DUSK

five

When I got back to school, things were definitely different. Nothing like Mr. Redburne's disappearance had happened in Shadow, in a long time.  The kids still looked a bit shell-shocked, even in this, there was the whispering about me.  I had been out for a long time, so it was to be expected. 

I kept track of Will and Clara by smell. There were no others of my kind nearby, that I could tell.

I was kneeling beside my locker, when I felt it again...

The shift in realities.

I was in that hazy place that didn't really exist. I felt cold hard hands weigh heavily on my shoulders, the breath of a whisper at my neck. The hands slipped down my arms...

"-Soon.-" it said.

From far away came Clara's voice. "Ibis...Ibis!"

"Yes, I'm okay." I said.

She shook her head, her face startled. "No, you aren't.  You were gone. I could tell."

She put her hand on my back as if to support me. She knew it would do no good, but she is human, a creature of habit.

"Yes. I was."  I admitted.

"Where?" she asked.

I shook my head and got up. "I have to go to class and so do you."

The hallways were rapidly emptying.

Clara pursed her lips in frustration and stacked her books in her arms.

"You know, just because you're-  different, doesn't mean you don't need help sometimes."

She turned and headed towards her class.

I went in the opposite direction.

She was uncharacteristically quiet at lunch. Punishing me for keeping this from her.

She didn't speak to me for the rest of the day.

'Well', I thought.

'Perhaps I could have that long overdue word with the other Henry.'

~~~~

I waited for Will after school.

As he got close, the weight was still there, but I was getting used to it.  No, that's not right. It's not something I could ever truly get used to, but it was...  Bearable.

"Will. Wanna go for a quick ride, in my Jeep?" 

I inflected my voice so he understood that I really needed to talk to him.

He nodded slowly. "Okay."

His caution wasn't because of what I was. I believe he was likely afraid of what I might say.

I pulled off swiftly, disappearing into the ever-present mist.

I turned to look at him.

His eyes flickered between me and the road.

"Don't worry, we won't crash or run over anything. Promise.  My abilities, remember?" I assured. "There are few things though, that I didn't say, that you need to hear and understand."

He inhaled deeply, bracing himself for the worst. "Go ahead."

"Will... The way I perceive you. The way I feel around you... It's different from any other human that I've encountered."