Field Trip

II- Gone

Jemima's POV

I adjusted the strap to my saddle bag and my shoulder and stood next to my friends. It was close to 9 in the morning and my class were gathering around the steps of the museum. A short elderly lady dressed in a uniform was standing at the top steps waving her hands. "Hello everyone! My name is Vanessa! I am your tour guide today! Let's make our way inside and I'll begin the tour!" She beckoned for us to follow and began to walk inside.

There was a chatter amongst my peers and I felt Joanna bump me to move. The steps were made of a shining cream marble that reflected the Suns warming rays. Sophie and I walked through the sliding doors slightly behind Alex who was walking ahead of us. As we entered, Alex carefully dropped a five dollar note into the large collecting box at the entrance of the museum. Tali tutted, "Why did you do that? You don't have to pay you know."

"It's a donation," I pointed out. "They suggest you make one.

Tali raised disbelieving eyes towards the huge ceilings. "That's only for people who haven't been dragged here against their own will."

Izzy laughed, her orange hair bouncing as she exchanged a look with Sophie. "You didn't have to come Tali."

"You think I was going to stay behind? Sarah was selling the whole place to me, it'll be fun Tali, you'll never believe it, but-" Tali was cut short.

"Come on," came Sarah's exasperated sigh. "Let's get on with it then."

The 7 of us continued to trail behind the rest of the class who were listening intently to the tour guide. Sophie was writing down notes in her book, just in case there would be a test on it later.  "And here we have a 2000 year old statue of a lion, notice it's hollow and sorrowful eyes." Vanessa stood in front of a marble statue of the big cat.

"It looks so sad, Izzy whispered to me.

"You'd be miserable too if you'd been stuck in a museum for-" Joanna bent down to stare at the little plaque beneath the statue "nearly two and a half thousand years."

I didn't point out that the museum hadn't been around for anywhere near that long, because I know that Joanna knew it anyway. But I understood what she had meant. I had a sudden wave of illogical pity for the carved creature, frozen forever due to a sculptors whim over two Millenia ago. The group continued further into the exhibit, we stopped in a forest of Greek sculptures. "Psst guys check it out!"

I turned around to see Tali mock grabbing one of the male sculptures lower regions. "Knock it off Tali!" Sophie hissed.

Joanna joined in on the fun by pretend groping a woman's breast. While Izzy and Sophie were whispering at the girls to stop it, Alex was muffling her laughs wth two hands over her mouth. "How crass." I muttered to Sarah who nodded her head.

"Girls."

The 7 of us froze and turns in unison to stare at a wave of glares. Many from our teachers but one blazing glare from Vanessa. "If you are so unentertained, I suggest you go to that room over there." She raised a thin bony finger and pointed it to a black door in the corner of the large room.

As we walked, Sarah hit the back side of Tali's head as the 7 of us entered the room. "Nice one," She whispered.

The room was dark except for 8 a few lights that hit specific objects. Seven marble statues that were deteriorating stood under  of the lights. Heads, arms and legs were missing. "Woah guys! Check it!" Alex gasped and semi sprinted towards a glass case.

I slowly made my way over and stared above the girls heads into the open roofed glass box. Inside was a scroll, it was coffee brown and little rips were placed through out it. Black ink words were written along the pages, it was a scrawled piece of work. "What's it say?" I asked.

Alex out on her glasses and squinted hard at it. "I think it's in Greek."

Joanna rolled her eyes, "no shit Sherlock."

"This room is boring!" Tali moaned. "Nothing but some shitty statues and a piece of brown toilet paper."

"Guys," Alex turned around and grinned. "I'm gonna touch it."

"Alex, no." I glared, putting my hands on my hips.

"Alex, yes!" Teased Alex, putting a hand over the box.

"Do iitttt!" Tali egged on, Joanna pump her first chanting the words.

"What if an alarm goes off! Alex, be serious!" Sophie pleaded, grabbing her wrist.

She shook it off and laughed. "Pffff, it'll be fine."

"Alex, I swear to god, don't you freaking do it." Sarah whispered.

Alex slowly lowered and a hand into the case, no one said anything. "Alex...." Izzy trailed off.

She extended a single finger as she got closer, she was doing this slowly to be suspenseful. As her finger connected with the browning pages she giggled, "boop."

Everyone burst out laughing as Alex retracted her hand out of the case. Most people were laughing from relief, while others honestly thought it was amusing. "See no alarms!" Tali chuffed, "Told you it would be fine!"

Sarah slapped Alex on the back, "you crazy bastard."

Alex was laughing and smirking. Suddenly she stopped laughing and the grin slid off her face. "I- I don't feel so good."

She suddenly dropped onto the floor and lay unmoving. Everyone rushed over to her side and Joanna pulled Alex up so her head lay on her shoulder. Alex was crying, she had tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong!" Izzy cried out.

Alex held up a hand and before my eyes, I saw it falling away like sand in the wind. Sophie gasped and took a step back. "Joanna, I-I don't wanna go!" Alex wailed.

"Someone do something!" Joanna yelled at the others.

Tali stood frozen. She was unmoving. Sophie suddenly stood up and rushed over to the door, yanking on the knob frantically. "It's locked!"

It was all happening so fast, I held a hand over my mouth as I stepped back into Sarah. I put my arms around her and turned away. I couldn't watch. Alex's legs had disappeared and and her arms were nearly gone. "I don't know, I don't know what's happening... I don't... I don't wanna go, I don't wanna go..."

"Your fine shut up!" Joannas voice was unsteady.

" Joanna, please..." Alex chocked out and grabbed Joanna's head pulling her to lock into her eyes. "Please. I don't wanna go. I don't wanna go. I'm sorry."

As though a wind and blown through the room, the last of her trailed off, disappearing like sand in an hour glass.

Alex was gone