Chapter 7

Red Dragon closed her eyes to collect her thoughts together. She frowned, attempting to remember the moment when she had lost control. With her eyes still closed she started her explanation

"I felt angry; your suggestion about hiding my eyes was so simple, I selfishly thought it should have been my idea. You also appear to be wrong about physical changes: now, all my senses have been massively enhanced. Even though I can't feel that you are touching me, I know you are there even with my eyes closed; I can hear you breathing and feel your body-heat even though you are not that close."

She paused for a few moments to assemble her next explanation, but apparently her silence was too long for the Headmaster, as he snapped,

"Continue!"

She hastily did as she was told.

"When I looked at you and your assistant, you were surrounded by some kind of energy, though I don't think you or he was actually aware of it. I also experienced extreme mood changes-"

The Headmaster looked slightly disgusted at this mention of feelings and interrupted her frostily.

"That is irrelevant. When you attacked me I could clearly see that you had no control over what you were doing, it was as if a different creature had replaced you. Was this what you experienced?"

Red Dragon, who was slightly shocked at the Headmaster's interruption, quickly caught up.

"Yes Sir. I was completely aware of what I was doing, but couldn't stop myself. It felt like something else was in control, I also felt many strange urges, so strong that they overwhelmed me, and I had to obey them."

She stopped, opening her eyes, and the Headmaster removed his hand. Turning fully towards her, he studied her shrewdly. Her open eyes were wide with fear as she recalled what she had been relating, her pupils still totally dilated. He scowled, but remembered that feelings and emotions were not her fault; it was the curse of the human race that they automatically expressed and felt them.

Looking at his watch, the Headmaster noted that it would soon be getting dark. Impatiently, he clicked his fingers in front of Red Dragon's face, to snap her out of her terror-induced trance. He was not going to risk slapping her again; doing so may cause her to revert back to her earlier behaviour, and he had no desire to get slashed by the claws he had seen earlier. Red Dragon blinked at the sound of briskly snapping fingers, realising with a jolt that the Headmaster was trying to get her attention. She cursed silently when she realised she had zoned out again and snapped her head up to meet the Headmaster's gaze. Only when she had done so did she grasp that she could move again. When he was sure he had captured her full attention he held out a pair of dark glasses.

"Put these on….they should hide your more noticeable change for the moment. Go home, come to me tomorrow and I will want a full explanation about this 'energy' you saw."

Noting that she hadn't moved, he repeated harshly "Go!" pointing to his office door. Red Dragon flinched and almost ran out of the office.

Catching herself outside, she almost knocked over Rose, who had been standing outside the office door. She waited for the usual sneering remark…but it did not come. Instead, Rose stuck out her hand. Her face was intensely troubled and she seemed to be preparing herself to say something difficult

"Listen, I...I want to apologise for what I did to you…I had no idea that was going to happen. I want to say sorry for everything I've ever said to you."

Red Dragon raised an eyebrow, completely thrown by this U-turn in Rose's behaviour. After a while she thought it might be best to accept her apology. After all, Rose Carter apologising was not something you got to see very often, especially if you were on the receiving end. With a slight smile, she took clasped Rose's hand and said "I accept your apology Rose." Rose hesitantly smiled back and the two shook hands and began to walk down the corridor together.

Outside the office, the white-coat Red Dragon had sensed such evil around abandoned the vacant expression he usually wore and the place he had observed them from and followed them both with a gun in his hand….