Noumena: Sophie and Oliver

Chapter Two: Faces

I slushed around in thick darkness. Light flickered in different places. Am I dreaming? Echoing in the dark were voices, thousands of voices; they blended together into a loud murmur that I couldn’t shut out. I tried to focus on one voice at a time, but I couldn’t block them out. The white light continued to flicker sporadically and the voices seemed to multiply; they were overwhelming and getting louder. I put my hands to my head and felt only air. ‘Where is my head? My heart pounded in my ears and my chest felt as if it were being squeezed in a large vice. A soft vibration crept through my body towards my feet and hands until my whole body was vibrating. The vibrating turned to shaking, then convulsing and the flickers of light in my vision grew long and rhythmic until they rushed towards me expanding. Daylight strained my eyes as I squinted to see. Strange anxious faces peered down at me; the most anxious face belonged to Will. There came a sharp pain from the back of my head.

“Ouch,” I said reaching for the lump. I traced my index finger around the outside of the swelling - it was the size of a small hen’s egg.  Will was still shaking me awake.

“Will,” I said, sternly.

“Sorry.”

“What happened?” My head felt cloudy and my eyesight was fuzzy, like I needed glasses.

“You sort of fainted I guess.” Will’s expression remained anxious.

Everyone started moving back to their seats, some of them were laughing. A familiar burn of steamy embarrassment flooded my face. I tried to sit up but the room spun. I closed my eyes. Will promptly moved to support me with his arms.

“Thanks. I think I hit my head.” I forced a smile to my face.

“I’ll get you some ice.” He slowly let me go and left.

I felt strange, like my body was detached. I must have hit my head hard to be feeling like this. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a white ghostlike figure move behind a building. Will tapped my shoulder, diverting my attention to a clumpy package in his hand. I mistakenly moved too quickly and I wobbled off balance. Will gripped my upper arm and then handed me the ice pack. I put the cold to the swollen tissue and cringed.

“I’ve never fainted before,” I said.

Will shrugged. “It’s probably nothin’, but you should get checked out by a doctor something.”

“I’ll be okay.” After a while my vision cleared and I wasn’t dizzy anymore. We sat back on the cold concrete seats but Will continued staring at me.

“Will I’m fine go back to your work or you’ll fall behind.” I became annoyed by his fussing over me. Sometimes people faint right? No big deal. And then I remembered the voice, the lights, the white figure.

Will hesitantly went back to his assignment, but snuck in a glance at me now and then. What was happening to me? I shuddered as I thought about the words the strange voice had spoken.

 ‘Beware Sophie changes are coming.’

I must have imagined it. I looked at my watch 12:45pm Lara would be back soon, she had drama class and I had another philosophy class. A headache began to set in I popped two paracetamol from my backpack and swallowed them eagerly. Will was staring again.

 “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked. “You look kind of dazed.”

“I’m fine.” I tried to reassure him. “If it happens again I’ll get checked out, I promise.”

He nodded halfheartedly; he wasn’t convinced.

Lara emerged from the dusty courtyard and bounded towards us looking quite flushed. Either she had taken up some sort of vigorous sport at lunchtime and had lied about Luke, or the date had gone exceptionally well.