Moonlight Magic

Chapter 9

The sky was still bright when I stepped out of the school gates. My shoes dragged along the footpath. I know most of Verisa High saw me as this 'poor' lonely girl from the pitying looks they gave me. It was either because of sympathy or my status that people even still talk to me, let alone wanting to be my friend. I'm so cynical.
There was a time when I wasn't always alone. When I had someone to laugh with, to talk to and have fun with. Until last year on Halloween when everything went to hell.

*****

"Hey, are you ready?" I yelled out. Talia was over at my place getting ready for the Halloween ball. Mum and Dad were both home and were going to drop us off at school. The both of us decided that we were each other's date. Talia's reasoning was, "It's boring to be like everybody else and have dates. Let the other girls get jealous and throw hissing fits when we strut in and their dates look our way. Then all the guys can do is revel in our hotness and realise they can't have any." I just laughed. Where I was dark, Talia was all light. Her platinum blond hair and light ash mauve eyes captured many boys' hearts. I had no doubt that she was in many of their fantasies as well. So I knew what she said wasn't a lie.

When I heard no reply, I stuck my head out, around the wardrobe door. The room was empty and the bathroom door was closed. I stepped out, "Talia?"
As I walked towards the bathroom, I heard a piercing scream then heavy, clumsy footsteps leading further away in the direction of the main staircase. The voice belonged to Talia.
My heart skipped a beat. I flew out the door and raced towards where I thought she was. Please let Talia be okay. She was my best and one and only friend. I didn't know what I'd do if something happened to her.
When I arrived at the top of the stairs and looked down at the entrance floor, I spotted her. Dad was down there with her, standing between her and the front door. When I looked across to the other staircase, there was Mum.
"Stay away from me!" Talia screamed. My head swivelled back to Talia. "You're.. You're monsters!"
I swiftly stepped down towards Talia. "Talia, what's wrong?"
She turned and her eyes met mine. They were wide with fear and tears ran down her face. "Talia?"
"Honey, Talia doesn't feel well," Dad said, looking at me.
Talia's head whipped back so fast I thought it was dislocated. "Don't lie to her! She doesn't know does she? I just know it!" Talia exclaimed. "You make me sick." She was seemingly more hysterical by the second.
I carefully moved towards her. "Talia, I don't understand what's going on. You don't make any sense."
"Of course you don't." She latched onto my arm. "Don't believe what your parents say, Becky. They're mad! Please believe me!"
"Becky, we need to calm her down," Mum said. "She's sick. We need to get her help."
"What do you mean she's sick? I-"
"DON'T LISTEN TO THEM! Please Becky don't listen to them! I found out, that's why! THAT'S. WHY." Talia's pupils were dilated and she was breathing hard. I started getting really worried and scared. But what was going on? I didn't know what to do.
It went on for a while. Talia clung to me crying for me to believe her and my parents trying to convince me she was unstable. I started thinking I was in a nightmare. Eventually, she passed out and Mum made a call that led to people in protective gear coming in and taking her away.
That was the last I saw of her.