The Power Field

Chapter 9

Josie absolutely doesn't like Mondays. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, their math teacher conducts tests almost every week on Mondays, and the history teacher conducts surveys on key points of past lectures. This means that she needs to prepare for them all weekend. Secondly, she is required to attend extracurricular magic classes on Monday. Two hours surrounded by hated former classmates are torture for her. Thirdly, it was on this day a week ago that her whole family and the Mikaelsons found out that they are soulmates with Hope. This news was a real test for each of them, and first of all for Josie herself. What started last Monday created a catastrophe that she has yet to realize.

It is exactly 7.00 on the clock. She got up quite early. Josie has already packed her things. She carefully folded her new sports uniform and sneakers into a bag.

Dressed in a white shirt and over it in a black monochrome knee-length dress, Josie sits on her bed and repeats everything their teacher might ask in class today. She doesn't worry about math. It's easy for her. Besides, the brunette was well-prepared yesterday. She is absolutely sure that she will get a good grade today. But surveys are a real pain in the ass for her. Their teacher is an extremely meticulous person. Getting the highest score from her is a real gift. Josie aspires to graduate from high school with excellent grades. To do this, she has to repeat all the previous topics on history every weekend. Only this can guarantee her good academic performance.

Josie was lucky last time. Because of all this confusion with kindred spirits, she missed the lesson and came only for the second. But she doesn't have that privilege today, which means that Mrs. Walker will dig into her every word.

Josie should get the highest grade. Her perfectionism, inherited from her foster mother, does not even allow her to think about bad grades.

Therefore, the brunette had to get up at six in the morning. Even though she's an early riser, she's still not used to waking up so early.

Josie is a little jealous of Lizzie. On Monday, her classes don't start at eight in the morning, but at ten. And they do not last until four in the evening, but only until two. It is their mother's idea. Last week, she decided to reduce school hours on Mondays, arguing that it was necessary to improve academic performance. On all other days, lessons should start at nine o'clock sharp.

In addition to the shortened school day, Lizzie is also free from any additional classes. But Josie, on the contrary, goes to a two-hour training session after school, and then to the magic class at Salvatore's school. That is, she will be free only at nine p.m., and she still needs to do her homework. In fact, her Monday is the busiest day of the week, which, according to Josie, is absolutely unfair, because after such a busy weekend, she has every right to really relax a little.

Josie remembers last Saturday with a shudder. Sometimes she still sees the witch's sharp nails digging into her flesh, and warm scarlet blood flowing down her chest.

When the lights went out the night before last and darkness descended on the city, she was horrified to discover that every time she tried to close her eyes, images of that tall woman, friends pressed against the wall, and her own screams appeared before her eyes. For at least the second night in a row, Josie woke up sweating after another nightmare.

These dreams are so real, so frightening, that sometimes the brunette can't always distinguish them from reality.

She still didn't dare tell her sister about it. Josie doesn't want to worry Lizzie with her problems. She is already too involved in her drama with Hope.

There can be no question of blabbing about it to Mom. She'll worry too much. She's got her hands full without Josie. School, these strange murders... The brunette doesn't want to load her.