The Vale

C42

I can feel the life slipping out of  me, I wish the pain would just stop. Is there an on and off switch for the pain?

"Stop!" I scream for the figure in a black cloak. I can't make out his face because of his back is turned to me. "Pl..please," I beg in a broken voice. My hands and legs are handcuffed with my body laid down on an alter. More figures in black cloaks start walking around me, circling me like some kind of a ritual.

"Look at you!" One of them voices out.

"Weak!" Another adds.

"Pathetic!"

"A disgrace!"

"Miserable!"

They all stop at the same time and take a step closer to me, it is a coordinated movement. "Just like her Mother," they whisper.

I can feel my head aching, my body is burning up, I have no choice but to let go, I want to be strong, I want to take it all in but I can't. I can't. I just can't.

A low groan leaves my mouth as I feel a pair of hands on me. My eyes shoot open as the nightmare disperses into memory fragments. I'm hyperventilating and I can feel sweat dripping from my forehead.

I see the headmaster and Damian standing over me, looking worried as ever, well, the headmaster is. Damian is looking blank as always. "Are you okay?" The headmaster asks in concern.

I close my eyes and use my hand to rub my face. "Hmm," I hum, nodding before opening my eyes and sitting upright. "My head hurts," I slur, I think I'm still a little high from my dream.

"Look here," Damian says and I do as he says. "This will help," he offers as he places his hand on my forehead.

He murmurs something as I feel the headache slipping away until it disappears. "Thanks, I'm all right." I say as I pull my legs up, hugging it to myself.

The headmaster sits on the bed while Damian keeps his distance. I notice it's just us in my room, I don't see Jessica anyways as I look around for her. "Where is Jess?"

"She's in class, she wanted to stay with you but I convinced her to go," the headmaster answers.

I nod in understanding. "That's great. School is important. So what are you guys doing here?"

Father and son looks at each other, and then at me. "Tell us what happened. How did they get to you?" Damian demands in a very rude way, I'm too exhausted to fight him so I'll let it go.

"Ask Jessica," I huff. As much as I'd like to revisit that memory, I think I'll let it stay like as it is, a memory.

"We could, I mean, we tried to but none of them were able to give a clear story." The headmaster explains.

I frown at that statement. "What do you mean by that? They were there, they saw what happened." I'm raising my voice now.

The headmaster sighs. "I know but none of them were able to recollect the whole thing, not Jessica, Nate and definitely not Roman. They knew something happened but they just couldn't explain it," he says.

"We think the Chemistry Professor did something to their memories, so tell us what happened."

I lick my bottom lip as I recollect what happened, I don't even need to recollect it, it's stained to my memory like a virus.

"After my chemistry test yesterday, Professor Holme asked me to stay behind to talk. He asked about my visit to Australia and I told him I didn't go anywhere, I left his office to come to you and after I met up with Nate, Jessica and Alicia–"

"Alicia Savage?" The headmaster asks and I nod.

"I’ve had a few run-ins with Alyssa and Penelope, in case anyone reports anything to you. On our way to the dorm, I got a call from my someone that told me about their death. I got angry and stormed off to confront Roman. He denied it but with the way he behaved I felt like they have something on him. He told me to stay away from them and that's when Professor Holmes showed and almost vaporized my brain, I think I passed out."