Divinity: The Gathering: Book One (5 page)

It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy college and ca
mpus life to an extent, but I wasn’t into that kind of stuff, and I really wasn’t into rock and roll, and the whole rave and frat party scene like China was. I swear, sometimes I wonder how it was that we even became friends in the first place since we initially couldn’t stand one another when we had first met as assigned roommates back in our freshman year. Nevertheless, we grew on each other and strange enough all of our quirky differences actually bonded us into BFF status.

  This year though, as sophomores, we vowed for more space and privacy. We joined finances to snag a two-bedroom apartment separate from the dorms even though it was still considered ‘on campus living’ since it wasn’t far from the University. China
was like a mother hen to me, self-proclaimed actually, given my life circumstances, and though it drove me crazy. I wouldn’t change a thing between us.

III: Starling:

P
rofessor Phillips’ office wasn’t that far from the auditorium where he taught. I had taken the scenic route and took my time at that on purpose.

This corridor wasn’t as busy, but it did maintain a steady flow of traffic since the student store slash textbook and supply store was a part of the cul-de-sac that merged with a row of small franchise eateries. Pizza hut, Subway and several coffee and bagel shops formed a diminutive food court before the set of steps and the extensive, wide corridor that housed a lengthy line of administration offices.

The smell of fresh roasted coffee beans was inviting, since it was chilly this morning now that fall had settled in. It made me debate stopping for a cup and taking even more time to finish it before knocking on his door. I would have if I didn’t want to get this over with. Why did I care anyway? If he didn’t like my paper, it was his opinion. I thought it was good. I put three weeks of research into it. Okay, maybe technically just a week.

I stopped in front of his closed office door, seeing him through the small rectangle of semi-obscure glass set above the door knob. He was sitting at his desk, on the phone when he saw me and bec
koned me to come in with the pen he held in his hand.

I hesitated at first, eyeing him to see if I could notice anything peculiar about his expression as I sighed and slowly turned the knob. He was ending his conversation once I stepped inside the warmth of his office. It was a typical, neat and orderly office. Nothing fancy
, but many of his degrees, certifications and pictures of his dog were tacked up on one wall that housed a waist high, long bookshelf lined with large bound volumes of encyclopedias and other numerous miscellaneous textbooks and literature. There were two dark-brown standard vinyl chairs placed in front of his plain cherry wood school issued desk, which was equally as tidy as the rest of the office. His orderly desk housed a computer, office phone, a stack of papers, clear report binders, a desk lamp and a small Styrofoam cup of coffee that was still steaming.

I recognized my ten-page essay b
eneath his elbow with several red marks on the first page alone and no grade so far, so maybe he really did want to discuss my paper. I guess I was just being paranoid. I relaxed a bit, still watching his face as he said good-bye to whoever was on the phone and then placed the receiver in its cradle.

“Miss Roberts, sit down please. Would you like some coffee?” he then offered.

I didn’t trust his tone even if it were slightly more pleasant than it had been during class. I shook my head no while slowly letting my backpack slide down my arm and catching it in my hand as I lowered myself into one of the chairs across from him.

He gave a wide smile that gave me a slight shiver, for some reason, “I’m glad you came; it shows you do have hope yet.” He then commented as he picked up my paper, opened the clear report cover and glazed over it for a moment.

I took that opportunity to carefully study him, to see if I could pick up anything that could be deemed...strange other than his usual façade since seeing that dark shadow disappeared into him during class.

So far, he was being decent so maybe it had left him after all.

“I find your thoughts and ideas fascinatingly unique, and it makes me wonder why in the world, you’re wasting your time and money with college.” He then commented as he set my paper down. He leaned back in his chair as it groaned, giving me that notorious perfunctory ‘professor gaze’ with his head tilted to the side, and his index finger poised under his chin.

I did a quick survey out of my periphery around the entire office actually, in case there were shadows still lingering in a corner or something.

I then looked at him quizzically for a moment, a bit taken aback by his accurate assessment of how I was truly feeling about being in any college period in contrast to the efforts and grades I actually made in his class.

Did my paper suck that badly or was he giving me a compliment?

“I don’t know what you mean. I thought I did well on my paper. I covered all the questions you posted…” I began to explain.

“No, your paper was fine. I gave you an A minus for a few sentence fragments. You in fact write quite well.” He waved and cut me off as he leaned forward and pulled a red pen from his pen holder. He opened the clear plastic report cover again; quickly scribbling an A with an abrupt slash next to it at the very top of the page and then slid my paper back over to me.

I was speechless as I glimpsed it and then reached to take it, not really caring about the notes he had written in the margins.

“Oh, thanks.” I said unsurely as I looked at him again.

He leaned forward and clasped his hands together, “You seem like a very intelligent young woman without a doubt, it’s reflected in your work, but I have to ask… is everything alright with you?” he then asked.

Again, I was taken off guard.

“Excuse me?” I furrowed my brows in question.

He leaned back in his chair again.

“You look a bit…overextended and lately you haven’t shown much interest or participation in active discussions. That counts as thirty percent of your overall grade, it was clear in the syllabus.” He then said.

I paused for a moment.

“There’s not much to add once several others have already covered what I would have said if that’s what you mean.” I answered.

“That’s not what I meant. For the past few weeks, it seems as if my lecturing has been keeping you awake. Normally, I wouldn’t even care whether you manage to take advantage and take notes or catch up on your beauty sleep during my class; it’s your own responsibility. After all, it’s your money and time wasted, not mine.” He began with a chastising flat grin.

“Okay, I get that. So, am I passing?” I then asked nonchalantly, quelling the irritation that I’m sure he could detect in my tone.

This time he seemed affronted, and he instantly frowned as he leaned forward, elbows folded on the desk.

At first, I figured that he was offended at my response, taking it as me being a smart-ass, and I admit that yes, I was being one. He had already taken his pot shot at making a fool of me in front of an audience, and I wasn’t about to let him do it again even if we were alone.

Suddenly, I instantly tensed seeing a flicker of shadow pass in the whites of his
eyes and then…there was no light in either of them anymore. They looked flat, like two light brown discs devoid of any kind of reflection. It was then that my skin began to crawl with the feeling of a thousand ant legs, my insides clenched with dread, my pulse quickening. He slowly grinned, “Passing yes…surviving, well that leaves much to question…” he hissed in a low whisper. His eerie eyes were intensely boring into mine as if trying to read my thoughts.

Though Professor Phillips was as charming as a three bean salad, he had never spoken disrespectfu
lly to me like this before, and I knew why now.

“Surviving college?” I asked slowly in a normal tone, careful not to show any kind of nervous reaction or fear to what I was seeing and hearing. Professor Phi
llips may be oblivious to the shadow that had taken up residence with and was now using him as a mouthpiece, but I wasn’t.

He chuckled, “College?” He bellowed with a short quipped laugh, “Not even close! We both know this is all irrelevant. There’s no need for you or anyone else for that matter, to be here at all.” He then rasped with glee.

Now this was getting creepy and serious I thought as I braced myself, feet planted firmly and backpack ready to hitch back up onto my shoulder as I scooted forward in the chair, about to stand.

“No you’re right actually…” I began as I slung my backpack over my shoulder and stood up with my paper in hand, “But I made a promise to someone special, and I don’t plan on giving up regardless, even if it is all for nothing.” I finished as I turned to leave.

I heard the wheels of his chair roll backwards quickly, and it made me jump in surprise as I spun around to face him. I was stunned to see him leaning over the desk on his hands, palms flat as he glared at me angrily. “We agree, but college isn’t the kind of survival we meant, it’s nothing compared to what comes. He wants you alive, and we won’t stop until he has you…Starling.” He said in the voice no longer his own. It was an ominous and malevolent tone. He sing-songed the pronunciation of my name in a teasing and mocking way almost the same way that dark angel in my dream had, and it made the tiny fine hairs on my arms stand on end because I had heard it before.

This was really scaring me now, and I swallowed hard, wincing because my mouth and throat had gone nearly bone dry, but I r
efused to show fear on my face. Not only was it the sound of his voice and what he said, but that he had even called me by my full name too. He wants me alive? Who was ‘He’? The dark angel?

Fear had me backing up to the door briskly while keeping my eyes on him. I reached a hand out behind me to feel for the door knob. “No point in running, you will never be able to escape or hide from us. It will benefit you to come willingly for he has no patience nor does he know any mercy!” He hissed with an evil grin, showing all of his teeth like some rabid Jack-o-lantern. This couldn’t be real. That’s what my brain kept assuring me over and over, but I knew it was. I felt the slick cool metal of the doorknob hit my palm as I closed my fingers around it tightly and turned, but it didn’t move. It was
apparently locked, but I hadn’t locked it…had I?

I
turned it harder, keeping my eyes on him while trying to maintain my calm as he continued to glare at me. A flicker of shadow passed behind both of his eyes again. It was still in him. The air in the office suddenly became heavy and oppressive with an invisible energy that weighed me down, and seemed to be literally draining energy from me. I felt hot, dizzy and nauseous as if I’d throw up at any moment. I thought of my parents, my grandmother and the disaster that took place back in Louisiana.

I had witnessed in helpless horror, all the masses of shadows  provoking, teasing and overta
king so many so easily yet they had been oddly unable to get remotely close to my grandmother and I. Alligators swarmed around our nearly sunken home and perched nearby for hours; someone had tried to shoot at us for God knew whatever reason— only to be attacked by one of those alligators, and rocks were thrown but nothing had ever hit us directly…none of it had worked then, and I’d be damned if I let any of those tactics work now.

I squared my shoulders, sucked in a breath and stood straighter, chunking my backpack and p
aper. I marched right back over and slammed my own hands, palms down on the top of his desk. He stayed his position firm as I leaned forward and looked up at him, directly into his lightless eyes with resolution and anger...looking for that shadow.

Just then, the expression on his face changed. He looked surprised though the malevolence still r
emained swirling and coiling within him.

“I’ve been waiting for the last fifteen years for you guys to do something, and if you could you would have by now. I’m not afraid of you so if you know I’m going to die or you guys are going to be
the ones to do it—, then bring it on because I’m not going anywhere with you, got it?” I stated firmly. I didn’t blink or waver as we stared each other down.

Professor Phillips snarled and in the next instance, his eyes rolled back so far in his head that only the whites shown. I jumped backwards and took a few steps towards the door, watching him. His large body trembled and he forcefully threw himself back into his chair. It slid backwards and hit the wall b
ehind him with a hard thunk that rattled the framed degrees and certificates that had been hanging, and then he was still.

He looked as if he were sound asleep. I watched in both awe and guarded fascin
ation as the haze of dark shadow poured out from his nostril, forming a cloud of churning shapes that slid up the wall above him and then slithered into the corner where the wall met ceiling. I waited to see what it would do as it seemed to sit, watch and wait for me to move or say something else.