Deep Blue

Chapter 8

He's gone. He's dead. He's not coming back.

I repeat it in my head as I chew my nails and the skin on my nails. Anxiety does that to people. The cell walls are cold.

Thy put me in here, to prevent any further "mental and emotional harm". This is just mailing it worse.

I remember my biggest fear as a child was going mad. To be driven insane that you couldn't think straight. But, people don't go insane. On the contrary, they wake up. They wake up and realise what a horrible place this world is. And they spend so much time contemplating the concept that their minds slowly melt away, until there is nothing left to think about.

I'm going mad, I giggle to myself.

Everything around me dies. My parents, and now Ethan too. Who knows, maybe Winter will be next. I don't want to hurt people.

I wish Ethan were alive...

Wait.

Alive.

I pull out the note that was sent to me in hospital.

All Love Is Vertually Equal - E

My eyes widen as I realise the message.

ALIVE - E

He's alive. He's really alive.

But how? I saw his lifeless body on the sidewalk. Then again, this place is magic.

I smile as I realise that the hope is still there of him being alive. I put the note back in the pocket of my red coat.

I run up to the bars and bang loudly. two men walk up to me cautiously, probably been warned that I was unstable.

"He's alive! The boy is alive!" I shout happily. They screw their faces up, as one man says to the other, "This is always the first stage. They try to believe it never happened. Just ignore her."

Dammit. Well, at least the insanity isn't tickling my brain anymore.

I tap one of the guards on the shoulder.

He turns around and raises an eyebrow.

"Why won't you let me out? I'm fine now. Just ask the leader, she knows that I'm stable."

He rolls his eyes, "Miss, it was the leader that have us orders to keep you here. At least until she comes down to get you."

I sigh and put my back up against the wall. Maybe I could use magic, I think.

I put my hand in front of me and twist, like I saw Winter do while I was in detention.

The doors start to tremble and they turn orange. The guards stir, but they're too late. The doors burst open, leaving me with nothing holding me back.

Well, except the guards.

They both raise their hands, igniting two grey flames. I raise my hand up, but second guess myself. I sigh.

"Screw this," I grunt, and put my hands, in a punching style. The first man lunging a flame at me, but I duck, the fire narrowly missing the tip of my hood.

"Son of a-" I walk up to him and grab his wrist, forcing him back. The other man rushes towards me, but I elbow him in the face before he can get to me properly. I pin the first man on a wall, and raise my hand. This time, the fire appears on my palm again.

"What is going on down here!?" a voice calls out. Claire. Her voice is slightly whispy, and obviously tired. I turn around, and give her a guilty smile.

"They wouldn't let me out."

"Because I have them orders not to. After seeing your dead friend on the footpath, you're not in any condition to-"

"He's not dead!" I practically scream at her. She steps backwards, taken by my rudeness. I pull out the note and hold it in front of her.

She takes it and reads it. Her face stays expressionless and she hands it back to me.

"Someone is obviously trying to fool you. You saw it yourself. I'm sorry but he's dead." Her voice softens and she places a hand on my shoulder.

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry." She smiles and I pull her in for a hug.

"I'm going to sign you out, okay? That way the council will know what is going on." I nod and she pulls out a slip of paper, writing her name.

I grin to myself, remembering the note that Ethan gave me in a chewing gum packet back at juevenile.

It's the same handwriting as the note that was shot at me.

I peer at the signed note that Claire gave me.

It's surprising how much can be revealed in writing.