A Vision of Happiness: A New Life (Book 2)

Chapter 10

VISIONER

Visioner couldn't concentrate. His mind kept going back to Brightness. Was she okay? Did everyone accept her? What was she feeling? Although she was just a few seats besides him, he couldn't help worrying about his twin sister. The dull, aching headache that was a sign of another seizure made him terrified.

"Visioner?" He snapped out of his thoughts, startled. The entire class was staring at him, and Webs had a mildly annoyed expression on his snout.

"Can you tell me about the Scorching?" Webs asked. Visioner swallowed, shrinking back from the many eyes that were burning into his soul. His head pulsed even harder, and he clenched his talons to stop them from shaking. 

"I- I-" The corners of his eyes were fading into darkness. He would not have a seizure in front of his class. 

Visioner stood up abruptly. "I- I need to go. Sorry."

He raced out of the cave as fast as he could, and ran through the halls. Clay was walking by, and he looked up from his chicken.

"Hey! No running!" He called after him. 

Visioner turned left, and when he saw that no one was there, he sank to the floor, clutching his head. His left talon twitched, and a familiar flash of pain jolted through his arm. He closed his eyes as darkness clouded his vision, and sank into the world of possibilities. 

BRIGHTNESS

"Did you hear the bell ring?" Tamarin asked. Brightness circled her palm, letting the soothing ring of the bell echo through her ears. "Then we'd better go. We don't want to be late for your first class!"

Brightness stood up, and Tamarin walked out of the cave in surprising speed. Brightness caught up with her new friend, and they both joined the huge crowd of dragonets that made their way to their first class. 

"We have history first," Tamarin explained. "With Webs. He talks really slowly, and it's one of the worst classes in Jade Mountain." 

Brightness followed the blind RainWing into a cave, where a blue-green SeaWing stood in the front of the classroom. She sat down next to Tamarin, and spotted familiar black scales just a few seats away. 

Webs droned on and on about the history of the Scorching, and Brightness felt like she was being slowly lulled to sleep by his slow, murky-river voice. 

"Visioner?" He called suddenly. Brightness and the entire class turned to face her brother, and Visioner snapped awake from a strange expression. 

"Can you tell me about the Scorching?" Webs asked. Visioner's eyes were wide with terror and nervousness, and Brightness was surprised as he stood up.

"I- I need to go. Sorry," He squeaked, before hurrying out of the cave. Brightness tilted her head at the strange behavior, and after a moment of hesitation, she stood up, too. 

"Brightness? Where are you going?" Webs asked sharply. Brightness ignored the SeaWing, and raced out of the cave after her brother.