Chapter 3: 3) Possession
Lunch came later around noon. My morning classes were very alike in they are both my main academic courses. I waited on the bench for Cynthia to run on inside and quickly realized that she wasn't coming.
Does she have lunch detention or something? Or— no. She's with Jace somewhere. Somehow I could feel it.
I searched around in all of the bathrooms and knocked on stalls. I went through three bathrooms before I almost gave up. I went down one other hall, into its bathroom and peeked through the stalls of these ones. I know that's creepy, but it's what I have to do for my friend. And cousin.
I heard muffled sounds coming from the dip in the wall I walked past earlier and followed the sound. Then I saw it. Cynthia on the very tip of her toes, making out with the same dude who accused her of cheating on him. I leaned against the wall and just decided to wait until they were finished.
The muffled noises stopped and I peaked around the corner to see if they were, indeed, finished. It seemed they were far from it. Jace has his hand dipping into her pants. I felt my face flush watching it, disgusted and forgetting I was being quiet to give them privacy. I think I gagged aloud because they stopped and looked at me. Jace's eyes seemed to be slightly aflame and I got an eerie feeling from him. Dangerous. Stupid jock and his gay intimidation methods.
Cynthia pushed Jace away and wiped her mouth with her hand. I reminded myself not to touch it.
"Dang it, I almost forgot!" Her smile was wary, as if she were nervous about something. "How long were you standing there?" She still looked worried.
"Not long. But long enough to gag." I laughed off the gag to the best of my ability.
Cynthia stares at me, sincerity written on her face and movements. "Oh, Asia, I'm sorry. We can go now." Jace held Cynthia's arm and I looked away, not wanting to see another make-out session. It really is nasty.
I heard them whisper to one another and it sounded urgent but soft. Jace glances at me almost menacingly. I stuck my tongue at him and Cynthia and I walked away. I could feel him watching me from behind.
We walked through many halls and staircases that led way down to where we found the cellar. For some reason, it was much creepier today.
I decided to open the cellar and Cynthia headed down the ladder first. "Aren't you scared?" I asked her. She seemed so fearless right now. She nodded her head. So yes, she was scared. She has a good way of not showing it.
I felt glad that she was afraid. If she wasn't frightened, I would actually be worried for her. This place really is creepy. Very creepy. Like haunted house creepy. And this is just supposed to be a school, not some lair of some crazy monster hidden in the basement.
It's all too ridiculous.
I walk down the ladder next and close the cellar door above me. There's no light through the cave so I have to brush my hand on the walls and try not touch any spiders. My fingers find a web just as I think that and I tell myself to breathe deeply and stay calm. They can't hurt me. Nope, they can't. They're not there. I hear something scurry somewhere around my feet and assume it's a rat. I find the vault and whisper for Cynthia. She touches my shoulder and I jump and scream at the same time.
"Sh!" She shushes me. She walks up to do the door and I hear it creak open. A dim blue light could be seen trickling out from where I stood. That can't be right. Cynthia walked inside and I followed the blue light. When I looked inside, the monster skeleton was still in the same place as before. I let out an audible sigh. Little scraps of what looks like hair connect themselves to the top of the potato shaped head with no eye sockets. It looks somewhat human if you don't count the missing eyes, and nose, plus an arm that seems to be added on each side of the body. It also had six toes on each foot. Maybe someone wasn't born right and somehow lived super long and was trapped in this room, never to see the light of day? It was a good guess.
Speaking of light, the blue light came from the television gaming set and some video game was paused. Who the heck was in here? "Cynthia..." I whisper, sensing something seriously wrong here. I had a feeling that if I stayed, I would become something akin to a chopped up burger.
"It's okay." Cynthia tried to assure me. I'm not assured. I hear a large creak in the walls and my heart rate speeds up.
Stay calm. Breathe deeply. Think it through. Just stay calm.
I do as my more rational part of my mind tells me. Cynthia seemed unfazed by the walls. They could tumble down for all I know. We need to leave. This could be the ruins of something. We shouldn't have even come back. I should have said something.
It's too bad you don't have a way with words.
Yes. That is too bad. Cynthia reaches out to examine the skeleton and I cry out to her, "no, don't to—!" But I was too late. She screamed and I was thrown through the air by something I couldn't even see. Something screeched loud and clear and I covered my ears before I landed on the floor with a hard thump.
I feel the ache in my backside and wince. Where is Cynthia? What happened? I find her laying on the floor. Something black crawls up her arm and then it's gone. Did I just imagine that? I must've. It's probably the shock of the sudden pain. Cynthia sits up suddenly and I yell for her to get up. "We need to get out of here!" The walls may have stopped moving and creaking and it may be as silent as it could ever be, but that didn't make this place any less dangerous. Cynthia nodded and we ran back out, following the wall and not even thinking about any stupid spider webs or possible spider bites.
I got to the ladder and I climbed out first. Cynthia was only just reaching the ladder when I was at the top. I helped her up and we closed the cellar door behind us.
We gasped for air and I heard Cynthia say "what was that?".
I didn't answer her, my hands still shaking. I looked at my watch and barely any time had gone by. Only about ten minutes had passed the entirety of the time we were down there. I finally caught my breath and stood up.
"You're done already?" She said, still gasping for air. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've seen you run forever at Gym. You must be used to it."
I didn't want to reply to her because I knew it would give away how terrified I was. I only smiled and reached out my hand so she could take it. I pulled her up and we began our trek to the lunchroom.
We were silent for a good portion of the start of the walk but Cynthia said something else. "I wonder what's for lunch?"
I couldn't stop myself from blurting out: "what happened to you?" And the confusion on her face was evident enough that the question had shocked her.
Her eyes widened a bit and I could see her thinking hard and trying desperately not to shiver. She failed. I raised my eyebrows. I needed to know what happened.
She shrugged a small shrug. That's not something you just shrug off. Should I try to question her on it? Would she even tell me? I'm her friend, right?
Yeah, to you, you two are the best of friends, but what are you to her?
I ignored the part of my brain that always questioned things I thought and continued to walk forward. Then I stopped. Cynthia stopped, too, and her eyebrows were raised. I scanned her for any marks, but I could only see the veins on her left arm showing as usual. Or was that usual? I would never know because she never really wears things that reveal her arms at all. Nothing seemed too different. She was wearing her normal jeans, her normal hairstyle, her normally caked foundation. What could be so wrong? Had I just imagined that whole thing in the cellar? Had that just been a fluke, a hallucination? Or had it just been a pipe because someone used an old bathroom? What about what I saw on Cynthia's arm?
Veins.
What about her scream?
Cynthia's a girl. She would probably scream if she had touched a skeleton and it felt weird.
These were all very valid points, but I still felt like something wrong was happening here. Something ominous.
Stop being so melodramatic, Asia. Go to lunch before you're unable to eat at all because you stood there ogling you're friend like a weirdo.
Much to my hesitation, I did as the second voice in my head told me.
Cynthia questioned why I did what I did and I told her I was worried. She simply laughed it off as if there wasn't anything at all to worry about and I was just overreacting. I tried to laugh it off, too, but I couldn't help the eventual frown that came across my face once we entered the lunchroom and parted ways. She probably went to check on Jace. I really don't like that boy. I see Brian and Santos laughing with each other on the windows. Santos was seated on the window with the blonde Brian sitting beneath him. I wanted to approach them but feared they would catch notice of my frown and question why it's there whilst knowing I'm not one to do it often.
I needed lunch so I raced over to the lunch line that had only a few people. It seemed some people actually wait to grab their food. I, personally, like being the first in line so I can get first dibs. Music plays from the speakers in front of the library and I notice some kids playing guitar, drums, keyboard and some even making music with cups. A girl I know as Jesse is singing and I feel like they are a band. I nod my head to the music, only cringing slightly when I hear someone mess up a chord or drum rhythm.
As I fill my plate with a chicken wrap, and other vegetables that I don't like too much, I watch people gather around the band. They sit in a semi-circle and I try to find Cynthia so I can sit with her around them. Maybe we can eat in a calm area with some decent music. Decent. It's the only thing I'll give the band of kids playing and singing. Their energy makes up for all the missed notes, though, so I don't verbally complain.
After I type in my lunch number and head over to the circle, I find Cynthia cuddled up near her boyfriend who is also in the circle and try to sit beside her. Having noticed me, Jace sends me a very unwelcoming look. I happily ignore it. I smile big and internally hope it's so bright that his balls burn off. God, I've never met someone I barely know who's ever made me so instinctively angry that I can't help but hate the guy's guts.
Cynthia doesn't seem to notice me until I sit down, but I don't mind. "Hey!" I say cheerfully. I feel like this bothered Jace. I mean, he did just glare at me and I did just walk up here even knowing he glared at me smiling like it didn't happen at all.
Cynthia sends back another cheerful hello and I speak to her in what little Spanish I know so Jace won't understand what I'm saying. "¿Te él está siendo simpático?"
She squints, trying to figure out what I'm saying. Jace looks confused, but he took French, so that was expected. I know my Spanish is pretty choppy, but it was the best I could come up with. I don't know how to say "is he treating you well?" Because either I haven't learned it or I forgot it. It could be either one. I hear a scratchy, bubbly sound and look around. It was coming from below. A can. I get closer. It was a coke can. And... it was probably just the carbonation. Cynthia looked at me strangely and I saw the light bulb go off in her head.
"¡Sí!" She said, proud of herself. I was proud of myself, too, for actually creating my own question and told myself I would use Google Translate later to check if I even used it right.
We both ate our meal and sang along with the band when it played songs we knew.
It was a joyous moment. Brian and Santos came over laughing but didn't sit with Cynthia and I. Instead, they just stole my juice and Santos tried to flip the now-empty soda can while standing up. I guess hearing them laugh with each other and being crazy was good enough for me. Boys will be boys, they say. I wonder who "they" is? Maybe just a random person.
I'm laughing and clapping along with the gathering crowd when Cynthia hurls her lunch all over Jace. I must admit, that was great to watch if only because it was Jace she was throwing up on yet something wasn't right here. I got the same feeling now as I had earlier when— the vault. Oh, no, what could it possibly be now?
Jace shoved her off of him and I suddenly wanted to throat punch the guy. What kind of boyfriend—?
The teenage kind. That one part of my head tells me.
Somehow, that doesn't seem like a good excuse for being a horrible person.
Then again, if I had been thrown up on... Well, I wouldn't shove them away. I'd get up and then barf on her, too.
Cynthia laid on her side now and moaned. I threw myself on the ground, quick to act, and shamed myself for even thinking about Jace at all. This is all happening way too fast.
I'm not sure what to do when I'm next to her. I tell her to breathe and she nods, sobbing. A habit, I'd guess. Throwing up doesn't feel too good and I know the feeling. It's like your digestive system completely turns the other direction then quickly flips back up and then sandpaper scrapes your entire esophagus and it's out of your stomach and into your mouth and then out of your body all in one quick puke. And then another wave comes. Yes, definitely a truly terrible feeling. I don't blame her for crying.
The next wave appears slightly blackened like she ate rotten stew. Her body spasms and suddenly there is no sound escaping from her, only shivers. And then a weak struggle. I hear someone scream for a nurse and some people only stand there. I see something then. A phantom. A dark thing personifying itself as a person. It's above Cynthia.
What the heck is this?
It makes me want to barf. I want to move it's hands from her neck; it's dark, long fingers. It smiles at me as it steals the life of my friend right before my eyes and I feel as if I'm too late when I'm finally able to move my body. I try to grip the fingers clinging to my best friend's neck, but my fingers only pass through.
"What?" I gasp, searching my mind for answers. Am I hallucinating? No. No, no, no. I feel tears on my face and realize I'm crying.
You're not crying! That stupid voice says.
Oh, shut up, you! I want to scream at it. Don't take my friend, God, please.
I doubt he heard my prayers because Cynthia wasn't moving at all anymore and the hands that were once trying to pry off the shadow's hands were now trying to do the same thing but instead of getting off Cynthia, I wanted to get them off of me.
This being, whatever it is, grabs my wrist and I feel myself suffocating as it melds itself to me. A small gasp is all I can manage as it engulfs my body and I can't breathe in air! Everything in sight goes blurry for a moment, and then everything is clear. Everyone looks at me as if I had gone mad and Cynthia— Oh, God no, Cynthia.
She is nothing. A voice I've never heard says to me in my mind. It sounds so small yet so infinitely large.
The nurse comes in and she says something but I can't tell what.
I'm hearing voices. I hallucinated a shadow ghost thing. I'm going crazy. Have I gone mad? Have I become my own mother?
I remember that wide, gleeful smile and my chest feels cold. Something is there. Inside my chest. My heart skips a beat and I think I might pass out.
Unfortunately, I don't. I want to escape this. It was so happy a moment ago and now I'm a crazy person. A very, very crazy person.
"Come with me. I need to get your friend to the ER and I need you to quickly tell me what happened." The nurse says to me sharply.
I don't listen. I want to plug my ears. Cynthia is... no, she can't be. But I saw it. I think everyone saw it, it's why it's so noisy. Or is the silence loud? I'm not sure if I can tell the difference.
The nurse gestures to some people behind me and I feel myself being lifted up and into something. A wheelchair? Someone's arms? How could I know? Someone put a wet rag to my arm and I look down. Then I smell it. The rotten smell of freshly barfed out puke. Or is it puked out barf? Honestly, why does it even matter?
How am I going to tell this to Alissa? Ashlyn will be devastated for me. My mom... how would she feel? Would she cry with me? No, Asia, she's gone. What about Skylar? He will probably ignore everyone if he even mourns at all. Christiana? No, she won't care. She'll attempt to comfort me but I'll push her away, I know it. She doesn't know the proper way to help someone if it cost her own life.
Nicholai wouldn't know how to react. He'd probably ask me if I would play Roblox with him. "Maybe it'll make you feel better," he would say.
"It wouldn't, but thank you." I would reply.
I see it all so clearly in my mind.
I feel every beat of my heart, every single moment passing and then the moments that don't. My heart stops. It doesn't start back up again. I wait for it to. Maybe it will. I see fingers snapping in front of me. Students trying to get my attention, maybe?
Is this the end? The cold spreads from my chest to the rest of my body in small pulsing waves and it would feel nice if it weren't so frigid that it burned me.
My eyes go blurry and I think my last thought was the shaking of my vision and me wondering to myself why someone was trying to wake me up when I was obviously in a deep and peaceful slumber.
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