by Emmy Oakes
Chapter Three.
“Breakfast!” Cynthia’s voice was loud and too cheerful for seven in the morning. Alexia growled under her covers. She didn’t want to get up and she didn’t feel like going to school.
“Just a few more min-” Alexia fell back to sleep before she could finish her sentence. The next thing she knew there was a banging on her bedroom door.
“Didn’t you hear me, Alexia? Breakfast is ready! I made pancakes.” Cynthia wasn’t going away.
“For god’s sake,” Alexia muttered under her breath. “I don’t feel well,” she finally yelled back.
“What’s wrong?” Cynthia called out. Alexia wished she would just open the door so she didn’t have to yell.
“I dunno, just don’t feel good.”
“Do you need to stay home?” The yelling continued.
“I think so.”
“Okay, let me know if you need to go to a doctor.”
“No, just need rest.” She couldn’t hide the irritation in her voice.
“Okay, I’ll put your pancakes in the oven,” Cynthia yelled again. Alexia waited silently, the noise had stopped, her mother had finally left her alone.
“Peace and quiet.” Alexia smiled as her heavy eyelids closed and she went straight back to sleep.
Something woke Alexia. She looked at her alarm clock and saw it was now ten in the morning. “Who’s there?” Alexia called out in the darkness. She got out of bed and opened the curtains letting sunlight spill in through the large window. The room was empty. Feeling silly, Alexia shook her head and marched into the bathroom to shower and dress for school. She had just remembered that she had to hand in her art project today after lunch. Besides she was feeling better anyway.
Deciding not to bike today she walked to school at a steady. Occasionally she would look behind her feeling suspicious.
When she arrived at school she was too late for English so she decided to wait in the library until lunch.
The Falls High library was different to other libraries that Alexia had visited. There were no rules about being quiet and the walls were painted bright red and orange with large televisions hanging from them that broadcast the school’s new channel. Of course there was a quiet section near the back of the library but most students knew that if they wanted peace and quiet they probably wouldn’t find it here.
Beck Knowles was a somewhat quirky librarian who didn’t wear glasses and wasn’t old enough to give a detailed eyewitness account on the first world war. Beck greeted Alexia warmly as she entered the thick double doors. She had a blond deadlock wrapped around a long finger and was inspecting it closely. With a raised eyebrow Alexia walked up to the desk. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Oh, well I was reading a article before that said you can get maggots in your dreadlocks.”
“Gross. I think you’re safe though, I can’t see anything moving up there,” Alexia said looking at the top of the concerned librarian’s head.
“Oh yeah I’m not worried. I saw a fly before, I’m just checking for eggs.”
“Right,” Alexia said awkwardly. “Oh no.”
“What is it?” Beck sounded excited.
“That’s my English teacher, I’m kinda skipping class.”
“Oh yeah I thought that’s why you were here. She brought your class down here to read.”
“Great. Well you didn’t see me okay.” Alexia ducked off toward the back of the library taking care not to let her English teacher spot her.
One of the light bulbs was out making it darker than usual in the quiet part of the library. Alexia made a mental note to inform Beck about the blown bulb and chose a comfy chair in a corner. She dove into her bag and searched for a tattered novel she had been trying to read for weeks for an English assignment but hadn’t been able to find the time.
After trying to read for ten minutes Alexia finally gave up. There were too many thoughts squirming around in her mind. What happened to her bike yesterday? Who’s blood was in that envelope? One question bothered her the most. Had she really imagined it?
A sharp chill sent a shiver down Alexia’s spine. She dropped the book onto the floor and sat up straight. Her eyes scanned the room nervously and stopped on Price Delany. He was staring right at her and steadily walking toward her. His lips were curled into a sinister smile that wouldn't look out of place on a murderous clown.
“Alexia Martin.” His lips didn’t move as he talked. The same dark smile was plastered to his mouth.
“Wh-what do you want?” Alexia stammered.
“By now you must have heard about me and Karla.” Price stood there ominously. Alexia bit her lip.
“Yes. I’m very sorry, Price. Look I don’t know what she told you but I had nothing to do with her breaking up with you.”
“How do you figure that? You told her that she could do better,” Price growled showing his teeth. Alexia couldn’t help but be reminded of a rabid dog. Price lunged toward Alexia and pulled her out of her chair. She gasped out loud.
“Price, stop it!” Alexia smacked him roughly in the face, he didn’t seem to notice.
“We are made for each other! You had no right to interfere!” Price pushed her against a bookcase sending hard covered books flying onto the ground narrowly missing her head. Before she knew it Price had his hands clasped firmly around her neck. “You will tell Karla that you made a mistake or I will kill…” Price stopped talking. His eyes had grown wider than hubcaps. A small fire had emerged from his back pocket and was spreading all over his body. Alexia had her eyes firmly closed and was concentrating on the golden lighter that she knew Price kept in his pocket. Screams bellowed out of Price’s mouth alerting other students in the library.
Price let go of Alexia’s neck breaking her concentration. The flames disappeared but he was still screaming in agony. He fell to the ground and passed out due to the immense pain. Alexia could swear she saw a black shadow pass over Price’s limp body. She shrugged it off thinking it must be a trick of the light.
Price’s clothes had melted to his skin. Tears streamed down Alexia’s face as she checked Price’s pulse. Satisfied he was still alive Alexia let out a sigh of relief. A few students ran up toward Alexia. A girl named Tina screamed in terror at the sight of Price lying on the ground. Alexia mustered up enough strength to talk.
“Please, call an ambulance. He caught on fire. I think his lighter exploded,” Alexia said. She tried to convincer herself this was true. There was no other explanation she thought. His lighter exploded. That was all.