Finally, I've been able to write again and update my fic. To everyone, I am so sorry for the delay… it's just that school work and personal problems have both been weighing me down these past few days… again, I am so sorry…
I hope you'll enjoy this latest installment…
Chapter 10
Dark clouds rolled heavily outside the school, covering the entire Great Hall in a murky haze. A blanket of shadows played ominously along the walls of the hallway, taunting Paige with their dark forms as she trudged heavily along the marble floor of the Great Hall toward her class. In the distance, she heard thunder rumbling.
Paige inhaled deeply. Her whole body was sluggish, her feet were like jelly, and she felt that they were going to give way any minute. Sighing, Paige felt another yawn coming, and she tried her best to stifle it, to push it back; however, it still came out, like the other hundred yawns that she had unsuccessfully pushed away. She was too exhausted, and it took everything that she had left to keep them open.
She closed her eyes for a second.
Sleep had been elusive for Paige. Everything that had happened- the mysterious footsteps, the unexplainable dreams, the cloaked figure, the black candle, and the note- had entered her mind uninvited every time she had tried to close her eyes. Paranoia had sunken into Paige's mind, and she had twitched at every sudden movement and noise around her.
Relying on her magic, Paige had spent her entire time the previous day expending her magical energies casting protection spells around her office and herself. Images of the cloaked figure from her dreams and the mysterious black candle had permeated her thoughts and had flooded her with an inexplicable fear. She had been terrified to close her eyes- the fear of an unknown assailant striking her if she allowed herself to let her guard down had paralyzed her. Deciding to use her magic, she had cast spell after spell, using a variety of protection incantations and rituals- Latin, Chinese, Greek- she had learnt from the different spell books in the school.
However, in spite of all the protection that she had cloaked herself in, she had still felt trapped by an evil that she could not see, yet one that she could distinctly feel. It had been like a whisper that taunted her from deep within the shadows, a cloud of doom that loomed above her from beyond the darkness.
Paige opened her eyes and cringed- the memory of the mysterious figure still clung at her mind, and sent chills crawling up her spine. With clammy hands, she rubbed her goose-bump-ridden shoulders and shuddered. A new wave of fear washed over her, and she felt vulnerable and alone. A sickening combination of paranoia and fear frazzled her nerves, making her senses stand on end.
Instinctively, Paige raised her guard up. She stood in full alert now; her sleepiness slowly drifted away and was suddenly replaced by a cumbersome prickling feeling on her neck- it was as if someone, or something, was watching her.
Paige brushed off her exhaustion and sleepiness, determined not to let her mysterious foe catch her off-guard and vulnerable. She turned her head and looked at the Great Hall. Weird, she thought as she surveyed the hallway before her and realized that it was surprisingly very empty. With an effort, she raised her left hand and checked her wristwatch. 8:46. Very, very weird. It was usually around this time that students rushed to their classes to make it through to the first bell, yet the entire Great Hall was deserted, void of any movement. Paige suddenly grew very aware of the deafening silence that enveloped the hallway. The blanket of silence was so overwhelming that Paige could hear a pin drop, literally.
On instinct, Paige's body stirred. She noticed that the only sound that she could hear was her own jagged breathing. Everything was still- the birds outside did not chirp, the winds refused to blow. Eerie silence. Rubbing her arms, Paige decided to investigate and was about to take a step forward, when a swift movement along the wall caused her to stop.
What? Paige caught a glimpse of a lone stray movement along the walls beside her in her peripheral view. A dark form glided quickly behind her; it was almost imperceptible- it was gone as quickly as it came. Senses on full alert, Paige slowly turned around and followed the fleeting black form.
Nothing.
Paige froze. Was it just a trick of the light? she thought. Maybe I'm just seeing things. However, as she scanned the hallway, Paige caught another fleeting glimpse of movement along the wall beside her. Bright colors assaulted Paige as she swiftly spun around; a head rush attacking her weak body. Steeling herself, Paige waited for the colors to clear.
Empty space. Nothing.
Paige's pulse quickened and her heart raced. She could feel her heartbeat pounding heavily inside her chest, the rhythm almost deafening. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and her arms. She closed her eyes and tried to orb out, but nothing happened; she could not feel the magic coursing through her body.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump Ba-dump.
Her heart pound on her chest faster and faster and she feared that it would burst out of her chest.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
She felt her chest about to explode.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
Out of the shadows, an icy hand reached out and grabbed Paige.
Paige's scream filled the Great Hall.