Maddison skipped down the school hallway to her second class with a broad wild smile on her face as always. She didn't really care if she was late or not. Not crazy wild Maddie, no sir. She didn't even care much about how her ankle was hurt. Right now the only thing she did care about was the note she had currently placed under her ball cap… which was under her green hoodie, which was under her fedora. Hats weren't really allowed in class but that was after the bell. In between them, it didn't matter. The note said she would have four new friends! Maddie laughed happily at that thought.
Once class was over, Locke checked his phones, seeing that it had vibrated during class but he waited till it was over. He saw that the person he messaged had replied.
"I was in Wonderland in my dream. This is a dream I have been having for the past few weeks. I'm wandering around and I get a feeling like a need to run. So I did. When I was running I slipped and tumbled off a small cliff. I scraped my arm but I kept running. I woke up not long after and the scrape was still there. I also got a note telling me to find a rabbit hole and some people." Locke sent. He knew he probably shouldn't give everything out but he needed to know and his curiosity was getting the better of him.
Just as Alexander was heading back to class, his phone vibrated. He quickly read the message detailing the dream. So he sent a reply:
Yeah, sounds exactly like the dream I had! Sometimes I think there might be something chasing me, but I don’t know what. So did your letter give you a specific symbol or something? Because mine said something about a rabbit…
Alexander slipped into class and stared at the clock impatiently for another few minutes until the bell rang and he could head to band. He stopped at his locker to get his books, glancing around at the other kids in his school. Any of them could be in the same boat as him…or none of them.
Just for the heck of it, Maddie attempted a cartwheel as she exited her most recent class. Of course, as soon as her weight was on her sore ankle, she went down.
”Ow! Dang flab it!” That was another thing about Maddie, she rarely swore. If she ever actually did… It meant things were serious. Same if she wasn't smiling unless she was just pouting… That didn't count.
No one was looking so she swept up her fedora and stood with a bow as if she was a street performer at the fair instead of a student in a hallway. She took out her phone to listen to the song Tightrope by The Score and walk to class in the same manner.
Locke had study hall next so he wouldn't need to worry about texts since he could text at any time.
"So you're the trumpeter. I'm the Catterpiler also known as the genius. Do you know of anyone else in the same situation?" He asked. He pushed up his glasses as they slide down his face from looking at his phone.
Alexander got his stuff out of his locker and shut it before turning around and heading to class. He was anxiously loading and reloading the page, trying to see if there was a response. At last his phone pinged with a reply. Alexander smiled and wrote his own.
Not right now, but hopefully soon. Since if the note is real, there’s five of us.
Unfortunately, since he was staring at his phone, he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going.
He bumped into someone, which sent them both tumbling. “Oh my gosh I’m so sorry I wasn’t looking,” he apologized, fixing his glasses and picking up his phone.
(Who'd he bump into? Locke or Maddie?)
(whoever, it doesn’t matter)
(I’ll do it. Get everyone together.)
Maddie was winded by the fall but she still laughed as she went down. ”That was fun!” She smiled standing back up before offering her left hand to help the young man. ”Up for a trip down the rabbit hole, little bunny?” She giggled, a slightly mad sound she often used.
Alexander took her offered hand to help him up. “Um…thanks.” Her comment had definitely shaken him, truth be told. “What do you mean? Rabbit hole? Like Alice in Wonderland?”
”Uh-huh. One of my favorite stories.” Maddie nodded with her broad grin. ”The dreams however… not so much.” She gave a slight shiver before actually looking at the boy next to her. ”Name’s Maddie by the way. Who are you?” She poked his nose lightly as if to emphasize that she was talking to him.
Alexander stiffened when she touched him, blinking. “My name is Alexander,” he replied, before quickly adding, “Dreams? What dreams?” He put his hand up the band-aid on his cheek, almost in response to the word ‘dreams.’
Anna was struggling to get through the crowd, letter clutched with her books tightly, head swimming. And leg throbbing slightly. She gasped a bit when shoved a bit roughly, books and letter slipping from her grasp. She swore, a bit loudly, dropping to the floor to gather her things. Shit, the letter!
Kai had stayed home that day, his legs were bothering him too much for him to be able to move. He was going to bring his wheelchair to the park later, he needed to think about the note he had found under his pillow. It was strange and he didn't like it, but he didn't have the time to think about that right now, he needed to get work done.
Locke was on his way to study hall when he heard someone cuss as a paper scatered to the floor. Seeing that he was the closest to it he picked it up.
"I belive this is yours." Locke said, finding the girl and handing the paper back. When he went to give it back his Caterpillar on the back of his hand was visible.
Anna looked up, taking the paper. "Thank you." She said, taking the letter back. Her eyes darted to the mark on his hand. Like in the letter… "Sorry, what's your name again? I swear I saw you before, but my brain isn't working to well today. Didn't get much sleep." Wow, Anna. So smooth…
"Locke." He introduced. "We're both in honors English. You're Anna, right?" He asked, even though he knew he was right.
((I'm gonna say English))
"Yeah." She said, smiling slightly. She adjusted her grip, sweater sleeve slipping down enough on her right hand and showing off her birthmark.
Locke glanced at her hand. He grabbed onto her hand and dragged her to a less busy part of the hall way. "You'vw gad dreams that leak into reality, correct?" He asked once he was sure no one would hear them.
Anna pulled her hand away when she could. "How do you know?" She hissed, looking around. "Did you get a letter?"
Maddie’s eyes dimmed a bit before she answered. ”Dreams where the pain follows you.”
Her gaze drifted to her left hand with the colorful tattoo of a tilted teacup. ”Do you get those kind?”
Her head was starting to ache.
“Yes, actually,” Alexander replied, his eyes widening. “Your tattoo…It’s just like the mark on my hand.” Alexander showed her his left hand, which had the outline of a rabbit in black sharpie. “This is crazy.”
"Yes and so did you." He said, confident. "You are the adventurer, are you not? You have a flower."
"And you're the genius." She said, looking back down at his hand. "Meaning I'm not crazy."
"So that means there are three so far." Locke said. He pulled out his phone.
"I found another. The adventurer. Two to go." Locke sent.
"Three? Who's the other one?" She asked, tilting her head.
Maddie laughed, her eyes lighting back up. ”Isn’t everyone?” She reached into her ball cap and pulled out the note before she gripped her head.
”OW!!!! … Bad Kitty. … Watch your head. … Order… Duck!” She mumbled through the pain.
“Whoa you have a note just like me! Wait, are you okay?” Alexander asked, concerned. His phone alerted him that he had a message.
Actually one to go. I found the seer., he sent back.
“Well, guess what! I’m in contact with someone else just like us so four of us have been found! We just need the vanisher…” he added, his eyes shining with excitement.
