[DISCONTINUED] Shadow Lover

Self-induced visions

The sun's rays shined upon our dorm, the gentle morning wind caressing the singing birds of early Spring. It's suicide weather. (Girl Interrupted reference)

I got up from my bed, went to the bathroom, dressed up, packed my bag for the day, and waited for Enid to wake up. I liked to see the expression on her face when she realized she was going to be late for class.

After she woke up and completely freaked out, we walked to class together like we usually do. Enid was telling me about her texts with Ajax and about boys not being allowed to visit the girls, but I was barely listening. I couldn't stop thinking about last night's vision. Usually, my visions predict something bad, but nothing bad happened in the vision. The woman didn't try to hurt me, she just looked at me. My visions are usually more specific but I couldn't even see her face or hair. She must be in our school, but there is also the possibility that she was a student in the past. The Pentagon looked the same. It had the same posters and announcements in it meaning that the vision was of the present. But who is she? Why is she in my vision? What does she want from me or this school?

"Wednesday!" Enid snapped her fingers in front of my face. "You're not even listening!" We went inside the classroom. Nothing makes me as happy as seeing the sad looks of the unfortunate students of Nevermore who were selected to have math for their first lesson on a Monday morning.

Riemann Hypothesis. I feel like I'm six years old again. This gives me more time to think about the figure. I need to go back into my vision. What could I touch that would send me into one? Maybe these visions only happen in my sleep. My hand went to one of my braids, twirling it around as I thought more and more about her. I need to go back and find out who she is, what she wants. I need to see her face and identify her. I need to induce a vision.

I was back at the Pentagon, by myself, in a vision. It worked. I managed to go into a vision without touching or feeling something. I looked around. She wasn't there, but I saw the door leading to the main hallway open, so I went inside. Everything was as usual: the trophies of the school put on display in the glass cabinet, the pictures of the school's greatest -- my mother, of course being among them-- just like before, nothing was out of place. But then I felt it again. The piercing gaze of the mysterious figure looking at me from behind. I turned around and I saw her. This time I could see her hair which was rather helpful. It was dark and long. It looked very dense and soft. If I could only touch it, of course, to help with the identification.

"Come closer." She said. Her voice was raspy and calm, nothing like a siren, so that was off the list. I took a step closer to her.

"Look at me." She said.

"I am."

"What do you see?"

"I see your hair and body." I replied.

"Look closer." The blurriness of her face started to turn into soft features that slowly formed more toned ones. The figure now had a face, completing the missing piece of the puzzle. But I had never seen her before. Her eyes were stabbing mine with her cold gaze which made me look away. I never back down. Look back!

"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep my eyes on her. She didn't answer. Instead, she took one of my braids in her hands and took out the rubber band keeping it from falling apart.

I woke up in the nurse's office with Enid by my side. When she noticed I was awake she immediately attacked me with questions.

"What happened? Are you ok? Why did you have a vision?"

"I was trying to figure something out." I said slowly getting up. I felt something brush up against my shoulder and back. I went to grab it and all I caught was my hair. My loose hair that was no longer braided. With only one braid left, I looked at Enid and asked her:

"Did you undo my hair?

"No. I took you straight to the nurse and she put you in the bed."

The rubber band was also gone. No wonder, I mean she took it after all. But she took it in my vision, not in real life. I need to find out who she is and why she is in my visions.