Where Spirits Roam

Chapter Seven Others?

*Knock, knock*

Eviee jumps as the loud thuds echo through the room. She had been lost in thought while dragging her old brush through her hair. The bristles bent and broke in some of the knots making her task even harder. Eviee places the brush on the vanity crossing the room to open the door. She comes face-to-face with Ms. Magdalen. Her thirty minutes must be up.

“Are you ready?” Ms. Magdalen asks eying the girl curiously.

“Yes ma’am,” Eviee replies wiping her sweaty palms down the front of her jeans.

“Alright then, follow me.” The woman maneuvers her body angling down the corridor so that she can still keep an eye on Eviee who trails behind her at a distance.

The dining hall is on the first level and they pass by many darkened windows on their way down. Eviee couldn't see anything but her own reflection when she tried to look out them it was as if the windows were mirrors instead. They were pushing the light back at her rather than allowing her to see the landscape outside.

The stairs were again somewhat of an issue for the older woman and she let out small huffs of breath with each step. By the time they stood before the dining hall doors, she was out of breath her round face colored a deep red. Ms. Magdalen paused gripping the handles as she greedily gulped down lungfuls of air. She had not expected to be using the stairs so often when she had accepted the job merely three weeks prior. At that time there was also only one girl for which she was responsible and now there were six. Shaking her thoughts away she pulled the handles downward and pushed the doors open. The grand dining hall was magnificent and it captured her attention every time she saw it.

Eviee became entranced by the iron chandeliers and struggled to see the room below them. Peering under the left arm of the round woman Eviee could now see beyond the ceiling to the floral printed carpet and golden tablecloth cascading down to the deep plums and neutral greens of the balloon chair silhouettes. The button tufting on them pairs nicely with their dark wood frame that runs elegantly into their upholstered fabric.

Ms. Magdalen steps to the right side giving Eviee more room and placing her hand squarely in the center of her back. The woman then gives Eviee a gentle push forward. With Ms. Magdalen out of the way, Eviee can now see the room's full expanse along with its other occupants.

Five teenage girls sit along the far right end of the table distractedly and excitedly talking amongst themselves. Eviee has never been one to join a group on her own much less be accepted by one. ‘Why did I even get adopted?’ She thought while both past experiences and current fears manage to create a lump in the back of her throat.

“Have a seat, introduce yourself, they don't bite.” Ms. Magdalen says giving another gentle push.

Eviee slowly steps over the threshold trying not to stare as she makes her way around the table and down to the middle pulling out one of the plum-colored chairs. Sitting she chances a look around the room. She quickly notices she has been left alone with the other girls. Ms. Magdalen had slipped out closing the doors behind her and Mr. Ellsworth her new guardian was nowhere to be seen in the dining room either. Eviee clenched her hands tightly together under the table focusing on her breathing. She began calming her mind and controlling her expression until she was interrupted by a soft voice.

“Hi, you must be the new girl we've been hearing about. I'm Claire, would you like to join us?” The girl who introduced herself as Claire asks.

Claire's voice is soft and melodic flowing from her nervously much to Eviee’s surprise. She's got large doe-like green eyes and honey-blond hair that touches her slim shoulders. She doesn't seem like she has a mean bone in her body but Eviee had been fooled before. Nodding her head she slowly rises from her seat following Claire the few chairs down to the other girls.

‘See that wasn't so hard,’ Eviee hears Claire's soft voice in her head encouraging her. Eviee barely has time to register that thought when another girl speaks up.

“Hey, I'm Fauna,” a red-haired girl with striking icy blue eyes says once Claire has returned to her seat. Eviee pulls out an empty chair looking at the other girls who've yet to speak.

“I'm Eviee,” she finally speaks clearing her throat.

“This Nadia,” Fauna speaks gesturing to her right to a svelt Hispanic girl with caramel skin and deep brown eyes. Taking her seat Eviee sits opposite of Nadia.

“Jamie,” Fauna then motions to a blond-haired girl on her left with freckles dotting her cheeks. “And Katie,” the girl across from Jamie leans out from behind Claire a little and gives a shy wave, her brown eyes shimmer and a blush darkens her cheeks as all eyes move to her. Dark black hair, so dark it gives off a blue tint falls over her eyes hiding her face and she flickers slightly before disappearing.

Eviee blinks rapidly. She begins wondering if her eyes are playing tricks on her when the girl reappears seconds later. Her mind has a habit of doing things like that and people don't just disappear. First, she had thought Claire was whispering in her head and then, Katie was invisible. ‘Maybe I really do need all the medication Dr. Fulton prescribed me.’

“Pretty crazy meeting others with powers huh? I think we all thought we were the only ones.” Fauna interrupts Eviee’s thoughts.

“What do you mean powers?” Eviee questions her eyes landing on the tall redhead.

“I mean that's why we're all being gathered here right? We can all do things normal people can't.” Fauna sums up.

“I'm not sure I can be included in that. I'm below average at best.” Eviee murmurs recalling her extensive institutional stays.

‘I’m sure that's not true,’ once again Claire's voice is inside her head.

“Claire, don't frighten her,” Nadia chimes in, “sorry about her, she's telepathic and sometimes I think she forgets everyone else has to speak aloud.”

‘Does everyone here really have powers?’ Eviee asks herself trying to make sense of all she's seen so far.

“I'm sorry,” Claire apologizes sending sympathetic looks at Eviee.

“It's okay, I just wasn't expecting this. It's been a long day and being adopted and then meeting all of you was not what I had imagined.” Eviee explains. Their faces all change to those of understanding and empathy as they gaze upon her.

“I don't think any of us expected this,” Nadia chimes in yet again.

Four other heads nod in agreement and suddenly Eviee feels less alone. Right as Fauna opens her mouth to say something else the main doors open and Mr. Ellsworth steps inside drawing all of their attention to him.