Dreamcatcher

8

'Which one?' I have two brothers. One of them must have been affected. Injured, or killed. What happens if all of the are dead? Or everyone-

I'm jumping to conclusions. There must have been a little accident and now everyone is fine.

Kaede exhales. 'Aislinn, it's your twin's house, isn't it...' She trails off. 'I'm sorry if-'

'Where is everyone? Are they okay?' Wow, I'm actually concerned for Liam. Actually, it's probably mostly Ben. But I constantly question, more often at night in the bathroom, huddled in my blue throw, is the plague the beginning of the world's end. I contemplate what life would be lie if any of my siblings died. All the time. It would probably be like they never existed in the first place, just a grave stone, some photos, and a body to prove they existed. There might not even be a body.

High, high heels clack against the corridor floor, signalling the arrival of Miss Christie.

'Girls, out of the bathroom,' orders our housemistress. 'Come to the dining room and I'll explain the matter.' Five minutes later, everyone is dressed and anxiously seated. Miss Christie waits for silence, and clearly reads with no emotion shown whatsoever:

'House Asterion was destroyed overnight, with fires and debris, but most boys were evacuated. Those who were not are currently in the attentive and detailed care of the health centre. However, we are devastated to announce the loss of Mahad Farooqi, Rowan Reauch, William Zachary, and Mr Ward and a mandatory memorial service for them will be held on Sunday. There will be no school for the next week, as the collapse of House Asterion has lead to the damage of many classrooms. Therefore, we will arrange for repair on these parts. You may leave school if you would like, and you are welcome to stay in during this time. You are also welcome to visit anyone if our doctors allow it, some of who may be in hospitals, others at our health centre. As the residents of House Asterion have nowhere to stay, your friends and siblings have been invited to spend morning and evenings with everyone else at their boarding houses. They will either go home and spend the night there, stay in the health centre, or accommodation will be found for them in other male boarding houses.'

Everyone just sits there, processing this new and scary information.

Rowan. Dead.

He was Cedric and Liam's dorm-mate. We always sat with him for meals. He was even in my class. And worst, he was new to our school. 

Bet his parents really regret sending him here.

'And,' our kind matron Mrs Werther adds, 'if you were close to any of the unfortunately lost students in this accident, or simply want someone to talk to, we provide counseling.' She smiles, and lets Miss Christie take the stage (or rather house dining room table).

'You may now do whatever you want.' Several gasps and 'really?!'s emerge from us.

'Yes,' Miss Christie confirms, nodding her head vigorously. 'Scroll through social media, complete prep, visit friends/family, go home, sleep, go for a walk around campus, gather some teams for sports, whatever...'

'WOOOOOOOH!' Everyone turns their heads to the middle of the dining room in surprise, where a certain Valencia is getting ready to stand on her chair. 'We get to do whatever we want, guys, at school! Best day ever!' She hesitates, waiting for us to erupt into cheer. The only response she gets is our scowls looking down on her.

Rude arsehole. A house is in ruins, many boys are hospitalized, three lost their lives, and she starts cheering. Cheering.

'Miss Valencia Lopez, a word.' Miss Christie's stern voice echoes through the room and her frighteningly dark eyes narrow. Humiliation creeps across Valencia's face as completes her 'walk of shame' and disappears with our housemistress. Good riddance and what she deserves, is all I can think.

A few minutes later, my legs are crossed and my chin rests in my hands as I sit and contemplate life on my bed. The Dreamcatcher is still there, twisting and twinkling, enhancing my visions. Beyond the Dreamcatcher lies Little Valley, a beautiful valley on school grounds, used for anything. I'm using it's beauty, its autumnal leaves withering off branches, its green, healthy grass, and its flowering aster and colchicum to daze me and engulf me in the almost fantastical, natural serenity and happiness existing just outside my window. Of course, two stories off the ground, but still, it's so close.

With my headphones and a podcast turned on, I escape the stone and wooden boarding house, alone, and find a sunny spot under a weeping willow in the valley. Sitting there is better than anything I've heard earlier.

The willow's protective droop is comforting and blocks the windiest gusts, yet still allows streaks of sunlight to pass through and illuminate the area. Inhaling gives me a combined fragrance of wild, tall grass, and blooming flowers, and exhaling allows me to slump back and close my eyes.

I hear a slight rustle and open my eyes to find Leigh seated next to me.

'Hi,' she says, 'I'm Leigh and I won't disturb you.' Her contagious smile makes me reply:

'Hi, I'm Aislinn and this smile-' I wrinkle my nose in playful disgust '-is already disturbing me.'

'Miss Aislinn, I'm disturbing?' Leigh's widening eyes and dropped jaw almost succeed to make my straight face fall. 'I beg your pardon, but-'

'Then beg.' Sitting up straight, I pull out a pocket-sized sketch book, which my first dorm-mate at this school bought me, and sketch Leigh's drooped position against the drooping tree. When my left hand smudges some pencil,  I curse under my breath and scrawl: ʂαԃɳҽʂʂ. ԋσρҽ ყσυ'ɾҽ αʅɾιɠԋƚ, Lιαɱ. above the sketch.