Shadow (Xavier Thorpe)

IV

I was sitting out on our balcony with Wednesday and thing as we were playing 'Paint it, black'. Wednesday playing on her cello and I was playing on my violin, I've never been a fan of the larger string instruments. The violin is more compact and convenient. "No, I don't really feel better. There's just something wrong about this place. Not just because it's a school." Wednesday said as thing signed to see it the music helped. It certainly helped me escape my crazy sister for 2 minutes. Suddenly Enid appeared from the window, "How the hell did you get that oversized violin out the window?" Enid asked staring at Wednesday in shock. "I had an extra hand," Wednesday said as she set down her cello and thing peaked above the stand. "Whoa. Where's the rest of him?" Enid asked being crept out by the lone hand that was just there. "It's one of the great Addams family mysteries," I said to the bubbly girl as I bent down and placed my black violin back into the case and zipped it up. Suddenly we heard the howling of the werewolves that were in nevermore as there was a full moon. "Why aren't you wolfing out?" Wednesday asked as she looked at Enid. "Because I can't. It's all I got. My mom says some wolves are late bloomers, but I've been to the best Lycanologist. I had to fly to Milwaukee, would you believe it? Yeah, she says there's a chance I may never... you know." Enid said as she revealed her multicoloured pastel claws. "What happens then?" I asked as I leaned against the balcony. "I'd become a lone wolf," Enid said as she leaned up against the balcony with me. "Sounds perfect," Wednesday said as she approached us. "Are you kidding me? My life would be officially over. I'd be kicked out of my family pack with no prospect of finding a mate." Enid ranted to my twin sister. "I'm failing to see the problem here." Wednesday continued to argue. "I could die alone" Enid practically screamed. "We all die alone, Enid." Wednesday said blankly. "You really suck at this. Cheering people up." Enid snapped as she then started crying. "Why are you crying?" Wednesday asked as I rolled my eyes at her, you know for someone incredibly snap she can also be insanely stupid. "Because I'm upset! Haven't you ever cried or are you above that too?" Enid asked as I saw the pain on my sister's face that I have only ever seen once before. "It was the week after Halloween. I was six years old. I took my pet scorpion, Nero, out for his afternoon stroll, and we were ambushed. They wondered what kind of freak would have a scorpion for a pet. Yeah. Two of them held me down and made me watch while the others ran Nero over until ...It was snowing when I buried what was left of him. I cried my little black heart out. But tears don't fix anything. So, I vowed to never do it again." Wednesday said blankly. "Your secret's safe with me. Still think you're weird as shit, though. What about you Chloe?" Enid asked as I remembered the last time Wednesday saw me cry.

"I was 8, I was in the yard with my Burmese python, Otto, these kids came by and well, saw the snake, thought I was weird as fuck, so they decided to torture that fact. They decided to stick penknives through him. He fought for all that he could, he tried snapping at them. I couldn't even do anything to help. They held me back and made me watch, but the crying never brought otto back." I sighed. "How would you like your single room back? You just need to show me how to use your computer." Wednesday said as she took the attention of me and the painful memory.

We were currently sitting in our dorm, with Enid's laptop ringing a number I don't recognise. "Uh... hi." The unfamiliar face said. "That's Thing." Wednesday said explaining the hand that just crawled through his window, "Is he, like, your pet?" the unfamiliar face said. "He's sensitive," Wednesday argued. "Look, I know Nevermore is ground zero for all things weird, but this is the next level. So, what happened to not wanting to be a slave to technology?" the unfamiliar face said, however as he did, I fell into a vision. My body jerked around, as my head shot up to the sky.

The face of the boy that I had seen on the computer had appeared, however this time he was covered in blood. Next flashed a scene where he turned around and wore a mischievous smirk.

With that, I fell back into normality as it appeared that Wednesday was finished with her phone call. "Wednesday, you can leave with that normie, there's something up with him," I said as my sister just simply walked past me to her third of the room. "Chloe, anything you do or say will not stop me from leaving this hell hole, Tyler is willing to help me do it," Wednesday said. With that, you gave up knowing your sister is stubborn as I went to sit on my bed and draw the vision you had.

The next night was the carnival in the local town in Jericho. I was standing at the entrance with Enid and Wednesday. "Are you sure you can trust that normie?" Enid asked, "I certainly don't" I muttered as I shoved my hands into my black jacket. "I trust that I can handle myself," Wednesday said as we stood looking at Tyler and his dad arguing. "I don't care what you say Wednesday I'm not getting into a car with him," I said as I walked off into the carnival.

I was walking around when I found my sister at the darts game. "No escape yet little sis?" I asked her as I leant over the booth. "I've got eyes watching me," Wednesday said as she threw more darts at the balloons popping them. "Jeez, you get any better at this, you'll be taking home a whole pack," I heard a voice as well as felt an arm wrap around my shoulder, Xavier. I turned to smile at the boy who has now become a close friend. "Pandas don't travel in packs. They prefer solitude." Wednesday said with no emotion in her voice. "All right. Subtle hint taken." Xavier said as he stood up straight, taking his arm off me. "You should know I'm waiting for someone," Wednesday said clearly trying to get you and Xavier away from her. "Oh yeah, who's the lucky guy... or girl?" Xavier asked making me chuckle in amusement as well as his awkwardness. "What does it matter to you?" Wednesday snapped. "Didn't mean to interrupt," Tyler said suddenly, appearing out of nowhere. You're not," I muttered as I pulled Xavier away.

"I get bad vibes about him" I muttered as I glanced back to see him and my sister talking. "I know that he has bad vibes," Xavier said as I pulled him towards the queue for the Ferris wheel.

The both of you were now sitting in a little capsule on the Ferris wheel. "What did you mean that you know there are bad vibes about Tyler?" I asked as we began moving. "Promise if I tell you this you won't tell anyone else," Xavier said looking at you seriously. "Who am I to tell" you smirked at the boy. "True. It was last year's outreach day, the Jericho council has asked nevermore to paint a mural representing the two communities and Weems asked me to do it, so I did, as I was painting it, Tyler and his friends came up to me and beat me up, the next day the mural was covered" Xavier explain as he looked down. "that's terrible" I muttered feeling sorry for your newfound friend. "So how do you have a bad vibe about him," Xavier asked. "Well, when Wednesday called him last night, I got a vision. I saw him, covered in blood, and then he has a mischievous smirk on his face, my visions never make sense, so I don't know what to make of them but he's up to something, I know it" I sighed as Xavier said nothing and just held your hand. Both of you sat in silence on the ride until it was time to get off.

"Rowan, come back! Rowan, wait!" I heard as I was walking around the carnival with Xavier. "shit, I gotta go after her" I muttered to Xavier as I ran off, my converse squelching in the mud.

"Rowan" I heard Wednesday beg as rowan held her against a tree. "Rowan put her down" I shouted as I approached the two. "Both of you have to go, even if it kills me to do it" I heard rowan shout as he flung me into a tree, winding me and causing me to black out. I don't remember anything after that.

I work up in the infirmary the next morning to have Wednesday, Xavier and Enid by my side. "What happened" I groaned as I sat up. "You were knocked out, by rowan," Wednesday said. "How?" I questioned. "He was trying to kill us, then a monster killed him," Wednesday said as I looked at my sister in confusion as I don't remember there being any monster.

Wednesday and Enid left, leaving Xavier. "You terrified me you know," Xavier said as he looked up, with puffy eyes. "why" I questioned. "I knew something was wrong when Wednesday came running out of the woods dragging you, I took you off Wednesday, and she went to tell Bianca, I thought you were dead, you were so limp" Xavier muttered. "Well, I'm fine now" I smiled at Xavier as I sat at the edge of the bed, "I know," Xavier said as he suddenly engulfed me in a hug which I returned. We both sat like that for a while in the infirmary, just hugging.

"Hello, my little black clouds" I heard my father say as they both appeared on the crystal ball. "So, tell us my darlings, how was your first week?" my mother asked. I sat there in silence as I let Wednesday do all the talking to our parents. "As much as it pains me to admit, you were right, Mother. I think we're going to love it here" Wednesday said as she smirked.