Carmiabell: The Black Apple

Chapter 28

The feeling that I had a stalker hounding me only seemed to get stronger with time. I’d gotten used to glancing under the bed, eyeing the curtains, and—even worse—wondering if my own friend, Zuina, might actually be a shape-shifter in disguise.

Did it freak me out? Eh, maybe a little. But mostly, I stayed still. Motionless as stone, hoping that if I appeared dead, maybe I’d actually feel that way. An icy chill rushed through my veins, piercing me like a possessed arrow. I could almost feel my heart surrendering to the cold creeping in.

It felt like something out there was crawling its way toward me, distant but inevitable—a chill that seemed to slither and coil through me, thick and heavy, like snakes hiding in caves.

Everyone else thought I was “fine”—easy enough to pretend. But in my mind, I knew what was happening. I knew that the line between me and the afterlife was thinning. The midnight prowler, the shape-shifter, whoever or whatever it was lurking out there, was just part of a grim puzzle. And at the center of it all? Somehow, me. Trying to figure it out felt like being lost in a nightmare with no clear end in sight.

The worst part was that I couldn’t share any of it. I was left alone, silent, in this strange, creeping pain that left me sobbing quietly into my pillow. Every tear soaked through the pillow, each drop a warm reminder that, at least for now, I was still here. I wondered if Zuina noticed anything as she lay there, facing the other side, feigning sleep. If anyone knew her, it was me. And I knew she wasn’t really asleep.

If only a sprinkle of stardust could bring a real smile back to my face. Or a flash of light to pierce the dark. But in reality, all I could see was a bleak, yawning abyss, as if the only outcome waiting for me was…well, my deathbed.

The bed shifted subtly, and my heart skipped a beat.

“I couldn't sleep,” Zuina’s voice whispered behind me, barely more than a breath. “Don’t turn around, though. My teeth smell like rotten eggs.”

Not exactly a scent I wanted in my face right now anyway. Besides, there was no way I wanted her to see the state of my face—red-rimmed eyes, skin blotchy from crying. I’d probably look like a tomato with tragic backstory.

“Do you think tomorrow’s plan will work?” she asked softly.

Ah, yes. Confronting Mrs. Tuth in front of the whole school. It sounded like the most elegant way to walk straight into a death sentence. And if Mrs. Tuth really was a Black Dreamer, one snap of her fingers could wipe out Neporian Academy. Fun times.

We were at a dead end, and time was slipping away faster than I could count. So why not skip to the main act and roll the dice? If we could bait Mrs. Tuth into exposing herself—well, fantastic. And if not…yep, we’d be in trouble.

The thought of her secret hideout crossed my mind, of all the creepy evidence we’d found in it, including that book on “alchemically changing dreams.” How was she supposed to explain my name scrawled in her diary?

“I don’t know,” I whispered back, trying to hide the tremor in my voice.

I wanted the plan to work, I really did. I wanted to make it through all of this. But if I was being honest, the part of me that usually spoke up with truths was silent tonight.

Zuina changed the subject with surprising ease. “What do you think about Damon?”

Damon? The name alone brought a strange warmth, a comfort I hadn’t felt in too long. But it didn’t stop me from wondering—if I did end up leaving, what would he feel? Would there be tears? A smile? Or would I be just another girl who barely made it into his memories?

“A lot of things,” I answered, summing it up as best as I could.

Charming. Charming. Charming.

°*°

I must have drifted off at some point, somewhere between a sad monologue about my inevitable fate and Zuina talking about Damon, because when I opened my eyes, sunlight was stabbing through my eyelids.

“Wake up, flamingo face, you’re late,” Zuina said, dressed and waiting with a look of amused pity.

She wore this ridiculous skirt that hugged her curves like it was designed for royalty. Tragically, the dress was going to be wasted on what could be our last school day—maybe even expulsion day, if things went south.

As I dragged myself out of bed, I caught Zuina staring. Not exactly in admiration—more like horror.

The black veins had spread across my right arm, snaking up toward my chest. My skin looked like a shattered mirror, cracks stretching out with each little beat of my heart.

I felt panic surge, my breath quickening until it became a full-on hyperventilation. My hands trembled as I watched the veins creep toward my heart. I was huffing and puffing like an angry buffalo, except my anger was sheer terror.

Zuina slid next to me on the bed, squeezing my hand. “You need to calm down,” she said, leaning her head on my shoulder and stroking my hand. “Everything will be okay.”

I wanted to believe her, and as I focused on her voice, my heart slowed, breath by breath, until I was back to feeling—well, sort of normal. The worst part was, she wasn’t afraid. Even when she could’ve kept her distance, she stayed beside me, unflinching.

The day wasn’t going to get easier, though. I pulled on a pair of gloves, scarf, jacket—basically transformed myself into a tragic version of a winter chipmunk.

By the time we got to school, Zuina and I were a little army of two, intent on taking down Mrs. Tuth. We headed toward Alchemy class, though Simon suggested a genius alternative: the cafeteria. Mrs. Tuth wasn’t exactly a fan of places filled with hormonal teenagers gorging on garbage she probably considered a crime against the senses.

The plan went like this: Simon would clap twice from his table as the signal. Zuina, bless her poor princess outfit, was the bait.

When the signal came, Zuina took a deep breath, then made a beeline for Alma, the school’s resident gossip queen. Before Alma even saw it coming, Zuina's hand swung down, sending both of them crashing into a mess of food, wrappers, and juice cartons.

The “fight! fight! fight!” chant erupted, filling the cafeteria with wild energy. Students poured in to witness the spectacle, cramming through the doors in seconds. Neporian High had never been this hyped.

And then, right on cue, Mrs. Tuth stormed in, followed by the principal and other faculty. This was it—the moment we’d been waiting for.

My heart thudded, slowing, then slowing again. Not from nerves this time, though. My body felt like it was shutting down, every heartbeat an agonizing jolt. A burning pain spread from my chest, blurring my vision as everything spun.

And then, just like that, the world faded to black.