Part 5
Cody put the box containing the Century's Star in her beside draw. She didn't know what else to do with it. What kind of weird name was Century's Star for a gem, anyway?
~As weird as a book on Charms and Curses in a scientist's book collection?~ her inner voice pointed out.
Cody sighed, scowling as she pressed her back against the headboard, rubbing her temples, even though she didn't have a headache. She didn't know what to do with herself. All this new information was a little too weird for her to deal with at the moment. Well - there wasn't *that* much to deal with, really. Just a gem, and odd book and friends that didn't seem to make sense. Still, it was hard for Cody to digest.
She stood up, deciding to go for a walk. Maybe the book belonged to the library and they would want it back. She reached for the book. But to her alarm, the trunk flew open before she even touched it. She cried out in fear as much as surprise. The books were toppling out of the trunk, piling up on their own. She crawled back to her bed cowering against the headboard. She closed her eyes, not really wanting to see what was going on.
What the fuck was happening, anyway? Books moving by themselves? That just wasn't *possible*. Unless she had somehow managed to get a ghost for a roommate.
She creaked an eye open. The books had stopped moving. They were scattered in short piles around the trunk. Cody moved tentatively, the pulse in her throat throbbing madly as she got off the bed.
The *science* books were the ones tossed out and left in piles. Cody knelt down by the front of the book. The books at the bottom of the thing were - Cody couldn't believe her eyes.
More like the Charms and Curses one. Astronomy. Book of Shadows. Herbs, Plants and Green Magick. Crystals and their powers. Divination. Who the hell did Jessica think she was? The straight A student turning into a witch? ~Okay, since when did my sister become Hermione Granger?~ Cody thought, resting back on her heels.
The draw she'd hidden the Century's Star in had flung itself open as well. The jewellery box lid was lifting. Cody could feel hot tears brimming in her eyes. She just didn't understand...
A bizarre *glow* was emanating from the gem. A soft gold, glittering faintly as the light grew. There was something almost resembling a *face* contained within that glow. No face Cody recognised.
She could just about tell it was female. Oval shaped, with long white hair framing it, slanted eyes, impossible to tell which colour. There was a small snub nose and small but full lips. The lips were moving, but no words could be heard.
Cody reached out a hand to touch the face. Before her hand could touch the pretty gold light a harsh, vicious purple cut through the centre of the girl's face. Cody shrieked as the purple stream grew to an almost unbearable brightness. She squeezed her eyes shut again.
When she opened them the room was back to normal. A jangling outside the door made her cry out in alarm. The door seemed to be taking a life time to open. Cody remained sat on the floor by Jessica's trunk almost certain that some terrible, evil monster was going to come through the door and eat her alive.
"Do I have something on my teeth?"
Cody blinked rapidly, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Uh, not a demon. Just her roommate Michelle. Michelle stood in the middle of the door, tall, slender, stunning as always in designer Prada black leather trousers, and a hot pink halter-neck top (probably Prada too). Her red hair shimmered loose around her shoulders. She eyed Cody dubiously.
"Uh, no, nothing," Cody said quickly.
"Then why are you looking at me weird?"
Cody knew Michelle would never believe her. Michelle would think she was utterly insane. ~Maybe I am~ Cody thought. "I - I'm going out for a while." She grabbed her bag and almost ran from the room.
She couldn't make head nor tail of what had happened. Jessica's friend Diana hadn't given her a surname or a room number or any clue as to where to find her. Everything had been normal that day until that girl had given her that stupid gem. Everything had been normal and nobody had been dead before Jessica had started hanging out with those - *people*.
She looked around, marching across campus, deciding to find one of them and get some answers. Deborah the biker chick was sat on a bench in front of the library, smoking a cigarette. She barely acknowledged Cody approaching her.
"What's the Century's Star?" she demanded.
Deborah blinked. That got her attention. "How - "
"Your friend Diana gave me it. Ever since really weird shit has been happening and Jessica was into some sort of magic *crap* and it all started when she started hanging around with you freaks!" Cody was dimly aware she was yelling. People around them were giving her disapproving looks. Cody glared at them, ignoring the whispers. She'd reached her breaking point for that day. She didn't care anymore. "I want some answers."
Deborah's smile was almost mean. "Well I can't give you any."
"Bullshit," Cody snapped.
Deborah sighed. "You're not going to go away until you get some are you?"
Cody shook her head.
Deborah sighed and dropped the cigarette and stamped on the end. "Come on then."
Cody hesitated, wondering if she should follow, watching as Deborah started walking off. Deborah looked at her. "Do you want some answers or not?"
* * *
Cody put the box containing the Century's Star in her beside draw. She didn't know what else to do with it. What kind of weird name was Century's Star for a gem, anyway?
~As weird as a book on Charms and Curses in a scientist's book collection?~ her inner voice pointed out.
Cody sighed, scowling as she pressed her back against the headboard, rubbing her temples, even though she didn't have a headache. She didn't know what to do with herself. All this new information was a little too weird for her to deal with at the moment. Well - there wasn't *that* much to deal with, really. Just a gem, and odd book and friends that didn't seem to make sense. Still, it was hard for Cody to digest.
She stood up, deciding to go for a walk. Maybe the book belonged to the library and they would want it back. She reached for the book. But to her alarm, the trunk flew open before she even touched it. She cried out in fear as much as surprise. The books were toppling out of the trunk, piling up on their own. She crawled back to her bed cowering against the headboard. She closed her eyes, not really wanting to see what was going on.
What the fuck was happening, anyway? Books moving by themselves? That just wasn't *possible*. Unless she had somehow managed to get a ghost for a roommate.
She creaked an eye open. The books had stopped moving. They were scattered in short piles around the trunk. Cody moved tentatively, the pulse in her throat throbbing madly as she got off the bed.
The *science* books were the ones tossed out and left in piles. Cody knelt down by the front of the book. The books at the bottom of the thing were - Cody couldn't believe her eyes.
More like the Charms and Curses one. Astronomy. Book of Shadows. Herbs, Plants and Green Magick. Crystals and their powers. Divination. Who the hell did Jessica think she was? The straight A student turning into a witch? ~Okay, since when did my sister become Hermione Granger?~ Cody thought, resting back on her heels.
The draw she'd hidden the Century's Star in had flung itself open as well. The jewellery box lid was lifting. Cody could feel hot tears brimming in her eyes. She just didn't understand...
A bizarre *glow* was emanating from the gem. A soft gold, glittering faintly as the light grew. There was something almost resembling a *face* contained within that glow. No face Cody recognised.
She could just about tell it was female. Oval shaped, with long white hair framing it, slanted eyes, impossible to tell which colour. There was a small snub nose and small but full lips. The lips were moving, but no words could be heard.
Cody reached out a hand to touch the face. Before her hand could touch the pretty gold light a harsh, vicious purple cut through the centre of the girl's face. Cody shrieked as the purple stream grew to an almost unbearable brightness. She squeezed her eyes shut again.
When she opened them the room was back to normal. A jangling outside the door made her cry out in alarm. The door seemed to be taking a life time to open. Cody remained sat on the floor by Jessica's trunk almost certain that some terrible, evil monster was going to come through the door and eat her alive.
"Do I have something on my teeth?"
Cody blinked rapidly, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Uh, not a demon. Just her roommate Michelle. Michelle stood in the middle of the door, tall, slender, stunning as always in designer Prada black leather trousers, and a hot pink halter-neck top (probably Prada too). Her red hair shimmered loose around her shoulders. She eyed Cody dubiously.
"Uh, no, nothing," Cody said quickly.
"Then why are you looking at me weird?"
Cody knew Michelle would never believe her. Michelle would think she was utterly insane. ~Maybe I am~ Cody thought. "I - I'm going out for a while." She grabbed her bag and almost ran from the room.
She couldn't make head nor tail of what had happened. Jessica's friend Diana hadn't given her a surname or a room number or any clue as to where to find her. Everything had been normal that day until that girl had given her that stupid gem. Everything had been normal and nobody had been dead before Jessica had started hanging out with those - *people*.
She looked around, marching across campus, deciding to find one of them and get some answers. Deborah the biker chick was sat on a bench in front of the library, smoking a cigarette. She barely acknowledged Cody approaching her.
"What's the Century's Star?" she demanded.
Deborah blinked. That got her attention. "How - "
"Your friend Diana gave me it. Ever since really weird shit has been happening and Jessica was into some sort of magic *crap* and it all started when she started hanging around with you freaks!" Cody was dimly aware she was yelling. People around them were giving her disapproving looks. Cody glared at them, ignoring the whispers. She'd reached her breaking point for that day. She didn't care anymore. "I want some answers."
Deborah's smile was almost mean. "Well I can't give you any."
"Bullshit," Cody snapped.
Deborah sighed. "You're not going to go away until you get some are you?"
Cody shook her head.
Deborah sighed and dropped the cigarette and stamped on the end. "Come on then."
Cody hesitated, wondering if she should follow, watching as Deborah started walking off. Deborah looked at her. "Do you want some answers or not?"
* * *