Pouting, I walked through the glass doors and ascended the wide-open stairs. I chose a table close to the windows, staring over the train tracks, wishing I could jump a train and head off on an adventure.
What a juvenile thing to do. I had no reason to run away, life was going really well. Things were exactly what I wanted, right?
I sighed and cracked the book that seemed to be yelling at me from my backpack.
Reading was slow, but finally it was time to head to the dining hall.
I gathered my stuff, more awake, knowing I didn’t have to be in homework purgatory any longer.
Just as I stood to leave, I fell back into my chair.
“Where is my sweater? I know it was in this load!”
A girl stood with a basket of laundry, staring at me with wild eyes. I glanced around, hoping her caregiver was close, but no, I was definitely the only one who could see her.
Awesome.
Three in one day.
“I know you took it! It is my favorite sweater! Give it back, I need that sweater.” She got closer, leaning in towards me.
“I promise I do not have your sweater,” my feet tingled, and I gripped the side of the table. “You need to go.”
“NO!!! You took it! I told them you stole it! I told them, but no one will listen! I can’t pass a test without that sweater!”
I inhaled deeply. “I promise I do not have it, maybe you should walk towards the light to look for it.” I had no idea if there was a light, but heck it was worth a shot.
“You are a liar! I told them I had to find my sweater. You have it, I know you do!” She took a step away from me, maybe in realization that I wasn’t who she was looking for? “Someone has my sweater. I have to find it. It is my lucky sweater. Without that sweater something really bad could happen.” She walked away, and I noticed she wore slippers and pajama pants. Her hair was a wreck, standing on her head, going all directions. She looked truly frazzled. Her short robe kept slipping of her shoulder, and she continually tugged it back on. Mumbling, she walked towards the far side of the library.
Breathing deeply, I began to get a bit concerned. This library was only a couple years old. The building was built on empty ground. No former building had occupied this space.
So where did she come from? My dorm was just next door, but if laundry lady was a resident, surely, I would have met her when I met stalker boy, right?
Then again, it was unlikely that high school Karson was a resident of the dining hall.
I stood up, getting a chill.
Things were getting way more intense.
Sitting down at the table with Camryn felt like a foreign place after my insane day. So much had changed, and yet none of them knew, so for them, everything was exactly the same as before.
Camryn leaned over when some of the others started down a topic of conversation that she knew would keep them all occupied. “Hey, how’s your day? You look like, well, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Awesome. So, I looked as pale and sallow as I felt. Well this day was getting better and better. I nodded, “Yeah, a few of them,” I smirked at her.
Her brows raised. And the rest of her face fell, “More?”
“Yep. Apparently, I am the cruise ship director on the SS Mystery Machine,” I looked back at the other girls, making sure no one noticed our conversation.
Brooklyn walked in, dropping her books on the table first. “Dude, who has taken Dr. Eyebright?” all conversation stopped, and everyone looked at her. “Anyone?”
“No, because the rest of us are majoring in something we can ACTUALLY make a living in,” Camryn tossed a napkin at her.
Brooklyn rolled her eyes. “Anthropology is a completely solid major; I stand by that.” She cracked a slight smile, “Ok, and don’t forget my environmental science degree, I am double majoring for a reason,” she shifted her books to the floor but held one in her hand. “Anyway, as I was saying, did you know that she is a world-renowned expert on Ancient Pagan Religions?”
The table held silent. I couldn’t tell if no one knew, or if they just didn’t care.
Brooklyn looked around the table at the blank faces. “You guys, we have a professor who is an expert. Like The History Channel calls her.”
Camryn placated her, “That is really cool Brook, I’m glad you’re enjoying her class,” she started to turn back towards me, but Brooklyn took the comment as sincere.
“Today she was talking about all the different like rituals they had. Did you know that several of our current holidays are based on Pagan Festivals? Halloween used to be celebrated with helping the spirits pass on. They would leave food for them, ask them to keep going, and help them move onto the other side. Seriously, take her class. To just listen to her lectures is so interesting,” she met the eyes around the table. “What?”
“Anyway, as we were saying,” one of the other girls started laughing and the whole table erupted.
Everyone but me.
Dr. Eyebright? I think I needed to check into when she held office hours.
Chapter Seventeen
The professor’s office was in the basement of one of the oldest classroom buildings on campus. As I waited, I closed my eyes just trying to get some rest. Sleep had been a lost cause this week. Between homework, constant interruptions from spirited guests, and classes, I
