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 ade was not feeling well. She'd met Darryl for lunch as promised, but
things had all gone downhill from there. She had told him about Kat's
nightmare and her parent's reaction, and instead of being understanding,
he'd lost him temper. So Jade had yelled at him, and he'd yelled back, and
they'd had a very loud argument in the street, which ended with Jade
slapping him and storming home. When she got home, however, instead of
finding Kat as she had expected, she'd found an empty house and a note from
Kat saying that she'd gone shopping. So Jade went up to her room, curled up
and cried. Once she'd cried enough, she picked up her sketchbook, but found
that she couldn't concentrate and ended up throwing the pad across the room
in frustration. Jade went back to bed and hugged her teddy.
Kat looked up as someone entered the store. He walked in and moved to the
back, where the books were. He browsed quickly, and selected a book on
faeries. Kat smiled and placed the ball in the cleansing bowl, and accepted
the book from his hands. Then she looked up at him, and laughed.
"Hello, Marc."
He looked started.
"Kat! What are you... Where's Yasmin?"
"She's gone to have a cup of tea. I'm watching shop for her."
"That's nice of you," he smiled.
"I'm a nice person," Kat laughed. "Good choice in books."
"It's for my sister," he said, embarrassed. "It's her birthday next week."
"How old is she?"
"Thirteen."
"She'll like it."
"I know."
Kat rang up the purchase and Marc paid, then leaned against the counter.
"So..." he said, and Kat smiled, waiting. "What time do you have class
tomorrow?"
"Start at ten. You?"
"About eleven. Are you good at getting up in the morning?"
Kat grinned suddenly, and Marc blushed.
"Not like that... I mean... I just..."
Kat laughed.
"Yes, I can get myself out of bed in the morning when I have to."
"Would you, um, like to go out for dinner tonight then?"
Kat beamed at him.
"Sure, I would love to."
"You would? I mean, that's great. I'll pick you up at seven?"
"Sounds fine to me. Would you like my address?"
"Oh... Yes, that would help."
Kat wrote her name, address and phone number on a piece of paper, and gave
it to him, and he tucked it into his back pocket.
"See you at seven then."
"See you then."
Marc left the store, just as Yasmin returned. They spoke briefly in the
doorway, then Yasmin raised an eyebrow at Kat.
"You certainly made an impression."
"That's Marc."
"I know that's.... Oh... That's *that* Marc!" Yasmin laughed. "Do you know
his last name yet?"
"No..."
"It's Bradshaw. He's my cousin."
Kat laughed. "Small world."
"Indeed. Thanks for minding the shop for me."
"I quite enjoyed it. I played with my friend there for most of the time,"
Kat replied nodding towards the crystal ball.
"You... You wouldn't want a part-time job, would you?"
"Oh, do you mean it?"
"Yes, I mean it. You're right, I am exhausted. I've been working too hard
lately, and I could use a lighter work load."
"I'd love to."
"Then sit here and we'll work out the details, then I'll let you go and get
ready for your date."
***
When Jade awoke it was about 6:45, and just starting to get dark. She could
hear Kat moving around in the kitchen, and went into their bathroom, which
was warm and steamy. Kat had obviously just gotten out of the shower. Jade
washed her face and peered in the mirror for a while. Kat was humming.
Jade moved into the kitchen as Erick and Lucia pulled into the driveway.
Kat was wearing a black skirt and top with long sleeves and a low neckline.
Jade guessed she was going out somewhere, and picked up the note on the
bench.
"Got a job, and a date. Will be home late. Jade is asleep, she doesn't
look too well, pls check on her when you get home. Love, Kat.."
"Going out?" asked Jade, placing the note back on the bench.
Kat spun around with a big smile.
"Met Marc while I was shopping and got a date. He's taking... What's
wrong?"
Jade sighed.
"Had a fight with Darryl."
"Oh, honey."
Kat hugged her sister tightly, and Jade tried hard not to burst into tears
again. Erick and Lucia came into the kitchen, and put groceries on the
bench. Jade shrugged off Kat's arms, and managed a smile for her.
"I'm fine, we'll work it out."
Kat frowned, but accepted that her sister wouldn't lie to her, and smiled.
"Good."
Erick and Lucia asked how their days were, and Kat happily told them about
her new job, and her date. Just as she mentioned her date, the doorbell
rang. It was 7:00, and Marc was right on time.
Erick went to answer the door and invited Marc in. Kat looked around and
noticed that Jade wasn't around any more. Kat figured she probably wanted
to be alone still. She watched her father do the usual father thing and ask a
thousand and one questions. Jade watched from the stairwell unnoticed.
Marc wasn't bad looking she had to admit. Jade seemed just as eager as her
father to know that Marc would be good for Kat. She headed upstairs not
long after still holding Kat's note to her parents. She wasn't in the mood
to talk. She heard the door close and then a car start and leave. She
heard her parents talking although she couldn't understand what they were
staying. Someone left the room and the other one turned the TV. She
figured it would be her dad staying up until Kat came home. She couldn't
remember the last time they did that but then it had been awhile since Kat
had been dating.
Jade stared out the window for awhile not really focusing on anything.
Eventually she got up and packed her stuff ready for tomorrow. She had a
long day at uni tomorrow. After that Jade settled into bed and hugging her
teddy bear fell asleep.
***
Hours later Jade woke up tangled in her sheets. The remnants of a nightmare
playing on her mind still. She lay back down to sleep but every time the
same nightmare haunted her mind. It was a nightmare that she had several
times now. She had become evil and powerful and kept bringing this man who
kept appearing in her dreams to near death. Then when he was ready to die
she stated she would grant him the miracle of life as long as he told her
that he loved her which he always would and she would heal him and then he
would become dark like she was even tho that wasn't really what she wanted
so she would flee. Jade always woke up at the fleeing part of the dream and
always left her feeling very shaky and scared.
After laying there for a few minutes she gave up and got up. It was half
past five in the morning. Jade went and checked on Kat but she was sound
asleep with a huge grin on her face. Jade was glad she was happy and padded
back across the hallway to her room. She turned her desk lamp on. It was a
custom made desk her parents had made up for her. The desks drawers were
large to accommodate the large sketch books. There was a light table that
could fasten onto the edge of the table or could stand alone. Jade had
gotten Eric to carve in a rose in one corner of the table and a dove in the
other. They were always simple but Jade always found that when she needed
inspiration her fingers would trace the design absentmindly as she was doing
now. She made her bed and got changed. She put on a pair of green Karki
cargo pants, a black midriff singlet top and a bone coloured jacket.
Gathering her art stuff she needed for the day she put it on her bed along
with her backpack. By this stage it was past six in the morning and Jade
decided she might head out and do some drawings with the light of dawn. She
bounced downstairs and grabbed her wallet and car keys before heading
upstairs again to grab her gear. She grabbed her bag and flung it over her
shoulder before leaving.
She drove around the city for awhile before she found herself parked outside
where Darryl lived. His car was there. Jade sat there for awhile sort of
willing Darryl to come out and talk to her. She eventually decided to drive
down to the river. She looked at the door again but Darryl didn't walk out
so she drove off. It didn't take her long to reach the river and she parked
the car. Light was starting to show on the edge of the trees. Jade reached
into the back of the car and realised she had left her sketch book that she
had to hand up for an assignment today on her bed. She cursed her stupidity
but decided she would grab it on the way to uni. She reached into her
backpack and grabbed another sketch book and her pencil case. She got out
the car and walked down the river a bit to a bank that was surrounded by
trees and bushes but gave a fantastic view of the mini waterfall. She
decided on a subject which was a duck asleep just a few metres away from
her.
***
Kat woke up to her alarm at 9:30am and hit the snooze button. It beeped at
her again eight minutes later and Kat glared at the alarm clock but it
didn't turn off. She gave up and turned it off and grabbing her dressing
gown headed downstairs towards the smell of pancakes.
"Morning, how many?"
"Morning, umm a small stack please, where is Dad?"
"He left early to get some supplies and Jade has left already though I don't know when she left as she was gone before we even got up"
"Hmm" Kat said pouring syrup over her pancakes and then digging in
"Your father tells me you got home with a huge grin on your face, good date?"
"Yesh it waz fantistic" Kat said between mouthfuls
"Without the food"
"Sorry, It was fantastic, Marc is such a sweetie, he wouldn't even let me pay for dinner"
"Hmm a real gentleman, just like your father"
Lucia started humming and walked back into the kitchen. Kat finished her
pancakes and juice and put the dishes in the kitchen. She then headed
upstairs and had a shower. She got changed and ready for uni. As she
walked past Jade's room she noticed that there was two sketch books on her
bed. She walked in and opened one. According to the inside of the cover it
was one of Jade's general sketch books. Kat looked at the first picture, it
was a reproduction of the photo that sits on the mantle piece when Jade and
Kat where children and the differences between them weren't so apparent.
She flipped some pages and noticed a colour drawing of Darryl. She looked
at the date and noticed it was before Jade and Darryl were even dating. Kat
grinned and wondered if Jade had liked Darryl for some time before they
dated. She laid the book aside and picked up the other one. She opened the
cover and realised that it was on of Jade's uni sketch books. She sat down
and flipped through the pictures then flipped back to the first page with a
nagging feeling. Her nagging feeling was justified she realised it was one
of Jade's assignments that was due today. Kat decided she better take it
with her, she could meet Jade outside her class and give it to her and then
tell her all about her date. She looked at the clock and realised she still
had some time before she needed to get to uni so she kept flipping through
Jade's sketch book. Some of the pictures where amazing, like the one of a
butterfly on a yellow flower. Kat got further into the book and noticed the
pictures seemed to get darker. The same face kept appearing and it seemed
evil somehow whilst surrounded by surreal beauty. Kat shuddered and closed
the sketch book. She got up and neatend the bed and grabbed her bag and
Jade's sketch book and headed off to uni.
***
Kat was standing outside Jade's art class waiting for Jade to show up.
Several people said hello to Kat as they walked in but no Jade. Eventually
Jade's art teacher showed.
"Hello Kathryn I didn't know you were joining my class"
"No Miss Howe, it's Jade's sketch book"
"Oh, she not well?"
Kat went to answer but she noticed a guy walking towards the class down the
now empty hallway, as he got closer Kat thought he looked familar. It took
her awhile and then she realised it was the guy from Jade's sketch book.
Kat dropped the sketchbook in shock. The guy reached them and picked up the
book to Kat's astonishment.
"Kathryn meet Leo, Leo this is Jade's twin sister."
"Nice to meet you"
"You too" Kat replied
"Leo just moved from Colorado and will be helping is has just started here at the uni"
"Oh, when did you start Leo"
"Actually today is my first day"
Kat mussed and then reached to grab Jade's sketch book back but Nicole got it first
"Thanks for bringing in Jade's work Kathryn and tell Jade to get well soon for me"
"Is she ill?" Leo asked
"Umm yes" Kat replied quickly "I have to go now, bye"
Kat turned to leave
"So this is Jade's sketch book?" Leo asked
"Yes, Jade's one of our most talented students, maybe you would like to have a look at what she has done"
Kat's walk turned into a run, she just had to tell Jade what just happened.
To begin with, there was Miss Howe. There was something just a little
strange about her. Kat assumed that Jade had drawn her and handed it in,
for how else would Miss Howe have known who she was? It was, however,
unlike Jade to draw her without letting her know. Kat had known who Miss
Howe was because Jade had pointed her out across campus a couple of times;
perhaps Jade had done the same? In any case, Kat knew for a fact that
student work was confidential unless the student had given permission for
the teacher to distribute it, and that was something Jade would never have
done. That Miss Howe had offered to show Jade's work to Leo was odd enough.
That she had greeted him so familiarly was another odd thing, especially
seeing as though he claimed it was his first day at the Uni. Leo, himself,
was rather odd. He had apparently known who Jade was, despite never meeting
her. And Jade had drawn him, without ever meeting him. Perhaps Leo had
meant it was his first day working at the uni, but had been in before as an
observer, which would explain all of the above. Kat didn't know. She
checked the clock. She'd missed the first half of her lecture waiting for
Jade, and it was now in its second half, and she needed to find Jade. The
only problem was, she had no idea where Jade would be. She'd taken the car
and gone off somewhere, and not showing up for class meant she could be
anywhere. Kat decided to go home. She hurried to the psychology
department, and got the notes for the lecture she'd missed from the
coordinator, and got the notes for the afternoon's lecture too, unsure if
she'd make it back in time. As she left the building, Marc caught her arm.
"Kat!"
"Marc," she smiled, stopping.
"Something wrong?"
"I need to go home. Jade didn't show up for art class this morning, and she
had to hand up a sketch book for the ongoing folio assessment. It's not
like her to miss an opportunity to draw."
Marc frowned, slightly.
"I'll drive you home."
"Would you? That would be great... Don't you have class?"
"Nope. Just came in to read a few books, but I can do that any time."
"Oh, ok."
"Come on, I'll drive you home."
***
Kat and Marc arrived at Kat's home, but the car still was not there, and
Jade wasn't home. She hadn't been home either, because the note Kat had
left on the bench for her was still there. Kat frowned.
"She might have gone to Darryl's."
"Her boyfriend?"
"Yeah. They had a fight, she might have gone to make up."
"That may explain why she missed class."
"Maybe. I think she'd be waiting for him to approach her though."
"Well, I've never met her, so..."
"I know, I know. Sorry, Marc, I'm just a bit worried."
"I know," he replied, and put his arms around her. "Maybe she's drawing."
Kat thought back to Jade's bedroom this morning.
"Yes, that would explain why her old sketchbook was out. She probably went
off somewhere and forgot the time, as usual."
"She does that a lot?"
"Forgets time? When she's drawing, yes. She usually leaves a note when
she's leaving the house though."
"Maybe she thought she'd be back in time."
"Probably."
Kat's stomach made a quiet rumbling noise.
"Hungry?" laughed Kat. "Because I am; or my stomach is telling me I am.
How about some lunch?"
Marc laughed and let her go.
"Sounds good to me."
Marc leaned against the bench as Kat moved around the kitchen making lunch
for them both. They talked as she made it, and talked as they ate it. Kat
was putting the plates in the dishwasher when Jade arrived home. Kat heard
the car pull up, and met Jade in the hallway.
"Where have you been?" asked Kat, calmly.
"At the river, drawing. What time is it?"
"Almost 12:30."
"Oh... I wondered why I was hungry. I missed art."
"I know. I handed in your folio for you."
"Oh... Thank you. I should probably make sure I get to my next class.
It's at 2:00."
"So is mine, but I already have notes. Miss Howe said that she hoped you
got better soon."
"She did? Maybe I shouldn't go in after all."
"And I met your new tutor."
"Who?"
"Leo."
"Who is Leo?"
"Your new tutor. I met him when I handed in your sketchbook. The guy in
all your drawings."
Jade suddenly paled.
"The evil one?"
"Yes."
"I've never met him."
Jade proceeded to tell Kat about her dream, and Kat frowned.
"It sounds to me like you think you're going to be bad for this guy, whoever
he is. It's odd that you hadn't met him before, but the dreams seem fairly
innocuous, if disturbing."
Jade felt somewhat relieved at Kat's explanation, but still a little
worried.
"But I -"
Jade stopped as a glass clinked in the kitchen.
"What was that?"
"Jumpy, aren't we?" Kat observed. "That dream must have you pretty worked
up. That's Marc, he drove me home when you didn't show up."
Jade raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Kat asked innocently
"Nothing" Jade laughed and tried relaxing a little.
"I noticed that you didn't meet Marc the other day, how about now?"
"Hmm you might have to twist my arm a little"
Kat laughed and grabbed Jade's arm and pulled her towards the kitchen.
"Marc I would like you to meet someone"
Marc looks up and spots Jade.
"Marc this is Jade my sister, Jade this is Marc"
"Aren't you meant to be twins?"
"We are twins Marc" Jade commented
"Not all twins are identical you know" Kat teased
"True"
"Hello, some help please" A shout filled the house
Jade turned and walked towards the sound.
"Hi Dad"
"Hi precious, could you help your mum and I with the shopping?"
"Sure no problem"
Kat and Marc joined them a few seconds later and within seconds the car was
unloaded.
"A lot of shopping" Marc commented
"Not really, we tend to feed five and now that your in the picture maybe
six" Eric replied
"Five? Another brother or sister?"
"He was referring to Darryl" Jade said quietly and then turned to leave
"I said something wrong?" Marc asked
"I don't think so, I just think it was bad timing. It's our birthday party
this weekend. Are you coming?" Kat said
"Depends, do I get an invite?"
"Maybe" Kat grins cheekily "But only if you get me a present"
Kat laughed and the two of them were shooed off to the lounge room. Marc
asked what Kat was doing at uni and her plans for the future and then what
Jade planned to do. He seemed surprised and Jade's choice of career but
after viewing some of her work realised she wouldn't have many problems in
the industry. Lucia asked if he was staying for tea and Marc accepted but
said he couldn't stay to long afterwards. Jade left for work without saying
much and the house seemed strangely quiet. Kat put some music on and soon
convinced Marc to dance with her but she couldn't help be a little
distracted. The would be twenty soon and now would be the worst time for
Darryl and Jade to be apart.
***
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