Almost Dead (Blackwell Academy Book 1)

by Rae Hendricks

  At checkout time, my parents went to go talk to the financial department. They intended to make a payment and start a payment plan to settle the bill. They came back in total shock when they found out that not only did I not have a bill, but that someone had paid every little piece of it. My parents wondered if it was the company that owned the truck that hit me and Michael that settled the bill. Made sense, I guess, but there never was any confirmation. I guess we'd never know.

  The back of our truck was stocked full of everything that we had taken from the hospital. My mother went to unlock the door, and my dad helped me out. We slowly walked up to the door, which was really unnecessary. He just wanted me to be safe. As we got to the door out, I put my hand in the mailbox and pulled out a stack.

  “Papa, do you guys not check the mail anymore, geesh?” I laughed as we walked into the house. Nothing had changed since I had been away. Everything looked and smelled just the same - great.

  My parents looked so happy now, and that made me happy. My parents were going round and round about what we were going to eat for dinner because it was a celebration, now that I was home.

  “Mija, pizza or Mexican?” I thought about it real hard as I shuffled through the mail. What he said left my mind as I saw a big envelope addressed to me. It had black and gold lettering and a golden crest in the corner. My name was boldly written across the front. What was the Blackwell Academy, and why were they trying to reach me?

  "Mama? Papa?" I called out to my parents trying to get their attention.

  "Yeah?" My mother reached me first. I held out the letter to her, and she took it.

  “It’s a letter from the Blackwell Academy. They are very prestigious, and rumor has it that a lot of bright, young people are fighting to get in. Your grades and aptitude at school have granted you a full scholarship.”

  “What?” I was in shock. Her words and her face didn’t match up at all. She looked so hurt as she spoke. Why would Mama be so sad?

  “Mama, why do you look so sad?”

  “I am going to miss you. This is a full room and board school. You will have to stay there. It’s an academy. You live there ten months out of the year.”

  “Ten months? I’ll be living there for ten months, Mama?”

  “It’s a very good school and is well sought after. It will be a perfect opportunity for you. Your father and I will speak about this, and I'm sure he'll be in agreement with me.”

  Again, her words and the way her face looked did not match. I'm pretty sure it was because the idea of me being gone for so long hurt her heart, especially after recent events.

  “When does school start, Mama?”

  “It starts in about a week. You have to get clearance from the doctors before you go back to school, but you are healing fast.”

  “A week? Mama, that means I'll probably be starting after everybody else, and I'm going to be behind, and besides, that’s going to be really embarrassing. My roommate will already be there, and I won't be able to start with my classmates or meet them when they first get there.”

  “Honey, trust me, I understand. They have first dibs at a lot of Ivy League Schools, though. They will be able to groom you, honey. Your father told me what you said about the stress from school, trying to make sure you had a job, got into college, and weren’t a burden. This will take off some of that burden.”

  My dad came into the room, and Mama caught him up on the news. My father was so excited, especially when my mother spoke about a full scholarship. He was over the moon with the idea of me getting into a great college. That was all my father needed to hear, and he was sold; so different from my mom’s worry.

  We settled on pizza to celebrate the news. We had a family night and spent time together watching some great movies.

  I was apprehensive but a little bit excited. In a few short weeks, I would be going to Blackwell Academy for gifted, young students.

  After we watched movies, I laid in bed and contemplated all the things that had occurred since I had my accident. When there was a knock at my door, I knew it was my mother. She always had this uncanny way of knowing when I was in deep thought. She had on her fluffy, purple robe and matching slippers. I scooted over as she crawled in with me, and we snuggled.

  “Are you okay, dear?” She rubbed her fingers through my hair, and it was comforting.

  “Yeah, I just have a lot of things on my mind. Mama? Why are you so sad?” I watched as one of her eyebrows raised and her head cocked to the side.

  “Who says I’m sad, young lady?”

  “Mama, I can feel it and I can see it in your eyes. You have been like this since you opened up the letter. What is worrying you so much?”

  “I am sad that you will be leaving. I thought I had another year to be with you, hun. It saddens me that I have to be without you so soon after your accident. You almost died, and the idea of losing you again so soon is terrifying. I’m your mother, and I worry about your well-being. I worry about you because I love you so much.” She sighed, and her eyes filled with tears.

  I was going to miss them also. They were my backbone and my heart.

  ***

  Three weeks had passed, and Mama and I were in my room, packing. She had been in touch with the academy and made arrangements since I needed the okay from the doctors to begin school. It seemed that because I was starting, late I was going to have to graduate later. The curriculum was a little bit more involved than my school, so I was going to have to take some extra classes as well.

  There were uniforms waiting for me in my size when I arrived. There was no need to pack much.

  “Anastasia, I need you to listen to me. If at any time you need me, just call. I mean it.”

  Fat tears fell from my eyes, and my heart dropped. I was going to miss my parents so much. They had done all that they could to love me and take care of me. They were not just great parents, but they were great people. I was a lucky girl. They had done the best that they could to instill good values in me. I would do my best to make them proud. I wrapped my arms around my mother and held on tightly. I pushed all my feelings into the hug.

  My father walked in and saw us hugging.

  “Alright now, break this up. She is not moving to another country; she will only be a few hours away.” We laughed at his silliness. He was right, though, we were only going to be hours away from each other. I would be in a different state, but a bus or train would get me from the Olympic Peninsula down to my home in California in no time if I needed it.

  He grabbed my bags and loaded the car. My mother gave me another big hug, and she rubbed my back. I felt her love. It was so warm and familiar.

  “Courage and strength, Anastasia. Be well.” It was strange - her voice echoed one on top of each other, and for just a moment, I saw different colors. Just for a split second, my rainbow symphony returned, and just as fast it was gone. The world looked different after that, and as my father loaded me into our SUV, I looked at my mother, and she cried.

  “Courage and strength, Mama. I love you!”

  Me and Papa pulled away, and I saw Mama waving in the rearview mirror. I had a deep seated feeling that my life was going to change.

  6

  Enrolled

  I was enrolling weeks behind everyone else, so when we pulled up there wasn’t a welcome sign out or a huge crowd of parents and students around. We drove right up to the doors and walked inside.

  “Hello, we are here to register Anastasia Perez.” My father instantly got to the point like I knew he would. If my mother had come she would either be crying or worrying over the amenities and classes.

  “Sure, here is her paperwork and registration information. We were waiting for her. We are glad to have you, dear. My name is Ms. Aberdeen, I am the head secretary. I am going to call Principal Brown and Dean Andrews to come to meet you.” She was pretty, one of those women who could be any age.

  While I waited, I took a looked around. The grounds had an old feel about them. The drive into the
town was absolutely breathtaking. The views were picture-worthy. The school was located in a sleepy town that had a New England feel about it. It was strange because we were on the West Coast. We were close enough to the ocean that I could hear the waves hitting the coast. We were gated, and there was a guard in the front and in the back. As I glanced out of the office window, I could see the heavy, wrought iron fence, that passed around the parameter of the property. All of the buildings had a sandy, white, color to them and looked like it was maybe an old plantation, but did they have those, this far west? This was the main building ,and there were several other buildings scattered all around.

  “Welcome, Miss Perez. We are so pleased to have you here, Mr. Perez.” Principal Brown shook hands with my father and introduced himself. He was an odd-looking man. He had beady, little, reddish-brown eyes, and pale skin. His grey comb-over caused me a small snicker. I had to cough to hide it. I saw my father’s eyes widen slightly, and then he gave me a sly look. He was too polite of a man to comment, but I knew his thoughts were the same as mine; this man was odd.

  Behind him was Dean Andrews. He was a stocky man, with a mop of red curls on top of his head. He wore a small pair of rimmed wire glasses. His clothes; a white shirt, navy tie, and matching slacks, were pristine and thoroughly starched. His freckled face made him look like he was around my age. I was pretty sure, in order for him to be a dean in this school, he was much older than that.

  “Anastasia, I am Dean Andrews. There are other deans, but we split the student body up by, umm.. their giftings. I will be meeting with you soon to work out any kinks in your schedule and to see if you are ready to add any other classes or extra curriculum. Is that okay?” His British accent threw me for a loop. I didn’t see that one coming. It aged him - no longer did he seem so young.

  “If you need anything before then, my door is always open.”

  Secretary Aberdeen stood next to them with some papers in her hands. She waited patiently for everyone to be done before she approached us.

  “Follow me, you two. There are just a few more papers for you to sign before we can move her to the dorms.” We followed her down the hall. Her wide hips rocked from side to side. Her plump feet were squeezed into a pair of black, kitten heels.

  She moved us to a room with a long, polished, cherry wood desk. As Papa filled out the papers, my eyes wandered. On the walls were huge pictures of the alumni. It was intriguing. I had never attended a place where the school posted pictures of the old students. I mean, at my school they posted the football players and band members from past classes, but this list was ancient. Some of the pictures dated back to the 1800’s.

  “Mija, are you sure you want to stay? We can leave and return home, and I won’t say a word.”

  “Papa?” I looked up at my father, and from his eyes, tears were falling. I stood up and sat in his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

  “I’m serious, Anastasia. You do not have to stay.”

  "I know, Papa. I will be fine, I promise. We will see each other at Thanksgiving time. I need to do this for my future. I learned how to be responsible from the best. Now, trust what you have taught me.” We were both crying at this point.

  “Smart kid.”

  I stood, and we both collected ourselves. He signed the last of the papers just as the door opened. Ms. Aberdeen looked in and smiled.

  “Are you all done?” My father looked to me for confirmation. This was my final opportunity to run. It was tempting, but I knew that this was for the best.

  “Yes, ma’am, we are done.” My father shook his head in understanding, and we followed her out of the room.

  ***

  Turns out the campus was big enough for everyone to have their own room. I was placed in Chief Hall. There were three floors and twenty-five rooms. Everyone had their own bathrooms. My father had my bags in his hands as we took the elevator to the third floor. I was in 306. The scenery was nice, and there were lots of green trees. The big window showed quite a bit of the grounds. Luckily, it was gorgeous here. The walk-in closet had five red and black skirts and five crisp, white shirts hanging in the closet, as promised.

  After my father placed my bags on the desk in the corner, he grabbed me in a huge bear hug. He kissed me on my forehead and let me go.

  “Please do not hesitate to call if you need me. I mean it.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Call my cell so that I can have your dorm room phone number.” I picked up the phone and dialed him as he had asked.

  "Got it." He stated when his phone rang.

  He hugged me again, and he left. He looked back one last time with a sweet smile. "I love you, Mija." He walked into the elevator, and then he was gone.

  I busied myself hanging up my clothes and organizing all of my things. Mama had sent plants and some knick knacks with me, to spruce up my room.

  I was so into decorating that when the phone on the desk rang, I jumped. Who was calling me? Only Mama and Papa knew how to reach me at this point.

  “Hello?”

  “Ms. Perez?”

  “Yes, ma'am?”

  “Hi, this is Ms. Aberdeen. I have to test the phone system and give you your voicemail code. Also, you are set up for a school tour tomorrow with Brady from the student council. Your lunch and dinner bell is on plan B which is posted on your schedule. There is a small kitchenette in each hall stocked with small snacks and juices. If you need anything else, hit zero on the phone, and no matter what time, there will be someone to answer you.”

  "Yes, ma'am.”

  When she hung up, I wrote down all of the information and sat on my bed to figure out what to do next. I was restless, walked over to the window, and looked out. I was hungry, and the cafeteria, according to the little map I was given, was on the other side of the campus. I looked down at the ugly brace on my leg, and I sighed. I could sit here and starve, or I could walk, slowly, to the cafeteria and eat. I made the decision to go, but walking out the door was a whole other thing.

  “Courage and strength.” My mother’s voice echoed in my ear. I felt my backbone straighten, and I reached for the door. I stuck my head into the hall and was met with silence. There was not a soul around; odd. I locked the door behind me and walked down the hall to the elevator. I pushed the button and walked in when the door opened. I pushed one, and a few seconds later I was in the lobby.

  The lobby to Chief Hall looked like the Greeks had designed it. The hallway was stark white, and there were pillars up and down the hall. I walked down the hall to be nosy and ran into a room with multiple TVs and games. There were shelves and shelves of books. I walked out and turned another corner and there was the little kitchenette that Ms. Aberdeen spoke of. The cabinets were stocked full of snacks and sodas. Juices and bottles of water were in the refrigerator. In the lower cabinets were single-use microwavable containers of soup, noodles, and ravioli. Well, it was nice to know that I wouldn’t starve to death.

  I looked out the front window at the long distance to the cafeteria hall again, and I changed my mind. I walked over and heated up a cup of single-use tomato soup and grabbed my favorite; white Cheese-Its. I went back to my room and sat at my desk and ate. I read through my paperwork with all of the rules and regulations. Looked like Brady Huntington was my tour guide and head of the student council. He was evidently the welcoming committee.

  It was still silent in the hall when I laid down. I turned in early just so I would be prepared for my long day tomorrow.

  ***

  I was walking the grounds of the academy, and I felt like I was being watched. I could feel the cold, hard stare of someone. They stood in the shadows, in waiting. I ran into a field past the tennis courts and the basketball courts. I could feel my invisible enemy as I ran. I could feel my heart beating, and my breathing was labored. I rubbed my hand on my side, and I could feel where my ribs broke. I ran into a thick cover of bushes and screamed. I just knew that I would hit a wall or something hard, but I didn’t. I kept on goi
ng, and when I stopped, I was in an underground cavern. Every sense was on high alert. I felt pure evil. I looked around, trying to find the source. I looked left and right, trying to find out where it was coming from. I felt surrounded. I turned and saw the old man again, from the hospital, and I froze.

  Then, I woke up. I looked around my room. I could still feel the evil. I didn't feel alone, yet no one stood in the room with me. I laid back down and forced myself to sleep anyway.

  7

  The Jerk

  The next morning, I awoke wrapped up in my covers. It was like I had a fight in my sleep. I don't know why, but I've never slept so restlessly. I got up, and I straightened the covers, making my way to my closet and found something to wear. I had to meet Brady at 9 a.m. in the main hall.

  I ran around getting dressed because I overslept. I didn’t know how I was going to figure out who Brady was, but I wanted to be there so I wouldn't be in any kind of trouble.

  I put on my shoes and hobbled as fast as I could to meet him. Though my leg still wasn’t up to its full strength, I found it easy to walk without the brace. I had left it off for the sake of not looking ridiculous my first day on campus. It was shallow, but as long as my leg was doing fine, I was sure it would be alright.

  The halls were crowded with students. It was a Sunday, and some people were just returning from a weekend visit home.

  It really was a beautiful campus.

  It was bigger than I originally thought. There were so many buildings here. I was excited for this tour, so that I could explore them all and see what opportunities were here.

  I made it to my destination in record time with just a couple of minutes to spare. Standing in front of the main hall was a guy with brown hair and light brown eyes. He looked like the boy next door. He had to be Brady, because he stood there with a huge sign with my name on it.

  “Brady?”

  “Anastasia?” He looked me up and down and leered. Uh oh, I didn’t like the look of that.