TIME AFTER TIME

tribus

THREE:

"PORTRAIT OF OASIS"

SALEM.

There is a boy who I keep seeing in my visions. I see flashes of him, running and cooking, I hear whispers of him laughing and saying my name. And yet, I can never see his face.

He faces away from me or pulls a door open or lifts something in the way to keep me from seeing his portrait. In every single vision, I never see his eyes. Like most of the obstacles I face, this remains the most infuriating mystery.

I'm hearing the boy laughing, I'm seeing his shoulders shake and then I'm being pulled back in to the present. In the present, I sit in a lecture hall full of light, multiple eyes on me and for some reason, my hand is in the air.

Our professor at the front of the room, Sister Zeta looks annoyed as she cleared her throat, "Do I need to repeat myself, Salem?" Like most witches on Oasis, she hisses my name like a curse.

I swallow, cheeks hot. When had I raised my hand? I stare at the board behind her, I skim over the scribbles on the board. This was Intro to Spirits, one of the three courses I was enrolled in this week. We were talking about the elements. Suddenly I remembered my question.

"No need to repeat yourself, Sister Zeta," I keep my voice light and polite as I finally lower my hand that began to fill with pins and needles, "I wanted to know why witches have a stronger connection to air and water but not the other element; fire and earth?"

She huffs, mid-swipe of the board. Before her hand could wield the words written from light she tensed. "Those elements are for us." It was as if her words made of light flickered behind her.

"Then...who are they for?"

I noticed how she tensed and how a few witches cut their eyes at me even after the lingering stares had vanished. Two females a row over whispered something that made another witch giggle. But I focused on the way Sister Zeta's jaw locked and she grit out, "That's enough questions for the day. If it's fine with you I'd like to complete the lecture before the"-

A soft wind chime whirled through the air, signaling the end of our lesson. Sister Zeta didn't hide her anger with the huff she let out as witches began to will their books in bags on phantom winds or began conjuring portals of light to continue their day. So she claps her hands and instructs, "Please finish reading chapters three and four before we meet again next week. I expect everyone to focus their Spirit so that we may begin casting soon."

As witches began to collect their items and leave I braved the fury of Sister Zeta once more. When she sensed me approaching her desk, the light evaporated from the board, as if all of her joy did the same. "I expect you to refrain from casting during the lesson."

I swallow, "I didn't mean to"--

"And I suggest you spend your present time with us listening and not asking so many questions."

"I ask questions because that's how I learn," I tell her then take a deep breath. Aunt Pearl told me not every witch is as welcoming. Polite and light, I remind myself. "I wanted to know why there isn't any accessible information for students about demons in our library."

Sister Zeta snaps her head to me, "Why would you want to read about that?!"

I lift my chin, "My mother was taken by demons, I need to know about them so I can learn how to save her." I try to meet her eye as I explain, almost desperate, "The librarian says I need a professor's code to access that level of information."