The Story Weaver

The Rumor

     I was was one of those kids in high school that all of the teachers didn't want in their class because I had a tendency to be "mouthy" as the school counselor called it. But of course, me being my angsty teen self, I gave absolutely zero damns about the opinions of other people. At least most that is. That time in my life was my golden age of sarcasm and unfiltered retorts to everything that anyone ever said to me. And let me tell you, it was awesome.

     "Jade, this is not the time for a staring competition with the wall, pay attention." 

15 year old me snapped my head back up from its slouching position and glared at the back of Mrs. Vira, my history teacher's, head. 

     "Perhaps if there was something a little bit more worthwhile to pay attention to I wouldn't have to partake in that sort of activity during class, now would I?" I said as I raised my hand up to my chin and gave her the most condescending look. She huffed and rolled her eyes without a backward glance. This class was one of the most boring and ridiculous wastes of my time that I thought I  would ever have to endure. 

I quickly zoned out again before she continued with her lengthy droning. My eyes wandered as I engulfed myself in my imaginary world full of creatures that didn't exist and places that made up my impossible stories. I was a daydreamer that seemed to be more at home in her head than in reality. 

My eyes settled for staring out the window with a blank expression as my dark brown hair fell in front of my eyes. I became so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice my friend who was waving his hand in front of my face the first few times until I snatched his hand right out of the air in annoyance. 

     "I thought you went comatose for a minute there, Jelly-bean, you seemed like you were in a whole nother universe." he grinned as he wiggled his hand out of my grasp and then used it to brush a stray strand of blond hair off of his forehead. I couldn't help at roll my eyes at his goofball like expression whenever he used that damn nickname. He was such a flirt, but his behavior was endearing in its own, odd way. 

     "Well thanks for bringing me back to this boring hell, you are surely my hero," I said with a grin that was reserved for my friendly sarcasm. "maybe next time you can be even more heroic and let me stay in my own little universe so that I don't have to listen to boring people say boring things, Eh?" He gave a mock pout and poked my shoulder playfully, "Are you saying I'm boring, Jelly-bean?" his hand covered his chest as he gave a few sniffles for effect, "I am really hurt." 

"Sure, sure." I said, nodding in complete amusement as I turned around in my seat again and rested my chin in my hand.

My mind was like a whirlwind of excitement and an escape when I didn't want to belong in reality. Besides the schooling and the work that I did on the side for other people for some cash here and there, I was pretty free to do what I wanted to do. And often times it was just easier for me to remain silent and within my own thoughts. It took my few friends a long time to get me to be comfortable around them, but I suppose that I wouldn't change anything about my situation now because the life that I was living seemed to fit me so well. I was comfortable with the people I was around, and even with myself. 

I didn't think that within a moment, things could change.

...

As soon as the bell rang for lunch I pretty much stormed through the hall, shoving through the swelling crowds of people as I worked my way to my locker. I didn't have a lot of food, but I did get to socialize and talk to people, so I tossed my binder into the locker and then scurried down the steps to my table and planted myself right in between my friends, Josh and Tyler. Mark, the goofball that I sat in front of during History, was smiling ear to ear as he took a seat at the table with the rest of us. I looked at him with a grin, my ice blue eyes dancing with humor as I watched him practically destroy his lunch bag to get to his food. He was definitely that foodie guy that everyone knows, the one where no matter how much unhealthy substances he consumes he never puts on a single pound. I found the face he made when he ate the food he liked really adorable, to be honest, he was such a toddler when it came to food. He was stubborn about vegetables, he liked fruit as long as it had chocolate or sugar on it and he always ate the croutons instead of the salad. 

     "Have any of you guys heard about the rumor circulating the school about Irene being a witch? I've heard about it at least twice in all of my classes." Tyler said with an air of excitement in his voice as he did a little wiggle like he was just itching to tell us more.

     "Oooo, do spill the details, Ty." Josh said as he tapped his fingers together in a maniacal way. He was such a nerd when it came to these kinds of rumors. Actually, Josh was a nerd in general. He was a small, ginger-haired boy with blue braces and a red hoodie that he wore every day, consecutively, for an entire year. He even wore a pair of thick glasses that made his eyes stand out. His antics often made the day for us because he always knew how to lighten the mood in any circumstance. 

Mark pointed his fork in Josh's direction and nodded before finishing his bite and speaking. ''Yeah, I know what you mean. Literally everyone has been talking about that whole fiasco at the barn, or so I've heard" he said as he covered his mouth while he munched on more food. 

I glanced around at them wondering what the hell they were talking about and then gave a snort at the ridiculousness of this conversation topic. "Guys, witches don't exist. Someone is just trying to divert attention and make a big deal out of nothing." I said as I pulled my giant jacket back over my shoulder again. They all gave me an incredulous look as Tyler pulled out his phone to look something up. 

     "You have seen the video, right?" Mark asked me with a single raised eyebrow and that smartass attitude that he seemed to pull off so well. I just shook my head and laughed a bit to myself at them. they were definitely funny people. 

Suddenly Tyler placed hs phone in front of me and pressed play on a video. The first thing that appeared on the screen was an empty living room with an Ouija board set up on the coffee table in front of the couch. I scoffed and folded my arms already, but kept watching. The person that held the camera was breathing heavily as they shifted it to one hand and stuck out the other hand in the direction of the ouija board and said breathily, "Who is the communicating through the board?" 

It was clearly a girl who was "scared" or as scared as someone who was acting could possibly sound. The planchet on the board moved slowly and steadily from the middle of the board and then stopped. She then said the letter "D" and then it moved again and she said the letter "A" and then it moved again and again until she had spelled out the word "Darkness" She then turned her hand over so that her palm was facing upwards and said, "Alright Darkness, take my hand and show yourself." She sounded a little bit more sure of herself as she adjusted the camera so that is was focused on her hand. 

"Guys, watch!" Tyler said, loud enough to make us all jump out of our skins which made him snicker, "I just don't want ya'll to miss the best part."

Just as we looked back at the screen I saw a shadow-like, black mist form into a hand that looked large but slender, the end of each finger was tipped with a shiny, pointed claw which grazed the palm of her hand before grabbing onto her wrist causing the girl to scream and attempt to pull away. As the camera was moving around I saw a blurry image of a shadowy figure that had to have been at least 8 feet tall loom in front of the couch, seeming to walk right out of the board. The girls who once held the camera had now dropped it and was sobbing somewhere in the background. The tall figure walked over to the camera and then disappeared behind it until the sobbing died down. Then, the camera was picked up once again and turned around to reveal the girl behind the making of this video, it was Irene Wickers, except her eyes were rolled into the back of her head and the veins in the whites of her eyes were an ugly greenish, black color. Her face was stone cold and a deep, male voice came out with her own as she said, "It feels good to be back, how I have missed you all so." And then the screen went dark.