Behind the glass

The crow

Nancy got out of class as dizzy as always, and got past her math teacher who offered help.
Nancy sat on a bench. She put her phone near, and got out her compact mirror to check her hair. She carefully removed her hat and brushed her tangled hairs each strand. She started coughing and dropped the mirror in the mud.

A a crow landed near her, on the muddy ground. His legs got all dirty.

Nancy stuffed her hair brush back into her backpack and got out a pack of nuts. She threw them near her boots.

The bird came closer and ate it.

"Nancy."

Nancy saw Gerald.

"What do you want?" She asked, letting the wind glue her hair to her face.

"Ew, is that a crow?"

"Yeah?"

Gerald grimaced and swing his foot at the poor bird.

"Why would you do that?" Nancy knitted her brows, trying to look as angry as she could. But she couldn't help but blush.

Gerald sat next to her.

"Could you drop me off home? I live close to here. "

Nancy smiled, trying to hold her cough. Gerald held her little hand.

"Sure." She said.

She knew it was normal for Gerald to ask girls for favors. He was the popular after all. But looking at his perfect olive skin and chestnut hair, she couldn't help but imagine him having a crush on her.

"Don't feed the crows." Said Gerald. "I don't want you to get some weird disease which you already have."

"Crows are innocent," whispered Nancy, but her voice vanished in the wind.

Her ride finally arrived and she and Gerald walked towards the car.

Nancy sat down and nervously checked her phone. So did Gerald. She waited for him to say something. To communicate. But he acted like he didn't even see her.

"Yes, that's my apartment." He said, as the driver approached a plain white building. "Take care, Nancy."

Nancy nodded and looked out of the window. She saw a lonely, wild crow and wondered if that was the one Gerald had kicked.

***

Silence ruled at the table. Dad and mom were having a rich and mindful dinner, while Nancy was just busy overthinking.

I should've protected that crow.

"Nancy, could you call Evelyn? Her food is getting cold." Said Mom, taking a spoonful of shepherds pie.

"Sure."

Nancy shouted at Evelyn's door.

"Come eat!" She briefly said, and then returned to the kitchen.

Evelyn muttered horrendously and got up.

After dinner, Nancy cheated off her homework. She would usually do it all fairly and easily, but she was not in the mood for studying. She was feeling super dizzy and coughing so hard that for a moment, she thought she'd pass out.

Nancy sat on her bed.

"Let's hang the decorations!"
Evelyn had a Christmas cookie in her hand.

"Evelyn, I want to sleep."

"Okay."

Nancy stopped her.

"Please call dad." She said, closing her eyes.

She laid back on the bed and focused on her wall.

Tunnel. Boy. Train. Thunder. Gerald. Crow. Shepherds Pie.

It all suffocated Nancy.

Nancy stood up breathless and sweaty, and checked the time.

Midnight.

She had fallen asleep.

  Nancy put on her socks and looked went downstairs. The Christmas tree and the lights were set up. She smiled to herself. Evelyn and mom couldn't have waited that long.

She came back into her room and turned off the lights. But the room still had some weird lighting going on. It was coming from the portal on the wall. It was glossy and purple. Like a brand new slime box. Like a brand new lipgloss.
Nancy came closer, and touched the pit.

The glossy look had disappeared. Nancy was pretty sure the door was made from glass now.
She didn't have the courage to touch it again.

The pale boy came out of the portal and sat on Nancy's bed.
His pale skin suited him more than ever. He looked like a light bulb.

"I knew you weren't a dream," said Nancy, lowering her gaze. "I knew you'd come again to get me."

The boy looked up at Nancy with sparkling eyes. He didn't speak, but Nancy knew he didn't have to.

Nancy laid on his shoulder and continued speaking.

"I'm sick. I'm really, really sick. I can't." She whispered. The boy patted her head calmly.

"It's all ending soon." He said. His voice was so soothing and angelic. But she also sensed the pain in his voice. It was cold as stone, but also very warm.
Nancy looked up at him, waiting for something to happen. Their eyes met, and he stood up quickly.
"Stand up." He ordered.

Nancy stood up. It was dark again. The boy had disappeared. She looked around in shock. Did she hallucinate or dream? She knew she was sick, but never thought that she could be psychologically ill as well.

She went downstairs, where she found Evelyn decorating the tree all by herself.

"Finally! Dad was searching for you, time for medicine." She said, and turned back to her work.

Nancy hated medicine. She hated the idea of being the only person around that had to follow a chart everyday.