Probing Visions 1

Chapter 4 (Part 5)

     With a deadly blow, the element struck Jean, hurling him into the sky. The element hastened all over Jean's body like a lightning bolt, almost charring his fair skin. In shock, everyone, including Professor Sauber and the students, gasped and shrieked as their eyes widened. With a slow descent, Jean's body glided down to the ground, the students running away from his impact as they screamed in panic.

"Jean!!"

     Panicking, Kevin and Gabriel pushed through the crowd of startled students. Panting, they hurried forward and knelt beside Jean's limp body. With his eyes on the verge of popping out, George sprinted towards Jean and slipped himself to the ground, crawling next to Jean's head. Carefully, George cradled Jean's head and placed it on his lap.

     Releasing a deep breath of surprise, Professor Sauber pulled her skirt up and ran towards Jean's motionless body, her book slipping from her hand. Meanwhile, haunted by his conscience, Bertie lost his grip on the wand, causing it to slip and plummet to the ground. Swiftly, everyone gathered around Jean, trying their best to catch sight of his face.

     As Jean's eyes felt heavy and struggled to remain open, he saw countless faces surrounding him. However, each face eluded him, only reaching him with a blurry effect. Jean's chest felt as if a mountain was crushing it, and he couldn't breathe well, causing him to pant and moan loudly. Slowly, his eyes closed, and everything around him plunged into darkness.

As Jean's eyes lay shut, he heard two unfamiliar voices, muffled and indistinct, clashing within his ears.

"You cannot think like this. You cannot just leave me be after all the days we've been through together!" a woman's voice argued.

"Do I look like I give a damn!? No! I don't! Why is it hard for you to depart from me!? Do I seriously have to give you some money before you comply, you beggar!?" a man retorted.

"I don't care about money! I care about our baby! How about our child!? How about him!?? I'm carrying him. And he cannot grow up without his father!"

"Oh, for the sake of mankind, shut up!"

"You're being selfish! All you care about is your reputation! You do not even care about me or our baby!"

     Gradually, Jean finds the strength to open his eyes. As his eyelids slowly open, a thick, black void immediately greets him. Engulfed by fear, Jean carefully stands up from the cold, black ground and glances everywhere, only seeing the darkness in every direction. Jean's eyes attempt to pierce the inky veil, yet all he sees is the darkness surrounding him.

     With fear creeping into his spine, Jean feels the sense of dread licking his skin. He begins panting loudly, his head swivelling around, gazing in every direction. As Jean turns to the left, he spots something that freezes his breath. Surprised and confused, Jean pauses and places his fists over his heart, feeling his erratic heartbeat punching through his chest.

     Before Jean stands a familiar bricked structure, its walls exuding grandeur and strength. Windows grace the foundation, though the other side remains dark and unseen. Its roof reaches skyward, unable to be seen by anyone on the ground floor.

     As Jean levels his gaze, he sees stone steps leading to the entrance of the bricked structure. On the stone steps, he spots an unfamiliar figure. It is a young woman, blooming like a rose, with silky hair transformed into curly fringes. Her soft, bouncy hair, coiled into a high bun, shimmers like the sand in the desert, and her skin shimmers like a pearl.

     Jean squints and realizes the woman is facing the other direction, gazing at the imposing structure before them. As she faces the other direction, she is oblivious to Jean's presence behind her. With a deep breath, her chest heaving, she walks forward and steps onto the stone steps leading to the colossal entrance of the gigantic, bricked structure.

     Curiosity piqued, Jean releases a cold, deep breath through his mouth and sprints towards the woman. His breath hitches as he gains closer to the woman, his curiosity rising with every step. As he reaches her back, he gently grabs her shoulder and slowly turns her body around to see her face. Just as Jean is about to see her face, everything turns white, blinding him momentarily.

     Jean's eyes flutter open, his eyelids still feeling heavy. As Jean regains consciousness, he glances from left to right, seeing himself enclosed by concrete walls, surrounded by Kevin, Gabriel, Bertie, George, and Professor Sauber. As Jean squirms around, he feels the soft embrace of a warm bed around him. Glancing to the left, he sees an attending nurse dressed in a white uniform beside the bed.

"W-where am I...?" Jean asked, his voice faint and weak.

"You're in the clinic. But don't worry, dear. I gave you some healing potions, and you're all fine now," the nurse replied.

Careful not to feel any stinging pain, Jean sat upright from the bed. "What happened...?" he queried.

"You got knocked unconscious, child. But now, everything's alright," Professor Sauber stated, her tone soft and caring.

Worried about Jean's well-being, Gabriel asked, "Hey, Jean. How're you feeling?"

Though he desired to speak about his peculiar dream, Jean smiled and shook his head lightly. "I... I'm fine, I guess," he said.

"Wow. Tough luck. It's just the first day, and you already got injured," Bertie quipped, crossing his arms as he chuckled.

Professor Sauber grasped Bertie by the arm and dragged him out of the clinic. "I'll have some word with you, Mister."