2: The Lights

Chapter 2

Alicia rose from her bed, confused and soaked. Her vision was blurred, her mind foggy and unable to think. Disoriented, as though her world had turned upside down. Excruciating bright lights from everywhere stifled her senses.

“Finally, you’re awake,” declared a voice, holding an empty bucket over the bed. The woman set down the bucket, peering down at Alicia. Alicia squinted; her disorientation faded away as her eyes struggled to adjust to the brightness of the room. “Mom what the hell?” Alicia groaned. Her shocked expression soon turned furious. Alicia wiped her face and shook her soaked hair, spraying more droplets of water around her bed.

The bed was semi-drenched in water. The end of the dream suddenly made sense. “Get up Alicia! You’ll be late for school,” her mom said. Light shone in through the window, exposed through the cracks between the blinds, no doubt opened by her mother. The room, aside from the drenched bed in disarray, was orderly and mundane. Stacks of books covered the walls, sitting around her table and laptop, clean and without a speck of dust. The sunlight basked the room, filling it with some sort of natural, heavenly glow.

Alicia grumbled, peering over at her alarm clock. It read, 8:10am. Oh shit, Alicia exclaimed, in shock. She stumbled up, rushing to get ready, while her mom stared at her in exasperation.

Alicia raced to the washroom, brushing her teeth and showering as fast as she could, managing to get out almost 15 minutes later. Alicia threw open the doors to her closet, randomly selecting an outfit, then tossed them on her bed. She could hear her mom humming a familiar song. Alicia slipped on her socks, and took her phone out of the charger, when she got a message. Can we meet at the entrance? read the text. It was from Carter, her best friend. She quickly typed, yeah sure, and then bolted out of the room.

“Honey, I made pancakes!” exclaimed her mother, as soon as she saw her daughter arrive down the stairs, and into the kitchen. “Thanks, I just have a couple minutes though,” Alicia said. She scarfed down the pancakes quickly, before chugging down orange juice she’d made. Her mom watched her in amusement. “Slow down, you don’t want a stomach-ache now, do you?” she said. Alicia paused for a moment, finishing the last of her juice. “I need to go quickly,” Alicia said. Her mom nodded, frowning. “Listen, you seemed a little different, scared maybe, before you woke up,” her mom said, her hands placed on her hips, worried.

Alicia shook her head. “I’m fine,” she continued, pausing for a moment, “though it might’ve had something to do with how you woke me,” casting an evil eye towards her mother, who smiled apologetically, raising her hands in surrender. “Where’s Adam?” Alicia asked. Her mom was washing some plates, placing them in a clean, empty dish rack. “Your little brother’s still sleeping,” her mom said, peering up towards the stairs. Alicia nodded, finishing up her breakfast and taking a deep breath, feeling very full.

The TV was on, blaring a news channel. A woman was stating the weather forecast for the day. 27 degrees, sunny with clear skies throughout the day. Alicia’s mother turned her gaze towards the screen, while simultaneously cleaning the kitchen. “It’s a wonderful day, I love summer,” exclaimed her mother. Alicia focused all her attention on packing her things, including packing a lunch. The news channel switched over to a news reporter at a crime scene.

“Right now, we don’t have all the details on what happened last night here in Mildrift, Kinstone. Witnesses say they experienced a rapid change in weather, a violent storm passing by. However, they reported seeing various lightning bursts of different colours, such as blue, purple, and red, which seems to be the most astonishing. Police are requesting those living in the area to be on high alert for these suspicious colours of lightning and report any sightings to the nearest police station."

The reporter, a middle-aged man, struggled to retain his footing as heavy gusts of wind whipped up through the area. The video seemed shaky and unfocused, as though the cameraman was being thrown around by the wind. Alicia stood up, completely focused on the channel, worried. Her mother, who seemed to have stopped cleaning, became engrossed in the live stream.

“Now…” He continued, “These strange events may have something in common with the recent crime investigations the past month. Unexplained robberies and other crimes that have rapidly increased in the city have been reported by witnesses who have caught a glimpse of similar types of streaks of lightning in the vicinity. It seems that there are strange incidents in play here, and we urge you, the public, to remain vigilant, if you find anything of this nature. This is Kinstone City Picture news, reporting live unbiased news daily. Stay tuned for more news updates.”

The camera panned around the scene for a moment. Wreckages from completely damaged vehicles and road signs on the street were visible, the street barren and devoid of other pedestrians and cars, except for crowds of reporters and policemen, covering most of the area with yellow crime tape.

Alicia sighed. The city’s getting even more messed up by the day, she thought. She glanced over to her mother, who wore a distraught expression. “Alicia, you need to be more cautious when you go out,” declared her mother, worried, “I have no idea what’s going on, but if you see those strange… things, just run the other way, okay?” Alicia nodded. She’d never seen her mother this worried.

Alicia reminisced about her dream from last night. It felt so vivid and real, was it? She thought, anxiously. She stared at her palms. Soft, slightly pink. No green. Alicia sighed. Probably not.

Her mother continued to wash dishes in the kitchen, while Alicia began to slip on her shoes on the way out. Ready to go, Alicia took a quick look at the mirror that hung on a wall, a few metres from the door. She looked weary and perturbed; the vivid scenes from last night seemed to linger on well after she woke. As soon as Alicia swung open the front door, rays of blinding sunlight struck against her eyes. Her arms immediately shielded her from the sudden change in illumination, as she was basked in the warmth of the outdoors. Alicia sighed, closing the door behind her, her metal water bottle clanged against the door as it shut closed.

The sun glowed brightly against the clear blue sky, emitting warmth like incandescent light bulbs as winds brushed past the streets and houses. Alicia’s long frizzy hair bounced against the breeze, as she sped walked along the sidewalk. Another text buzzed her phone; Alicia slipped her hand in her pocket to retrieve it. A text from Melissa, a friend, urgently awaited her arrival at the school. I’ve got to hurry, Alicia thought, Mrs. Lynwood’s gonna kill me.

Alicia raced through the streets, paying no attention to the birds chirping in the trees, or the radiating sun casting a heavenly glow on the neighborhood she dwelled in. She’d slipped her headphones in, listening to a shuffled playlist. Music spilled from the earpieces and into her ear, calming her as she ran quickly to the school. Alicia was getting closer; she could hear the laughter of children and the continuous ringing bell of the school loudspeaker. Police sirens blared a distance away; the noise echoed throughout the streets. Cars and other vehicles passed her by, driving from where she was headed. Some teenagers with school bags strapped to their shoulders, headed out the doors of their homes to walk in the same direction as Alicia, though they didn't seem to be hurrying or walking as fast as her. Alicia raced past them, the teenagers turned to glance at her, equally as tired. Alicia still seemed to be stressed, constantly checking her phone for the time. Just a few minutes, Alicia thought. Her backpack bounced as she dashed through the sidewalk, the water bottle springing around the thin rope fastened to it. The sun was too bright for Alicia; she winced as her eyes squinted to avoid the bright skies.

After almost ten minutes, the school building began to come into view. She found Carter, leaning against a wall, near the entrance of the school. He was wearing his headphones, which he seemed to carry everywhere. Carter was staring towards the sky, almost completely lost in his surroundings, until Alicia popped up beside him. “Hey what’s up,” she said, unenthusiastically. Carter turned to look at her. “Sky looks pretty awesome right now, don’t you agree?” Carter exclaimed, turning his head back towards the sky. “Yeah, it's great,” replied Alicia, solemnly.

He smiled. “Why so late?” Alicia sighed. “Alright, let’s just go”. Carter gestured to her and pulled open one of the front entrance doors of the building. Alicia went in, followed by him. “She asked me to look for you by the way,” Carter disclosed, “But we just got through warmups, so you’re not really missing anything”.

“Nice, you the teachers’ pet now?” Alicia teased. “As long as it gets me good grades,” Carter retorted, grinning. They made their way to the arts section of the first floor, where a grumpy-looking older woman eyed them from a short distance away. “You’re late again, Stone,” she said, casting an evil eye towards her. Alicia avoided the gaze. “Sorry Mrs. Lynwood, I was just-” Alicia said, before being interrupted. “I don’t need your excuses” Mrs. Lynwood argued, “This is your last chance. Once more, and I’ll be forced to remove you from the school band.” Alicia tensed, expressing a look of regret. “It won’t happen again,” Alicia promised, though it didn’t seem plausible she’d be removed. Alicia was one of the only vocal players of the band, aside from Carter. Mrs. Lynwood motioned for her into the room, in which she and Carter settled into the class. “Alright class, from the top!” the teacher ordered, while Alicia quickly readied herself. She grabbed the sheet of music from her bag; lists of musical notes and instructions covered the pages.

The class erupted in sound. Carter settled along the side with Alicia as their part in the song was soon to begin. The melodic tone of the flute and clarinet players in the front added to the ambiance and the rich sound that was composed of trumpets and trombones. The rest of the class played in tune with the sounds, where the percussion in the back formed a deep beat of bass that rumbled throughout the room, causing the music to boom profoundly. The sounds began to quiet down slightly, as Alicia opened her part, humming in an angelic tone, soon followed by Carter adding the flow of a much deeper and richer tone. Alicia closed her eyes, trying to envision herself within the music, adjoining to the piece. She thought of the warmth of the air in the room, the tension dissipating as Alicia connected herself to her own voice. The drifting of her tempo was matched with Carter, drawing a picture of underlying emotions and connectedness of the band.

It’s not over, the voice in her mind claimed. A trickle of sweat dripped from the top of her forehead, anxiously following the sheet of music in front of her, willing herself to be one with the class. Her sudden distress caused her voice to ripple darker, a strained and unbalanced tone. Alicia willed herself to ignore the voice, pausing for a moment, before moving onto the next part. The music echoed throughout the room, various instruments and vocals surrounded Alicia, enveloping her. Closing around her as anxiety began to take control of her. Alicia opened her eyes’, realizing Mrs. Lynwood was watching her, in concern, with her rhythm stick frozen in the air. As soon as their eyes locked, Mrs. Lynwood broke the gaze, glancing towards the class and her own music notes. She seemed to be preoccupied, in her own thoughts, for a moment, before turning back towards the class, directing them.

After another hour of playing, short breaks, and theory, Mrs. Lynwood concluded the band meeting. “Class dismissed,” she exclaimed, “We’ll continue on Thursday. Remember to continue practicing on your own.” Students began to pack up their instruments, chatting amongst each other.

“Sorry, Mrs. Lynwood?” asked a student, “When’s the big day?” Mrs. Lynwood turned towards the student from her work. “The 26th of May, in exactly 4 weeks. Remember that date everyone, that’s when we will be performing.”

Alicia took a sip from her bottle, seated across from Carter. “Hey, you okay?” Carter asked, a slightly concerned look on his face. Alicia turned to look at him, confused. “You just seem a little different today,” Carter said, “Like your mind was somewhere else”. Alicia presented him with a small lopsided smile. “I’m good, just a little tired,” she explained, “Had to stay up late to finish that report for English”.

Carter produced a half smile. His eyes scrutinized her, unconvinced. “Yeah, I guess, just let me know if something changes, things are getting a little weird these days”. Alicia nodded. Carter smiled reassuringly and continued to pack up his things. Alicia slung her backpack over her shoulder and waited for Carter by the doors.

“Alicia, can I see you for a moment?” Mrs. Lynwood called out. Alicia, slightly flustered, walked quickly to the front, where the music teacher was waiting. Most of the students have left the room. They seemed to have raced out in a flash. Carter had finished packing up, staring expectantly at her. “I, ah, I’ll see you in English, Alice,” he mumbled, before scampering out the door. Mrs. Lynwood was organizing some papers, before placing them in a red folder on her desk. Alicia felt perturbed, the ball of her foot bounced against the school floors. Her heart began to beat more quickly. Mrs. Lynwood finally looked up. Her grey, calculating eyes locked with the dark brown eyes of Alicia’s. She shivered.

“I’ve noticed that you sounded a little different today, your voice changed during the practice,” Mrs. Lynwood mentioned, scrutinizing Alicia, “Is there something going on?” Her grey eyes struck like daggers, which made Alicia uneasy, a wave of discomfort creeped onto her. “I, uh, no ma’am, I’m fine. My alarm clock didn’t go off this morning.” Mrs. Lynwood nodded, satisfied. Her expression softened. “Oh, that’s fine. I apologize for what I have said earlier. You have been a great addition to our band, and you have made a promising effort. I’d rather you not put that talent of yours to waste, is all.” Alicia calmed down slightly, understanding. “I’ll try to be early next time, I promise.” she vowed. Mrs. Lynwood nodded, soothingly.

Alicia left the room, frowning. That was weird, she thought. She grabbed her phone from her pocket, checking the time, shit I need to go.

The hallways glowed brightly, illuminated from the doors at their ends, as though they led to the heavens. Alicia felt sweat form on her forehead, and wet marks exhibiting sweat protruded from her armpits, as she made her way through the halls. Crowds of students gathered from all directions, making the path to her class much more difficult. Alicia pushed through the barricades, when she stumbled upon a familiar face.

Several other students glared at her, as she managed to squeeze through the commotion. “Josie!” Alicia called out towards the other girl, who seemed to be somewhat stressed and concentrated on moving through the crowd. Josie turned her head and smiled. “Hey Alicia!” shouted Josie, who turned to hug her. Alicia’s face was buried in Josie’s hazel-coloured afro, which was enlightened against the light of the brightened hall, producing a rich, auburn colour. “Did you choose a program yet? For uni?” questioned Josie, nervously, letting go of the hug. “Ah, nope not yet” answered Alicia, as they walked along the hallway. “Yeah, same. I just don’t know what to do”. Josie sighed, as they advanced up the stairs, ushered up by the countless other students behind them. Alicia felt sweat drip down from her neck. The heat was starting to drain her. “Just do something you like. What about politics?” Alicia suggested. “You liked learning about that”. Josie nodded, hesitating. “Maybe,” she said, “You said you wanted to become a doctor?” Alicia nodded, who continued to push through another crowd as they made their way out of the stairway. “Either that, or something with business, not too sure”.

They arrived on the second floor. Alicia felt a cool breeze on her face. An air vent blew cold wind from above, giving her a moment of pleasure, away from the heat. “Anyway, I’ll see you later?” Josie said, waving to Alicia, as she began walking backwards in another direction, towards the science department. Alicia waved back, half-smiling.

A boy, burly and massive, barreled past Alicia. Alicia instinctively leaped to the side, shocked. The metal bottle that was attached to the bag, flew off and banged against a row of lockers on the wall. The boy raced through, clutching his bag under his arm, as he disappeared around the corner. Alicia scowled, rubbing her arm. The bell rang. A sound so deafening that it shocked Alicia to her core, pulling her out of her thoughts. Classes were starting, which explained the growing emptiness of the school hallways. She grimaced, as she grabbed her metal water bottle and fastened it back to her backpack, tying the bottle to a strap that hung on her bag, as the bottle dangled loosely from it. Alicia silently cursed the boy, as she continued to race through, heading to class.

She noticed the room was full; all the students were seated at their desks. Some were laying comfortably at their desks, where they fiddled with their papers, notebooks and writing utensils. A few had their heads down or their faces expressing blankly, bored. The teacher stood in the front, watching her with a stern expression, who seemed to be in the process of writing something on the board. As soon as she stepped through the open door, the heat hit her. It became much more unbearable within the classroom than outside of it. Most of the students, both boys and girls, drained of emotions and energy, seemed to be unequivocally annoyed by the festering heat. However, Mr. Lyn seemed to be unfazed. “Alicia, glad you could join us. Have a seat,” ordered Mr. Lyn. Alicia smiled meekly, as she headed near the back of the class, next to Melissa. The auburn-haired girl didn’t seem to be bothered by the heat, but was clearly restless, looking through her notes and peering frequently towards her phone. Melissa waved to Alicia, greeting her with a full grin. Alicia smiled back.

Mr. Lin was scribbling down some equations on the blackboard. The chalk tapped furiously on the board; an accumulation of white dust spread across his hands. “Now, students. Like I’ve said in the last class,” declared Mr. Lyn, “This and the next few classes will serve as a review for the upcoming test. It will do you good to spend time on studying these types of equations and theory”. Most of the class, either from the excessive heat, or simply disinterested, remained unfocused. Some pulled out their cellphones, and others their headphones. Alicia felt continuous beads of sweat beginning to stream down the small of her back. She could feel herself unfocused and drained of mental energy.

Melissa turned to her. “Here watch this,” she directed, holding her cell phone over to Alicia, a paused video occupying the screen of the device. Alicia yawned, as Melissa’s finger hovered over the pause icon.

The class was relatively quiet; many of the classmates either exchanged answers for work, or were completely engrossed in their cellphones, hardly speaking a word. Melissa clicked on the video, and handed her phone to Alicia, who frowned at her, confused. “What is it?” Alicia questioned, in which Melissa replied, shaking her head excitedly. The teacher at the front, sighed in defeat. He slumped down on his chair, behind the desk, eyeing some of the students.

Shocks of lightning spiked throughout the streets, within the screen of Melissa’s phone as it played. The video was choppy and unfocused, as though the person holding the device induced a seizure. Different colours, shades of purple, blue, and a mixture of others thundered in the skies. It was dark, only spots of small lights occupied the sky.

Alicia gasped silently, as she recalled the sightings in the news she’d seen, back in the morning. She remembered the reporter depicting them as strange storms. A shiver creeped along her spine, as she remembered the frightened expression on her mother’s face, when both their eyes laid locked onto the screen of the television.

The video blurred every few seconds; there was movement the way the lights were moving farther away. Houses, vehicles and trees around the area were touched by the lightning, as they also drifted away into the distance. The coloured lights were very vivid and bright, shooting up, as the sky only continued to get darker by the minute. The person holding the camera seemed to be running away at full speed. Blurs of shapes moved along the coloured lightning, equivocally recognizable as humanoid figures. The figures flickered throughout the streets, appearing one second, and disappearing the next. Caught and dragged by the different lightning shocks. Alicia gulped, her mind raced, as she watched intently, trembling slightly. As the camera bounced around, Alicia caught sight of the rest of the street. It was deserted and devoid of life, except for several glimpses of someone behind the camera. The person behind the camera, wore an olive-green tank top covered in a long-tied cardigan; light skin, a young face full of acne scars and few freckles spotted across her cheeks, long hung locks tied by a hair tie behind her head, Alicia assumed the girl to be around her own age. The girl frequently muttered something under her breath, making out a series of sentences that seemed to be another language.

“It’s Dutch,” Melissa added, “she’s basically saying she’s scared out of her mind, that she’s seeing things.” Alicia nodded, taking a deep breath, to calm down. Alicia sensed a cool sensation under her left armpit. Subtly lowering her eyes, she noticed sweat stains beginning to run down the side of her shirt. Alicia fanned her shirt intuitively, while directing her eyes back to the screen. The girl continued to race through the street, managing to get to safety; the view was focused on rows of houses along the sides, as they sped past, moving leftwards. Most of them were draped shut. Finally, it came to a halt, frozen in place. Until the view was semi-obstructed by the hands of the girl, who continued to mumble a few more words in Dutch, fidgeting with the device. The video cut abruptly, the final shot pointing towards the pavement grounds of the road.

Melissa turned off her phone and slid it into her pocket. “What are you doing? You should send it to the police or something.” Alicia exclaimed, puzzled. “I will,” Melissa replied, “At some point, once I figure this out.” The class was still buzzing with noise, ignoring the two. A paper airplane whizzed past the back of Alicia’s head. She jumped in surprise, before scanning the room for the culprit. “Oops, my bad,” a boy apologized, as he scurried towards his creation. The airplane hit the back wall and crumpled. Alicia and Melissa stared, annoyed, as the boy retrieved the papery heap, tossing it into a nearby recycling bin, awkwardly, as he felt their gaze on him. He slipped back into his seat near the center of the room, turning around towards them, producing a sheepish grin.

Melissa cast an evil eye towards the boy, before turning her gaze to Alicia. “But Alice,” Melissa asked, in a hushed tone, “What if those weren’t storms at all? I thought I saw some people inside those weird lights”. Alicia paused, darting glances around the room. Everyone else in the room seemed preoccupied, oblivious to Alicia’s anxiety. “I-I don’t know,” Alicia pondered, gathering herself. “Maybe our eyes are playing tricks on us? The whole thing was a blur, not really sure what to make of it.”

Melissa nodded, fidgeting with a button on her top, nervous. “True. But if they are people, they’d be like, supernatural or something, right?” Alicia nodded, hesitant. “That would be really crazy, right? But, I mean, what if they were bad? It would explain those unexplained crimes that happened the past month or so,” Melissa rambled on, unfocused on Alicia, who seemed indifferent. “Wait a minute,” Alicia pointed out, “How’d you get that video?” Melissa paused momentarily. “Ah, well, one of my cousins, you know, Evie?” Alicia suddenly remembered. Rosy cheeks, blonde hair, and a figure that loomed over Alicia whenever they met. “Right, right, that was her? I hardly recognized her,” Alicia commented. Melissa continued, impatient. “Yeah, yeah, I think you guys met once, at my birthday party last year. She’s not very talkative I guess, but she was around the area of the storm, and she showed me what happened”. Alicia nodded slowly, scratching her neck, distraught.

“Alice!” Melissa said, suddenly holding onto Alicia’s shoulders, peering into her eyes. “People with powers! I thought you’d be more excited than this. This boring little town finally has some drama.” Melissa leaned back, staring at the ceiling in awe. “Yeah sure, but it’s kinda scary though,” replied Alicia. Melissa’s expression changed, as she sat her arms over the desk. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she acknowledged, biting her lip, “They could be aliens. You know, maybe they want to experiment on us or something. Or maybe they’re just-”. Melissa’s pondering of theories was cut short, as the front door was swung open. Mr. Lyn was busy speaking to a few students, who crowded around his desk, when they peered up, toward the entrance.

A lanky older man entered the room, sporting a burgundy coat suit with suede elbow patches. Principal Hannigan. Mr. Lyn immediately stood up, shooing away some of the students. Without a word, Mr. Hannigan motioned over to Mr. Lyn, pointing behind him with his thumb. Mr. Lyn, his facial expression turning grim, walked over and joined Hannigan, as they walked out the door. “Students,” Mr. Lyn said, before he turned the corner, all eyes turning to him, “I’ll be out for a few minutes. In my place, Ms. Chilo will be answering your questions. Just… try not to be too loud, thank you”. Mr. Lyn disappeared out the door, Mr. Hannigan in tow.

The class was momentarily silent. The children who stood idly around the teachers’ desk, now moved dejectedly to their desks, carrying their notebooks and textbooks over. “Huh, that’s weird,” Melissa whispered. Alicia nodded. “You think somethings going on?” Alicia questioned back, her distraught expression turning to a frown. It wasn’t too long after the class began to pick up noise again, chattering amongst themselves, some were playing music. Melissa let out an audible puff of air. “I think,” Melissa whispered, “they’re hiding something from us”. Alicia stared at Melissa in confusion. Melissa locked eyes with Alicia and glanced away quickly. “C’mon, Alice! All this definitely has to be a cover up! We need to get to the bottom of this, the both of us.” Alicia’s breathing turned uneven. She stood up, suddenly, knocking over her metal bottle. It clanged against the floor. “I need to go to the bathroom for a second,” she said, placing her bottle back on her desk. Melissa stared at her quizzically. “Um, okay.” Melissa said. Nervously, Alicia scampered through the classroom, weaving through the students and their spaces. She instinctively dodged a paper airplane that flew across the room. Alicia frowned at the boy at the front, who seemed to curl deeper into his seat, turning away from her. “Oops,” he muttered.

Alicia slipped out the door. The hallways were empty, no teacher or principal in sight. Golden light shone in from the ceiling, the clear windows guided the light through. Alicia shuddered, the thoughts in her mind swirled around, overwhelming her, as she strode through the halls. She approached the girls’ washroom a few metres away and slipped inside. It seemed to be empty; the only sound was the quiet hum of the air vents from above, pushing cool winds into the room. Breathing uneven, Alicia leaned over on the sink, her hands pressed against the cold marble sink. She locked eyes with herself, the other side of the mirror. Her warm, hazel eyes looked back at her. What’s wrong with me, she thought, as a single tear trailed down her face. What if it’s true, referring to the dream she had last night. She turned the knob of the faucet to the right, cupping her hands over the pouring water. Alicia splashed the water on her face, cold water that seemed to hit like sharp blades against the surface of her skin. She gasped loudly, her breathing much heavier now. It felt refreshing, against the excruciating heat that seemed to be everywhere. It also washed away the tears on her face. The liquid dripped down her shirt, masking itself as another sweat mark.

Alicia’s eyes glossed over, her head flowing with uncertainty and anxiety. A couple of chattering high-pitched voices were heard outside the washroom. Alicia quickly hid in one of the bathroom stalls. She chose a stall furthest from the entrance. Some girls entered the washroom. Judging by the gleeful voices, Alicia assumed they were a group of freshmen. “Caity, we need to go out tonight! We need to celebrate your breakup” exclaimed one of the girls, cheerfully. Alicia, cautiously moving backwards, stepped onto the foot of the toilet seat, hiding herself from the others. “Yeah, I guess,” another girl muttered, though hesitantly. “Exams are coming up, and before you know it, we’re off to uni, we need to do something!” Alicia stood perfectly still, unable to make another move. Another few minutes have passed, when the two girls left, leaving Alicia to be alone in the washroom.

She sighed, shaking her head slightly. Alicia slipped down from the toilet seat, her feet hitting the tiled floors. She turned around, and stared in shock, at the back wall. It was spray painted graffiti, done hastily, as though the perpetrator had only a few seconds to waste. Alicia covered her mouth, her eyes blank, terrified. The X was a combination of shades of purple and maroon. Similar to the dream she had, what the men had wore on their clothes. Almost an exact replica. Alicia stumbled backwards, eyeing the graffiti as though it was cursed. As though it unraveled everything she knew. Alicia stumbled out of the stall, dazed and confused. She stopped in front of the mirror, moving closer to it. She stared at herself again. As she leaned closer to the mirror, she examined the pupils of her eyes. Still a smooth hazel colour. Before she could turn away, she caught something in her left eye. A tiny splotch of emerald appeared in the upper corner of her pupil. Something she hadn’t noticed before. Alicia tripped backwards, falling on the tiled floors, loudly. She felt paralyzed. No, it’s not true, probably not, she thought, trying to calm herself down. Moments passed, as she struggled to get up and regain her posture. Alicia ran out of the bathroom, ignoring her thoughts.

A janitor had just finished wiping the area on the floor, when Alicia burst into the hallway, stumbling over the wet, slick floor, dropping to the floor. Blacking out of consciousness.

Continued on: The Boy

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