[color=ed145b][center][h2]☆ Deborah Wright ☆[/h2][/center][/color]

"Deborah? Ahem. Deborah!" The Math's teacher rapped her fist on Deborah Wright's desk, causing the girl, previously slumped forwards with her eyes practically shut, to jump slightly in her chair.

[color=ed145b]"Whuhuh?"[/color] Debs grunted. It took a moments for her eyes to focus and the haze in her mind to clear so she could recall where she was. She lifted her head slightly to meet the gaze of the teacher.

"So glad of you to join us," Mrs. Morris said, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Deborah felt her face flush slightly as she heard a few of the girls barely suppressing their giggles. "It seems like you already know this, Deborah," Mrs Morris said curtly. "How about you go up to the board and show the rest of us how it's done?" The sarcasm in the teacher's voice was cutting, and could even put an expert snarker like Deborah to shame.

[color=ed145b]"I, erm..."[/color] Still not entirely awake, Deborah tried to splutter out an apology, and hoped Mrs. Morris would leave her be. But it seemed like the teacher had other plans, as she pressed a piece of chalk into Deborah's hand.

"Go," Mrs. Morris ordered, gesturing over at the blackboard at the front of her class.

Realising she had no choice, Debs pushed herself up to her feet, feeling her own weight as she stumbled with very little elegance to the front of the class. She could feel everyone's eyes upon her as she approached the blackboard, could hear people chuckling and whispering to their neighbours. Every time she passed another ridiculing teenager, Debs would think, [color=ed145b]"I hate you. I hate you, and I hate you, and I fucking hate you as well!"[/color]

Once she reached the board, she tried her best to ignore the rest of the class as she looked over the problem Mrs. Morris had asked her to solve, hoping that if she could figure it out, everyone would leave her alone. However, as she raised her head to look at the question, she was dismayed to find that the blackboard didn't have numbers or even letters, but was instead inscribed with what Deborah recognised as Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Yes, she recognised them. She'd even once tried to learn them, as she'd always had an interest in Ancient History. Unfortunately, just as with other languages she had tried to learn, she lacked the focus and commitment, and had given up fairly early, with a half-hearted promise to return to them later on.

So yeah, Debs was at a complete loss. Feeling her face redden to the colour of a plum, Deborah turned around, ready to reluctantly admit to Mrs. Morris that, no, she couldn't solve this particular problem, and ready to take the inevitable scolding and mockery that she knew the rest of the class would pile upon her.

However, in the instant she turned around, the classroom suddenly changed, becoming eerily quiet. The classroom darkened slightly, as if someone had turned off the light without Deborah noticing. And, perhaps the most unnerving of all, Deborah found that the classroom was now completely empty.

Debs looked around, wide-eyed. [color=ed145b]"Okay, then,"[/color] she muttered to herself, trying to deny the fact she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck pricking up. Placing the chalk on the teacher's desk, Deborah made her way out of the classroom and into the hallway, which was equally deserted as the classroom. [color=ec008c]"Hey!"[/color] she bellowed into the silence. [color=ed145b]"Is anyone there? Hey!"[/color]

No response.

[color=ed145b]'What the fuck is going on?'[/color] Deborah thought, starting to feel the panic building up within. Where was everyone? She headed over to the stair well, leaning on the banister and looked down at the other floors, still seeing no signs of life. All the lights were off, though it wasn't completely dark thanks to the light coming in from the windows, so Deborah wasn't too worried. After all, if the sun was still in the sky, that meant the school was still open, so she could probably still make it out. 

She started walking down the stairs, trying to keep at a reasonable pace but finding each step becoming quicker and quicker, matching under with her now racing heart-rate. It was just as she was half-way to the ground floor that, suddenly and without warning, the sky outside darkened into a navy, and all traces of sunlight vanished. No sunset, no gradual darkening. It was like someone turning off a light switch on the sun, and the shock caused Deborah to miss a step, causing her to tumble down to the stairs, landing flat on her face, miraculously not managing to break anything in the process.

Debs pushed herself up until she was sitting on the floor, and felt herself starting to tremble as she realised how dark the hallway was. Okay, [i]this[/i] was a level of darkness she couldn't handle. She could only just see. How did it get so dark so fast? How did-

Then it hit her. The hieroglyphs on the board, the sudden disappearance of the students and staff, the light vanishing, the fact she had hardly been hurt at all by that fall down the stairs. Just to make sure she was right, Debs pinched herself, squeezed the skin between her fingers as hard as she could. She felt it, but the sensation was dulled and not at all painful.

[color=ed145b]"Knew it,"[/color] Debs muttered to herself. She was dreaming! She could have slapped herself for not realising it sooner! This was just another crazy nightmare, and soon she'd wake up and everything would fine! She tried to smile smugly, though this realisation hadn't quite quelled her fears. Even though this was just a dream, she wanted to get out of this place as quickly as possible.

She shut her eyes tight. When she opened them again, this would all be over. She'd done this several times, and it usually worked.

[color=ed145b]'Breath, Deborah,'[/color] she thought. [color=ed145b]'Just keep cool.'[/color]

She counted silently to ten. One... two... three... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine...

"Deborah?"

[hr]
"Deborah?"

Debs opened her eyes, only to shut them again and open them slower so they could adjust better to the light. She seemed to be lying down, she knew that much, and it was only when she could look at her surroundings that finally was able to note she was in the nurse's office, the school nurse herself was standing a few feet away, her back to Deborah. She seemed to be leaning with another student, who sitting on the second bed.

Deborah sat up. [color=ed145b]"Hrrrm?"[/color] Her head was aching like crazy. The nurse turned to her.

"Are you alright?" she said. "You took quite a fall. Please, I think you should rest some more."

[color=ed145b]"What happened?"[/color] Deborah muttered as the nurse tried to get her to lie down again.

"One of the students found you, a girl from your class," the nurse continued, turning away from her and making her way to a cupboard. "You must have fainted and fallen down the stairs. You're lucky that nothing was broken."

[color=ed145b]"What time is it?"[/color] Deborah said, craning her neck around slightly in order to find a clock. As she did, she caught sight of the other student, a girl a year younger than her, who was staring at her intensely. Debs frowned. [color=ed145b]"What is it?"[/color] she said. She hated being stared at, and this girl's gaze in particular was giving her the creeps. Or at least, Deborah [u]thought[/u] the girl was staring at her. It was hard to tell since the girl didn't have a face. No eyes, no mouth, no nose. There wasn't even any skin there, just a big gaping hole. [color=ed145b]"Why do you keep looking at me like that?"[/color]

"Sorry," the girl said, a thin whisper coming from that large gaping chasm. "I can't help it."

"Now if you'll just sit still," the nurse said, turning back to Deborah. Debs looked at her, noticing that she was holding something in her hand. It was a syringe. "I'll just give you your medicine and you can be on your way."

Deborah felt her body squirm as she looked at that sharp needle. [color=ed145b]"Erm, miss, I don't think I need that,"[/color] she said. She started to sit up, but before she could, the faceless girl was at her side and pushed her back down to the bed. 

"Sit still," the nurse said again, now very close to the bed. It was then Deborah finally noticed that the nurse herself didn't have a face either. "This is for your own good."

Deborah struggled, but Faceless Girl was surprisingly strong. As the nurse leaned in to inject the needle into her arm, Debs knew somehow that letting that needle touch her was a bad idea, and she aimed a kick at the nurse's arm, knocking the syringe out of her hand. It fell to the floor, smashing into pieces.

The nurse didn't like this. She didn't like this one bit. "Now look what you've done!" she said. Debs tried to struggle away, but the nurse already had her hands on Deborah's throat, closing harsh around her windpipe. Debs could feel the air leaving her body as the nurse starting shaking her while letting out an ear-piercing scream that sounded a lot like a school bell...

[hr]
"Deborah?" Debs could feel someone shaking her shoulder, causing the girl, previously slumped forwards with her eyes practically shut, to jump slightly in her chair.

[color=ed145b]"Whuhuh?"[/color] Debs grunted. It took a moments for her eyes to focus and the haze in her mind to clear so she could recall where she was. She lifted her head slightly to meet the gaze of the teacher.

"Class is over, Deborah," Mrs. Morris said. She gestured to the classroom, which was completely empty, though Debs could hear the sound of the school bell just coming to the end of its toll, and the students milling about in the hallway. Debs gazed around, searching for any out of place detail that would hint she was still dreaming. Noticing her confused state, Mrs. Morris asked, "Hey, are you okay? You look exhausted." The Maths teacher looked at the large bags under Debs' eyes.

[color=ed145b]"Hmm?"[/color] Debs look at Mrs. Morris. [color=ed145b]"Yeah, I'm a little tired..."[/color] she admitted. [color=ed145b]"I... haven't been sleeping so well of recent."[/color] She stood up, backing all her things into her school bag so she wouldn't have to make eye contact with Mrs. Morris. [color=ed145b]"I barely been sleeping at all actually..."[/color]

"I see," Mrs. Morris said. "Honestly, I have noticed that you have seem a little out of it for a while now. How long has this been going on for?"

Debs hesitated, knowing that the answer would surely worry her teacher. However, she eventually volunteered the information. [color=ed145b]"... almost a year now,"[/color] she admitted.

Mrs. Morris' eyes widened. "A year?" she said, clearly trying to keep herself from sounding shocked. "Have you seen anyone about this? A doctor? Have you told your mom?"

Debs nodded. She'd finished packing away now and swung her bag over her shoulder. [color=ed145b]"I've told my therapist about it,"[/color] she said. [color=ed145b]"You know, the one I go see every week or so. She suggested giving me sleeping pills or something, but..."[/color] She shrugged her shoulders slightly. [color=ed145b]"I'm already on antidepressants. I don't want to be on any more medication."[/color]

"I see," Mrs. Morris said, sighing slightly. "And your mom?"

Debs shifted her weight uncomfortably. [color=ed145b]"I don't want to bother her,"[/color] she admitted. [color=ed145b]"She's already got so much to deal with."[/color]

"She's your mother, Deborah," Mrs. Morris said. "If... if this continues much longer, or gets any worse, will you please tell her?"

Debs licked her lips. [color=ed145b]"Yeah, sure,"[/color] she muttered.

Mrs. Morris looked at her for a long time as if trying to figure out whether Debs meant that. Then she nodded. "Okay," she said. "Go on now." 

Debs nodded and quickly exited the classroom. It was only when she was far out into the hallway, standing by her locker, that she did her 'reality check', delivering a sharp pinch to her arm when she was sure no one was looking.

Ouch. 

Yep, that hurt. She was awake. 

Letting out a sigh of relief she hadn't even realised she had been holding, she rummaged around in her jacket pocket for her keys, taking them out and fumbling with them, only to accidentally drop them onto the ground.

[color=ed145b]"Shit!"[/color] Debs hissed, leaning down to pick up at her keys. She heard one of the boys mutter and laugh behind her, and felt her face flush, almost certain they were making some comment about her fat ass. Or maybe she was just imaging it because she was already in a foul mood. She picked up her keys and opened her locker, only for an avalanche of school supplies to come spilling out on the floor.

[color=ed145b]"Fuck shit!"[/color] Debs cursed again as she heard another burst of laughter. Okay, now she was [i]sure[/i] that was about her! [color=ed145b]'I just want to go home and drown my sorrows in a tub of ice cream,'[/color] she thought, getting on her hands and knees as she rifled around the sheets of paper and assorted books, trying to hurry this up so she could get out of here. However, as she was sorting through her things (read: shoving things into the back of her locker without really looking at what they were) one thing did catch her eye.

It was a flyer she had happened across a few days ago. Actually, someone had crumpled it up into a ball and thrown it down the stairs, causing it to collide with the back of her head. She had picked it up, tempted to throw it back, only to get a glimpse of it was apparently. It was advertising a new school club, a 'ghost-busting' club. The fact that their school would allow such a club baffled her. Heck, the fact someone at their school was confident enough to start and advertise such a club meant they must have really not cared what anyone thought about them. And while Debs herself wasn't a hardcore fan of the occult, she, like many teenagers who felt isolated and different, had dabbled. So she had signed up for it, just to see what it would actually be like, maybe have a good laugh with some people her own age for once.

But thanks to her nightmares, she had completely forgotten that it was today, and right now, she didn't really feel like it. She was tempted to just skip it today, and get back to the group another time. However, as she finished backing away her things, she found herself playing the crumpled up flyer into her bag and heading in the direction of the 'club room', which was technically just the biology classroom. She wasn't sure why, but she felt if she didn't go now, she'd probably not have the guts to go later. Worst came to worst, she'd go in for a bit, see how it was, and then tell the rest of them she had to go home early or something if she ended up feeling too tired. 

Gathering her courage, she opened the door and stumbled into the room... only just barely avoided colliding into someone. A purple-haired chick... or at least she assumed it was chick, with that long hair. [color=ed145b]"Sorry,"[/color] she grunted, while secretly thinking, [color=ed145b]'Watch where you're standing, ditz! People are walking here!'[/color]