The Flicker - Chapter 2

The school walls were painted green and white. I stopped just outside the door to class and stared. The walls had been a dull shade of blue-grey for as long as I had ever been at that school- which, in my mind, was forever. 

Conner, taking no notice, was already striding confidently down the hall. Looking back, he said, "Well, Ella? Are we going to find out what's going on here or not?" 

I shook my head. "My novel..." I whispered, my eyes darting up and down the banks of lockers. Then, in a more confident tone, "I have to get it."

Conner rolled his eyes, his bad personality showing even in these strange events. "Fine. But we should get it fast, I don't have time for this. What's your locker number?"

Sending a glare in his direction, I stalked off down the opposite hallway without a word. Conner, who played any and every sport, caught up with me easily. It wasn't that I couldn't be fast, but I hadn't practiced or done any sports since my parents had died. Ky, controller of my life, prevented it.

My locker number was 307, and the combination was 5-8-35. I could easily tell Conner this information and let him run and grab my broken novel, but I wasn't about to let that happen. Despite Conner's vociferous protests, I walked silently down the hall without looking back.

When we got to my locker, I tried my combination. It didn't work. I did everything I could think of; spinning the lock multiple times, rearranging the number pattern, even just kicking my locker. Nothing worked.

Finally, Conner pushed himself off of the wall he was resting on and spoke up. "What's the combo?"

"5-8-35," I replied. "But nothing works. I've tried it all." Not bothering to respond, Conner simply tried the combination once again. After that failed (he really couldn't listen, could he? Of course it failed), he fished for something in his pocket.

I had to stand on the tips of my toes to see over his shoulder. Conner had gotten out a bent paperclip and was using it to pick the lock. I huffed. Of course it would be like that no-good slacker to learn how to pick locks, I thought. He's probably a thief while he's ignoring his homework.

Within seconds, the lock clicked open. Conner stepped back and I pulled the locker door open. Inside...

"Huh?" I said, looking in the locker. "W-where is it?!" The locker was full of basketball posters and a pair of ratty shoes. The backpack hung on a rusty hook, and the black and red with a famous brand name in bold was definitely not my style. Still, I opened the bag, because my mother taught me that you never know what may happen. Unfortunately, it was just an empty backpack. I viciously slammed the locker shut again.

"Geez, what is with you today?" Conner exploded. "I thought you were supposed to be this nice kid who minds her own business! But no, you had to get involved in this- this-" 

 "What make you think that this is all my fault?" I retorted. "I was just having the worst day of my life, my dreams have been crushed, and now this happens and I'm stuck in this messed up place with you, of all people!"

Conner opened his mouth to say something again, but instead looked away. That only served to make me angrier, and I started yelling again. "Did you hear me? Look at me when I'm talking to you! All I want is my novel, a little respect, and for you to stop antagonizing me! That's it! Is that too much to ask?" 

 Suddenly quiet again, Conner only pointed to the walls. They were shifting back and forth from the ugly blue I had always known and the new, bright green color. Then they suddenly switched to the normal blue-grey and stayed that way. 

I looked at Conner. "Oh snap," I said quietly.