Eyes of the Sea

Chapter 2

I was so shocked I almost dropped the knife. Stifling a gasp, I peered at the knife. The handle was brown with gold designs on it, and the knife itself was silver with a slight sparkle to it. A small bump was hidden in the design, and when pressed, folded into itself like a retractable knife. It glistened under the florescent light, its presence like a slap in the face. Oh my God, I thought, I still have the knife. How did that even happen?

I rubbed my temple, suddenly getting a major headache from all of these random thoughts. Carefully, I tucked the knife into my pocket so that it was hidden from view. I slowly opened the bathroom door, half expecting the girl to be standing outside. Instead, it was my sister.

"Finally!" Heather exclaimed. "You took forever in there!"

"Didn't you hear that?" I asked cautiously, debating how I was going to explain what just happened. I held my breath as I awaited her reply.

"Hear what? God, you're so confusing, Hazel." Heather rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom. I didn't know how to respond to that. Heather hadn't heard anything, yet I just had a fight in there.

But am I really sure that fight was real? It could've just been my imagination. My hand lightly traced the outline of the knife in my pocket. I still have the knife, though. The wooden handle, hard against my pocket, was physical proof that validated what had happened. It was the only thing that kept me from second guessing myself.

Wincing at the sudden incline of my headache, I mumbled to Heather that the power went out while I was in the bathroom.

The bathroom door opened. "What did you say?" Heather asked, looking at me as if I was crazy. I was about to repeat myself when I saw the bathroom light on. The power was back. I shook my head at her and just walked away. I heard Heather muttering something about a crazy sister as I left.

I walked into my room and jumped on my now-dry bed, trying to make sense of what happened. I woke up soaking wet and with different eyes. A girl attacked me in the bathroom when the power went off and I... I killed her. But there was no evidence left that any of those events happened.

I wasn't dreaming, or even hallucinating. I was as sober as can be, and my perception of reality was fine. But then how did that explain anything that happened?

On a whim, I ran to my mirror and looked at my eyes. They were still brown with gold around them. At least that didn't change. I know that I didn't imagine this because I have the knife and my eyes are still different. But how is that possible?

I went over to my drawer and randomly pulled out last week's math homework. Flipping the page over to the blank side, I quickly wrote down the poem from my dream before I forgot. Scanning the poem, I realized that it seemed like a poem about someone drowning. Someone with gold-ringed brown eyes. Someone with my eyes.

Realization hit me like a bullet, knocking the wind from my chest. I gasped, unable to stifle it. Me. I'm the girl who drowns. That poem was about me. I run back to my mirror and stare at my reflection. Who are you? I mouthed to myself.

Just then, my alarm went off, warning me that I was going to be late for school. I yelped, the alarm making my heart pound once more. Wearily, I looked around for any signs of something out of the blue before getting ready. I quickly combed my hair and dressed in the first pieces of clothing I saw. For reasons unknown even to me, I decided to bring the knife to school with me. Something told me that I should keep it by my side. But where? My jean pockets were too noticeable and my purse definitely wasn't an option. I decided to slide it down the sleeve of my boots. It wasn't the best option, but it will have to do. At least the knife was retractable so I wouldn't have to worry about it stabbing me in the middle of class.