Flashback 13: Part 1

By Schammielynn

Weeks passed. Things got increasingly strict around the Emerald City. I can't say it had much effect on me, since I never went out much anymore. I didn't have a whole lot to do.

After school started, I was despised by pretty much every person that I came into contact with. Flora, never one to be rude or stand-offish, even presented a very obvious aura of discomfort around me. After much deliberation and a few complaints from teachers, it was clear that I was to withdrawal from middle academy.

Although not in public school, I was still educated. Aly made sure of that. In a way, it was preoccupying. I got to avoid the stares of students that reminded me what had happened, and Aly got her mind off of whatever was bothering her.
And something was most definitely bothering her.

I didn't pry. Something inside told me I would know eventually. I was right.

It was late at night. The stars were up in the sky and the world was quiet. Everything was quiet. It was this time at night, in the dead moments of everything, that my mind overworked. I thought about the Wicked Witch. I worried about Terrance. I questioned Aly and Oswin. I would feel my hands start to grow cold and pray that I wouldn't let it spread. I still couldn't control my power, and it certainly wasn't like Oswin had leisure time to teach me.

And then I heard the screaming. I jolted upright in my bed and spurts of ice shot from my fingertips. I noticed the more I was on edge, the more often that ice came. That night was a good example of that.

"NO NO NO... OSWIN!"

It was Aly.

I threw on my robe and bolted out the door and down the hallway, fearing the worst.

I stopped in their doorway.

There they both stood. Oswin's hand was on Aly's stomach and Aly was sobbing. Oswin looked like he had just witnessed a murder. His face was ashen and the hand that wasn't on Aly's stomach was shaking.

"It can't be," he whispered.

As I observed them, all wide-eyed and terrified, I didn't make a sound. I was nervous for the both of them. I knew in an instant that Aly was pregnant. It wasn't hard to figure that much out. But as to why they were so upset, I wasn't sure. It must have been a significant reason, or else the screaming wouldn't have happened.

"We… Not again." Aly looked up at Oswin with desperation, but then noticed that I was standing there and we locked eyes.

I couldn't find a single thing to say, and the ground beneath my feet began to turn frosty.

Oswin left Aly's side and walked over to me, "Come here. We'll explain everything. No more secrets. Alright?"
I nodded.

I sat down on their bed, and Aly sat next to me. She was still crying. I wiggled my fingers to make sure they were ice-free, then reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

Oswin sat across from us and began explaining far more about their history than many people probably knew.