Chapter 30 Summer School

"Dixon, where do you think you're running off to? It's not safe. You could fall!" Talia shouted at the top of her lungs, chasing after the little boy with dark hair. She had a torch of fire in her hand, made from a wooden stick. She swiped it around to see in the dark. The ground was dry and barren and she hadn't run this much in ages.

"Dixon, why won't you answer me?" she kept insisting. Her light brown hair swayed around in a braid behind her. Her clothes looked worn and dirty like they hadn't been washed properly in years.

Young Dixon stopped right in front of the pit.

"That's where your father is working. You can't go there," she was saying.

Disregarding his mother's words, and without looking back, young Dixon started climbing down the pit. His mother rushed over, hovering the light over the pit. She gasped all of a sudden, staring down at the body of her son that had completely turned black like a shadow. The shadow kept descending deeper into the pit.

.

Cheryl rushed around her room, picking up last minute things that she would need. Although she was going away for a short while, it was still her first time packing. From the lump of clothes sticking out of her suitcase, it was obvious she may have over packed. All of a sudden, the lump started to move. Cheryl flinched, fixing her gaze at it. There was a tiny shadow hand protruding from it.

She went over and crouched down in front of it with her arms crossed.

"I know you're in there," she said.

The blue eyed Catter's head popped out of the lid, spilling clothes everywhere. Cheryl let out a long breath.

"Now I have to pack all over again."

At that moment, the door of her room sprang open. Ricky stood there with an impatient face. His eyes first scanned the room and then the messy pile of clothes scattered across the floor.

"Cheryl, what have you been doing for the past three hours?" He sounded disappointed. Cheryl looked back at the now empty suitcase. The Catter had conveniently slipped away, leaving her guilty of everything. "We have to leave. Get done with the packing. If you miss anything, I'll just bring it over to you later."

He left before she even had the chance to complain.

"You seem in a hurry to send me away…" she muttered, picking the clothes back up one by one, filling them back into the suitcase. An angry nerve pinched the back of her head as she did. She noticed the Catter peeking from behind the cupboard thinking she wouldn't see. It had its eyes fixed at the pile of clothes.

"Oh no you don't," Cheryl murmured and rose to her feet. She had one hand in front of her, giving off faint sparks as she inched towards the cupboard. The Catter withdrew into the shadows for a few seconds before dashing out of the corner towards the newly packed suitcase.

"Come back here!" Cheryl was shouting, chasing it around, letting out thin bolts of lightning that missed it by inches. It ran around the room, up the wall and over the ceiling. Lightning bolts followed it everywhere, leaving black scorch marks on the walls as well as the furniture.

Ricky opened the door with haste, worry lines creasing his forehead. The Catter jumped back into the suitcase the minute he marched in, leaving Cheryl to be the only culprit. She stood there in the middle of the room, hand in the air still giving off sparks.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ricky questioned, looking more tired than annoyed.

"I can explain-" she was saying before he interrupted.

"You just trashed your room. I don't care what the reason was, you can't do things like that."

He then walked over to the suitcase, pulling on the zipper and closed the lid. Cheryl raised her hands for an objection but he didn't look up. He picked it up by the handle, dragging it over to the doorway.

"Let's go. We're already late."

"I did try to warn him…" Cheryl murmured as she followed slowly behind.

They exited through the back of the house. Her parents stood there in the driveway next to the car waiting for her. They looked more excited than she felt. Ricky opened the trunk and dumped the suitcase inside.

"Careful with that…" she started and then just shook her head. "Nevermind."

"It has been a dream of mine to be able to send you off to school. Finally, the day has come," her mom said, automatically grabbing her face to fix her hair. She shoved all her overgrown fringes to the side. "In the end, I couldn't convince you to get a proper haircut," she murmured.

"Mom, my hair's fine. Anything I try will eventually get ruined so why bother," Cheryl answered, making a face as she opened the door to the passenger seat beside the wheel.

"Make lots of friends," her dad said, seating himself in the back of the car. "Don't just scorch anyone who tries to talk to you."

Cheryl turned around in her seat with a surprised look on her face. "Dad, I don't hurt people for talking to me."

He smiled back. "That's how your mother and I met, you know. She thought I was some creep trying to hit on her and kicked me in the shin when I asked her for directions."

Cheryl stared back at her mom beside him, wide eyed.

"I had mistaken him for someone else. He really didn't look as decent as he does now. His hair was all messy and overgrown all the time," she said, defending herself. "That's why I say it's important to always present yourself in a decent manner."

"So how did you and Dixon meet?" Dad asked out of the blue, curious all of a sudden.

Cheryl thought back to the many times Dixon had suspected her and almost attempted to kill her when she snuck up on him during his night shift. He had his blade to her throat. At that moment, the only thing she wondered was if she would get out of this alive.

Thankfully, Ricky entered the car just in time, taking the wheel.

"Seatbelts," he announced and there was shuffling in the back, along with clicks. After that, they were off.

.

I stared at the blank canvas in front of me, wondering what its purpose was. It was the only object in the white room. A while ago I could've sworn I saw the silhouette of a little boy. It was only for a second before it disappeared. Iris peered from behind me, possibly wondering why I was so quiet all of a sudden.

"Is… something the matter?" she asked.

"Where do you think my powers went? It wasn't just a coincidence," I told her, moving my face closer to the white canvas. I crouched down in front of it, narrowing my eyes.

"What do you mean?" she said, confused.

I lifted my index finger to touch the white texture, sliding my hand across. When I pulled my hand back, shock filled me as I stared at a swipe of black paint that had appeared on the sheet. Dots of paint now dripped from my fingers.

Iris and I both witnessed the paint come alive as it wiggled its way towards the edge of the canvas like a snake. It disappeared out of the painting, leaving it blank once more. I held my breath as I stated back at my now clean fingertips.

"These black paints… are my shadows," I announced with realization. "They keep running off somewhere…"

"Do you think it's the king's doing?" Iris said, tracing her fingers around the canvas, only to find nothing underneath.

"No but he did warn me about dangers that I didn't know about. I wasn't really in the mood to listen at that time."

I slumped down on the white tiled floor, crossing my arms.

"Something is messing with my shadows… I won't rest until I've found it."

.

Cheryl watched as the buildings ran past along the road. Streams of sunlight slid in through the gaps. She squinted as it fell on her face, raising a hand to shield her eyes. Instantly, her mind went back to when Dixon had used his shadow to build a shade over the window.

She sighed subconsciously. She could hear her parents chatting away about how hot the weather had gotten lately. At that moment, all she wished was to be able to talk about the boring weather with Dixon. Her heart sank to her stomach, twisting it around in a pulling sensation.

She bent down a little, crossing her arms over her stomach. All of a sudden, she felt a hand over her forehead. She looked up to see Ricky slowing the car to a stop.

"You okay, honey?" her mom's voice rang in her ears from behind.

She hadn't realized people were noticing. It was a first. Ricky parked the car in the shade and cranked up the air conditioner.

"It must be the heat wave. She's burning up a little," he said, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"It's cause you're sitting in the front. You wanna exchange seats? There's more shade in the back," her dad was saying.

Cheryl had to try hard to hold back the tears as she nodded. She had spent her entire lifetime away from this family but to them she always seemed to be the first priority.

She jumped out of the car and went around to the back seat. Her father sat in front while she lay her head down on her mother's lap in the back. All of a sudden, all her worries just melted away as she closed her eyes. Her mother's gentle fingers stroked her hair till she fell asleep.

When her eyes opened, the car had stopped. She lifted her head to see the kids running about the grassy plain outside the school campus. Some looked cooler than the rest, standing in groups while talking. She watched Ricky and her dad walk out of the entrance gate with some papers in hand.

"How do you like the place?" her mom asked, fixing Cheryl's hair once more.

"There's… a lot of people," she said, feeling queasy all of a sudden.

"It's quite normal to feel nervous. You'll make friends in no time," her mom assured. "Summer schools are different, you see. They're filled with fun activities. You might find a new hobby, something you enjoy or are good at."

Ricky walked up to the trunk of the car, pulling the suitcase out. Cheryl jumped out rushing over to him.

"I don't feel so sure about this," she whispered.

"Why all of a sudden?" Ricky whispered back, holding the truck open to keep his parents from listening in.

"How will I contact you… or anyone? How will I know when Dixon wakes up?" she asked.

Ricky took out a brand new phone from his back pocket and handed it to her.

"Keep it with you at all times. Don't lose it. And especially don't use your powers when you're here."

"Why not? No one will find out," Cheryl said, taking a look at the phone. It had an armoured casing made of thick rubber in case she dropped it.

"Because when you use your powers you destroy things without realising. People will find out."

There was a sudden buzz in the air. Cheryl watched as Ricky closed the trunk with a loud thud, taking out his phone to check for messages. She saw Meryl's name on it before he quickly closed it and put it away.

"Is that why you've been so cranky lately?" she asked, catching on fast. "Isn't she out visiting someone?"

"She's been gone for days and won't tell me when she'll be back," Ricky added.

"And that bothers you?" Cheryl flashed a grin. He looked at her for a second as if judging the situation before walking away with the suitcase. She followed behind closely.

"So it does bother you," she insisted, feeling amused by how hard her brother was trying to compose himself.

Her parents followed behind a few steps. They crossed the dirt path that divided the grassy plain into two equal sides. The path was neatly outlined by tiny pebbles of various colours. The campus building spread out neatly in a semi circular formation, going up five floors in length.

"Does Meryl know about this?" Cheryl blurted. Ricky stopped at the entrance and she almost bumped her nose in his back.

"Don't get ideas in your head. Here," he said, handing her the suitcase and the keys.

"This is it. Take care sweetie," her mom gave her a big hug while her dad patted her on the back as if he couldn't be more proud.

"It's just summer school…" Cheryl muttered, feeling embarrassed as she pulled away from the hug and turned to Ricky, mouthing the words, 'call her.'

He followed her inside the main lobby handing her a map of the place. It had all the emergency exits highlighted in red. Attached to it was her enrolment pass as well as her schedule for the next two months.

"Don't mention it to anyone… about Meryl," he said while clearing his throat. "I'll come visit next weekend. Don't cause any trouble till then."

She nodded and he patted her head as a goodbye before walking away. She looked back at the map. According to the number on her keys, her room number was 127 but the map only showed a brief route towards the girls' dormitory.

She looked up at the wide set of stairs at the end of the lobby. She could feel eyes on her as she crossed the main lounge. People were scattered around on the couches chatting away. They were probably students who had just arrived before her. She gripped the suitcase tightly in her hands as she started up the stairs.

A man approached from behind.

"Excuse me, miss," he said. She turned around to see a frail looking, middle aged man. He had suitcases in both hands and one large one balanced perfectly over his head.

"You need me to take that for you?" he said in a tired voice.

Cheryl could feel a slight wobble from inside her suitcase. She quickly pulled it over and strapped it along her shoulders like a backpack.

"No, thankyou," she said, giving it a little jerk. The wobbling ceased. She waited till the man passed and then continued up the stairs.

Little did she know, something watched from afar, peering out from the shadows.

.

"Cheryl?" I suddenly spoke, glancing at the image on the canvas. I was on my feet that instant, slowly reaching for the moving image in black paint.

All of a sudden I found myself standing in the middle of a large stairway. A red head with a large suitcase strapped to her back walked ahead in front of me. Kids around my age and younger walked past, glancing at me once and then casually looking away.

I looked myself over in surprise. I was wearing my leather jacket over black jeans. My usual attire. I ran a hand through my hair, not believing at first until someone bumped into me. I felt the weight of his shoulders. It was real.

"Watch where you're going…" some random person muttered as he passed by.

Very carefully, I took my first step forward. My body felt light but energetic, not at all like someone who had just woken up from a long sleep. I wasn't entirely sure yet whether I was dreaming or not.

I watched her turn the corner and move up the next set of stairs. I followed quickly after, taking long strides, skipping over a few steps. As I closed in, almost about to reach out, a sudden jerk pulled me back.

I rolled back onto the white tiled floor, breathing hard. I was back in the white room all of sudden.

.

Cheryl felt a jerk as she stumbled forward, tripping on something ahead. She fell face first into the wall. Her suitcase landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"Hey!" someone called from behind.

She turned to see a disgruntled looking older teen sitting on the floor in the middle of the turning platform. He had dark, crispy hair and wore a black leather jacket. She seemed to have tripped on the guy's foot. Cheryl quickly grabbed her backpack and made a run for it.

"Hey you!" he called out.

From the corner of her eye she could see him standing up. She picked up the pace, feeling a slight panic develop at the back of her head. Dodging the incoming teens, she carried on upwards. She figured she lost him somewhere behind. She half turned cautiously to check.

"You're the new girl," a girl's voice rang in her ears.

Cheryl's head snapped upwards to see a girl her age leaning over the railing from above, looking down at her. She had neatly ironed clothes, with a pink sweater and jeans. Her brown hair was tucked in neatly under a woolen cap. She quickly covered the distance and held out a hand towards her.

"Let me see," she said.

Before Cheryl could react, the girl had snatched the papers from her hand. Cheryl's eyes repeatedly wandered back towards the stairs in search of the boy.

"You're in room 127. That's not far from here. I'm Rosa by the way. It's nice to meet you."

She extended a friendly looking hand while returning the papers.

"Cheryl."

She gave the hand an awkward shake. Rosa flashed a friendly smile. There was a rectangular badge near her shoulder that read 'Student Monitor'. Cheryl wasn't sure what that meant.

"There you are!"

Both girls turned around to see a boy dressed in black from head to toe, panting as he climbed the set of stairs to cover the distance between them. He was the same disgruntled teen Cheryl had tripped on.

"Man you're fast…" he said, still gasping for breath, grabbing the railing for support.

"What're you doing here?" Rosa said, standing in between them protectively.

"Oh come on, don't treat me like a criminal... at least not in front of the new girl," he said with a smirk, clearly not meaning a word.

"She should know well to stay away from you-"

"I just need to return something to her," he said, turning towards Cheryl. He extended his hand, his fingers curled around something black, like an armored casing.

Rosa stood firm between the two.

"She dropped it when she fell."

Rosa eyed him but slowly moved out of the way. Cheryl stepped forward, only just now realizing she was missing her phone. Her hand instinctively went to her back pocket which came out empty. Her only source of contact.

"No!" she gasped, quickly snatching the phone from his hand.

The guy frowned at her.

"Thanks…" she murmured, turning around to continue up the stairs.

"Cheryl, wait!" Rosa said, catching up to her. "Let me guide you."