SWNOVELS Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
In past years, New Year’s Eve had always been celebrated by way of an extravagant Gala. This is the first time in decades that there is not one. Decked out in our most comfortable pajama-esk outfits, Rifqa and I head over to the auditorium with a handful of other students who have remained on campus for the holiday break. We have decided to get pizza’s, make popcorn, and binge-watch new releases on Netflix. Low key and chilled is the feel throughout the room. No one really felt the urge to go out and celebrate because there has been a weird vibe in the atmosphere for the last couple of days. Since I have been back at the Academy, which shockingly has been for just four days now, I, along with a few others have started to notice some odd occurrences happening on campus. A few students and faculty members have started to disappear.
No one paid much mind at first because of break, but then I noticed that I had not seen my ex, Joey in over twenty-four hours. Not that I missed him, mind you. He was like an annoying fly that keeps buzzing around your head; so when that was no longer occurring, I noticed! An unsettling feeling began to creep along my subconscious because even though he and I had broken up, we still both ran around with the same group of people. I personally knew something was not ‘right’ because Joey had nowhere to go during the holidays since his parents travelled for their jobs and wouldn’t be around. After questioning a couple of his close friends, I was able to determine that he in fact, was missing!
*
January 2nd, classes resumed. Taking my black leather satchel from off my desk chair, I slip the shoulder strap over my head, resting it across my chest against my light blue puffy jacket, I leave my dorm room to make my way through the freezing cold January morning over to the building where classes are held.
A lot of our classes, courses and training have changed since the ‘enlightening’ occurred. We have begun to open the school so that witches and hunters alike, can attend the school. Instead of fighting witches, we now work alongside them as one united front and with that, we are implementing co-training/combat courses, teamwork and herbs and spell courses so that we can all understand each other better. In turn, helping us to better work with each other. For even though we all understand that one battle is over, it doesn’t mean there isn’t still evil, real evil in the world that should be stopped. So, our two groups have been in collaboration and working quite well with one another.
It is almost as though most don’t remember the time prior to the battle. This is probably for the best that this seems to be what has occurred because no one has a hatred for the other anymore. Don’t get me wrong, there are still a few on each side who have somehow managed to remember everything. But most of those folks have departed ways with the Academy.
Slipping into my seat I look around and notice that half the students haven’t returned from holiday. Though I and others have been experiencing a sense of foreboding, I do not dwell on the absentees at this time. I know many have extended their vacations in the past, so I shrug my shoulders and ready myself for the class.
When I met up with Rifqa for dinner that evening though, students and staff alike, were buzzing about the diminished population. I decided if the attendance doesn’t improve the next day to give Ali a text, to see what she thinks on the situation.
~~
Me: Hey Al, can you recall a time when over half
the school was out sick? I mean students and
teachers alike!
Ali: No, can’t say that I do. Why do you ask?
Me: Well, I didn’t think on it too much yesterday when
not much of the student body showed for school,
but this is day two. I don’t know. It just, something
feels off about the occurrence.
Ali: Interesting. Let me know if anything changes or I don’t
know, gets weirder, I guess.
Me: Yeah, okay. I’m probably just imaging things, ya know.
Ali: L. O. L.
I slide my phone back into my bag and look around the classroom, taking in all of the empty seats. There are exactly 4 other students besides me and the teacher. Watching Mrs. Perez, I see her shrug and arch a questioning eyebrow as the tardy bell rings and no one else rushes in last minute.
“Okay class, I guess we will begin today’s lesson…”
That was the exact moment I zoned her out. In my mind I began to calculate how many students had been missing from each class today and then the missing teachers and faculty members. My eyes grow wide with shock. Nearly 75 people are not accounted for which is extremely odd, because we are not a large academy by any means.
Lost in thought, I nearly jump out of my skin when the bell shrills overhead, indicating class is over with. I gather my stuff and toss it into my side bag before dashing out the doors and find myself standing on the campus sidewalk. I decide to go over to the corner coffee shop. As I make my way across the road, I can hear someone behind me, shouting my name.
“Hey Ella, wait up!” Glancing back over my left shoulder, I see Rifqa chasing after me with a smile on her face, her ponytail bouncing back and forth as she tries to catch up. Stopping on the other side of the sidewalk, I wait for her. “What ya doing?” She asked as I begin to walk with her by my side now.
“Eh, not much. I have a craving for something called an iced mocha. They just started serving the sugary drink at the coffee shop and I’m hooked!”
She laughs at me, giving me the ‘you’re crazy, look’ before adding; “um, yeah. I’ll just stick with the black coffee, thanks.”
“You’re no fun.” I say with a smile, bumping my shoulder against hers. “Take a risk, live a little.” I giggle as she rolls her eyes at me just as we reach the entrance doors to the café. Yanking on the silver handle, I turn my head from Rif’s and stare at the glass frame in confusion. A handwritten note has been posted to the glass: CLOSED!“What in the world? Why are they closed?” I ask out loud continuing to stare at the note, not expecting an answer from anyone.
Shrugging her shoulders, Rifqa stares at me with the same questioning look flickering across her eyes. “I don’t know, this is so weird! I don’t think the coffee shop has ever been closed on a not holiday before.
Huh, you want to walk a couple blocks with me and grab some coffee from that little cookie shop?” She nods her head and we begin to walk once more. As we walk, we began to notice that not just the coffee shop is closed by handwritten signs. “Seriously, what in the heck is going on?” By the time we get to the little cookie shop, we have counted over twenty stores and shops that are closed, locked up tight. Walking up to the entrance, we see Lilly, the owner of the cookie shop, locking up as well and placing a sign on her doors too.
“Lilly, why are you closing up for the day?” Rifqa asks as she places a hand on her shoulder.
She must not have heard us walk up to her because she jumps at the sound of Rif’s voice. “Oh, gosh, you two frightened me! I didn’t hear you guys walk up.”
I tilt my head curiously towards her, “how come you’re closing up so early in the day, Lil?”
“Oh,” she chuckles a little, but it does not seem like a genuine laugh. “The entire place is like a ghost town. No one seems to be around and so I thought I would close shop. No point in being open if no one is going to come in, right.”
Rifqa and I both said ‘right’ at the same time, agreeing with the older lady. “Do you know what’s going on? I’ve noticed the academy seems to be void of the normal amount of student body too.”
“Hmm,” Lilly thought for a moment before saying anything further to us girls; “I think I’m going to reach out to a few people. Maybe we need to have a town meeting, see if anyone has any ideas as to what is happening around here.”
Rifqa and I both agree to the idea and then we decide to call it a day and just head back to our dorm room. “It’s weird right? I mean, the amount of people that are missing…”
“Yeah, it is definitely weird,” I reply. “I was sitting in English class as Mrs. Perez began class and I began to count how many people from the academy weren’t there today. And then, to see all those shops closed in town, I don’t know what to think.” We both sit silently staring at each other, each lost in thought.
“I hope Lilly can square away a town meeting because whatever is going on, it isn’t normal.” Rifqa speaks, twirling a reddish-brown strand of hair around her index finger, a nervous habit she has had for as long as I have known her. I shrug my shoulders, not really knowing what else to say.