Shady Secrets

Infirmary

"You were the ocean,
I was the sun,
The day made me heavy
And gravity won.

I was a shadow,
You were the street,
Cobblestone midnight,
Where we first meet
Lights flickered out,
Danced under the moon,
I could just fade into you."
- Nashville Cast (Fade Into You)

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I woke up to the quietness of a dark and cold room. I tried movement in my legs, but was unsuccessful as I felt someone sitting on the end of my bed/couch/whatever-the-heck-I-was-sleeping-on. I opened my eyes a little wider but quickly shut them as the brightness blinded me.

"Turn the stupid light off!" I heard laughter but was angered easily. I sat up and tried to kick whoever was sitting on the bed. The person got off. I kept my eyes shut until I couldn't see any light through my eyelids. I slowly opened them to see a boy sitting on the bed opposite mine. He was smiling kindly and rested his chin on his hands, his elbows on his knees. Wait, I know him... I thought for a second, trying to figure out who this person was. "Jayde!" I shuffled back in my bed in an attempt to get away from him.
"What the heck are you?!" He angelic smile skewered me in frustration but at the same time, I longed for him to tuck me back into bed so I could sleep a little longer.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

"But, but you had-" the invisible lightbulb came back on, and I flinched but didn't look away. Slowly, behind Jayde, seemed to grow a large pair of what looked feathered and furry wings. My mouth hung open as I was stuck mid-sentence.

"You can see," he said slowly. "I thought so." I blinked and shut my mouth.

"Dude, you better start explaining..."

"No I don't." Surprised and annoyed, I answered back,

"Yes you do! After what I just went through, I deserve an explanation!" He watched me intently, studying my every movement. I threw back the covers of my bed and to my surprise, found myself wearing my favourite top and jeans from back home. "Okay, now you have even more explaining to do," I hopped out of bed and walked to the door, but he stopped my tracks. He held my wrist. He had a firm grip and his hands were sweaty but warm and somehow comforting. I felt the strain in my shoulders relax slightly. He must've seen, as he smiled a little. Still holding my hand, he led me back over to the bed, where we both sat down, just across from each other on the separate beds.

He sighed and started, "Look, Harper, there's no point trying to explain everything. That would take over a decade. But if you can grasp the basics, you'll do just fine," he stopped, but continued after a quick fiddle with his hands which seemed apparently immensely interesting. "As you probably already know, that guy that tried to, umm, get you, was a-"

"Vampire. Yeah, I know that much. I've seen the movies. Continue?" He smiled, and continued.

"Well, yeah. That guy was a vamp. You probably noticed something about Tulip McGee too, didn't you?" He looked at me questioningly. I nodded slowly.

"She was, glowing..." I paused, slowly putting together the pieces. He nodded to me in approval.

"Correct. Look, everything you think is a fairytale is true. You've probably read books like this haven't you?" I smiled and shook my head 'yes'. "Thought so," he muttered.

"Never in a million years did I ever think I'd come in contact with a vamp," I said breathily. "I figured that I'd finish school, get a job, get married, grow old with my husband and die." I sighed. "But everything's gonna change now? Isn't it?" His smile faded.

"Yeah," I stared at my feet and imagined what things would be like in just a few weeks. I mean, everything changed so quickly for me and it's only been 24 hours. I think...

"How long have I been asleep?" At that, he refused to make eye contact. "You're hiding something. Tell me,"

"I can't," he whispered so quiet that a mouse could barely hear it. "I can't tell you. You have to figure it out." My temper raised and my hopes hardened.

"Tell me now or I swear I'll leave." Jayde stood up and walked into a corner of the room. "I just want to know the truth. And if you can't tell me that, at least tell me how long I've been asleep for," I trailed off as I heard him sniffle. "Are you crying?" He shook his head quickly, turned around to face me and wiped his eyes.

"No," he said, his voice breaking off at the end of the word. He looked like a little kid again. Like a little kid that had seen his brother do something naughty and was threatened not to dibby dob. My heart ached to just hug him and assure him that everything would be okay. But deep down, I knew things weren't okay. Things would never be like they used to.
"Four days," he said quietly.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You've been, umm, asleep for four days," my mouth gaped open in shock. I sat down on the bed to stop myself from crumbling into tears.

"Why couldn't you tell me that? Why is that so bad?" He didn't answer.

"Mori la bist," he said. It sounded like another language. A combination of different languages by the sound of it. The weirdest thing wasn't that Jayde was speaking another language, it was that I understood it.

"I- I can't be, I can't be-", he took a step closer and reflected the pain inside I was feeling inside. I wasn't physically hurting, but my emotions were off the scale.

"Mori, yes." He reached for my hand and held it gently. He pulled my off the bed, onto my feet and lead me towards the door I had earlier tried to get out of. He placed my hand on the door handle. The cold energy spread through me like a cold winter breeze.

I turned the knob and the light in front of me blasted me with unimaginable power. What awaited was entirely different to what I thought was just the school infirmary. I figured that I was just in a private section of the school, so that no one would disturb my sleep. However; large golden gates were straight ahead, towering over the fountains of crystal clear water and buildings of Quartz and exquisite minerals and stones.

"Welcome to heaven." I couldn't move my arms, couldn't move my legs. I was stuck there in place taking in every inch around me. This is really happening, this is really happening! I leant on Jayde for support and faced him. "I'm so sorry, but I'll explain everything now. You've found out so its my duty to tell you everything. We crossed the threshold of the 'infirmary' and stepped out into the kingdom of crystals.

He started to walk away saying, "follow me,"

I did.