Chapter 8: Dreams and Nightmares

Sarah friends Kass and Linda came visiting when classes was over for the day. They were worried sick after what they heard had happened to their friend. They brought over some snacks and juice, her favorite. Sarah smile and thanked them both. She asked after Kai and Nicko while she dig in. Kass and Linda threw surprised glances at each other thinking they heard Sarah wrong. Both girl let out an exciting screech, nudging each other. Sarah wonder what this was all about as she gave them the questioning look.

"Just that we were surprised you cared to asked after Mr hot arse Nicko." Kass confessed, grinning.

"Is there something you are hiding from us?" Linda shot her question making Sarah confused.

"No girls. Just wanna know if Sir Charles is still being hard on them. You know since we all didn't finish night class." Even that was a lie.

Sarah had allot of unanswered questions. Worse she hasn't seen Kai the entire day. She did not want to over think it that Kai was just avoiding her so she needed to know from her friends how they were.

Kass and Linda quickly understood that no feeling was attached as for asking after Nicko. Linda offered that she saw both Kai and Nicko at the library.

"They looked rather close all of a sudden." Linda added.

That was weird. Sarah wasn't mistaking Nicko has almost choked the life out of Kai last night. Now they are close.

They talked on other subjects such as Sir Charles being scolded by the principal for being reckless leaving Sarah and the boys to the staff quarters to sleep. They all laughed.

"Serves him right." Kass spat out. Seeing the state Sarah was in Sir Charles shouldn't even be teaching anymore. She added, "Its a good thing nothing worse had happened such as broken bones, brain damage and the rest."

Sarah smiled seeing Kass protective demeanor is one property that strengthen them as best friends in her reality.

Two days later, Sarah was told she can now start attending classes seeing how much she has recovered already. Though some bandages were still left on her leg and arm, some light bruise was still evident around her face. But it doesn't stop her for being excited. She just wants to get out of bed. Sarah friends who came to take her back to their dorm told her that a new uniform has been given to her since the last is already torn. They helped her out of bed before heading out.

Sarah wondered why Kai never came to see her or even check up on her the entire two days. Probably not because of classes, that's entirely a dumb excuse. She decided against thinking too much about it while her friends properly settles her down on her bed.

While she drifts to slumber, her hand reached for the most precious thing around her neck. A silver necklace given to her by her dad. Though she still didn't recall when or the whole event surrounding how dad gave it to her. Her Aunt told her it was a very precious thing given to her before he died. Whenever her gaze caught up with the ornament on her neck, she sops while a memory struck her. Sarah just couldn't understand why aunt didn't want to tell her anything. If she persist, she turns red dragging Sarah to her room locking the door.

Now more than ever, this precious ornament seem to be her only source of solace while she thought about her dad. Tear drop lace the corner of her eyelid down to the side of her ears. She trace the ornament down to the heart shape pendant handing atop her chest. But the heart piece was missing a key. She traced the shape of a key that was already carved out in between the heart meaning the heart pendant wasn't complete without the key.

𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒅 𝒈𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒖𝒎

She thought about how her mum looked like. She smiled while she dreamed about her in her sleep.

• • • • • • • • • •

Classes started with sister Madeleine religious studies. She always made it mandatory to start all her classes with prayers with the rest of the students before proceeding to the topics for the day.

Sarah sat close to her friends but she wasn't paying attention to Sister Madeleine teaching. Obviously she is distracted by Nicko who sat before Kai. Though she shouldn't be bother by Nicko's cold sparks he emits wherever he sat. She just wanted to talk to Kai without having to look over Nicko's shoulder.

From behind Kai sneak whisper to Sarah asking her how she was doing.

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒎 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈?

If not for Sister Madeleine, Sarah was sure of her fist going into his gut. Like hell, he didn't even make attempt to come see her when she was in school clinic. She shot him a drop dead look then turning back to the front while Sister Madeleine writes on the board. She crossed her arms under her breast slightly angry.

Kai understood that she must be upset. Since the last two days, he hasn't left Nicko side aware of the looming dangers. Now he realized he had been inconsiderate that Sarah wasn't part of the whose mess now.

The bell rang for change of class. Every student trotted to their respective class. Sarah too. But not until an arm grabbed her from the away from the crowd of throbbing students to a corner where Mrs Madeline wouldn't find them. The cleaning equipment room.

"Will you quit it." She manage to shook her arm free. "If you wanna talk we can make time for it. You don't have to make it obvious." She mused angrily.

"Come on Sarah. I did not intentionally mean to not come see you throughout those two day." He tries to defend himself. "I know it was inconsiderate of me. Just that I grew wary of the dangers lying ahead."

"Yeah, I can clearly see that since I wasn't in the picture."

"Am sorry." Kai bows his head.

"What exactly happened that night? I know I was imagining those things called people? Who were they?"

"Aerico."

Sarah squint her eyes unable to grab what Kai just said.

Seeing that the name sound strange to her he went on. "The things or people as you name it that attacked you that night are not of this world. Well they used to. They are called Aerico. Call it the walking dead or zombies." He waved his hand seeing how Sarah just stood blankly at him. Well when he put it the walking dead or Zombies, she understood clearly.

There weren't nightmares.