The Hirt

Chapter Six

6

Heather sped out of the parking lot of the Kidellian Headquarters.  She needed to get away from the others for a while, just to collect her thoughts and say good-bye to her family and Amy.  Her eyes blurred with tears at the thought of never seeing her best friend again.  As if on cue, her phone let out a blaring ringtone startling Heather, making her swerve.  She quickly pulled over to the side of the road.  Heather wiped the few tears away from her cheeks and took a deep breath.  Whisking the phone out of her purse, Heather flipped it open.

“Hello?”  Heather answered as cheerfully as possible, though she didn’t think it sounded very convincing.

“Hey!  Dude where have you been? You, like, fell off the face of the Earth!” Amy’s bubbly voice came crackling through the phone.  Heather’s heart skipped a beat at what Amy had said.  For a second, she thought Amy knew but then shook herself at the ridiculous idea.  Of course Amy didn’t know.  How could she?

“Oh, um . . . I was still feeling a little shaky from when I fainted yesterday in class, so my mom let me stay home,” At least Heather didn’t have to lie yet.  She was going to have to tell Amy now.  She didn’t have any other time.  Henry’s voice still rang in her ears. You can’t tell anyone. 

“Oh yeah!  Dude, I heard about that.  Are you alright?  Are you feeling better now?” Amy’s voice dripped with concern, almost too much concern.  Heather heard the sound of something tapping in the background.  She could just envision Amy lounging on her office chair with her feet up on her desk and her free hand tapping the arm of her chair.

“Yeah, I guess.  I think I might stay home a few more days though,” Heather admitted, biting her lower lip in anticipation.

“What? Why?  I want my best friend at school with me!” Amy playfully whined.

“Yeah, I miss you too.  I’m sorry!  I just . . . Look, Amy, if I don’t see you for a while, I just want you to know that whatever happens, I love you and you’re the best friend a person could wish for.  And if something goes wrong, just know that you will always have a special place in my heart,” Heather poured.  She was near tears again at the fact that not only might she never see her friend again, but also that she had to lie to her.

“Heather, what’s going on?  Where are you going?  Why does it sound like you’re going to die or something?” Amy’s playful tone was gone and replaced with worry.

“I just . . . I have to take care of something, and I don’t know how long it will take or what will happen . . . ”

“You have to come to school tomorrow!  We have that big science test!  And I forgot my PE locker combination so I need you to come unlock it tomorrow.  Heather, please.  Whatever is going on, you can tell me.  Just don’t leave.” Amy interrupted frantically.

“Amy, I . . . I can’t.  I’m sorry.  I have to go.  I’m sorry,” Heather half-whispered.

“Heather, wait . . .” Amy pleaded.  Heather tapped the End button, and dropped the phone in her lap.  She buried her head into her hands, regretting the decision to leave with all her heart.

Meanwhile, Amy’s mouth remained agape as she heard the dial tone on the other end.  She stared at the phone making sure that Heather had actually hung up on her.  Heather’s not coming to school tomorrow? What the actual hell?  This is not good.  Not good. Amy’s mind was reeling with anger.  She threw the phone across the room, smashing it against the wall.  She watched the destroyed phone sit in a defeated heap on the floor.  She sighed and rubbed her temple with her pointer fingers.  Fuming, Amy strode across her room and slammed open her closet.  Clothes hanging on hangers stared back at her.  Thrusting her hands in the middle of the clothes, she shoved them sideways, revealing a white wall with a small code box with numbers on it. Amy punched in a four-digit code, making that section of the wall crumble slightly and swing open.  Rows upon rows of different potions sat there, all organized neatly and in alphabetical order.  All the potions looked different; some bubbled, some steamed, and all were different colors.  Amy’s fingers shook slightly as she searched the rows of potions.  She found the one she needed, and grasped it in her tense hands. The potion was a light green color, and bubbled slightly.  She flipped off the lid and a pungent odor filled the air.