The Dormant: The 5 Goddesses

Episode 3: New Beginnings

Eighteen years later

18 years later

~Charlotte~

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

Sitting up reluctantly, my hair a bird's nest, I couldn't help but mumble to myself, "Finally." But then, my excitement quickly faded, and I started arguing with myself, trying to give me an excuse to cut the day and stay in my cozy warm bed, "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 and pressed it on my face, trying to muffle the noise, wishing for the radio to stop. As I attempted to reach for the device to turn it off, I lost 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, and put my glasses on.

Yawning and stretching, I mumbled half-awakened thoughts, "Last year of high school." Finally, I was waking up when my little brother Patrick and our pittie, Porkchop, barged into my room, causing chaos in my already chaotic space.

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

Porkchop continued her loud barking, 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.

"Okay, I'll be down in just one second," I reassured Patrick, still lost in thought as I stood up from my bed and walked to my bathroom. "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 the responsibility of carpooling to school fell on me.

"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 as I grabbed my phone from my bed. ¨Hurry up Charly!¨ He screamed from the door and I tossed a pillow at him, which landed beside him. He looked at it, shaking his head, then looked back at me. ¨I am just getting the message across don't shoot the messenger, big sister.¨ 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 wasn't looking promising.

I grabbed my phone and called the girls. The first one, Danielle. ¨Danny, the car is broken and 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 by her assumption. I had only run down a couple of garbage cans.

¨Nothing I've been a perfect angel. All my license points are intact.¨ My eyes started to dart back and forth at the mention of my poor driving skills and perhaps the fact that it was more than a few garbage cans. ¨I don't believe you, Charly. Either way, I'll ask around. I'll see you at school.¨

Next Poppy. ¨Pops, the car is damaged. Can't take us to school today.¨ 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 called everyone on a first-name basis. I still can't call her parents anything but Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. ¨Well, see you in fifteen outside? We can catch the bus together.¨ I asked. ¨Sure you do you, sexy.¨ She hung up the phone.

After a quick shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of the mirror, examining my reflection. At five feet eight, I knew I was taller than average. My skin had a fair complexion, and I noticed some freckles on my shoulders that had come out from all the suntanning the girls and I did through the summer.

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.

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, ergo my poor driving skills.

Thankfully, I eventually got prescribed glasses, and they significantly improved my vision. 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, and more so after what happened last year.

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, then 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 it's harmful to drink those with an empty stomach.¨ I heard her say while exiting my house and feeling her disapproving look, making a hole in my back. ¨ I'll have something from the machine, don't worry.¨ I said while glancing back.

As I stepped outside 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, pushing her hand on my forehead away from her. ¨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 about this first day of school?" Poppy asked with 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, living away from all of this.¨I motioned around us to our little town, which we have barely ever left. ¨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 a scholarship at FSU."

"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 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 snap 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, making her fumble with her phone.

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, ergo de scholarship in volleyball. 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 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 could drive us off a bridge at any time," she said, playfully teasing me.

Batting my eyelashes, I retorted, "Not my fault, 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, Charlotte," they both said at the same time, making them laugh and me to roll my eyes, I will never live that one down.

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. "Go ahead. See you later. I forgot my breakfast. I'll do a quick run to the vending machine," I explained while my stomach decided to growl even louder.

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, and I took my pills before gulping down the 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, not until last year, when it happened again. However, lately, I have 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. 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 the kids from Camp North, a remote village and company housing outside 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 wrong. Why were the kids from the housing area missing?

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 interested in what was happening around her.

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 the students from Camp North were absent. The realization that something might be going on with our classmates left us both feeling uneasy and curious about what was happening over there. The place was creepy, and every year there were one or two rumors about the place.

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

My face was puzzled. God, we were so bored in this town. ¨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 at the empty pages of my essay. She pinched my arm, and I glanced back her way, rubbing the spot. ¨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 the missing leg of our tripod: 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 asked, to which Poppy replied casually, "I don't know, I'm always hungry." But the sheer amount of food seemed disproportionate to her small 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." while eating a tater tot.

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, "Honey, you are bored.¨

¨Not really. They're probably in a company retreat or something." Danny chimed in, seemingly unconcerned as well.

¨Guys seriously, a group of about five 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 the redhead while she was eating another one of her tater tots.

She sighed and looked at Danny and me. ¨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 good fun. You know if it's a real concern, I wouldn't make fun of it.¨ She apologized, feeling chagrined.

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 clique, which added to the enigmatic atmosphere. That was why there were so many rumors surrounding the place.

For now, Poppy had successfully shifted the topic away from the cult discussion, focusing instead on more important manners, mainly men. 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 get into the f*******: black hole.¨

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 hardly handle philosophy.¨

I remembered the sleepover. ¨Hey Danny, Poppy is staying at my place tonight. Do you want to come? I promise a new Korean skincare mask and shakes. Maybe we can sneak out a bit of my mom's white wine.¨

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 sign got to go, see you on the bus, and you behave.¨ I pointed at Danielle with my eyes.

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I exited the bus, the sun was beaming and making me squint my eyes, Poppy stepped beside me, and Patrick 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 stairs 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, trying to tame the chaos that was my room. 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 for 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, maybe I needed to take a nap or something. Nonetheless, my unease lingered, and I couldn't help but keep an eye out, just in case. Finally, after a while, I drifted to sleep.