Her First Mistake

Chapter Four: Ain't That Cheerful

   It was like someone had rubbed their hand on a balloon and fuzzy carpet and tapped me directly on the stomach. Electricity fired up my lungs and I choked, spitting out drool and wheezing. I bolted upright and tumbled off of the bed and hit the ground harshly. Coughing, I gawked at my surroundings through the curtain of dark brown hair.

   The room was incredibly small and would have felt cramped, if not for the decorations. The decor was minimal, but it got the point across. The walls, floor, and ceiling was made of dark, stained wood. One wall had a door with a golden handle. A large window sat on the opposite wall, covered in dark red curtains. The remaining wall was a bookshelf and covered with dozens of different-colored books.

   The bed sat on a dark blue rug. I pushed my hair out of my face and scrutinized the room, brow creasing. How the heck did I get here? The last I remembered, I'd been arguing with a bunch of nutjobs. And Dad. Sitting upright, I glanced at my arm and cursed when I saw the black ink. So I hadn't been dreaming. How'd I get here?

   Getting up, I approached the door. The first door opened into a small bathroom. I was about to enter and try to find something useful when the other door creaked. I spun around to see it open by itself. It opened into a small hallway that led into another room. Warily, I wished I had something to defend myself with. I stepped forward and peered around the corner.

   The hall became a large room, sectioned off with the back of a couch. One side was a small kitchenette and the other a living room. A small table was behind the counter with a few books scattered across the surface. The tall guy -- Alexie? -- sat there and seemed to be sifting through the books. He clearly knew I was there, since he said, "Eat, and then we will begin."

   I crossed my arms defensively. "Where am I?"

   He didn't answer. I clenched my jaw. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm fairly sure that I did not agree to come wherever the heck this is. And that's kidnapping, in case you didn't know."

   "Are you going to eat anything?"

   "What? No," I wrinkled my nose. Whatever's in there is probably poisoned, at this rate. 

   "Then we will begin." He stood up and tucked one of the books under his arm. He entered the opposite hall and left me standing there, gawking. I scowled, mentally debated, and reluctantly followed after him. The hall led to some stairs up into an attic. The ceiling was shaped as the roof and a small window peeked out. A desk sat nearby, bare of any papers or anything much at all.

   Alexie turned, hands clasped behind his back. "It is easy to be confused right now. However, it is time for you to forget everything you thought you knew."

   My eyebrow arched. "I mean, we all know high school is a scam and practically a teenager babysitting deal, but that's a bit of a stretch."

   He wasn't amused. He cocked his head, pale eyes boring into my skull. His salt-and-pepper (mostly salt) hair was chopped short and cast a small shadow on his forehead. "I fail to see how a human school could be remotely useful to you."

   "Human?"

   His eye sparkled with something I didn't like. "That's right."

   "You make it sound like you're not," I said suspiciously.

   "We're human, but a special kind."

   "We?"

    He nodded. "We."

   I snorted and shook my head. "You're losing me, Icicle."

   "Then I shall give it to you straight." Alexie set the book on the desk deliberately, then stepped near the door and grasped the handle. "Magic is real. And you're part of the community of magicks, a race capable of wielding the magic to our own purposes. Your task for today is find where you fall in our ranks. Only then will you be let out."