Bearer of the Signs

II: BETA

"Their journey starts; and I shall watch. As a prophecy that I have known, unravels before my closed eyes."

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LONDON, UK... APRIL 18, 2015

The school bell has just sounded. The students clamor, they couldn't wait to go home. But before Cecil nor Jason Rowlands were able to go out the door; Proffessor McKinley added an after note to today's lecture.

"But before you go out..." the proffesor cut in. Prof. Jaime McKinley, is in his late thirties. He was sporting a fine beard on his face, which earned him a couple of nicknames from his students. But Cecil's personal favorite was the "Ol' McKinley". That name usually came with the song "Old McDonald".

Just as Cecil was musing about his nickname, she and her brother; along with their other classmates, were told to return to their seats.

Cecil grumbled as she sat back down on her desk.
This had better be quick.
Sleep hadn't come easily to her last night, so she had been fantasizing about her comfy futon since the beggining of class.

"As you all know, the Spring Dance is coming. So like last year, we need to arrange who's working on who, what, which, and when."

"Excuse me, sir," Fred Loins raised his hand, "but what's the Spring Dance?"

"Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot you just got here last semester, Fred. The Spring Dance is one-fourth of the school's program called 'The Four Seasons'. It is celebrated annually by having four festivals happening during the four seasons. We have The Winter Cottillion, Summer Gala, Spring Dance, and The Fall Ball," he explained.

"So on April 20, which is on friday, London National University would be having its 23rd Spring Dance. It is accustomed that all elementary kids would do the decorations; Middle school kids would do the stalls; Seniors would fix the auditorium for the Dance. Now before you leave, I would like to assign which stalls you are in."

Cecil was trying hard to stop rolling her eyes, sighing, grunting, cursing, and banging her head on her desk. She liked Prof. McKinley, she really does. But he is such a bore, honestly, people already know that brittish people are boring, but have they met Jaime McKinley?

She glanced at her brother which had the same plan in his eyes as she does. Cecil and Jason are partners in crime, they always had antics in their sleeves. They are like two peas in a pod, and Cecil knows that no one else dispises The Spring Dance as she does, but Jason. With a single nod they pu their plan into action.

Cecil grunted loudly, as if she's in pain. She purposely fell off her seat and writhed on the floor, she could hear her classmates murmuring and gasping. She closed her eyes tightly and cried in fake pain. As on cue, Jason dropped down to her side and cradled her carefully, he was playing his part as good as Cecil was playing hers.

"What's going on there?" The proffessor asked.

"My sister! She needs to go home! She's been experiencing pain attacks all day, we forgot to bring her pain-killers!! Please, sir. I need to take my sister home!" Jason cried.

Cecil and Jason Rowlands were quite the trouble makers since the third grade, pulling off pranks that no student ever dared to think about. Last year, their mother thought it a suitable punishment to send them to Theatrics Camp. But it was obviously a bad idea, seeing how good they've used their skills there.

Unfortunately, Prof. Jaime was only about to learn of their legacy. So without hesitation he said yes.

"Of course, take one of your classmates so that-"

"No! Our mother doesn't allow visitors today! I can take care of her myself sir," Jason said while carrying her 'cringing' sister.

"Very well, take care Mr. Rowlands."

As Jason walked across the room, he felt the heavy stares of his classmates. He resisted the urge not to smirk, everyone in the room knows about the Rowland Antics. They were very popular for their pranks and plans. As he passed by the desk of Gregory Chance, he felt a piece of paper be shoved into his hand as he did so. Gregory or Greg, was one of Jason's closest friends, he was the second man to know about his and her sister's devious plots. So it didn't surprise him that he was handing him a note after another Rowlands Antic.

When they reached the gate of the school, Jason put his sister down.

"What did Greg say?" She asked.

"I dunno, let's see."

They looked at the little piece of crumpled paper.

Great plan, fellows. I'll just text you the assignments. ;-)

-G

The siblings smiled at each other.

Even if Cecil and Jason were hooligans, their best friend was the class's top one. He was an exemplary student, so it actually made up when they missed meeting like this one.

The siblings walked home together. It was three in the afternoon, people were either at home watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians, at school, at the mall, or at the park. It was pretty empty during the afternoons, and the siblings made use of that.

"By the way, did you gain weight?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, I think I might be eating too much of Natasha's fill meal."

"We better put you up on diet then."

"That's fine, just don't take away Sherbet Saturday."

"Never dream of it," Jason said as he draped an arm over Cecil's shoulder.

Cecil and Jason were one of the few siblings who got really well together. They have so much trust and faith in each other, despite being the school's top trouble-makers. Unlike most siblings, they don't tease each other. They do that to other people.

As they tread down their stone-etched path. Cecil started to feel something odd. Then she saw her again. It couldn't be. Cecil stopped dead on her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked.

"You go ahead. I'm just gonna...you know."

Jason nodded, he was the only one who knew Cecil's secret, he understood more than anyone what was happeninflg. And so, Jason went in the house, leaving Cecil with the woman.

"What is it?" Cecil asked.

"Cecil, Cecil, Cecil, my dear. Is that how you treat an old friend?" She asked mockingly.

"Old friend?" Cecil scoffed, "well, old friend, just in case you forgot. You are the reason why I went to three years of tort. Three damned years of suspicious glares, painful experiments, and mind-crunching acts," Cecil said painfully as she remembered those three horrifying years.

"Oh, please. Like you haven't moved on. Anyway, it was a bad move letting your brother in there alone."

"What? Why?"

Then a loud roar errupted from inside the house.

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