The Witch Trials

~15~

"This is Rowen Black." I cringe at the fake last name. "Let's make her feel welcome." The teacher sits back down and I stand awkwardly in front of the whole freshman home room. I quickly lock my eyes on an empty seat and slip into it silently. I fiddle with my pencil, everyone seems to know what they should be doing except me. That's how my whole day went. The bell rang disturbing the utter silence of the room and making me jump. Everyone starts chattering and walking in a crowd to what I'm told is the cafeteria. In handed a tray and a bunch of strange food that I don't plan on eating. I poke at what looks to be a sponge when I get a familiar searing pain in my head. This had been happening more and more lately. I grip the table and I see a small stream in a forest of pine trees. It's so peaceful and quiet, I don't try to stop the vision. I can feel a salty breeze tickling my skin and the cool forest air entering my lungs. I plunge my hands into the icy water and pick up a pebble. I fiddle with it in my hands as I walk away from the stream and into the pines. I love the way pine trees smell. Suddenly I am teetering at the edge of of a cliff and as I gasp I am back in the cafeteria. My eyes shoot open and almost everyone is staring at me. I feel a trickle of water run down my wrist and I open my cold hand and see the pebble. It's still damp and my heart skips a beat when I flip it over in my fingers. Across the back of the spoon-sized pebble is my name, printed clearly and perfectly. I clamp my hand shut and dart for the exit.