The Medium Kid

Chapter 61

"Nikki Pecan?" Molly asked, completely bewildered to see her son's teacher standing in a room that felt like a million miles away from the real world.

"Well, don't look like I've just risen from the grave," Pecan chuckled, and Molly saw no joy in her eyes. Koda watched in confusion as his art teacher stood in a room that was supposedly a secret to those in the college above. "Now Koda, get ready dear."

"Why?" Koda's mind was still preoccupied with Alfie.

"Get ready to collect the souls while I work my magic."

"Are you kidding me?" Fran scoffed, looking the old woman up and down like she was nothing other than a human who had lived an insignificant life. "Don't mock us. How do you know about this stuff? Aren't you one of the teachers?"

"The art teacher to be exact." Pecan stared over her wide-framed glasses. "Is there a reason you're endangering my sidekick and his medium? Is there a reason other than summoning me? Do you like inflicting pain on others?"

Alfie tried lifting his head, but his chin fell back onto his father's shoulder. He could now see his art teacher, though he didn't understand. Surely, he would have felt it if she was the Reaper. Why did she pretend she wasn't involved? Alfie should have flagged her ever since she sent flowers to Koda's home.

"How?" Koda asked.

"What, when, who?" Pecan replied with a pleased grin. "Save those questions for later." Her eyes scanned the room, lingering on certain people longer than others. "Who wants to die of a stroke? Any takers?" Nobody replied. They thought she was joking. "Okay... A heart attack?"

"Enough of this, you're wasting our time-"

"She's-" Koda paused after interrupting Ursula. Something was different about his teacher, something she didn't choose to let him feel before. "The darkness. It's coming from you."

Nikki Pecan's smile only widened, though her eyes remained as cold as the bottom of the ocean. "My dear, I am the darkness."

Connor's head turned in the direction of her voice, and Ronnie watched with extreme fascination. Ronnie had never met the Reaper's human form, and he knew he would never meet the Reaper's true form. He took a moment to appreciate his luck.

"You're related to my son," Morlen said. He too felt drawn to her presence. He didn't know why.

"I'm related to you both." Pecan's eyes, only for a second, softened when they coated Morlen's face. "Now, Koda, are you ready because your medium needs a bit of care."

Koda turned to Alfie. He was so captivated by her atmosphere that he almost forgot other people were in the room. The look of defeat on Alfie's face snapped him back to reality. Koda didn't know what he was doing, but he wanted revenge. "I'm ready."

"Which one deserves to go first?"

The scientists glanced at one another. They were waiting for the teacher to give up the joke, but her determination made them a little nervous.

"Her." Koda pointed at Fran.

"Perfect." Pecan clasped her hands together and her bracelets clinked and jingled. "I can assure you, Francis, that your soul will be treated with the care it deserves, which frankly, isn't very much at all." Pecan's eyes turned hard and Morlen was convinced the colour lightened.

Fran dared to scoff again, not knowing that she had less than fifteen minutes left in the world of the living. "This is ridiculous. She shouldn't even be down here if she's..." Fran's hand lifted to her chest, "a teacher."

"Fran?" Ursula questioned when she started breathing harder.

"My chest- ah!" Fran collapsed to her knees when she felt a squeezing pressure. The pain zapped her sternum like she was stabbed directly in the heart. "I think- I think I'm having a heart attack!" Fran cried, curling over, struggling to breathe. "Oh my god! Help me! Get help!"