Eartha - Chapter 3

Okay, okay! Somebody did actually request the third chapter! I will get new stuff up here soon. I promise. Not that I've been hearing complaints from my readers, but this isn't really writing so much as copy and pasting. Speaking of copy and paste.... I thought by doing that my story would transfer over faithfully and I wouldn't have to go through and edit anything, but apparently that's not the case. I was glancing through Chapter Two yesterday and noticed that the speech of Mora's was long and missing several commas. It kind of reminded me of my writing freshman year in high school. Sad. So, you are just going to have to suffer with little glitches because I'm not going through and editing just for blogger. If you want the real copy you can ask me for it. I've e-mailed it to enough people that one more isn't going to hurt. :D Anyway, here is Chapter Tree (a slightly shorter chapter than the first two). Hopefully next time I can post something new. Enjoy.



Chapter 3


“Dr. Timmus, it’s been four months now,” she exploded, “I’m going to go crazy if you keep me locked up for much longer.”
“Do you think you’re ready, Eartha?” Dr. Timmus asked eyeing her.
“I couldn’t possibly be more ready,” she answered.
“But you still can’t shield yourself when you are touched,” he reminded her.
“Sir, you are a great teacher, but I don’t think I will ever be able to… Not when I’m touched… but neither could my mother. I’m not sure that it’s possible,” she said.
“There still may be a way to focus your energies on that aspect. I think we should wait a little bit longer,” he suggested.
“We’ve been focusing on this for the past month!” she wailed. He remained silent for a moment in thought and then a thought struck him. “I have an idea!” he said, “but it will probably draw a little attention to you.”
“I don’t like to draw attention,” she replied firmly.
“Nothing outlandish or crazy,” he assured her, “Just a few alterations to the uniform to suit your needs.”
“Altering how?” she asked.
“Longer skirt, long sleeves, more fabric to cover you up,” he replied, “Save you from accidents.”
****
The cafeteria looked quite a bit different with all the students crammed inside for lunch. She was starting her afternoon classes after lunch. She had missed the morning classes to go over school regulations with Dr. Timmus. They had also double-checked her new uniform for any flaws that would make it easier for someone to touch her. It had turned out that they needed to alter the uniform quite a bit for her needs. She still wore the white woven button down shirt, but hers was long sleeved as opposed to the short sleeves everyone else wore. She also wore gloves that went to her elbows. She had rolled her sleeves to about a three quarter length so she wouldn’t get too hot. She had a thin silk scarf wrapped around her neck, an addition that annoyed her more than anything, but they had discovered that her neck was a very vulnerable spot when she pulled her hair back. Since she almost always wore her waist length hair in a single braid down her back the scarf was necessary. Dr. Timmus suggested a turtleneck for when the weather was cold. Her skirt was black like all the other girls, but instead of the knee length pleats Eartha wore an ankle length flowing skirt. She stuck with her knee high lace up boots. Dr. Timmus didn’t have any objections since students were allowed to wear whatever shoes they wanted. She also had the white camisole under her shirt and thick tights that disappeared into her boots. A single layer of clothing would only protect her from casual touches. For the random cases where the toucher was more determined and would not let go the layers were far more practical. The get up was warm and heavy, but she would get used to it and it actually made her feel quite a bit safer.
A few people looked up at her when she entered the cafeteria, but no one really seemed all that surprised by her appearance. Apparently most of the students had seen so many strange things since coming to Mead Institute that it didn’t strike them as odd at all. She took a seat at an empty table near the back and pulled a book out immediately. Most people were less likely to bother a person that appeared to be occupied with something. She was only able to read a paragraph before she felt the table shudder slightly with the weight of another person sitting down. She didn’t look up from her book hoping the other person took the hint and didn’t try to start a conversation. Another few minutes passed in silence, but she was unable to concentrate on her reading because she had the distinct feeling that the other person was watching her. She kept her nose in her book refusing to acknowledge that the other person was even there.
“You’re a slow reader,” a low almost dark sounding voice commented. Eartha’s head snapped up and she narrowly fixed her eyes on the boy sitting across from her. She didn’t respond to his comment with words. “You’ve been on that same page for, like, the past fifteen minutes,” he explained. She rolled her eyes and lowered her head again. “Of course, I can’t be sure you’re reading at all. Your eyes aren’t even moving over the page, which is pretty much a requirement for reading… Am I distracting you so much by sitting here?” He asked.
“Distracting me?” she snapped looking up again, “I didn’t even know you were there until you spoke. I was lost in thoughts.”
“Oh, I see,” a sly grin spread across his face.
“You’re new?” he asked.
“No,” she replied without further explanation.
“I’ve never seen you before,” he commented, “I’m pretty good about noticing new people.”
“Well, I guess you’re slipping,” she shot back. He laughed throwing his head back slightly. He took a few more bites of his lunch as she returned to staring at her book.
“So, how long have you been here?” he asked intruding once again on her thoughts.
“Four months,” she replied.
“It seems impossible that I haven’t seen you before,” he mused. She looked up again and realized something. This was the boy she had knocked out in the hallway months ago. Her face burned red suddenly. Did he recognize her? Is that why he had decided to sit down next to a complete stranger? She had to test him, find out if he knew what she had done to him. “I’ve seen you,” she said quietly.
“When?” he asked obviously not believing her.
“I saw you passed out on the hallway floor about a month ago,” she replied looking him directly in the eyes. She was looking for any sign of recognition. The smile slipped from his face immediately. Apparently he didn’t like that memory. “How did you know about that?” he asked.
“I told you, I saw you on the floor,” she answered.
He opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly thought better of it and snapped it close again. He leaned back in his chair and just stared at her for a moment. He hadn’t seen her she realized. The trance had made him blind to the real world. She sighed heavily and looked away and then slowly she returned to her book. She had completely lost her place and flipped a few pages back to see what the chapter had been talking about. He continued to stare at her, but then he shook his head and began to smile again.
“So, what dorm are you in?” he asked to get the conversation started again.
“Um, I think Dr. Timmus said that I would probably go to Osen Hall,” she replied shrugging her shoulder.
“You haven’t been there yet?” he asked his eyes narrowing slightly, “I thought you said you’ve been here for four months.”
“I have been here for four months, just not in the dorms or in the classrooms with the other students,” she answered.
“Why?” he asked.
“I have special… circumstances,” she replied.
“What are these circumstances?” he pressed.
“They’re my business,” she snapped.
He grinned again, “I’m in Vectim Hall,” he offered. She looked blankly at him, unaware if this was supposed to mean something to her. “My name is Garrick Strom. You can call me Garrick if you like.” She nodded slowly, but did not offer her name in return. “You want me to leave?” he asked leaning forward slightly.
She shrugged. She didn’t really care one way or the other if he left. “Well, my two normal lunch companions have landed themselves in detention… well, in school suspension actually. So you can just suffer my company,” he said.
“Are you a mind reader?” she asked suddenly.
“No. I’m not a telepath and I would never want to be. Some things are better left a mystery. I’m telekinetic, actually. I can move things with my mind,” he explained.
“Eartha,” she announced.
“Excuse me?” he replied.
“My name,” she looked at him, “is Eartha.”
“Okay, quick question. Do any of the other girls know about this new uniform change?” he asked, “ I don’t think any of them know since I saw a few of ‘em hiking their skirts up higher in the dorm common room this morning.” She looked away quickly without answering his question.
“Is there any personal question I can ask you that you will actually answer?” he asked.
“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” she replied as she stood up, “I have to get to my class.”
She hurried out of the cafeteria and went towards her first class. Mr. Sayers taught History. He had been teaching her for the past four months every Monday night for about four hours at a shot. She was more than thrilled that she would only have to deal with Mr. Sayers for forty-five minutes a day. She already knew where the classrooms were. She had made it a point to find out prior to her first class. There was no light shinning from under the door and when she tried to pull the door open it didn’t budge. Mr. Sayers apparently wasn’t done with his lunch yet. “Damn,” she whispered knowing full well that she shouldn’t be using curse words, but not caring because her parents weren’t here to reprimand her.
“Yeah, I don’t think Mr. Sayers has ever come back early from lunch,” Garrick’s dark voice said from behind.
“Why do you want to annoy me so much?” she asked.
“Boredom,” he replied lazily, “and because you are one of the few truly enigmatic people I’ve ever met and you interest me.”
“Do you realize what an idiot you sound like when you use big words that you probably don’t understand?” she returned.
‘Well, it takes one to know one,” he replied with that same sly grin he had given her in the cafeteria. Eartha finally smiled shaking her head. “So, all I have to do is insult you to get you to smile?” he asked. She didn’t reply so he asked another question, “So, who was the original freak in your family?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Was it your mom or your dad that decided to send you to the freak school? Or did they both go here when they were younger?” he elaborated.
“My father went to school here,” she answered.
“What is he? Telepathic? Telekinetic? Shapeshifter?” he trailed off.
“Precognitive,” she replied.
“So, your mother didn’t want you going here and that’s why you haven’t been in classes for the past four months?” he asked.
“Not exactly. It wasn’t appropriate for me to be around other people at the beginning because of my unique ability,” she replied.
“Your ‘unique’ ability?” he raised an eyebrow. She didn’t elaborate. She looked down at her watch instead.
“Are you a vampire or something?” he whispered seriously. She burst out laughing suddenly and shook her head no.
“Although this would be the ideal school for one,” she replied.
“There is a vampire in this school. So, it’s not all that unusual,” he said defensively.
“Really?” she asked happy to have the conversation off her.
“Yeah. He’s in your dorm too. He’s telepathic too. He’s limited to drinking animal blood while he’s here,” Garrick told her.
“What other kind of strange people are here?” she asked.
“You mean aside from people basically practicing witchcraft, mixing up ‘potions’, moving stuff with their minds, reading thoughts, and changing their physical shape into animals or other people?” he laughed.
“Well, you know, anything that’s considered unusual for this place,” she said.
“I don’t know, probably,” he answered, “They’re probably all in your dorm though. I’m not sure why, but they seem to put all the super secretive people in your dorm. It makes sense that you would be in there.”
“What’s your hall known for?” she asked switching the focus off herself again.
“Bullies,” he shrugged, “Slackers and sneaky nasty people like me.”
“What about the other hall?” she asked.
“Rockall? Big stupid jock types and ditzy gossipy girls,” his grin spread across his face.
“I don’t know if I trust what you say,” she commented.
“Another common trait among my brothers and sisters in Vectim Hall,” he answered mockingly. She sighed with disgust and turned away from him. “Oh, now I’ve pissed you off!” he exclaimed.
“No,” she said shortly.
“Yes, I have. You’re practically gritting your teeth trying to hold back what you want to say,” he pushed.
“Trust me, I wouldn’t hold back a nasty comment directed towards you,” she answered.
“Then why are you mad?”
“I’m not.”
“Come on. Then why did you turn away?”
“Because I thought I heard someone coming down the hall from the other way.”
“And the disgusted sigh? What was that for?”
“Because you wont give a straight answer.”
“But neither do you,” he shot back.
“About what?” she asked. He looked down at her clothes and raised an eyebrow, “About anything that has to do with you.”
“I can’t help it if you’re asking questions I’m not allowed to answer,” she replied.
“Not allowed?” he asked.
“No.”
“Who’s stopping you?”
“My parents, Dr. Timmus, and oh, yeah, myself,” she snapped.
“Why?” he asked.
“For my own safety,” she said and then realized maybe she had said too much.
“What could by so dangerous about talking about yourself?” he asked.
“A lot of things,” she answered vaguely. Right at that moment Mr. Sayers appeared around the corner and moved to unlock his door. Garrick reached out to stop her from entering the classroom. A warm tingling spread up his arm and throughout his entire body. He felt good all over and completely awake like he had never been before in his life. He felt like he could accomplish anything, but then suddenly she jerked her arm free and before he could comment she slipped into the classroom.

At dinnertime he hurried to the cafeteria to find Eartha, well, more to confront her about what had happened when he touched her. She wasn’t anywhere to be seen and he automatically assumed it was because she was avoiding him. He waited for a few minutes before wandering around the classrooms to see if she was still talking to a teacher. He ran to the dorms to see if she had skipped dinner and gone straight back to her room. A tall senior girl answered the door to Osen Hall and told him that no one had seen her. He finally gave up having no clue where she could have slipped off. He went to one of the indoor gardens at the furthest northern corner of the school. Not many people knew they were even there. Most of the kids that wanted to spend time in a garden went to the outdoor gardens.
Dr. Timmus was there spraying the potted plants with a mister. “Mr. Strom, what can I do for you?” he asked.
“Oh~ nothing, sir. I was looking for someone else,” he replied quickly.
“Here,” Dr. Timmus said handing him another spray bottle. Garrick didn’t feel much like watering the plants, but there was no way he was going to refuse Dr. Timmus.
“She has a good reason for keeping her secrets, you know,” Dr. Timmus commented.
“How~” Garrick started, but Dr. Timmus knowingly tapped the side of his head.
“I talked to Eartha. She was feeling a little feverish.” Dr. Timmus said.
“Is she in some kind of trouble?” Garrick asked.
“Eartha has a gift that is not easy to control. It is overwhelming for her,” Dr. Timmus answered.
“Is it dangerous to her?”
“Be a good friend to her. That is what she needs the most right now. She needs someone she can trust, someone who wont pry into her secrets. Do you think you could be a good friend to her?” He looked down at Garrick seriously.
“Yes,” Garrick answered honestly, “but will this gift destroy her?”
“Only if she lets it,” he answered cryptically, “By the way, perhaps you should try the other garden.” Garrick dropped the spray bottle and sprinted out the door. The gardens were unique because they looked like you had just walked outside into a park. There was grass growing right up through the floor and little stone walkways weaving throughout the bushes and trees growing there. The foliage of the trees blocked most of the tall ceiling out. There were several fountains throughout the garden and it made it sound like there was a creek bubbling through the garden. Large hedges enclosed certain parts of the garden making an almost maze to get through. There were a least a hundred different scents mingling together from all the different flowers. Garrick did not call out to Eartha out of fear that she would sneak out. He tiptoed through the hedges until he found her near the center of the garden by the central water fountain. She wasn’t exactly hiding. She held a sandwich in one hand and her book in the other. He walked up to her and quietly said, “Hi.”
She didn’t seem surprised to see him there, “Hello.”
“Why are you in here? Hiding?” he asked.
“No. I needed a quiet place to read. Away from other people,” she explained.
“Do you want me to leave you alone?” he asked.
“Whether I want you to or not you’ll do as you please, I’m sure,” she replied.
“I’m sorry,” he turned to leave.
“I didn’t necessarily mean that as a bad thing,” she finally lowered her book and looked up at him, “Most people label me as a bitch or a snob and don’t even try to get to know me.”
“I’m still sorry,” he repeated.
“For what?”
“For grabbing you earlier. I mean, I don’t know how it affected you, but I know it did and I’m sorry if it was something bad,” he said.
“You didn’t know,” she said, “and you didn’t touch my bare skin so the effect was pretty small.”
“Dr. Timmus told me you were feeling sick earlier. Was it because of me?” he asked.
“What exactly is he a doctor of?” she asked suddenly. Garrick shook his head realizing she had no desire to speak of what had happened earlier. “So, how was classes?” he asked instead.
“Not bad. I had chemistry… ‘potion brewing’ today,” she smiled.
“Ah, that’s my specialty!” he announced taking a seat on the edge of the fountain. He was careful not to sit too close to her. He didn’t want to accidentally cause another incident by touching her.
“He mostly lectured today. It was interesting, though. I didn’t realize how many plants in nature could be used to make different concoctions. I mean this is stuff real science wont even touch ‘cause they don’t think it has any useful purpose,” she said.
“Yeah, you’ll actually get to start making some of those concoctions as the year goes on. I’m in an advanced class. We’re already working on some of them,” he replied. He looked down at the book and noticed the title: A Guide to Protecting Oneself. “What are you learning to protect yourself from?” he asked.
“Everything,” she laughed.
“Anything specific?” he asked.
“Truth serums,” she grinned referring to their chemistry conversation by pointing down to some notes she had written down in her chemistry notebook. He looked down at the notes and frowned, “You don’t want people to know the truth?” he asked.
“I don’t want people to try and trick me into telling the truth,” she answered.
“Dinner’s almost over and I didn’t even eat,” he commented quickly changing the subject. “What classes do you have tomorrow morning?”
“Entity Protection,” she said. He remained silent realizing it was probably better that he didn’t know why she was taking all these classes about protection.
“And then my Literature class,” she added.
“Well, then, I’ll see you in English,” he replied.
“Oh, I guess we have a class together after all,” she smiled. He nodded and stood up. He offered his hand to help her off the ground and surprisingly she took it. He didn’t feel anything this time, but he noticed the material of her gloves was much thicker than the material covering her arms.