Elements-Paused

Thirty-Two

"What are you talking about?" I ask her as she gets right up in my face with her overwhelming perfume singing my nostrils.

"You know!" She sneers. "Art has disappeared and you know where he is!"

"What?" I ask, raising my eyebrows in disbelief at what she is claiming. "I've know you since grade 5 and have put up with your crap that you do! I don't even know Art that well and have no idea where he could be!!" I shout at her.

Hazel shakes her head and let's out a cackle. She then leans in. "You don't even know." She whispers in my ear.

Then, she leans away and walks back up the stairs, swaying her hips.

What the heck? I question as I stare back at her retreating figure.

I then just turn around and continue my trip to the kitchen for food, thinking about why she thought I was the one who took Art. He could have disappeared on his own too? Maybe he is doing something right now and will come back later?

Don't jump to conclusions, Hazel. I think to myself as I round the corner to the hallway that will lead me down to the sacred place. The kitchen!!!

I continue down the hall until I reach the door. I push it open to see the area that the chefs put food out so people in the castle can come and quickly grab a snack. The real kitchen with cooking is behind the other door in the room.

As I move through the doorway, a chef comes out with some plates of food. She doesn't notice me and continues to the fridge.

Her frizzy bright blonde hair bouncing in the hairnet as she walks. She is wearing the normal chef clothes and has pale yellow eyes.

Once she is done with the fridge, she turns to meet my gaze. She gives a little jump and puts a hand to her heart.

"You scared me, dear!" She tells me.

"Sorry." I say. "I didn't mean to. I just wanted some food." I tell her.

"Well you are welcome to any food here." She tells me and gestures to the fridge.

"Thanks." I say but don't move from my spot and neither does she.

"May I ask your name, dear?" She asks me, her pale yellow eyes looking into mine. They have little specks of green in them that gives them a little pop. She is small but still taller than me.

"Madilyn Evans." I tell her and a look of realization crosses her face as I say my name.

"Oh! So you are the one that has come from the Elementless world." She tells me as every other adult has been telling me.

I nod my head. "Yes."

"Well I'll see you later and take as much food as you want." She tells me and moves back to the door that leads to the actual kitchen.

Once she is done I bolt to the fridge that holds the food that is waiting for me to eat. But before I can even scan the fridge for food, someone's voice interrupts.

"What are you doing down here?" I spin around with a death glare pointed at Xavier who is in dressed in sweat pants and a grey t-shirt that hangs loosely.

I send him the deadliest glare I can muster and try to stab him with my eyes. "What does it look like?" I spit at him because he is the second person to interrupt me from getting food.

He raises an eyebrow at me, knowing it will annoy me but I don't budge. And instead of answering him or myself, I turn on my heel and open the door again. But again, something stops me. As in, Xavier closing the door.