Paranormal Public: Elemental Darkness Part 4

I chased her for as long as I could, but I was forced to give up when I saw the small dot I knew was my friend crash into the trees. Lough wasnt far behind me. When he caught up he bent over, bracing his hands on his knees. In the early morning light I could see the sweat that streaked the back of his neck. His whole body heaved with his deep breaths.

You okay? he asked me.

I didnt take my eyes from the last place I had seen Sip. Since it was spring, the leaves were green and vibrant - deep shades of life. It was impossible to see anything beyond them, especially a small werewolf streaking away.

Yeah, I said. Im pretty sure we need more werewolf friends.

Well, we have Nolan, the paradigm of bravery, said Lough.

He did his best, I said, defending Sips co-founder of the Sign of Six.

He could have told us he didnt trust them, said Lough. We had nothing to go on.

Sometimes how we respond in times of stress is not how wed like ourselves to respond, I said, letting out a deep sigh. Come on, we should be getting back.

Where do you think she went? Lough asked worriedly. There are so many demons. . .

I think she went for a run, I said, finally turning away. And I think shed love to run into a few of those demons at the moment.

I didnt want to admit it, but my mind kept returning to the dream Id had, all those semesters ago. I was with Cale, and Lisabelle had turned crazy and started killing. I could almost smell the blood and see the darkness in her eyes.

I s.h.i.+vered and tried to force my mind toward something else, but there was nothing. I didnt even have thoughts of Keller to comfort me.

I want to wait for her in Airlee, said Lough.

We headed in that direction, and I didnt see another paranormal the whole way there. I wondered if they were all hiding, angry, sleeping, or something else. I knew Id be getting a call from Professor Dacer at some point, and probably President Oliva as well, but I wanted Sip to come back first. I just wanted to give my friend a long overdue hug. But when we were in the middle of battling the Nocturns, even that was too much to ask.

Chapter Seven.

We waited in the living room of Airlee. It was strange to be back there after so much time had pa.s.sed and so many changes had happened. Lough and I were both silent. I tried to think of something to say, but everything was mundane or depressing by turns.

We werent in Airlee long before the front door slammed open. Neither of us were out of our chairs before Sip came stomping around the corner, her purple eyes shooting off fiery sparks.

Sorry, she said, I know you just went through a lot to make sure the demons bringing me back didnt get me killed. I do appreciate it. Her lower lip trembled a little, but she kept going. Come up to Lisabelles and my room. She said it almost defiantly, driving home the point that Lisabelle would be right back.

Lough and I got off the couch and followed her. My body was still tired, and it protested when I placed my hands on either side and pushed myself out of the comfortable cus.h.i.+on. But we needed to talk, and I didnt trust the common room. Even if there werent listening spells, I didnt look at my fellow students in the same way anymore. Golden Falls had changed that. It had changed a lot of things.

Come on, Sip cried as she bounded up the stairs. Im the one who was a prisoner. You all were just in a war. Hop to it.

I knew we were going to get here, Lough grumbled. I just didnt know it was going to happen so quickly.

It was the closest I had come to cracking a smile in a while.

Sip and Lisabelles room was in the middle of the hallway, so I had a few steps to brace myself. Sip flattened her hand against the door for a moment. I saw it tremble a little as she took a deep breath.

This will be the first time Ive gone in and shes not here, she said with her back still turned, speaking so softly we could barely hear her. But shes not coming back anytime soon and were all going to leave. I dont want it to become normal that shes not here.

Lough and I didnt know what to say, but luckily Sip didnt seem to expect an answer. She pushed the door open and went in without any further hesitation, then spent her first five minutes back in the room on irrelevant organizing. It was the first time wed all been back to our rooms since Golden Falls, after all. Wed had to leave a lot of stuff there, and now I was doubly glad Id had Keller get my mothers box out of the place before we were attacked.

Neither Lough nor I really wanted to come into the room. It was singularly decorated, making clear the distinct personalities of my two friends. Sip loved neon, green, orange, and yellow. Her side of the room was covered in bright colors, from bedspread to window curtains, even the wall decorations. She also loved tea and had set up a small tea-making station next to her desk.

Lisabelles side was unadorned and all black. Her mother, an interior decorator, had never seen it, but Lisabelle claimed shed have a heart attack if she ever did. I wondered how shed feel about her only child going over to darkness. All the other darkness mages had, long ago; they made up the group of powerful evil forces we called the Nocturns. Lisabelles parents and her Uncle Risper were the last holdouts, and of all of them, Lisabelle shouldve been the last to go over.

The only two things my friends had in common was that they were both very neat. Lisabelle was just the most unsentimental paranormal Id ever met, so she didnt keep objects or papers around. Sip kept everything, but was ruthlessly organized about it.

I couldnt help but think that Lisabelle would be there now if it hadnt been for me. It nearly choked me to think so, but her insistence on protecting the last elemental, along with Sips and Loughs, had now destroyed us.

Bravery is a stupid concept, Sip announced suddenly, her hands on her hips. Whoever thought being brave was cool was seriously mistaken. How dare he or she. She paused. It was probably a he. Women are never so foolish.

Hey! Lough cried. Im not foolish.

Youve been in love with our best friend for going on three years and not uttered so much as a peep about it to her, said Sip, rolling her eyes. Youre definitely foolish.

The werewolf looked around the room and took a shaky breath as her purple eyes filled with tears. Lisabelles side felt empty, as if something was missing.

Something was.

After she stopped talking, Sip started frantically throwing papers around Lisabelles side of the room. For a moment her entire small body was obscured in white parchment.

What are you doing? Lough asked, so surprised he was no longer upset.

Im saving everything she ever wrote, said Sip frantically.

Shes not dead, said Lough. And her handwriting was terrible.

Sip paused momentarily to glare at the dream giver, then continued her frantic organizing.

Maybe were different, I said tiredly. Id been thinking more and more that I might never graduate from Public. Last semester had been devastating; instead of improving the fight against darkness it had only served to bring us closer to the brink of destruction.

I pushed myself off of Sips desk and went to my friend. She kept throwing papers and crying until I wrapped my arms firmly around her, pinning her own thin arms to her sides. We stood like that for a long time, until Lough came and wrapped his arms around both of us. The three of us stood silent, locked in a sad embrace.

Finally Lough murmured into Sips hair as the werewolf continued to shake. Itll be okay, he said.

She did it for me, Sip cried. The tears had long ago spilled down her cheeks. Lisabelle did it for me.

She did it for all of us, I said. She knew this was the best way.

How is giving over the most powerful darkness mage of the generation TO darkness a good idea? Lough demanded softly.

She just knew she had to, I said stubbornly. There was nothing else she could do.

Do you think shes thinking about us? Sip asked. Do you think she wishes she were here now?

I gave Sip another hug. More than anything. But really, she just wanted you safe.

Sip nodded and snuffled.

Lough gently took one of the pieces of paper from Sips hands.

Listen, Sip, he said, looking determined. I know that if you lose someone you love, you want to hang on to them in every way you possibly can. Its totally natural, and theres nothing wrong with it. I understand. I had an older brother who died when I was young. . . . He took a shaky breath and didnt continue right away; this was the first time I had heard anything of a brother. Judging by Sips expression he had never mentioned him to her before, either. When Lough finally collected himself enough to go on he said, But love isnt about pieces of paper with silly notes scribbled on them. He glanced at the paper in his hand: Ten Different Ways to Kill a Demon with a Spoon and Chocolate.

Under that, in a little scribble was written, Dark chocolate.

Sip sniffed again. But, see, thats so Lisabelle.

I know, said Lough, and we love Lisabelle because of who she is, but all these papers arent going to keep her alive. Your heart, your thoughts, and your loyalty do all of that just fine. These are just a reminder that we should keep dark chocolate around. She sacrificed for you, sure. She was doing what she had to, but she was also doing what she could.

Everyone should keep dark chocolate around, I said. Sip and Lough nodded in agreement.

Suddenly we were startled by a knock on the door; we certainly werent expecting visitors.

Probably a paranormal professor come to take me away, I said, only half kidding. Sighing, I opened the door.

Chapter Eight.

But it wasnt. It was Trafton who stood there when I opened the door. He looked at me quizzically and said, I saw the light on. For a second I thought everything was fine, then I remembered. . . .

I nodded. Thats been happening to me all day.

Sip looked around me. Come on in, she said softly. Join the party.

Sip, said Trafton, you do sarcasm very well.

Lough tried not to look disgruntled at the sight of his fellow dream giver. He almost managed it, but they had two rivalries, and it was hard for Lough to set them aside. Their magical ability was very uncommon and they were the only two paranormals on campus who had it. There had been several at Golden Falls, which explains why we had heard that one had died. A dream giver had indeed died, just not one of the ones from Public. The other rivalry was that they were both in love with Lisabelle. She didnt know, or didnt care in the slightest, about that. But instead of finding camaraderie in rejection, Lough and Trafton just bickered.

Do we have any idea whats going on in the rest of the paranormal world? Sip asked, straightening her shoulders and grabbing a tissue. Ive been in contact with my parents, and as far as they know the situation is dire. Theyre in a better position than some paranormals because theyre in the middle of nowhere, but paranormals in the cities are being attacked and slaughtered. What happened to the Paranormal Police Academy? What about the Paranormal Police Division? Are we paying taxes for paranormals to be trained to battle or what?

Weve had some training here, said Trafton. Weve held our own when weve had to.

We have to do better than that, said Sip fiercely. We cant lose anyone else.

What else did your parents say? I asked, perching on the edge of Sips desk. It somehow felt wrong to be on Lisabelles side of the room, with all of her stuff untouched as if she was expecting to come back. But none of us said anything more about it. Once Sip had stopped tossing papers, none of us looked over at Lisabelles stuff again. It hurt too much.

My parents are refusing all suggestions to hide and run, said Sip. We live with a large group of other werewolves around us, so we should be able to fight off anything but a ma.s.sive attack.

They overran Vampire Locke, Lough said, and we gave her the headlines of what happened.

Yes, said Sip, that happened because they made a ma.s.sive effort. They wanted Vampire Locke. The dark power thats there can only help them destroy paranormals.

After that the four of us sat in Airlee for a long time. Trafton and Lough both disappeared and came back with something to read. Sometimes we talked and sometimes we all just worked quietly. There was an unspoken understanding that it was better to be there together than not. Soon enough wed have to leave for the summer, and we had no idea whether wed be able to communicate at all.

Eventually Sip stood up from her desk and stretched. Were going to the library, she said. Her voice was distant and cold.

You know the semester is over, right? We pa.s.sed, because, I mean, were not dead, said Lough.

Sip blinked at him in surprise. Where else do people go?

Right, said Lough, shaking his head. What do you expect to do there?

Figure out how to get Lisabelle back, said Sip grimly. I heard stuff while they had me. They really didnt have any idea how good a werewolfs hearing is.

Whats their plan?

I guess the demons and the h.e.l.lhounds are going off by themselves, said Sip quietly, giving a furtive look at her closed door, as if she was afraid a Nocturn was listening.

Which is why Doblan was making hybrids, I said, understanding suddenly what had puzzled me before. They want their own army, because they dont have one.

Exactly, said Sip, but what theyre really trying to do is to leash the darkness. Thats their best bet. And the more we know about the power they could possess, the better. Therefore, library.

Im pretty sure we already know a lot, Lough pointed out. Youre the best student in the cla.s.s.

Library, Sip repeated stubbornly.

Dacer could probably tell us some, so could Oliva. If we were feeling brave we could even ask Zervos.

Library!

Lough sighed. Fine, he said, getting to his feet.

Trafton excused himself to go call his parents, but Sip, Lough, and I headed to the library. It was a very quick trip.

I cant believe its closed, said Sip as we trudged back to Airlee.

Lough put a comforting arm around her shoulders, but she just glared at him. The semesters over, he said gently. No one wants to study.

I do, said Sip, raising her hand. This is throwing off my entire worldview.

Lough and I made eye contact over Sips head.

Yeah, I know you two want to laugh at me, she said, still not giving up. Go right ahead. I know Im right.

After we got back to Airlee we talked again for a long time about what had happened, but none of us mentioned Lisabelle. We all knew she wasnt there when by rights she should have been, and for all we knew unspeakable things were happening to her (although it was unlikely . . . I mean, come on). But it was as if speaking about it out loud would somehow make her absence more real.