Divine Chaos

Chapter 6 - Desperate Times

Chapter 6.

The run to the gym seems like an eternity and by the time I burst through the doors into the foyer my brain is going crazy with theories of what situation Ashlyn may be referring to. Emma follows me inside and the two of us slow down to a walk as we stride over to the main doors of the gym and peer through the clear glass they are made of, scanning the large area for Ashlyn's vibrant red curls.

"Psst!"

The two of us spin around to see Ashlyn's head poking out from around the side of the female changing room door, before she motions for us to follow her inside.

The changing room is completely empty - apart from Ashlyn - when we enter it and she gives the two of us a small smile when we approach her.

"Right, so...what's up?" I ask, getting straight to the point, I want to know what's happening and Ashlyn's cryptic texts aren't improving my already messy mindset.

Ashlyn glances to Emma and then back to me, "Uhm, Emma...Do you mind if I just talk to Amber? Not meaning to be rude or anything!"

Emma, being the polite preppy girl I've just come to know, nods and smiles, "Sure thing, I've got to get to class anyway. I'll see you around."

Then she turns to me and fishes a small card out of her bag, placing it in my palm, "I thought it'd be best if we had each other's numbers...Text me later."

I nod and Ashlyn and I give her a small wave as she turns and strides out of the room.

Once she's gone I look at the small rectangle resting in my hand, it's a business card with Emma Smith - School Council President and her email and phone number at the bottom of it.

Wow.

Ash chuckles, "I see you've made friends with the preppiest girl in the school. Didn't see that one coming."

I roll my eyes and shove her card into my bag, "Yeah, well, today has been completely unexpected. It seems the two of us have more in common than you'd think."

She nods, and then takes a seat on one of the benches lining the walls in the changing rooms, gesturing for me to take a seat next to her.

"Are you ok Ashlyn? What's so important that we're hiding in the gym and skipping class for?" I ask, because despite being a concerned friend, this is still my first week and well, second day at this school and I don't want to start my time off with a bad track record.

She sighs and brings her knees up to her stomach, "Well, you know how you asked me how I was feeling this morning?"

I nod once.

"I was feeling perfect again when you asked, but you know that sickness that some of us had? Well I feel like it's messed my brain up a fair bit."

"How come?" I mumble.

She bites her lip, "Well, this will sound stupid, but today our P.E. teacher was showing our class a bunch of old things he found lying in the P.E. shed, there were some ancient looking balls, bats, shot-put, discuss and stuff, but there was also this bow..."

I cringe, "Oh no, don't tell me you had a go at it and shot a fellow classmate."

She raises her eyebrows, "Of course not! But I did get to hold it when our teacher was passing everything around the class."

"Did something happen when you touched it?" I ask, I can just tell where this is going.

She nods, "Spot on Amber, it was so weird. When I first laid hands on it this jolt went up my arms and then I blacked out for a good couple of minutes. That was it. But I don't get it, why would something like that happen? I have no explanation for it at all."