The Third Eye (#1)

9. Constance

    I know this is selfish. I know it is. I know it is, but I can't leave Amber behind.

What if The Brotherhood comes back?

What if they're already there?

What if I'm too late?

Without even realizing it myself, I look back to notice I have sprinted far ahead of everyone else, apart from Dante who was only a couple feet behind me. We briefly make eye contact and he nods subtle, reassuring and encouraging me to press forward.

I must have lost some of my edge over the years, I think as I contemplate my current predicament.

Since when would I sacrifice myself for a girl like Amber?

But that's the problem. Isn't it?

The problem is the girl is Amber.

As we approach the cafeteria, yelling and cursing begins to fill the air and my shoulders tense up as a plethora of possibilities cross my mind. In a matter of seconds I am standing in front of the steel gray doors to the room, and I can no longer suppress the anxiety bubbling in my stomach. I swallow hard as I push open the doors to unveil the barbaric chaos of the distraught cafeteria.

I stare in bewilderment at students fighting amongst one another in various groups while teachers desperately try to pull them off of each other.

"You bastard must have a power!" A boy yells as he grabs the collar of another boy's shirt. I turn away as the angered boy pulls his arm back preparing to punch -- I wasn't interested in seeing how it ended. I was only interested in one person actually, and she was nowhere to be seen.
I turn to Dante whose presence I feel beside me now,

"Oi Lucifer, you know what Amber looks like right? Can you find her for me lad?"

He nods curtly before walking further into the room scanning slowly from left to right. Luckily, everyone was too distracted with one another to notice we had returned to the cafeteria after leaving for so long. I try to peer through the crowds of heads, but her honey-blonde hair was absent from the scene. I am beginning to feel discouraged as Alexander catches up and joins us in the search for her amongst disorder.

Suddenly, I feel a hand graze my arm and I meet eyes with Dante who is pointing towards the back corner of the room. I follow his direction and stare in horror at Amber clenching bloodied fists as she stood face-to-face with a brunette cheerleader, whose name I remember from my childhood -- Georgia.

When I am only a few feet away I can finally hear their voices over the crowds behind.

    "You knew that weird bitch was a witch, didn't you?" Georgia snarls and I freeze in place, as I watch Amber's usual lively expression twist with outrage before replying,

    "Don't call my friend a witch." She articulates each word and her typical light-hearted tone has faded, becoming replaced with a new serious side of Amber I have never seen before.

    "You're really asking for it Amber. You chose to be friends with her and look what she's done." She pauses, gesturing to the chaos around her, "Look at what her shitty existence has done."

    Amber exhales a large exasperated sigh before swinging her hand clumsily at Georgia. Georgia easily dodges the punch and I watch her bring her arm back preparing to counterattack. The moment slows down for me as if I was in a movie, and all I can see is her fist connecting with Amber's face in my mind.

    Blood erupting from Amber's nose.

    Amber crying out in pain.

    That image.