Elemental

14. EVEN IN DEATH I DANCE WITH LIFE

Christmas was quickly approaching. A chill had overtaken the air and no one seems to be capable of walking around without either a scarf around their necks or a muffler. Many were already anticipating the first snow fall of the year.

November had brought along with it rumours rife about how exactly the library had been trashed, who had done it, and what exactly the motive behind the entire disaster was. Tori had heard a snatch or two of every single version right from one that swore on all magic that an arsonist within the school had set it on fire as revenge on Morgan for cancelling the Halloween party, without giving even a logical thought to the order in which the events had occurred, which was that the party had been cancelled after the incident at the library, to one that insisted that a storm had uprooted the entire floor.

All these versions flew around so quickly and drastically that sometimes, Tori could not help but question whether her version of the chain of events really was the right one. All her doubts were put to rest, however, whenever she rubbed shoulders with Clarisse in the corridors.

To say that Clarisse was not faring well was an understatement. She looked paler than she ever had and her sunken eyes revealed that it was not Tori alone who was suffering from insomnia caused by nightmares.

It was all Morgan Eldridge's fault, according to Tori. Aside from appearing once over breakfast the morning following the incident to cancel, to everyone's chargin, the much anticipated party, neither Tori nor Clarisse had heard or seen Morgan, let alone heard her explain anything to the students. In fact, she had not appeared for any meal, not even for the Halloween feast, since that day.

Tori was still shaking from within, ever since her second collision with Montefiore. Their second run in had left her furious, emotionally charged and on edge. She would react to the slightest sounds, and had gotten into the unconscious habit of replying snappishly to her friends when they would ask her what the matter was.

His revelations still sent her head spinning. She could not get her head around the fact that Montefiore's blood flowed in her veins, that her mother could ever have loved a man like him. Lately, if Tori had known her even slightly, she now felt as though she did not know her mother at all. Question after question clawed her mind time and time again. And these days, every time she looked in the mirror, she felt as though her very reflection was the essence and creation of Montefiore.

Apart from that, Tori had discovered a part of her heritage and so, had unlocked the full force of her Magical power. Her classmates, who had previously not thought much of her, now looked up to her in reverence. She, though, had no time to notice these changes, having been too busy, too surprised by how much magic she had inherited. Now more than ever, Tori wanted to know all the nitty grittys she could about her mother.

'But where to start?' Tori thought to herself one Friday afternoon as she made her way out of class and into the grounds, making her way towards the dormitory. She did not seem to have any leads except Madam Minch's children's home, where tori had been born.

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in her head. She started walking quickly, with more conviction, dodging through the crowd, towards the dining hall, where she knew she was most certainly bound to see Joe.

"Joe!" She yelled, spotting him at the end of one of the tables, and he looked up from his alive of cake.
"Yo Tori, what's up?"
"Uh, I need a favour." Tori replied, panting and slightly out of breath.
"Shoot."
"I need to go to the children's home."
"What? Why?"
"Well it's kind of a long story."
"I figured that out already."
"Joe!" Tori punched him.
"Okay, sorry," he replied, massaging his arm where the punch had hit him. "What do you need."
"I want to sneak out of the college tomorrow morning without anyone knowing, especially not Morgan."
"It's going to be pretty tricky."
"Please Joe, there's something I'm after and the only place to get it is at my old children's home."
Joe sighed thoughtfully. "Right, be ready at eight sharp."
"Thanks. But remember no one needs to know about this."
"Not even Laverne and McKay?"
"Not even them, please."
"Sure thing." Joe winked at her.
"See you tomorrow."