Troubled

THIRTY ONE

CORA PHILIPS

I call this one a cold wave. It rarely did come, infact this was the fourth one I ever experienced. The first time I experienced a cold wave I was just about to give a presentation in my elementary school. I didn't want to do it, but the teachers had gotten impatient at my antisocial skills, I repelled friends, so they thought I was being shy, and the way to get rid of this shyness was if I did something on stage. I hid it from my parents, but somehow mom got a wind of it, and that time she was actually interested in making me better. She wanted me to do it, and dad and her came to school, sat in the front row, cheered loudly when it got to my turn.

Until the cold wave hit me. I felt pressure on my head, and boom I spaced out. By the time I got back to my usual self everyone was gathering around me. Mom was already crying. Someone was calling the ambulance, and I never felt like something like that happened to me, but it was caught in camera, I saw I looked dead.

I actually never know what happens to me during that time, if somehow my soul travelled I didn't know anything about that. I only know when I come back everything is back to normal. Nothing is wrong, everything is fine. Except the no recollection of what happened to me, I was fine.

"I'm sorry." I almost forgot Kyle was walking by my side.

I liked it better when he was behind me.

"For?" I step on a crunchy leaf. Weird, it wasn't summer. When I raise my head I see a burning the leaves that fall out of the tree that stood beside him.

"Everything. Including the Xander thing."

I don't look at his face but I know he was sincere, he was the type of person that wore his expressions, his emotions on his face.

"You weren't at fault. I was, I forced you to be like me."

"It's Alex to you."

"Huh?"

I sigh, "it's Alex to everyone else and Xander to me. Only I get to call him Xander."

"He is my friend too, let me keep calling him Xander."

"No, and it's okay. That's what I expect from someone who use their body to play sports where you hit each other, I'm willing to believe you were hit on the head."

"So we are good?"

I nod.

"Of course we are. We are really good."

"What direction are you heading?" He was trying to make small talk, I would rather walk in silence than trade all my information for his. I stuff my wired earbuds into my ear, it is a universal sign to say I don't want to talk to you. I hear him chuckle.

But he doesn't say anything, until I find a cab, his eyes run down my face, he was searching for signs that everything was fine and I wasn't going to black out on him anymore.

"See you in school." I say quickly. I don't want him to start asking me any more questions.

He finally nods, and takes a step backwards. I sit inside the cab wondering if I was supposed to say anything else.

The driver sped off before I remembered that I didn't say thank you, for worrying? I don't know.

We get to my house quicker than I expected, I guess the lack of traffic played a part. I hoped mom was not in there, it was still early.

By the time I swing the door open I find smoke, the smoke was so thick I couldn't see anything else. Panic started to fill my chest instantly.

"Cory? Dad? Mom?" I started to walk into the house, shouting their names as I did.

Nothing should happen to Cory. Nothing should happen to Cory. I kept repeating this.

My eyes watered from the smoke, but I was just by the door, I haven't even gone very far.

"Cory?!" I called one more time.

Smoke was quickly filling my lungs, I cover my nose with my hand and scream out one last time.

"Dad? Mom?"

Still no answer, but someone was in the house, that was why the door was slightly parted when I came here.

What if it was a burglar? No one was home and he was hidden inside the smoke waiting to strike?. My eyes widen and start to gear myself towards the door slowly.

I hear low muttering. The muttering sounded like a rush of different languages. I want to turn, but I wasn't going to be killed by a burglar. I was supposed to exist for Cory.

"Cora Philips! You have been summoned." I hear a lady's voice call from inside the smoke.

My head whip in her direction. Who was she? My eyes still watered, it was so painful to blink. Even my lungs were getting force fed with smoke.

"Who are you and why are you in my house?" My free hand start to grab around me, searching for something I could use to protect myself. I find nothing, because mom removed everything I could use to beat the s**t out of someone permanently. I know she moved them under her bed but she believes I don't know where they are.

I mutter a string of course words I wasn't allowed to use in front of Cory.

"Cora Philips, you have been summoned!."

"I'm calling the cops." I threaten. I can't even reach my back pocket if I tried.

"Cora don't." I hear my mom's voice call out.

"Mom?" My surprise was evident.

"What's going on?" By this time I know I inhaled too much smoke, my head was spinning.

"I will explain, but first, you have to do as she says alright?"

My heart shatter, she was still doing this?

"Mom I'm already going to Miss Suzie. This is not necessary." My chest was getting tight.

I hate this feeling.

"I got a call from Miss Suzie honey. You did the thing again. There in her office. This will work, I'm sure of it."

She called me honey, but I know she was just patronizing me. I couldn't see her face in the smoke but I know she isn't looking at me with love.

I want to answer but I can't. My legs feel weak. They felt like jelly. The smoke was getting to me. My lungs had taken all they could.

With a loud thud I fall to the hard wood floor.