The Stormgale Chronicles: To Dream of Drowning

3

It was as if my brain hiccuped, metaphorically speaking.

As the Headmaster was speaking, the words coming out of his mouth fit exactly into the vague notion that suddenly appeared, telling me that I was indeed meant to be here.

The name Stormgale Academy sat comfortably in my mind.  It was something I'd heard before.  Something I was familiar with.  And yet, I didn't know one singular thing about it.  I glanced around me, as everyone listened to his words.  Features in their faces, builds, hair, and eyes stood out, more than they had before.  Gorgeous features with porcelain skin and stained lips, rugged statures with bushy eyebrows and keen eyes, scars that ran along fingers and faces...they were familiar to me.  I had seen all of this before.

"I would like to be the first to say how wonderful it is to finally meet this years' newest pupils, and thank their lovely parents for being here to see them off.

"Unfortunately, as sweet as hellos are, you must now all say your goodbye's.  I sadly can only let the students at my school through at this time.  So please, take your time with your hugs and your kisses – the doors will be open for a little while."

I watched as mixed reactions to this filtered through the crowd.  A few mothers and fathers glowered at the headmaster, grumbling about helping their kids set up their rooms and whatnot.  Others took the time to get a few more bone-crushing hugs and tearful kisses in before letting their child off through the magical gate.  I wondered quickly if I had any family out there, wondering where I was.  Did they know I was off to school? 

There were also plenty of students who didn't wait a moment after Professor Hellburn was finished speaking before picking up their bags and walking right through the gate.  Groups of boys pushing and laughing at one another, girls stalking around them, glaring as they went. 

The group I'd been behind getting off the ferry were nearby.  The three of them were all looking across the way at a tall guy in black strolling through the arch.

"Look at him," the girl muttered darkly under her breath.  "No groupies to follow him around just yet."

"It'll be a cold day in hell if he makes a friend after what his daddy did," one of the boys said with a shrug.  "Only time will tell."

With that, the three of them drifted through the arch, ducking under the magical doorway and strolling across the lawn of what I suppose was the academy.

The guy they were talking about had been off to the side, wearing a black leather jacket, artfully ripped pants, and fancy boots.  He wore small circular glasses that accentuated his angular features and full lips.  I had to admit, he looked pretty attractive, even if he was a bit standoffish.  Not that I could say anything about that – I felt a stranger in my own head, let alone on this spooky, fog-infested island.

I looked over at the ferry.  It sat at the docks, staring back off into the beyond of rolling waves and clouds of fog. 

I could go.  Back on main land, I could figure out what was going on, maybe ask around for someone at the ticket counter to see if anyone recognized me.  Somebody would have had to have seen me walk on – at least I'd have some sense of direction to go off.  Right now, I had even less than a guess.

My gaze, however, rolled back over towards the gate.  The impossibility of itself pulled me towards it, reaching out across the rolling hills.  Whoever I was, whatever I'd been before waking up on the ferry ride here...there was something inside, telling me that I'd never had what would be called a 'normal' life.  The way that my body and brain reacted to the sudden eruption of magic within the arch, as well as the oddities that happened over and over again on the ferry, and now here.