A Night without Stars

by Sabrina Albis

  Finem mundi.

  When the result came up, she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach.

  “Autumn,” Rick said, leaning over her to see the computer screen. “What did you find?”

  “This picture, this woman in a cave,” Autumn pointed to the open book on the table. “The coinciding article is titled finem mundi.”

  Rick looked at the picture, studying it for a moment, and then he looked back to Autumn curiously.

  “What does it mean?” he asked. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

  Autumn took a deep breath, trying her best to keep calm.

  “The English translation is, the end of the world.”

  The end of the world.

  Autumn and Rick spent the whole night analyzing their findings. Autumn called Eric, who immediately rushed over. They concluded this woman in the drawing, whoever she was, could indeed be the master. Eric also helped translate the rest of the text beyond end of the world.

  She breeds in the darkness, she brings death.

  She catches the wretched, dead souls in her net.

  They will do her bidding, their fortunes sealed.

  When her army is built, the layers will peel.

  Death will spread, like a plague bringing its wrath.

  Without refrain, swallowing everything in its path.

  No one will be spared and no one will survive.

  Only she and the darkness will remain alive.

  Eric explained that whoever was summoning the creatures (the hooded woman they assumed) wanted to overrun Whitan and eventually the rest of the world with demons. It seemed like big plans for one person, almost implausible to pull off, but Eric said dark magics were not to be underestimated.

  “What is she?” Autumn asked him. “A dark sorcerer?”

  Eric shook his head, his face grim.

  “I fear it’s worse than that. I believe we are dealing with the queen of the demons.”

  When Autumn headed to school the next day, she was exhausted.

  Between researching the demon queen and her incessant worrying, she hadn’t slept a wink.

  Apocalypse was a whole other ball game. It made hunting hell beasts seem like a picnic. Now they weren’t just sealing the caves with Eric’s spell. They were inevitably saving the world.

  Rick had Autumn’s hand wrapped in his, as they headed through the floods of clamoring students.

  As soon as they rounded a corner, they saw Eric. Standing by Autumn’s locker, he wore a smile so large, Autumn worried he had finally gone off the deep end. He had bags beneath his eyes, and he looked tired, but the happiness radiating from him, made his weariness less noticeable.

  “Good morning!” he said cheerily as they approached.

  “End of the world, demon queen,” Autumn muttered. “What silver lining did I miss Eric?”

  “Yeah dude, you look too happy,” Rick admitted as he opened his locker.

  “That is very astute of you both to notice,” Eric said, not missing a beat.

  “Because the creepy, clown-like grin didn’t give you away at all,” Autumn said sarcastically.

  Eric frowned. “I wanted to let you both know. I finally got it.”

  Autumn felt her heart jump in her chest. She looked at Eric in disbelief.

  “The spell?” she whispered and Eric nodded, grinning like a fool again.

  “It was difficult, but it’s finished. All the components were there. It just took some time to piece it all together.”

  Autumn felt happiness swelling up inside her. If this worked, everything would be worth it. All the endless training, the hunting and the time Eric spent concocting the spell.

  It would all be for the greater good.

  “Eric, you just saved everyone,” she said, her eyes lighting up. “You just saved the world.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without help,” Eric said, pulling Autumn into an embrace. She hugged him back and when they parted, she saw Rick beaming.

  “Congrats man,” he said. “We were getting a little worried about you.”

  “To be honest, I was getting a little worried myself,” Eric admitted. “However, I will feel even more relieved when we finally execute the plan. Even so, this is a huge accomplishment.”

  “And what about the queen?” Autumn asked, worried again.

  She was the puppeteer, the big boss at the end of the game. Surely it wasn’t as simple as casting the spell to be rid of her. It couldn’t be that easy.

  They couldn’t be that lucky.

  “Something tells me, she won’t go down without a fight,” Eric replied. “And that is exactly what we will give her.”

  Eric glanced around cautiously. It was getting crowded now, as students arrived at their lockers.

  “We can talk later,” Eric said, subtly gesturing towards the people surrounding them. “Is after school good?”

  Autumn looked at Rick, who shrugged. “Sure.”

  “Perfect. My place and please extend the invite to Mandy and Nate,” Eric said over his shoulder as he turned to leave. He smiled at Autumn, and it was the lightest smile she had seen him wear in weeks.

  The rest of the day seemed to fly by and before Autumn knew it, lunch had arrived. She was headed back from the washroom, when she heard giggling nearby.

  “He is so hot,” a girl said. “He is ruggedly handsome. I love stubble on older guys.”

  “I wish he was my guidance consoler,” her friend replied, sounding dejected.

  As the girls passed by and headed into the washroom, Autumn looked over and saw a man leaning against the wall. He was smiling and nodding, while greeting the students who passed by.

  It was Mr. Garrison.

  She didn’t know why, but Autumn sensed he was mysterious. Like her, he harbored secrets.

  She ducked behind some lockers, fixing her wavy hair with her fingers, before proceeding to pass him.

  “Miss Kingston,” he said, looking up at her as he bit into a shiny, red apple. “Good afternoon.”

  Autumn stopped, raising an eyebrow at him. “Autumn, please.”

  He smirked at her candour. “I’m sorry Autumn,” he said apologetically. “I take it you don’t like Miss Kingston?”

  “Maybe when I’m forty,” Autumn said, smiling as she tossed her hair back casually.

  She cringed inside. Was she flirting with her guidance consoler?

  “How are you Mr. Garrison?” she said cordially.

  “I’m pretty good Autumn,” he said, as he waved at another student. “How are things with you? You look a little tired.”

  “I do?” Autumn asked, her brow furrowing with concern.

  Tired meant lackluster skin, bags under your eyes and sallow cheeks. Translation? Not very attractive.

  “A little,” he admitted. “Is everything alright?”

  Autumn didn’t know how to respond to the question. She had been burning the candle at both ends lately, with school and hunting. And with winter exams coming up and the spell casting, things would be getting worse before they got better.

  When Autumn didn’t reply, Mr. Garrison leaned in, looking worried.

  “If you want stop by my office,” he said quietly. “It’s more private. We can talk there.”

  Autumn felt a sudden urge to confess everything to him. Maybe it was his soothing voice or his kind eyes, but she could imagine telling him the truth.

  “Mr. Garrison, I hunt demons with my friends.”

  “Demons?” he would say, sounding unconvinced. “With what?”

  “With a scythe.”

  Mr. Garrison would look at Autumn, his brown eyes filled with concern.

  “You are delusional sweetheart. Demons aren’t real. You need help.”

  Then she would be strapped into a straitja
cket and hauled off to the loony bin where she would play chess with people who drooled and hid their meds under their tongues.

  “Autumn?” Mr. Garrison broke into her daydream. “Are you alright? I think I lost you there for a moment.”

  Autumn looked at him, reality sinking in. She couldn’t confide in him. Hell, she couldn’t confide in anyone about this. This secret was her burden, and no one else could carry it for her.

  “I’m fine,” she said, trying to sound reassuring though she wasn’t even convinced herself. “Like you said before, I look tired. I’m exhausted. I definitely need more sleep.”

  Mr. Garrison looked at her incredulously.

  “Autumn,” he leaned in closer, as to not let the passing students overhear.

  “I know what you and Rick are going through. I hear the chatter in the hallways.”

  “People talk about us?” Autumn was surprised. She didn’t think she merited being the subject of gossip. At least normal Autumn didn’t. Monster hunter Autumn, now she might cause a stir.

  “Well, everyone gossips in high school,” Mr. Garrison said, taking another bite of his shiny red apple. “Students talk about each other and their teachers. That rumor mill, it grinds without remorse.”

  Autumn couldn’t resist. She smiled coyly. “That’s so true. They even talk about guidance counselors.”

  Mr. Garrison looked at her quizzically. “Oh?” he paused. “And what do they say about me?”

  That you are smoking hot! Autumn thought.

  She shrugged. “Everyone thinks you own an orchard.”

  Mr. Garrison chuckled lightly.

  “Oh you almost had me there Autumn Kingston,” he said, waving a finger as if to reprimand her. “But you can’t distract me. My office, after school.”

  After her encounter with Mr. Garrison, Autumn went to meet up with the gang at their usual table in the cafeteria. As she made her way through the crowded, raucous room, she saw Rick, who was sitting with Mandy, Nathaniel and Eric, stuffing his face with various slices of pizza. When he looked up and saw her approaching he began waving fervently.

  “Finally! You are here. I was getting worried,” he said as she sat down beside him. “I thought maybe there was a demon in the bathroom.”

  Mandy glared at him. “Really Rick?”

  “What?” Rick asked, looking bewildered. “It was a joke!”

  “Considering the lives we live, please, just don’t,” she grumbled.

  “Sorry,” Rick said sheepishly as he took another bite of his pizza.

  Autumn put her hand on Rick’s back, rubbing it gently. “Sorry. I was in the bathroom, and I ran into Mr. Garrison.”

  “You ran into him in the girl’s bathroom?” Rick instantly stopped chewed. “Doing what?”

  “You and Garrison in the bathroom together? Juicy!” Mandy said, eyes lighting up. “Please, go on.”

  “No, we weren’t in there together,” Autumn said, hoping Rick didn’t notice her cheeks burning. “I ran into him after the bathroom and guess what?”

  “He was eating an apple?” Rick mused, diving back into his lunch.

  “Yes he was,” Autumn confirmed as she reached into her backpack, pulling out a large chicken salad and a diet soda. “And these girls were nearby just drooling over him.”

  “That apple is his trademark,” Mandy said, sounding as excited as the drooling girls. “And who can blame those girls? He is so sexy.”

  Nathaniel, who was eating a chocolate bar, snorted. “Ha. Mandy is in love with Geezerson.”

  “He isn’t old.” Mandy said, crossing her arms huffily. “He’s in his early twenties I bet.”

  Nathaniel snickered at this. “The dude has more grey hair then my dad, and he raised me and Conrad!”

  “Streaks of wisdom,” Autumn added in as Rick looked at her disapprovingly. “That is what mom always calls them.”

  “Older just means he is more mature,” Mandy said dreamily.

  Eric, who had his nose buried in his English homework, rolled his eyes.

  “Are we really having a conversation about hot faculty right now?”

  “Nope. Just hot Garrison,” Mandy replied as she winked at Autumn.

  “It’s settled then,” Nathaniel said, scarfing the last of his chocolate bar. “Mandy you can never meet my dad.”

  “So what did Garrison say Aut?” Rick interrupted, effectively halting a Mandy and Nathaniel quarrel before it could begin.

  “There was a polite hello, and then he proceeded to impolitely tell me how tired I looked,” Autumn admitted as she began spearing her salad with a fork. “He wanted me to come see him after school.”

  “After school?” Mandy said, her brown eyes wide with intrigue. She looked at Rick. “You better watch out Rick. He doesn’t waste any time.”

  Rick glared at Mandy before turning to Autumn.

  “You have been having nightmares. Is everything alright? You would tell me if something was wrong wouldn’t you?”

  Autumn hadn’t been completely honest with Rick about how stressful her life had become. When they decided to hunt demons, it seemed like she needed some excitement. Now, it felt like she was on a roller coaster. She was either high on adrenaline or low from exhaustion. There was no happy medium.

  Still, Autumn didn’t want to worry Rick.

  “Between school and everything else, I am a little tense. But aren’t we all?” she said nonchalantly.

  “Nope,” Nathaniel piped in. “I don’t let things bother me. I let everything roll off my back. Otherwise, I’ll worry and that causes wrinkles. Wrinkles, like old guidance consolers get,” Nathaniel said looking at Mandy meaningfully.

  “I can only speak for myself when I say I have obviously been extremely stressed,” Eric grumbled.

  “If I’m stressed, I punch stuff,” Mandy shrugged, pulling out a potato chip from its bag.

  “You can come to the meeting with Garrison if you want,” Autumn offered, looking at Rick.

  “I don’t know,” Rick said, looking perturbed. “Something about him doesn’t sit right with me.”

  “Autumn, if Rick is fine, you should go see Mr. Garrison alone,” Mandy added, grinning mischievously. “I’m sure he would love to give you some guidance without Rick around.”

  Rick grimaced, his hands clenching his soda a tad too tightly.

  “On second thought,” he said. “I’ll go with you. I can keep you company.”

  “Thanks Ricky,” Autumn said gratefully.

  “Anytime sweetheart,” he said, going back to his lunch.

  When Autumn arrived at Mr. Garrison’s office, the first word that came into her mind was sad. Or perhaps sad wasn’t the word Autumn was looking for. Maybe it was bland, drab or blasé?

  All of those adjectives would apply.

  His tiny office, only the size of a large closet, was barely decorated and sparse, with no pictures of family or friends, not even a pet, anywhere to be seen.

  Autumn sat in a chair, one leg crossed over the other, playing with the lace on her shirt. She looked up and saw the nameplate on his desk.

  Ryan Garrison.

  Mr. Garrison himself was quickly browsing through Autumn’s file as Rick waited patiently outside the office. She peeked out the tiny square window to see Rick tinkering with his cellphone.

  A few moments later, Autumn’s phone vibrated. She pulled it out.

  It was a text message from Rick.

  Is he eating an apple? Whatever you do, don’t take a bite!

  Autumn rolled her eyes and put the phone away just as Mr. Garrison looked up, brown eyes taking her in. He smiled brightly. It was a nice smile, a friendly smile, the same smile that made her feel like she could tell him anything.

  “So Autumn. Rick’s parents informed the school you would be tutoring him.”

 
Autumn nodded. “Yes.”

  “I presume you are still doing that?” he asked, jotting something on a piece of paper. “Helping Rick?”

  “Yes. Rick needs help with a few subjects but mostly math. Everything else he can handle on his own.”

  Mr. Garrison shifted in his seat, placing his hands in a steeple. “Alright. So you tutor Rick, keep up with your own schoolwork and what else?”

  Autumn looked at Mr. Garrison, suddenly unsure of what he was asking her. “Sorry?”

  “What do you do in your spare time?” he said, smiling. “For fun? You do have fun don’t you?”

  Autumn suddenly felt like she was being questioned. She could practically feel the hot lights burning her face. She rehearsed a benign answer in her mind, leaving the hunting monsters part out.

  “I like to read. Hang out with Rick and my friends,” she replied. “I talk to my family and friends back home.”

  Mr. Garrison studied Autumn like she was a riddle he was trying to solve, a puzzle he was piecing together. It made her uncomfortable, and she looked at her hands.

  “I’m sorry Autumn,” Mr. Garrison said. “I’m just trying to get to the bottom of this. The tense girl I see in the halls doesn’t seem to be having much fun.”

  Autumn said nothing, letting her eyes meet his, challenging him. No amount of prying or clever wordplay was going to get her to open Pandora’s Box. Her lips were sealed.

  “Is it the students here?” he asked searchingly. “I know it can be difficult being the new kid.”

  “Nope,” Autumn replied. “It’s nothing like that.”

  Mr. Garrison looked at a loss. He wrote down another note on his paper then leaned back in his seat.

  “Rick’s parents mentioned you were quite popular at your old school,” he began.

  “And I’m not now?” Autumn offered to which Mr. Garrison nodded.

  “For a lack of a better phrasing, sure.”

  “The truth is, I was,” Autumn said. “I was very popular and then I wasn’t. That’s how it works in high school. One day, you’re the epitome of popularity then one wrong move or social faux-pas, and you are cast away like a leper. That is why I have no interest in social climbing. I am quite content with the friends I have. No matter how badly I screw up, or how far down I fall, they will be there for me. They are loyal and that trumps popularity. I had to learn that the hard way.”