Decipher Me

Decipher Me - Chapter 2

"All this talk about the supernatural. I mean that's not true, right? The fact that she won't talk to us about it doesn't help. I'm worried about her, something big is going to happen. I can feel it."

I laid silently in my bed, listening carefully to my foster parents. She can feel it? Feel what? What the heck are they talking about?

I pulled the covers away from my body and swung my legs out of bed. I slid on a pair of comfortable slippers and quietly crept down the stairs.

"Things are getting out of hand, Albus! We've gotten to many calls from the school this year due to verbal harassment towards our daughter. What are we going to do-" Mother's eyes quickly darted to the staircase, where I was kneeling. I rose slowly.

"What's going on, ma? Something bad is going to happen? What is it?!" My voice quickly rising to a shout.

"Honey, it's nothing. We can talk about it after school if you'd like. But until then, I need you to keep strong for me," My mother's hand finding my fathers. "For us."

"I'll... I'll try... I love you guys." I walked down the stairs to bid my parents goodbye, and walked out the door. The winter breeze chilled my nose. I clung to my jacket, warming myself up. I walked down the street but stopped suddenly when I noticed a very peculiar sight. Through out all the years that I have lived on Silverway Ave. I have never seen the houses here change. Or even decorated, for that matter. But apon each door, hung what looked like a bunch of clocks.

Errr.... That's a little strange. I took one last look then quickly turned off of Silverway Ave. I picked up the pace, I didn't want to hear another "speech" from Mrs. McColagnal. The usual rowdy streets were desolate this morning. I didn't even see the daily newspaper anywhere. It was as if everyone had disappeared? No. That can't be. That could never happen.

I rushed up to the glass doors that lead to school, or should I say prison. I slowly opened the doors, but did not enter. Nobody. Not a one. The halls were deserted. I looked at my watch, it read 7:59 a.m. I stood there, the door still held open by my hand. 8:00 a.m. Nothing. The school bell didn't ring either. My heart was pounding in my throat, my whole body shaking.

Without a second thought, I ran. I didn't have to tell my feet where to take me, they knew. I sprinted through the forest, branches flying past me.

"ZACH!" I shouted, my words drowned in the sound of my adrenaline. "ZACH, WHERE ARE YOU? ZACH!" I made my way to the edge of the woods, the clearing greeting me happily. Nobody was there. I paced around, scared out of my mind. My heart was still racing.

"CLASSANDRA? SANDY? WHERE ARE YOU?!" Relief washed over my body, Zach. I guess he'd know that I'd come here, I always come here. I watch as Zach ran towards me.

"Do you know what's going on? I woke up and my parents told me to be careful. The next thing I knew, everybody was gone. They just vanished. Though my parents are still here. Thank goodness you're here. You has me worried sick." Zach's blue eyes twinkled at me nervously.

"I'm just as scared and clueless as you are, Zach. My parents told me the same thing; that's when I saw the clocks." I stared panicking at the being in front if me.

"Clocks? What clocks? I didn't see any clocks, Sandy. " Zach said with a slight quiver in his voice. I quickly explained what I saw to Zach, while he stood there wide-eyed.

"Crap... This isn't good, Sandy, those clocks? The ones you saw hung on those doors? They mean trouble." Zach started to pace the grounds, his strength leaving him. "Those clocks only show up when something horrid is about to happen to our kind, the readers. The Elders hang them on their doors to warn everybody. Everyone on your street? Yeah, they are all readers." Zach's voice quivered even more.

I had never seen him like this before. He has always been strong for others, well at least appeared to be strong. Now I'm not so sure, he was breaking down.

It all happened so fast. A bright white light flashed before my eyes, followed by a searing pain that agonized my whole body. I let out a blood curdling scream, wishing it would all disappear.

"SANDY!" I could hear my name being called, but it was faint. My name was called once more, and again. Now a variety of different voices were screaming at me, screaming for me. It was then that I realized, everything's had known, was gone.

It ended just as soon as it had happened. I opened my eyes to be welcomed by faces I didn't recognize. A white light shined brightly above me.

"Hello Classandra Waters. I'm sorry for our means of transportation. My apologies. Next time will be easier, I promise." A women was talking to me in a soothing voice, but I couldn't figure out who it was that was talking to me. Nobody in the plain white room spoke. "Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the institute."