen things that other people can't see or don't seem to see?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q20):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Do people sometimes find it hard to understand what you are saying?
Yes
No
If YES: When this happens, I feel frightened, concerned, or it causes problems for me (Q21):
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Before your results, please take a moment to answer the following questions.
Name:
Ashley N Evans
Date of Screening:
08/16/22
State:
Maine
Zip/Postal Code:
04401
Gender:
Female
Race/Ethnicity:
White (non-Hispanic)
Age:
11-17
Which of the following populations describes you?
Veteran or active duty military
Caregiver of someone living with emotional / physical illness
LGBTQ
Student
Trauma survivor
New or expecting mother
How can we help you?
A phone number to get immediate support or guidance
Additional information about mental health
Referrals to local MHA affiliates or other organizations that can help
Worksheets or coping skills to use at home
An online or mobile program or app that can help you track or manage your symptoms
Other
Have you ever received treatment/support for a mental health problem?
Yes
No
Do you currently have health insurance?
Yes
No
Your results indicate that you are experiencing some signs of psychosis. Based on your answers, you may have been feeling like your eyes, ears, or brain has been playing tricks on you. These experiences may be causing difficulty in school, with relationships, in your family, and/or with everyday activities. The best thing to do is get information and reach out to someone and get help.
Psychoses include changes in perception, sight, sounds, and thoughts that are different from others experience. When these changes occur during a young age and people recognize that they aren’t supposed to have these experiences, this period can be the early signs of a developing illness (called a prodrome). When someone loses insight (they do not know the difference between what is real versus not real) this can be a sign of the onset of an illness, like Schizophrenia.
These results do not mean that you have a mental illness. But, if you haven’t already done so, now is great time to start a conversation with your support system: a parent, mentor, or someone you trust about how you are doing. Finding the right help and working with people who can support you can help you feel and do better again.
This screen is not meant to be a diagnosis. Having the early warning signs of psychosis (prodrome) is different from having a diagnosable psychotic disorder. In addition, psychosis can be caused by other factors, like stress, lack of sleep, recent life changes (starting a new school or changing homes), trauma, recent loss in the family, drug use, health problems, changes in hormones, or a head injury. Only a trained professional, such as a doctor or a mental health provider, can help you and your family figure that out. It is highly recommended that since you scored At Risk on this screening, you should get assessed by a psychiatrist or mental health professional – preferably using the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndrome (SIPS). Printing or emailing the results of this screening and showing them to someone you trust can help start the conversation.
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself or others – please call 911, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or go to the nearest hospital.
YOUR TOTAL SCORE WAS: 72
Screener’s Note: Future-planned appointments to be canceled by request of parent of patient. Forms have been signed and clearance to be kept out of hands of any but qualified professionals. These results are CONFIDENTIAL and are not to be viewed unless given prior clearance by Screening Professional or Parent of patient.
Sidney finished reading and grabbed the file and copied it onto the drive plugged into the computer. She took pictures on her phone and then closed out of the file and turned the computer off.
“Miss Perfect is a little less than perfect than originally believed,” Harrison said, scratching his neck. “I thought you twose’ were like, attached at the hip?”
Sidney didn’t say anything as she got up from the chair.
Harrison’s eyes grew wide with understanding, “Oh, I see. So that’s why…”
“Shut it. We’re done here.”
~…~
Rothbert Evans was tied up in meetings for the entirety of the morning on the 22nd of September when the sphere of darkness swallowed the school whole. He was participating in what was known in the business world as a hostile takeover. It may sound as if Rothbert—Roth and his copious amount of lawyers were prepared to go in guns blazing to secure some unidentified location, but the truth of the term was much less exciting than that.
A hostile takeover is when one company—typically larger and/or more powerful appeases the shareholders of another company—typically smaller/weaker to replace management and approve acquisition of the smaller company. In Roth’s example here, he and his company Evans United were trying to acquire PopCop, a company known for its steel manufacturing.
When the news broke out nothing much changed for Roth until his meeting had been completed. His phone rang unanswered and texts came in like a flurry, but he dare not even begin to think of looking at his phone until his job was complete. He successfully managed to convince the shareholders of PopCop to see things his way. As he walked out of the meeting he glanced at his phone as he took it out of his pocket and sighed a heavy sound.
Roth was a heavier set man, his head cleanly shaven and the sharp black suit he was wearing helped disguise the gut that had started to form, but even with all this he couldn’t help but feel ten thousand pounds heavier when he realized what the messages had been trying to say. What was this going to do to his image? Surely he could spin his missing daughter into some pity points as a company lead, pushing forward through hardship or whatever Bernie—his PR agent would say, but sooner or later this…this sphere situation was going to end, and how would that go? It was unpredictable, and unpredictability Could. Not. Stand.
“Sir, is something wrong?” Jeremiah Handson, his personal lawyer had said as they passed in the hallway.
He handed his phone to Jeremiah, who looked at it a second and not one longer. “Huh, sucks for them, right?”
“My daughter’s in there,” Roth said, straight.
Jeremiah handed him the phone back, “Regret having kids now, huh?” He continued walking, only stopping once to look back, “I’ll send you my invoice.”
“Yeah yeah…” Roth said, looking back at his phone for another moment before putting it in his pocket. He walked outside as the sun lit brightly on his face, gleaming against the sweat that had casted on his forehead. He shielded his eyes with his arm and tried to steady his vision, when suddenly he saw a wolf in front of him. It wasn’t just any wolf though, it had no fur. It was glowing as if it were made of the sun itself. He then saw it was what had temporarily blinded him.
“What the hell are you…”
The wolf bent down and then leaped up at him and filled his vision completely with white and warmth. Inside of the warmth he heard a cold voice that cut through like a sword on glass.
“There is NOTHING wrong with her. I didn’t pay good money just to have you come up with this cockamamie bullshit to swindle us out of more money?”
“No…sir, if you listen we really think that your daughter is showing—”
“She’s showing absolutely NOTHING. Come on, dear. I told you this was a dumb idea.”
“Daddy, I…”
“We’re going!”
“Sir, we advise—”
“Shove your advice up your ass and get out of my way.”
It was his voice. He both recognized it…and didn’t. It sounded like a monster’s voice. Then he realized there was another voice there with him in the warmth.
“My my…I think I am getting the picture a little clearer.”
“Who are you?” Roth tried to yell out, but he had no mouth wherever he was. There was a soft bell chime looping in the distance.
He could almost hear the other voice smile. “You’ve been naughty…I guess I’ve made an error not including you in the trial. You’re related if not by the smallest portion.”
“What…trial?”
“For someone who controls information as much as you do…you seem to not be in the know. Oh well. They’ll figure it out without you. Time for me to chop up some loose ends.”
The whiteness faded and Roth began to see normally again. However, his lungs didn’t start back up. He choked and started hacking up blood. His chest compressed and he fell to the ground, alerting a woman who had been jogging across the street. As soon as his head hit the ground his vision went black and his mind went blank. He was dead.
The wolf had sank into itself and vanished.
~...~
In an abandoned town a decrepit old building sat. Long ago this town was filled with people with happy lives and children who grew up to do wondrous things, but now it sat like a child’s plaything after its use had been explored fully. This town was filled with a lot of memories, to which now nobody remains to remember them. The memory of what happened to the people that lived had also faded into the dust. Now all that remained were the buildings of what once was.
The wolf emerged from a puddle of light on the ground and looked up toward the second floor of the building. There was a window located on the left hand side that the wolf had been focused intently on, as if asking permission. After a short term of silence it looked back down and walked onto the front porch of the house.
The door was blown wide open halfway on its hinges so it had no trouble stepping inside. The house was well furnished; it certainly looked lived-in.
The wolf looked up, it had been called to by some force that was upstairs—the same force it had seemingly asked permission to enter. It was not a vocal command, but a mental one that seeped through the brain like a rake.
“Father…”
Silence creeped through the house. The wolf nodded and took hesitant steps toward the staircase at the rear of the family room. It passed by portraits hung on the wall of a happy family—mother, father, and son smiling all brightly.
This was before the suicide, of course.
There was a chill in the air and suddenly the wolf was upstairs. Spatially displaced and unaware for a moment, it sees the figure of its master lying on what looked to be the child’s bed. His eyes were completely white—there weren’t any pupils in them as he stared at the ceiling unflinching. Snow-white hair trailed underneath him, and a smile stained his face.
“Father…” The wolf repeated. “I’ve been having the dreams again. I’ve been seeing it more often.”
“…”
“Yes, I know. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. The trial hasn’t distracted me.”
“…”
“It won’t distract from the search.”
“…”
“Thank you Father.” The wolf bowed his head and then suddenly was forced away. It was sent through the walls outside of the house and then was back staring at the second floor window. It dissolved into the puddle of light and vanished once more.
~...~
There was another passage that Issachar, the wolf, had Bucky Bennett type up in the paper—this time with no memory of ever writing it. It wasn’t anything directly relating to the trial or the children who were currently in the preliminary phases of such. It was instead a calling card to the others. They who had not yet made contact with this planet—they who shall in due time, but have no bearings on their whereabouts. The surmounting confusion—the initial fear.
Issachar had felt that all too well. It was a primordial fear as if being reborn with no context on what life is. Fear turns quickly to outrage. If Issachar had been alone when it reawakened, then it might as well have gone on a thousand year rampage...it would be but a speck of time to it anyway. But it wasn’t alone.
1990 Meteor Impact Remembrance
On this day we remember the terrible incident that occurred over 32 years ago in a small village on the western edge of Europe. We mourn the loss of a culture as a meteor shower turned deadly when Steinschild was made the impact site of a great force. It took scouting teams several days to brave the mountainous regions that surround Steinschild. The increasing tension over the meteor impacts has left civilians at odds with their governments. Several thousand protesters took to the streets against their own governments in some more populated German towns.
There have been eyewitness reports by travelers who happened to be hiking at the time who said they spotted a golden-glowing wolf after the meteor fell. Reports of these claims have been taken by the public as false as wolves haven’t been seen in the area for hundreds of years.
Officials decline to comment on this matter, but it shrank in importance as other travelers managed to find that not long after the impact site was hit United States officials were seen investigating the area. One Jefferson P. Dawson—Lt. Corporal of the United States Army was spotted in a previously German-sanctioned area near the impact site.
Rumors began to fly wild as the public grew ever more impatient at the oddness of the whole situation. Something seemed to be different.
Most don’t know the significance of this increased caution surrounding the meteor, but for those that do...feel free to drop any information you have at the following address listed below. We’d love to add it in as an extra editorial.
This article wasn’t meant to be a message for the humans. They’d see it, sure, but its intended recipients understood before they left their home that communicating after the departure would be more than difficult. Maybe those it intended to see it will...maybe they wouldn’t.
It tried, and sooner or later they would get the message anyway. Maybe they’re too busy dreaming. That was an interesting idea...maybe they did arrive before Issachar had. Maybe they were dormant somewhere seeing what it saw? Or was it different? Did they see different things? Different lives?
Issachar supposed Sakonna might know the answer to that—she was awake for almost five hundred years longer than it had...but she disappeared thirty-two years ago...right as it had awoken in Steinschild.
She and Father had begun their plan even before it landed, and when it had woken up Sakonna was given orders to go away for some time. Issachar didn’t know what she was going to be doing, but it was invariably important. So, Issachar had been put in charge of taking care of Father. He’d been so very weak since leaving home. He almost nearly died—Sakonna was the one who helped save him. As soon as he’s healthier—as soon as our plan is complete, he will save us.
Father and Sakonna...they don’t care much for humans, though. Father even hates them, it supposed. Issachar didn’t hate them...it even took pity on some of their lives, and that was exactly what had happened today.
Issachar knew that humans killed each other. They tortured one another, stole, lied, cheated. All of it. In thirty-two years it has seen more than enough of why Father hated them so very much.
Issachar supposed that this time there was something different. Something about how terrible the whole thing was. How someone was able to do that...and for it all to not make sense. That was the part that bothered it the most. If a human killed another human there was a reason for it. If easily looked into a reason could be found. The pieces would come together all at once and while not excusable, it could understand.
It wanted to understand