Ethereal: The Light in the Shadow Read online

  A few people looked at her, several looked at the broken wheel of her bag jutting over the gravel. She tried to smile at a few but was worried it would look more like a grimace. Usually, she had a cute, awkward sort of smile with one dimple on her left cheek and one eye that was a little more scrunched up than the other. But, she just didn’t know how to find it today.

  She continued, casting her eyes over the tables as she walked by till she fell on one where there was a boy pristinely dressed in his uniform, blazer and all, preaching to whoever would listen. Behind him was a neatly set up table with a sign that read ‘F.A.I.T.H ~ Forsaking All I Trust Him’ and below that a verse: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of Lord Jesus be with you.

  “Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,” the boy was saying loudly, his large chin jutting out with a prominent under-bite and his sandy hair flying around his face as he enunciated his words with a flourish to the small crowd of students before him. “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…”

  Eddie raised her eyebrows and merely went to walk around the group, but a girl with a curtain of shiny straight black hair that fell to her waist stopped her.

  “Hello,” she smiled at Eddie, holding out a pamphlet for her. “I’m Linh,” she introduced herself in a friendly manner.

  “Er hi,” Eddie looked down at the pamphlet for their youth group she’d been handed while the preaching boy’s voice continued in the background.

  “And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace…”

  Eddie went to hand the pamphlet back to the girl named Linh. “Thanks, but um… I’m actually not religious at all.”

  Linh laughed, “That’s okay – really it’s just a nice youth group full of fun people,” she said sweetly. “I can assure you it isn’t always like this,” she tilted her head at the boy still talking.

  “In addition to this all, take up the shield of FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one!”

  “Er…” Eddie hesitated, looking between the preacher and Linh while still holding the pamphlet awkwardly.

  “Simon is just… very zealous,” Linh explained. “Keep the pamphlet – it has the times for our meet-ups. You’re more than welcome to come.” The girl smiled one last time before backing off and moving on to someone else.

  Eddie shook her head, folding the pamphlet up and tucking it in the pocket of her jeans with the intention to throw it in a bin as soon as possible.

  “Submit yourselves, then, to GOD. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!”

  The group of students watching the preacher boy cheered and whooped at this and Eddie moved quickly on, tugging her luggage with her and mentally deciding to give that group a very wide birth from now on.

  She steered away from the main throng of students, finding it difficult to manoeuvre through them with her broken wheel over the gravel. She went behind a marquee where there were two adults that she assumed were teachers, but they hadn’t noticed her.

  “Put that away, Marshal. Honestly; we’re among the children!”

  The woman who had spoken looked strict, and the faint smell of cigarette smoke mixed with perfume wafted over to Eddie from her direction. The man to whom she spoke was a large fellow with a round belly and shaky hands that were currently helping him to swig something from a small silver flask.

  “Achk, like you don’t have your own vices,” the man said gruffly. “We’re about to start a whole ‘nother year of this shit.”

  Eddie looked away quickly in shock. That seemed a little strange for a school that was said to be so prestigious. She hurried onward when the professors noticed her, and she pretended to have seen nothing.

  She finally reached what looked like the ‘welcome crew’ just before the school entrance.

  “Hi there!” a friendly looking girl with red hair and freckles smiled at her. She was in her uniform and standing behind a table set up with forms.

  Eddie walked over, trying to act as at-ease as possible and smiled in return.

  “I’m Millie,” the girl introduced herself. She had a charming Scottish accent and a badge pinned to her jumper that declared her head girl. “Welcome to Oakland Abby. What year are you?”

  “Uh, sixth form,” Eddie answered. “Oh, um upper sixth form specifically,” she added quickly.

  “Oh, you’re my year!” Millie said brightly. “I was told about you. You must be Eden?”

  Eddie hoped being ‘told’ about her did not include the scholarship information – that was the last thing she wanted people to know. “Call me Eddie,” she said quickly.

  Millie grinned. “We don’t normally get newbies in the last year, you must be so nervous! I was told you’re Australian?”

  She spoke very fast and was extremely bubbly. “Yes, I-” Eddie could barely get one word in.

  “Wow!” the girl breathed, her eyes wide with her smile. “That’s amazing. Such a long way! Such a cute accent too. How do you like England then?”

  “Well… it’s cold,” Eddie offered with another smile, trying to keep up with her gleeful attitude as much as she could.

  Millie laughed loudly. “But today is so pleasant!” she smiled again. “Come on,” she added, gesturing for her to come with her. “You need to see Mrs Edwards. She’ll get you your timetable and set you up. Oh- and there’re loads of extra-curricular activities to sign up for. You should check them out. Where’s the rest of your things?”

  Eddie blanched, her cheeks flushing. “Oh, er… this is everything,” she glanced at her old suitcase while shifting her heavy duffle bag under her arm. She’d brought nearly everything she had.

  Millie’s cheeks glowed with embarrassment. “Oh, right. Er… no worries, then. Well- this way!” She cheerily led her up the grand stairs and inside the looming stone castle.

  Eddie lagged behind, both from her heavy bags and her absent mind being distracted by the enormous entrance. The strong scent of floor polish greeted her first, which explained the immaculate condition of the shining wooden floors. Huge marble pillars stretched two stories high, etched stone trimmings carved over the edges and around the ceiling. In the center, there was a great, round sunroof letting in beautiful, natural light.

  Leather couches and ferns in pots lined walls dotted with notice boards and paintings. Eddie began to become acutely aware of the squeaking noise her broken wheel had begun to make.

  She saw Millie look at it, and Eddie blushed but said nothing.

  Then, the head girl was pointing to a room just ahead, the door had a little sign that read ‘Office’ on the front. “It’s just through there,” she said kindly. “I have to get back outside. But, come see me in a wee bit when you’re done, and I’ll show you to your room!”

  Eddie thanked her quickly before heading into the office as instructed. She put her bags down near the entrance and walked up to the only desk in the room that stood with a door behind it. But, no one was there.

  She looked around, then suddenly heard a strange bumping sound in the room behind the desk. She wondered if someone had fallen over -but then, the office door she’d come through opened behind her and a warm looking woman with a dimple in her chin and dark brown hair streaked with grey hurried around to the desk.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting, Love,” the lady smiled. “What can I help you with?”

  “Hi,” Eddie smiled politely, “I’m Eden Osmond… Millie sent me. Are you Mrs Edwards?”

  “Uh, Miss Osmond, yes. Thank you for coming. As you’re our only new student in upper sixth form I had a few things to go over with you, and-”

  Mrs Edwards broke off as now several loud thumps sounded from the office behind her. “Oh my…” she began, but then a sound that made Eddie’s cheeks flush red cut her off again. “I am so sorry, dear,” she blustered qui
ckly, her own cheeks quite pink. “Excuse me for just a moment…”

  Eddie watched her hurry in a fluster into the office before her furious voice could be heard easily through the wooden door.

  “Samael Finley this is over the line!” she screeched. “And Miss Demour I expected better of you!”

  “Oh come now, Beverly,” a teenaged boy’s voice could be heard. “Don’t blame the poor girl. I had a hellish summer, and she was only making me feel better… you wouldn’t want to punish her for helping a fellow student out, now would you?”

  Eddie raised her eyebrows, stifling a small laugh. It should be ridiculous, and yet he spoke so eloquently with an undeniable charm that Eddie was quite certain he was going to get away with this.

  “Really she should be commended,” Samael continued sincerely. “I was in quite a bad mood earlier.”

  There was a moment of silence.

  “Miss Demour please leave us,” Mrs Edwards said stiffly.

  Eddie blushed again when a giggling blonde haired girl darted out of the office, her hair and clothes thoroughly tussled.

  “Beverly, are we really going to do this again this year?” Samael sounded instantly bored the moment the girl had left. “You try to mother me, I don’t want it. It’s never going to pan out. Alright? Let’s just-”

  “Sam, I am not trying to mother you for goodness sake, I’m trying to help you,” Mrs Edwards replied brusquely. “This is the year that makes a difference, and it is your choice as to whether you take advantage of that.”

  “Oh, like that makes a difference for me. I don’t get any choices,” the boy sounded angry now. “Except this one. Leave me alone.”

  Eddie heard a tight sigh come from the teacher. “Wait here,” Mrs Edwards said sternly. “I have a student waiting for me outside. This conversation isn’t over.”

  She returned to Eddie looking thoroughly exasperated.

  “I’m so sorry, Love,” she said sincerely. “Now, I’ve got your schedule here…”

  She began to explain how the classes were set out, the daily routine and curfews. It all sounded very strict and structured, and apprehension began building in Eddie’s stomach. But she nodded and listened carefully. After a few minutes, she got distracted and her eyes caught on something outside the window to their left.

  To her shock, there was a boy about her age climbing along the ledge outside. His tousled brown hair blew slightly in the breeze, and his dark chocolate eyes caught Eddie’s through the window.

  Eddie’s stomach jolted when their gazes caught; he was astonishingly handsome.

  He winked, then disappeared from view and Eddie was left simply staring at the place where he’d vanished.

  “Miss Osmond?” Mrs Edwards queried, then she frowned, seeming to guess the issue, and she suddenly strode to the window. “Oh that boy!” the woman cried in irritation. “Eden, dear,” she turned back. “Do you have any questions before I deal with another situation?”

  “Oh, no that’s fine,” Eddie smiled quickly. “Thanks very much.” She picked up her timetable and her bags and headed out of the office hearing Mrs Edwards wearily grumbling about the boy ‘Samael’.

  When she reached Millie again, the head girl was ready and raring to show her the school and her room.

  “Your roommate is Quinn,” she gushed immediately, taking her duffle bag off her to help as she led them up another grand staircase. Millie seemed to take this enormous building in her stride, but Eddie could barely get used to it. “She’s really nice,” Millie continued. “We’re friends,” she added with another smile, a slight blush on her cheeks. “You’ll love her. Honestly, you’re lucky to have gotten her to share with. Not that I don’t like my roommate,” she said very quickly, glancing at Eddie subtly. “So do you like rowing? Do you have that in Australia? Oh, we have a huge equestrian centre now too. Do you ride?”

  Eddie stared at her, feeling entirely overwhelmed, “Um…” she began.

  But, Millie had already continued. “Oh, this is the dining hall just through here,” she said, pointing through another large doorway. “I forgot I’m meant to be showing you the school too! I’m so sorry. Am I talking too much? Too fast? I do that sometimes.”

  Eddie let out a meek laugh. “It’s okay,” she smiled. “It’s just my last school’s ‘dining hall’ consisted of gum covered aluminium benches that burnt your butt off if they were in the sun,” she explained jokingly. “So, this is just a lot to get used to.”

  “Oh, of course, this must be so hard! The only new girl and in a whole new country none-the-less!” Millie gushed, not making Eddie feel better at all. “You’re not the only one from a different country though,” she added seriously. “We are very multi-cultural here. Though I didn’t know any Aussies until now,” she smiled. “Okay, here we are! This is the common area!” she grinned, gesturing ahead of them to a large room with lounges and tables, a fireplace and a TV. Along the wall was a long bar with a few toasters, kettles, a sandwich press, and a microwave. “Obviously girls and boys share it… through there’re the girl’s bathrooms. Cosy, right?”

  Eddie nodded quickly, but her cheeks were flushing slightly as she noticed a few students in the room looking at her tatty bag.

  “Girls rooms are this way,” smiled Millie, leading her onward. “Boys rooms are off limits, of course. The matron is very strict on this rule, and I’d recommend not testing it.”

  Eddie snorted before she could help herself. “Don’t worry,” she said quickly. “I won’t be testing it. I’m here to get away from all kinds of drama. So… you know, that includes boys.”

  Millie seemed happy about this. “Oh, well that’s good. Though I can’t promise you there will be no drama here. It’s a wee bit nuts sometimes.” She stopped then before room sixteen. “Alright,” she smiled, “this is you.”

  She knocked on the door.

  “Quinn? It’s Millie. I’ve got your new roommate.”

  “Oh, come in!” an English accent sounded from within.

  Millie opened the door and inside Quinn turned around to smile at them. She had a large smile that lit up her face, lovely satiny black skin and short, curly hair with cornrow braids just on the left-hand side of her head.

  “Quinn this is Eddie – she’s here all the way from Australia! And Eddie this is Quinn – she’s been here as long as I have,” Millie smiled between them.

  “I thought you weren’t allowed to leave your post, Millie,” Quinn quipped at her friend.

  Millie blushed, putting Eddie’s duffle bag down. “Yes well, exceptions you know. She’s the only newbie in our year,” she said hurriedly. “Anyway, I’ll leave you two to it. I should really get back.”

  With that, Millie turned around and scuttled away while Eddie finally let go of her bags, looking around the room. “So this is it huh,” she muttered quietly.

  Their room was small with only enough space for two single beds and one shared desk with two chairs, but they had a nice view of the grounds, only one floor high. A large English oak stood outside their window, big and beautiful, one long branch extending past their sill like an invitation. Wild rose bushes lay below, white and pink scattering the untamed green like a painting.

  Quinn laughed quietly. “Yup, it ain’t much. But, it’s cosy. I’ve nearly finished unpacking, but I left half the space free for you.”

  “Thanks,” Eddie smiled quickly, pulling her things over to her bed.

  “That all you brought?” Quinn asked bluntly.

  Eddie looked at her things, then over to Quinn’s possessions. She had cushions and throws, books and trinkets, not to mention an enormous collection of make-up and hair products covering her bedside table and part of the desk.

  “Yeah…” Eddie muttered. “I… uh, I’m a minimalist,” she lied.

  Quinn raised an eyebrow. “No way? Cool. What’s that like then?”

  Eddie smiled wryly. “Minimal,” she said.

  Quinn laughed. “Yeah, alright, fair enough.”
/>   Quinn let Eddie begin unpacking in silence while she continued setting up a few more of her personal effects around her bed.

  Eddie had a few of her own special items to make her bed feel a little more homely. She had two old bears, one small and with a missing ear that her brother had bought for her when she was eight, and the other was larger with sleek golden fur that her mother had made for her when she was ten.

  She’d brought a few books too, a little jewellery box and her journal. But, that was about it for personal effects.

  She began setting these down on her bedside table when suddenly her eyes caught on a large, but skinny black spider that darted out from behind the cabinet.

  She screamed and jumped back, launching herself up onto her bed.

  Quinn screamed too, in reaction to Eddie, following suit and jumping up onto her own bed.

  “What is it?!” she demanded.

  “Agh! A massive spider!” Eddie cried back, glaring at the small, yet utterly terrifying creature.

  “Well kill it!” Quinn shuddered. “Aren’t you supposed to be like an aficionado at that?”

  Eddie stared at her. “No! What the hell? Why would I be?”

  “Well, aren’t you Australian?! I thought you had millions of spiders!”

  “What, you want me to pull my dagger from my shin strap, kill it and add it to my collection of crocodile skulls or something?!”

  Quinn was paused from her fear with surprise. “What… for real?

  Eddie blanched. “Of course not! And I hate spiders!”

  “Right well… well, we need something hard to squish it. Where’d it go?”

  “It’s there, it’s there!” Eddie pointed to her bedside table. “I can’t kill it! You kill it!”

  “I can’t kill it!” Quinn spluttered back. “Mum always does it at home. With a wooden spoon!”

  “Mine too, but she uses a shoe. But, my brother used to pick them up on a piece of paper and throw it outside!”

  “Well, that is not happening.”

  “AGHH!!! IT MOVED!”

  In a moment of bravery, Quinn grabbed one of her hardback books, dived onto the floor and slammed it down on the table, aiming for the spider.