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a jar of secrets
02 | warning

"So are you thinking the dark red, rich purple or black?"

I blink as I come to again, trying to refocus on the question Liv has just asked me.

"For what?" I ask totally confused on what we had been currently discussing before my head had really started to hurt again. I think I'm getting either a really bad headache or my brain is growing, kinda hoping it's the second cause who wouldn't want a bigger brain.

"For the masquerade ball at the end of the year, duh!" Liv reminds me looking over worriedly. I currently have my head rested against my knees hoping the intense pain would stop, it's been like this since second period. "Are you okay Seph?"

I forgot about the whole masquerade thing happening at the end of the year, it was to mark the last night of year twelve here at Misty Hallows after all exams were finished and we wait to hear back from our chosen colleges.

"It's just this damn headache, it won't go away." I admit groaning as I bring my head back up to look across at her.

"Do you need a Tylenol or something, I have some in my bag," she offers pulling her bright yellow school bag over to her and looks through it.

"Thanks," I mumble taking the long white tablet and shallow it with a mouthful of water. "So where's Ethan anyways?" I ask her looking around the field.

The jocks are all outside on the field in their groups and playing different sports, the cheerleaders were not far from them practicing their cheers but mostly just checking the guys out and the rest of us normal people are just hanging around in our small groups getting the most out of the sun.

"Lunch detention," Liv sighs as she zips her bag back up.

"Really? What'd he do?" Usually it'd be me who was the one in detention and not Ethan or Liv, it was my temper that always got me into trouble and my smart-ass mouth.

Liv shrugs as she turns her attention back to the magazine in front of her on the grass.

"What do you think of this one?" she asks pointing out a bright yellow dress with puffy sleeves.

"You're kidding me, right?" I protest looking over at the hideous dress.

"Of course I am!" Liv exclaims laughing. "I don't want that, it's not puffy enough for me," she adds in a serious voice making me laugh.

Unlike my friend over there who seemed to go for all the crazy designs, I tend to stick to the more simple styles in dark colours. I feel sorry for poor Ethan who will most likely be rocking up in a bright yellow suit or mask to match.

"What do you think they're going to tell you?" Liv asks, still flipping through the pages. Honestly I've been wondering the same thing myself.

"I don't know.." I admit biting my lip as I lay down on the grassed area. The sun is shining brightly above us and I smile as the warmth reaches my face.

"Do you think it'll be about your parents? Like maybe the guys have been in contact with them and they want to see-"

"I doubt it, they left their child by herself in an abandoned park Liv," I remind her rolling my eyes at the faint memory. "And even if they did want to see me, I wouldn't want to see them."

"Wouldn't you though? I mean you'd finally find out who they are-"

"Nah they left me Liv, what kind of parents do that to their own kid.." I mumble about to try and steer the conversation somewhere else when suddenly there's a clash of thunder above us.

"What the hell!" Liv cries jumping up and shoving the magazine back into her bag. "It was legit sunny two seconds ago!" she cries annoyed as big fate droplets of rain start to fall.

I watch as my friend grabs her bag and holds it above her head, waiting for me to hurry so we can rush back to the school building before ending up completely soaked. I notice other kids around us are running for cover too, slipping and sliding on the muddy ground.

"Stupid Misty Hollows weather..." I grumble under my breath as I get up wiping myself down before leaning down to grab my bag but just as my fingers wrap around the strap, I get a sudden jolt.

"I'm taking you somewhere you will be safe."

I realise with a start that it's the same voice from the person in my dream, a lady who had been dragging me away from the shadows.

But this time I wasn't replaying the scene I've came to known off by heart, it's a different one.

"But I want to stay with my friend mummy, please!" The young girl begs as she turns her head full of blonde curls to look behind her. "He's very nice and he wanted to play with me."

The older lady stops suddenly and gets down on her knees in front of the girl, taking her hands in hers.

"Listen to me child," the women pleads in a loud voice so she could be heard over the thunder and gusts of winds swirling around them. "He is a very dangerous man and he will kill you, do you understand?"

The young girl looks up into the woman's eyes, her slightly blue lips trembling as her frightened hazel eyes finally understand the woman's warning.

"Seph? Seph?" A loud voice cries breaking my connection with the dream.

I open my eyes to see that I'm still exactly where I had been before whatever just happened, my fingers wrapped around the bag strap.

"Are you okay?" Liv asks worriedly as the rain comes down harder around us. "You kinda just zoned out there for a minute," she explains, watching me closely.

"Uh yeah.." I find myself saying as I throw the bag over my shoulder. "Just felt a little dizzy," I lie as we both start running towards the school entrance where other students were crowding around.

What the hell was that?

"Over here girls!" Ethan yells waving us over when we spot him standing near our lockers as we come inside the building.

"That was so weird!" I overhear Mandy, a girl in my history class say to one of her friends as Liv and I make our way over to Ethan. "It just came out of nowhere."

"Yeah it was completely sunny outside a minute ago," another voice insists sounding just as confused.

"Weird huh?" Ethan says as we come to stand beside him. Liv agrees with him before going in for a hug, Ethan wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head in comfort.

"Don't worry students it is just a little bit of thunder and rain, don't panic!" Our headmaster Mr Daniel tells us as he comes down the main hallway where most of the kids were hanging about.

"You know the weather here, sunny one minute and rain the next," Mrs Reed adds coming up behind him, a tight smile on her face.

"Yeah but it never changes that quickly," Liv whispers to the three of us as we watch a few other teachers try and calm the students.

"Hey Seph you're looking a little pale, you alright?" Ethan asks making Liv look over at me as well.

I'm trying to take a few deep breaths but it feels like my lungs are caving in. I try to shake my head but I can't even manage that as the pounding in my head gets more intense by the minute.

"Mr Daniels!" I hear someone shout out behind us somewhere. "I think John's been struck by lightning!"

"Seph?" I hear Liv call out to me, before turning around to go and fetch a teacher.

"Maybe you should sit down?" Ethan suggests to me.

I want to but the white dots are clouding my vision now and I can no longer see anything nor hear the cries of other students as the lights above flicker out.

My heart races as panic begins to really set in, am I dying? or is this fainting? cause either way I don't like the feeling.

"Catch me..." I whisper.

But it's too late and I go crashing down.

❦

I stir to the hushed voices talking around me, someone sounding confused while the other seems beyond freaked.

"I just had the weirdest dream.." I mumble opening my eyes to see Liv and Ethan turn to face me, surprised to see me awake. "There was this lightening and rain, someone said John had been struck by lightning and-" I trail off as I see the matching grim looks on both their faces.

"It wasn't a dream sweetie," Liv tells me softly glancing over towards her boyfriend. "John was struck by lightning and is in the hospital," she goes on to tell me sadly.

"And the school's been closed for the rest of the week so they can do repairs," Ethan adds in as I realise I'm no longer at the school but instead home on the couch.

"How did I get here?" I ask trying to remember what happened. "And what the hell happened?"

"It was a freak storm that came out of nowhere, the school's power went out and some windows were smashed even the lights went out."

"And Mr Daniels called everyone's parents to take them home but Ash nor Pat answered their phones so we drove you here after you fainted," Ethan explains running his fingers through his hair.

"Wait, they both didn't answer their phones?"

Huh that was weird, they always answer their phones especially if it's from me or the school.

Liv shakes her head before coming over to stand in front of me, tears in her eyes.

"We're sorry that your birthday sucked," she tells me crying. "Stupid thunderstorms!"

"It's okay guys, I had a pretty good day until then," I try to lighten the mood smiling at her. "And I loved the gifts, thank you."

Liv had brought me a new pair of sexy boots which I couldn't wait to try on and Ethan got me a book on mythology cause he knows how much I like it.

"Well I should probably get you home," Ethan says referring to Liv. "We don't want to make your parents worried too, they've probably heard about it already."

I pull her into a tight bear hug, making sure to wipe her tears away first before she takes her boyfriends outstretched hand.

"We'll come back first thing in the morning okay?" Liv promises me.

"I hope you feel better soon, I did catch you before you hit your head so you should be good with some rest and lots of water," Ethan adds with a smirk.

I roll my eyes.

"Thanks you two, I'll see you guys tomorrow." I say waving as they head out the door, closing it behind them.

"What a weird day!" I mumble to myself as I make my way over to the kitchen as my stomach is growling like crazy.

First the feeling of being watched this morning, then the headache that won't go away and let's not forget that new dream thing that also happened before the sudden storm.

As I go past the windows in the lounge, I notice that it's getting quite dark out and there's still the tell tale signs of more bad weather to come.

The clock reads 18:00 on the microwave as I look around for a sign of a note left anywhere. The guys never let me stay at the house by myself alone, one of them was always with me so I find it odd that they're not home and didn't answer their phones.

Ten minutes later and I still haven't found a note so I give up and try calling them myself.

"Hey this is Patrick. I can't answer your call at the moment but please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can." Beep.

"Hey Pat it's just me, was wondering where you guys are and what time you're coming home? Call me."

I then try Ash's.

"Hey this is Ash-"

"Ash where are you-"

I hear him laughing and I groan as I realise what's happening.

"Ha sike! I'm actually not available right now-"

"Or ever cause he's mine," Patrick yells in the background.

"Shut up babe I'm trying to do my-" Beep.

"Hey Ash, I just tried calling Pat but he didn't pick up either. Was just wondering where you guys are and when you're coming home? Something really weird is going on and-" beep.

Sighing I put the house phone back up onto the hook, well let's hope they check their phones asap. While I'm in the kitchen, I decide I may as well try my luck with finding something to eat.

They were probably just working late or something but still it's weird they didn't leave a note or answer any of the calls.

I end up finding a packet of Mac and Cheese in the bottom cupboard and a pot for me to use. I sit the items on the counter beside me as I lean back down to close the cupboard.

Crash.

I jump at the sudden noise in the relatively quiet house.

What the hell was that?

It sounds like it's coming from outside so taking a deep breath I walk over to the kitchen window and fling the curtains open.

"Ahh!" I scream. And scream and scream until I realise what I'm actually seeing in front of me.

There sitting on our garbage bin, the mental lid laying on the ground which is the thing that must have made the noise, is a medium sized alley cat with his head inside the bin searching for leftovers.

"You scared me little guy." I cry bringing my hand up to rest over my heart, trying to calm the frantic beating.

The cat must have somehow heard me or sensed that I was watching because it picked it's head up and turned to look over at me, it's green eyes sparkly in the moonlight.

"You shouldn't be outside at this time, you should be home sitting on your owners lap. It's probably going to rain again soon."

And maybe you're going crazy because you're talking to a cat through the kitchen window.

I groan, shaking my head as I turn the tap on filling the pot with hot water.

"Meow."

I look up and out the window again, spotting the cat jump down from the bin and turn its head to look at me. And I know this sounds crazy but I think it just smiled at me.

I rub my eyes as the cat then continues on down the side alley and out onto the street.

"I must have hit my head harder than I thought," I tell myself laughing.

As I'm waiting for the water to boil, I go upstairs to change into my pyjamas and come back down turning the tv on to one of the music channels on my way through.

'Thunder, feel the thunder
Lightning and the thunder
Thunder, thunder
Thunder'

Wow I thought, how fitting for today.

I make sure the front door is locked first before coming back to check on the water. It still isn't ready just yet so I decide I may as well start closing the curtains, I'm onto the last one in the room when I notice something odd.

All the neighbours in the street are pretty young so lights don't usually go off until way past midnight but here it is nearly seven o'clock and not only is it dead quiet but one by one the houses along the street go dark.

"Huh!" I mumble watching as they flick out one after the other, five seconds in between.

It actually looks pretty spooky as they've all timed it perfectly but it is still months away till Halloween so it doesn't make any sense.

I jump back suddenly when the streetlight outside my house goes off, plunging the street into utter darkness.

A scream echoes outside, closely followed by another.

Something tells me this isn't a part of the show anymore.