Pixel Peaks - Chapter Thirteen
Martin: "The class will be held in the library basement?" What, this lecture isn't serious enough to get a proper classroom?
Allegra: Why did you even come if all you're gonna do is make fun of it?
Martin: This happens to be a very good place to pick up freaky chicks. The ones with the whips and chains you know.
Allegra: That is so disrespectful!
Allegra: This lecture is actually serious to some people.
Martin: Oh I know how serious you are about it.
Martin: Locking yourself in the bathroom all afternoon, fixing your new hairdo and fantasizing about professor Roseland.
Nathalie: You look really nice Allegra.
Allegra: Thanks. Jane, my NICE roommate, helped me with it.
Allegra: Do you think professor Roseland will notice?
Martin: What is this place?`
Allegra: It's creepy.
Martin: What? This is exactly like your room you know.
Allegra: I didn't say I didn't like it.
The room was slowely filling up with students, there was about ten of them but it felt crowded because of the small size. Professor Roseland sat on a small stage at the front, silently looking down at them.
They chose the seats in the back.
Martin: Hey, Tiffany Sampson is here! I knew she was a freaky chick deep down.
Allegra: Oh yeah, good luck picking up a Tri-Var girl Martin.
Martin: She's not Tri-Var girl, she's the NICE Tri-Var girl.
Nathalie: Ssh, I think it's starting guys.
Cyd: Welcome everyone! I'm glad to see such a good turnout despite the inconvenient hour. I'm professor Cyd Roseland, I'll be your teacher and your guide in this course we have simply chosen to call Studies in the paranormal.
Cyd: I know that some of you are here because you're genuinely interested in the dark paths, I also know that some of you are here because you needed an extra course this semester and think that this is your best chance to get good grades because you're friends with my nephew.
Cyd: For whatever reason you're here, I promise you, your mind will be far more open afterwards.
Cyd: Our first lecture is going to be about something that some say can be learned by any of us, but some say you must possess a certain gift for.
Cyd: But I couldn't possibly talk about all the aspects of witchcraft all by myself, so let me introduce my guest lecturer for tonight, a longtime performer of this ancient art that witchcraft is - please come out here, Madame Eva.
All the chains and jewellry on her clothes clattred when she moved.
Cyd: Please have a seat, Madame.
Eva: Thank you.
Martin: Hey isn't that the lady that hangs around central quad and tells everyone they will find true love if they give her money?
Allegra: Oh yeah, I think she tried to pickpocket me once. Why would professor Roseland invite her, she's a total fraud.
Cyd: Why don't you tell the class about how long you've been doing this and how you got into it, Madame.
Martin: Uh, 'scuse me professor?
Cyd: Mr. Ruben?
Martin: Uh, yeah. I think the class would rather hear what you think about the attack that took place on campus a few weeks ago.
Cyd: I'm sorry?
Izumi: Oh come on professor, you must have some opinion about it. The word around campus says it was a vampire..
Cyd: A vampire, really? Do you mind, Madame?
Eva: Go ahead.
Cyd: Well, obviously I didn't see the body. But the information given to the professors and the rest of the personnel on this campus, by safety reasons, is that the victim had indeed been bitten, in the neck. However, not in a manner that is commonly known to be a vampire's.
Archie: His throat had been slit.
Ashley: Dude, what's with the darkness?
Cyd: That is the information I've been given. Now. The approach isn't typical for the vampire but it doesn't exclude the possibility completely. It could have been an act of violence, rather than a.. meal. But if I were to put down my professional guess, there's only one creature that could have done this.
Nathalie: A werewolf.
She didn't realize she had said it out loud before the rest of the class had all turned their heads towards her.
Cyd: Exactly, miss Lane.
Cyd: But we will get around to werewolves eventually, believe me, but now could be please get back to witchcraft and Madame Eva?
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Martin: Whew, what a waste of time. I didn't even get anyone home with me. Though I think that Izumi chick digs me.
Allegra: What? No way.
Martin: Well didn't you notice how she had my back in there..
Allegra: Dream on.
Eva: Darkness is following you, child.
Nathalie's heart skipped a beat when she turned around and saw Madame Eva standing right behind her.
Eva: Oh yes, it likes you. It likes you very much.
And then old lady just turned around and walked quietly away again, like nothing had been said at all.
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Her foot was probably a little heavy on the gas, but at this hour there was no one else on the road between the sleepy mountain villages.
Madame Eva was a fraud, she knew that as well as any other SSU student. She was just a greedy old lady that took advantage of lovesick young students around campus. Wren had almost given her money once during one of those periods when she and Oddy were broke up, but Bee and Nathalie had talked her out of it eventually.
She should just dismiss it, like Allegra had done on the way back to her place. She would have.. if it wasn't for the fact that she had felt exactly that for the past few weeks. Like something was following her, something dark.
Was it the werewolf? Was it targeting her? She had encountered it twice and gotten away. Was it just luck? Was she actually the one it wanted?
Or had Madame Eva meant someone else..
She passed the exit to her street and made her way towards town. She didn't feel like being alone for what was left of the night.
Everytime she walked in to the hospital room now it was a relief to see him without the tubes. Hearing him snore was actually a comfort.
She had promised him to stop sleeping in the small hospital chairs, and she would. Maybe tomorrow.
Cerium: It might sound cliché, but it always is the young and the beautiful that tastes the best. Shame I'm already so full..
Bo swallowed twice to get rid of the disgust that rose in his throat.
Bo: It's almost dawn, don't you have a coffin to crawl into?
Cerium: But it's so lonely there, and I've got one of these big old coffins. It was some rich old southern gentleman's. Plenty of room for two.
Bo: Good luck finding a date for that.
Cerium: You have become such a grouch.
Bo: I will come after you Cerium. I know you don't belive me, but I will come after you eventually.
Cerium: Oh? When? I want to make sure I don't already have plans.
Bo: When it stops hurting so much.
For a brief moment the mockfull smirk vanished from her face, and was replaced with something Bo thought he recognized as pain.
But then the sun rose above the mountains outside, the first sunbeams of the day made their way through hospital windows, and she fled in the blink of an eye.
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Pixel_trade stars this chapter
Cerium by xie_belle as Cerium
Special guest stars
Archie by cynicocratical as Archie
Izumi by runningbee as Izumi
Eva by miss_essa as Madame Eva