Where Your Dreams End

Chapter Eleven Zoe's Covet

It wasn't as easy to shake his escort as Eric thought it would be. It turned out that this time it was Professor Robinson, who was well known for being longwinded. It took one of his favorite students with a highly complicated question and the fact that they where only steps from his next classroom to allow Eric to escape. He had been thinking about five years ago all day. It had almost caused him to levitate a fellow student in Charms class and burn a hole in his desk in Potions class. He kept trying to make himself remember as many details of the past and recent events as he could.

He thought about how Professor Killainka had told him about giving him permission to remember and how he had done so even though he didn't have any first hand knowledge of that now. Annabelle had tried to get him to talk to her during all of the moments that they were as far away from others as she could, but he just kept repeating that he wasn't sure of anything right now and he wasn't making it up. As he rounded the corner to Arthur's Corridor, he wasn't surprised to see the four friends standing there. "After all" he thought, "I taught Zoe and Dillon all the deceitful tricks that they know."

"Eric we thought you weren't going to make it," said Dillon sounding relieved.

"I thought Robinson would never stop talking," Eric said searching the hallways for undesirables. They were in a short dark hallway that Dillon had led Zoe, Sarah, Megan, and William through, after opening a secret door behind a statue. It seemed to be totally empty and isolated which made everyone happy.

"Why are we here?" asked Megan right away.

Eric laughed, "Straight and to the point, huh Megan?" Megan turned red and stepped to the back of the group.

"Actually I need to speak to Sarah and Dillon and I was hoping that the rest of you would be on the look out for us," Eric said smiling. "You're such good friends I knew you wouldn't mind." He added to butter them up. Megan and William both blushed now and nodded. In a few minutes they were at either end of the hallway keeping watch, Zoe however, didn't move.

"Eric," she started. "You're my brother and Sarah is my best friend, I need to know what you're talking about." She was demanding, however she ended her demands by looking at Eric like a lost puppy begging for a bone.

"Zoe you're such a whiner," joked Eric. "Of course you can stay, you should probably know anyway," he decided after teasing her for a moment.

"Know what?" asked Sarah impatiently.

Eric paced back and forth for a moment and then stopped. "I'm sorry that I have to say this because it's going to make you all mad at me and crazy." Everyone then looked at him liked they were mad at him and he was crazy.

"What?" asked Dillon, he was practically screaming.

"I was told some things that I cannot tell you at this time and frankly I would not be comfortable telling you. It just wouldn't be my place." Eric explained. "However this knowledge has enabled me to remember some more things from the past that I had forgotten."

He paused and took a deep breath waiting for someone to yell at him, but they all just stood and listened. Eric, realizing that they were not going to interrupt continued. "It was something you said Sarah, you said that you couldn't remember where your dreams began or ended." He paused as Sarah nodded and acknowledged the statement. "I remembered saying the same thing to Professor Ratcliff just before -" He stopped and put his hand to his head like he had had a sudden pain. He stood for a short while eyes closed, head in hand, and then lifted his head. "That's all I will tell you right now!" He stated flat out and almost rudely. Then he turned and retreated down the hallway and out of side quickly.

Everyone stood dumbfounded. It was awhile before anyone spoke again, but finally Zoe shook her head and threw her hands in the air. "What the bleep was that?" she practically yelled.

Sarah and Dillon looked at each other and shrugged. "I haven't a clue," said Dillon.

"All I know is that he said that we needed to talk alone. And then this," said Sarah frustrated and confused.

Zoe suddenly looked angry. "I'm going to beat him. He's lucky I don't go to dad and tell him about teasing us like this."

"Well that's just so you won't get in trouble," said William.

Everyone smiled but Zoe. Then she retorted, "Yeah whatever."

"Ooooh, real original," replied Megan, and everyone began to laugh, however, after a second they stopped laughing and looked down the now empty hallway trying to figure out what happened to Eric. Megan and William decided that they better hurry to class since they hadn't finished their homework. After they left Dillon, Sarah and Zoe started after them just not as quickly.

"You know if it wouldn't get us in trouble I'd go and talk to Professor Quigley about what happened with Eric," said Dillon halfway down the hall.

"I don't know about anything anymore," started Zoe. "Professor Quigley said that my dad and yours left right after they found out you guys were okay, something to do with work I suppose, otherwise I might would go to him."

Sarah had been quiet the whole time. "I think maybe we should wait until we see him again. He could just be messing with us."

Dillon and Zoe nodded, "It wouldn't be the first or the last time," observed Zoe. When they arrived in Potions class, they received a scolding from Wetherspoon, for being late and apparently wandering around the school unescorted.

"You're lucky I'm not going to report this to Professor Killainka," he finished, red in the face. "But mark my word I will if there is a repeat of this business." Sarah and her friends cowered quietly in a corner the rest of class and didn't utter a sound when Wetherspoon himself took them directly to the dormitory after class. After he left and the snickering ended, Eric was the first one to approach.

"Why didn't you all meet me in Arthur's corridor?" he demanded quietly.

All five friends looked at him and then at each other. "Eric, we did meet you, you told us you had changed your mind about telling us and you left," explained Zoe, sounding aggravated.

Eric stood still for a moment and looked bewildered. Then he laughed. "Ha, ha, Zoe very funny."

However, no one was laughing. Eric was about to ask what they were talking about when Professor Quigley walked in. "Is everything okay?" she asked looking concernedly from one face to another.

Everyone burst into random "Yes Ma'me's" and "Everything's fine's." They all knew that they didn't and couldn't fool Professor Quigley, however she just eyed them all again and then told them it was time for them to get ready for dinner. She informed them that she would be back to retrieve them in fifteen minutes so they better not spend their time gossiping and then exited.

Zoe took a deep breath. "You heard her. We'll have to discuss this later." She glared at Eric who now looked totally confused. About that time, though Annabelle arrived in the common room and grabbed him by the arm. Zoe grabbed Sarah and Megan and drug them up the dorm stairs while William had done the same to Dillon leaving Eric to convince Annabelle that he had to hurry. Sarah put her books and things in her desk then sat down on her bed to stroke Max while she waited for Zoe and Megan to come out of the bathroom. It was extremely quiet in the room and there was a moment when Sarah thought she might fall asleep when Annabelle knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Annabelle," said Sarah startled. "Is Professor Quigley waiting for us?" she asked standing up. Megan and Zoe now entered the room and stopped to hear the response.

"No," said Annabelle. She had a look on her face like she was about the cry. "What happened today?"

Zoe, Sarah, and Megan all looked at each other and shrugged. "What do you mean?" asked Zoe.

"Well I saw Eric in one of the hallways earlier alone and well--" she was turning red but wanted to finish her thought. "Well we haven't been alone in awhile and I thought maybe--" She was even redder now.

"It's all right Annabelle, you can tell us we won't laugh or give you a hard time we promise," said Zoe, walking over to comfort her. Sarah looked uncomfortable, she wasn't so sure that she wanted to hear what she had to say.

Annabelle took a deep breath and continued. "He was rude. I don't know what else to say. I gave him a kiss, he stepped back and looked at me very strangely, and then he grabbed me and kissed me very hard, almost violently. It scared me so I pulled back and then he told me that if I didn't like it I shouldn't ask for it and walked away." Zoe didn't know whether to be upset or sick. She knew that Annabelle and Eric were probably at the kissing stage, but visualizing it made her want to be ill. Annabelle continued. "So just now he acted like it never happened. He said that he didn't think that the joke that all of you and I were playing on him was funny and that we could stop anytime now." She looked distressed and sat down on one of the beds. Sarah sat next to her. "What's going on?" she asked again.

"We're not sure Annabelle, we had a strange encounter with him today also. I'm sure that he's just having a rough time right now and I know that he cares a great deal for you so don't worry. I promise as soon as we find out what's going on we'll let you know." Sarah did her best to reassure her as Zoe and Megan agreed in the background.

Annabelle nodded as a tear rolled down her cheek. "All right I'll trust you for now." She wiped the tear and sniffled a little then left, saying good-bye and thank you. Megan then looked at the clock.

"I know that we need to talk about this, but it's already been fifteen minutes. We're going to get nailed if we don't get going now!" Zoe and Sarah looked at the clock also, agreed, and then rushed out the door and to where Professor Quigley and the boys were waiting.

"Sorry Professor," said Zoe panting, "I couldn't find my wand."

Professor Quigley looked at her disapprovingly, "As if it was necessary for you to have it at dinner." Then after apparently shaking it off she added, "All right then, let's go." No one talked as they made their way to dinner. Eric was angry that everyone seemed to be playing a trick on him and the rest were aggravated because he was angry and they didn't know why.

Sarah was the most concerned at dinner, she kept thinking about all of the strange things that had happened to her and others in the last six months. She thought about the dreams and all the questions that she had answered and then she thought about how Eric had tried to help Dillon by going to Professor Killainka. She had tuned out all of the conversations about herself and her friends, both unfriendly and friendly and she was now staring. The scary part was, she now realized that Professor Killainka was staring back.

"Whoa!" yelled Zoe, as Sarah jumped up and dumped most of her plate in Zoe's lap. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," apologized Sarah using her napkin to wipe Zoe's legs. "I didn't mean to."

"It's all right," answered Zoe as she finished wiping her lap after pushing Sarah away. After giving Sarah, a strange and then dirty look she turned back to her discussion with William. Sarah sat still for a moment looking down at the table, almost afraid to look up. Had she been imaging things or had Killainka been looking into her eyes? After what seemed like an eternity, she made herself look up, but instead of meeting his eyes again, she found he was not there. On the contrary, she found that Professor Quigley was standing there right in front of her.

"Miss Nettleton," she said scaring the daylights out of Sarah. "Professor Killainka would like for you to meet with him after dinner in his office."

Sarah nodded silently; she was too scared to say anything. "Ma'me?" questioned Sarah after an extremely long pause.

"I think that you understood me," she said and then after another cross look she walked away.

Sarah swallowed hard and turned to Zoe. "Did you hear that?" Zoe nodded. "What did I do?"

Zoe shook her head. "Don't know, but I'm sure it's okay," she said unconvincingly. They finished their dinner practically silent, everyone looking at each other trying to figure out what the others were thinking. Sarah decided after about ten minutes that she could no longer take the pressure, and took her leave. As she left the room, she could feel what seemed like a million eyes staring at her back. "No you're just paranoid, don't turn around," she said to herself as she walked out the door and down the corridor. Even after she heard someone laugh, she resisted the urge to turn around.

Sarah's stress level was intensifying as she walked, however she received a small reprieve when she was caught by Cedric entering the Teacher Corridor and had the pleasure of telling him that she had been sent for. Although it was a little uncomfortable being drug the rest of the way, the look on his face when Killainka had verified her story was priceless. After an abrupt apology, Cedric excused himself mumbling as he took his leave. When he had left the Professor offered Sarah a chair and some hot chocolate, both of which she accepted gratefully. When they had both, had a moment to sit quietly and sip, Killainka spoke. "So Miss Nettleton, what did you need to tell me?"

Sarah was certain that her mouth was now wide open, but hadn't a clue as to what to do about it. Thinking fast, she swallowed twice and cleared her throat. "Sir?"

"I asked you what was it that you needed to tell me?" he asked again. Sarah decided that she wasn't going to try to imagine how he knew she wanted to tell him something. Instead, she leaned back in her chair and let out a deep breath.

"Professor, Eric told me about the conversations that he had with you about Dillon." She thought about this statement and then decided it wasn't true enough for Killainka. "Well I mean that he told Dillon about them and I was there," she corrected.

Killainka smiled a little and nodded. "Yes I assumed that Eric would tell you and the others what he knew."

"Well, not everything sir," she quickly interrupted. "He said there was something that he knew that he could not tell, it was not his place."

Killainka would not even give her the satisfaction of giving a visual clue as to what the secret was he just nodded. "I assumed that also, continue."

"Anyway." She paused. "Sir, I could get myself and some others into trouble with what I'm about to say."

"Sarah," said Killainka slyly. "You don't really think that the six of you slipping away from the teachers this afternoon was something I didn't already know?"

Sarah turned red and hung her head. Professor Killainka leaned forward and lifted her head with his finger. "I'm sorry sir," she apologized.

"We're not here so I can sentence you to detention," he said smiling broadly. "Go on, tell me what happened on your venture."

"Eric wanted us to meet him to talk things out, you know why we were all losing our minds," Sarah explained while Killainka sat silently. "When he got there he seemed sort of strange. He started talking to us and then he suddenly said he'd changed his mind and walked away."

"Perhaps he was pulling your leg," the professor suggested.

"Maybe," answered Sarah. "But then later Annabelle said that he had done something similar." Sarah sat uncomfortably for a moment while Killainka rose to pace.

"And what did Annabelle tell you?"

"I would really rather not say sir," Sarah begged off. The thought of telling the Professor that Annabelle had been seeking to play kissy face with Eric when she encountered him made her stomach turn not to mention made her a little jealous.

Killainka smiled a slight smile and ran his hand across his moustache. "All right Miss Nettleton, I'll let that question go for now." He stopped by the fireplace and stirred the embers. "So what do you think is going on?" he asked after what seemed to Sarah as an eternity.

"I don't know sir, I just know that Eric isn't acting like himself and that worries me."

Killainka met her eyes still smiling slyly. "I'm glad you came to me with this," he said walking over to her and taking her hand. "I'd like for you to go back to the dorm and let me know if anything else unusual happens."

Sarah looked lost and unsure. "Sir?" she questioned not moving from her chair. "I don't suppose that you can answer my question now?" she asked.

Killainka was puzzled. "What question is that?"

"Why is this thing coming after me and my friends?" she asked in a quiet voice.

The Professor, who was no longer smiling, held her hand a little tighter. "I'm not sure that I can yet Sarah." He paused and moved away toward the fire letting her hand go gently. "I wish that I could, because I'm sure that if I could answer your question there would be no reason to ask it." Sarah was not satisfied with his answer but nodded just the same and rose to leave and as she did, he offered these final words of advice. "Sarah I want you to remember something," he started. "Whenever you are not sure where the dream began search for me and don't end your search until you find me. No matter what happens to you or any of your friends, I will always be there somewhere you just need to keep looking."

Sarah was confused but nodded compliantly. "Yes sir."

"It's good advice to remember the things that people you can trust tell you," he reassured.

"But sir, I remembered what Grace Delphi had told me and it didn't help."

"Are you sure? She had seen you that night and contacted me. She understood the cry for help," he said smiling. Then after contributing to her confusion he again took her hand and said. "Just remember what I have said and believe that it will be all right."

Sarah wasn't sure she believed him but she nodded like she did and then exited his office. When she reached the dorm corridor, she realized that she didn't remember how she had gotten there and laughed. "You're slipping," she said out loud to herself and then proceeded down the hall. When Sarah entered the common room of the dorms she found Zoe and Dillon waiting for her, as she entered they sprung to their feet.

"What did he want?" whispered Zoe.

"He's spooky," started Sarah. "He knew that I wanted to talk to him."

Zoe was impressed however; Dillon seemed to know this already. "He's an Auror," he said plainly. Sarah looked at him confused and asked what he meant, but it was Zoe who answered her question.

"Most of them are kind of like detectives like my dad and yours. It is so easy for them to seek out dark wizards and witches so that's mostly what they do," she explained. Sarah thought back to the times that Killainka had known things he shouldn't have. She had always thought that he was a lot like a parent and just had so much experience with things that he knew. This information was enlightening and a bit scary. "How come you never mentioned that before?" Zoe asked now speaking to Dillon.

"I don't know I guess I thought everyone knew," admitted Dillon. "He used to be like your fathers only better. No offense to your dads of course." Zoe and Sarah shook their heads acknowledging that they were not offended. "Someone told me that he watched someone he loved die along time ago and announced he could no longer do it. He's been here every since," he finished.

"Wow, how romantic," said Megan having walked in on the tale end of the conversation. Zoe and Sarah rolled their eyes and sighed at Megan. "What's going on?" she now asked.

"We're trying to find out, hush," scolded Zoe. "So what did you and he talk about?"

"I told him about Eric and what he did to us and Annabelle, without too many details, of course," she paused and scrunched up her face. "He knows we ditched the teachers by the way." Everyone turned red, including Sarah for the second time. "I don't think we'll be getting away with that again." Then Sarah thought about how she had been allowed to go to see him and return to the dorm on her own and expressed how weird she thought that was.

"I'm sure you weren't really alone," observed Dillon.

Sarah shuddered like someone had run an ice cube down her back. "Don't ever say anything like that again," she said freaking out and then shuddering again. "Anyway, I told him about Eric being weird and he asked a lot of questions and then told me to let him know if anything else happened."

After a moment, Zoe sprang to her feet highly annoyed. "That's it?"

Sarah nodded and then apologized for not having the answers she obviously wanted. Dillon pulled Zoe back into her seat. "You didn't really think Professor Killainka would tell her anything without knowing all the answers himself, did you?"

Everyone sat back looking tired and troubled. Zoe looked at the clock. "I suppose we'd better do our homework," she said sighing deeply. "Mrs. Hutton will be here before we know it to drug ya'll up." Sarah and Dillon looked at each other slightly hurt and then hung their heads. Megan smacked Zoe on the arm and pointed toward them. "I'm sorry guys, I guess I'm just frustrated and confused," apologized Zoe as she gave Megan a dirty look and rubbed her arm.

"And they aren't?" reminded Megan.

"Let's go do homework," suggested Dillon and then after some silent nodding, they went to get their books. Zoe wasn't paying much attention to where she was going. She was feeling badly about what she had said and before she had reached the staircase, she bumped into her brother.

"Hey graceful," he said smiling. "If you look up every now and then you wouldn't bump into people so much."

"Eric," Zoe said both surprised and cautiously. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for you guys. I thought we should talk about today," he said looking around to see if anyone was listening.

Zoe, who was really unsure as to what to believe or not believe anymore, looked at him with a distasteful look, suggested that he go talk to his girlfriend, and then stormed away in pursuit of her friends, leaving Eric standing alone and looking bewildered. For a moment, he considered following them, but he was just too tired and he felt that he really should go look for Annabelle since she wasn't talking to him.

Sarah and Zoe suggested that they do their studying in the study room instead of the common room. Sarah decided that they had all been humiliated enough for one day. No one ever studied in the study rooms so they had it all to themselves, which didn't seem to matter since none of them had anything to say to each other.

Once Dillon started to speak and everyone stopped, reading or writing to listen, but he just closed his mouth and shook his head instead. The rest of them look at each other and then went back to work.

"That's what I like to see," came the familiar voice of Professor Quigley behind them. "Students' studying hard. I hope that's my text book Miss Turner, I still haven't seen that last paper from you." Zoe turned red and showed the Professor it was her book and promised the paper for tomorrow. "Mrs. Hutton is upstairs looking for you," she said looking at Dillon. "She's all ready seen Mr. Turner and is waiting for you outside your rooms." Dillon sighed and closed his book rising from his seat. "You're not taking the last walk Mr. Ratcliff, no need to look so glum."

"I'm sorry Professor," apologized Dillon.

Sarah came to Dillon's defense. "Professor, Dillon and I are just a little tired of being teased and taunted by everyone," she explained.

Professor Quigley stopped and looked at all the long faces. After a moment of thought, she sat down at the table with them. "I realize that this hasn't been a very good year for you two," she began. "But I'm sure that between Professor Killainka and Sarah and Zoe's fathers that things will get sorted out soon." Although the friends were impressed with the Professors candor, the expressions on their faces proved they weren't convinced. However, they all nodded and forced a smile.

"In the mean time. You know your own worth and no amount of taunting and teasing can take that away from you," philosophized the Professor. No one said a word, however; their sullen faces spoke for them. "And now I think we should be going," she concluded rising to her feet. Dillon and Sarah looked at their remaining friends painfully and said good night which they echoed.

"Professor?" questioned Zoe as they started out the door. "Can the rest of us have a little more time to study?" Megan and William weren't sure why Zoe had asked the question but nodded in agreement. Professor Quigley looked at them suspiciously but agreed that they could remain a short time longer. However, she would know if they hadn't followed her directions. After giving them, a stern reminder look she exited with Sarah and Dillon.

When Megan was sure that she was out of earshot, she asked, "What's up?"

"Nothing really, I just wasn't ready to take the last walk myself," admitted Zoe jokingly.

Megan and William smiled. "Yeah I know what you mean," agreed Megan.

The three of them sat quietly for a while and then Zoe spoke again. "Why Sarah, why not me?"

Megan and William looked at each other confused and then Zoe. "What?" William asked.

"I mean this thing or this person, went after my brother before and now, why is he going after Sarah and not me?" Zoe said a little distraught.

"You're not jealous are you?" asked Megan puzzled.

Zoe gave her a cross look and a "No!" and then rolled her eyes. "I just don't understand so much of what's going on."

"You know I've been thinking about things and surely what happened here five years ago is recorded somewhere. Perhaps there is a book in the library that can tell us something. If this Chinkana was such an evil presence there has to be something somewhere written about him," said Megan as though she had suddenly had a revelation.

"Maybe my grandma could tell us something," added William.

Zoe and Megan looked at him like he had lost his mind. "Your Grandma?" asked Megan.

"She used to work for the Department of Magic like your dad, Zoe. She loves to tell me stories about the 'Old Days,'" he explained. "I'm sure if I wrote her she'd get back to us right away."

"All right," agreed Zoe and Megan. "And we'll look in the library tomorrow during study period," added Megan.

"Perhaps for right now we should keep our investigations to ourselves," said Zoe as they gathered their books and things to leave. Megan and William agreed and then they all made their way through the now emptying common room and up the stairs to their rooms.

Zoe stood next to Sarah's bed for a moment watching her sleep. "Maybe I am a little jealous," she thought to her. "That's sort of crazy. Why would anyone want to be a victim?" She pulled Sarah's blanket up around her neck and thought about all the years they had been together and the fun that they and even Eric had had together. They had always done everything and faced every challenge together and now she hadn't a clue as to what to do. "I'd give anything if someone would tell me what I could do?" She whispered to herself. Then after fighting back a tear she climbed into her own bed to sleep reminding herself what Megan had suggested and not feeling quite so helpless for the moment.

The dorm room was dimly lit by the light coming from under the door and through the slits in the curtains. Zoe couldn't seem to reach that point where the Sandman took over and dreamland was just around the corner. She decided after forty-five minutes that perhaps getting a drink and going to the bathroom would help so she rose and crossed the room. She hadn't taken two steps when she tripped over something in the middle of the room. "What the heck?" she said so loudly that she thought for sure that she would wake the entire room. She looked around the room but no one stirred. Zoe picked her self up and started to cross the room again only to encounter another object in the floor and once again falling on her face. "What am I tripping over?" she said even louder this time.

"Perhaps you need to sit and think for awhile," came a soft and kind voice from the direction of the fireplace.

Zoe looked around searching for the voices location. "Who is that?"

"Come and sit by the fire and we'll talk for a while," said the voice beckoning her toward the fire. Zoe was slightly scared yet, couldn't help, but feel that she should go.

"With everything that has been going on around here. I'm not sure I should be listening to a disembodied voice," Zoe replied walking toward the fire and searching for its origin.

"All right," came the voice. "I can see your dilemma."

Zoe stopped in front of the fire and watched as a bright light formed over the logs and began to twist and turn until it took the shape of a woman's face. "Who are you?" asked Zoe again.

"I am who you asked for."

Zoe twisted her face and then shook it. "I didn't ask for anyone."

"You said that you would give anything if someone could tell you what to do," answered the voice.

Zoe wasn't sure she liked the idea of someone throwing her words back at her. "I didn't say that," she lied.

"It's all right Zoe, I'm not here to hurt anyone. I am not here to say or do anything that you do not want me to."

"You're speaking in riddles and I can't imagine that could be a good thing. Sarah and Eric have told me of your treachery and I won't be tricked."

"Zoe." The voice was stern and sincere now. "I am not Chinkana!"

Zoe was staring at the face in the light now. She had a feeling that she couldn't explain, a feeling that the voice was not lying. "Then who are you?"

"I am what you asked for," the soft voice repeated. "And when you need me I will be there."

Megan was shaking Zoe almost hysterically. "Not you too," she was repeating.

"Crap Megan!" shouted Zoe. "What are you doing?" Zoe opened her eyes and looked up at Megan who was standing over her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Oh, Zoe. I woke up and you where talking kind of crazy and you wouldn't wake up when I first starting talking to you." She took a deep breath. "I thought he was taking you too." All of the commotion had awakened the entire dorm room including Sarah and everyone was now standing around Zoe's bed.

"Man you guys are psycho," commented Zoe sitting up and looking around. "Can't a person have a dream without everyone freaking out?" she asked not wanting to answer anyone questions. "I'm fine, Megan's a freak and we all need to go back to sleep," she declared and then looking at Sarah with reassurance she repeated that everything was fine until they all started to find their beds again.

"I'm sorry," apologized Megan. "It's just that I'm scared and, well, you know."

Zoe smiled. She did know what Megan meant and she knew that something strange had happened. So she told Megan not to worry about it and waited for everyone to go back to sleep before she rose and went to the fireplace. She began searching the light for the face. However, this time there was nothing. "I am what you asked for and I will be there when you need me," repeated Zoe silently to herself.

She didn't sleep well the rest of the night, but she wasn't disturbed by it or even tired from it in the morning. As she got dressed and headed down the stairs to breakfast, she felt better and more confident about things than she had since she had gotten to Dragon's Wood. Zoe landed in Eric's lap when she arrived at the breakfast table. Eric pushed her gently to the floor tickling her the whole time. "I thought you weren't speaking to me," said Eric after working her over good.

"Why did you think that?" asked Zoe. "Because you're an arrogant self-centered Prefect," she then teased.

"You're really asking for it aren't you?" asked Eric again tickling her until she begged for mercy. Sarah and Dillon who had been sitting nearby watching the entire encounter were now laughing so hard that they were choking.

"Nice to see that everyone's in good spirits this morning," said Professor Quigley approaching the table.

Zoe straightened up and sat between Eric and Sarah. "Sorry Professor but he had it coming," apologized Zoe.

"Don't apologize Miss Turner I was beginning to think that I wouldn't hear any laughter from this table again," she said smiling. "Now I think that you all better get some breakfast down so that you're not late for class," she reminded them.

"Yes Ma'me," replied Zoe and the others. After she left, Sarah turned to Zoe and asked her how she was feeling.

"I'm fine," she replied cheerfully and then turned to Eric. "How are you bro?"

"I'm impressed by your concern for me little sis," said Eric wrapping his arms around her. "As a matter of fact, I'm great, other than the fact that my girlfriend isn't speaking to me and you guys have been ignoring me."

Zoe looked at Dillon and Sarah and then leaned in closer to Eric. "We need to talk about that."

Eric looked surprised by Zoe's concern. "What are we talking about?"

"Yesterday you acted pretty peculiar to us and to Annabelle." Zoe then explained to Eric about their encounter with him in the corridor but said if he wanted to know what happened with Annabelle, he would have to ask her.

Eric did still not understand a word that she said. "I don't even remember seeing any of you including Annabelle alone until last night. Yet you all seem to think that I did." Eric sat quietly thinking. "I suppose that I have to believe you since you all seem to be so serious and Annabelle has totally lost her mind. But I swear I don't remember any of it."

"Eric, I told Professor Killainka," confessed Sarah.

Eric's face turned brilliant red. "What did he say?"

"Not really anything. He just told me to let him know if anything else unusual happened." Eric fell quiet. He wanted to crawl into a hole, something was going on that he didn't understand and he did not like the feeling that he wasn't in control of his life.

Zoe noticed that the dining hall was beginning to empty out and that Professor Robinson, the escort du jour was on his way to the table. "Crap, guys, we better get going before we're late." Everyone agreed and shoved the rest of their food into their mouths and got up to join him.

Zoe gave Eric one last hug and a tickle. "Hey bro it's going to be okay. Professor Killainka would never let anything happen to you. You're the only one who he can beat at chess."

Eric smiled. "We'll talk tonight I promise," he whispered as they got close to the Professor. "We'll find a safe place and talk." Everyone agreed before they made their way down the hall and to their classroom. When they had dropped the sixth graders at their first class, however, Eric made a request of Professor Robinson to be taken to Killainka. His first instinct was to deny his request, however, there was an urgency that prompted him to change his mind and take him.

"Thank you for seeing me," Eric said to Killainka as he took a seat by the fire in his office.

"I would see you any time Eric, however, we should think about the time since you are missing part of your computer class," said Killainka sitting across from him.

"Yes sir," agreed Eric.

"You've come to ask me what Sarah said to me yesterday."

"Not exactly," said Eric looking grim. "I know what she told you. I've come to ask you what I should do."

Killainka ruffled his brow and considered the question. "You know that something is wrong don't you Eric." Eric nodded silently. "I think that perhaps a trip to see Professor Chalipun after class today would be a good idea, don't you?"

Eric nodded again. "In the mean time how do we know that I won't -" Eric stopped not quite knowing how to finish.

"I will know if I am needed, have faith," promised Killainka.

Eric rose from his chair and smiled. "I am sure of that sir."

Killainka also rose and followed him to the door. "I will find you after your last class. Tell no one until then."

"Yes sir," agreed Eric and then after receiving some additional words of encouragement he returned to class under Killainka's watchful eye.

When Killainka had returned to his spot in front of the fireplace he paused for a moment in deep meditation. There were things that were disturbing him and not those that were obvious. "Perhaps there are others that should be invited to this meeting," he thought as he sat. "And perhaps there are those who should not be invited that will be there."

Sarah felt like a traitor all day. She couldn't help feel that she had hurt Eric in some way. Why hadn't she just believed that everything would turn out all right and not gone to the Professor and told on Eric? "You're a pleasure to be with today," commented Megan as they left flying lessons and had headed back toward the dorm.

"I'm sorry," apologized Sarah after realizing Megan was talking to her. "I guess I just keep thinking about Eric and you know everything."

"I don't know why you're worried about my butt brother, I'm quite sure that as full of crap that he is this has all been some kind of a joke for him," assured Zoe, not believing it herself.

Sarah didn't believe her but didn't state that out loud. She wasn't feeling real well still, being so tired was making her body incapable of totally beating the cold. "I need to sit for a moment," she said suddenly stopping and finding a nearby chair.

"I need to go," said Megan looking a little disturbed at Sarah's sudden laziness.

"Go on all of you, I'll be fine," she said looking herself a bit annoyed.

"But we've promised to get you to the dorm safely. You're really not supposed to be without an escort," complained Megan again glancing down the hallway and looking even more irritated.

"Yeah whatever, just go away I'll be fine and on my way in just a minute or two."

"Are you sure?" asked William shooting a hateful glance at Megan.

"Yes," repeated Sarah. "I'll be fine and on my way in a minute." Megan and William exchanged silent accusing looks and then left hurried stating they would join up with them in the dorm common room. Zoe, however, stayed with Sarah all though she had an air of irritation in her voice as she asked again, how Sarah was feeling.

"You can go too," Sarah fired at her sensing the irritation in her voice. "I'll be quite all right without any of you."

"Hey I'm on your side, remember?" answered Zoe looking a tad hurt.

Sarah wasn't convinced and frowned slightly as she turned to look down at her feet. "I'm sorry, I just don't seem to be able to motivate myself. It's like someone has grabbed the bottom of my robes and is holding me back." Sneezing three times after this statement, Sarah rubbed her watery eyes and tried to stand up.

"Man I wish you'd get better," Zoe again complained.

"That's it!" Sarah nearly shouted, "Go on! I'll be there when I damn well get there!"

Zoe looked at Sarah with a mix of anger and worry. She was tired too and didn't really feel like fighting with Sarah anymore. "Fine!" she shouted back. "See you when you get there." Zoe retorted as she stormed off. Sarah mumbled some cross words under her breath and then sneezed again. Wiping her eyes again she found that the chair was more comfortable than she had thought and that she was more tired. She sat back and waited for someone else to come along and motivate her.

"Sarah, what in the world are you doing here?" asked Eric standing over her and shaking her awake. "And where are my crappy sister and your friends who are supposed to be watching over you as you go from one class to another?"

Sarah stirred slowly trying to focus on his face. "Eric," she whispered fighting the sleepiness. "What are you doing here?" Then she looked around and asked what she was doing there.

"Where's Dillon?" asked Eric, totally ignoring Sarah's concerns and questions.

"I don't know Simon Pruett came and took him at the end of flying class he had some kind of note explaining why," explained Sarah.

Eric seemed irritated and tried to shake Sarah into a more wakeful state. "Why don't you know?" he insisted.

"Man Eric, leave me alone, I feel like crap," said Sarah rising to her feet and starting down the hall. "Just wait until I tell Zoe how crappy you were to me."

"Who's that?" asked Zoe looking into Sarah's face perplexed.

Sarah blinked again and opened her eyes wider. "Your brother." Sarah said grumpily. "He's not being very nice," Sarah complained. "And as a matter of fact you and Megan and William weren't very nice either when you left me all alone in the hall."

"Sarah what are you talking about? We've never left you alone and quite frankly it hasn't been easy considering you walked ten steps out of class and fell asleep in a chair. We were about to get a teacher when you started to come around," said Zoe crouching down to make eye contact.

"Ha, Ha, very funny," replied Sarah. "Your brother was just here drilling me on all of your whereabouts." Sarah suddenly looked around and realized that Zoe, Megan and William were all standing around her and that she indeed was sitting in one of the over stuffed chairs outside of the library. A sudden shudder of panic ran up her spine and she quickly jumped out of the chair.

"Wow," said Zoe grabbing her arm. "Chill. Everything's okay now you're awake and we're all here." Sarah relaxed a little supposing that Zoe was right. It all did seem real now and she was with her best friends what could go wrong? Rising to her feet, they continued down the hall and toward the dormitories, but there was a nagging feeling in the back of her head that she couldn't shake.