College Girl (Book Four, BTVS)

chapter 10 - Hush

Buffy, Willow and I were in Psych class. 

"So, this is what is it," Walsh told us. "Talking about communication. Talking about language. Not the same thing. It's about inspiration, not the idea, but the moment before the idea, when it's total." I saw a passing figure outside the classroom door, confused. "When it blossoms in your mind and connects to everything." I slowly stood, walking down the seat aisles toward the door. "It's about the thoughts and experiences that we don't have a word for."

I walked out of class, into the hallway, slowly walking down the corridor, looking for the figure I had seen.

The corridor darkened as the sun went down from outside.

I looked around in confusion, looking at the time, seeing it speed up smoothly to atone for the sudden change to night.

A little girl was humming from somewhere nearby. I followed the sound in confusion. "Can't even shout / Can't even cry / The gentlemen are coming by." I rounded a corner to see the little girl holding a small ornate wooden box in her hands. "Looking in windows / Knocking on doors / They need to take seven / And they might take yours / Can't call to mom / Can't say a word / You're gonna die screaming but you won't be heard."

I felt a hand grab my shoulder, turning to face a demon with bluish-gray skin, a face like a vampire, thin and frail, in a dark suit.

  ••••   

I woke up in Psych class.

"So, I'll see you all on Monday for a final review session," Walsh told us.

"Man, that was an exciting class, huh?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

I nodded. "Oh, yeah. Wow."

"And the last 20 minutes, it was a revelation," Willow told me. "Just laid out everything we need to know for the final. I'd hate to have missed that."

"Just tell me I didn't snore," I told them.

We gathered our things, standing.

"Very discreet," Buffy told me. "Minimal drool."

"Oh, yay," I told them.

We walked toward the door.

"So, were you dreaming?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "And it was kind of intense."

Riley was waiting for us outside the door in the corridor. "Intense? Really? 'Cause you seemed so peaceful."

"Of course, it was only for a moment," I told them.

Riley nodded. "Right. Hey, you guys headed over toward Judd?"

"Uh, student center," Buffy answered.

"You know, you two go," Willow told them. "Me and Zo are gonna do the thing. So, we'll see you after the thing."

"Okay," Riley told us.

"Bye," Buffy told us.

Buffy and Riley walked away one way.

Willow and I walked away the other.

  ••••   

I had called Giles, and he thought it could be a prophetic dream.

Buffy, Willow and I walked down the hallway toward our dorm room.