Restless
Part 1 : Yesterday and Today
That fateful night was a really dark and bitter one. The winds were blowing stronger and stronger, as if they were trying to escape from the freezing weather. It was snowing so hard that the snows no longer look beautiful. A glance of a light appeared at the end of the road.
“We will make it.”
***
“Flo, come here, fast!”
Florence shook the past memories off her thoughts and quickly followed a girl. She grabbed her hand and ran with thrill down the road.
“Look, Flo! Aren’t they adorable?” the girl opened a small, dusty box.
Florence raised her eyebrows.
“A kitten?” she said as soon as the girl opened the box. “Where did you find it, Claire?”
“That’s a S-E-C-R-E-T!” Claire replied enthusiastically. “Can I keep it, Flo? Pleeease…”
Florence looked at Claire and examined her face closely.
“If you promise to take care of it, then why not?”
Claire jumped and hugged Florence.
“Then, it’s a promise!”
“Okay,” Florence patted her head. “Now you should go to school, Claire.”
Claire grabbed her bag and ran outside, forgot to kiss Florence goodbye. Florence was just about to mention it to her before she spotted Claire’s diary on the dining table.
Florence brought the kitten to the house and fed her something. Then, she took the diary and spent some time reading. She read and read until she fell asleep.
“KRINGG!!”
The ringing phone awakened her from her sweet dream about Claire, her only relative. She mumbled and grabbed the phone.
“Hello, Escalus residence here.”
The next time Florence realized, she had already jumped to her car and drove to the school.
***
“You haven’t paid any of your bills this month.”
Florence dazed.
“Are you listening to me?”
“Yes,” Florence answered in a very small voice.
“Look,” the man in front of her said. “I know it’s really tough to loose your sister, but if this keeps going I’m afraid we have to seize your properties.”
Florence didn’t answer. She looked at the man.
“Fine,” the man sighed. “Then, I shall…”
“Don’t,” Florence whispered faintly.
Two other men came and started to carry Florence’s furniture.
“Please,” Florence begged quietly.
“There is nothing I can do,” the man said hastily. “After we finish loading your things, we will take you to an orphan house. We should do this some time ago. An underage girl like you shouldn’t be living alone.”
“How about my sis?” Florence exclaimed with anger.
“Your sister has died! Why don’t you accept it? Her grave might be in the backyard, but she is no longer here,” the man replied.
“I know she is here!” she cried.
Suddenly, the ground shook. Everything was falling over.
“Shoot, an earthquake!” the man grumbled and took Florence’s hands.
“No!”
A bright light was wrapping the man.
“Wha?! I cannot move!” the man yelled in fear. “Let me go!”
Florence was just standing there, her eyes were somehow gloomy.
“I can’t!” Florence replied. “It isn’t me!”
Florence cried loudly and fell unconscious.
***
“Hello?”
Florence opened her eyes slowly. A boy about her age was staring at her. She looked back.
“Heh, that was bold,” the boy said.
“Who are you?” Florence asked him quickly.
“My name is Conrade Jacques. I just dropped by to clarify the rumors.”
“Rumors?” Florence was confused.
“That a student brought back a little girl who was casting magic to a normal being.”
“Principal Adrianna!” Conrade bowed.
“You should not be here, Conrade. Do you want Wiltshire to punish you again?” Principal Adrianna smiled.
Conrade blushed and he ran away.
“Ah, you must forgive that boy. He is so active,” Principal Adrianna turned to Florence.
“Principal Adrianna, I…, I was casting magic?” Florence asked curiously.
“You aren’t wasting any time, do you?” Principal Adrianna took a close look at her. “Yes.”
“It’s not possible.”
“Everything is possible, Florence,” Principal Adrianna told her. “Now you might wonder how I know your name. After all, it’s a magic.”
“But,” Florence was trying not to believe. “Magic does not exist!”
“It does,” the principal replied. “It just doesn’t exist in the world where people themselves refuse to believe.”
“But, I never casted magic before!” Florence insisted.
“Ah… About that. Yesterday was your “Awakening” moment then,” Principal Adrianna stopped and took her wand. “Do you know that magic is a gift? Some people may refer the ability to a curse, which is totally a very small-minded.”
“What is Awakening?”
“It is when you finally release your ability and awareness of magic. There are different opinions regarding on how the Awakening occurs. One of the most possible reasons is that some anger or twists of feelings trigger your will to protect yourself.”
Principal Adrianna waved her wand and a boy appeared.
“This is Balthazar Irk,” the principal addressed the boy. “He is 4 years older than you and he is one of the best students here. He is the one who brought you here. Due to his high skill, he was able to erase the man’s memories and thus preventing any further disturbances.”
“Thanks,” Florence looked at him gratefully.
The boy nodded.
“Balthazar will escort you to your room now, Florence,” the principal stated.
“Yes…?”
“I know it sounds hasty,” Principal Adrianna smiled. “I was thinking to enroll you to this academy. Our job here is to teach people with certain special abilities, such as yours. You must also aware that normal beings cannot accept us, so it is strictly forbidden to use your power outside the academy.”
Balthazar approached Florence and signed her to follow him. He walked and touched the cold wall. A secret door opened. They walked and walked in a dark dorm until they reached the last room.
“Yours,” Balthazar gave Florence the key.
“Will I be alone there?” Florence asked.
“Who knows?”
Balthazar left her alone in the unfriendly darkness quickly. Florence was watching him as his back was slowly disappearing. Florence sighed.
“He is not a very welcome person,” Florence mumbled.
When she put the key into the keyhole, she heard a loud scream from behind the door.
