Alice Corey and the Hollows Curse

by Jimi Alan

  “What happened?” Alice guessed he got hurt from the fight against the hollow.

  “Your awake.” Glorja seemed surprised. “Well, I guess casters heal faster.”

  “It's all that magic inside of them.” Justin was still shy as he joked around.

  “Oh.” Lucia smirked as she realized Alice was pointing out the cast on Justin's arm. “He tripped going up the staircase to the library.”

  Gloria added. “Frank and Luna where playing with this enchantment and it tripped him.” She tried hard not to laugh. “It was so hilarious.”

  “I’m glad that my injury is so amazing to you.” He kid with them. “I could of died.”

  “As if.” Gloria smirked.

  Lucia said. “We should get heading to class.”

  “You have to rest.” Gloria seemed to be able to since how tired Alice felt. “We’re come back later.”

  She walked away with Justin, who slightly waved his hand before leaving past the other empty bed. Lucia followed behind them, with a smile on her face. Alice was glad to see her friends were still the same. She looked over her shoulder at the chair Lucia was sitting in.

  Noticing a small piece of paper had been laying on the curtain. She reached her hand over, making her fingertip touch the edge. Alice was able to hold a piece of paper in her hand. She looked down at the ‘N’ written on the paper. She realized it from the letter she found on her mother's grave.

  Opening the piece of paper, it unraveled into a small paper the side of a post it note. Alice smiled as she knew the letter was from Natas. She wanted to know more about her parents and she hoped that one day she would be able to see her again, to ask her questions about them. Her mind flooded as she looked down at the piece of paper.

  The letter said.

  ‘Dear little one,

  I hope the next time we met, I will not be cursed and we can talk about your mother. I am sorry and will be away. Until never time. N’

  Reading the words, she felt something click in her head. She realized the figure that had possessed Natas was not a being. It was a magical curse that had taken over her mother’s best friend. Somehow a dark curse was able to since the power her mother had, but she still wondered why it was after her.

  Her eyes drifted towards the old stone window of the infirmary. She looked out at the sky as her hand slid the paper into her pocket. A smile lit up her hand as she felt her father's wand touch the tip of her wand as they lay beside each other in her pocket.

  A bird flew away from the outside of the window. It soared away from the academy as Alice curled up into the hospital bed. She watched as the bird flew off, passing the treeline outside towards the white ties of the mountains in the distance.

  Weeks had passed since the hollows curse had been abliderated before Alice's eyes. She stood in the hallway of the academy, waiting for her friends to join her. A few classmates smiled as they past her in the hall. She politely smiled back at them with a soft nod, she realized how every student at the Graves academy have heard her name. She remembered Gloria joking a few days ago.

  Her voice echoed in Alice's head, "The girl who broke the Hollows Cure. That's my best friend. Here she comes now."

  Alice remembered the moment in her head. Gloria held a proud smile on her face as she looked over her shoulder at Alice. She could not help herself from noticing Leilah standing down the hall. Her eyes looked with Alice's for a single second. She felt a distasteful feeling shiver down her spine as Leilah mouth opened.

  A touch on her shoulder made Alice look away. She moved her head slightly to her shoulder. Her mouth smiled as her eyes saw the friendly face of Lucia beside her.

  She seemed to have noticed her sisters gaze on Alice as well. "Encore her."

  Her words gave Alice a bit of comfort. She felt a slight tug on her shoulder as her memory drifted. Returning back to the present, she placed her hand to her forehead. Alice felt tired.

  She remembered the doctor's voice in her head from when she was free to leave the academy's infirmary. "Take it easy. You used up a lot of magic, which has its price."

  In a way, his voice seemed like a warning to her. She slipped out of her memories and back into the halls of the academy. Alice spotted Justin standing down at the end of the hall. Her stood with Gloria by his side, who seemed to be nervously waiting.

  A few students walked past Alice. She heard her name escape their mouths as the walked past her towards the doors at the end of the hall. Alice remembered she was running late. She rushed down the hall towards the grand bronze doors, Justin and Gloria stood in front off.

  Gloria muttered. "I hope Lucia was able to save a seat for each of us."

  "Here she comes." Justin spotted her, as he waved awkwardly to her.

  Alice smiled. She knew Justin had always been the odd one in their group. Her mind remember how her casted a raging fire from his dork twig wand. It was suiting for a wizard like him.

  Alice wondered. "Did it start?"

  "Not yet." Justin told her. "But it will soon."

  Gloria darted to the slight opening in the door. "Come on. We have to find Lucia. She's saving us seats by her."

  Alice worried. "For all of us."

  Justin smiled. "I hope."

  He headed into the gap between the doors with a smile on his face. Taking a step past the doors, Alice remembered she had never walked onto the other side of the bronze doors. She took a deep breath, holding her shoulders back with pride. Her eyes closed for only a second.

  A feeling of motion erupted around her. She felt a soothing breeze on her neck as her hands moved by her side. Her fingertips engraved the door as she walked past it. She could imagine herself walking effortlessly into the room.

  Opening her eyes, she let her breath ripple over her mouth as her eyes soaked in the room. She stood in a hall of silver tables with metal legs. Each table was unique on its own. Lining down the hall were chairs by each side. Alice felt like she was transported to another word. Her eyes looked up as a sea of diamonds sparkle over her head. She knew how to tell if something was bewitched by her classes at the academy. Her eyes wondered how the ceiling could not shimmer like other bewitched object do.

  Snapping back to reality, Alice spotted Lucia sitting at a table with Gloria and Justin joining her on the other side. She knew the seat beside Lucia was reserved for her. Taking a step forward, Alice noticed how every student whispered as she walked past them. Her name was on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Some words were good, while others were not as pleasant.

  Reaching the table were her friends waiting for her arrival. Alice felt welcomed by the smiles on their faces. She had never thought she would be sitting at a table with the likes of her friends around her. Her eyes lowered as she felt her sweaty palms clinch together.

  The ceremony began with the large doors closing as the hall had become full. Alice looked over her shoulder as the bronze doors closed, sending a charming sound through the door.

  A table at the head of the room, lit up with candles on the glass and a metal stand before it. She watched as Mrs Monroe walked into the room from a door on the side. Joining her, the other council members walked from the door to the table. Each stood behind their seats, waiting until each one of them stood before the students. Mrs Monroe stood at the metal stand, like she was ready to say a line for a play.

  She cleared her throat as Drac reached his seat. “Welcome, welcome. Boys and girls, to the end of a school year.”

  Looking out at the crowd of students, Alice noticed a few familiar faces. Mrs Highfield sat in the back with a few of the faculty. She seemed to notice Alice’s gaze, making a wink before her attention went back to the front of the room. Alice followed her gaze, looking back at Mrs Monroe.

  “We hope you all made the best out of this year. And may those who have left the school, still practice elsewhere.” Mrs Monroe said. “Now, for what we are gathered her for.”

  Clapping her hands together, she commanded the room to make the lighting
in the room dim. Alice noticed how it was like a domino effect, starting from the front of the room and ending at the far back.

  Mrs Monroe’s voice traveled to all of the student’s ears. “I give you the graduating class.”

  Raising her hand, the lights bloomed behind her. The students appeared in front of the council table behind Mrs Monroe. Each of the students behind her, had the school’s colors on their graduation gowns. Alice knew she would get to wear one some day. She felt her body leaping for joy, wishing she could be up there now.

  Watching the ceremony, Alice saw each of the graduation class walk to Mrs Monroe. They shook her hand before walking towards a table to the far right, which was empty before. Alice wondered if the table would be empty next year, until the new students arrive.

  Aplozing the graduating class, her eyes drifted. Alice looked across the table at Gloria sitting with her hands folded in front of her. She looked back at the front of the room, where the last graduate walked onto the platform. Alice remembered his face, the brother of Gloria stood waiting. Gloria's eyes locked with her brothers. Her mother and father walked away from where they stood towards Mrs Monroe.

  She raised her hand. "And now our last graduate."

  Her hand lowered as his parents stood beside them. Giles walked away from where he was waiting for his name to be called. He was the last student out of a full class to walk before the other students. Alice watched as Gloria clenched her hands together. She seemed nervous as her brother walked closer to her parents. Justin placed his hand onto hers. A simple touch made Gloria's hands become more relax. the two of them shared a smile before returning back to Giles on the stage.

  His hand shook the hand of Mrs Monroe. "Giles Parker."

  The way her voice echoed across the room made his name seem more important than others who shook her hand before him. Mrs Monroe whispered to Giles a few words in his ears. She held a kind smile on her face.

  Giles walked away from Mrs Monroe. He headed towards his mother, shaking her hand they shared a silent smile. She seemed proud from where Alice stood. Her eyes darted back at Gloria, who seemed to still be relaxed. She looked back at the platform to see Giles walking up to their father.

  The two of them shared a look. His father held out his sons diploma in his hand, wrapped up in a blue ribbon. Alice noticed its color was not red or black like the others in his class. She wondered if the blue ribbon meant something.

  Giles smiled with his diploma in his hand. The tip of his finger rubbed across the blue ribbon on his diploma. He smiled with pride as he turned around. Giles held his diploma in his hand. He rose the diploma up high for the other students to see his achievement.

  Each student rose from their seats. They clapped loudly for his achievement like it was their own. Gloria rose and clapped her hands slowly. His eyes locked with his sisters as the smile on his face seemed to vanish. Alice noticed how they shared a moment with their eyes.

  Later that day, Alice finished packing up her room. She could not forget the look on Gloria's face as her brother walked off of the platform. It was like she was saying goodbye to her best friend in the whole world. Alice zipped up her suitcase. She headed out of her dorm room with a nervous grin on her face. She was glad to be heading home after the year she just hand. But she would miss the friends she made over the past eight months.

  Her dorm door closed behind her. She carried her suitcase in hand with a smile on her face. Alice walked down the hallway. She knew the way to the main floor in her sleep by now.

  Down the hallway, she heard the calm debating voice of Justin and Gloria. The two of them seemed to be getting alone. Gloria rolled her eyes at what ye said, as Justin tried to explain his reasoning to her.

  He said. “You can't just use a dragon's fang to make an enchantment.”

  Gloria reminded him. “Read chapter two again.” Her hand touched his shoulder 8n a calm understanding way. “You might need to brush on what it says.”

  “Says the girl who thought a drop of lions breath was able to be found in a field.” Justin reminded her. “When everyone knew, it could only be an actual breath of a lion.”

  Alice laughed. “He's right about that.”

  Gloria said. “We'll trust me on this one.”

  “I would.” Alice noticed the look on Gloria's face was screaming for her to back her up. “Gloria has already read that book. And it's a third year study.”

  “Wait.” Justin sighed. “Your reading third year books.”

  Gloria shrugged. “So.”

  Justin looked surprised. “Why would you do that to yourself? We have a year and three months before we need to even worry about that.”

  “I got bored.” Gloria reminded her. “So I read ahead.”

  Alice’s attention got drained away from her friends conversation. She looked down the hallway with a smile on her face. Lucia was walking down the hallway by herself. She held her wand in her hand with her hands holding it in front of her. Alice was pleased to see her by herself. She joined them with a smile on her face.

  “What's going on?” She cited into the conversation.

  “Someone who can talk some knowledge into this boy.” Gloria said as she gestured towards Justin. “Please tell him that it's not strange to read a third year book.”

  Lucia seemed surprised. “You’re reading a third year book?”

  “It's for enchantments.” She explained with an eye roll.

  “Oh my gosh.” Lucia seemed to understand. “Did you get to chapter five?”

  Alice was surprised her friends were able to go ahead in their studies. She knew her studies had fallen behind. Alice had a meeting with Mrs Monroe a few days ago to disguise the issue. She remembered how nervous she felt standing in her office as Mrs Monroe entered.

  The two of them talked about the incident on the hill. Trying to avoid the awkward conversation before them. Mrs Monroe assured Alice that she will be returning next year. For her skills while facing the hollows curse was more than excellent. She was impressed by the young witch for her amount of courage.

  Alice walked with her friends down the hallway. They headed for the large staircase, which led to the train station below the academy. Alice heard the loud whistle charming through the school as she walked with her friends ss. She knew the train ride was a sight she would not forget. Her friends would sit beside her, until then reached a station. Alice kept her eyes on Lucia as they sat in silence for most of the ride. She was glad Mrs Monroe allowed for her to pass.

  The train moved, pulling out of the tunnel. Alice looked out the window at the stream. She watched as the stones for the train bridge rose up from the stream below. Her breath left her mouth, mesmerized by the fight sight of magic she ever saw. She hoped to be able to perform a spell like it someday.

  The train bridge lowered as the train reached the train tracks on the other side. Alice smiled with her friends in the train booth. They reminisce about what unfolded over the past ten months as the academy faded away into the mountains.