The Amulet of Kryshar

Chapter 5

I stared dumbfounded down on my paper. Ms Rose kept on talking to me about how rude I was and so on, but I never listen anyways so there really was no difference in that matter. My mind was whirling with questions.

The paper was burned. All of the places where I held my test before were burned. Singed clean off. Gone. Crumbled away to ash. How did I not notice before? There was a fine layer of white and grey dust coating the centre of my table. I blinked. At least I knew where it came from.

The top left and the bottom right corners of the test have crumbled to ash by then and some of the questions became nearly unreadable because of the brown, almost black, burn marks covering some of the inside of the paper.

"—by? Ruby, hello? Earth to Ruby! What happened?" Lena asked as she peered over my shoulder. I flinched. I didn't even notice her getting up and walking over to my desk. She gasped when she saw what happened to my test. I looked at her sheepishly from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah..."

"How did... that... whatever it is... happen?" Lena hesitantly asked.

"I really don't know. Paper combustion maybe?" I suggested. Despite the grim situation, Lena had to stifle a laugh at that statement. I gave my test one last look and sighed. Might as well make the best of this situation now and face Ms Rose's wrath. If I was going to do that, then I would go down in style!

I glanced at Ms Rose, who was still fuming and glaring at me. I could almost see the steam rising from her head, like they do in cartoons. "Or maybe", I drawled, "it is just a sign from fate that we aren't supposed to write this math test today. What do you say, Ms Rose?"

The entire class was silent and watching Ms Rose's reaction intently. Poor Melanie was still sitting on the floor. Although she didn't look nearly as miserable, now that the attention was off of her. I glanced at her and she gave me a grudging nod. Her eyes seemed to say: "Take it or leave it." Well, that's most likely the best I'm going to get from her. In her language that might be the same as a hearty hug and a thank you from someone else, other than her.

Ms Rose stumbled and stuttered over her words. "H—how d—dare y—y—you? Give me your test r—right this second! I w—will speak to you after c—cl—class is over."

I picked up my test and held it out for her to take. "Yeah, sure, whatever. It's not like I even care anymore about this stupid test and your stupid lessons." I heard Carlson mutter something in the background. His face looked concerned at Ms Rose's face. He had a legitimate cause for concern though. Her face was as red as a boiled lobster; it really looked like her head was about to explode. Lena seemed to be thinking the same thing because she started doubling over, trying to stifle her onslaught of laughter before she also landed on Ms Rose's naughty list.

Ms Rose ripped the test out of my hand. I glanced worriedly at the flurry of white ash that landed in a pile on the floor, right in front of Ms Rose's black stiletto high heels. Ms Rose scrambled to catch the test before it also fluttered to the ground because the places where I touched it, everything seemed to burn away. I frowned, this was really not going well. My test was in tatters; I could only hope that my answers were still intact.

While pointing at the door with a finger, Ms Rose started talking again. The bun on the top of her head quivered dangerously in time with Ms Rose's furious shaking. She seemed to have gained some semblance of control though. "Go outside, Ruby, and think about the disturbance you have been to the class today. You too, Melanie. You have both caused enough trouble for today. Speak to me after class is over."

I stalked past Ms Rose and muttered: "I think that the class is thanking me instead." I felt a tinge of satisfaction when I heard Ms Rose gasp in anger. John was chuckling and giving me a thumbs-up. Lena was staring at me with a shocked expression.