Chapter Sixteen: It's All About Christy

"Billie?" Billie looked up from the book she was perusing, Phoebe was staring at her dreamily, like she had been doing for quite some time now. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" she asked distractedly.

"Sure," Billie replied, hesitant. They stood up and walked at a distance from the other two. "So, what's it?" the blonde asked expectantly.

"Was going to ask you the same thing," Phoebe replied, now fully focused on Billie while leaning against the leg of an upturned table.

"Huh, sorry?" Billie didn't understand.

"What is it with you and the School? I've seen you, Billie, looking up every so and then like expecting a demon to pop up."

"Like I don't have good reasons!" Billie defended herself.

Phoebe shook her head lightly, "That's not the point, honey."

"She thinks the place is innerly evil and is gonna turns us all."

Phoebe and Billie both turned toward Amos, now standing by them.

"I would so love it if I were shielded from you too!" Billie hissed, narrowing her eyes.

Phoebe nodded at the old man, "At least one of us can still read her."

Amos snorted, "Yer, but she's no piece o' cake, her mind's screamin' like a sucklin' babe!"

Billie waved her hands, calling for attention, "Hey-ho, still in the room, here!"

Phoebe brought her focus back on her, clearly thinking. After a few seconds, her eyes regained their full attention. She sought for Billie's. "Billie, what's with the fearful act? The Billie I know would not be afraid of –" she trailed off, understanding filling her traits. She nodded once, closing her eyes. Turning to him, she called, "Amos, could you go back with Taylor and makes sure she's studying and not doing some Sudoku or the like?"

Billie couldn't help but sneer as Amos turned his back on them, that would totally be Taylor. But her happiness was quick-gone when Phoebe took Billie's arm, bringing her back in the present, and leading her a bit further, near the windows, out of earshot.

"Billie, you have to understand Christy's –" (Billie looked away at the name) "– evilness has nothing to with this School." Phoebe tried to have Billie look back at her by tilting her head sideways. "She was brainwashed long before she set foot in here, when this place was still glorious and damn good."

Billie sighed, tears were pearling at the corner of her eyes as she looked back up at Phoebe, "I know, I know! I just can't shake the feeling that it's when we started gathering here that – that it began." She wiped away at her eyes with the back of her forearm then sighed, squaring her shoulders. "I'd really rather not talk about that anymore." Her tone was unreadable.

Phoebe nodded, sighing. "If you're sure. Just know we're here, OK?"

Billie nodded back, "I'll be right back – bathroom, she explained." Phoebe smiled and went back to her "students" as Billie left the room. After walking down the hallway a few seconds, she reached a door that she opened, peering in at the blackness and the white, round altar stone set in its middle. "Christy," she whispered, a tear finally rolling down her cheek.

xxx

Hecate, as she called herself, smiled evilly at the demon bowing and kneeling before her.

"You have brought with you important information, your insult from earlier shall be forgotten."

"Th-thank you, Mistress," stuttered the demon, not daring to lock eyes with her, staring at the pebbled ground.

"Leave now, and be ready for my calling you anytime."

He shimmered out and The Source suddenly burst out laughing at one particular, her head tilted backwards, her throat pouncing under her evil hilarity.