SnowFall

The Ghost of the Forgotten

When Zola and Eira returned to their dorm, Zola frantically wrote down all she remembered from the observation at the graveyard.

Eira watched Zola's bent figure, her hands scribbling in a fury passion, and smiled. "It wasn't too bad, was it?"

Zola grinned over her shoulder, "Not at all! I was so glad you were there."

More scribbling. Eira took off her jacket and swung it to the side. She found it an interesting experience too. A part of her feared for the unknown, yet Victor's ice windows proved a nice protection (at least it had offered her some comfort and brought some distance between the dead and the living). She saw them, the figures appeared shapeless and almost like smokes, at times laced with jade-green sparks but Zola's powers enabled her to see clearly. Their appearance, their emotions, where they were heading, but Eira saw smokes that faded from time to time. And she wasn't sure if they were the smoke or the mist of the cold night.

"I'm going to bed, Zola."

"You go ahead! I'll be in soon!"

It didn't take long for Eira to drift off to sleep.

***

Jason shared a dorm with Nick. Nick and Jason slept soundly for the first few hours Jason returned. Jason was surprised to see that Nick was still awake, reading a book.

"Just..." he muttered, rubbing his eyes, "one more chapter."

"Whatever's happening in the book can wait," Jason had laughed and stretched out his back, he felt a zap of his powers travel from his wrist to the line of his spine. He twitched at the throbbing they gave and felt a momentary fear.

It's nothing. Just tired. He yawned and leapt into bed, throwing the blanket over his shoulders. Until...

Three consistent knocking woke Jason with a start. He shot out of his bed, his body tense and alert. Nick was mumbling in his bed.

The knocks sounded again.

Jason let out a breath, "I'll get it."

With a stride and the turn of a knob, the door opened, and what met his eyes made his body grow as rigid as stone and his stomach rolling in somersaults.

"Jason..." the thing said, "the best at following orders..."

The sky emitted a roar and Jason felt his whole body close in on itself.

When Nick finally rose from his bed, he saw Jason kneeling, clutching his abdomen and the door left open. Panicked voices carried itself into the room.

"Jason, what-" Nick opened the door and froze.

The courtyard was on fire.

***

A scream sent Zola shooting out of her bed like a frightened feline. She raised her hand, her fingers closed tight, ready to hit target.

"What! What's happening?" Zola's defensive stance melted when she saw Eira collapsed on the floor, her legs splayed beneath her and her shoulders shaking from her sobs.

Zola wrapped her arms around her, "I'm so sorry. It wasn't a good idea to bring you to the graveyard, I-" Zola saw that the door was not closed. "Wait. Someone was knocking! Who was it?"

Eira was breathing heavily, she had one hand covering an eye and she did not look at Zola. Zola's concern grew— someone was making a sick door knocking prank maybe —she leaned outside and turned her head from side to side. The corridor was empty.

She closed the door and kneeled down to Eira. "Eira? What happened? Talk to me."

Eira shook her head, and in between her frightened gasps, Zola heard her say, "She's back... she was there..."