The next morning, she woke up, and sat in bed. George was asleep next to her still, and she didn’t want to get up.
She didn’t get that much sleep. She had that nightmare again, about the shadow hands and skinny figure running after her.
Jade wanted nothing more than just to go back to sleep. About 30 minutes passed before she started to panic and run to the shower to get ready. She had wasted so much time. She quickly threw on her best jeans, a long sleeve black shirt with her favorite heavy purple jacket thrown over, and black ankle boots.
By the time she headed up to the front of the house, she put her hair up in a messy bun, still wet. “Good morning, Jade,” Mr. Moon said opening the door, putting on his tie.
“Good morning.”
“Morning Jade,” Noah said, she he was putting books into his backpack.
“Morning.”
“Did you eat?” Mr. Moon asked.
“Yes,” she lied. He must have seen through the lie, because he threw a protein bar at her as they made their way to his car. She took the back happily.
His car had that new car smell, like it was taken off the car lot just this morning. Jade was scared to touch anything, to mess up something.
As they started the car, and drove off, Mr. Moon asked her how Jim was doing. “He left before I woke up.”
“Any more dreams about that one thing?”
“Yeah . . . but it’s okay. Not as bad.”
Jade could see his bright blue eyes starting at her through his mirror. “If you say so.”
The drive took a total of ten minutes. The school was bigger than her last one, students hanging around outside, though it was still way too early in the morning to be let into the building. She had never gone to a school that had a wire fence around it. It was a sigh for sure.
Mr. Moon parked his car, and they headed inside. Jade felt herself getting smaller as the other teachers would stare at her. When they knew she was with Mr. Moon, they smiled and said good morning to her.
Soon, Jade realized how popular Mr. Moon was with his peers. They couldn’t walk more than five feet without getting stopped for a small talk.
“Jade, she is our newest student,” Mr. Moon would answer for her when someone asked who she was. She would give a little wave, and move on. When they finally got to Mr. Moon’s art room, he pulled out binders, papers, and many other things from his bag that made his clear desk a huge mess.
Noah and Jade spoke for a while until Mr. Moon said, “Noah, how about you show Jade her classes before school starts?”
“Okay,” he said without a second thought.
Soon, they headed down the hallway. Noah showed a few classes on her schedule, where they were, how the teachers where. A few teachers saw Noah and Jade together, and they asked questions.
Jade felt herself getting nervous and shy.
By nature, she was a quiet person, would even be mistaken as a mute at times growing up. This however was the first time she felt herself wanting to run and hide from strangers she didn’t know about.
As they were walking farther down, Jade felt wind blow through her.
The path appeared just like before. Stronger and brighter and faster this time. Jade spun around and saw the path going down the hallway. She started to follow it, slowly stepping on it. It didn’t seem to have any feeling to it. Just as if it was in her head.
“Jade?” Noah asked, realizing she was no longer following him.
She was following it closer.
Soon, she appeared in Mr. Moon’s room again. The path had ended up with him at the end. He was writing something on the board. He looked over and smiled. “Hello, Jade. Did Noah show you everything?”
The path disappeared.
“Yes.”
She was still looking the floor. “What you looking at?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she looked back to him, seeing the smile on his face.
Mr. Moon smiled. “Is everything okay?” he asked. “You seem . . . jumpy?”
Luckily the bell rung, and saved her. She didn’t know what to say to him, and instead ran down the hall.
She ran pass Noah, who tried to stop her, but couldn’t. Kids were coming in, and soon she was lost in a crowd.
Mr. Benton, homeroom.
I’m lost.
Where am I supposed to go?
She stopped. “Where is Mr. Benton’s class?” she asked herself. The path appeared and she followed.
ns 15.158.61.8da2
