The Possessed

Sunrise, Coffee and Screaming

Clarice lay on an inflatable mattress beside Jacquie's bed. Her best friend had fallen asleep about an hour ago but she remained awake. A few other girls were crowded into the space, sleeping on cushions, sleeping bags and rugs. Clarice had drawn the longest straw.

She listened to the sound of everyone's breathing. It was like a strange and terrifying song. None of them was in time yet they all seemed to fit. The sound filled the room, accompanied by bird calls and cicadas.

Early sunlight touched the trees outside, casting faint shadows across the mess of people, blankets and cushions. After the diner, all the girls had raced back to Jacquie's and stayed up until well past midnight playing truth or dare. When the others decided to call it a night, Clarice had chosen to stay up and read, leading her to remain awake as the sun took its first glance at them.

She sat up and carefully made her way over to the window. An orange lined the mountains, just visible through the boughs of the gum tree that stood several metres away. Light now poured into the room. No chance I'll get to sleep now, thought Clarice. She tapped her fingers against the window sill and watched the sky until the others woke up.

***

"What can I get for you today?" asked the peppy young woman behind the counter.

"A large flat white with one sugar please," Clarice replied, through a yawn. The woman offered an understanding smile as she filed the money into the till.

"So you didn't sleep at all last night?" Hailey asked her for the millionth time.

"Nope, I stayed up reading."

"Wow! I wish I had a long enough attention span to read for that long!" She laughed girlishly. The barrister called out Clarice's name and she went up to grab her coffee. As she took the first, satisfying sip, her eyes found those of a young boy staring at her in both wonder and terror. 

Once he met her eyes, Derek hurriedly looked down at his laptop before stuffing it into his bag. Then, before Clarice could make a snide remark, he bolted from the Diner. "What a weirdo," she murmured, walking over to where Jacquie stood, flicking through her socials.

***

Darkness swallowed the room. Puffs of black rose from the floor. Tendrils of mist swirled around her, only just discernible with the lack of light. The blackness was overpowering. Clarice took sharp, shallow breaths as her eyes whirled around the room. No escape.

From nowhere, a thundering voice gave a chuckle that made even the mist quiver in terror.

"I've got you now," it taunted. "I've got you cornered like a pointyla." 

Goosebumps coated her arms and Clarice heard herself cry out in a way that would have rattled the bones of an entire Roman army.