Wednesday's Week

Woe, Camera, Action

Thing sat on the dresser beside my bed, his fingertips soaking in water. Vanity was his vice. I looked over and saw the newer scar on his palm. " I have to tell you something that I haven't told anyone."

Thing stopped splashing around and gave me his full attention. I took a deep breath and pulled out my phone. "I have a stalker." I showed him the photos.

He signed back "Do you have a guess as to who it is?"

No I did not. Not even an inkling. And after last semester, should my inkling be of any help? "I'm going to make a suspect list and slowly cross everyone off." I pulled my notebook over. Of course, my stalker could be anyone. Nevermore student, outcast, or even a normie. But a stalker would eventually try to get closer to me. And I hated proximity.

I began to write names:
Laurel Gates, who had gone missing
The sheriff
Lucas
Enid
Xavier
Eugene
Ajax
Bianca
Yoko
Tyler-

Thing jumped up. "Tyler is gone."

"No, he isn't." Because I dream about him. I have visions. I can feel his presence like a cord tied to me from a long distance. I could hate him forever and yet I'd still feel him lurking.

Enid came in through the window, "You've got a stalker?" Great, no secrets between me and Thing anymore. I could trust Thing to stay silent. And I could trust Enid to spill.

"Don't go putting it into your blog. I haven't even validated this claim," I warned her. I looked over at her. Her cheeks were red from being in the cold. She held her hands tightly together. "Where you waiting outside for Ajax?"

She nodded, "He's arriving today and I want to be the first one to know. We've got the best view of the courtyard."

"Stalker," I whispered.

Thing dried himself off on a towel. He pulled out from my desk my list of classes.

Psychology of Macabre. Supernatural Studies. Fencing. Horticulture. Outcast anatomy. Outcast History and Culture. And Normie/ Outcast Relationships.

I was less then exited for that last one. I don't even want relationships with outcasts. But Enid is taking that class and it's the only one we both have and she won't let me switch out.

A knock sounded at the door. Enid answered it without checking the peep hole. I was going to reprimand her about it, but Eugene walked in with a clipboard. "I've got a sign up sheet for any semester's hummers."

I rose from my bed and grabbed a pen. I thought I'd be the first one to sign it, but another name was written on it. "What is this?"

The name written was Divina. Bianca's siren minion. She was also apart of the Nightshades. Of course that club was almost nothing. It's members included Kent, the biggest himbo I had seen at this school. Thing had given him a black eye once.

"I'll be sure to drive her to quit," I answered.

Eugene pulled back the clipboard, "Absolutely not. Wednesday, you are reviving The Hummers! More people might join if they see your name."

I most certainly hope not. A bee keeping suit is not a place to be crowded in. Eugene left and Enid spotted Ajax. She ran out of the room without even closing the door.

As I laid back in the bed, I felt something under the pillow. I reached for it when a vision suddenly took over my body.

Tyler stood in a white room, his arms chained to each side. "I don't know what you want!" He yelled out. Blood trickled down his uncovered chest. His body rippled almost transforming into the Hyde.

"Who is your master?" A cold voice asked. I looked around but couldn't see anyone.

He shook his head fervently, "She's gone."

"Who is your new master?" The voice answered again.

My eyes flew open. I pulled out from my pillow what had caused the vision. A little black box with a dead corsage in it. This had been from the Raven. Tyler had brought it for me but ditched it after I pulled him away from Eugene.

I inspected the dead black flower. It was trash now. It should be thrown away. Into my desk, I threw it.

I left my room to nail down the location of each of my classes before tomorrow. My psychology class was in a windowless dark room. Gruesome pictures lined the walls. Anatomy was in the dungeon. The history class was high in the tower. The supernatural studies was in the library. And the normie relationship class was going to start the first day in the kitchen. I knew where the fencing room and the greenhouse was.

I was used to people staring at me. They cast judgment that rolled off my back. But the students weren't whispering the usual things.

"She took him to the dance"
"They were friends"
"He killed Rowan for her"
"She was jealous of Thornhill's power over him"
"Did she even try and stop him"
"What's the point of killing some pilgrim and not the monster"

I snapped at the last one and looked the gorgon straight in the eyes. "The pilgrim is responsible for killing hundreds of Outcast, children and women alike. Tyler was just a weapon for someone else's nefarious plans." The gorgan inched away from me, clearly surprised I had responded. I pulled away from him.

"Well if it isn't our little school hero," a person spoke behind me. It was the vampire, Marcus. "I did my homework on you."

The path split and I considered just walking away from this cliche bully taunt. Instead, I said, "Is that why you ran off from our fight last night so quickly?"

"I better not have heard the word fight," Principal Weems floated through the wall. The other students flinched. Marcus only smiled, showing his fangs.

Weems turned to me, "I need a word with you. Come to my office please." And then she just floated upward through the ceiling. I pushed past Marcus to climb the stairs.

"Why aren't you gone?" I asked Weems as I entered the room.

The principal sat on the chair like it mattered. "That's a frank way of putting it. I sold my soul to this place and I've got unfinished business. The perfect combination to trap a soul to a place." So she couldn't leave Nevermore. "I'd like to talk about last semester."

"Well I'd rather not. No need to dwell on the past," I moved about the room.

Weems shimmered, "Unfortunately, your opinion was not factored into this decision. A lot happened and you were in the center of it all. Since your last therapist was brutally murdered-"

"I warned you to not get me a therapist."

The vase on the window shattered. I turned to Weems to see her angry ghost face. "I am being called to give you a psych evaluation. We will have to bring an expert in until a new therapist is hired in Jericho."

"And if they find me unstable?" I asked.

Weems pursed her lips, "You will be institutionalized."

Uncle Fester had been institutionalized for most of his childhood. He turned out fine. All though he had warned me how insanely boring it is. I should avoid it at all cost.

"I'll seem crazy to any normie psychologist," I argued.

"That's why I'm bringing an outcast," she informed me.

Before I left, I had one more question. "Have they found Thorn- Laurel Gates?" Principal Weems only shook her head no.

I exited the room. The phone burning a whole in my pocket buzzed. I pulled it out to see a text from my stalker. "Don't worry. Crazy isn't bad". I looked both ways. Someone had been eavesdropping.

Enid came running up the stairs. "Wednesday! This isn't good." She pulled out her phone. "Everyone got sent this video!"

The screen lit up. There I was at the Weathervane. The camera wobbled as it leaked through the window. Tyler was beside me. The audio wasn't picking up what we were saying, but I knew. And I knew what came next.

A kiss

I pushed Enid's phone from my face. "Bold move, stalker."