The Stone

Chaper Two

    Celeste made sure to wake up early Friday, she could not miss the bus today, she had to be in the lobby by eight o’clock or else, she would miss the field trip. On field trip days, students were permitted to wear outside clothing, as long as it were appropriate. Celeste chose to wear a black tee-shirt dress that said, “Challenge others” in bold white that fell down to her knees and black and purple striped tights with black and high-tops. Saturday, Celeste had an attack and shaved her head; she did not want to remember it and hoped nobody drew attention to it. Naturally, everyone drew attention to it. Even Professor Seed, who congratulated her on it. Eros had seen her and fixed it up for her, now Celeste had a Mohawk permanently. Celeste was glad for her stiff curly hair; at least her hair would not flop around. Celeste examined herself in the body mirror at the foot of the stairs and felt that she looked rather rebellious.
    She sat next to the same kid, his name was Cubie, and he was actually pretty cool. His brother was in a band as the lead singer. “He’s a freshman in collage...Which is funny cause Imma freshman in high school...My mom’s making me go on a diet.” Celeste nodded. “My uncles been ranting on about healthy foods and eating healthy, but he still goes to every fast food joint in the country.” She said, Cubie laughed.
    Ben was waiting by his car. “Sup loser.” Celeste said by way of greeting. Ben looked up from his phone and smiled. “Sup Mo.” Ben said using his new nickname. Celeste pressed her lips together and gave him an unamused look. “Field trip?” He asked pointing out her attire. “Yup, to some museum.” Celeste answered as she searched in her book bag for her student I.D. It was in the outermost pocket. Ben handed her a coffee. Samantha walked up towards the pair, wearing a tightly fit shirt and skinny jeans along with impractical heeled boots. “Hey babe.” She said pushing past Celeste and kissing Ben, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his. Celeste, feeling uncomfortable, cleared her throat and Samantha pulled away. Ben covered his mouth, blushing madly.
    “Oh hey, Star, right?” Samantha asked pointing at Celeste. “Celeste.” Ben corrected before Celeste could. “Celeste! Gotta remember that. Such a pretty name, you’re going on the field trip too?” Samantha asked flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Yeah, if you’re talking about the History Museum.” Celeste answered. Ben was positively beaming. His two favorite girls, getting along. “Well, we’ve gotta head over to the lobby. C’mon Cel.” Samantha said linking arms with Celeste and dragging her to the lobby. “Have fun!” Ben called after them. Samantha was a talker, she talked on and on about shallow things such as hair, the mall, make up, and drama. All the way through check in and on the bus.
    “So how long have you known Ben?” Samantha asked as the bus pulled off. “Since we were six. My parents died and I came here to live with my uncle.” Celeste said plainly. “Oh my lord. How’d they die?” Samantha asked. Celeste knew she did not mean any harm by it, but she could still heel her chest contract and become tight. “A fire.” Celeste said. “I-I don’t really wanna talk about it.” Samantha nodded before going on her phone.
     It was a thirty-minute ride. Thirty minutes to think about what happened. Celeste silently cursed Samantha for reopening that wound, even though she would not know what she did, so Celeste did not really get mad at her. The bus stopped in front of the building and everyone got off. The history professors that came along sorted the students into groups; Celeste was in a group with Professor Clay and seven other students.
    A rather tired looking tour guide met up with her group and began showing the group around. Pointing out relics, teaching about how those relics were used, telling the students what their teachers have already told them. Most of the kids just stared blankly around the rooms, some were genuinely interested, and some were in-between. “And here is the infamous WillowStone. It’s the most powerful stone in all of OutherWerld. It was created by a poor blacksmith, during the fourth world war in 2143, the blacksmith was held captive and forced to make it. When he finished, his captors killed him without learning how to harness its powers. Frustrated, the captors went back to the blacksmith’s place of residence where his daughter still lived. When she refused to show him how to harness the stones power, he had his men beat and rape her. The daughter, angry and thirsty for vengeance, snuck into the captor’s room and slit his throat, taking the stone with her. The stone is said to have attached itself to the girl and grant her all the powers of the world. With these newfound powers, the daughter killed the rest of the men and sought to rule over Quinteria. Coining the term ‘Lord’ as to keep her gender a secret.
    “After her death, the stone was lost and recovered sixty-three years later in a river bank. Legend says that the heir of Dimitra, the first lord of Quinteria, will be able to harness its powers just as it did for her 1,881 years ago.  As we enter the gift store, feel free to try and see if you can harness the stones powers.” The tour guide pointed to a small stand with a cloudy looking stone rested on a red velvet pillow surrounded by a velvet rope. The guard standing in front of it let out a yawn. “Oh, I’m definitely gonna check that out.” Said Book, a pyre in Celeste’s group. “You realize that you have to be of demon decent right? You’re a pyre.” Said Poppy, an elfin, adjusting her glasses. “So? Pyre’s are considered demonic.” Book shrugged. “Cel, you comin’?” He asked. “...Sure why not.” Celeste answered with a shrug. Poppy rolled her violet eyes before walking off to the stuffed animal section of the gift shop. Celeste, Book and two other kids from her group made their way to the stand.
    “Oh! Camron, you finished the tour?” Samantha asked giving Celeste a smile that she couldn’t help but feel was not genuine. “It’s Celeste. And yeah.” Celeste said as she watched kids from other groups pick up the stone with held breaths. Only to release them with a laugh when it was revealed that they were not the heir. “Are you gonna do the stone thingy-magiggy?” Samantha asked. Celeste just shrugged. “I mean, no offence, I don’t really believe in that stuff but like, I don’t think you’d be the heir or whatever.” Samantha said; Celeste just looked at her. “You just don’t seem the...type, ya know? All-powerful. You seem too boring to me.” Samantha continued with a shrug. Celeste was finding Samantha to be less and less enjoyable with each ticking second.
    “How would you know? You’ve barely even talked to me.” Celeste said, crossing her arms and smirking, things Ben would have known to be a warning sign. “I think we should have a girl’s night, so that we can get to know each other. I mean, I have to know about the girl that is always hanging around my boyfriend.” Samantha said, blatantly ignoring Celeste’s question. flipping her hair and giving a big, bright smile. “Sorry, I’m antisocial.” Celeste retorted with a fake smile of her own before going towards the stone.
    “H-hey, so like, if I dropped this and it broke, would I get arrested?” A kid was asking the guard. “Probably and you’d be fined severely.” The guard answered. The kid nodded before placing the stone back and walking away with a group of his friends. Celeste stepped up to the stand and reached for the shiny rock. “Uh, you need to sanitize your hands first.” The guard said holding out a bottle of hand sanitizer. Celeste held out her hands, rubbed them together before reaching for the stone. Her stomach flipped and jolted as she reached towards it. It was just a stone. Probably a fake. Nevertheless, she did begin to feel light-headed the closer her hand got to it. Then she quickly grabbed it, and then came the pain.
    Like being seared open. The stone burned like coals and melted into Celeste’s skin like plastic. Celeste let out a piercing blood-curdling scream. Light begun to stream from out of every pore Celeste possessed in her skin. Her eyes, ears, mouth and nostrils. The guard was afraid to get to close to her and urgently called for backup. Several bystanders called the police, ambulance, and swat. Then a large sweltering ball of light swelled up inside of Celeste, who was lying on the floor, shaking and writhing. She wasn’t sure what was happening, drool was puddling in the back of her throat and her nose begun to bleed as her pants became soiled, although, that might’ve been because of the intense fear that Celeste felt. The last thing Celeste could remember was a big, blinding flash that filled the room.