Caddie's POV:
The sound of joyous laughter and warm rays of sunlight wrapped around my body, creating a cocoon of happiness. I stood in the middle of a lively meadow. Flowers danced and birds sang, a bubbling creek could be heard in the distance. The meadow was too perfect, something out of a movie scene. But it looked vaguely familiar.
"Caddie!"
Spinning around, my mouth hung agape when I saw a little boy run towards me. He had to be about eight years old, it looked like he only began to lose his baby fat- but he had the most beautiful blue eyes. He was bound to be a heartbreaker with those sparkling baby blues. All thoughts about his mesmerizing eyes drifted away when I noticed that he was taller than me. How was that possible? I knew I was small but he was just a child!
"Caddie come on," he grabbed my chubby little arm. Wait. I didn't have a chubby little arm anymore! "We don't have much time to play before you have to go."
"Go where?" I asked. My voice tinkled like wind chimes.
The boy furrowed his brows. "I-I don't know. You always disappear on me." He turned the full power of his eyes on me. "Why do you always leave me?"
"I don't know either. I don't even remember who y-" A wall of fog lifted from my mind. I did remember! He was Aleksander, my imaginary and only friend.
"Alek!" I threw my arms around the boy. He seemed startled at first but quickly returned my hug.
I felt safe in his arms, like I belonged there. But like always our moment together was cut short.
I jolted awake when a sharp pain flared in my arm. I clutched my wrist and bit my bottom lip as tears formed in my eyes. Heat radiated from the left side of my wrist. After a few minutes of agonizing pain, the feeling dwindled into a light sting. I lifted my other hand from my wrist and stared with wide eyes at a small black tattoo. I ran my index finger along the freshly puckered skin. How did that get there? Where pure pale skin once was, a small black griffon with six stars above it stood in its place.
I was fed up with weird things happening to me. Ever since that first day of summer my life was becoming increasingly strange. My life had never been normal. But I had thought feeling the emotions of others was as weird as life got. Then Char lost her voice, a cryptic German woman disappeared out of thin air, I had seen my imaginary best friend for the first time in years and a tattoo magically appeared on my wrist. If anything weird happened on my first day of school, I swore I was going to pass out.
"Caddie get out of bed! We have to get going," My dad yelled.
Reluctantly leaving the safety of my covers, I forced myself to start the first day of my new life.
Looking around my bedroom, I tried to memorize the faded blue walls and rickety furniture. Two suitcases sat on my twin-sized bed. My carry-on was my cat, Ebony. The summer had been so uneventful I found myself looking forward to leaving my home. My dad had tried to mend our relationship- and for a short period of time I did try to forgive him. But he would always talk about how Nox Haven could help me, and how it was time for me to start controlling my illness. He probably talked about other things too but I tuned him out once I heard the word illness.
Instead of listening to my dad and his inconsiderate comments, I decided to do my own research on Nox Haven. It seemed to be a reform school for insane rich kids. But none of the students seemed to be bipolar or schizophrenic. I could never fit in with them! The only thing they suffered from was teenitis. It was a very common disease most teenagers suffered from. Symptoms included: drinking, doing drugs, partying, deliberately disobeying and eventually death.
"They should just call the school rehab," I muttered under my breath.
Biting my thumbnail, I imagined how going to private school would be any different from public school. My breathing came out in shallow gasps as all of the possible scenarios ran through my mind. My thoughts ranged from being the laughing stock of the school to being murdered on the first day. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down.
There was no reason to dwell on something that was out of my hands.
After a few final preparations, I reluctantly left my old room and walked to my dad's waiting Honda. During the car ride we didn't say anything and kept our eyes focused on the road. Once we arrived, he offered to help me with my bags, but I just wanted to leave. He settled with giving me a side hug and waved from the car. Drawing in a steady breath, I boarded the plane to Massachusetts.
I was thankful my dad had arranged to have me fly in first class. After three months of isolation, being around an abundance of people and their emotions would have been overwhelming. Luckily, no one dared to sit next to me. Pulling a few crumpled pieces of paper from my blue sweatshirt pocket I read over Nox Haven's uniform pamphlet. I cringed at the pictures of the preppy uniforms; I could handle the colors black and red weren't particularly girly-, but the crested sweaters and plaid skirts made me want to vomit.
My mind quickly jumped from the uniforms to transportation. My dad had said that there would be a driver and car waiting for me at the airport. What kind of school has a private car pick up their students?
The adults sipped their champagne and looked over at me suspiciously. Even the flight attendants gave me weary looks. I shrugged. What was wrong with having a fifteen-year-old girl fly first class alone? My earbud fell out, but just as I was about to put it back in I heard an elderly woman speak.
"She's one of them, Ed," the lady whispered to her husband. The old man looked past his wife and focused on me. I tried not to make eye contact.
He nodded and then turned back to his wife. "Yes she is, I could recognize one of those freaks anywhere."
Swiftly putting my earbud back in, I tried to rationalize what he said. I looked down at the pamphlet on my lap and decided that they were talking about me being a Nox Haven student. But as I felt their uneasiness and fear grow, I began to wonder what was wrong with these other students.
The flight was too short. I wasn't ready to begin my new life. We left the plane and the couple continued to send me worried glances. Geez. It's not like I'm a bomb that's about to explode.
"Miss Jones," a man with a deep Bostonian accent said.
I looked back and saw a middle-aged man in a chauffeur's uniform. "Yes?" I said idiotically.
Good move, Caddie, I scolded myself. If the man turned out to be a serial killer I would only have myself to blame. He didn't give off any murderous vibes, I thought. But I had never encountered an actual murderer before.
He gave me a relaxed smile and said, "I'm Christopher and I'll be your driver today."
Immediately I felt like an idiot. "Oh, alright. It's nice to meet you."
His smile grew wider at my awkwardness. Apparently my response was not what he had anticipated. Everyone stared at me as he took my two suitcases to the private car. I felt guilty that he was carrying my heavy suitcases when I just had to hold my sleeping cat.
During the drive, Christopher focused on the road while I focused on unraveling the knots in my stomach. Massachusetts was beautiful, the cities were lively and modern but the smaller towns had a colonial charm. I didn't see the Old Colony state as my home yet, but maybe one day.
My fears were temporarily eased by the timeless scenery. I had dealt with pompous brats my whole life, who cared if these had extra money in their bank account. I was, apparently, just as messed up as they were. We could trade therapist stories while braiding each other's hair. I knew that wouldn't happen the second that thought entered my mind. There was something weird about Nox Haven, but I didn't believe it had anything to do with it's crazy students.
The butterflies flew back into my stomach when Christopher turned onto a long winding road. Tall trees towered in the sky, creating lush green archways over the path. My nose was pressed firmly against the glass as I stared at the majestic forests. Gold eyes stood out in the sea of green. I tried to take a better look at the animal hiding in the woods but it leapt away as soon as we passed by.
"Christopher?" I asked.
"Yes, Miss Caddie?" His eyes quickly darted from the road to my face.
"Are there wolves in Massachusetts?"
A strange emotion surged within him but it disappeared before I could figure it out.
"No they're not common in Massachusetts, overall. But there are quite a few in Salem. Don't worry Miss Caddie, most of them are friendly."
I ignored the word mostly and decided to stay out of the woods. Christopher didn't say anything else, but I could tell that he wanted to. The question was at the tip of his tongue but he averted his eyes back to the road. As we ventured deeper into the forest I noticed that the air was shimmering. I pushed that into the back of my mind when the car stopped in front a giant iron gate.
There was a dusty intercom box, at the edge of the gate but Christopher didn't get out of the car to use it. He just stared at it. I admit that there were times where I would just stare at the remote instead of getting up and grabbing it- but being lazy wasn't going to get me to school. I was about vocalize my worries when the gate mysteriously opened.
Christopher swiftly looked away from the gate and drove on as if nothing strange happened. But it did! Unless the gate had a motion sensor, it looked like he opened the gate with his mind.
"Christopher-" my breath got caught in my chest when trees began to clear.
The school wasn't really a school. It was a medieval castle. With its large, stone walls and intimidating spires, I could hardly believe that I was still in the modern era. As we approached the castle it became even more illusory. The gardens were perfectly tended, and several students were already milling about the grounds. Flags and banners were appropriately placed around the castle, and hanging above the massive main entrance was a black banner with a red Griffon surrounded by stars. My eyes quickly darted down in surprise when I noticed that my mysterious new tattoo matched the school's emblem. That had to be a freaky coincidence, right? I didn't realize I was gawking at the school with my mouth wide agape until Christopher opened my door.
I managed to gather my wits and scramble out of the car. Christopher placed my luggage beside me and motioned for two finely dressed men to come over.
"This is Miss Caddie Mae Jones," He said to the men. "Please get her situated and inform Lady Heidi Bose of her arrival."
The men nodded and led me up the stairs to the building. The name Heidi always brought me a feeling of distaste and affection. My mom had a sister name, Heidi. I always wanted to meet her, but my dad said it was a lost cause. After Heidi graduated high school she moved to Europe and never returned. Not even for her sister's wedding or funeral.
My breath got caught in my chest as we entered the castle. A gold grand staircase sat intimidatingly in the middle of the entry room. At the very top of the stair there were three archways. I didn't know where they led but I had an itch to find out. Two men led me up the staircase, through the left archway. One of the men said the passage led to the girl's dormitory. I never imagined a dormitory could be so beautiful. The walls were made of stone, thick wooden beams vaulted the ceiling and sparkling baroque chandeliers hung off of the rafters. The halls were small but that was to be expected from an old castle. The only downside of the gorgeous dorms was the lack of an elevator. All of the students had to climb a narrow spiral staircase to reach their designated floor. Unfortunately, my room was on one of the highest floors.
By the time we reached my dorm, my heart was palpitating. Climbing one flight of stairs was a painful for me, climbing six was suicide. The room was cozy, much larger than I had originally thought. But my focus was secured on the two twin sized beds. A nap sounded like the perfect way to celebrate my new life. To hell with socializing.
One of the men turned to me. "Your schedule is on your bed. Out of courtesy, please do not touch your roommate's schedule and don't leave the room until your roommate has arrived. At 12 o'clock, there will be a mandatory meeting for all new students in the entry room."
I nodded and stumbled to the closest bed. Before I could even close my eyes, the door swung open revealing the two movers and a girl my age.
"You know I can carry my own bags," she had a thick New York accent.
I stood up and awkwardly stood next to my bed.
They placed her bags down, and instead of giving her the low down, they just nodded curtly and murmured, "Have a nice time at Nox Haven, Miss Slade."
The girl shook her head angrily. While she was distracted, I took in her powerful presence. She had auburn hair that framed her face, her eyes were a mossy green and her pouty lips were pursed. She wore a black sweater and ripped jeans that accentuated her voluptuous body.
The girl turned to me and raised an eyebrow. "Do I have something on my face?" She asked bitterly.
I shook my head and looked away while mentally cursing out my shyness. The girl continued to stare at me, inspecting every blemish and scar on my body. Her eyes narrowed as her mood switched from annoyance to curiosity,
"I'm Alix Slade, but you probably already knew that. Right?" She questioned with her lips pursed. The question almost sounded like a challenge. It sounded like she was daring me to disagree.
Shame twisted bitterly in my stomach as I shook my head. Her name seemed oddly familiar but I couldn't remember where I had heard it before. I balled my fists when she held out her hand for me to shake. I couldn't remember the last time someone offered to shake my hand. Or the last time someone willingly introduced their-self. My thoughts drifted to Marcy I wondered if she was going to work today or if she chose to stay home with the baby. She was the only person who had ever tolerated my presence.
Unfurling my fists, I hesitantly slipped my hand into Alix's, "I'm Caddie Jones."
She jerked her hand away suddenly, her eyes glazed over momentarily. I gasped and took a few steps away. My eyes averted to my palms, they seemed like normal hands. When I looked back at my roommate she looked perfectly normal.
"Is everything okay," I asked hesitantly.
Alix's lips curled into half smile; I amused her, "Everything's clear now. It's nice to finally meet you."
I smiled in agreement, but something tugged at the back of my mind. Something about that sentence didn't make sense. I pushed that to the side as recognition flared within me. "Wait. You're Alix Slade. As in Charles Slade's daughter?"
I remember watching America's Richest Business Leaders with my dad and Charles Slade was the first on the list. I smiled proudly at myself for finally remembering.
"That would be me. Alix Slade, daughter of Charles and Patricia Slade, the New York Coven leaders," Alix said pulling her suitcases onto one of the twin beds.
"Wait, what? Coven leaders?"
Was that a new gang name? The New York Coven?
"Yeah, isn't that how you've heard of them?" She asked, oblivious to my confusion.
"Uh, not exactly. I thought he was a business investor," I said warily.
She made a gesture and spoke flippantly, "Well, he is, as far as the most people know."
I was taken back, "What do you mean by most people?"
I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Alix gave me an incredulous look.
"What do you think I mean when I say most people?" She asked sarcastically. After a moment of silence from me, she became increasingly suspicious. "You do know what I'm talking about right?"
I told her that I honestly didn't know.
"Caddie," she said slowly, "What do you think you are?"
That was the strangest question anyone had ever asked me. I've been asked, "Who do you think you are?" But never what.
"I'm human," I stated, not fully understanding how she wanted me to answer that question.
Alix's eyes grew larger, "You think you're human? Oh, god, I should have seen this coming."
"What are you talking about," I asked, suddenly disturbed.
What else could I be if I weren't a human? She was making absolutely no sense! I knew this school was supposed to be for crazy rich kids but I didn't actually believe they were going to be completely bonkers. Originally, I thought they had been sent to Nox Haven because they had an uncontrollable obsession with shopping.
Alix swore and drew in a deep breath, "Caddie, don't freak out. But you're not human, you're a witch."
I stumbled away from her. She was clearly deranged. There was no way I could be a witch.
"Caddie, please think about this rationally," she said holding her hands up.
I gave her a ludicrous look, "I'm not the one who isn't thinking rationally. You're freaking crazy."
"I'm not crazy," she said confidently. She was more confident in her answer than I was in mine.
"Yes, you are, witches don't exist!" I exclaimed, my head started to spin.
"Caddie, I am a witch. Normal people can't do this," She raised her hand and unfurled her palm.
A blinding white light emitted from her palm. My eyes grew as large as saucers, as my mouth hung open in shock. This couldn't be true, I thought to myself. But the facts were literally in front of my face. My roommate, the Alix Slade, was a witch and apparently I was too. A dizzy feeling washed over me as the rational side of me rejected the idea. Suddenly, the white light started to diminish as black splotches appeared in my vision. Alix called out my name in the darkness but I was too far gone to answer her.
ÊNX
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