EVERYBODY avoided Isaac like the flu, well everyone except Leo and the teachers.
Unfortunately, the demon twins were in his class. At least he had Leo with him. He wasn't particularly interested in meeting anybody, but Adrien's sister, Audrey, had to ruin his cover.
Audrey Reed. Isaac didn't know why, but the mention of her name sent shivers down everyone's spine. With icy blue eyes and bleach blonde hair that seemed to freeze everything to her perfectly shaped lips always decorated with red lipstick which was always quick to deliver a mean or sarcastic remark, no wonder the whole school was terrified of her. She was always used to dismissing people with a flick of her hair. Nobody dared her or ever seemed close to challenging her.
That was how Leo had described her, but that wasn't on his mind at the moment.
It was the girl who was his seatmate.
Her name was Reyna Gomez. She was a beautiful girl with dazzling grey eyes and fair skin. What intrigued Isaac the most was her shoulder-length white hair.
She was facing the window when Isaac and Leo walked into the class and she also didn't seem to notice the pin drop silence as he drew near.
"Is this seat taken?" he asked.
She turned revealing a single spider web earring on her left ear and studied him with her grey eyes. "No, it isn't."
She patted the chair next to her for him to sit.
"You don't mind me being -"
"Black? Not rich? That's crap. We're both human beings, aren't we?"
That small conversation had taken him to heaven until the ice queen dragged him back.
"You do know that's vermin seating beside you, Reyna," Audrey said, smiling sweetly.
"You know we've never liked each other, Audrey," Reyna replied. "I remember you calling me vermin along with your gossip group not long ago."
"I'm trying to do you a favour," Audrey snapped back. "High-class people like us shouldn't be socializing with trash like him."
"Do me a favor," Reyna said, "and fuck off."
Audrey gritted her teeth and walked away just as the teacher entered the class.
Leo took Isaac to the roof during their free period.
He realized the school was an actual castle in the shape of the Jewish Star. There were no towns nearby and no cell towers. Isaac was now beginning to wonder how there was any reception.
"Come here often?" Isaac asked, wondering if Leo would fall.
"Yeah," he replied, "to be free from society."
"Meaning?"
"The social discrimination," Leo answered.
Isaac wondered what Leo could be discriminated for. Maybe it had to do with him being the principal's kid or the headphones he always wore. Isaac realized that he had never seen Leo's ears. Maybe he didn't have one or something.
"How'd it go?" Leo asked.
"Huh?"
"Your run-in with Audrey."
Isaac laughed. "It was horrible."
He looked at the full view of the school. It was an actual castle with several towers and a giant courtyard.
All Isaac could see around the school was white. The whole school was surrounded by fog.
"What's beyond the gates?" Isaac asked.
"Nothing," Leo replied. "No one knows. We're not allowed to leave the school premises."
"Where exactly is this school?"
Leo shrugged.
"You don't know?"
The edges of Leo's lips curved into a grin.
"Why not check it yourself?"
Isaac wondered what the grin was for and brought out his phone. He then checked his map.
"Your location cannot be determined?!," exclaimed a shocked Isaac. His signal was fine, but why wasn't his map working.
"That's one of the many mysteries you'll come across and never find the answer to."
* * * * *
It was a tap on his shoulder that woke him up.
Isaac rubbed his eyes and looked around. How long had he slept? Leo had gone to God knows where, and he wondered if this was a prank. He looked around again, there was nobody there. Maybe it was an animal.
He stood up and dusted his trousers and turned towards the door that would take him off the roof. Something passed behind him. He turned but that was his big mistake.
Whoever or whatever it was pushed him off the roof.
* * * * *
Blanc was staring out the window in his office, which overlooked the school.
"Why did you have to do that?" he asked her.
"Reyna interfered before I could strike a nerve," she replied sweetly. "May I ask why you are going so far for that halfbreed?"
"Language, Audrey."
"Is that all?"
"Yes," he relied. "Send Leo and Reyna in as you leave."
"Understood," Audrey said and left his office. She was infuriated. Why would Blanc defend that lowlife? She never expected him to accept- what was his name- as a student of their school.
Leo and Reyna were waiting for her in the reception. She nodded at them as she passed and winked at Leo.
His face flushed and Reyna sighed.
"I need you two to keep an eye on Isaac for me," Blanc told them as they entered his office. "I fear that my decision might have been a mistake. There are people who prey on his status I presume?"
The question was rhetoric. That was how the world operated. The strong prey on the weak.
"It wasn't a mistake," Leo replied assuring his father. There was hint of concern in his voice. He could see that his father was exhausted. The responsibilities were like a heavy burden he could not share. Leo believed that, as long as his father remained a Cardinal he would never know what it was like to be free. "Reyna and I'll take care of him."
"I know you will." Blanc said. Isaac had a lot of potential but what if it wasn't enough to survive in their world. "Jacob, why did you have to leave so early?"
Suddenly, there were a lot of screams coming from outside. They looked outside and saw Isaac holding onto the ledge of the adjacent roof.
"Is that what I think it is?" Leo asked.
"In broad daylight," Reyna said.
"Reyna," called Blanc.
"Yes sir," Reyna said and jumped out of the window leaving a stunned Leo and a concerned Blanc.
"What about the students?" Leo asked his father.
"They'll forget."
This is going to be tricky, Leo thought and perched himself at the corner of the window and aimed at the space above Isaac.
* * * * *
Students had already gathered beneath him with their phones out taking a video which would no doubt go viral on social media. From the looks of it none of them would help him, even if they did they wouldn't make it to the roof on time.
Whatever it was that pushed him off the roof had begun to pry his fingers off the ledge. He had no choice but to let go.
There was a loud bang above his head. Whatever had made that sound hit whatever pushed him off the roof. He heard it howl as it recoiled in pain.
Isaac lost his grip and plummeted down.
He was suddenly transported back to his house the night his parents died.
The sweet euphoric voice of the person who had killed his mother still echoed in his mind.
They came like thieves in the night. His dad with greying brown hair was dressed in his pajamas and his mum with her flowing brown hair, green eyes and pale skin in her nightgown.
Six people surrounded them five in black cloaks and one in a red cloak. The one in red brought his mother to the center of the room where he'd drawn an inverted pentagram.
As she stepped inside, the was a large spark and she floated horizontally.
Isaac could see her swollen belly and gritted his teeth.
"Stop!" his father yelled in a strange language. "Don't do this!"
When the figure in red spoke, Isaac felt dead. His rage had somehow turned into sorrow, no fear, this was pure. Emotions were always mixed but what Isaac was feeling he couldn't comprehend. His voice was gone and his thoughts. The only voice in Isaac's head was telling him to run but at the same time it was telling him to stay.
"You know I want to and this is the only way," his bittersweet voice echoed in Isaac's head. He nodded to one of his accomplices.
Isaac knew it was a woman because of her posture. She gave him a jagged looking blade with a giggle.
"Wouldn't it hurt to see your wife and you unborn child die in the presence of your son?" the woman giggled.
"Enough," he said and walked over to Isaac.
The intensity increased and Isaac knew he was powerless to stop him. He felt his chin being lifted and Isaac stared into lifeless red eyes that belonged to beautiful face.
"Isaac, is it?" he said in English. "What would you like to tell your mother as you will never see her again? If you can talk, that is."
That broke Isaac out of the trance.
"Caeco," Isaac hissed.
"Confuto," his mother countered before the damage was done. Isaac couldn't talk anymore.
"So trivial," the man said and walked away.
"It'll be alright," his father assured his mother.
"Save her if you dare, Jacob or what was your name?" he pondered. "You can't stop me."
"Don't," his father pleaded.
He ignored the plea and stabbed his mother's belly.
Isaac's world spun. He felt empty then his rage returned. His mother's beautiful emerald eyes lost their life and blood oozed out of the wound.
He couldn't remember what happened next only bits, like a dream.
Isaac woke up drenched in sweat.
What happened? he asked himself.
Then he remembered what had happened. After he fell, he had blacked out. He checked his body if he was hurt. There were no scratches or wounds. Not even a single bruise.
He didn't want to remember that night. His mother was dead so was his brother. He didn't even know if his father was still alive. He wasn't. If he was he would have come for him.
He needed to let some energy out.
Isaac stood up from his bed and noticed he was still in his uniform. He could hear Leo snoring. and knew he wouldn't wake up anytime soon. He picked up his phone which was on the desk beside his bed and checked the time.
12:00 midnight.
It wasn't surprising. He changed into casuals and left the room.
He knew it was stupid but he went back to the roof. He stopped at the stairs leading to the attic which lead to the roof. He climbed the stairs without hesitation. He didn't fear death he simply wanted to embrace it.
The attic was dusty. He expected it to be cleaner but seeing as the school was modern he figured that they wanted to forget that the past.
Failing to find the light switch, he turned on the flashlight on his phone and pointed it around. There were different paintings of different people, lots of armor and weapons.
"Why would a school like this need weapons?" he asked himself. He walked forward and noticed an intriguing oval shaped mirror. There were words inscribed on the frame.
Ter vocabitur nomen eius, Maria sanguinea deseret fugiet in carcerem.
Classic. The words translated 'Thrice her name shall be spoken and Bloody Mary shall flee her prison' in Latin.
There was a rustle behind him.
"I know you're there," he said and picked up a rusty sword.
He spun around aiming the sword for the neck and stopped just in time before he sliced Reyna's head off.
She didn't flinch.
"Are you trying to kill me?" she asked and knocked the sword away.
"Why didn't you say something?" Isaac asked. "I could have killed you."
She laughed. "Not with that sword. Is this how you greet people who are passing by innocently?"
"Seemed like you were stalking me," he replied.
"You didn't answer my question?" she asked but he didn't look like he would reply so she changed the topic. "Why don't we get some fresh air?"
"Okay." was all he could say.
They found their way to the roof at the end of the attic. The night sky was filled with beautiful twinkling stars and the moon was at its apex. They sat down at the edge but Isaac was careful not to rest on it.
Silence passed and Reyna decided to start a conversation.
"Why do you wear contacts?" she asked.
"How'd you figure?" he asked wondering what he would do to Leo when he got back to his room.
"I can see the edges," she replied, "plus the right one's cooked."
"Busted."
"What's their real colour?"
"Green," he replied, wondering if she would believe him. People always claimed seeing is believing, so he wouldn't be surprised if she dismissed it.
"Let's see it then," she said. "It'd be cool."
He hesitated and took out his contacts. He tuned towards her with his eyes closed. Would she laugh or not? Was she like everyone else? He'd have to find out the hard way.
He opened his eyes slowly.
"Beautiful!" she exclaimed. "You should really show them more often.They really suit you."
He put the contacts back on. Her response relieved him.
"It's late," she said, standing up. "See you in school tomorrow."
"Today you mean," he corrected.
She giggled. "See you later then. Plus, you need a haircut. You look like a thug." She left him there alone.
He fell on his back and looked at the stars trying to keep his emotions in check, but he couldn't hold it. His grin turned into a smile, which turned into a whoop of joy. This was the first time he'd smiled since his parents died. He jumped up and down carelessly. Then he fell off the roof.
* * * * *
It came after they'd left.
It was searching the attic for something useful. That child had to be taken at all cost. He was needed in breaking the seal.
To take him in the school, there had to be a distraction. Something that would keep them busy. It turned to an oval shaped mirror. Chuckling lightly, it knew it would suffice.