Unveiled: The Chronicles of Luxor Everstone

by Jacklyn Daher

  And a person not to be messed with.

  Ellie would always be a part of her soul, even if she was a lie.

  "Watch out," Scarlett mouthed with her plump pink lips.

  Luxor clenched her fists, her eyes flashing with fury. Her veins pulsated and seared, and she yearned to scratch them, to remove the source of her bloodline. But they refused to unravel. Her mind held her captive like a prisoner.

  It was all Hunter's fault, he had interfered. This arrogant boy next to her, had the power to constantly cause chaos in her life. Why didn't he just tag team with Scarlett instead of making it a competition on who could break her first?

  The onslaught of tremors began, and Luxor hugged herself. Small crackling sounds ticked instead her eardrums of different tempos. One high pitched, the other more silent but deep, both subduing her other senses.

  “Luxor stop.”

  A voice streamed into her ear, distant and muffled, but distinct. A warm hand clasped her shoulder as she continued to shake. Luxor burned up, but the chill running through her veins was cold. It felt like freezer burn. But in reality, it was worse.

  The last time she felt like this was the gymnasium.

  In a trance, Luxor raised herself off the chair. She noticed the brunette gaping at her as she had her mental episode right in the middle of a classroom. But she was beyond caring what Scarlett or anybody thought.

  This was going to end. Now.

  “Luxor, Luxor. Please stop,” the voice continued. “Don't make me hurt you.”

  Her ears strained to hear the familiar voice and she trembled as beads of sweat trailed down her temples and her heart boomed. Bile bubbled in her throat, as her stomach churned, the burning travelling upwards. Nails scraped down her arms, harsh and a different kind of pain, evident even through her flimsy top. But it was a glorious pain regardless. It meant she was capable of feeling, despite her anger.

  Luxor shifted and she struggled in protest, jerking her body away. But a big, rough hand clasped her jaw, halting her movement. She was forced to stare into the boy’s eyes, in the hope of bringing her back, but she was lost in her world.

  Outside, grey clouds rolled in and rippled across the sky eradicating the brilliant sunshine. An ominous feeling settled in the air as students ran to the window to witness the transition. All except Luxor and Scarlett who were immersed in a silent stand-off.

  The lightbulbs popped plunging the classroom in utter darkness. Lightning struck across the sky flashing a brief source of light. A murder of crows swarmed forward, their cawing loud. They pecked at the crack and as it spread, more crows emerged. A thin line of cracks continued to spread in the ceiling and the hysteria began. The entire class was in mayhem with screams filling the air, bodies bumping into each other desperate to find an escape. Some students banged their fists on the door which had been securely closed by an unidentifiable source while others hid and huddled under tables. Ivory plaster splints hailed down and crumbled onto the tables and scattered on the floor.

  Luxor smiled, entranced by the chaos even if she couldn’t recognise the repercussions it would have.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  A voice invaded Luxor’s mind before she was shoved to the ground with a thump.

  Hunter scrapped his nails down her arms to snap her out of her inner turmoil. She paused for a heartbeat and gave him a brief smile before shoving him backwards with such force his spine hit the table two rows away.

  Luxor sat up and craned her neck around the room searching for Scarlett. She found her whimpering, her mobile in hand desperately punching in numbers. Luxor crouched down low and fixated her gaze like a lion about to pounce on its prey. Pastel pink and green light filtered through the air. Before she could reach her, both colours beamed out in unison and hit her chest with force she toppled backwards. She twitched a couple of times before passing out.

  Luxor's chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm and she laid still on her side, sound asleep on the bed. Wisps of golden locks splayed across the pillow, although most fell across her face like a curtain. The inside of the infirmary was deathly quiet.

  A vibration of her mobile in her back pocket stirred Luxor out of her slumber. She slowly pried her eyes open, the glare from the fluorescent light, an attack on her sight. She arose from the bed too quickly, and the room slightly spun. She held onto the mattress, and her fingers gripped the edge.

  Where am I?

  Her phone vibrated. She wriggled into her jeans and retrieved her phone, sliding the screen.

  Meredith: Remember your appointment.

  On the other side of the door, murmurs at the sound of her name piqued her curiosity and tip toed closer. Holding onto the door knob her exit was stopped by the entrance of Principal Wright followed by Ayla.

  "You're up," Principal Wright declared, entering further into the room.

  "How are you feeling?" Ayla asked in a small voice and passed over a bottle of water to Luxor. She was ashen, paler than usual, her blue eyes a flat shade with no hint of their brightness. Maybe the question should have been, was she okay?

  "Great, just a little headache," Luxor lied, retrieving the water bottle and twisting the cap open. She took a hefty gulp, and swallowed, the coolness instantly wetting her parched throat. Her head pounded like a drum, but would ease off the more she drank, or so she hoped.

  "Miss Everstone, do you have any idea why you are here?"

  Luxor shook her head, her mind was a maze clouded in mist. The last memory she had was being in History, Scarlett starting unnecessary trouble, and Hunter being his usual annoying self.

  "Understandable. You fainted. Must be heat stroke, a few other students suffered the same," Principal Wright said.

  The alarm on Luxor's phone buzzed, flipping it over it alerted her it was three-thirty pm and time was running out. Without a second word she turned on her heel to leave. "I need to go." She itched her arm, three scratch marks etched into her skin.

  “I don’t recommend that,” Principal Wright blocked off her exit.

  “You don’t understand. I have an appointment, a very, very important one. I have to go now. Call my mother if you don’t believe me,” Luxor urged and slunk passed them. Even if they were able to get a hold of Meredith, she would simply confirm it and then say under no circumstances was she to miss her first appointment.

  Luxor jogged as fast as possible to the corner of shops where the bus stop was. Everything had been planned, even given leeway to any hiccups.

  “Stop, stop,” Luxor waved her hands frantically just as the bus drove off.

  Luxor slumped on the heated steel chairs and covered her face with her hands and blocked out the noise from around her. The next bus came in an hour and by that time the session would be well and truly over, and a black strike against her name.

  A car zoomed past before reversing and stopping in front of her.

  “This is the last thing I expected to see. A rainbow to conclude a crap filled day,” Hunter called out through an open window.

  Luxor lifted her head up before slumping it down again. “Not now Hunter.”

  “An innocent lift. Seems important for you to sprint like a mad woman.” Hunter placed the car in neutral. He always got his way. She’d learned that about him already.

  Luxor checked her phone again and weighed up the consequences. If yesterday’s blasting from Meredith was an indication, missing this mandatory appointment would have repercussions that could have her being locked up.

  “Fine. On one condition,” Luxor opened the door and slid in.

  “Shoot.”

  “Silence.”

  Luxor accepted his non reply as an agreement, and hopped in the car, clicking her seatbelt across her chest. Giving him an address, she let out a sigh of relief and rested her head against the head rest. In all the scenarios she imagined for how today would go, fainting and Hunter actually helping out did not enter the equation.

  Hunter was a liar. It took no more than three
minutes for him to strike up a conversation.

  “So, what’s this appointment?” Hunter said pressing the central locking.

  Luxor tensed up and eyed him warily. “What part of silence don’t you understand?”

  He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and held in a smile. “I never agreed, Angel girl.”

  Luxor inadvertently groaned and thumbed between his eyebrows. Ugh that name again. She had to put a stop to it. "Why do you call me Angel? I could be the devil incarnate, now that would be ironic."

  "Then I'd gladly join you in Hell." The corner of his lips tilted upwards. Luxor smacked his knuckles with hers causing the car to swerve. "Seriously it's simple. I don't want to call you what everybody calls you. When you hear the name, you'll know it's me, nobody else, rather than when your name is called, it could be anybody."

  "Aww, that's really sweet." Luxor found herself saying, although whatever Hunter called her, she'd know it was him. His husky voice was hard to ignore. “But you know what’s better? My actual name. Try it some time.”

  "Yeah, pass. You’re Angel whether you like it or not."

  "Although still doesn't answer the question. Why Angel? You could have chosen some other cheesy term of endearment, bae, babe, baby girl, sweetheart." Luxor cringed after each name.

  "I have my reasons," Hunter switched off the radio, letting the only sounds from the conversation fill up the car. "Not many people are like us Luxor, you don't even know how unique you are." His voice was low and serious.

  "Don't put us in the same category, I am nothing like you," she replied bluntly.

  "If you say so. I can prove I know your type. My type for that matter. Play a quick game with me?" Hunter insisted.

  “Stop this ‘my type’ bullshit.”

  “So, play. Are you scared we’re alike?”

  "What? No! Don't assume things about me or people in general just because of their looks," Luxor said frustrated, tapping her fingers on her thigh. She fixated on the clock, the minutes ticking by at a low speed.

  "If you do, I'll leave. I won't bother you for the next three days."

  "Nope, non, nada, nein, nahi, nao," Luxor rambled off in English, French, Spanish, German, Hindi and Portuguese. The different dialects streaming in her mind.

  What the hell?

  Hunter smirked. "I'll just follow you into your appointment and stay until you give in."

  Luxor whipped her body around, releasing the seatbelt which had a choke hold on her. “What is wrong with you? Do you understand how creepy that sounds?" She didn't know if he was serious, or if he wanted to get a rise out of her.

  “Creepy, but serious.”

  “Don’t do this,” her voice cracked. She pulled at the skin of her bottom lips through her teeth.

  "Aren't you curious?"

  No

  Luxor clawed at her wrists knowing she couldn’t risk his threat. “Fine.”

  What had she agreed to? No, she didn't want to play a game; she didn't have to agree to his terms. But right now, she was rooted to the spot.

  "Really? Okay quick test. Instead of twenty questions, you have two," she said asserting some control, no matter how miniscule.

  "That's all I get?" Hunter replied incredulously.

  Luxor smiled smugly, looking forward for his downfall. Three days without his presence would be the ultimate gift. "Yep.”

  "Shoot.”

  There were many questions she could ask, ones to put him in his place and prove him wrong. "What's my favourite colour? My first cats name?"

  "Most likely red," he answered automatically.

  "I thought you knew. Do you doubt yourself?"

  "I'm humouring you. Don't want to freak you out. You might think I'm psychic or something along those lines." He gave a short laugh. "It's definitely red."

  Her smile disappeared, not at all sure he wasn't psychic. She should have given him a harder question, a lot of people chose red as their favourite colour.

  "Told you it was. Typical a girl like you loving that colour. Passion, fire and fury."

  "What do you mean typical?" she asked, aggravated.

  "That wasn't in the original questions."

  "So? You never said I couldn't add," Luxor said exasperated.

  Hunter poked fun at her, and despite wanting to get away from him she was intrigued. He cocked one eyebrow. "Tell me, do you like to break the rules? It'd be so much fun if you do?"

  "Have you finished being an ass, because I'm already done with this game." Luxor scowled on the verge of punching his thigh.

  "Relax. It's definitely red."

  "Well that was a lucky guess," she retorted.

  "No such thing as luck. Next question?"

  "Does Melita know you're here, spending precious time, and constantly chatting me up? Maybe I’ll go inform her,” she said, thinking about the touchy-feely girl constantly at his side.

  "No new questions," Hunter stated firmly with an impassive expression.

  "I'll take that as a no."

  Hunter smirked deviously. "Jealous?"

  A little. Wait? I can't be!

  "God no. I pity her."

  Hunter removed a hand from the steering wheel and placed his hand over his heart mockingly. "Ouch. I'll make sure to pass on your condolences. Can I tell you something?" His voice was seductively low and husky. "I think you are, it's in the eyes. And yours Angel, tell me point blank you want me."

  Luxor scoffed. "Yeah with a side of contempt. You're a pain. Game over. Stop the car and drop me off on the side of the road." She had no clue where she was but the GPS in her phone settings would. Nothing like a long walk and not having to deal with Hunter anymore.

  "Nope, game not over. One more question."

  Luxor rubbed her temple. "Cat? Remember it was in the original questions."

  "I must have missed it with your adorable remarks." He chuckled.

  "Are you going to mock me?"

  "It's so much fun, that face, can't get enough of it."

  Luxor was on the verge of releasing her angry side. "Cat?" She gritted her teeth and funnelled her strength to persevere. One more answer and she would be rid of him.

  Could she claim Kitty as her own yet?

  "Hmmm...That’s a hard one." He paused, tilting his head to the side prolonging the answer. "And a trick question. Firstly, how am I supposed to know that, I'm not psychic? From what I assume you don't look the type. Cats demand attention while you automatically get it."

  Luxor had enough. Enough of the way he assumed things about her, and she hated that he was right. She never had to try, boys always came to her, even when she repeatedly rejected them, they didn't give up.

  "Whatever, this is stupid."

  "Is it? It's always been that way. Hasn't it?" Hunter questioned, but it came across as more of a firm statement.

  Luxor clutched her backpack. She couldn't be near him anymore, he was getting close, and he wasn't even meaning to. Was she that predictable?

  "Any more questions?" He arched an eyebrow.

  "No. You have no idea about who I am. I have a headache the size of Mongolia and my day just keeps getting worse.”

  “Poor Angel. Things will become clearer soon." He laughed a little too loudly.

  It was all riddles and cryptic clues. Why couldn't he be blunt in conversations and not when he was making it obvious he wanted her. Or in her panties.

  Hunter veered to the side of the ride and stopped exactly where Luxor wanted him to. "Believe me, I know all about you, but you don't know anything about me so I'll make it fair.” He pressed the button on the central locking and leaned over her body to open the door wide. “Want to find out?" The hidden meaning was thickly laced in his low voice, and with bravado held her hand. He grabbed a wet wipe from the glove box and pulled one out. Holding her chin he tilted it to one side and wiped underneath her ear before repeating with the other side. “All better. You’re fit for society.”

  She scowled, she should have punched him, but she d
idn't. And it wasn't just because he held one of her hands. Maybe it was the tone, although laced with innuendo made her want to know even more, it was churning up inside.

  Luxor stalked off without a word. It was all a game to him, he would continue to play, all to keep her unbalanced. One step forward, three steps back. This was the final straw, she wouldn't let him catch her unaware again. If he wanted to play her, he messed with the wrong girl.

  At the furthest part of Brighton Falls in an industrial part of town with tall, grey closed down factories, the nondescript building of The Renaissance Centre came into view. Luxor had to double check the address as the area reminded her of where drug deals would go down, as depicted on television.

  She kept alert, and jogged over to the front entrance, trying to eradicate the thoughts of the uneasy drive. She had to concentrate, especially since it was her first session and she had no idea what to expect.

  The receptionist, a young lanky girl no older than eighteen, greeted her. She had a strange grin as she ushered Luxor in the room to an awaiting Dr. Lawson.

  The first thing Luxor noticed about the room was it was completely devoid of colour. From the white tiled floors, bare walls, and hardly any furniture, the room screamed mental asylum, as if she was receiving a tranquilizer to the brain. It was the perfect solution to minimise distractions.

  The only place where colour made an appearance was on the black digital clock, mounted directly across from her.

  Fifty-nine minutes to go.

  "Hello Luxor, take a seat. Or better still, lie down."

  “I’m all lied out.” Luxor situated herself diagonally on the long recliner. She assumed theses chairs were required in all psychologists' rooms. Well according to the movies at least.

  As she waited patiently, she bit the loose skin on her edge of her thumb, all the while Dr Lawson scribbled in her white binder. Luxor couldn't possibly think what she scribbled in her notepad, since she hadn't said a word.

  "Come outside." Dr. Lawson placed the notepad on her desk and pulled apart the sheer cream sheets. She led Luxor through the double panelled glass doors and spread them open.

  Warm air and lush greenery laid out before her in an enclosed area. Two yoga mats were pre-prepared on the grass in front of a large statue of a Buddha. A square box of sand with ripples raked through it laid in front of it along with an array of rocks.