The Stone

Chapter Four

Beep. Beep. Beep.
    Celeste opened a weary eye, squinting at the bright lights of the hospital. Eros was sitting in a chair beside her bed with his head in his hand. He looked up suddenly at Celeste and gasped. “She’s awake.” He whispered before getting up. “Ash! She’s awake! We need a doctor!” Eros said as he quickly left the room.
    Celeste watched as a group of nurses and doctors came piling in. They began checking her vital and asking her questions like what her name was and how many fingers they were holding up. Asher just held his hands to his face and cried, his eyes showing happiness as he looked at Celeste. Eros held him, crying as well. Celeste gagged as a nurse took out the tube in her throat. “We’re going to start you off on soft foods and smoothies.” A doctor was saying. Celeste just nodded. She had no idea what was going on. She looked over at a calendar on the wall that read February 6 4024. However, that’s impossible, it was just January 24. How could it possibly be February already?
    “W-what h-happened?” Celeste asked, blinking away the rest of her drowsiness and sitting up. “Well, uh, what do you remember?” The doctor asked. “Drowning...” Celeste said absentmindedly. She noticed a couple odd stares and shook her head. “I-I uh...I mean, um...uh...A field trip?” Celeste said. “Then, oh! I went to look at the WillowStone.” The doctor nodded before sitting down on the foot of her bed. “Yes, well, t-there was an explosion of sorts, it didn’t harm or injure anybody severely, it just left them with...temporary blindness. But everyone’s good and well now.” The doctor said with a reassuring smile as he patted Celeste’s leg. She was not sure what was going on, but she could tell that the doctor’s demeanor changed and Asher and Eros were behind him anxiously.
    “T-that’s good, right?” She asked, sitting up a little straighter. “Oh, of course!” The doctor responded. Then something hit Celeste, it suddenly felt as if there were a ton of bricks piled on her chest. She clinched and unclenched her hand and sucked in a breath when she felt something smooth and solid in it. Celeste held her breath as she looked down to see a bandaged hand. It was the only bandaged thing on her body. “What happened to the stone?” Celeste asked looking back at the doctor. “I-it has become...lodged into the palm of your hand.”
    Celeste felt an attack coming on and tried to control her breathing. “W-well why is it still there? Take it out!” She said more panicked than she meant. “W-we’ve tried. I-it would not let us oper-“The doctor began but Celeste interrupted him. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WOULDN’T LET YOU? I WANT IT OUT! OUT!” The doctor backed up a little and glanced at Celeste’s hand. “The stone, it wouldn’t let anyone cut into you.” Eros said. “We gave the doctors permission to amputate your hand but, your skin h-hardened and, t-they couldn’t cut through.” Asher added. Celeste laid back down, trying to process all this while also trying to control her breathing.
    “So, what does that mean for me?” Celeste asked finally. “Y-you live life your life as normally you can. I would like to keep you for one more day as well as schedule therapy sessions.” The doctor answered. “What kind of therapy sessions?” Asher asked. “Physical, mental. Both kind. We don’t know what the stone may do to her psyche.” The doctor answered. Celeste stared off into space. This couldn’t be real. It just couldn’t be. She stared down at her bandaged hand again. A small bump lie on her palm and Celeste rubbed her other hand over it.
    Celeste agreed to staying overnight and a series of nurses and doctors took her blood, checked her height, weight and habits. Celeste had a sleepless night, as in; she did not sleep at all.  She now had to go to therapy sessions three days a week; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Mondays and Wednesdays would be physical and Fridays were mental. When Celeste got home, she stayed in her room all day with the lights off the curtain drawn.
    “You don’t have to go to school tomorrow.” Asher said as Celeste ironed her uniform. “I already missed two weeks of school. And two days.” Celeste said simply. “I know but...Don’t you...wanna stay home? You’ve gone through a lot over those past two weeks. Your body has.” Ash said. Celeste looked at him, then down at her hand, which she balled up into a fist, feeling the edges of the stone bury into her skin. “And I’ll go through much more in the future, so what? I can’t be here all day.” Celeste said simply as she put her uniform on a hanger. “I’ll be here.” Asher said in his final attempt. Celeste just gave him and look and Asher understood. “You really are like your father, stubborn as heaven.” He said before giving Celeste a hug and walking away.
    Skipping dinner, Celeste changed into her pajamas and texted Ben about giving her a ride to school. He said of course and Celeste put her phone on the charger and stared at the ceiling. She couldn’t sleep. She hasn’t been able to since she woke up.
    The next day Asher stayed home from work in case Celeste decided to change her mind and stay home. She didn’t. Celeste got up, got dressed, and waited for Ben on the porch. She was determined to have this day be as normal as any other school day. Her stonehand buzzed and she hid it in her pocket as Ben pulled up. Celeste stood up and walked towards the car. “D’you remember to lock the door?” Ben asked, clearly he was on the same page as Celeste, who smiled and turned back to check.
    It was a quiet car ride, the only time either one of them talked was when Ben went to Cindie’s to order their usual coffees. They got to the school; Ben parked, but did not make any attempt to get out. Neither did Celeste. ‘So...has anything changed in my absence?” Celeste asked in a playful tone. Although he looked, down and played with the cardboard that encircled her cup. “Not...really. Just a few rumors.” Ben answered. He twisted his body so that he was fully facing Celeste. “How are you feeling?” He asked. Celeste swallowed a ball of spit that flooded her mouth and shrugged. “I dunno.” She said, her words choked. Ben nodded and sucked on his bottom lip, thinking about something. “I did some research, a-about the stone, can you come over after school?” He asked. Celeste looked up at him. A part of her wanted to say no. The only thing she wanted to know about that damned stoned was that it was out and away from her. However, she knew, somehow, that that was impossible. So she shrugged, and nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
    All of her classes were drawling. Students did nothing but gawk at her as she, or they, passed by. Nobody sat beside her during history class; most kids gave her piercing glares, one of the students in her class, Mouse, did not recover from the “temporary” blindness and switched schools. During science class, Celeste was called to the guidance office. Celeste stared straight ahead, as she gathered all her stuff and walked out.
    “Celeste, please, have a seat.” Harmony, the guidance counselor sang, she wore a plastered smile and a curly wig that covered all but the very tips of her pointy elfin ears. Celeste did as told and sat down, crossing her legs and staring at the wall behind the counselor. “How are you feeling?” She asked. “Good.” Celeste answered, picking at the bandages on her hand. “Good? That’s good...Is there, anything you wanna, talk about?” Harmony asked. Celeste shook her head and looked down as she peeled back the bandage. “Are you sure? Cause we’re here for you. I’m here for you.” Harmony said. This is getting annoying. “I have nothing to say, now can I get to class? Please?” Celeste asked. Harmony took inhaled, then slowly exhaled before nodding and smiling broadly. “Yes, of course. Class should be coming to a close so you can just head over to you next period.” Celeste nodded before gathering her stuff and walking out the door, out the office and to the bathroom.
    She dropped her stuff in the corner and went into the furthest stall from the door. She locked it, checked to make sure no one else was in another stall, then sat on the toilet. Then the floor, kicking the door. Then punching the door, letting out a scream. Celeste stopped for a moment, worried that someone might’ve heard her and is on their way to investigate. No one did.
    Celeste sat with her back to the wall, rocking back and forth, biting her arm, tears streaming down her face as she let out whimpered sobs. She bit down on her burnt umber skin so hard that she tasted blood. Celeste sat up and looked at her arm. Celeste took in a sharp intake of breath as she saw the bite mark she created shrink until it was completely gone. Not even a scar. Celeste stared at her arm before opening the stall door and digging a pencil out of her book bag. The late bell rung as Celeste locked herself back in the furthest stall and sat back on the floor.
    Celeste took in a deep breath as she poked the tip of her mechanical pencil into the skin of her wrist. Then she drug it down, Celeste did not flinched, this action was all too familiar. The pencil left a mark, but not for long. It healed. However, she needed more evidence. Going out of the stall once more, Celeste took her book bag to the stall with her and dug around for something that could cause a lot of damage. A notebook. Celeste undid the metal ring of the notebook and pressed it against her skin, running it back and forth harshly causing many cat-like scratches, some bleeding. One by one, each faded away, there was no sign that anything had been there.
    Celeste looked down at her bandaged hand. Then, with a deep breath, she peeled off the bandage wrapped around it. It was an agonizingly long process. Finally, the last of the bandage pulled away revealing the WillowStone. Propped perfectly in the palm of her hand. It looked bigger on the stand. Celeste ran her fingers over the stone. It was as smooth as glass. Celeste felt herself transfixed with the sight. She could see the blood and whiteness of her bones through the cloudiness of the stone. It was beautiful yet, grotesque.
    “Light.” Celeste whispered to the stone.