The Inner Kingdom

Chapter Two - The Manifestation

Location: School Gym

◑ April ◐

After hearing the first period warning bell, I realized I would be late if I did not hurry.

I entered the girl's locker room in record time, making sure that I was alone before I changed into my winter gym uniform; an orange sweatpants set with white stripes.

The uniform made me feel as if I was in prison instead of an educational facility. I thought as I tied my unruly red hair quickly in a bun.

Catching my reflection in the locker room's mirror, I could see that the red mark was no longer around my wrist.

Keep it together, April. Now is not a good time to lose your sanity.

I tried silently to find a seat in the back of gym class without anyone noticing.

With my eyes focused on my coveted place in the right corner beside the bleachers, I did not notice the dainty brunette who suddenly appeared in my way until I crashed into her, sending both of us to the ground.

"Hey! You need to watch where you are going!" Miranda hissed as her airhead followers were already helping her to her feet. "That's why I can't stand losers; they are always trying to pull others down with them."

Standing on opposite sides of the gym, my two sisters watched this display with a neutral expression on their faces.

Thinking about the treatment I have received from her since we moved to this town our freshman year, I found myself boiling over inside with anger.

"With your grades, the least of your problems is a loser like me pulling you down," I muttered loud enough for everyone to hear, feeling a little reckless as I helped myself up.

The gym became instantly silent as tension filled the air. Miranda's face turned violent as she spun around and stalked toward me. I was calm and confident on the outside as I faced the angry storm coming my way, but inside I was a nervous wreck. I am not sure what I would have done if Coach had not interrupted her with a blow from his whistle.

"Anderson! Churchill! Save your drama for after school and off campus." Coach Morrison shouted as he blew his whistle two more times, which was a sign for everyone to line up.

I knew it was not over as I received strange looks from Miranda, her followers, and her brother Brandon. Lining up as Coach directed, my day became even worse as he announced that we were to be playing dodge ball.

I could see my doom in the Churchill twin's eyes as they nodded at each other. Slowly, I raised my hand to ask if I could sit out of the game.

"No one will be exempt from this game," Coach announced, causing me to lower my hand back toward my sides. "If you are breathing, I will be grading you on participation."

Coach made sure that he caught everyone's eyes to make sure that we understood his meaning loud and clear.

I'm missing summer already.

During the days before summer break, we were free to do whatever we wanted for the rest of class after running, or walking a mile, which I mostly did the later. Unfortunately, today was a snow day, and we were all stuck in the gym, forced to take part in games Coach likes to call, "Fun and energizing."

"Okay, now, I am going to be separating everyone into two teams today. First, I will need two volunteers to be captains."

"I'll do it," Miranda volunteered using her sickening sweet voice as she went to stand next to coach.

"Thank you, Miss Churchill," Coach responded, just as surprised as everyone else in the gym, since Miranda has had every sickness in medical history every time an activity in class called her to be physically active. "Anyone else would like to lead?"

"I don't mind," my heart fell as I realized Brandon was the one who had spoken up.

"It looks as if the Churchill twins woke up on the right side of the bed this morning," Coach laughed as he placed Brandon and Miranda on opposite sides of a dodge ball in the center of the gym.

No longer feeling the confidence I felt earlier, I stood with my head down while coach named off everyone in class to stand by Brandon or Miranda's side.

It didn't matter which team I would be placed on, I knew I was in trouble.

"April Anderson. I am placing you on team one," Coach called out right before he located Angie and Ashley on team one as well.

While he continued to check names off of his list, the coach did not notice the sweat running down the side of my face.

Moving toward my team, my eyes met Angie's, and instead of turning away she gave me a small smile. Her smile helped me feel a little bit better since I was afraid I wouldn't have anyone on my side during the game.

Avoiding my direction, Ashley continued ignoring me, choosing to focus all of her attention on her boyfriend as if noticing my existence in school would put her popularity in danger.

I tried not to let Ashley bother me as much as the troubling grins and stares coming from Brandon and Miranda did. At the sound of Coach's whistle, team one started the game.

The game was intense with the removal of two team members from each team within the first sixty seconds. We started out with 18 people. After five minutes, there were eight remaining, four of them belonging to team two. Unfortunately that also included Brandon. The remaining people on team one consisted of; Miranda, Angie, Ashley, and myself.

Everyone was beyond relieved when coach appeared, sounding his whistle for the remaining players to take a water break.

"Nice dodges out there," Angie whispered as she walked up to me, offering me a towel and a bottle of water.

"Thanks," I replied a little surprised that she would acknowledge me openly in school.

"What do you two think you are doing?" Ashley whispered, while pretending she was tying her shoes. "Are you trying to break our agreement?"

Even though I could barely see her face behind her thick curtain of hair, her tone told me all I needed to know.

"Sorry, Ash-"I began until Angie interrupted me.

"Do not apologize to her. I think we need to consider revising our deal," Angie said while scowling down at Ashley with her hands on her hips.

This made Ashley drop her charade of tying her shoes as she challenged Angie's glare.

"Hey! Watch out!" Brandon shouted, pulling our attention toward him.

There was hardly any time to react as I saw a big dodge ball heading straight toward me.

Angie and Ashley both reached out to me, but I knew their aid would be too late. With nowhere to go, I closed my eyes hoping the ball would pass me by.

Almost immediately after closing my eyes, I realized that I could no longer hear anything. Terrified of what I might find when I opened my eyes once again, I gradually pried them open only to come face-to-face with the dodge ball suspended in midair about an inch away from my nose.

Slowly backing away from the floating ball, I was trembling all over.

This cannot be happening.

The only ones unaffected were my sisters and I.

It is going to be hard to forget the motionless frightened faces of the coach and most of the students in the gym. The grins on Miranda's and Brandon's faces were the only things that seemed out of place as they watched the now unmoving levitating ball move toward me.

"What just happened?" Ashley asked in a trembling voice

Her words barely registered in my head, when I caught movement in my peripheral view. Turning around, I saw the ghost boy standing against the bleachers, and for the first time ever I saw him smile as his form became transparent and he disappeared.

That was the last thing I saw before my world went black.