Project Mage

Harty furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "This is definitely not normal. It's starting to sound like something more than just strange behavior. It's as if something has happened to Tina."

"We need to find her and make sure she's okay. This is getting really worrying,”Roselle said while raising one hand to her chest.

Roselle returned home after her meeting with Hashta and Harty. After entering the cozy living room, Roselle found her mother engrossed in a book. She approached her and cleared her throat to get her attention.

"Mom, have you seen Tina come by recently? I haven't been able to reach her, and it's starting to worry me."

Mrs. Magenta looked up from her book with concern her eyes as she regarded her daughter. "Tina? No, I haven't seen her lately, dear. Is something wrong?"

Roselle sighed. "I'm not sure, Mom. She's been missing for a while now, and her friends can't reach her either. It's like she's disappeared."

Mrs. Magenta became more serious. "That does sound concerning. Maybe you should contact her parents or guardians and see if they know anything."

Roselle nodded in agreement. "I'll try that, Mom. Thanks."

Roselle lay in bed that night with her thoughts consumed by worry for Tina. Soon she felt a comforting weight of her mother's presence sitting on the edge of her bed. Mrs. Magenta spoke while believing Roselle was asleep.

"I had a terrible vision tonight," Mrs. Magenta confessed with sadness. "I saw the end of our family, Roselle. It felt so real, like a nightmare I couldn't escape. But right now, we're closer than ever, aren't we?"

She gently brushed a strand of hair away from Roselle's face. Tears welled up in her eyes while she spoke further, "You're my world, Roselle. Since your father passed away, I've tried to be strong for you, to provide for you, and to keep us safe. But these visions... they're getting worse, and I don't know how to stop them."

Roselle, still feigning sleep, listened to her mother's words with a heavy heart. She wanted to comfort her mother, but she didn't know how to do that when her own worries were biting her.

Mrs. Magenta leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Roselle's forehead. "I love you more than anything, Roselle. Please know that. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, no matter what lengths I have to go to."

With those final words, Mrs. Magenta slowly rose from the bedside.

Roselle felt a deep sense of concern and empathy for her mother, who was burdened by visions of a future she couldn't control.

Roselle stepped out of the door, ready to face another day of school. She waved goodbye to her mother with a smile, but when the door began to close, a sudden surge of emotion overwhelmed her.

In a swift motion, Roselle rushed back inside. She wrapped her arms tightly around her mother, in a warm, heartfelt embrace. "I love you, Mom," Roselle whispered.

"Oh my,” Roselle’s Mother said with a soft giggle escaping her lips. "You’re certainly full of surprises today."

Roselle paused for a moment with a knowing look crossing her face. "Mom, you know, I’ve been meaning to ask... I’ve noticed you’ve been acting a bit differently lately. Have you been up to something that you’re not telling me?"

Mrs. Magenta blinked in surprise. "Oh, sweetheart, I’m not sure what you mean. I’ve been just as busy as usual. Why do you ask?"

Roselle tilted her head. "I just had a feeling. Nothing specific, really."

Mrs. Magenta laughed softly. "Well, don’t worry too much about me honey, I’m fine."

Roselle gave her mother a smile, though her curiosity remained piqued. "Alright, Mom. I’ll see you later. Love you."

"I love you too, Roselle. Have a great day at school."

With one final squeeze, Roselle released her mother from the hug and with a bright smile, she left for school.

Mrs. Magenta watched her daughter walk away. She had always been proud of Roselle, but today, seeing her daughter express her love so openly had touched her deeply.Mrs. Magenta muttered to herself, "I will help you, Roselle, just as you've always helped me."

She turned back into the house and picked up the phone, intending to call Tina's mother. She had known Tina's family for years, and they were close friends. But as she dialed the familiar number, a sinking feeling crept over her when she heard the automated message:

“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please hang up, or try your call again later.”

Mrs. Magenta was perplexed. "How can this be?" she muttered to herself.

Mrs. Magenta, determined to help, drove to Tina's house. When she arrived at Tina's house, what she saw sent shockwaves through her body. The house appeared abandoned and in disrepair. The front yard was overgrown with weeds, and the windows were boarded up. It was as if no one had lived there in a long time.

Mrs. Magenta approached the front door cautiously. She tried to knock, but the door swung open with a creek, revealing a darkened interior.

Fear and worry welled up within her as she stepped into the abandoned house, calling out Tina's name, but she gained no response. Mrs. Magenta sighed and put a hand up to her forehead.

Roselle found herself sitting with Hashta on a bench just outside the school building before classes. The news about Tina's abandoned house was being delivered by Hashta.

"Hashta, are you sure about what you saw?" Roselle asked in disbelief. “Tina’s house, abandoned? It doesn't make any sense!"

Hashta nodded solemnly. Her cat headphones swayed. "Yeah, Roselle, I checked it out after we talked yesterday in the chess room. The place is empty, like no one has been there for months. It's really creepy."

"But... why would Tina and her family just disappear like that?" Roselle wondered aloud."And why didn't she tell anyone? We were friends for so long..."

Hashta shrugged. "I don't know, Roselle. It's weird, for sure. It’s like we’ve lost a crucial party member in a game just before a major quest—one moment they’re right there with us, and the next, they’ve vanished."

"Exactly," Roselle said while pointing at Hashta. "Maybe we should tell someone, like a teacher or the principal?"

Hashta considered the suggestion but hesitated, her expression thoughtful. "I’m not sure. What if there’s something we don’t know? Something we can’t explain? We might stir up trouble or make a fuss when we don’t have all the facts yet. Maybe it’s better to hold off until we have more information."

Roselle nodded. "You’re right. Let’s be careful and see if we can find out more before involving anyone else."

Hashta sighed, her frustration evident. “This whole situation is giving me the creeps! I hope Tina's okay..."

Roselle placed a hand on Hashta's shoulder. "We'll figure this out, Hashta. We just need to be careful and find out what's going on. “

The first bell rang, signaling the start of the school day.

Hashta's eyes widened in panic. "Oh shit! We’re out of time! And I totally forgot about the test!"

Roselle's face mirrored Hashta's alarm. She scrambled to grab her books. "I can’t believe it! How did we let this slip?"

Hashta moved her arms around frantically. "I’ve got to review my notes. I’ve only skimmed them once! What am I going to do? My brain feels like it’s been set to ‘sleep mode’! "

Roselle flipped through her textbook as if it held the answers to life itself. "I can’t even remember half of this stuff! Why did I think I could just wing it? I need a miracle!"

Just then, A perpetually annoyed girl with a megaphone burst into the hallway. She spoke with an echo like a drill sergeants. "Alright, everyone! Time’s up! Get to your classes! That’s right, all of you! Move it, move it! And don’t think about skipping; we all know you’ve got tests today!"

Roselle and Hashta froze while entering the door.

Hashta let out a loud groan. "Are you kidding me? I thought we were the only ones in this mess!"

Roselle, equally flustered, started grabbed her stuff with urgency. "So it’s not just us—everyone’s got a test! It’s like the school decided to have a universal test day!"

"Good luck!" Hashta shouted while they dashed in opposite directions.

"You too!" Roselle called back.

The classroom was filled with an air of anticipation and unease. It was the fateful Friday morning of the test. Roselle sat while looking around the room nervously. After a few minutes ticked by, some of Roselle's classmates noticed her unease. They leaned over and whispered in hushed tones.

"Hey, Roselle," one of the girls whispered, "did you manage to study for today's test?"

Roselle felt a pang of guilt while glancing to her classmates

"Um, not really," Roselle admitted quietly. "I’ve um…had a lot on my mind lately."

The girls exchanged knowing glances.

"Well, Roselle, you know the teacher actually started teaching when you were suspended," another girl remarked with a hint of frustration. "We need your help to get back to the top of the class."

Roselle bit her lip. “I’m really sorry, guys…I wish I could help, but I've been dealing with some personal stuff. I'll do my best on the test, though."

Time went by without the Teacher’s arrival. The students in the classroom grew increasingly restless. Minutes seemed to stretch on and on, and whispers of uncertainty filled the air. Was there going to be a test today?

A few students started to murmur excitedly. One of them leaned over to Roselle with a hopeful grin. "Hey, maybe you’re in luck today. What if the teacher doesn’t show up? No teacher, no test, right?"

Another student chimed in, "Yeah, I mean, it’s happened before. Fingers crossed we get a surprise holiday or something!"

Roselle’s eyes widened at the idea. "You really think that could happen?"

"Anything’s possible," one of the students said with a shrug. "We’re already late. Maybe they’re stuck in traffic or something."

As if on cue, the classroom door creaked open, and everyone turned in hopeful anticipation. However, it was only the janitor, who looked around puzzled.

The janitor scratched his head and said, "Uh, excuse me, everyone. I heard the teacher mention something about a field trip this week. I’m not sure if that’s today or not. Maybe I got the dates mixed up."

The students looked at each other in confusion. One of them asked, "A field trip? Really?"

The janitor shrugged. "That’s what I heard. But if I’m wrong, well… you might be in for a surprise." He then gave a bemused smile.

With that, the janitor closed the door and shuffled away.

Right after that, the classroom door swung open, and their homeroom teacher made his grand entrance. He entered the room with an air of indifference. His tardy arrival drew a collective groan from the students, their hopes of an easy day dashed. The teacher's casual demeanor only fueled their irritation.

"Sorry I'm late, everyone," the teacher said in a nonchalant tone. "You won't believe what happened. I was attacked by a pack of wild wolves on my way here."

The students’ faces ranged from disbelief to amusement. The absurdity of the excuse was hard to ignore.

"Wolves, sensei?" one student questioned with a raised eyebrow. "In the middle of the city?"

The teacher nodded solemnly. "Yes, that's right. A gang of city wolves looking for test papers, but don't worry, I fought them off and made it here with the tests intact."

A chorus of skeptical murmurs and eye rolls rippled through the classroom. The teacher's excuses when he was late were legendary for their creativity and this one had certainly raised the bar.

"Come on, sensei," another student chimed in. "Wolves? Really?"

The teacher merely shrugged. "Well, you shouldn't care too much about my 10-minute delay. It's just a little extra time to prepare yourselves for the test. Now, let's get started."

With that, he began distributing the test papers.

Roselle glanced at her watch in disbelief. It had been a whole 45 minutes since the bell rang. She shot the teacher a stone-faced look while he passed by her desk.

"Seriously?" Roselle muttered under her breath. "45 minutes late and we’re still expected to act like this is normal?"

Roselle couldn't believe her eyes as she glanced at the test paper in front of her. It was filled with a series of questions that seemed almost insultingly easy. Multiple-choice questions, no less. She had expected a challenging test, given the teacher's penchant for unpredictability, but this was something else entirely.

The questions on the test ranged from simple math problems to basic vocabulary definitions. This was a test that even a 5 year old would be able to pass. Two plus two equaled four, and finish spell this word, ‘B_ke’.

The Classmates seemed equally puzzled by the simplicity of the test. Roselle picked up her pencil and began filling in the bubbles on the answer sheet. It took her less than twenty seconds to complete the entire test. She looked around the classroom and saw that her classmates were finishing just as quickly..

When it seemed that everyone had finished, the teacher took the seemingly useless practice tests. A few children let out sighs of relief. When the teacher turned to leave the classroom, he pivoted to face the students again with a sly smile now spreading over his face.

"But wait, don't pack up just yet," he announced. "That was only the practice test, you see. Now, it's time for the real thing."

The students collectively gasped. The teacher held up a new set of test papers, different from what they had been working on. These papers seemed much thicker and more intimidating than the practice test they had just finished.