Dark shadows

Chapter 2

Warm water rested in the palm of my hand, it was slightly grey, but the murky water still showed my reflection. It was a blurry picture, the water sloshed too much on its own even when it was locked in my palm, so that all I could really make out were my eyes. They were usually a light brown color, that with the right lighting could almost pass for green, but at the moment they were neither of those colors. They shone grey, the color of polluted oceans on stormy days. It wasn't just the color of them either that gave me that thought. They looked wild and untamed, not at all like they belonged to me. Yet I could almost imagine the relentless waves splashing against dark withered sand.

The water in my palm began feeling warmer, it was almost like it was heating up, and then suddenly it was nearly at burning temp. Smoke began to rise from the water, and pain erupted in my palm. With a gasp I spread my fingers apart and let it fall from my grasp. I shook my hand out in shock, turning it over to see if any mark had been left. It was barren of any sign, there wasn't even any scorching red in its trail. I blinked a couple times before deciding maybe it was time to get out of the bath.

"Hey hon" Hannah said without looking up, as I opened the bathroom door. She looked picture perfect, yet all she was doing was sitting at her desk typing away. Two fluffy white towels rested on her, one around her chest, and the other tousled perfectly in her hair, almost as if someone had spent time arranging and fitting it to her head.

I gave her a concerned look as she smashed her hand on a key and hooted. "I swear I don't know how I've lasted this long in college, I had totally spaced on Finnegan's paper due tonight, but I just finished it and finessed my way through another day of college" she turned and winked at me, doing a little shoulder dance.

I offered up a little laugh, only shaking my head slightly. "I finished mine a week ago" I boasted jokingly, tipping my head upwards. She rolled her eyes at me, and threw her hands up in defeat.

"Fine if you're gonna be a bitch, you can do your own hair" she huffed, mocking my expression with an impression of her own. I laughed but it felt forced, my stomach dropped at the prospect of going out tonight.

I glanced at the clock which read 5:30. My stomach did another roll, only an hour and a half before we had to go to the carnival, and I just couldn't shake the nerves. I no longer felt like I wanted to go, which I guess I didn't seem too excited about it this morning either, but I was just too exhausted to really give any emotion. But now I had a whole other reason for not wanting to go out anymore. My skin crawled when I even thought about leaving the comforts of our walls. Part of me wished to tell Hannah how I felt and offer up a movie night here in substitution, but she seemed so excited about it. I couldn't do that to her.

My body began feeling hot and I shook my shoulders out and rolled my neck, trying to lose these feelings. I was hoping I could just shake my nerves off before we left. Especially considering I had no explanations for the bad feelings coursing through me, and they weren't enough reason to not go out.

I began putting my efforts towards getting ready instead, trying to re excite myself with the idea of a night out. It almost worked once I looked in the mirror, seeing the result of an hours work and moderate pain.

Hannah wrapped her arm around my shoulders and posed against me in the mirror. She sighed, pouting slightly "We're so hot, how are we single" she exclaimed and I laughed in response.

We got to the gates of the carnival and I felt my stomach curl at the sensations that passed through me. I looked over to Hannah, and saw as she shivered slightly.