Spirits

Ch.2 Going to School

While my brother and I go to school with all of the other children in our village. We have the option to bring our spirit animals or not because we live so close to the school that no damage can be done. I prefer to bring Jynx with me. She does on occasions help me plus she is good company. Primo doesn't always bring Chet with because Chet is a monkey and likes to be wild all the time. It does get really annoying sometimes, so I can understand why Primo wouldn't bring him.

I guess you have noticed that I don't mention my father much and that is because well I don't, but I have good reason I assure you. My father was a Rising Star among our people. A Rising Star is someone suspected of being the chosen one. The Rising Stars all go to a camp to find out if anyone actually is the chosen one, but of course no one ever is the chosen one. No one is ever aloud to see what goes on in the camp. We never wanted our father to go.

My father's name was Corey, but we called him Papa. Papa's animal was a snake, a huge python. It was nice having him around. I mean sure it made everyone's animals nervous but the snake is a symbol of strength. We all thought it was a blessing. When Papa went to that camp we were proud, but we didn't know if we would see him again. Papa wasn't the chosen one, and neither were any of the other men and women part of the Rising Star group that year. Papa had an accident while he was there.

When someone goes bad. I mean they turn evil. Their animal changes along with them. Our animals aren't ghosts so they can kill if ordered to. One of Papa's closest friends, Jenny went mad. We had met Jenny many times and she was a family friend. She didn't have kids but she treated us like her own. She was a kind women, and no one knows what happened to her. All of a sudden one day she just went crazy.

I found Papa's journal and I read it. He said this,

"Nov. 23

Jenny is no longer who she was. I don't know what demon has taken over her, but I know I may never see the woman I once knew again. Jenny's tiger, Varla, attacked Steve today. Steve is in critical condition and I know his kids are worried along with his wife. Varla just pounced on him and she tried to bite his shoulder and I know if it weren't for Steve's Eagle, Anhora, Steve would surely be dead. Steve will never hug his children with two arms again. His arm is paralyzed because of Jenny.

Nov. 24

Varla came after me today. I asked Jenny to call her off, but Jenny is gone. Jenny was dead before she stepped foot in this camp. I wish I could call her off, but she has taken everyone else. Gypsy, my snake is trying to fight Varla off, but two animals of prime power are not likely to defeat each other. My leg is bleeding and there is no one to hear my cries of pain but me, Varla, Jenny, and Gypsy. Everyone is gone, maybe dead I don't know what this thing did to them. I tried to think that maybe there was a little of Jenny left in that body because it saved me for last. I could see the veil. The thin layer that was protecting me and I ripped it open and I saw the corpses of everyone. I was too late and now I was going to die a painful death. I was going to be just another one of the dead Rising Stars, and I would never say goodbye to my wife or my dear children. I am going to die."

Papa hasn't been the same since his return. I haven't seen Gypsy since he came back. I know it is curious that Papa was writing while being attacked, but like I said no one knows what goes on in that camp except the one survivor of the attack, Papa. But we all know he won't talk. He hates to even think about it. I wish we could have Papa back. The way he was before any of this stupid stuff happened. I hate the Rising Star camp.. I hate everything about it.

"Aleah dear come down for breakfast!" Mother called.

I heard a small howl from Brynne, so I whispered to Jynx to follow. We stampeded down the stairs where  Primo and Chet were already sitting at the table eating breakfast. Mother had made eggs and she poured freshly made orange juice. I was still wearing my nightgown from last night so I quickly finished breakfast and hopped upstairs to change.

"Aleah I am thirsty."

"Okay Jynx one second and I will get you a bowl."

I rolled my eyes as I struggled to pull my tunic over my head. I am glad I had the door shut because it would have been an unusual sight to see me struggling into my own clothes. I guess it is time to tell mother to get back on the loom. Mother makes all of our clothes. She doesn't have to. There is a woman in our village who makes her living that way, but mother insists on making our clothes herself. I rummaged around in my sock box under my bed to find a matching pair. But to no avail did I find a matching pair. I picked out one wool sock left white and one wool sock dyed blue. "I guess these will have to do," I said to Jynx.

Jynx just gave me that hurry-up look so I rolled my eyes again and opened the door to go back down the stairs to get something for Jynx. When we got to the kitchen I opened the cupboard and pulled out one of the wooden bowls.

"Don't put milk in that." My mother said.

"I won't." I said. "Jynx what do you want?"

"Milk."

"Of course!" I muttered extremely annoyed.

So I put the wooden bowl away and grabbed one of the hand-made glass bowls. I took the milk and poured it into the bowl. Jynx mockingly pranced over to the bowl, looked at me cordially, and sat and drank from the bowl.

"No, thanks?" I asked.

Jynx just looked at me and went back to drinking the milk. I was almost angry until I heard Jynx in my head, "thanks."

Sometimes I know she does things just to annoy me. I don't know why since I don't do that to her, but whatever.

"Aleah your going to be late." Mother said.

I looked outside she was right. I grabbed my rucksack and ran out the door. I looked back but Jynx wasn't following.

"Come one!" I shouted.

Jynx lazily walked out of the edifice and scampered after me. I have never been late for school and I don't intend on starting now because Jynx was thirsty. I opened the door to the session and quickly took my seat. I closed my eyes and sat back mostly out of breath. I didn't see the teacher so I didn't think I was late.

"did I make it, did I make it, did I make it, did I make it???" I asked Jynx.

Jynx strolled on over to my chair and jumped up on my lap and,"well you made me run so I would say yes." The reply came in my head.

I looked for Primo and I found him in the front row.

"Where is our teacher?" I asked him.

"I don't know. No one has seen her all morning."

I had the strangest feeling that something was just off about this conclusive situation. Jynx had been sitting peacefully on my lap, but I guess I wasn't the only one with a strange feeling because Jynx was up and pacing with her ears up.

"Do you hear something?" I asked.

The word that entered my mind made my heart skip a beat,"tiger."

"Primo we have to get everyone out of here."

"Why?"

"Primo please do as I say. Did you bring Chet?"

I heard the familiar hooting of Chet as he stuck his head out near the collar of Primo's tunic.

"How much time do we have?" I asked Jynx.

"Not much. Time slipping."

I didn't quite know what she meant but I knew I was feeling panic, probably the same panic my father felt. "Primo grab the younger children and lead them back to our house."

"No! Not the house stay inside." I heard Jynx.

"What?" This time my heart stopped. I could hear what Jynx had heard. "Everyone over here." I whispered.

I could see the outline of the big cat through the wooden marginals of the small school building. I could hear the growling. I knew who it was and so did Primo but we couldn't let anything happen to the younger children. Some of the older kids looked frightened too. It was a moment where I had to think what would Papa do?