Chapter Six
Kara
~After the fight~
“You didn't find them.”
“No sir, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t lie to me. Why didn’t you kill them.”
“I-I was weak. They were strong. I knew I couldn’t win.”
“Lies!” Henry stood slamming a fist onto his throne. “Guards! Take her away!” Kara didn’t fight the soldiers arms wrapping around her, she knew that if she fought back they would make it more painful. “And when you start feeling compliant, you are going to go out there and try again. No excuses.”
“Yes sir” she muttered in defeat as they dragged her towards the dungeon. Hours of extreme pain followed. The dumped hot coals on her bare legs and whipped her relentlessly. Kara cried out in pain, yelling for mother or father to come to her aid. But of course, they never would.
After a day of torture, she was tossed into a cell, her whole body racked in pain.
“Kara!” a voice said.
“Dustin?” she asked, weakly raising her head and crawling towards the door.
“Yeah, yeah it’s me” he smiled reassuringly while gripping her hands through the bars “Kara, I-I need to tell you something”
“Shh, I know” She muttered and touched his face gently, tears welling up in her eyes. “Dustin, I’m scared. That girl, from the forest, there was something familiar about her but I just can’t place it. I can’t kill her. I have to find her, and find out who she is. Help me get out of here”
He faltered.
“You know what Henry is capable of, I-can’t risk it. My home, my family, you-”
“And you know what I’m capable of as well.” she gripped his hands tighter “Come with me.” His eyes soften and he shoves the door open.
“Lets go.” he scooped her up in his arms and took off into a run.
~present day: Blaze~
The motorcycle screeches to a halt in front of a pristine, three story building. Students in uniforms matching my own and August’s filter in and out of the doorways. I whip my helmet off of my black, fire tipped hair. We slide off and I hold August’s hand. He gives my hand a squeeze and we walk towards the doors.
“This is...Incredible.” I feel like a little girl, the one that was forced to grow up in sanctum.
“It is.” We walk in. Every person is different. Every last one has a story, but none of them are like mine and August’s. They’re all human, not Drage, not Fae, not shapeshifters. They were all either killed or forced into hiding when King Henry came to power.
“What's your first class.”
“Mr. Chark.”
“Aw, man, second?”
“...Mr. Chark
“Third?”
“All my classes are Mr. Chark.” He checks his schedule again.
“We only have lunch and fourth together then.”
“Then I guess we're just forced to make other friends.” I nudge him and he pulls me into a half hug. A bell not unlike the alarms in sanctum ring through the school. The reminder sends me into a spiral of memories. The dark, no sun, the alarms, my heart starts pounding and it feels hard to breathe.
“Firecracker?” He holds me up as my legs give out. I notice that he’s shaking as well. “Firecracker, listen to me. It’s okay, we don’t have to go back there. We’re free. Try and be strong.” I nod and he gives me a peck on the cheek that helps melt away my fear and pain. I look back at my schedule, room 66. ‘Geez how many rooms are in this place?’ Finally I find the right room. The students have worn looks as if they’re dreading what's coming next. I sit down at an empty table, near a window. Two empty seats to the right of me, one to the left.
“Has class started yet?” A girl runs in and plops down on the seat closest to the window.
“Not yet.” She looks over at me and fear registers in her eyes. She is cute, with fluffy brown hair, shiny blue eyes, and an athletic build. I glance at her clothes. A baggy, ripped sweatshirt with black skinny jeans. She looks as if she’s just been attacked. I look at her quizzically and rest my chin on my palm. The girl seems to get over her speechlessness and starts a conversation.
“First day?”
“Yeah, is it that obvious?”
“No, I just think I would remember seeing that hair.”
“This?” I hold up a strand and let the fire colored strand fall back down. “I guess, why do you ask though?”
“You look in need of a friend, I’m in need of a friend too.”
“You’ve been at this school for how long and you don’t have any friends yet?’
“I’ve only been here for a few weeks, but I’m in the welcoming committee. That should get me somewhere.” I laugh and hold out my hand.
“I’m Blaze.”
“Kara.” The girl freezes “I-I mean...uh” The name sounds really familiar, as if I've purposely forgotten.
“Don’t worry,” I wave her off. “Names are sometimes are like that. I used to hate mine as well, it’s one of the reasons I dyed my hair like this. Kara’s a pretty name.”
“Uh- yeah, that’s...totally right! My parents named me after my great grandmother”
“Nice, I honestly have no idea why my name is what it is.” Another bell rings and I dig my nails into the palms of my hand, gritting my teeth to keep me from crying out.
“The bells do take a little getting used to.” I notice Kara winces slightly. “And the teacher.”
“What's so bad about the-” A huge crash echoes through the room and the students, including Kara, duck for cover.” The ceiling above the messy and duct taped desk shatters and a form crashes onto the desk. It appears I’m about to find out.
“Hello children!” The head pops up from the rubble and I almost scream again. Huge eyes circle the room as he smiles. He’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Green skin, and a head shaped like a box. Purple hair slicked into a pineapple top, and a high pitched voice that grates my ears like nails on a chalkboard. “I hope you all had a pleasant break, because the torture is about to resume.”
“Mr. Chark?” A hand pops up from behind us.
“Yes Timmy?” The thing says, sliding from the desk to the chair.
“Are we actually going to be learning real um...science this trimester”
“Real…?” The teacher scoffs in disbelief “Real science? I’ll show you real science!” Its face turns a shade of greenish red as it shoves the rubble from atop the desk to the floor. “Children, hypothesize,” He grabs a good sized rock and tosses it up and down in his hand, “Will the rock go through Mr. Timothy’s head or just knock him out?”
“Duck” Kara says grabbing my shoulder.
“What?!”
“I said duck!” She pulls me down under the desk just as a rock comes sailing through the air and into poor Timmy’s forehead.
“We’re gonna need another Timmy” The lights flip off and peppy music turns on. Smoke from hidden smoke machines fill the room and lights swirl around us, spotlights, cameras, flashlights from the students trying to see. Two tall boys with hair falling in their eyes and no shirts come in, winking at both the girls and the boys. They open the door and a pink carpet rolls in. Two platform heels click down and the prettiest girl I’ve ever laid my eyes on walks in with the poise of a queen. Blonde hair, with silvery blue eyes and golden freckles that sprinkle her nose. She’s wearing a pink skirt with a white blouse that hangs loosely around her skinny frame. She smiles at the boys as they make their exit. The lights flick back on and the thing’s eyes bug out, he watches her walk down the carpet as he drools, leaving a puddle on his desk. Ew. she looks down at Timmy’s limp form and kneels, feeling for a pulse.
“Still alive” She reports. Her voice is melodic,like the song of a bird.
“Unfortunately” Says the thing “Just leave him, let us continue with the lesson. The science of rocks-”
“Sir!” Kara says standing, I frantically try pulling her back to the floor, she simply shrugs me off. “You can’t just leave him there, he requires medical assistance.”
“Ughhhh...” He groans reluctantly and grabs Timmy by the wrist “Fine.”
We all watch as Timmy is dragged out of the room.
“That was the strangest thing I’ve ever seen in my life” I say as Kara chuckles.
“Believe me, it gets weirder.”
“Excuse me but do you think I could sit here?” The girl stands in front of the seat to the left of me. “It’s my first day here and-”
“Sure, yeah, it's fine with me.” Somehow I feel like I know her, maybe I saw her a few years ago...no. I search my mind but nothing connects to her.
“I’m Aspen.” She takes my rough calloused hand in her soft, perfectly manicured one.
“Blaze.”
“Kara.” They shake as well and she beams with her model white teeth. Suddenly she lets out a squeal and pulls us into a tight hug.
“I’m so happy to meet you!” Usually I fight physical contact, but her arms seem familiar again. Where and how do I know her? I ignore it and for the moment I put my heart on my sleeve and hug her back.
“Me...too..?” Kara wheezes. She pulls away and smiles again. The green-pineapple top thing walks back in, without Timmy.
“Where's Timmy?” Aspen asks after pulling away.
“In the incinerator.”
“What?!” I shout standing up. “You can’t do that! You can’t just kill a student!”
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?” He tilts his head and his hair flops to the side. “The new girl who knows everything.” He sits down and props his bare feet on the desk. I hear a scream and the ceiling explodes in shrapnel. Timmy plops down in his seat, no scar on his forehead, red afro not even singed.
“Mr. Chark I’m sorry, continue the lesson.” Mr. Chark clears his throat and picks up another rock. This one is painted, with a very dopey looking face. “Hello Mr. Pineapple! What did you have for breakfast today?” He makes his voice high pitched as the class groans and leans back in their chairs.
“I’ve been here for three weeks and the pain never ends.” says Kara “He loves that stupid rock with a passion” she rolls her eyes and leans back, kicking her feet up on the desk.
ns 15.158.61.46da2
