Project Nebula

To See Through Walls

My vision was still blurred from the terrible sleep I endured. However, I could still see them. Right through the crack of the door to the lounge.

The office was different. Much different. The walls were painted a new coat of deep black. The bean bag chairs were piled up near the door in a garbage bag.

Xander tickled the surface of the polished, wooden desk with his claws. He tapped a tune of impatience. His chair spun halfway and back again to face the door. His name engraved in a name tag on his desk in synthetic gold. The vertical blinds contained the light exposed by the window, leaving Xander in complete darkness. Chance and Indigo opened the door, tiptoeing across the ground.

As a trembling Chance approached, the desk grew taller. It's shadow dimmer.

"You sent me an email," Xander rested his head in his crossed arms on the table, "I can't accept your request."

Chance stepped back and took a deep breath before stuttering, "It's only a new club. I wanted Indy and Castor to feel accepted."

"Castor's my vice president; he's been accepted by me."

"You said we were getting new members."

"Dore Anchors is a new addition."

"You got rid of him in tenth grade!" Indigo yelled. "I just wanted to do something with my time before we graduate."

Xander rolled his chair back, stamping his fists into the desk. "You're not even in the council anymore!"

"I already have the principal's permission. I just needed your opinion."

"Okay. . . Club for what?"

"Nevermind. Just nevermind."

Silence fell among them. Indigo turned to Chance and then to the floor. As a fly on the wall, I felt it appropriate for me to leave. No words were spoken, further.

But the whispers continued as I raised my head from my desk. The blinding, white lights of the classroom flickered on and was the same as being stabbed with two darts through my retinas. Then my hearing adjusted to the trauma-inducing screeches of the class. That's an exaggeration.

"Get a good sleep?" Helix spoke in my ear. I closed my eyes again and prayed to God that he was also just a dream.

"What am I doing here?" my voice grilled with croaking. "What are we doing?"

"Reading some play."

"What time is it?"

"Like one o'clock."

Helix pressed his thumb against my eyelid to open my eyes. I thought he was going to pry my eye out. And the lights. It just irritated me.

I pushed his hand back on his desk.

Then I felt a pain beating in my head, almost like I had a second heart up there that was also panicking. They were metal robs stabbing my brain. They were bullets penetrating my skull. It was something weighing my head down like a magnet. I gripped onto my bangs and forced my eyes shut.

Helix put his hand on my shoulder. "Just go back to sleep."

I pulled away and left out the room while covering my face with my hands. I didn't care if anyone saw me. I wasn't going back in there. I rushed into the restroom and faced myself in the mirror. My eyes were taffy pink. Tears dried along down my cheeks and under my eyes. The headache was gone, however. I turned on the cold water and flushed my eyes until all I could see were blurs of color.

For a second, I forgot I was ever in the classroom. That stall was still hiding something irksome behind it's door. I'm pathetic, I muttered to myself.