Tragedy ✔️

Chapter 3

I stand in front of room 404, my mind telling me not to go in, but my hand moves on its own toward the doorknob. Just as I touch the gold coated knob, a flash of light shines brightly around the perimeter of the steel door. I yelp as my hand is jolted back, a shock running through my entire body. First starting in my arm, then running down my back down to my toes.

Stunned, I rub my electrified hand with my other hand, a sizzling sensation still present. I look up through the door's window and I see a middle aged, plump women with blond hair and blue eyes, sitting in a chair in front of an old, wooden desk. I assume she is Ms. Pudge, judging by the sign above the room number on the wall. She looks at me with her eyes showing the same pain everyone else possesses down here. She grabs an object from the corner of her desk and pulls it up to her face.

Her voice is projected outside the room for me to hear:

"Colin West, you are in the right place. I am Mayflower Pudge, Ms. Pudge. I will be your instructor for the Automobile Accidents Going position. I am already aware that you have some experience. That will come in handy."

She snorts like a pig and then focuses back on me before I see her mouth move through the glass again:

"I think you have noticed that there is a problem with the door blocking me from you. The door is blocked. Blocked by a spell only you can break with your magic, if you are meant for it."

I see her wave her hand towards me and a small, crystal bottle with red, glimmering liquid appears in my hand in a flash of light. I look from the bottle back to Ms. Pudge.

"Drink it and you will gain your magical abilities required to perform your tasks. If you are meant for magic, you will gain it. If you are not...well you'll find out."

She motions me with her hand for me to drink it and I don't hesitate a second longer. I pour the contents in the bottle into my mouth, feeling it run down my throat, burning.

Suddenly, I feel as if ants were crawling underneath my skin, trying to rip their way out. My hand loses grip on the bottle and it descends to the ground, shattering into hundreds of glittering pieces. My whole body goes numb and I feel fire all over me. I see red flames before my eyes, the sound of the train, and the screams of Annie. I am reliving my death.

As the car is speeding straight into the train, I lift my hands up and I feel something wanting to escape, but I can't seem to get it out. I see Ms. Pudge standing by the whizzing train, the wind from the monorail blowing her hair. She lifts her hand, pointing at me. Her hand starts to glow deep red, ready to destroy me before the train does.

Suddenly, a bright, eye straining, red glow shoots out of my hands, breaking the car's windshield. The beam of light races faster than the speed of sound and collides with the train, knocking it over, tossing it ten miles into the mountains. I blink and I am standing back in 6x3 Inc. the door that was blocked by the spell is now busted open, my hands extended toward it.

I blink again and bring my hands down, trying to figure out what just happened.

"Welcome to the team," says Ms. Pudge smiling.

It takes me a lifetime to realize I obtained my magic. I was accepted and was meant to have it, so I wasn't destroyed. I slowly walk into the room toward Ms. Pudge's desk. She motions me to sit in the chair in front of her. I obey and settle myself down, wondering what surprises are next. There is a globe on her desk and she starts spinning it. It is a globe of the Earth. It starts spinning faster and it's starting to make me woozy.

The globe's surface starts to turn transparent and then I see her. I see my sister Annie sitting on a bench near town, waiting for the bus. I recall what she did to Mom, how she slapped her and how she left. I wonder where she is going. Running away I guess.

The bus arrives and she stands up, smooths her pants, and climbs aboard the bus. With no open seats available, she grabs the poles in the ceiling and holds on, as the bus jolts roughly. I see her let-down face and can't help but recall her pain. She lost our mother again, like we did all those year ago. We just found her, and she lost her.

"In order for you to start assignments in the real world, you must prove yourself here," says Ms. Pudge startling me. "That you are able to do anything for your job."

She waves her hands and Annie disappears, leaving the globe like it was. Ms. Pudge grabs my face and pulls it up to her's so I can see her sorrowful eyes.

My heart dies when she says, "You have to destroy your sister."