The Shedding Skin

Chapter Nine

Staying awake at school that morning wasn't easy. Raven had the hardest time falling asleep that night. All she could think of was that 'little girl' finding her home. It shouldn't have been so surprising but she couldn't take her mind off it. This felt like a weird plot hole in a movie. To try and take her mind off the situation,she reviewed her trig homework. Reviewing her answers was slowly helping. Her sheet didn't need any fixing but it was keeping her from thinking of the fake child. And as she entered class, she put the incident in the back of her mind. 

Morticia was going to hear all about that story later. She had to focus on her school work and on appearing normal. The whole attack at her apartment was going to need to wait. 

Quickly sitting down in her seat,she set her bag down and glanced outside. And her stomach dropped. There in the parking lot of the school was the girl. Her little pale face was shining in the morning light as she stood there. Unmoving, unblinking, and fixated on Raven. Large black eyes never leaving hers as she slowly waved. As she stood there, Raven quickly glanced around the room. No one was noticing that she was there. Not even the teacher had noticed there was some strange kid in the parking lot.

Glancing back, she saw the girl was gone now. Before she could even sigh in relief, something moved in her peripheral vision. When she turned her head to see what it was...her heart started beating wildly in her chest. The little girl was standing right next to the wall nearest her. Little hands hanging limply at her sides as she stared at her. Devilish smirk on her face as she stood in the room humming. Raven gave a quick look around the room before glancing at the girl. No one was noticing her. 

Not even her teacher.

Not knowing what to do, Raven tried to ignore the girl. Taking out her math supplies before looking at the teacher. Who was starting the lesson. Whenever the teacher started talking, the little girl would sing. At first it was just random 'lalalala's over and over. Her little voice steadily rising in pitch as she sang. Making it very difficult to take notes on what was being said. Then she switched it up to saying 'BORING'. Or that the teacher was boring her. A few times Raven would miss a question directed at her because of this. Having to have it repeated before the teacher, Mr. Gray started to look annoyed. Asking other students instead of her as he continued on with the lesson. All while the little girl was dancing between the desks and mocking each student in them.

Before the class was over, she stood on the Mr Gray's desk. Doing whatever it took to keep Raven's eyes on her. Dancing on the desk while singing. Her little hands clapping over her head when Raven got a question wrong. Laughing as the teacher scolded her in front of others. It was slowly driving her up the wall as she handed in her work. When the bell rang, she gathered her things and started towards her next class. Halfway out the door, her teacher stopped her. He walked her to his desk and asked,"Ms Raven is everything alright at home?"

"Yes, Mr Gray. Everything's fine.",she said. Toying with her backpack strap as she looked at him. The little girl stood behind him now, mocking his every movement. A sly little smirk on her face as she mimicked his voice. He said,"Are you sure? Because you seemed so distracted during my lesson. I just thought that you were having some issues."

"I promise, Mr Gray. I just have a lot on my plate...",she trailed off. Mr Gray suddenly had a little arm poking through his chest. But the look on his face suggested that he was fine. That he didn't feel or notice the arm going through him. The little girl kneeling on his desk as she smiled inhumanly wide at her. Rows of sharp teeth lining her gums and giving her a vampiric vibe. In a soft tone, she said,"And I guess I just got too wrapped up in thinking about it."

"Well, don't let this happen again.",he said sternly. He gave her a polite smile as he leaned against his desk. The arm now pushing through up to its elbow as he said,"You're one of my best students and I'd hate to see you fail."

"It won't, Mr Gray. I promise.",she said. Raven hurried to her next class as she gripped her backpack tight. She looked over her shoulders as she walked in the Halls. Which were blessedly still full of other students. Seeing others shuffle around her made her feel a little more secure. This would make following her a bit harder for the little girl. And when she got into her art class, she breathed a sigh of relief.

No little girl.

Just other students setting up their paintings from the other day. A few gave her a little nod as she walked past them to her desk. Once she set her pack down, she hurried to get her painting. A portrait of her girlfriend as a vampire standing in front of a forest. She was pleased with how the painting was progressing.  As she set it up, she noticed something odd in the background that she hadn't painted. A little face peeking between the trees. Glancing around, she tried to see if anyone was watching her. No one was. When she looked back, the face had moved to reveal a full body of...the little girl. Her eyes seemingly glaring into hers. Turning away, she rubbed her eyes and turned back to the painting.

The little girl was no longer in the picture. And she wasn't in the room either. Instead she was standing in the doorway with a huge grin on her face. For a moment, there was absolute silence in the room. No one was saying anything and she couldn't hear the chatter of the hallway. Raven watched as the little girl rose her hand up and waved at her. Giving her a little wink before her body slowly disappeared leaving her tiny sharp tooth grin behind. Then it too faded out of existence.