Darker Than Blood

-IV-

Broken Mirrors, Dares, and Mirages

January 23, 2012

Amora Black

I ran.

I ran after my sister as if my life depended on it... which in a way it did.

I still could not comprehend what made her act this way. What was wrong with her? All she did was write some words on Mr. Harris's board and then she froze. She froze as if she had just been electrocuted and feared to move an inch, but now I was running after her. I tried to call after her, but she ignored me. Why was this happening? All I wanted was to make a good impression on my first day at a new school, and now? Here I was chasing after my sister, trying to understand what exactly triggered her response to run off in the middle of the classroom.

"Addison! Please stop!" I called running after her at top speed.

She didn't stop... not that I was expecting her to suddenly stop anyways. Instead, she ducked into a door, which miraculously led to the girl's bathrooms. How did she know where she was going? Don't ask me! All I know is that I followed her. Her movements were spastic and erratic, she kept going in circles looking at the room surrounding her, mostly staring at the roof in absolute terror. Luckily for us, the bathrooms were empty, so we didn't have onlookers or people watching us. I watched her give one more turn before I grabbed Addison by the shoulders and held her in place.

"Addison Black snap out of it!" I screamed.

Addison snapped her eyes at me and then lurched towards the sink before vomiting.

I know what you're thinking. Vomiting? In the sink? What the actual hell? But ironically, the vomit she was expelling was none other than blood. Ruby red liquid escaped and dribbled off my sister's lips and spilled over the porcelain sink. I stared at my younger sister in terror before reaching her side, pulled her hair away and helped her vomit the blood off. Under normal circumstances, you're supposed to call for help because vomiting blood means imminent death or the collapsing of a vital organ. In my case? I froze up like a deer caught in the headlights and just moved to help my sister ignoring the fact that my immediate response was to call for help. After vomiting, Addison wiped her mouth, glanced at the mirror, completely ignoring me, a look of absolute terror still etched on her face. I tried to get her attention but was failing miserably. She began hyperventilating, still glancing at the mirror before punching the mirror and sliding to the ground. I jumped, a shrill noise escaping my throat as the crashing and crunching of glass showered me. Addison hyperventilated on the ground, cradling her fist and that's when I sprung into action. I pulled my sister's first away from the comfort of her arm to inspect only to see the hand with no blood, no tears or broken skin at all. Her fist was completely intact, but unlike her hand, Addison was not okay. I don't think she was present in time, place and person. I was about to go on my last resort and slap Addison, but I didn't have to, because in that instant the door to the girl's bathroom burst open.

I'm ashamed to admit it but... I screamed.

It sounded like the cry of a dying animal in my throat but after everything I just experienced, screaming was a normal response. Jumping in my spot, I turned to see who entered, to see the group of kids who I chose to sit beside, followed by a teacher. He was a decently tall man, wearing a tracksuit pants that were dark wine and a black sports shirt. His hair seemed to be standing on end and his eyes were bulging from their sockets, a whistle hung from his neck. He looked at me before turning his gaze to Addison. Fortunately for me, this man or coach based on his attire had no problem springing into action by telling one of his students to call 911 as he placed two fingers under my sister's neck. A blur of questions escaped him, from what happened here? What's going on? Does she have any medical conditions? Or mental problems?