Post by thadeous on Dec 9, 2010 12:06:00 GMT -5
Darkness surrounded me. It seemed all of my senses had been totally cut off, leaving me blind to every feeling. Then the heat struck me, subtly at first, but rising steadily until it was scorching hot and I couldn’t bare it. Then the smell of flesh roasting; my flesh. The pain struck through me, reaching my very core as I felt every cell inside my body scream simultaneously. Wake up, Thadeous. This has to be another nightmare. As I beg myself to awaken from this torture, panic starts to take control, as my senses begin to multiply, and everything I feel is magnified tenfold. My thoughts of awakening are quickly replaced. Just kill me. End this, I cannot take any more of it. Before I know anything else, the blackness consumes me again, and I am free.
The shower brought me back from the cold place that the dream had left me in. Though it was completely normal for me to suffer in my sleep, last night was more real than any other nightmare I had ever had. The pain had been so extreme, my body was still tingling as if it had just gotten over it in reality. I didn’t understand it, but I wasn’t going to dwell on it now. The darkness that haunted me would have to, once again, be buried somewhere deep in my subconscious so I could focus on the preparations that I had neglected yesterday. Then her face passed pleasantly through my mind as I dried off, and I smiled dumbly. Trixie was lighter than air, a perfect contrast to the memory of my latest nightmare. Though I did have things I really needed to concentrate on, as I threw on some clothes and gathered my things for the day ahead, my mind kept circling back to her. In only a few moments with her, she had become the most thought about thing in my life. When we talked, time seemed to fly by so quickly it was cruel, and I felt so at ease while we spoke. Just being with her made me feel things I didn’t know existed, and I was ready to experience it all again today. Preparations for the Holy Mission were not as important as I previously deemed them to be. After all, I was already an exceptional fighter and possessed a gifted mind. What else could I do? Study? How what that make me fare any better than I already would? If anything, if I took my opponents too seriously it would just plant seeds of doubt into my head that would plague me and cause me to stumble where I wouldn’t normally. That didn’t strike me as too good an idea, so as I walked off towards my first class, already having missed the chance for breakfast, I had already decided to drop any plans of “preparation” for the Holy Mission. No, instead I would try to do what everyone else in my Garden did with their spare time, for a change. Just enjoy myself, for once. Take some time for recreation.
The first few lessons flew by, and for the first time in my life I don’t think I paid any attention to what the tutors said. I didn’t mean to ignore them, it was just, how could anything they say matter when I couldn’t share the information with Trixie? I wanted to be with her, and so everything else didn’t matter. All I could do was wait for our time together, after the lunch bell would ring and I could rush out in search of her, and we’d be together again. Before the bell went, someone came into our class and said something to the instructor. As they left, the instructor turned to us all, looking shocked, before she addressed us.
“Class, I have just been informed that Amne has been assaulted. She is currently in the Infirmary, suffering from a stab wound in her shoulder. If anyone has any information, please, come forward.” She said, looking around for any signs of any of us stepping forward. I looked around the regular faces of my class, most of whom looked as shocked as the teacher, though some of them looked more scared. To me, that seemed to explain it. Only one person in our Garden would instil that sort of reaction from any students, and it didn’t take a genius to work out who; Renea. So it had come to her attacking her own sister? Somehow, that didn’t surprise me. The girl was crazy. When the bell did finally ring, I leapt up from my chair too quickly, knocking over my desk into the person in front of me. They turned around aggressively, and then saw it was me, mumbled something that must have been derogatory under his breath, and watched me sprint for the door, rushing off towards the cafeteria.
As I reached my usual table, I sat down, forgetting to grab something to eat despite the fact that my stomach was screaming abuse at me for not having offered it anything all day. For the next several minutes, I was extremely uncomfortable, shifting uncontrollably in my seat, continuously checking my watch, shuffling my feet anxiously… Until I saw her round the corner and I nearly fell off my seat. When she saw me, she smiled widely at me and rushed over towards me.
“Thadeous!” She said happily. “How are you today?”
“Good.” I said, not being able to think of a more appropriate word, though at the time I don’t think I noticed. I was mesmerized by her.
“I have some bad news.” She said, quickly sitting next to me.
“Oh?” I asked, fearing that she was going to tell me something absolutely horrible. I bit my bottom lip, fearing the worst.
“I have detention today, so I can’t have lunch with you.” She said, tapping me on the shoulder. I knew it would be bad.
“No, it can’t be. There must be some kind of mistake.” I said in utter disbelief. My day had been ruined. Nothing could make any of it worse. I had been waiting to see her all day and now she had been taken away from me. I didn’t know if I’d ever get over it. “Is there nothing we can do?”
“No, in all the conversing we did yesterday I completely forgot to finish some coursework and my tutor didn’t see the funny side of it, so…” She said. “Alas, detention.”
“I understand.” I said, feeling the weight of my head as it dropped, right in front of her. I think she thought I was trying to be cute, which I tried to play it off as so that she wouldn’t think I was crazy or anything. I wasn’t. She just seemed to bring out this whole other side to me that even I wasn’t used to. I had been called many things; smug, know it all, swot, nerd, idiot, geek, clumsy dip shit who’s in my way, but I’d never been called crazy. Not once. Well, maybe once, but never twice. I was completely dejected as I knew she was going to be gone, but then she said something that elated my spirits, gave me something to live for again.
“So, I’m free after classes, this evening. Would you like to meet up with me in the library or something?” She asked, as if I was going to say no or something. I wasn’t stupid.
“Yes!” I said, a little too over enthusiastically, but it made her giggle.
“I will see you later then.” She said, and I watched her wave the cutest little wave anyone had ever done and she left. When I turned to get up and grab some food, I was shocked to see Cas sitting right next to me.
“Oh, you finally noticed me then?” He said, looking at me as if I was a complete stranger to him.
“Cas, how long have you been there?” I asked him.
“I was here before you were!” He said angrily at me. “I even said, hello, Thad, how’s it hanging as you sat down and you completely blanked me.”
“You can’t be serious.” I replied, not believing him one bit.
“No, I’m not. I just got here.” He replied, laughing. “But you should have seen your face back then. You believed me, at least for a second.”
“So, did you here about Amne?” I asked him, trying to turn the subject away from him picking on me. I hated his ribbing sometimes.
“No. I haven’t heard from her since she completely snubbed me yesterday. All I did was try and ask her some advice on Renea and she just walked away after saying something like ‘as if she’d like you.’ Or something. I can’t remember what she said because I am still in shock, quite frankly. Everyone said she was the nice sister, but I think she’s a cow. No wonder no one likes her. I hope someone puts her in her place.” He said, like a raving idiot.
“Someone did. She’s been stabbed in the shoulder and is in the infirmary.” I said, making him feel like the raving idiot he was.
“What?! Oh man, I take it back. I was just a little peeved. Oh man, what have I done?” He said, burying his face in his folded arms.
“You didn’t do anything. I think it was your girlfriend, Renea.” I said. He lifted his head and looked at me as if I was crazy.
“There is no way she would do that to anyone, let alone her own sister. You do realize on those rumours about her being an evil vindictive bitch are a complete over exaggeration, don’t you? I really hope you’re not gullible enough to buy in to all of that.” He said, as if I was handicapped and he was my case worker, talking slow enough for me to understand. Sometimes, he confused me.
“Do you hear yourself? Where did you come up with that?” I asked, somewhat annoyed by his tone.
“Well, nowhere really. It’s just my theory.” He said, tucking into his roll. I just stared at him. Cas was really strange sometimes. Anyway, I hadn’t anymore time to waste discussing the finer points of a psycho woman, I had more important things to do. I had to wait for time to pass so I could spend my evening with Trixie.
The shower brought me back from the cold place that the dream had left me in. Though it was completely normal for me to suffer in my sleep, last night was more real than any other nightmare I had ever had. The pain had been so extreme, my body was still tingling as if it had just gotten over it in reality. I didn’t understand it, but I wasn’t going to dwell on it now. The darkness that haunted me would have to, once again, be buried somewhere deep in my subconscious so I could focus on the preparations that I had neglected yesterday. Then her face passed pleasantly through my mind as I dried off, and I smiled dumbly. Trixie was lighter than air, a perfect contrast to the memory of my latest nightmare. Though I did have things I really needed to concentrate on, as I threw on some clothes and gathered my things for the day ahead, my mind kept circling back to her. In only a few moments with her, she had become the most thought about thing in my life. When we talked, time seemed to fly by so quickly it was cruel, and I felt so at ease while we spoke. Just being with her made me feel things I didn’t know existed, and I was ready to experience it all again today. Preparations for the Holy Mission were not as important as I previously deemed them to be. After all, I was already an exceptional fighter and possessed a gifted mind. What else could I do? Study? How what that make me fare any better than I already would? If anything, if I took my opponents too seriously it would just plant seeds of doubt into my head that would plague me and cause me to stumble where I wouldn’t normally. That didn’t strike me as too good an idea, so as I walked off towards my first class, already having missed the chance for breakfast, I had already decided to drop any plans of “preparation” for the Holy Mission. No, instead I would try to do what everyone else in my Garden did with their spare time, for a change. Just enjoy myself, for once. Take some time for recreation.
The first few lessons flew by, and for the first time in my life I don’t think I paid any attention to what the tutors said. I didn’t mean to ignore them, it was just, how could anything they say matter when I couldn’t share the information with Trixie? I wanted to be with her, and so everything else didn’t matter. All I could do was wait for our time together, after the lunch bell would ring and I could rush out in search of her, and we’d be together again. Before the bell went, someone came into our class and said something to the instructor. As they left, the instructor turned to us all, looking shocked, before she addressed us.
“Class, I have just been informed that Amne has been assaulted. She is currently in the Infirmary, suffering from a stab wound in her shoulder. If anyone has any information, please, come forward.” She said, looking around for any signs of any of us stepping forward. I looked around the regular faces of my class, most of whom looked as shocked as the teacher, though some of them looked more scared. To me, that seemed to explain it. Only one person in our Garden would instil that sort of reaction from any students, and it didn’t take a genius to work out who; Renea. So it had come to her attacking her own sister? Somehow, that didn’t surprise me. The girl was crazy. When the bell did finally ring, I leapt up from my chair too quickly, knocking over my desk into the person in front of me. They turned around aggressively, and then saw it was me, mumbled something that must have been derogatory under his breath, and watched me sprint for the door, rushing off towards the cafeteria.
As I reached my usual table, I sat down, forgetting to grab something to eat despite the fact that my stomach was screaming abuse at me for not having offered it anything all day. For the next several minutes, I was extremely uncomfortable, shifting uncontrollably in my seat, continuously checking my watch, shuffling my feet anxiously… Until I saw her round the corner and I nearly fell off my seat. When she saw me, she smiled widely at me and rushed over towards me.
“Thadeous!” She said happily. “How are you today?”
“Good.” I said, not being able to think of a more appropriate word, though at the time I don’t think I noticed. I was mesmerized by her.
“I have some bad news.” She said, quickly sitting next to me.
“Oh?” I asked, fearing that she was going to tell me something absolutely horrible. I bit my bottom lip, fearing the worst.
“I have detention today, so I can’t have lunch with you.” She said, tapping me on the shoulder. I knew it would be bad.
“No, it can’t be. There must be some kind of mistake.” I said in utter disbelief. My day had been ruined. Nothing could make any of it worse. I had been waiting to see her all day and now she had been taken away from me. I didn’t know if I’d ever get over it. “Is there nothing we can do?”
“No, in all the conversing we did yesterday I completely forgot to finish some coursework and my tutor didn’t see the funny side of it, so…” She said. “Alas, detention.”
“I understand.” I said, feeling the weight of my head as it dropped, right in front of her. I think she thought I was trying to be cute, which I tried to play it off as so that she wouldn’t think I was crazy or anything. I wasn’t. She just seemed to bring out this whole other side to me that even I wasn’t used to. I had been called many things; smug, know it all, swot, nerd, idiot, geek, clumsy dip shit who’s in my way, but I’d never been called crazy. Not once. Well, maybe once, but never twice. I was completely dejected as I knew she was going to be gone, but then she said something that elated my spirits, gave me something to live for again.
“So, I’m free after classes, this evening. Would you like to meet up with me in the library or something?” She asked, as if I was going to say no or something. I wasn’t stupid.
“Yes!” I said, a little too over enthusiastically, but it made her giggle.
“I will see you later then.” She said, and I watched her wave the cutest little wave anyone had ever done and she left. When I turned to get up and grab some food, I was shocked to see Cas sitting right next to me.
“Oh, you finally noticed me then?” He said, looking at me as if I was a complete stranger to him.
“Cas, how long have you been there?” I asked him.
“I was here before you were!” He said angrily at me. “I even said, hello, Thad, how’s it hanging as you sat down and you completely blanked me.”
“You can’t be serious.” I replied, not believing him one bit.
“No, I’m not. I just got here.” He replied, laughing. “But you should have seen your face back then. You believed me, at least for a second.”
“So, did you here about Amne?” I asked him, trying to turn the subject away from him picking on me. I hated his ribbing sometimes.
“No. I haven’t heard from her since she completely snubbed me yesterday. All I did was try and ask her some advice on Renea and she just walked away after saying something like ‘as if she’d like you.’ Or something. I can’t remember what she said because I am still in shock, quite frankly. Everyone said she was the nice sister, but I think she’s a cow. No wonder no one likes her. I hope someone puts her in her place.” He said, like a raving idiot.
“Someone did. She’s been stabbed in the shoulder and is in the infirmary.” I said, making him feel like the raving idiot he was.
“What?! Oh man, I take it back. I was just a little peeved. Oh man, what have I done?” He said, burying his face in his folded arms.
“You didn’t do anything. I think it was your girlfriend, Renea.” I said. He lifted his head and looked at me as if I was crazy.
“There is no way she would do that to anyone, let alone her own sister. You do realize on those rumours about her being an evil vindictive bitch are a complete over exaggeration, don’t you? I really hope you’re not gullible enough to buy in to all of that.” He said, as if I was handicapped and he was my case worker, talking slow enough for me to understand. Sometimes, he confused me.
“Do you hear yourself? Where did you come up with that?” I asked, somewhat annoyed by his tone.
“Well, nowhere really. It’s just my theory.” He said, tucking into his roll. I just stared at him. Cas was really strange sometimes. Anyway, I hadn’t anymore time to waste discussing the finer points of a psycho woman, I had more important things to do. I had to wait for time to pass so I could spend my evening with Trixie.
