Syndicate Origins: Persona [NaNoWriMo2014, 2015]

CHAPTER NINE: THE DECISION

Please go back and read the prologue again. I changed it around 11-26-14. It's better now! Don't forget to follow and leave a comment!

CHAPTER NINE

School the next day was uneventful compared to yesterday when Jennifer had taken quite a fall down the stairs. It was still being passed among students and teachers, though, as if they were feasting upon Jennifer's accident. Students' whispers were full of Jennifer and what was to become of her. Some said she was dying and would have her ashes spread onto the stairs. Some said that she was faking her death because she had been found by her unwanted fiancée. Some even said that she hadn't fallen and was faking it. If I hadn't witnessed the accident myself, I would have enjoyed the ridiculousness of the rumors, but all they had done was serve to remind me of what I feared. 

I had forgotten about what had happened for a few hours yesterday. Between Yin's appearance and bonding time with Kyle, I wasn't shocked, but now I was at school and had reality rubbed into my eyes all day long. Jennifer Carlton had fallen down the stairs and everyone was assuming that she had tripped. Kyle was certain that she tripped.

I was the only one who thought it was because of something else, because of someone else.

I had no proof, of course, and I knew that I needed Jennifer's version of the accident before I had a complete meltdown. It was the waiting that was killing me. Dr. Whittle said that he would go see her today and talk to her, but I wasn't too sure that I wanted to know the truth. What if her side of the story confirmed what I feared to be true? What if I had really somehow pushed her? What would I do then?

I attempted to calm myself down with deep breaths. I knew what my next step was if the truth was what I thought it to be. I would go to the public library and try to make sense of this. There had to be a book that explained what was happening to me. Maybe it was some kind of disease of some sort. 

A hysterical, strangled giggle passed my chapped lips. 

A disease. Sure.

My hands trembled as I hugged myself. I was so close to crossing the line of crazy, wasn't I? Not knowing was turning out to be worse than knowing. I was going to drive myself mad with all my theories and what-ifs. I couldn't make any assumptions or heap any guilt and horror onto myself until I knew what had really happened.

Before I lost what nerve I had worked up, I knocked on Dr. Whittle's front door for the second time in two days. It was after school and he said that he would go in the morning so he would be here when I got out of school.

A part of me hoped he wasn't here.

A noise beyond the door stomped on that hope. Dr. Whittle was home with the knowledge of Jennifer's story, knowledge that I would ask for even if a part of me didn't want it. I needed to know the truth. Wasn't it said that the truth would set you free? Maybe it would go that way in this case. Yes, maybe I didn't need to fear what Dr. Whittle would tell me. Maybe it would be the words that I longed to hear. 

There was only one way to find out.

The door swung open and Dr. Whittle offered me a strained smile, gesturing to come in.

"Mae, you're here on time as I expected."

I followed him into the living room as I realized that he was producing idle chatter. Dr. Whittle hated idle chatter and the like. He preferred to get straight to point and not prattle on about things of no importance. He saw it as wasting time, time he could spend doing something enjoyable. So why the chatter now? Was this what a nervous Dr. Whittle looked like? 

I sat down with my back stiff with dread. If he was nervous, this wasn't going to be good news. 

"Now, Mae, before you ask me, I asked Jennifer several times about what happened and her replies were consistent," said Dr. Whittle, remaining standing before me.