Posts tagged fantasy books

“B?” I call. A deafening silence answers. My heart races and fear courses through my veins. The sick feeling intensifies and I grab at my stomach. Please, please Bethina, please be here. Hunched forward, I run ahead of my housemates, toward the kitchen.

The fully lit kitchen is abandoned. A pot of water boils on the burner. A cookie sheet of biscuits has been flung haphazardly on the counter.

Terrified, I march through the throng of students in front of me. Their scared whispers fill the air. Once past them, I sprint from room to room searching. “Bethina!” I yell.

“Bethina! Where are you?”

Room after room, empty. I begin to believe the unbelievable - that Bethina is gone - when I see her sitting in the oversized striped chair in the living room, not moving. So still she looks almost asleep, except her eyes are open. Open but not really seeing. She’s just staring.

“B?” I ask softly, but she doesn’t answer. I grab her shoulders and shake her.

“Bethina! Are you okay?”

All the others have joined us. The confused group looks to me, as if I should know what’s going on.

The melting snow from our shoes and hats puddles onto the wood floor. I force myself to calm down and take a deep breath. I step back from Bethina into the semi-circle my housemates have formed in front of the chair and survey the scene. Not knowing what to do, I raise my hand and slap Bethina sharply across the face.

Someone gasps.

“Bethina!” I scream, becoming more frightened. “Wake up! Do you know what’s happened?”

The outline of my hand on her cheek turns into an ugly red print.

She moves her head from side to side as if making a mental checklist. I’ve seen her do this many times on our outings – making sure she’s left no one behind, counting and identifying each of us.

“Kyra?” she whispers.

I kneel in front of her and take her hand. “Mr. Trevern took her to see the Headmaster.”
Bethina groans and balls her hand under mine. “But no one else?”

“Not from our group.” I swivel around to scan the group of boys who just entered. My eyes dart over each face, searching.

“Where’s Beck?” I ask.
Bethina makes a weird choking sound. Her tear-stained face contorts. A small movement of her head to the side. The world spins. I know before she says it.

“Beck’s not coming back.”

I hear nothing else because the world goes black.