We bathed and dressed up for class. I donned a marroon shirt with black leather pants and matching black boots, wearing my hair in a loose bun.
Today, the class is held in the glass garden. The entire ball shaped exterior is made of tempered glass. Coffee brown floors blending beautifully with the white roses planted around. The space could contain up to five hundred people - it is that big.
Professor Sickly arrived and stationed himself at the front of the room. "Hello ladies and lads, today you will not be faced with beasts or harsh weather, today you shall face your own self; Your memories."
Confused, I shot Storm a questionable eye. She shrugged.
Sickly paced slowly up and down, hands resting behind his back, "Physical strength is not enough to make a mage, one needs to be both mentally and emotionally strong too, hence, today's training. Do you all see the door there?"
Our eyes followed his gesture, taking stock of a red door behind him.
His voice held a repressed excitement as he said, "The task is pretty simple. Each and everyone of you will go through that door but the way out depends on how deep your scars are. You all have one hour to go in, solve your problems and come out."
His scrutinizing gaze leered over the crowd and eventually, landed on my face. "Any student who doesn't make it out in an hour has officially failed and must repeat the class. If we've all understood …" he looked away, "Your time starts now."
The massive clock hung above our heads started ticking. Immediately, students rushed to the red door and formed a queue. Each student passes through alone.
"I guess it's every man for himself, again." Storm pouted and then sighed, "you will be good on your own, right?"
I have always been alone.
My lips curved into a soft smile, "Don't worry about me."
"See you in an hour." She patted my shoulder and joined the queue.
I followed her but Sickly suddenly jumped in my face. Startled, I reflexively leaned back, "Hello professor." Gave a nervous chuckle.
"You are jumpy." He stated, "I still don't understand how the bloodrial could not reveal your element of magic. Until we know for sure, I am afraid you will have to do it physically. I will fix the time for that but for now, pass this class first and then we will see if that physical test would be necessary. Go on."
"Thank you professor." I nodded and briskly strutted to join the long line.
About to station myself behind the last boy, all of a sudden, a female student sharply cuts through, shoving me aggressively away. I stumbled, sharply looking up to meet Ali's blue ocean eyes.
Her brow is raised to a dangerous height as she glared at me, "What?"
My eyes shifted to Freya, who is standing behind her.
Could she have made her do this?
The right response never made it to my mouth, I only shook my head and joined the line behind someone else.
Heavy footsteps approached and quieted down behind me, a familiar scent greeting my nose.
Furtively, my neck turned, my eyes locking with Rain's alluring hazel gaze. His moist lips were tight, his angelic face devoid of any emotion. We held each other's gaze for a brief moment and then he looked as if I was nonexistent.
"Fine." I whispered to myself, turning my head forward. Eventually, I reached the door.
Taking two deep breaths, I twisted the doorknob, pushed it open and sailed in. A bright light shattered on my face and when it finally dispersed, I found myself standing in front of my house.
A gasp left my lips, tears welling up in my eyes.
It has been ten years since I last saw this place, so how? What type of magic did Sickly do to bring me back here?
A girl in school uniform with bouncing ponytail and her bag pack hugged tightly to her back ran past me and dashed into the house.
I remember this day, mom and my stepdad went on a three days trip to Hawaii. Connor was there as my guardian, if only they knew he was the monster I needed protection from.
My legs went cold as I slowly climbed the porch, opened the door and stepped in, but not in our living room like I expected, but into the dressing room.
Whimpering, I scrambled backwards, leaning against the wall as I struggled to breathe.
Connor was on the floor and my other self was seated next to his cold body with a smile on my face. Now that I am seeing this as a witness, I finally understand how crazy I looked.
Tears started streaming out of my eyes, I clutched my chest, shuddering slightly.
"No, no, please no!" I dropped to the floor, the dreadful memory now replaying in my head.
Closed my eyes, steadied my heart and when I opened my eyes, a shadow loomed over me.
I lifted my head, gaze falling on Connor's pale face. His white suit is drenched in his blood; dripping all over the floor.
"I am dead Flower, you killed me. How do you feel about?" He asked.
It has been a decade since I heard Connor's voice. What is happening?
Slowly, I rose to my feet, holding his empty gaze, "I don't know what came over me that day, I wasn't myself. The thought of losing you to someone else …it scared the life out me Connor." I sobbed.
"And that is why you killed me? Because you didn't want to be left alone?" He gave a soft chuckle of disbelief, "Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?"
"I am serious Connor, I never wanted to hurt you, I promise."
"LIES!!" He barked, suddenly grabbing my arms. His cold touch washed over my body. "It wasn't a mistake Flower. We both know you wanted to do it." He gently caressed my cheek, "You enjoyed watching me die."
"No." Shook my head tearfully.
"Shh. It's okay Flower." He run his hand through my hair and pulled me close. And then he leaned to whisper in my ear, "There is no need to deny it. Afterall, you are just a cold blooded murderer like you always have been!" His voice darkened.
"NO!" I pushed him away, "I am not a murderer. You were wicked to me. I was just a child when you completely ruined my life."
"And you killed me instead. Should I remind you of that?" He said, his lips curling into a wicked grin. Something shiny in his hand sparkled - the knife I stabbed him with.
"Are you still going to keep lying to yourself?" he questioned, waving the knife in my face.
"Yes, I killed you Connor but it wasn't murder, I was punishing a rapist. Serving jail will not make a monster change. You deserved no second choices." The confession wrenched out of me. My body tremors, voice breaking as I spoke.
"Punishment?" He cackled ruefully, "No, that was not justice. You are a murderer Flower. You stabbed me fifteen times, remember?" His head tilt, a smirk plastered on his smug face, "Let me show you how that feels!" He growled, charging at me with the knife raised.
I barely dodged his attack. My leg foot bent and I went crashing on the floor.
"That is right Flower, you are back where you belong." He laughed, slowly kneeling down beside me. He ran the steel along my cheek, "Your skin is so soft."
"You are dead Connor." The words rushed out of me.
He smiled, lifting his wicked gaze to meet mine, "I know. You killed me. But no matter what happens …" his thumb grazed the soft contour of my dried lips, "You will always be my flower." And then he leaned for a kiss.
"No!" I snapped to my senses, pushed him off of me and staggered to my feet, "You are dead Connor. I killed you!"
Connor grunted frustratedly as he gets to his feet, "Fine. Then you shall join me and we will both rot in hell."
With those words, Connor grabbed my neck and rammed me into the wall. I fidget, struggling to breathe under his iron grip.
Connor's blue eyes held no remorse as he attempts to unalive me.
My legs went cold and I dropped down. He didn't let go and instead, tightened his grip.
The knife lay an inch away from me. My stretched hand finally grabbed the knife and I didn't waste a second as I stabbed it into his side.
He gasped, immediately releasing me.
Coughing and wheezing for air, I crawled away, leaning against the wall at the other end of the room. Connor's body is still on the floor.
I need to get out of this hell.
I sharply darted to my feet and sprinted for the door, but as soon as I grabbed the knob, the ceiling above my head suddenly crashed. My hands raised above my head, I closed my eyes, awaiting the impact but after a minute of silence, I opened my eyes and I was no longer in the dressing room, but in a bedroom.
A little boy is tucked under his blue blanket and was sleeping peacefully when suddenly, a man in all black jumped through the window and grabbed the boy.
The little boy screamed and tried to fight his kidnapper but to no avail. The frustrated kidnapper exclaimed when the little boy bit him and in a fit of rage, hurled the boy into the wall.
The little boy cried sharply as he crashed on his back.
The kidnapper stood above the boy's head and said, "Let there be light." With those words, he stretched his hand towards the boy and bright light came flashing out of his palm.
"NOOOOO!!!!!" The little boy screamed, fire blasting out of his tiny body and swallowed not only the kidnapper, but the entire house and spreaded to the nearby houses. His entire body blazed from blue flames.
The house goes crumbling down and only the corner he laid was spared of the fire. Everything else burnt to a crisp.
I stood there confused, "This is not my memory."
"No." A familiar voice answered.
I sharply flicked around. Rain looks down on me with emotional eyes, "How can that be your memory? It's mine."