After a few more days of sulking, a part of myself told me to get over it. Of course, that was a tiny little part, not very dominant. Most of me just wanted to curl up into a ball, hug my pillow and bawl my eyes out.

This sucks, I thought.

That was true, really. My life sucked more than any other in the history of sucking.

I walked out of my room to the bathroom and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My black hair was tied in a braid. My eyes had dark circles around them. I looked like a sleep deprived horse.

I removed the blue contact lenses on my eyes and looked at my reflection again. Black eyes. That looked like me. Only blurrier. I put the lenses back on. I'm blind without them.

I splashed some water on my face and stared at my reflection some more. My mind drifted to the last conversation I had with Dad.

***

He walked me to the bus station as I had to go back to school for three days.

As we waited for the bus, he asked, "What's wrong?"

"Huh? No. Nothing." I noticed I was staring at a point in the distance. "I was just thinking about how stupid it is to make us go back to school for just three days."

"Yeah. It is stupid. They should keep you there full-time." He laughed.

I grinned. "What? Are you tired of having to handle me?"

"Atleast you're safe there."

I knew what he was talking about. Here, in Fayetown, there was a fair chance of a nuke dropping from the sky. But in Ridge campus, the government will not allow any attack on the kids.

"I think you are a tad overprotective," I said.

"Well, I have every reason to, don't I?"

He was right. After losing a wife and a child, he did have every reason to be overprotective about his other child.

We sat in silence for some time.

"You know Bebe, you'd look better with short hair," he said suddenly.

"What?" My hand instinctively went towards my ponytail, making sure that it was still there.

"Yeah," he replied. "I think it'll suit you."

"Um no. I like my hair."

"Your wish. I'm just saying."

A bus entered the station. "I guess that's the one," Dad said.

I shouldered my backpack and lifted the suitcase. "See ya in three days."

Little did I know.

***

Something stirred inside me and I made a decision. I pulled open a drawer and took out a scissor.

Before I knew it, I was walking towards the lake. Not the big lake, but a smaller one deep inside the woods.

I pushed a few branches away and stepped into the small clearing. I sat down and put my feet into the cool water. Some small fishes swam in the lake. It wasn't big enough to be a lake, really. More of an overgrown puddle.

Zinnia and I had discovered that place. It had a lot of memories.

I took a deep breath and stood up. The scissor was still clutched in my hand. I removed the band that held my hair in place. Black hair fell over my shoulders.

Before I could change my mind, I started cutting.

When I had finished, it felt different to run my hands through my hair only to find them disappear below my neck. The wind blew my hair all over my face.

I walked home and went straight to bed-- since I didn't have any other option to spend my time-- and woke up only in the evening.

The dinner was on the table. Krystle must have come, I thought. I nibbled on the food slowly, which tasted marvelous and bland at the same time.

There's never anything on TV except on Sundays, so I didn't bother switching it on. I just sat there on the couch, staring at the blank screen.

My gaze drifted to the shelf of books. I ran my fingers over the dusty old books, breathing in the brilliant smell of old pages. The collection of books had been in my family for generations. We had the only remaining versions of ancient books and stories. Dad told me that a few generations back, they would have been worth millions. But now, no one is interested in books and hence, the sale of books has ceased.

I didn't care. No matter how bad situations might be, I would never sell those books. I removed a book from the shelf and blew the dust off it. Sherlock. It had been a while since I read it.

***

I started going to the lake all the time. I don't know why. It seemed like it was calling out to me. Sometimes, I could swear that I heard some voices. Voices that sounded familiar, but I couldn't recall when or where I had heard them.

For some bloody reason, I didn't stop going there.

I was sitting there one day, when I heard the whispers. I closed my eyes concentrating hard, trying to make out the words.

I heard the voices again, louder this time but not loud enough for me to understand the words. I concentrated harder.

It's your fault, a voice said, it's you.

Murderess, another whispered.

Cursed...

Evil...

The whispers became louder by the second.

Murderess...

Stay away from us...

Louder. Louder. Painful.

Look at her...

Rot in hell, monster...

Unbearable. Loud.

Monster...

I put my hands on my ears as if to shield myself from the accusations. "Stop it," I screamed.

The voices quieted down. I breathed heavily and looked around. Nothing. Just a peaceful lake in the middle of the forest.

No one around. No one. Fear started to build up inside me. I turned around and made a beeline for my house.

I slammed the door to my room and slid a chair in front of it, for good measure.

Breathe, I told myself. Just breathe. You're tired and hence hearing things. Breathe.

There was a sound of a door closing and I breathed a sigh of relief. Krystle.

"Dinner," she said brightly.

"Yeah, I know. You don't have to announce every meal," I grumbled as I sat down on the couch.

"If you need anything--"

"I'll call you. I know that too," I cut in.

"And--"

"Yes. I'll take care of myself."

"Why are you so grumpy?"

"Haven't I earned the right to be so?"

"No, all I'm saying is that you need to understand that your grumpiness isn't gonna change anything."

"Gimme a break." I was losing my temper.

"Beatrix, I know how it feels--"

"No you don't," I yelled. "You don't. Atleast you have your mother. I don't have anyone. You do not know."

She looked at me with hurt evident on her face. "Knowing you, you probably don't even want anyone."

"That is true," I said. "I don't need anyone."

"You're probably happy talking to yourself and the little characters in your mind."

"That is also true. I am a strong, independent female who doesn't need anyone," I sneered, without thinking about how stupid I probably sounded.

She folded her hands and raised an eyebrow. "Big talk for a thirteen year old."

Before I could come up with a witty counter, the TV flickered on by itself. That happened only when some emergency broadcast was being aired.

A reporter appeared on the screen. A crumbling building with smoke coming out of it sat in the background. "An unfortunate incident occurred at one of the national educational institutes last night at about nine-o-clock," He gestured towards the building. "As you can see, the building is completely wrecked. It exploded last night and the authorities suspect that the bombing was the act of an anti-national rebel group. Most of the campus has sustained damages and two of the Schools have completely crumbled. Multiple lives have been lost and countless are injured."

I noticed something in the background. An iron pole with a banner tied at the top, fluttering in the wind. With a logo on it. Of four lions, each with a differently coloured mane. Red, blue, green, yellow. The Ridge.

It took a second for the realisation to sink in. And when it did, only one thought entered my mind.

Rebecca.

***

Hullo peepz!!! Liking it so far?

So... I got accepted as an entry in The Prestige Awards!! Yay!

I didn't really expect that. With just three chapters published I didn't even expect people to read it but here we are!

Anyway, if you got any recommendations for the story, corrections, etc., please feel free to DM me or leave a comment on my profile.

And don't forget to vote, comment and share.

Watch out for the next chapter next month. I hope you guys understand that I am a wee bit short on time. (Reason: HOMEWORK)

See ya!

Stay awesome! ❤