"A..."
"Mr. McKenna, do you mind?" Mrs. Jenkins said sharply.
Startled, Alex gasped when he realized he had unknowingly migrated toward the front of the class. He was standing at Mrs. Jenkins desk, facing the dry erase board. Scanning the room for remnants of the ghostly girl, he sighed. There was nothing left of his vision but embarrassment. Head down, he murmured an apology to the teacher, and shuffled back to his desk.
"Way to go McKenna. As if you weren't already weird enough." A voice echoed from behind.
Alex didn't need to turn around to know where it was coming from. Kyle Branders was the school bully who had been giving him crap since he first arrived at the Academy. Ignoring him was hard but feeding into him would be worse.
Closing his eyes, he retreated into the event that had captivated him moments ago. Who was she? Why did she remind him of Haven? And how did they connect? The barrage of questions hammering around in his brain gave Alex a headache. Balancing his chin under his folded hands, he tried to calm the neurons and ease the pain.
Jolted by the firm grip of someone shaking his shoulder, Alex looked up. The class was empty, and Mrs. Jenkins was standing over him with pursed lips. Glancing up at the clock, it was eight-thirty. He had slept through the entire period.
4
The Embittered Zachary Knowles
Ophelia slid back into her chair.
"Hey what's going on? You sure you're okay? That was some pretty far out crap." Kyle rolled his eyes.
"I saw this—boy. He was about our age, but I think it was the living world. He wasn't like us."
"Did he say anything to you?"
"No. He was about to, but something stopped him, and he disappeared." Ophelia looked away. "I don't understand what's happening."
"What do you mean?" Kyle whispered.
"Well, today I see this boy and the other night...never mind. I know this stuff creeps you out." Ophelia looked down at her desk.
"No. Lia, it's okay. I want to hear," Kyle said confidentially.
Ophelia was stunned. Kyle never wanted to know about her connection to the living, and he never, ever called her Lia. Only Amry referred to her like that.
"Why? You usually go out of your way to avoid listening to me when it's about things like this."
"I know, I'm sorry. It made me uncomfortable in the past. But not for the reasons you think. I'm a little jealous. You still get to do the things I wish I could, but I'm done with that. From now on, keep on truckin." Kyle grinned.
"Where did this change of heart come from?" Ophelia leaned in closer to him.
"Zachary."
"How did Zachary change your mind?"
"Reading about his life, what he went through as a breather and then after his beginning, it made me think. The guy has basically been alone his whole life and after life. Yeah, the Headmaster is his uncle, but clearly, he hasn't had much to do with the guy’s world. My life before this was pretty good with friends and family, but when I got here, it was a strange experience. If I didn't have you nerds, I... never mind, I don't want to think about it. Anyway, understand?' Kyle winked.
She did. Ophelia was lost for so long and if it weren't for Amry, she still would be.
"The other night I had a dream about Haven. It was a bad one, she was in trouble. She yelled out a name—Alex. I spoke to Ms. Dunworthy, she thinks it's Haven communicating with me."
"Oh wow. This is the first time this has happened, right?"
"Yes. The doctor also said that either it's someone who can help us, or maybe the person holding her. But I don't know, that doesn't feel right to me." Ophelia slumped down in her chair.
"What do you think it means?"
"I think Haven is trying to give me the name of someone who can help. The thing is though, how would she know this? I mean the Soul Gatherer has had her hidden since the first day of her beginning."
"Maybe one of the other souls who escaped knew of someone who could help and told her about him before they got away." Kyle nodded and grinned.
"You're pretty pleased with yourself. What are you a detective now?" Ophelia giggled.
"To the max," Kyle said in a cocky voice.
"And there he is, the Kyle Burkletter we all know and love."
Kyle turned around and Ophelia spent the rest of the class period fixated on the boy in her vision. But it wasn't a vision, was it? she thought.
After class, she and Kyle met Amry and Bethany at what they all laughing referred to as the cafeteria. A large building with tables, chairs, and a kitchen. No one understood why it was there. Clearly no student attending The Academy of Souls, yearned for a quick lunch before afternoon classes.
"You ever wonder why we have showers? I mean aside from Ophelia, they're pointless. Like this building," Bethany blurted out. “I used to love to sing in the shower, though.”
"It must be crazy in that head of yours, Bethany. You're always popping off with the most random thoughts." Amry chuckled. “What did you like to sing? Did you have a favorite song or group?”
“Ohhh, for me it was David Cassidy all the way. He was so cute. I did like the Bee Gees too. But they weren’t like David.” Bethany batted her lashes.
“I was more of a Rolling Stones and Jethro Tull fan, but I can dig what you mean. Mick Jagger did it for me. It was funny, my mom thought he was ugly, but not me, he was gorgeous. I even had tongue patches on my jeans, mom hated it.” Amry laughed.
Bethany’s voice softened. "My dad used to tease me about it." She smiled. "I had posters of David all over my walls. I knew it frustrated him because the scotch tape marred the paint. But he never said anything negative about it to me. In fact, he’d sometimes give me a couple of bucks to get the latest issue of Tiger Beat. David was always on the cover. I miss my dad." Her smile faded.
"Was he still alive when you started your beginning?" Kyle stroked her hair.
"He was. Might probably still be. Although he'd be very old by now. That was nearly forty years ago. It sounds so strange to say that. You'd think I'd be used to all this by now. But I don't know, does anyone ever really get used to it?"
"I myself enjoy being dead." A deep voice carried from across the room.
The four of them turned around and cringed. Zachary Kowal was standing in front of the door.
"What in tarnation?" Ophelia murmured.
"Well we’re supposed to be watching him. This is kind of convenient," Kyle said.
"I don't care if it's convenient, the guy gives me the creeps." Bethany scooted closer to her boyfriend.
"I'm with her, he's creepy times ten." Amry turned away and locked eyes with Ophelia.
"You understand I can hear every word, do you not?" Zachary moved closer.
The group closed in their circle, leaving no room for the unwanted boy.
"Whatever, we don't care. Are you following us?" Kyle puffed his chest.
"Now why would I want to subject myself to such a torturous way to pass the time? I am merely wandering about, assessing the lay of the land.”
"I thought Mr. Coal and Mr. Rain were keeping an eye on you?" Ophelia squeaked.