Goodbye Normal (6 page)

When Liz walked to the door Zoe realized that the same observation went for her posture. Liz moved leisurely to the door, switched on the light then walked out.

 The light ray adjustment on to her eyes made her eye itch a little. Zoe walked foggily to the window, aligned the drapers to proper order then threw her blitzed body on the bed.

 She was not sure if she would make it through the stairs without help if she had gone with Liz.

In about 10 minutes Liz was back with a pizza box on her hand.

“Where did you get that?

“I ordered it in the car when coming from the beach”

“Why did he deliver it this late?”

“Because I told him to deliver it at this time, and I found it in the kitchen, the poor guy must have gone crazy knocking the door.”

 “I don’t fill hungry that really has to wait.”

“Neither do I.” Liz accorded dropping the box on the table. After Liz settled, it came to Zoe’s attention that her mother was not home yet, and it was getting darker.

“Where is your mom?” she wondered.

“She has organized a function in the art gallery, a lot of guest, so I guess it will take the whole night as usual” her voice didn’t sound as convincing as she wanted it to be. Her eyes were sad, and Zoe thought she had to change topic fast. Her relationship with Margaret has always been on the rocks, and that affected Liz very much. Liz only said something about their business when she couldn’t handle it alone. But she was always trying so hard to keep a smiling face and a- don’t care vibe.  

“Weeel this is what happened in the cabin with that jerk Josh.” she begun informing Liz who girl-fully lit up and curled on the couch attentively. 

“So I get in the cabin with Jean,-”

“Wait wait, is jean the guy Elvin was with?”

“Yes I guess, if Elvin is the guy Jean was with” they begun laughing stupidly. Then Zoe continued.

 “When we’re inside, we find him engrossed with two white chicks; one was a fake blond another was a brunette. He was busy making out with one while the other was making herself useful by caressing his body.”

“Woow.” Liz exclaimed.

“I know, at first I didn’t know if it was him. I was literally praying it was not him. So we let the shock seep in, absorbed the atmosphere for some seconds then Jean coughed. The threesome broke loose and that’s when I get slapped on the face. In my mind I was like, Shiit, what the hell! Seriously dude, this is how we meet again!

Liz laughed again this time harder.

“So while am still dazed, Jean goes out and leaves me alone to deal with the jerk ass. Josh comes towards me, his face so sure and abusively bold. It was just insolent, the way he was glaring at me, like undressing me with his gray eyes… Ooh my God Lizzy you cannot imagine how much I wanted to spit on his face…okay that’s extreme” She chortled then paused for breath, took a sip of her booze then continued.

“Anyway… he comes to me and then traces his finger on my jaw line. I yank it way so fast, already irritated. Then he goes like.

 Zoe imitated his voice “It’s okay honey.” “In my head am like honey? Really! I’ll be damned. Then he keeps talking “there is no need to get feisty so what can I do for you, or let me rephrase it, how can I do you…. And
that
got me to the edge.”

“He really said that?”

“Yeah he seriously did, but I Zoe, as cordial as I could get, apologized. I told him am sorry. There was a mistake and I turned to leave. Just a step forward, I feel his strong hand on my waist, here on my stomach.” she illustrated “I turned almost immediately not really thinking by then, I just snapped and slapped him so hard… I don’t know if it was the right move or not but I was feeling betrayed, mad and angry.”

“Oh my God that’s when I saw you, and I was gazing at him thinking he would react or something but the dude barely flinched, he just stood there like a robot.”

“You saw that right, he is so full of himself that promiscuous bastard.”

 “I can’t believe it.”

“It’s hard to, he has just changed to the worst.” she sighed.

“Weell…Enough of the jerks, let’s toast.” Liz promulgated as she poured more liquor into the glasses.

“Toast to what?” Zoe asked taking the glass from Liz.

“Let’s toast to boyfriendless, hot us, those are unlucky. jerks who. should not. Deserve. The heart of hot pretty girls.”

“Ok! To whatever that is.” Zoe laughed.

In the stillness of the aplomb night, when the sky showered Desolia with glittering rays of bright moonlight, Zoe and Liz were impinged upon a deep deathlike sleep. It was not the booze, definitely not fatigue and certainly not ordinary sleep. Tangled in the same ineluctable fate were thirty seven, eighteen year old girls, mysteriously accumulated from all around Doomsberg.

The unavoidable fate came upon them in a dream. A dream that felt too real to be just an ordinary dream. Without knowing, they were inadvertently experiencing the real, very much alive supernatural side of Doomsberg.

Inside a candle lit room, Zoe’s eyes were quiet opposite to what they should really be in real life. Though she was not quite certain if wherever she was at that particular time was anyhow substantial.

She turned her body aimlessly not able to control her anxiety. Her eyes roamed around uncontrollably, analyzing, probing and observing her mysterious surroundings. The place looked like an ancient castle of a sort.

It had thick stone walls. Its ceiling rose too high she could barely give an estimate. It was supported by extremely large pillars that were sculptured ornately encircling the spacious hall. The walls had large candles of a variety of colors lit upon them. Furthermore it had ancient looking chandeliers glowing from each sides of an equally large podium.

On the hall before the podium was an array of chairs organized in seven rows and columns.

Zoe looked around for any familiar face. Her eyes loitered from a girl with hospital robes, who looked like she would die if she was left standing there for another minute.  Another girl looked like a drunken whore, and another one looked like she would pee on her pants any minute. Some other interesting girl looked oddly calm with the situation. After few minutes of peering she saw a number of classmates. They had never been friendly to one another, but surprising enough a smile curved on her confused face.

Despite the unnerving environment, it was awkwardly relieving to see a face she knew. She observed that there was no one on sight to supervise the excited lot, hence decided to take matters into her hands and find some answers. Just after taking three steps towards her quest for answers, a pat on the shoulder brought her to a halt.

She gasped after turning and seeing Liz smiling at her.

They hugged desperately, clinging to each other’s arms as if they would never let go, which they did eventually.

“What are we doing here, first is this even real? How did we get here, you still have the same clothes we were wearing when we passed out.” Liz puffed, her voice spiced with tension.

“I wanted to ask the exact questions, I also saw Rachael, big Suzzy, Mercy, Gabriella.” What is going on?” Zoe questioned her back while breathing unevenly.

“Yes I saw them too and some more others, Dear God! What is this place?”

“Welcome, welcome.” a strong alto voice echoed in the big hall. Clacking footsteps   preceded a mid aged white woman on a black cloak with short red hair. “Welcome my darling girls, come forward, don’t be frightened, come forward everybody and have your seats.” The redhead urged kindly.

“I know you have lots of questions, they will be answered in a short while. All I need you to do is to put on those robes, the ones neatly placed on each chair.” She said as she showed them the robes.

A tough looking black girl blurted out. “And if I don’t? Watchu gon do huh.” everything went dead silent. All their head turned to the large haired woman, with eager faces waiting for her reply.

The woman’s face was calm and friendly, but her voice was icy cold. “It’s quite simple actually. If you are not obedient to all my simple orders, you will never see your families again. The same way we managed to have your undivided attention right now, Is the same way we will take your bodies, and no one will ever know where you are. Mind you, this is night time, lots of evil are said to happen during the night. Am not trying to scare you, am just urging you to play your parts and we will all be good friends for the short time will spend together.” she smiled to her sarcastic words.

The short threat gearing speech took all their feet matching forward to their seats. Zoe and Liz held on to each other, their hearts thundering with frantic speeds.

After they wore their distinguishing black robes, they all ensconced to their seats.

Virtually, all the girls secretly wished that it was just a very very bad dream.

“Please forgive my manners. My name is Maydith Fairgood. I am the current secretary of Doomsberg association of witchery.” said the redhead.

With that short declaration, there were a good number of jolts, gasps and fear washing through the dashed bunch. Zoe swallowed hard and felt her hands getting damp. What is this, she thought.
Could it be a dream? It has to be a dream. This must be a terribly ridiculous dream
. She shot a glance at Liz, her eyes were glittering with tears. A big tear rolled down her pallid cheek and she immediately rubbed it away with shaking hands. Putting aside her own fears she rubbed her dump palm on her rob and placed it on top of Liz shaking hands.

“We are going to be fine…you heard her, she said if we behave and follow orders we will go back home safe. Okay?” she consoled but her voice was filled uncertainty.

Liz just glanced at her.

And she understood her silence, there was no way she could tell how that night would end. It was a stupid consolation but she somewhat felt that Liz needed it anyhow.

“I hope you are bright enough to remain docile, the other council members will be with us shortly.” Maydith instructed calmly.

A few seconds later, a group of young women wrapped in maroon robes came matching uniformly to where the girls were seated. They all had funny looking wooden bowls on their hands. Each one sat on the last chair of each row.

Sequentially, another distinctive group of five individuals darted smoothly to the chairs arranged on the podium. These groups were entering from a large chivalric back door of the hall.

Maydith was murmuring something to a bold headed man who looked like the leader of the coven. His rob was decorated differently from all the others.

Zoe’s eyes narrowed, the man’s face looked familiar. But she shook her head, forcing to convince herself otherwise. Could it be possible she knew a witch? She wondered. Then she decided against it. He probably just looked like someone she knew.

Liz saw the confusion on her face.

“Hey what is it?” she whispered.

“Have you ever seen the bold headed man?” Zoe murmured.

A Latina girl in front of them turned briefly to them with an accusing glance. Liz rolled her eyes at her head.

Liz mouthed “You read my mind.”

Zoe’s face twitched while her head stained to fit in the puzzle. The current environment was making it impossible to concentrate on retrieving her memory.

Maydith walked back to her position, in between the podium and the girls. She cleared her throat then composed herself by rearranging her cloak.

“I believe all the significant members of this occasion are present, and this sacred ceremony can now commence.”

The entire assembly consisted of a few people, the projection itself wasn’t as crucial. A thin man from the front desk interrupted Maydith. 

“You are forgetting an important element of this assembly Maydith. I cannot see the Revelation Bowl.”    

Zoe’s face grimaced; she tightened her grip on Liz.

“Oh, yes, yes, if you’ll excuse me please, this will only take a second.” Maydith said and stretched her hands to the far end of the hall. Superstitiously, a golden cauldron supported by a long red upholstered stool was teleported over in front of her by the power of her hands. Shock was an understatement to the faces displayed by the young girls around the room. Liz’s eyes never wavered until then. She turned her to face Zoe, her entire face drained of blood. She just stared at her for a grim second then restored her concentration.

Maydith also pulled a chair using her magical strength to where she was and the bold headed man stood up.

“Welcome everybody. My name is Juven Longwood. I am the chairperson of Doomsberg Association of Witchery. This is the 186
^th
search for the sacred oracle of the Channeler. Before Maydith explains further, I’d like to introduce the members with me on the front desk.

“Beside me” Mr. Longwood bellowed, his voice commanded authority as he placed his palm on the shoulder of a serious looking man who wore spectacles supported by a crocked nose. “Is Seth Krukton, he is deputy in command, and this one on my right is Moosemond Colam, he may be small but he’s extremely gifted. He is the one responsible for all your well-being’s this night. His teleportation skills never seize to amaze me. The young lady after Mr. Krukton is Gigi Turnpod; she is responsible for the all young female wizards. And last but not least is Fred Colam,” he was the thin man that had interrupted Maydith initially. “He is responsible for the male wizards…thank you very much. Maydith you may resume your duties.”

“Young ladies of Doomsberg,” Maydith began. “We are forced to intervene your precious night because this sermon is worth more than your sleep.           This is an important tradition, precious to the Sorcerers of Doomsberg. The very same procedure is exercised every year in this very day at this very place. Your mothers, sisters, cousins and grandmothers even I have ever sat on those chairs, scared and confused beyond imagination wondering what is going on.

“You may question yourselves, debate among each other, why is it that this is unprecedented to your ears. Well am happy to say that the reason behind is that, only those who are gifted with witchcraft in this town, are the only ones who will remember this night. For the rest of you this will only be a dreamless night with a reward of a heavy sleepy head.