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ALORA WOKE UP FROM HER NIGHTMARE IN A HOSPITAL BED. She shot up with a gasp. From her bedside, Xavier also shot out of his chair. Alora couldn't remember how she ended up in the school med bay and frankly it wasn't the first time she had. Alora turned her head to the only person in the room, her brother, whom she wondered if he had lost a bet to be there. When she turned her head, she couldn't help be wince. She brought her hand to her neck and found a bandage plastered around her neck. Looking down at her nails she saw them stained red. Things pieced together slightly.
"What happened?" She asked anyway. There was still a lot missing.
Xavier didn't look happy. He looked angry and tired and frustrated. Alora thought it was completely uncalled for. After all, she was the one in a hospital bed. "You tell me. Rowan found you unconscious in a pool of your own blood."
Alora remembered the scratching and the choking and the ghost that was haunting her. She saw Cheshire out of the corner of her eye but she showed it away. Xavier looked in the same direction but saw nothing. "I was attacked."
"By who?"
Alora looked down. "I don't know."
"Alora." Xavier sighed putting his head in his hands. Here we go. Alora thought. "What do you remember?"
"I was in the library alone. The lights went out. At first, I thought it was Bianca playing another trick on me but then something started choking me. I thought it was going to kill me. It felt more like a warning."
"What kind of warning? What do you mean? Did you see anyone?" Xavier bombarded her with questions.
"I didn't see anyone." Alora answered truthfully. Xavier sunk into his hands as he tried to come up with a solution. Alora could tell he didn't understand what she meant. "Xavier, I didn't see anyone but someone was there. Right in front of me."
Xavier shook his head. He couldn't be bothered with this. Not today. "What does that mean? A ghost attacked you?"
"Yes." Xavier laughed crudely. Alora narrowed her eyes. He thought she was lying. He thought she had another episode. She was starting to get angry.
"Jesus, 'Lora." He muttered. "I can't deal with this right now."
"Then why did you come here?"
"Because no one else would! You don't have any friends, Alora and when you try and claw your own throat out, I have to be the one that cleans up the mess!" Her brother exclaimed.
Alora's eyes fell into slits. "You think I did this to myself?"
"Well, didn't you?"
"Yes but..." Alora watched her brother's head roll back. He didn't believe her. He would never believe her. "You weren't there, Xavier! I was attacked!"
