AfterTheFallBackRow[continued from Larger the Group, Bigger the Target] Temnal and Gillian barely got a few feet before the room swirled around them, transforming into a chaotic soup of sensations and light. They felt themselves falling backwards, as if the floor itself had been removed from beneath them. Each landed in a cold, slick cushion that sucked them down like quicksand. It took them a moment recognize this ‘cushion’ as their own flesh, now cold and deathly shells that clung to them. They were back in their seats at the rear of the auditorium. In the aisle, a group of students had gathered around someone unseen; their distress apparent even from this distance. Prince Benedict had leapt from the stage and now ascended the stairs toward them with spidery strides. Gillian felt Seabhac’s hand clamp around her wrist, shaking her. “Gillian! Gillian, oh Unicorn, tell me you’re okay! Please talk to me!” Gillian turned toward Seabhac and touched his lips with her fingers. "Sh-h-hh," she pleaded, her teeth chattering from her cold body. "We--I mean I--am fine." It seemed unsafe to imply anyone else had experienced this something along with her, even to Seabhac. Gillian gave him what she hoped was a convincing smile. Seabhac was taken aback by Gillian’s behavior, his jaw working soundlessly. Her eyes traveled down to the knot of students that were presumably surrounding Rusalka. "Do you suppose she's all right?" she asked Temnal over her shoulder. She phrased it as a rhetorical question, though she hoped Temnal would take it otherwise. "It looks," Temnal said diplomatically, "as if she has plenty of help." Then, with a perceptible note of relief, "Yes, look, someone is helping her stand up." At the same time his hand came up to touch his chest, a little below the collarbone, as if he was feeling for something. He found nothing out of place, other than the extreme coldness that clung to his skin. Seabhac coughed to interrupt them, keeping his voice low. “Gillian. What’s going on? You’re not fine. Both of you went completely still for a few minutes. I thought . . . I thought I’d lost you. Please. What happened?” She shyly took his hand in hers. "Please. Not here. Not now," she whispered back. "Afterward. We'll talk. I promise." Seabhac appeared mollified by this response, nodding to her. His hands encompassed hers, rubbing warmth back into her numb fingers. “I guess that’ll end the ceremony,” he said, referring to the Prince Benedict and the group helping Rusalka. Temnal looked sidelong at Gillian, wondering if what she proposed was wise. He did, however, feel that it might be a good idea for all the students who'd gone through ... whatever sort of experience that had been just now ... to get together and discuss their impressions. Soon. The Vice Chancellor walked to the podium, trying to reestablish control of the auditorium. “Students, students! Everything is well in hand. Please check your curriculum sheets and retire to your first classes. Thank you.” Seabhac squeezed Gillian’s hand, leaning over. “I know a quiet place we can all go to avoid the crowds.” "After classes, right?" Gillian clarified, the idea of missing the first class of the term on par with a fate worse than death. Temnal rose -- a little unsteadily, for he was still feeling the effects of what had apparently been an out-of-body experience -- but waited for Gillian and Seabhac to precede him out of the row. “The Unflappable Gilly,” Seabhac chuckled. “When you’ve finished your classes, why don’t we all meet in your new lab? From what I’ve heard, you received Pamela Ibis’ old lab. It’s pretty big too. Haunted, but big.” "Yes, we did--Joao and Raina share the lab too. Temnal, is that all right with you?" Joao and Raina were two of the other students who appeared to be caught up in this madness. Temnal nodded and said, "If you'll tell me where it is." He still wasn't sure where Seabhac came in, but if Gillian didn't mind... "It's in the basement of the Alchemy building...in the old part," she replied. "As you come down the stairs you go through the double doors on your right and the lab is the fourth door on the left." Temnal nodded again. "I'll find it." He was used to finding his way around underground. Then something else Seabhac had said suddenly registered with Gillian. "What do you mean, haunted?" Temnal's golden eyes narrowed as their gaze shifted to Seabhac. That didn't sound good... “Oh, I’d thought you’d have heard by now,” Seabhac said. “Well, Student Ibis died in the lab about eleven years ago. An explosion or a toxic spill, I think. The story gets more fantastical with every telling. You know how it is. Anyway, ever since, anyone that spends time there will eventually attract her spirit’s attention.” "Oh...my," Gillian murmured. "And what sort of attention does it tend to be?" Temnal inquired suspiciously, meanwhile thinking, ''Don't we have enough ghosts of our own?'' Seabhac shrugged, “Pranks mostly. She was a Flower before she died and so liked cute things far too much. She may tease you until you add something pink and adorable to the room. Call it a Ward of Frilly.” Gillian made a face. [Seabhac] offered his arm to her once they’d cleared the narrow seats. This catches the attention of several members of the student body, not the least of which is Daphne and her fellow Flowers. Seabhac’s eyes are only for Gillian, so he’s completely oblivious to the hateful stares cast in their direction. Gillian took Seabhac's arm and dared to allow herself to smile just a little bit. They started off up the aisle. Temnal followed, at the same time looking around to see if he could spot any of the others and let them in on the plan. As he was doing so he caught the glares of the Flowers. Unconsciously drawing himself up, he returned them with a disconcertingly flat golden gaze. Temnal’s exotic nature did garner a few comments; some negative, some positive. The word ‘chaos’ did filter through the crowd, spoken like a curse. In time, the Flowers lost interest and stalked off to look pretty and torment people else where. Over the crowd, Ginger’s voice could be heard getting closer. “Move it, meatsack! Coming through! Do you want to keep that ankle, Blondie?” "Oh dear," Gillian exclaimed, looking in the direction she heard Ginger's voice. She let go of Seabhac's arm, glanced back at Temnal with a look of long suffering, and caught the orange blur as it jumped into her arms. Ginger sank her nails into Gillian’s chest, “Oberon’s hairy sack, Kitten! What happened? I felt you… die. But you’re not dead! Why aren’t you dead?” She snapped her orange head toward Temnal, “What did you do to my kitten?” Briefly, she cast Seabhac an adoring smile, before returning to her indignant glowering at Temnal. One corner of Temnal's mouth twitched into a half-smile. "Ah, the demon returns," he murmured. "Ginger, shhhh! Mind your manners!" Gillian admonished her familiar as she looked around uncomfortably. "Temnal, I'm sorry for her atrocious behavior. Ginger, I'm fine. We'll talk about this later." "She's just expressing her concern, I'm sure," Temnal said mildly. "If she's linked with you, it can't have been a pleasant experience for her either." Ginger lowered her ears, “You ruined a perfectly good fish head with that stunt! Do you know how many days that thing had been marinating? Well, lots, I can tell you. It was so juicy and succulent and squishy. And then you go and die or something. So, you can bet your highly grabbable ass we’ll talk later.” She leaned over Gillian’s shoulder ‘covertly’ whispering to Seabhac, “The ‘grabbable’ was for your benefit, sport. Take a hint!” "Ginger!" Gillian exclaimed, mortified. [Gillian] glanced down toward the front row where the others were and sighed. They would need to be informed about the plans to meet in the lab after classes, but at the moment Gillian wanted nothing more than to retreat from the auditorium. She was starting to feel claustrophobic. "Temnal, can you let the others know about meeting in the lab?" she asked in a small voice. "The thought of trying to force my way down to the front through all those people makes me feel...faint." Yes, I can do that," he assured her. "It will be easier for one than for three. Er, four," he corrected himself, remembering Ginger. He was also taller than Gillian and better able to keep Joao, Raina and Cole in sight. At the moment there seemed to be some kind of altercation going on... "I'll see you later, then," he told Gillian, and started to weave his way through the crowd of students toward the front of the auditorium. "Bye. And thanks." Ginger suspiciously watched him leaving and then laid her head on Gillian’s shoulder, nuzzling her with motherly affection. Seabhac waved goodbye, “Be well.” He then turned to Gillian and smiled shyly. “So, can I walk you to class at least?” "I'd like that," she replied, returning the smile. [Gillian continued in The Dating Game; Temnal continued in After the Fall Front and Center] |
