The Blackbox - Chapter 3
❖ Chapter 3 - Game Changer❖
If you haven't read the first part (prologue) of this story please click here
If you would like to view the Table of Contents where the links to all the existing chapters are, click here
*it's recommended that you read the previous chapters before this so you have more context :)
"So you're telling me that she actually spoke to you?"
Jasper is talking to me while he stares at Raven who's sitting on the floor in the corner. He looks utterly shocked, as did everyone else when I told them about my exchange with Raven. "Ha, she really hates you doesn't she" Eli laughs. But I don't find it funny. "Obviously she hates me, but what did I ever do to her? We've never even had a conversation!" I'm still sort of shocked. I don't know what came over Raven, to start shouting at me the way she did. I'm only the first one asleep and awake because I don't want to be punished. I learned from her mistakes, so one would think that she wouldn't have the audacity to complain to me. As far as I know, Raven misses breakfast and conditioning all the time. "Maybe she's just jealous of you?" Grace chimes in. The thought has crossed my mind. "You're probably right Grace. Raven is hardly a star student. She's just jealous of me, that must be it." As I speak the words I catch Raven glancing furtively at me from across the room. I ignore her. I know she hates me, and I think I know why so I'll just leave it at that. If she wants to be immature about it, I'm not going to play any part in that.
Hours pass and the 5 of us are just occupying ourselves until the lunch bell rings. We're all gathered around a large black table having making light conversation. At least it was light conversation until Raven came along. Without warning she plops herself in between Grace and I. "Listen. I'm really sick of this. You guys all tiptoeing around me? It needs to stop. You know we used to be best friends." Raven is definitely not being herself lately, and at this point I feel a little bit creeped out. "You don't want to be friends with us though?" I know I sound hostile, and maybe Raven wants to reconcile, or apologies or something. But I don't want to appear weak in front of Raven, so I'm trying to make her work for it. I can feel the curious stares of the others as they silently take in our exchange and wonder what will happen next. Raven surveys me for a minute. I can tell she didn't expect me to talk back to her and the somewhat surprised look on Raven's face, strangely, gives me a bit of satisfaction. " I didn't want to be your 'friend' because I wasn't ready to talk. But now I am." Raven then looks at me expectantly, obviously she thinks I'm the voice of the group. I'll play her game for now though. "So... talk. What happened to you? Why did you kick us to the curb?"
Raven takes a deep breath. The others are taking turns glancing at me to Raven then back to me, like they're suspicious of the whole thing. But I am too, you've got to understand, Raven never talks. Like, ever.
"Before I start, let's go over there" Raven says as she gestures towards the corner in which she can usually be found. Without a word I rise to follow her, but the others aren't joining me so I roll my eyes at them and beckon them. Eventually Finn and Grace follow along and the others soon follow. As Raven leads us across the room, I can't help but wonder why she couldn't have told us whatever she wanted to say at the table. When we get to the corner, Raven is sitting there. In her lap sits an old journal, I recognize it as one of the ones we used for education lessons a while back. We weren't supposed to keep them. We all must look very dubious, because Raven quickly explains, "They can't see or hear us in this corner, so we can say or do whatever we want." Raven points at the floor indicating for us to sit down. I take the place directly in front of her. Eli is the first to talk, "So what is it you wanna say Raven? It sounds kind of important..." Raven nods at Eli, and I'm getting anxious, but before I can tell her to hurry up with her story, she begins. "What I'm about to tell you might just change the way you view your entire lives in the Blackbox..."
Chapter 4 coming soon!
If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please leave them in the comments.
- Ally O