“Hey guys. We were wondering when the two of you would get out of bed,” says Akiko with an eye roll.
Louise glares at her before leaving to get her food. I’m starving by now, so I fill my tray with scrambled eggs, veggie sausages, pancakes, a blueberry muffin, orange juice, and a large cup of coffee. I get back to the table and lay my feast out in front of me as Samir stares at me wide eyed.
“Geez, I thought I had a big appetite,” he says teasingly.
I shovel some scrambled eggs in my mouth, take a sip of my coffee, and with a full mouth say, “Well, a growing girl has to eat, right?”
Louise returns with her steak and eggs, and sits next to me. “Word is we’re going camping this weekend,” she says in between bites.
Samir’s face lights up. “Nice. I haven’t been camping in ages.”
Akiko scrunches her nose. “I sure hope it’s optional. I’m not really a fan… That whole roughing it in the wilderness thing is so not me.”
Samir shoves her. “Akiko, don’t be a such a buzz kill. It’ll be fun. Anyway, I doubt you’re going to want to stay behind by your lonesome self, right?”
“Okay, you have a point,” she admits.
“They’ll probably have S’mores, if that’s any consolation,” I say, devouring my muffin in four bites.
Louise smirks. “Yeah for sure, because camping without S’mores would be sooo utterly wrong.”
After we finish eating, we join the rest of the class to make the trek up to The Nest. I’m totally stuffed, so I’m grateful that the short walk will allow me to digest a bit. When we arrive at the cabin, Alicia is already on the balcony waiting for us. Her glowing skin and regal forehead makes her look majestic, like an exotic Nubian queen.
“Good morning, everyone. Hope you’re all well rested, because I have something really exciting planned for today,” she says with a sly smile on her face. She looks over the edge of the balcony, and dives off so suddenly, that it takes a good second or two before any of us actually realize what she’s done. We scramble over and look down. My heart is beating hurriedly as I watch her swan dive at breakneck speed. About forty feet before she reaches the bottom, she hits something and flashes of blue light envelop her body. As the lights dissipate, she disappears completely. We watch for a few more seconds, and look at one another, puzzled by what just happened. Nervous chatter ensues, until we hear a crack and then a whoosh, as a portal appears in front of us. Alicia walks out completely unscathed with a smug grin on her face.
“Now, that was fun!” she says enthusiastically.
“We call that the Fear of Falling exercise. After a one-hour warm-up in the simulator, you’ll spend the rest of the class doing exactly what I just did.”
I look over, and my friends are all pale except for Samir, who seems excited and raring to go. Alicia chuckles. “I see that some of you are apprehensive, but trust me, after you do it a few times, you’ll get the hang of it. If you want to take a few moments before heading over to the simulators, please do. I’ll meet you back here after you’re done with the relaxation chamber.”
As soon as Alicia leaves, everyone breaks out in conversation. Akiko swallows hard, as if she just regurgitated some of her breakfast.
“I think someone might just have to push me off this cliff,” she says sarcastically. I sympathize with her, but don’t want to show my fear, not because I don’t want my friends to know I’m scared, but because I don’t want to make them any more afraid than they already are.
“After the first time, you won’t even think it’s a big deal anymore. Right, Hazel?” says Samir, eyeing me for support.
“Sure, it looks like bungee jumping… except… without the cord,” I say, hoping she buys my lame response.
Louise catches on, and chimes in, “I went bungee jumping once at the Texas State Fair, and it was a blast. I did it like five times on the same day.”
Akiko seems slightly more at ease. “Okay, well, I hope one of you will be there to save my butt if something goes wrong,” she says raising her eyebrow at all of us.
“Of course, little sister! Your butt’s welfare is always on top of my list of priorities,” replies Samir, trying hard not to crack up.
We head to the simulator room and find our respective machines. Once I’m all setup and plugged in, the simulation orb surrounds me, and I’m once again in the bucolic English countryside. The hour goes by quickly, as I maneuver my little bird through the skies, trees, and other unexpected obstacles. Though I had a few rough landings, I’m feeling more comfortable, and I’m starting to enjoy the freedom of gliding in the sky. When my hour is over, the orb disappears, and I hop off. My muscles still feel really sore and fatigued, but at least I’m strong enough now to walk myself to the relaxation chamber. After I climb into an empty pod, my body begins to restore itself, a soothing sensation radiates across me, allowing me to momentarily forget about what’s up ahead. When it opens up an hour later, I hop out and stretch, feeling like I’ve slept for days. I make my way to the balcony and find most of my classmates are already there. Alicia is perched precariously on the edge, as she waits for the rest to arrive.
I spot Louise and Samir and join them. “So, you guys ready for this?” I ask nervously. Samir glances nonchalantly at the jumping point.
“I guess I shouldn’t be asking you this question, huh?” I say to him with a smirk.
He shrugs glibly. “Sorry, I can’t help it if I have the advantage.”
Louise peers nervously over the edge, looking at the over two hundred foot drop.
“Well, if I had known about this, I would have had a smaller breakfast.”
I think about my own huge breakfast. “Yeah. This sure looks like a puke-worthy exercise…”
Akiko finally emerges all smiles with her hands in the air. “Woohoo! I finally aced the simulator!” Samir gives her a high-five just as Alicia claps her hands.
“Okay, now that everyone is here, we’ll commence with the Fear of Falling exercise. I’d like to give some pointers before we start. First, I would recommend diving off rather than jumping, since this will make your descent smoother. Second, if you all keep your eyes open, it won’t be as frightening, I promise. Lastly, when you hit the safety net, try to keep your body relaxed to prevent a strong impact. The more relaxed you are, the softer your impact will be. If you do it right, you’ll feel like you’re diving into a pool of water, through a tunnel, and into a bright white room where a portal door will appear. That door will open and lead you back here.” She scans our faces, making sure we all understand. “Unless anyone has any questions, I’d like to get started.”
Samir stands and strides confidently towards Alicia. “I’d like to go first, if that’s okay.” Alicia nods, leading him to the jumping point, the only spot without a railing. Samir glances at us, and for a moment, he hesitates and seems distracted. But then he snaps out of it, and smiles while giving us a thumbs-up signal, before diving off the ledge. It happens so fast, that even I’m shocked at Samir’s bravado. We peek over the edge, and see him falling rapidly, and after a few seconds, he hits the safety net and disappears. We turn to the spot where the portal door is supposed to appear, and hold our breaths in anticipation. It seems to take forever, but the portal finally appears, and Samir emerges with a huge smile plastered on his face.
“Well done, Samir! That’s how it’s done, folks!” says Alicia. “Now, who’s next?” I stand to make room for Samir, and before I realize what I’m doing, it’s too late to sit back down. “Hazel! Come on down!”
I guess it’s time to get it over with, so I approach the jumping point, trying hard not to panic. My heart is beating a million times a minute, but I make an effort to look confident, for Akiko’s sake. I clench my fists, and I feel the sweat dripping down my forehead as I stand on the edge and peek down. Alicia gives me a reassuring smile, and pats me on the back. “Go for it, Hazel!” she whispers in my ear.
I cringe nervously, take a deep breath, and leap off the ledge
, imagining that I’m just diving off a boulder into Safe Harbor Bay. I have the sudden sensation of falling, and feel like I’ve left my throat and heart behind me. I open my eyes, and see the bottom of the cliff get closer and closer, as tears fall out of my eyes and fly out with the force of the wind. I’m dangerously close to hitting the bottom, when the safety net cushions my fall. It doesn’t really feel like I’m hitting a body of water. Instead, I get the sensation of diving into a giant pool of marshmallows. I float in the marshmallow-like-nothingness until I enter a bright white room with no floor, walls, or ceiling. I stand amidst the white light, waiting for the door to appear. A few seconds go by, and I notice a small circular hole where the white light is starting to turn into a purplish grey. The hole gets larger and larger, until it’s about the size of a regular door. Except it’s not really a regular door, but more like a swirling vortex. I walk towards the portal, take one step into it, and immediately feel a magnetic force pull me in. As I tumble through, I hear a white noise, almost like the sound of a television when it’s between stations. I see a bright flash in front of my eyes, and suddenly, I’m standing back on the balcony looking at my classmates’ cheering faces. I breathe deeply, when I realize I’ve made it in one piece.
Fortunately, we all manage to survive, even Akiko, who almost had to be pushed off, as she stood in place, frozen with fear. It wasn’t the most graceful performance, but she finally closed her eyes, and jumped off the cliff feet first, emerging from the portal a few minutes later in one piece.
During lunch, the mood was triumphant, knowing that we had all accomplished such a terrifying feat. We celebrated with an obscene amount of food and hot fudge sundaes for dessert.
“God, I’m stuffed!” I announce, slumping back in my seat.
Louise moans, holding her stomach. “Ugh, me too. Maybe we should have stopped after the first round of sundaes.”
Akiko giggles and takes the last bite of her ice cream.
“So Hazel, have you chosen between Alicia and Jared yet?”
“Oh… yeah, I almost forgot about that… Well obviously, I haven’t given it a huge amount of thought, but I guess my gut is telling me that I should pick Jared.” Louise gives me an intrigued look, and even before she chimes in, I cut her off, “I know what you’re thinking, Louise, but let’s not go there, okay? I know he’s good looking and all, but there’s just something about him that I trust… I just have to follow my gut on this one…”
Louise puts her arm around me, playfully winking. “I’m sure you’ll make the right choice, Hazel.”
21
After lunch, we’ve been instructed to meet Jared at the Enchanted Meadow. When we get there, I immediately recognize it. Jared is sitting on the very same fallen tree I was on when Mom’s apparition visited me. He looking pensive, his knees are pulled up close to his chest as he stares out into nothingness. Once everyone arrives, he snaps out of it, and stands up on the trunk high above our heads. I meet his gaze, detecting a slight smile as the corner of his lip twitches.
“Today we’ll have a really interesting class, and hopefully it’ll help you to better understand the mindset that you’ll need to succeed in this program. We’ll have a guest, who’ll assist us with the exercise.” Jared points to a clearing surrounded by a small gathering of trees. Coincidentally, it’s the exact spot where I saw Mom’s apparition. The sun’s rays shine brightly through the trees creating a spotlight effect. “I would like to introduce you to Cassandra…” he says, as if he’s announcing the entrance of a pop star.
The sunlight flashes, looking warped as it begins to swirl into a doorway. Once the portal is open, a woman steps out, walking on air like there’s an invisible set of stairs leading her to the ground. She is older than Jared, maybe in her early thirties, and is stunning. Her jet-black hair cascades down her shoulders in soft waves, cutting through her strong jaw and long neck. Her eyes are abnormally large, almond shaped, in an unusual shade, somewhere between blue and green. Her pale skin has a rosy glow, accentuated by full pink lips. She’s wearing a simple, but exquisitely tailored grey dress that falls to her ankles. What is most striking, besides her beauty, is that her arms, hands and feet are covered with black tattoos that resemble ancient writings and symbols. Everyone stares at her in awe, until Jared breaks the silence. “Cassandra is one of the High Witches of the Light. I have been her familiar since graduating from Camp Chameleon five years ago.”
Cassandra hops gracefully onto the tree trunk, hovering next to Jared with a defensive stance. She looks at him adoringly, then, shifts her hypnotic gaze at us. “Jared is such a charmer, isn’t he?” Jared shifts his feet uncomfortably, blushing slightly at her words.
“I’m honored that I’ve been invited here to be part of your training. I hope that I can help you become as skilled a specimen as Jared.”
I wince at her usage of the word “specimen,” and I start to dislike her immediately. Louise would accuse me of being jealous, but what I’m actually feeling is protective. The emotion catches me off guard since I’m certainly not in any position to protect anybody.
Jared jumps off the trunk, and holds the mythical creatures book in front of him.
“I want you guys to line-up, and take turns opening the book. Whatever creature appears on the page, will be yours for today… Don’t worry, I won’t expect you to transform quite yet, instead, I will be the one transforming into your chosen creature.”
Jared gestures towards Cassandra. “It will be Cassandra’s job to cast an empathy spell on you. The spell will enable you to think, feel and experience everything as your creature without having to physically transform into it.”
I feel an inexplicable urge to go first, as if the sudden rush of protective emotions is forcing me to get closer to Jared. While I make my approach, I take slow deliberate steps, passing my classmates one by one. Cassandra meets my gaze, and I lock eyes with her. Jared frowns, but I can tell that he’s intrigued. When I reach him, I place my hand on the book, the tingle of static electricity snapping at my fingers as I close my eyes. I caress the pages with my fingers, and when the moment is right, I stop. My eyes open, and I meet Jared’s gaze, before glancing down at the page. The word “Manticore,” leaps at me, and I tremble, upon seeing the accompanying illustration.
The beast is a freaky hybrid composed of a lion, dragon, scorpion and god knows what else. Jared holds up the book so everyone can see. “The Manticore is of Persian lore… A creature long feared by everyone who crosses its path. It is a voracious man-eater, and can kill by slamming the human body in one blow, or poisoning one with its spiny venomous tail. The Manticore is known to devour its prey in one gulp, clothes, weapons and all.”
The courage I felt moments ago now seems to have disappeared, leaving me scared and helpless. I glance up at Jared, finding it hard to believe that he’ll be transforming into such a grotesque creature. He smiles at me reassuringly, and whispers under his breath, “Don’t be scared, Hazel… It’ll be okay.”
Cassandra eyes Jared curiously. “I never knew you were so nurturing Jared. It’s so very endearing.”
She waves her hand, and a shiny golden wand appears out of thin air. The wand is covered in engravings, much like those on Cassandra’s body. She sweeps the wand, and suddenly, there are branches, leaves, mosses and stones swirling in the air like a mini tornado. She makes several circular movements, until the tornado finally stops swirling. Once the dust settles, her creation is revealed: a cross between a coffin and a small bed, made out of the materials that were on the ground.
Cassandra regards me first, and then gazes out at the class. “This is where you’ll rest, while I place you in a trance. Your body will be in a sleep state, but your mind, will be at one with Jared’s.”
She walks over to the bed, and smoothes out the moss that covers the surface. “Hazel, please lie down.”
I look at Jared nervously, and hesitate, before inching towards her. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot my friends anxiously follo
wing my every move. When I reach the bed, I realize that it’s much higher than I’d anticipated. Cassandra sweeps her wand over me, lifting me off the ground, onto the bed. Once I’m lying down, with the moss cushioning my body, I feel Cassandra’s hands on my head, as she places them on my temples. Her eyes stare down at me. They look like bluish green whirlpools gazing into my soul. I feel warmth penetrate my head and it spreads over my body till it reaches the tips of my toes. As I begin losing consciousness, I hear a commotion at my side, and look. My classmates gasp as Jared transforms into a vicious looking Manticore. Despite the heat running through my body, I shiver at the creature as it emits a high-pitched shriek while flapping its large wings. Then, everything goes black.
Suddenly, I’m awake. I can feel the blood rushing through my body, like boiling water flowing through my veins. My heart beats rapidly, and I can almost hear its loud thumping. My limbs are strong and sinewy, and every muscle tenses as I move. My classmates stand away, stepping back even further as I move. They look frightened, as if they’re face to face with their worst nightmare. I shriek, and to me, it sounds beautiful and powerful, even though I see them cower and cover their ears. The sensation is addictive. Their hearts beating through their chests, like neon embers, glowing and flashing before me, pulls me towards them. I feel a hunger at the pit of my stomach, and seeing those hearts beating makes me even hungrier, as the desire to devour flesh gets stronger and stronger. The need to satiate my hunger makes me want to leap out and swallow my prey in one gulp. The sensation intensifies, and then all of a sudden it’s gone.
I’m suddenly falling through a dark tunnel. I no longer feel powerful; instead, a deep sadness penetrates me. As the tunnel gets brighter, I’m dropped in a windowless prison cell. It’s almost barren except for a small cot, a bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling and a pile of weathered books on the floor. I gag, smelling the old urine and mold that permeates the air. I hear a muffled cry, and move closer, until I find a small boy huddled in the corner of the room, hidden behind the small cot. He can’t be more than four or five years old, frail, and dirty, dark shadows hang under his eyes. The moment I stare into his blue-grey eyes fringed with thick, dark lashes, I realize that the little boy is Jared, and somehow I’ve entered a memory.
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