The Academy of Mystical Beings

The Boy

After my quick talk with Drakos, I was ushered back into the hallway with Dawson.

Drakos questioned me about that night with Cole and I told him the truth. Everything I could remember. Although at this point I couldn't tell reality from Fairytales.

Dawson cut the ties off my wrists and I quickly pulled them to my chest and rubbed them.

"I'll be right back, I need to speak with Headmaster Drakos. Can I trust you to sit here for a moment?" He gestured to the old looking stone bench and I nodded my head as I flopped onto the bench.

The heavy door shut behind him and I was soon alone. Heavy thoughts weighed on my mind.

As I sat on the cold stone bench outside the headmaster's office, my heart was pounding in my chest. I was feeling more nervous than excited about the prospect of learning magic. I was lost in my thoughts oblivious to the world around me.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming towards me. I looked up and saw a tall boy walking towards me. He had short, white hair, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to look right through me.

"Hi," the boy said, smiling. "I'm Cedric. Are you new here?"

I nodded, feeling grateful for the distraction. "Yeah, I just arrived this morning," I said, my voice shaking slightly.

"Cool," Cedric said, taking a seat next to me on the bench. "I've been coming for a few years now. It's a great place, although Drakos is a bit of a nutter." he chuckled to himself.

I forced a smile, feeling more at ease now that I had someone to talk to. "I'm Jack," I said, introducing myself. "I'm still trying to get used to everything."

Cedric and I chatted for a few minutes about the Academy, and I found myself drawn to Cedric's easy smile and confident manner. He seemed to know everything there was to know about the school, and I was grateful for his insights. I was surprised when he hadn't bombarded me with questions about my appearance. I wondered if it was normal for people to show up to The Academy like this.

"It looks like we have Spells and Incantations together, Ms. Nightshade. You'll like her she's really nice." He stated as he looked at my schedule that Drakos had given me. There was something alluring about his appearance, I felt almost bewitched when I stared at him. I felt like I was being pulled towards him. A fish to bait.

As Cedric got up to leave, I felt a pang of disappointment. I wanted to talk to him more, to get to know him better. But for now, I was just happy to have made a new friend.

I watched as he walked away, feeling a sense of anxiety and uncertainty about what lay ahead.

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Dawson had led me to my new dorm that was shared with other witches and wizards. There was two of us to each room, and I had yet to meet my new roommate. Each room had a bathroom connected that we shared with our roommates.

He dismissed himself and assured me my roommate would be able to help me find my way around. I immediately made my way to the shower.

I threw my clothes off as quickly as I could and got into the shower.

The hot water streamed down my back as I picked up the bar of soap and lathered it onto my hands thickly. I scrubbed my body as hard as I could. Desperate to scrub off the memories of what happened. His blood had seeped into the fabric of my pants and shoes.

I scrubbed harder, my skin becoming raw and red. I hated that I still felt his hands on my skin. The way he tried to take me by force. Hot tears cascaded down my cheeks and mixed with the water from the shower. Sobs broke from my lips and shakily set the soap back in the holder. I curled into a ball and hugged my knees tightly to my chest. My whole body was shaking, I hated feeling like this. Everything was becoming too much. I missed my parents. It's probably a good thing they don't see me again. Their daughter, the murderer.

I felt like the room was closing in on me, my breaths became shallow and my sobs turned into gasps. The hot water turned cold.

Then my world went black.

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I awoke with a start. The last thing I remembered was having a panic attack in the shower and passing out. I was familiar with panic attacks, as I had them quite often as a child.

I looked around the large room to see I was in some type of infirmary. The large room had high ceilings and stone walls. It had large windows that let an obnoxious amount of natural light into the room as well. There were lots of beds lining the walls with individual curtains to separate them from each other. The wooden beds had thick blankets and a single pillow.

My eyes snapped to the women who was approaching me with a small vial in her hand. She had a long white gown on with a small white cap on her head. I couldn't help but notice her very calm and gentle demeanor about her, as well as short gray hair and kind, soft green eyes.

"Hello Jack, I'm Evelyn. You gave us quiet the scare, but not to worry. This should help, go on dear." Her melodic voice coaxed me as I reached for the vial that she offered to me.

"What is it?" I asked nervously as I looked at the vial that now sat in my open palm.

"It's serenity potion darling, it'll make you right as rain. Go on then." She smiled and urged me to drink the clear liquid.

I popped the small cork off the vial and poured the liquid to the back of my throat. I swallowed the seemingly sweet contents and coughed slightly.

Evelyn rubbed her hand against my arm in soothing motions. The potion began to work as a soothing tranquility overcame my senses. All my panic and fear had abandoned me.

"Darling, you're just getting started. I know this is an adjustment for you, but I believe you will overcome this." She squeezed my shoulder gently and handed me another small vial. Next to her desk which sat in the middle of the large room was an old looking oak cabinet with glass doors it was filled with similar vials to the one she had just given me. Large and small, different colors. The other side of the cabinet was full of various herbs. It reminded me of home. Of my mother.

She had practiced herbal therapy, and alternative medicine. I didn't feel sad thinking about my mother, her warm smile and large happy eyes. Which had been the complete opposite of earlier today. I couldn't help but wonder if it was the potion, or if I've just accepted my fate. I'll never see my family again.

"Here dear, take this. When you begin to feel that panic rise and it's unbearable, you must swallow the entire vial." She gave me a small sad smile before dismissing me. 

"I'm having a student escort you back to your dormitory, please make sure you're getting an adequate amount of sleep dear." With that she stood and made her way to another patient.

I stood from my bed and collected myself, I'm going to be okay.

Just then I locked eyes with the most beautiful creature. Her long, flowing hair seemed to shimmer in the light. A beautiful shade of silver, it was as if her hair was made of moonlight itself.

As she approached me I felt myself shrinking inwardly. I felt out of place among this goddess.

Her eyes were a deep grey, and seemed to sparkle with an inner light. Her skin is pale and seems also translucent, giving her an ethereal quality. I heard her clear her throat, the sound was almost melodic.

My face burned crimson at the realization, I was once again caught staring at somebody. I couldn't help myself. They were gods, and goddesses compared to me.

She beamed brightly, her smile was entrancing. It's hard for me to pull my gaze from her, once again I'm sucked into a trance. It's almost as if she was casting a spell on me. I shook my head and pulled my eyes from her.

"Hi! I'm Nerida, you're roommate!" Instead of shaking my hand like a normal person she pulls me into a hug. A warm feeling runs through my body that I've never felt when touching a girl before.

"Im Jack." I say shyly pulling away. The feeling confused me.

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A/N

Cedric above!