The Fourth Closet recloseted

Ch 1

Charlie! Jessica held her hand, it closed firmly around hers and she gasped with relief John, Clay! She's ok! Hurry! Charlie, can you hear me?! It's Jessica! She didn't answer but Charlie held on tightly to Jessicas hand as clay and John worked grimly to free her.

Suddenly, a high pitched click resounded through the chamber, they all froze in place for a moment the air silence reverberated through the chamber, and then the suit shuddered and flew into the air and a terrible metallic crunch, a crunch that would make even the bravest shudder filled the air and they all jumped away from the thing, Jessica startled, dropping Charlies limp hand.

Charlie? John ran to Charlies side, his face pale Charlie?! He repeated and tapped her palm the world went black around Jessica, and all she could hear was the banging and crashing against the wall next to her, and it started to crack, Jessica started to walk towards it, another bang resounded as she realised the door was starting to open...

Jessica woke up with a start, and took a deep breath she was back, in the real world, in her room, she stretched elaborately and yawned. Her eyes were sticky from the brief nights sleep, the nightmares hadnt stopped coming since that fateful night and she hadn't hung out with friends or Marla, John, nor Carlton, she had spoken to them over the phone but that was it.

She checked her watch, it was past ten o clock, time for her first class, she got up and headed for the shower.

On the TV, an advertisement appeared, for a new restaurant, CIRCUS BABY'S PIZZA Underneath the logo, a slogan appeared, COME DRESSED AS A CLOWN AND EAT FOR FREE! All children welcome! It read in tiny hand writing.

******

"Is everything alright, Miss Clarkson?" Jessica bolted up, and looked around she was in her architectural class, all the students were laughing at her, the teacher was staring at her with one eyebrow raised. Jessica was disoriented as she hadn't slept well last night.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" She asked with a yawn.

"We need you to be on your a game Ms Clarkson because if you don't take this class seriously, then we'll, this class isn't for you, do you understand?"

Before Jessica could answer the bell rang, she started to stand, and the teacher stopped her

"Now just one minute, considering you decided to sleep in my class, you will stay here until you've caught up with all the stuff you missed"

Jessica started to protest, then the teacher cut in "if you want to pass this class, I strongly recommend you stay and get your head in the game."

Jessica couldnt argue with that, she sighed and nodded, and headed back to her seat.

A couple hours later, and Jessica was out, she was feeling bad for herself, all the memories of her and Charlie spent in their room, her nose wrinkled when she passed a garbage disposal, there was garbage spread about the floor and it reminded her of the mess Charlie had made of her side of the room with her wires and robotic parts, she didn't like it but looking back on it, now, she enjoyed Charlies company she was odd but she was a good person. She passed a couple on a date and it reminded her of Charlie and John, they weren't together exactly, but they clearly liked each other. She smiled slightly and walked on.

As she neared her apartment, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Jessica!"

She turned around, Charlie stood right behind her smiling.

"Oh, hey i didn't see head you come over, what are you doing out here?"

Charlie brushed a lock of her hair from her face and said, "well I could ask you the same thing" 

Jessica raised an eyebrow, "I live here? Thought you knew that."

Charlies face fell, then said, "yeah well, I've been out walking and, John wasn't home so I figured I'd drop by and see how you were doing, is that ok?"

Charlies personality had changed, Jessica put it up to her near death experience but part of her felt unsettled around this woman mainly due to minor things: her hair was usually shoulder length, this womans was long and hung in shiny waves and she was wearing a dress, not like her usually jeans and T-shirts but there was something else, something that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Jess?" Charlies voice broke Jessica out of her thoughts and shook her head.

"I thought I'd just let you know, Clay is throwing a party at his house on Saturday night, Carltons coming back from new York soon spring break, John and Marla are coming hopefully Lamar too please come."

Jessica heard the pleading her voice, thought about it, and then said "ok maybe"

"Good enough for me, hope to see you there, anyway I'm going to keep walking, bye!"

Jessica watched her skip down the street, her long hair bouncing Down her back, and she disappeared into the setting sun.

Jessica rolled her eyes and headed back to her apartment, "i said maybe." She muttered in the direction Charlie headed.