DITD Chapter 4
Drawn in the Dark
Icy wind bit my cheeks. A force pushing against me. Still, I stayed upright and, inch by inch, pressed forward.
Weights clung to my legs just below the knees, dragging them down. I crossed my parka-covered arms against my chest for warmth. My eyelashes froze together, sticking until I pried them apart.
Not that it mattered much—there wasn’t anything to see anyway.
Snow battered the frozen terrain. The storm fought against my mission—to reach the mountain peak.
Reason didn’t matter. I just needed to get there.
The gale tore the breath from me. Still, I trudged forward. The trek had barely begun, but I couldn’t give up. Not now.
Out of the corner of my eye, something shifted. A figure. Not far away.
I strained my stiff neck to see. Through the snowfall, only a silhouette appeared. The shadow warped with each gust, yet it somehow stood untouched and unmoved.
The distraction cost me. The gale shoved hard, sending me flat onto my back. Snow swallowed me whole.
Cold. Darkness.
The shadow loomed above, watching as I sank beneath the drift.
***
The shadow’s presence lingered even as the cold faded. A voice rang out, distant but sharp, and the world of snowstorm and shadow slipped away as I was sent into the hallway for the second time this week.
What more does she want from me?
Strange how empty it felt without students. Normally, the corridor buzzed with kids pushing toward freedom between lessons. Now it was hushed—sealed off by multiplication tables, creative writing prompts, and spelling tests echoing behind closed doors.
Sigh.
Mom would’ve called it an “off day.” She’d already noticed I was quieter at breakfast. I shrugged it off.
Attie made up a song at breakfast. I typically smile or nod along. Today I just kept eating. She looked hurt, but Mom stepped in.
Earlier last night, Dad had called. I couldn’t sleep, so when I heard Mom’s voice down the hall, I crept closer.
Her words spilled out fast as if trying to fill every second: “I know I’m going through a lot all at once. What about you? …Oh. I get not wanting to talk about it right now.”
I cleared my throat.
Mom smiled at me. “Carter’s still awake. Do you have time to say hi?”
She handed me the phone.
Dad’s voice sounded hoarse. “Hey, Bubba. I’ve only got a minute. How are you doing?”
“I’m good.”
“Good. How’s school?”
I shrugged, though he couldn’t see it. “Okay, I guess. One kid moved away to Nebraska, and we already have a new one in our class.”
“Oh yeah? What’s his name?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him.”
Dad chuckled. “All right. Well, I’m glad you’re holding up.”
Strict voices barked in the background. He breathed out hard. “I’ve got to go. I love you. Tell your momma and sister I love them too. Take good care of them.”
“I will. I love you too.”
The call cut off abruptly.
I handed the phone back. “He said he loves y’all.”
Mom blinked. “Already?”
“Yeah.”
She sighed, eyes glassy, then hugged me before sending me back to bed.
I stared at the ceiling, my mind circling. When sleep finally came, morning followed too soon.
Now, back at school, I was in the hallway again.
Why can’t I focus? Why do I keep zoning out?
The door squeaked. Mrs. Lee stepped out, shutting it hard enough that it nearly slammed.
Her blonde hair was wound into a bun. Black pants, white button-down, and a pink vest filled my view as she squared up in front of me. Arms crossed. Eyes sharp.
“You never pay attention in my class. Why won’t you listen to me?”
I shrugged.
She scoffed. “No. This—” she waved her hands “—isn’t going to cut it.”
My body froze.
“Why aren’t you talking to me?” she pressed.
“I… I don’t know.”
Tears stung at the corners of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.
It was embarrassing to be pulled out. My mind just shuts off sometimes. If I could control it, I would.
I wanted to listen. I wanted to learn. But my voice stuck in my throat.
Mrs. Lee rolled her eyes and kept talking. Her words blurred into a muffled sound. I nodded every so often. I had no clue what I was agreeing to, but she seemed satisfied enough.
Finally, she finished. “I get that you don’t want to be here, but you have to be. You must listen to me, or you can just sit beside me on the bench at recess. I’ll be talking to your mom about this later.”
She stepped back and pulled the door open.
The sound jolted me from my haze, and I followed her inside, feeling as if I’d just woken up.