Merula 3:3

Chapter 3:3- Headaches and stalkers

I was stuck. Somewhere dark. Suddenly a flickering light exposing the surrounding. A light bulb hung slightly ahead of me. It stopped flickering and spread a steady light in the darkness. There was someone else there. I could just hint the profile of a person standing in front of me. The person opened its eyes. They were dark brown. The person’s mouth was stiff. Then the lamp started to flicker again and I couldn’t see the person’s eyes. The light bulb turned black and then light again. The person’s eyes weren’t brown anymore. Now they were light blue, piercing through me. The person smiled. Then the light bulbs started to flicker again and after every flicker the person’s eyes changed colour. Brown. Blue. Brown. Blue. The lamp begun to swing from side to side like a pendulum clock while its flickering increased. I could hardly see the person in front of me but I knew the eyes stared at me. I could feel a cold breath on my neck and cold fingers moving up my back leaving icy kisses on my skin. Then warmth spread from my toes through my veins to my heart. It was like a fire growing with each breath. But strangely it didn’t warm my back. It was still ice cold. It was like I was torn between ice and fire. As if I couldn’t chose between them. Or maybe I was both. All of a sudden the light bulb ceased moving and begun to glow, lighter and brighter until it lit up everything. Then it exploded. Leaving me in complete darkness again, feeling nothing at all. Neither warm nor cold.

I woke up with a hideous headache. I sat up in my chirring camp bed and massaged my temples. Mandy, who’d got used to the new wake-up-time real quickly, was already up and stood in front of the mirror, trying to fix her usual film star-look. She met my eyes in the mirror.

-Are you ok? How’s your headache nowadays? Any better? She asked.
-It just got worse, I answered while continuing to massage my temples.
Actually after Saturday’s incident I’d forgot all about my headache. Or rather it had vanished so I didn’t have to think about it. But now it was back again.
-Oh. Why?
-Bad dream. A lot of flickering lights, I tried to smile at her.
Mandy returned the smile.
-Well I’ve switched the light bulb in the bathroom so no need to have anymore nightmares about that one at least. Breakfast?
Mandy fastened the last hairpin in her perfect red-brown wave of hair. Then she poke Adeline with her foot and rushed out of the room to avoid the burst of little volcano Adeline. I too escaped quickly from the bedroom before I got hit by a pillow or in worst case a fat book.
The kitchen was as usually buzzing with life despite the early morning. Everyone was up. Hazel and Owen, the twins, Blake. Yes, even Rogan was up, looking grumpy as usual.
-Morning ladies, Hazel welcomed us and smiled brightly as always. –Edi, are you alright? You look down.
-Just a headache, I mumbled and sat down at the table.
-Oh. You want a pill? Hazel smiled comfortingly at me with her head slightly tilted.
-No thank you.
Owen put down his morning paper briefly and looked at me through his ancient glasses.
-I heard you got into a new class.
-Yes, sir.
Mandy’s father felt like a person you should address as sir.
-Which one? He asked and rustled with his paper impatiently, longing to get back to his reading.
-5…
-Oh, that a year higher, isn’t it? Hazel asked.
-Wow, are you smart? One of the twins asked.
-Can you solve this problem for me then? The other twin asked and put his math homework in front of me.
-…A, I completed my sentence and the family immediately silenced, very much aware that it was Rogan’s class.
-Oh, Hazel said again, this time with a lot more effort into it.
Rogan wasn’t late to response to the striking silence, he had a flare for drama. He rose from his chair and walked out of the kitchen with decisive steps. At least he didn’t slam the door.
-That can’t be good, Blake said chewing on his sandwich.
-Blake, why would you say that? Hazel chided him.
-Well, Rogan obviously has a problem with Edith, whether we like it or not. If it isn’t solved it will only grow worse and if they’re in the same class it will probably escalate faster. By the way, I’m going to look at some flats today with some mates so I will be late.
Blake disappeared from kitchen before anyone could stop him.
-And there goes our only chance for a truce, Mandy said dramatic and the twins giggled while Hazel stared upset at her.
-What’s with my kids? Hazel sighed and turned away to the stove.

The bus ride to school was fun. Of course I’m not serious. The bus seemed to have major difficulties with its engine. At every red light it broke down and its engine made strange choking noises. Five stops away from school it stopped working completely and all of the passengers had to get off to wait for a replacement bus. Mandy and I decided to walk the rest of the way. Good thing we’d taken the early bus. School wasn’t that far away anyway so we’d be there on time.

We weren’t the only ones deciding to take a walk. Walking a few meters ahead of us was Rogan.
-Whoaho little brother! Mandy called after her brother. –Wait up Rogan!
-What are you doing? I silently asked Mandy. –Are you looking for troubles?
-Actually, I thought we could solve them on our way to school. Blake is right, this problem Rogan has with you will only escalate if it isn’t taken care of.
-So you will play peacemaker?
-Why not? Rogan! Can you hear me little brother?
Oh he could hear us. He glared back at the two of us and walked even faster to avoid us.
-So much for peacemaking, I rolled my eyes.
-Another day then.
-Another bus breaking down more likely.
-That is actually more likely, Mandy agreed with me and sighed.
First lesson of the day was math. I lay down my head on the desk waiting for the minutes to tick away so the class could begin. Suddenly a blond boy dropped down in the seat beside me. He smiled at me and reached out his hand. I took it hesitantly.
-Morgan.
-Edi. Eh, are you in the wrong classroom?
-Nope, this is the one.
-Are you sure?
-Yep, definitely. But are you in the right one?
-What? Yes, of course I am.
-You weren’t in this class last week.
-Well no. I switched this week.
-Ah then you’re the new one the school’s been whispering about.
-I suppose so.
He reached out his hand again. I took it again hesitantly.
-Morgan Kimmel, he said with a bright smile.
-Edith Sword.
I couldn’t help but smile back at him.
-So what did you do to end up in the back? Morgan asked.
-Do you have to do anything?
-Well, no one ever sits here voluntarily.
-I do.
-Great! So do I.
He had the widest smile I’d ever seen.
-Not that there is much of a choice. These were the only available seats left, I said to him.
-Ah, you’re right, he said and laughed.
I laughed too. Laughing is catching.
Suddenly a cold chill run down my spine and I saw Rogan staring furiously at Morgan, not at me for once. Morgan followed my gaze and looked at Rogan. His smile changed to a grin.
-Seems I’m treading dangerous ground. He’s your boyfriend?
-No! Definitely not.
Morgan met my eyes with his innocent blue.
-I was only asking.

-Well I was only answering, firmly, I said dryly and glared at Rogan.

-I guess you don’t like him that much.
-Correct.
-Same here, Morgan said.
I looked at him with surprise. Had I found the only other person in school besides me who didn’t like Rogan? Morgan smiled at me and I carefully smiled back at him. Now I didn’t hesitate.
-My enemy’s enemy is my friend, I said and offered my hand which he immediately grabbed.
We then stared back at Rogan together in our newly formed union against Rogan.
-So are you any good at math? Morgan asked me as mr Stone appeared right on time for class.
-As it happens, a genius actually, I answered.
-Great! I suck.
What did he do in mr Stone’s class then, I thought but never asked.
He really did suck at math. When I wasn’t taking notes I explained them in detail for Morgan.

To be continued...
By J.L.Frick