The Vale

C21

Anne Marie 'Who I Am' is on repeat, blasting off in my ear. I think I need this alone moment after the day I've had. I don't want to be disturbed, which was I slipped out of the headmaster's office after we return from saving Jessica. It's strange that I'm listening to a song about someone that know exactly who she is while I'm still on the verge of figuring out who I am.

It's past curfew but I still managed to enter the library without anyone seeing me, I doubt they'll miss my absence since the headmaster and teachers are having a meeting about Jessica and her powers. Something I'm yet to to wrap my brain around, I'm still trying to process what happened today. So instead of thinking about the event that took place, I decide to sketch even though what Arihmatheo said is still ringing in my ears, and no matter how loud the music is, it's not enough. I can hear his voice and it's annoying because I can't shut it off.

'He is lying to you'.

Who is lying to me?

God! This is so frustrating. He just said that and left without giving me any clue of who 'he' might be.

Stop! You said no thinking about what happened today until it's all settled down. A voice remind me in my head. I've promised myself not to think about anything that happened today. I just want to be alone.

I take a deep breath and return my attention to my sketch. Adding more shades to the undead and making Arihmatheo's scar stand out. I raise my pencil up and bend my head to blow the remains of the lead from the pencil on the sketchpad. My eyes moves from where the undead are standing to where Jessica is kneeling and that's when I notice something on her face.

I frown and lean closer, pushing my notepad under the table lamps to get a clear visual of her face. It looks like lines of dark veins growing on her face, which covers her forehead coming from her hair line and from her neck. This wasn't on her face when she was doing the magic and I definitely don't remember adding that. I'd like to think that it's a shading problem but it's not, it's a detailed sketch and adds more to the overall drawing. What–

Something colorful catches my eyes, I look at the direction the spark is coming from and meet with a little girl in a pink dress, her blonde hair is braided in yellow ribbons in two ponytails. She looks like she can't be any older than five.

I glance at my phone to check the time and it says it's way past curfew. What is she doing awake and in the library?

"Hey..." I greet her with a smile with the thought of expecting the same treatment but no, she bolts like she can't wait to be out of here. "Hey!" I get up, ripping my earphones off my ear and grabbing my stuff before going after her.

I follow the direction she runs towards but it's the end of the library where Mr. Groff said they keep the romance novels. "Little girl?" I call out when I don't see her anywhere. "Hmm..." I look around the book shelves in confusion. I literally just saw a girl and now she's nowhere to be found. It's as if–

A patter of little feet against the library's floor breaks my thoughts. I turn around and ask, "Is anyone here?" I frown when I get no response.

I wait a moment, counting one to ten in my head before shrugging. It's probably in my head, it's no surprise giving the things I've seen today. Maybe I just need a distraction and clearly drawing isn't doing it. I should try reading instead and since I'm at the restricted shelf, I'm going to break the rule and give myself a romance novel, nothing distract people more than a good novel.

Turning back to the shelf, I walk towards it and stop. The books are arranged in a specific way but I don't think too much about it, I put my phone in my jean pocket and my notepad in the inner pocket of my jacket before reaching to grab a book and take a step back to get a clear view of the title. The Demon And The Witch by Sebastian Holmes.

The cover isn't really eye catching, it's a picture of a wilted flower. Who is the cover designer anyway? At least the title is good, not best but it'll do for tonight.

My eyes fall to the bottom of the book where the author's name is boldly written. Sebastian Holmes. Isn't that Professor Holmes' real name? Never pictured him as a romance author but I'll definitely support.

I trace my hand on the cover and shake my head. My head vibrates as the rest of my body having a sensation of whirling, I think I'm feeling dizzy, I–

"Uh..." I drop the book as the vibration increases in my head. "Uhm... I–" the feel of someone grab my shoulder interrupt me. "What...who–?!" My bloody murder scream replaces my words when I look down to see the talon claw gripping my shoulder.

Turning my head to the back, I see–it's hard to describe what the thing look like. It looks like a winged monster.

I shrug it's hand away and try to make a run for it but stop when I feel a grab on my kneel, I look down and see the familiar hand of the monster. "No. No, no, no, no." More of it's hand begins to grab me all over: my ankles, thighs, elbows, neck, waist.

"Help, somebody hel–" a scaly palm covers my mouth, causing my scream to comes out muffled. But I don't stop struggling even though it's very uncomfortable and painful to move.

My lungs hurt as I scream into the scaly palm but my cries is nothing compared to what I'm feeling. It's like whatever's holding me is peeling my skin off my body without trying. I close my eyes when the pain becomes unbearable as I try to wiggle myself free.

I take a sharp breath when all of a sudden they set me free but I don't enjoy the moment as I feel a push from behind, knowing I'm going to make the fall without holding myself back, I close my eyes and brace myself for impact.

That's the last thing I remember before darkness consumes me.