Blackmoore Academy (On Hold)

Chapter Three

Gwendolyn bolted out of bed, sweat dripping down her neck. Something horrible was about to happen. Her mind buzzed with three simple facts: one, a great evil resided in the land; two, her father would be in serious trouble; and three, darkness was coming to claim her soul. How she could sense this she knew not. All that was clear was this: she wasn't normal and she had a part to play, whether she liked it or not.

 

Light filled the night sky; the full moon cast its glow on the world. Beside it Gwendolyn could see a second smaller moon; though she always hesitated to mention it because on one else ever seemed to take notice of it. Gwen slid from bed. Her chest rose and fell with each unsteady breath. The soft pit pat of her bare feet against the cold stone floor echoed through the room as she sneaked to her door. The wind moaned outside; it had heightened its relentless pounding and rattling of the doors and windows since yesterday evening. 

 

A creak filled the hallway as the old door swung back on its hinges. The sound of pit pat of feet retreated to a set of stairs - their creak betraying Gwen's presence. She made her way to the old window. From the attic she had a clear view. Someone was in the yard. It was a woman. Gwen couldn't see details from where she stood, but the woman was young. Her head turned to Gwendolyn's lookout point and Gwen swore that the woman could see her, could stare straight into her eyes, her soul. Distinct bright white orbs sunk into their sockets. There was no colour to them; she didn't even have pupils. *You!* 

 

Gwen slapped her hands over her ears, sure that they might split from the deafening cry. She bumbled into the old table. Her feet carried her down the stairs and into her father's chambers. She was sure he'd heard the cry and come running. Instead, his chest rose and fell slowly; he was asleep. An odd silence filled Gwendolyn's brain. The door clicked shut as she retreated.

 

Quickly, Gwen ran back to her room and feigned sleep, but sleep didn't come again that night; too many thoughts swirled in her mind for her to sleep peacefully. Instead she contemplated what was to come.

 

The next morning, Gwen roamed the halls of her home. It was still too early for anyone to be up and about. The sun itself had just barely risen. Gwen sneaked outside to where the meeting she had witnessed took place. This was where the young woman had stood. But there was no sign that anything had ever taken place. 

 

"What are you doing up so early?" Cold tore through Gwen's body as she connected the voice to Maris. Her mind scrambled for an answer - thoughts flying too fast for her to think clearly - before she remembered that her father was still home. Calm reclaimed her mind.

 

She said, simply, "I couldn't sleep."

 

*She's a liar! She saw us.* But Maris's mouth hadn't moved when she'd 'spoken.'

 

"What?" Confusion racked Gwen's brain.

 

"Pardon?"

 

"You said something."

 

"You're mistaken." Gwen surmised that she'd heard Maris's thoughts. She wondered briefly if what happened last night had any connection and if Maris had any inkling that her thoughts were not private. She tried to control the ability but she yielded no results. It seemed thoughts would come and go through Gwen's mind as they pleased, whether they were hers or not. But she did not wish to dwell on these thoughts in the presence of others. Such incidents were cause for her to be executed as a witch.