The Academy - Something Missing

Chapter 2

Hey guys! So I actually wrote another Chapter. I hope it's OK so far! Please leave me suggestions or comments, good or bad! I want to improve on my writing since its my weakness but heyyy it's fun:D

CHAPTER 2

              I stretched looking up at my bedroom ceiling and couldn’t help smiling as I was thinking about tomorrow. Not about the test but about Kings Dominion.

A date.

With Daniel.

I sighed, leaping on my bed, excited.

            Daniel had walked me back home after the Arcade. I remembered he leaned in to kiss my forehead, an easy task since he was a head taller than me. I was still a little flushed from the feeling of his soft, gentle lips touching my skin.

            I sighed again, feeling like a little preteen. It was so unlike me to feel this way that I started laughing. Wow, I was such a kid. I shook off the tingling feeling of happiness and forced myself to sleep which later I came to regret.

*****************************

            I found myself in the same place. The bright colors of the long, green grass and the aroma of the flowers made everything so vivid.

            I started to walk away from the shack, not interested in it this time. Suddenly I heard a rustle from the long grass that surrounded me apparently failing to keep me hidden from whatever was out there.

I panicked, picking up the long wretched dress and made a run for it. I forgot this was a dream probably because if I did, my subconscious would bring me back to my bed at home, knowing it was all an illusion.

 My breathing became irregular, my body giving out from the chase. I didn’t stop let it stop me. The grass beneath me started to look yellow and rotten and I when I looked up, I saw a sign of living, civilization, up ahead. But the grass had started to become rough and hard, sharp enough to cut me but I was too afraid to slow down. The stinging pain throbbed, feeling each cut the grass gave me.

Suddenly, a shadow flew past over my head. I screamed as I saw the same wolf from before. Its green eyes bore into mine as if it knew me. It cocked its head to one side, as if it was thinking. I started to back away when it grabbed me.

“What the fu-“ I blinked and the wolf changed into the form of a small child. I knew he was the wolf because he still had those green eyes.

“Who are you?” I asked. I sighed in relieve. It was just a little kid, nothing else, I convinced myself.

“I’m lost,” he said grabbing my hands with bleary eyes.

“Where are your parents?” I asked him. This wasn’t exactly a place where kids often get lost. It was the middle of nowhere.

Then how did I get here? I thought. The little child walked away from me, going back to the way of the old shack.

“Wait, where are you going? What about your parents?” I called out but he continued to ignore me continuing to walk ahead. I began to follow him. “Hey where are you from?”

The boy turned back to me and smiled. He came back to me, holding his hand out. Without finding much choice, I took his tiny little hands and I felt a rush of wind blowing.

I looked at the boy, terrified. He looked back smiling, his eyes shinning brightly. It was the weirdest feeling.

Then reality hit me and I knew it was a dream. My body felt like jello and I spazzed, finding myself in my bed, alone in the darkness.

I panted. It wasn’t like my regular dreams where I was pulled into the shack. I chose a different path. I felt a sense of power inside me from the rebellious act I put but I was still aroused and troubled.

Who was this wolf kid? How did my dreams become different than my usual ones? Questions, possible answers, and theories all popped into my head but that wasn’t the least of my problems.

I smacked my forehead, forgetting the most important day of my life. The day of the Test. I cursed for forgetting about it and quickly changed, putting on the usual t-shirt and jeans.

            When I came downstairs the heavenly smell of pancakes filled my nose and I found myself drawn into the kitchen.

            “Ready for the test today?” my mom asked without even saying Happy Birthday. My birthday wasn’t that important compared to the big Test.

            “I’m scared,” I admitted. I took some pancakes and gorged it down, hoping to eat my way out of the anxiety that was building inside of me. I felt immediately better as my hunger was satisfied, the soft pancake made its way down my throat.

            “I hope you didn’t stay up again,” my mom said, concerned. I stayed quiet, hoping to let the moment pass until a new subject to submerge. “Julie,” she said again, “It’s those dreams again isn’t it?”

            “It’s not a big deal, mom. I’ll be fine,” I told her, giving her my best smile. She always believed every fake smile I pulled off which I was glad for.

I didn’t need a big speech.

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The car ride was the worst. I was anxious and nervous but it had to be done. My mom as usual tried to soothe me although her many failed attempts.

“Sweetheart, don’t worry about a thing. You’ll do just fine,” she said smiling but I knew she was nervous to. I nodded silently, shutting down my mom’s droning voice, something about how it would be awesome if I did make it in.

I sighed and watched the green scenery go by. That’s what’s good to live in a small town with nature surrounding you wherever you go. The nature always calmed me and I found myself longing for the woods back home.

I kept on daydreaming until a huge building interrupted the natural scenery. I sucked in a deep breath, nervous by the size of the huge structure that loomed over us.  My mom parked the car in front of the entrance.

“I know you’ll do great,” my mom looked back, smiling encouragingly at me.

“Aren’t you coming in with me?” I asked. There was no way to mask my nervousness.

“I’m not allowed to enter. I’m sorry honey, but don’t worry. I’m going to be waiting out here until you’re done,” she promised in her motherly voice. I nodded one last time and stepped out of the car.

This was it. I would finally take the Test. When I walked in the ancient, wooden door that didn’t seem to compliment the white building, the door swung open as if they were expecting me to come at that moment. I hesitated, thinking of running but I forced myself to walk in.

It looked like a hospital minus the patients. There was one, lonely desk near the door I came in from where a receptionist. She didn’t look up from the book she was reading.

“Julie Gilbert, room 315,” the receptionist woman told me without glancing up from her tome. I just nodded and made my way to the hallway looking for room 315.

The hallway was endless, baring boring white walls that seemed to blend with the ceiling and the floor, making it seem like a mental institute instead of a test center.

I found the room and nervously knocked. The door opened to reveal a short, chubby man with a wicked beard holding a clipboard.

“Miss. Gilbert, I presume?” he asked, never looking up from his clipboard. Geez, these people didn’t know how to make eye contact.

“Yes,” I answered nervously.

“Are you nervous?” he asked, judging by the sound of my voice. I nodded feeling a little nauseated. “Don’t worry. You won’t remember a thing,” he smiled.