The Dormant: The 5 Goddesses

Episode 3: New Beginnings

Eighteen years later

18 years later

~Charlotte~

¨Ring, Ring, wake up baby nice and shakey, hey, hey.¨ The radio blared, disturbing my peaceful morning slumber. Groaning, I pouted as I realized it wasn't even seven am yet, and the sun was already glaring at my eyes. The radio DJ's cheerful voice announced, "This one is for all those young people who are starting their last first day of school."

Sitting up reluctantly, I couldn't help but mumble to myself, "Finally." But then, my excitement quickly faded, and I started arguing with myself, "But it's the first day; nothing interesting or important is going to happen."

¨ Her name is Noelle. I have a dream about her. She rings my bell. I got gym class in half an hour.¨ The song lyrics started playing on the radio, and I couldn't help but express my frustration, "You... Got… To… Be… Kidding." I grabbed a giant pillow, trying to muffle the noise, wishing for the radio to stop. As I attempted to reach for the radio to turn it off, I ended up losing my balance and fell to the ground with a thump. "Cause I'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby," I sighed, feeling defeated. ¨Happy first last day of school, Charly.¨

After finally managing to silence the radio, I opened one eye, only to be blinded by the sun shining directly at it. "Ouch!" I exclaimed, rubbing my eyes and trying to get up. I climbed back onto my bed, put on my glasses.

Yawning and stretching, I mumbled half-awakened thoughts, "Last year of high school." As I got ready, my little brother Patrick and our pit bull, Porkchop, barged into my room, causing a little chaos.

She had grabbed his jeans and was pulling them off. He struggled to catch his words while yanking the piece of clothing from its mouth. Porkchop was barking loudly, and he had to scream over her sounds. ¨Mom says if you are not down in five, there's no breakfast for you!¨

Porkchop continued her incessant bark, and both my baby brother and I screamed at her. ¨Shut up!¨ Whining, she exited the room. Soon you could hear her paws going down the stairs running.

"Okay, I'll be down in just one second," I reassured Patrick, still lost in thought as I stared at my closet. "Dad needs to take your car to the mechanics today, so we'll have to ride the bus."

"Damn it! I forgot my car," I muttered, realizing that it had been over a year since I got my driver's license and took on the responsibility of carpooling the girls and me to school.

"Damn it! I forgot to tell Poppy and Danielle that I wouldn't be able to pick them up today," I added, feeling guilty for not informing my friends earlier.

"Okay, I'll move it," I told Patrick, gesturing for him to leave my room. He stood in front of me, stomping his foot in excitement. "I promise, dude," I quickly added, while shooing him out of my room with my arms. I tossed a pillow at him, which landed beside him. He looked at it, shaking his head, then looked back at me. ¨Don't shoot the messenger.¨ He turned his back, leaving my room.

It was Patrick's first year in high school, and he was thrilled about this new chapter in his life. I closed the door behind him and took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. The day was just starting, and it was already filled with unexpected twists and turns. But I knew that with my friends by my side, we could handle anything that came our way.

I grabbed my phone and called the girls. The first one, Danielle. ¨Danny, the car is broken can't get to you today. See you at school?¨ Hearing groaning from the other side of the phone, I shifted the phone to my other ear. Soon, a question followed. ¨What have you run over now, Charly?¨ I felt hurt at her assumption.

¨Nothing I've been a perfect angel. All my license's points are intact.¨ My eyes started to dart back and forth at the mention of my poor driving skills. ¨I don't believe you, Charly. Either way, I'll ask my mom. If not, I'll see you at school.¨

Next Poppy. ¨Pops, the car is damaged. Can't take us to school.¨ I could hear her shuffling stuff from the other side of the line. ¨Yes, I know, I heard John saying it last night before I left.¨ I grinned. It always strikes me as odd how she casually calls everyone on a first-name basis. I still can't call her parents anything but Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. ¨Well, see you in 15 outside?¨ I asked. ¨Sure you do you, sexy.¨ She hanged the phone.

After a quick shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of the mirror, examining my reflection. At five ft eight, I knew I was taller than average, but it was something I had grown used to over the years. My skin had a fair complexion, and I noticed some freckles on my shoulders, evidence of my sunbathing adventures.

I admired my body, which had nice curves that I felt confident about. Most of my weight seemed to be concentrated in my chest area, which sometimes made it a bit challenging to find the perfect outfit. Nevertheless, I embraced my figure and learned to love myself just as I was.

My button nose and full pink lips added to my overall features, and my hair was one of my proudest assets. It cascaded down my head in golden waves, reaching just above my lower back. I loved my hair and spent quite some time taking care of it to keep it healthy and shiny.

However, my most treasured feature was undoubtedly my eyes. They were a fascinating kaleidoscope of colors, resembling a beautiful rainbow. But as much as I loved their uniqueness, they also came with challenges. An unknown ancestor passed down a genetic condition called strabismus and depth perception issues, making it difficult for me to perceive depth accurately. It caused me to feel dizzy and disoriented at times.

Thankfully, I eventually got prescribed glasses, and they significantly improved my vision and reduced the dizziness. While I initially felt self-conscious about wearing them, I came to realize that they were just a part of who I was, and I embraced them as a part of my identity.

With a final glance in the mirror, I adjusted my glasses, feeling grateful for all the things that made me unique. I took pride in my appearance, not just for how I looked, but also for the person I was becoming – confident, resilient, and unafraid to face the challenges that life threw my way.

Shuffling through my closet, I soon found my favorite washed-up jeans and paired them with a green off-shoulder t-shirt. I looked in the mirror and said, ¨Damn girl, you are fine.¨ While making shot signs with my fingers. ¨Now a little bit of mascara and a little bit of lip gloss, ¨ I applied the makeup on my face.

I stood in front of the mirror for a solid minute, just moving my hair up and down. ¨Should I wear my hair up or down?¨ I mindlessly said to myself while playing with my hair. ¨Down! and move it, Charly, we are already late.¨ Patrick shouted while running down the stairs. ¨Up¨ Finally making up my mind while tying it in a high ponytail. I grabbed my bag, and my phone went out of my room and slid down the handrail.

As soon as I stepped into the foyer, my mom's voice sounded on my back. ¨Young lady, aren't you going to say hi to your mom.¨ ¨Hi mom, good morning.¨ I turned to look at mom, kissing her on her cheek. She squeezed her eyes and gave me a concerned look. ¨Are you not going to eat some breakfast, sweetie ?¨

Taking a look at my watch, I shook my head at her. ¨No time.¨ I replied. ¨Well you need to eat something at school to pass your pill. Remember its harmful drinking those with an empty stomach.¨ I heard her say while exiting my house and feeling her disapproving look, making a hole on my back. ¨ I'll have something from the machine, don't worry.¨ I said while glancing back.

As I stepped outside of my house, the wind suddenly hit me. The weather was starting to cool down, and I thought about going back to get my jacket. Before I could, Poppy stood beside me, handing me a coat. ¨It's going to get chilly, and you probably forgot yours.¨ ¨Oh that's so sweet.¨

I made ogling eyes at her while I pushed my lips down to kiss her. ¨Don't push it.¨ She scowled and said. ¨I found that one at the dollar store. No way in hell am I giving you any of my good ones. Last time your tallness stretched my favorite one.¨ Then motioned all of me with her hands.

Poppy was a little munchkin at five, two. She was redheaded with green eyes and red lips. She could be tiny and looked like a Disney princess, but she was incredibly smart. Soon, we were planning to go to Dartmouth or Columbia together.

We started walking towards the bus stop, our footsteps crunching on the fallen leaves scattered along the sidewalk. The trees were beginning to display their vibrant autumn colors, and the air held that crisp feeling that signaled the arrival of a new season.

"So, are you excited for this last first day of school?" Poppy asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Excited and nervous," I admitted. "It's the last year of high school, and there's so much ahead of us. College applications, big decisions to make, and the uncertainty of what comes next. But I'm also looking forward to making the most of our time together before we go our separate ways from Danny. She will probably get into Florida State."

"You heard from Danny?" Poppy asked eagerly.

"Oh, I think she will ask one of her teammates to take her. She said she'd see us at school," I replied as we began walking up the street toward the bus stop. As we made our way, Patrick ran past us, full of excitement for his first day of high school – a rude awakening awaited him.

We patiently waited for a few minutes on the corner for the bus to arrive. Finally, our ride pulled up to our stop, and we climbed aboard. Once seated, Poppy turned to me and asked, "When do you think you're getting your car back, Charly?" I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and responded, "Maybe tomorrow."

Seizing the opportunity, Poppy cheerfully suggested, "Well, I guess I better stay with you tonight, so I can wake you up extra early tomorrow, don't you think?" Considering her proposal, I smiled and agreed, "Sure, but let's invite Danny too, so we can have a fun sleepover together."

As we arrived at school and the bus entered the parking lot, we spotted Danny engrossed in her phone. Stepping off the bus, a gust of wind hit me, making me realize the chill in the air. "I think I'll take you up on that dollar store hoodie offer after all," I mentioned to Poppy. She grinned knowingly and handed it to me. Wrapped in the warm hoodie, we walked across the parking area, and Poppy called out, "Hey Danny, how's the wind treating you?" startling Danielle in the process.

Danielle, standing at an impressive 5'11", was a remarkably tall girl with beautiful brown skin and hazel eyes. She was an exceptional athlete, excelling in both varsity volleyball and basketball. Compared to Poppy and me, she looked like a towering figure.

In the past, before making it onto the volleyball team, Danielle had endured teasing from the popular kids, who would mockingly call her a "stick figure." However, after joining the team, she had flourished and developed into her own, showcasing a feminine yet athletic physique that demanded respect.

"Hi little critters," she patronized, tapping both Poppy and me on the heads. "Heard you had to ride the bus. Hope you two held hands the whole time," she added, trying to provoke us. Poppy smirked and raised an eyebrow, replying, "You know I could never get lost; I'm way too smart. Oh, shoot! Yeah, I forgot Miss Perception Glasses over here can drive us off a bridge," she said, playfully teasing me.

Batting my eyelashes, I retorted, "Not my fault. Beautiful eyes like mine must be encased, and besides, why am I getting dragged into this? It's not my fault I get to be the trio's grown-up and have the only car." I playfully toyed with my glasses before looking up at them. "You broke your car," they both said at the same time, making us laugh.

As we entered the building and made our way to my locker, I found myself glancing at my schedule and excitedly telling the girls about my day ahead. "So, I have math first, and later, I've got robotics, then English. What about you guys?" I inquired. Poppy answered, "Drama, then advanced chemistry, and…" she scowled and sighed, "Philosophy."

"Ooh, I got workshop, math, and also English," Danny chimed in, glancing up at me when she mentioned English. "So I guess Charly and I are going to be Monday English partners," she exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement like a seal on crack.

Just then, my stomach rumbled loudly, drawing both of their attention. It was a reminder that I had skipped breakfast. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I quickly closed my locker and turned to them. "Girls, go ahead. See you later. I forgot my breakfast. I'll do a quick run to the vending machine," I explained.

As I hurried to the vending machine, I realized that I had also forgotten to take my medication. Panic set in momentarily, but I swiftly bought a package of oatmeal cookies and some iced tea. I knew they might help, and I took my pills before gulping down the refreshing iced tea.

I took a deep breath as I reflected on my history with the pills. It all began when a burglar broke into our house while I was babysitting my little brother, Patrick. The terrifying experience led us to hide in a closet for what felt like an eternity. I was so frightened, and my brother's crying only added to my anxiety.

During that ordeal, I started hearing voices in my head, offering calming words and reassurance. Once the intruder was gone, I experienced a severe panic attack, and the aftermath led to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with auditory hallucinations. The doctors prescribed the pills to help manage my anxiety and the hallucinations, and for a while, it was a necessary part of my life.

However, as time went on, the voices in my head gradually ceased, and I found myself not relying on the pills as much. The last time I heard the voice was a year ago, and since then, I felt more in control of my emotions and anxiety. With a sense of empowerment, I quickly drank the iced tea and headed to math class.

As I entered the classroom, I noticed several empty seats in various places. It struck me as odd. ¨Hmm.¨, but I dismissed the thought, trying to focus on the whiteboard and the lesson at hand. I was determined to move forward, leaving my past struggles behind, and embracing the present with a newfound sense of strength and resilience. What happened last year wouldn’t affect me anymore. I was done with that part of my past, it was already buried and over.

As the second period approached, I made my way to the lab and noticed that, once again, there were about six empty spots, all belonging to kids from Camp North, a remote village outside of my town. It struck me as odd that they were absent from class, especially since it seemed to be happening across multiple periods and on the first day of school.

By the time the third period rolled around, I entered the classroom to find Danielle already seated, looking rather uninterested with her chin resting on her hand. As the class started, I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort, becoming more convinced that something was amiss.

Turning on my seat to face her, I couldn't help but speak up. "Dude, haven't you noticed anything strange?" I asked, glancing back at the empty seats.

Danielle, seemingly unfazed, replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, no new hottie this year." She idly shuffled a pencil between her fingers, not fully understanding the gravity of what I was trying to convey.

Rolling my eyes at her remark, I clarified, "No, not that. Look around; the kids from Camp North are missing."

Finally catching on, she glanced up and scanned the room, realizing that indeed some of the students from Camp North were absent. The realization that something might be going on with their classmates left us both feeling uneasy and curious about the sudden disappearances.

Mr. Thomas, the English teacher, looked at us with a stern face. ¨Silence please.¨ I looked down at my notebook, then looked at her. She started to whisper, ignoring him. ¨Do you think they've done a Jonestown?¨

My face was puzzled. ¨I don't know, maybe we should check that out.¨ My words were cut again by Mr. Thomas. ¨Silence please, Miss Addams, Miss Starr, do you want detention on your first day?¨ I shook my head and stared back down to the empty pages of my essay. She pinched my arm, I glanced back her way. ¨Wait for lunch, and let's talk to Poppy and see if they have come to her class!¨ Danielle quickly said before smiling at the angry teacher.

Finally, the English class came to an end, and I perked up, eager to talk to Poppy about the mysterious absence of the Camp North students. As soon as the bell rang, I grabbed my books and Danielle's hand, and we hurriedly made our way to the cafeteria, ready to find out what was going on and hoping to get some answers from our friend Poppy.

As we approached Poppy, I couldn't help but be amazed by the quantity of food on her tray. "How can you eat that much?" Danielle inquired, to which Poppy replied casually, "I don't know, I'm always hungry." But the sheer volume of food seemed disproportionate to her petite frame.

Expressing my surprise, I couldn't help but comment, "Seriously, how can you physically eat that much? It's like half of your body weight on that tray." She responded with a sarcastic grin, clearly unbothered by the playful teasing.

However, my concern quickly shifted back to the matter at hand - the missing kids from Camp North. "Guys, focus. What's going on with half the kids in this school?" I asked incredulously.

Danielle calmly responded, "She's gone paranoid on us. Thinks there's a Jonestown over at Camp North." Poppy nodded in agreement, mouthing an "Oooh."

Defending my perspective, I retorted, "First, you were the one with the Jonestown idea. And second, don't you think it's weird that around fifty kids haven't shown up for school today?"

Unfazed, Poppy took another bite of her pizza and calmly replied, "Not really. They're probably in a company retreat or something." Danny chimed in, seemingly unconcerned as well.

¨Guys seriously, a group of about 500 hundred people lives in the middle of the Oregon backwoods, and you don't think it's a cult.¨ I said, my eyes open in disbelief. ¨Girl you need to check your meds. I believe they need tweaking.¨ Danielle replied, raising an eyebrow.

¨Poppy please.¨ I begged her while she was eating some tater tots. She sighed and looked at Danny. ¨You.¨ She pointed her fork at me. ¨Stop the paranoid thoughts, they are not a cult. It's just a company housing area, and you…¨ Now pointing her fork at Danielle. ¨Stop making fun of her meds. It is a condition. Now stop talking about cults and start talking about men. Is there any this year?¨ She scolded both of us and changed the subject.

¨I am sorry.¨ Danielle said with regret. ¨It's all in good fun. She knows if it's a real concern, I wouldn't make fun of it.¨ Danny apologized.

While I knew deep down that Poppy was probably right about Camp North not being a cult, I couldn't shake the eerie feeling about the place. It was secluded, guarded, and had an air of mystery surrounding it. Most of the kids who lived there seemed to stick together, forming their own tight-knit group, which added to the enigmatic atmosphere.

For now, Poppy had successfully shifted the topic away from the cult discussion, focusing instead on more lighthearted matters. However, my curiosity and unease about Camp North still lingered in the back of my mind, awaiting a chance to resurface.

Before lunch was over, I looked at Danielle and smiled. ¨Yeah you are right, I am paranoid. I guess the perks of living in a small town.¨ She grinned and gave me a huge hug. ¨We accept your corkiness.¨ She let me go and made a finger quoting the word corkiness. ¨Just tell us if you start believing in weird conspiracies and aliens.¨

Poppy was feeling left out, so she entered the conversation. Now, holding a nugget. ¨Yeah, I can't handle a deranged teenager, hey I can't hardly handle philosophy.¨

I remembered the sleepover. ¨Hey Danny, Poppy is staying at my place tonight. Do you want to come? I promise pizza bites and shakes.¨ Smiling, she took one of Poppy's nuggets. ¨I got to do some chores, but I'll be there around nine pm. Do you think you kids can handle not getting in trouble before I get there? I will hate it if I miss it.¨ She said with a mischievous look.

¨Oh don't worry if there's any problem, it's because you started it.¨ Poppy replied while taking back her nugget from Danielle's hand. ¨What can I say. I am a woman with many gifts.¨ Danny noted while making a small bow movement with her head and hands. I just shook my head. ¨Well, this is my queue got to go, see you at the bus, and you behave.¨ I pointed at Danielle with my eyes.

--------------

I exited the bus, the sun was beaming and making me squint my eyes, Poppy stepped beside me, and Patrick just tailed us while we walked home from the bus stop.

¨ What's on your mind, Charly? You hardly spoke on the bus?¨ She asked. ¨I don't know.¨ I said, shrugging my shoulders. ¨Half the class is missing just rubs me the wrong way? There's something I can't put my finger on, and it's driving me nuts.¨ She side-looked at me. ¨Well nuttier, but you do admit it is weird.¨ I nervously raised my hand. ¨Just chill, girl. You are going to get yourself an aneurysm if you keep worrying about everything.¨ Poppy finished trying to take my mind off the question.

We started walking down our street. ¨See you at five? It's going to be magazines, boys, and cars.¨ She asked while darting to her house, turning and then pointing to my car, which was already in my driveway. ¨Sure.¨ I replied. A sigh of relief exited my mouth at seeing it quickly, dashing toward the front door opening it.

¨Daaadddd!!!! MOOOMMM!!!¨ I screamed out while entering the front door. My mom poked her head out of the kitchen door. ¨You don't have to yell, tell me sweetie.¨ She said with a scowl on her face.

¨Can Poppy and Danielle spend the night?¨ I asked. ¨Sure but remember no sneaking out. I know you three.¨ She replied with a smile and pointing with her index finger at me. ¨Yeah, yeah.¨ I answered and turned around. ¨One night out and it's been haunting me since last year.¨ I mumbled while going up the stair to my room. It had been a horrible night but still it wasn’t me who should be punished for what my ex had done.

I entered my room and tossed my bag onto the bed. As I stood by the window, looking out at the forest, my mind wandered back to the thoughts of Camp North and its mysterious aura. However, I quickly shook off those thoughts and decided to take a shower to freshen up.

After the shower, still wrapped in my towel, I walked around my room, tidying up and picking up clothes. As I passed by the window, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. Startled, I glanced back quickly, but there was nothing there. Confused, I muttered to myself, "WTF! I could swear I saw a naked man walking around with a wolf."

Feeling a bit spooked and unsure if it was just my imagination playing tricks on me, I decided to put on some clothes and focus on getting ready to meet Poppy later. As I dressed, I tried to shake off the strange feeling and remind myself that it was probably nothing more than a figment of my imagination. Nonetheless, my unease lingered, and I couldn't help but keep an eye out, just in case.