A Claim to Magic

A Sister's View

         CHAPTER TWELVE

Corrie's father bent over her bed, and yanked the covers, revealing both Corrie and Clara, their eyes wide open. Mr. Cadelle chuckled, "Having a sleepover, are you?" He yanked Corrie up, "you're coming with me. To a school that matters." He tried to pull her away but Clara stopped him.

"You're not taking her anywhere." She said this with an air of confidence. She was not asking. Her father tugged on Corrie's arm even harder then the last time, Corrie winced, he tugged, she pulled away, and Clara launched herself at their father. Corrie stumbled back, knocking over her nightstand. She fell backwards, the pain was so great that it paralyzed her, she had fallen and hit her head. It was bleeding. Her father looked at her and made a gesture with his hand. Magic, but not for good. Corrie's pain increased tenfold. Pain was pulsing through her body, she was losing consciousness, she saw Clara scream, but she didn't hear it. Clara was yelling at her father, now she was by Corrie's side. They were rushing through the halls. Corrie was on the floor in front of Professor Coleman, her head throbbing. Now Professor Coleman was carrying her. Everything was black. Corrie could see nothing. She could hear nothing. It was dark.

***

Betsy hurried down the halls, Elizabeth at her side. She was trying hard not to cry, Corrie wasn't dead, after all, just unconscious. Like she had been for the past week. Betsy let out a sob, she needed Corrie, without her she was only half of herself. She prayed a silent prayer that Corrie would wake up.

"Are you alright?" Elizabeth questioned Betsy.

"Fine." Betsy replied, though really, she was the furthest from 'fine' she ever had been.

Ten minutes later, Betsy was sitting at a cafeteria table, picking at her food with no interest. She hoped Corrie would wake up soon. Betsy checked her watch, "We need to be ready to go in a half an hour." She said, referring to the time they would go see Corrie at Gwoo, the famous Anwansi hospital.

When they were ready, they walked together to the courtyard, silent. Everything, since Corrie's injury, had been this way. Silent.

Betsy thought back to the week before, when Corrie had been mad at her, she would take that over Corrie's injury anytime.

The car pulled up, Elizabeth climbed in and Betsy followed. They sat in silence, not talking to each other, rather, looking down at their shoes, neither willing to break the silence.

Betsy had been for the last week, but now she had no control, they came pouring out. She cried the rest of the way, she couldn't stop herself, what if Corrie never woke up? What if she died? Betsy didn't know what she'd do then.

Elizabeth leaned over and squeezed Betsy, murmuring inaudible words. Her voice soothed Betsy, so that when they reached the hospital she had pulled herself together enough to stop crying and go see Corrie. It was not so easy when Betsy actually saw her.

Corrie's arms were not too bad, they were cut and bruised, but there was nothing major. What got Betsy was her face. There was a long cut that started at her temple and stretched to her jawline on the left side of her face, one that was sure to leave a scar, and one that would never really heal.

Betsy ran out of the room and away from Corrie, crying. Why had she gone in there? She couldn't bear it, the image of Corrie, her face scarred, was all Betsy could think about. She ran, not really knowing where to. Just running.

She ran the entire way to their car, which was waiting for them in the parking lot. She climbed in and slammed the door shut, wishing that she hadn't come.

She stayed in her room the rest of the day, not bothering to eat dinner. She lay on her bed, cheeks wet and eyes stinging. She couldn't cry any more. She stared. She stared at the pictures of Corrie, and wished that she hadn't insisted on coming to the magic school.

She threw the picture and frame she was holding, it shattered, she didn't care. Betsy dived under her covers, but she didn't sleep. The next day would be the first day of school, and Corrie wouldn't be there. Betsy cried. Her life was not complete without Corrie.