CHAPTER THREE- THE START

MADISON

I woke up early in the morning since it was the first day of school, I was homeschooled for many years and this is my first time to socialize with a lot of people, with a lot of students.

Since I was the only one left in the house, then I should do things on my own. My mother, Minerva Zedler said to be always in her work and I don’t care of her excuses anymore, since the day she left me, she was already a stranger. The day after Father died and entrusted his mission to me, I clearly saw mother’s expression that was purely happiness.

I was confused with the expression she showed and didn’t got the time to ask anything about her and father, about her true feelings, and about our family. I checked the time in my phone and it is now currently 7am. I only got an hour left before classes starts.

I directly went to the bathroom and showered, what I just needed to wear was plain shirt, jeans and some rubber shoes since I still don’t have the school’s uniform. After doing my morning rituals, I hurriedly changed and wore my clothes and then fixed my hair. Since I didn’t know the location of my school, the only housemaid who took care of me already prepared everything for me beforehand.

Thank God that I got in the school on time, it was already 7:40 in the morning when I arrived in the school and saw a lot of students who were still in the corridors and was happily reunited with their classmates.  I watched the note that was in my phone where my schedule and room number was placed.

My room number was 304 and actually, the school is so big to find this room. Being in a big school never amuses me, because for me being in a prestigious school isn’t a big deal after all. The only thing that’s in my mind is about the mission, on how I’ll find the oracle and on how I’ll find the stonekepeer.

Damn, whenever I remember the day that the new prophecy was shown, it still makes me mad. If only I was on time, then I should’ve saw the keeper and oracle’s face.

I approached a student as she was walking behind me, “Hey, can I ask if you know where the room number 304 is located?” the girl looked at me in a few seconds before giving me a smile.

“Let’s just go together! Our room is located at the third floor,” She winked and answered me. I made a confused look at her as she suddenly clings herself into my arms. What’s the problem of this woman? Geez.

“What do you mean?” I asked still with a confused look.

“Isn’t it obvious? We’re classmates and now we are friends, okay?” the girl hyperly said as she still sticks herself to me. “Fine. Hm, how long have you been studying in this school?”

While walking in the second floor, I opened a topic in order for the atmosphere to not be silent and awkward. The girl faced me with a smiling face, another weird person.

“I was here since elementary. By the way, I am Sishy Caccini, how about you?” the Caccini girl stopped walking and waited for my response. I raised my eyebrow as a disapproval of her stopping in the middle of the hallway.

What’s the matter of this weird girl? Or is it really just normal for these students to do anything they please everywhere? Geez, everything’s just so new to me and I can’t actually just stand right here freely without getting introduced by this school and I was glad to meet this girl because surely, she will be so kind to do things for me.

“I’m Madison Forne, I am new to this kind of school and crowded areas, I was homeschooled since elementary.” We are already at the third floor and saw a long hallway and a lot of students who are doing their own businesses while others are looking at us. I saw the shocked reaction plastered on her face. God, it was priceless!

I have already planned that wherever I go, I will never bring our family’s last name. The cruel happenings wherein our family was the subject, was still fresh from other people’s mind and did carved deep from their hearts since the said “Lost Christmas” occurred.

The happening years ago was called by the people as “Lost Christmas”, I just happened to know it earlier since I didn’t ever go out from the house. It was rumored as Lost Christmas because a lot of people lost their loved ones and since that day, the essence of Christmas never went back. The memories of the people in Barangay Salvacion was still fresh, the pain that they felt brought them to who and what they are now.

But well, I don’t actually know how to care about their feelings since I didn’t experience any of those.

“By the way, why did you transferred here? They say homeschool is fun since you’re just in the house and don’t need to do anything so hassle. You ca—, “ the Caccini girl was suddenly interrupted with a loud ring of the bell. The speaker of the school’s AVR and a boy’s voice was clearly heard even here in the third floor.

“All students must be in the school’s gymnasium right now. This is an order from the Supreme Student Government’s President,” Sishy’s eyes widened and hysterically jumped as she heard the announcement. What the—

I was confused with what this Sishy girl showed, why is she so excited? After the announcement, she then faced me with a big smile. “Let’s go?” she grabbed my hands and we started running but then I suddenly stopped.

“What’s the matter?” she asked scratching her nape. I was sensing something; it was like a connection. I don’t know and I can’t classify what is that actual thing or person. I don’t know if it is one of my kind. She snapped her fingers in front of me and then I was back from spacing out.

“Hey!”

I looked at her and saw her puzzled expression. “I’m sorry for spacing out, something just popped inside my mind.”

“Hm… like what?” she asked and looked at her watch. “It is almost time! It is bad to be late for the Welcoming Program, the President will surely be mad,” I saw her stressingly paced back and forth.

“How about our bags?” I asked. Sishy sighed and rolled her eyes. Wow, what an attitude! “Fine, go and put it in the room first. See if it’s already open.” I turned back and started walking. Geez, I just needed to put my bag in the classroom, so why is she even in a rush? As I saw the classroom, the door was close so when I went near and twisted the doorknob and realized that Sishy was right, the door is locked.

I disappointedly walked back where Sishy is waiting and saw her annoyed face. “What?” she furiously asked. “Well I’m sorry but maybe we should go now.” It was actually embarrassing for me to act like I was right a while ago.

While walking, she spoke laughingly, “So I was right?” Now, it was me who showed an annoyed face. “What?” she continued laughing like it was really funny to be laughed at. “The door was locked right? How about your bag? Hahaha!”

I leered and then looked away and started to walk pass her, she giggles as she saw students entering the gym. “We’re on time!” she happily ran towards the entrance door of the gym.

Woah, it was very gigantic!  As we entered, a lot of students were walking around to find their seats. The bleachers were visible and saw the mini stage wherein there were tables placed and some students that are sitting on the chairs provided. Maybe they were what Sishy said as  the SSG? Sishy pointed at the side bleachers where the stage will be surely visible for us. She then started walking so I followed her. The sudden feeling hit me again and made me stopped from walking.

“Hey, you okay?” I was at it again, I suddenly spaced out as I felt this weird chills, this place gives me goosebumps. Geez…  “I’m fine, let’s go?” Sishy nodded and continued walking until we arrived in our seats.

As I roam my eyes around the school’s gym, I felt a lot of auras. It was said that if you are the successor of your ancestor’s genes, the strength from their blood would also be passed down to me. My ancestors were devotees of some devil or what others called as evil or demonic activities. It was never new to me, being called by people as the unlucky ones in the world.

When in fact, they were worse. They kill their own kind, they rob things, they do harassments and others are rebelled against their own God. People are hilarious! All along, they were the same as my family, they were one of us but just can’t accept it.

My heart suddenly beats fast as a man walked up to the mini stairs of the gym’s stage and directly went near the microphone to greet the students. “Good morning, dear students, especially to our transferees, I am Otis Hughes and I am your SSG President for this school year.”

The students started whispering and chitchatting, “Isn’t he hot, Maddy?” the girl beside me looked at me with admiration in her eyes. I then rolled my eyes with the expression she’s showing.

“He’s not even on fire, Sishy,” I seriously said and stared at this Otis boy. I can’t sense his aura, why’s that? “I didn’t mean about the literal one, Maddy.” She said in an irritated tone. This girl is funny, she easily gets mad and it enjoys me teasing her. Hahaha!

“Hey! What’s with that expression?” her eyebrows met as if she really wanted to know about the expression I’m showing. “Nothing, you’re just funny. That’s all, pft.” She then made a funny face so I just giggled and returned my attention to the said Welcoming Ceremony.

“Today, as we welcome our new students, free black cards for the cafeteria will be raffled. Black cards serve as a free coupon for students, for you to be discounted.” He got so many things said and I wasn’t really interested with any of it. The only thing that is bothering my mind was his simple stares being thrown at me.

What’s with him? Have we ever met before? The same feeling that I felt everytime our gaze met was felt again. I looked away and shrug those feelings and the thought that keeps on bothering me. Sishy held my hands and was totally shocked.

“What?” I asked, her eyes got big and her smiles was ear to ear. “Didn’t you saw it? He looked at our direction!” I know and he isn’t actually looking at any of you, he was surely looking at me. Did I do something wrong?

Until now, they were still not yet done with their business. I was back in reality when Sishy tapped my shoulder so I directly faced her. “You have been called, girl.” I was confused so I looked at the stage. “Madison Forne, are you present?”