Chapter 8 Re-education Part 2

"What?" I ask dumfounded, surely I misheard. Before I can voice I can say anything more I am abruptly awoken by the slamming of the door of my cell. A few feet I front of me are two piles. One is clothes, old sweatpants and an overlarge t-shirt and in the other is two granola bars and a water bottle. Not exactly what my empty stomach wanted but I'll take what I can get. I change out of one dirty stained clothes; although they are not anything I would have chosen they are clean. That is the important part.

Deka said they were coming to get me tomorrow, only 24 hours to wait. Something tells me it won't be that easy. My hunch is proven right when the next barrage of images starts. Pounding Pounding, Pounding my head till it feels like it's going to burst.

"Monsters! Monsters! Monsters!" they are real images this time, Strogoi attacking, the draining of Lee, Sonya as a Strogoi and the time she and Robert fought with spirit magic. I curl up in a ball, unable to hide from them, all my fears come back. I fight against it with all the good memories but the bad win out. All of a sudden the images change, instead I see my conversation with Liam replayed. I hear my father's sermons on the holiness and justness of our cause. I am surrounded by the words, they swallow me. I'm drowning in them losing myself.

I try to think of what I have with Adrian but all I can see is a vampire. The pale skin, tall skinny build, just a hint of fangs. Instead of the person I cared for all I see is a monster.

"Monster! Monster! Monster!" I remember being fed off of and the magic vampire's wield. It is wrong and evil. How could I have strayed so far from the cause? The Alchemists try to save humanity from vampires and I am condoning them. It is wrong. My job was to stop a civil war not socialize with those monsters. I think of the spirit dream and shudder at the thought of their magic touching my mind. It is wrong. I remember Adrian compelling the gardener that sunny day by the pool. It was wrong, how could having such power ever be right? It is unnatural. Human magic is too, it is disgusting and evil, not what God intended for humans. I can't believe I could ever have touched such evil. I'm disgusted with myself.

The thought of Jill or Adrian doing magic makes me hate them. They know what they do is wrong but do nothing to correct it. That is the definition of true evil. How could I have ever convinced myself that Jill was like a sister to me? She drinks the blood of humans, steals it is a more accurate description. How could I have ever let myself be taken in by a vampire?

The mirage of images ends but my father's lessons stay, I remember each of them, think of my time with the vampires and come up with a million reasons that each of them is correct. I sit thinking for hours. Vampires are evil creatures, they have no business in the human world. The more I think about my actions the more I feel stupid. How could I have ever been comfortable with them? Just thinking about my time spent makes me shiver. I feel stupid for being duped by them. I need the Alchemists to know I am truly repentant; I want nothing to do with that evil anymore. I am filled with the urge to prove myself, to the Alchemists and to my father most of all. He saw this coming and I didn't believe him. I should have trusted his instincts. He was right, just like with almost every instance of my childhood. I resented him for it then now I bless him for it. I failed his teachings. I want with every fiber of my being to make up for my failure.

Interrupting my thoughts the door opens, a girl, about sixteen stands in the doorway.

"Follow me," She says. She has no golden lily on her cheek, too young for that, she is probably an Alchemist in training. She leads me to another room; this one has white painted walls that I find soothing. There is a vanity table, wardrobe, couches, and even to my delight a bubble bath. The girl leaves and I immediately undress and jump into the bubble bath, soaking for hours until it is luke warm. I dry myself off and pick a gray skirt and sweater combo from the wardrobe.

Just as I am finishing brushing my hair around my neck to hide the bruising the girl comes back in. She leads me to a much nicer area of the building. I follow her into an office. It is a lot like my father's study at home, full of books and filing cabinets. All I'm sure organized neatly and the way they should be. A man sits behind the desk typing up a document.

"Miss Sage," He nods to me "Have a seat, please, make yourself comfortable. Would you like some coffee, tea?" another girl appears bearing a tray of drinks.

"Coffee please." I respond. She pours me a cup. I sip it greatfully.

"My name is Andrew Kentwood, Head Alchemist of this Re-Education center." He offers me his hand to shake. I can't help but wonder shy he is introducing himself to me.

"Miss Sage I must say you were the most successful patient this Re-Education Center has ever seen. In just two days you have completely renounced any association with vampires. Actually your recovery was so speedy I almost suspect that you were not at fault at all. My theory is that you were under compulsion; all you needed to get out from under their influence was some time away. What do you have to say to that Miss Sage?"

"I think it is possible sir. Ivashkov is a spirit users, he is a very powerful compulsion user. Looking back I can't believe I did any of the things I did. It would explain my actions and how quickly I recovered my senses."

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Sydney come back! Don't worry the gang's still going to come and find her. Will she go with them? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out.(I know I'm being mean) :) I'm just in as much suspense as you guys are. It's not written yet so even I don't know what is going to happen exactly. Thanks again for reading this, I can't believe I've gotten as much support as I have. Thank you for your amazing reviews.

-Runnergirl33

PS sorry for the shortness, I'll try to make the next one longer for you.