The Transference

C54

Raising my head up to meet the pressure of the shower streaming down, I bring my hand up to push my hair down before looking down to watch the blood run down the drain. I wish the water can wash away the pain I'm feeling. It's not physical but the guilt I'm feeling is like nothing I've ever felt, not even when I thought Roman died because of me.

I always have something to say. I might not have a solution to every problem but I always have something, right now I've got nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing.

Jessica and I didn't see eye to eye over the past weeks but she was my first friend, the first person I trusted. She had my back, even more than I have hers. She was always there for me. And after everything she's done, this is how I repay her, fucking stabbed her with the killer sword. It shouldn't have been her, anyone but her.

I'm still having a hard time processing it. One minute I was trying my hardest to push the bats away in my dream and next was hearing her struggle.

When I came to bed last night, she wasn't in the room, I assumed she was going to spend the night with Nate like she's always done but she didn't. I heard the students talking about the after party and I know how much Nate loves to party, I thought they'd hit it and be too tired to walk from the barn to the room.

Why did she have to come?

Why did I come back?

I should have just stayed with Damian at the mansion. The bastard told me he would come get me and he didn't. I got tired of wait and that was the reason I came to take a nap. I knew he'd look for me in the room if he didn't see me in the library.

This is whole thing is my fault. It's all my fault and if there's anything I can do to change it, I would.

Nate is right that I'm a disease. Everything I touch dies. He spoke from anger but I know he meant it, and he wasn't wrong. Everyone that's been association with me has gone through one or two problems, take my adopted parents for instance, all they wanted was a kid, a kid of their own but instead, Dean gave me to them and all I ever did was make them regret taking me on when I didn't even know they were doing me a favor. And in end, they died because of me. I–

A loud knock on the bathroom door interrupts my thoughts. I don't answer, the person on the other side should take a hint and leave me alone. The knock comes again, this time more frantic. I'm almost annoyed. I shut the shower and wait for whoever's banging down my door to talk.

"Camille, come on, you've been in there for almost an hour," Damian complains from the other side of the door.

I expect him to leave me alone because he of all people knows how much Jessica means to me, I shouldn't have to tell him because he knows how I'm feeling.

Making a move to turn on the shower again, I don't care if the hot water scalds my skin, it's the least I deserve. Just when my hand touches the knob, he speaks, "Miranda has a solution, we need you."

My whole body sparks at his announcement. Miranda has a solution. That's good news.

I step away from the shower and reach for my towel, I wrap the towel around myself and leave the bathroom. Damian is nowhere to be seen.

I see the clothes I've picked out before going to the bathroom. I ditch the towel and quickly dress up before heading over to the infirmary, where Damian is waiting for me outside. He doesn't say anything, he follows me inside.

Jessica already slipped into a coma but she's still alive, she's still breathing. We have hope.

I meet with the other. "You went to shower when everyone else is waiting for you." Nate accuses in a non friendly tone. I knew he wouldn't be tolerably when angry. I just didn't know it would be this worse.

Ignoring him, I turn to Miranda and wait for her to talk. "The seven sacred herbs won't work but I think this nine leaves from the supernatural beacon trees would," she continues, "I've written the names of the trees and the address to where you can find the leaves without stressing yourselves." She extends a sheet of paper to me but before I reach to grab it, Nate beats me to it, snatching it from her and reads through what she wrote.

"New Orleans. You want us to go to New Orleans." Nate frowns and passes me the paper.

I take it from him and see the list of the nine trees, the address, it's a shop in New Orleans.

"Yes. When you get to the shop, ask for Cersi, she's a friend of mine."

"I'll go," I volunteer without thinking.

"Of course you're coming, you put her in this life and death situation, and you will fix it." Nate snaps and glares at me. "You must."

"That's settled then, Nate and Cami are going to New Orleans," she says.

I frown. "Just the both of us?" I ask.

"What? You got a problem with that?" Nate asks with disdain.

"Actually I do, you clearly don't want anything to do with me and you expect me to go to New Orleans with you." I might be feeling sad and hurt but I won't let Nate's bitterness affect me. The both of us can't go to New Orleans, we should have an adult with us.

"The Headmaster and I can't come with you because we have school to run. Nurse Grady will be busy with Jessica, which leaves you with Damian. Listen, it's not a hard task. You just have to get to Cersi's shop and get the leaves from her, and come back. It's as easy as that."

When people makes easy plans, it ends up going the exact opposite way and Miranda is talking to casual for my liking like she knows something we don't. The headmaster isn't speaking at all. I look at him and his eyes fixed on Jessica. The looks on his face is of guilt. Is he blaming himself?

"Now that that's settled, when are we going?" Nate asks, eager to be on the road.

Damian moves to stand in front of Miranda and holds his hands out. "May I?" He asks for her permission.

Not getting what he means, she raises her eyebrows in question. I guess really knows what kind of powers he has.

"Picture Cersi's shop and touch my hand," he instructs her. Miranda touches Damian's hand and closes her eyes.

Seconds later, Damian removes his hands and thanks Miranda. He faces us and says, "let's go."

We make a move to leave but Miranda stops up and says. "One more thing, call her Madame Cersi. She won't answer to Cersi."

How convenient.

I follow Damian out and opens a portal, and without thinking too much, I go in first.

Here goes nothing.