Hedgesville, West Virginia
Caspian Residence
Tuesday, August 13, 1996
11:23 AM

Sitting up swiftly and looking around, Jennie found herself on top of her bed and fully dressed. She breathed deeply in and out while placing a hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound in her chest.
"Was it a dream?" she questioned as she looked up and found Riley standing in her door.
"Nope," he said, stepping into her room. "You feeling okay though? You hit your head pretty hard on the wall."
"I feel okay," she whispered, rubbing the back of her head and feeling a pretty sore knot.
"That‘s good," he mouthed quietly, walking to the side of her and kneeling down. "I‘d just ignore what I saw. Afterall, it wasn‘t really that big of a deal…if you get my drift." He reached up with his hand and poked her on the tip of her nose with a smile.
"I guess not," she said, chuckling lightly. Slowly her laugh faded as a look of distraught came over her. "Did you dress me?"
"No, Rachael did," he replied. "No worries. So why not come downstairs and get something to eat. You missed out on breakfast, so I’m sure you‘re hungry."
Standing up, he gave her a genile smirk and motioned her to follow him as he turned to leave. She watched him for a moment before nodding to herself.
"Sure," she supposed, pushing herself off the bed. She trailed after, entering the hallway only to see Rem walking toward Riley with his hands inside his shorts' pockets.
A coldness rushed through her as hastily caught up with Riley and pressed her body against his back. She pushed her face between his shoulder blades and closed her eyes as she gripped his shirt in her fists.
Don't look at him!
"Dad is looking for her," Rem said bluntly as he walked on, heading to his room.
"About what?" Riley questioned, turning to face his brother while placing an arm around Jennie.
"School," Rem answered, stopping in the doorframe and peering back at the two with a distant look. "He's enrolling her at Harbinger, but it looks like she has to take an entrance exam."
"An entrance exam?" she questioned, looking up to Riley with a questioning glace.
"In order for the school to place you in a class and grade," Riley said, smiling at her. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Janiston will help you study."
"Study?" Jennie asked as she looked to the ground. "Not good."
Both walked downstairs as Jennie was pointed to Nick's study while Riley disappeared into the kitchen. Walking to the room with her eyes filled with apathy, she knocked until she head her name being called from the other side. Opening the door and peering in at Nick who was sitting behind his desk, she stayed silent.
"Come on," he said, motioning her with his free hand.
"Okay," she whispered, stepping into the room and heading toward a chair. Before she took a seat, she leaned forward and looked at what Nick was working on. All she could see was some stationary with a strange looking cross in the corner.
"Application for Harbinger," Nick said, scrawling his name at the bottom of the paperwork. "This Saturday will be your entrance exam." He pushed the paper at Jennie as she stared at it. "That gives you three days to study."
"What?" Jennie exclaimed, looking frantically at the paper. "But I don't know anything about demons."
"Janiston said he would help you," Nick said.
"I can't study," she replied hastily as she noticed Nick hand her a pen. "No, I refuse to go to this school."
"You're going to the school," Nick said in a forceful voice.
Jennie opened her mouth then sighed as she took the pen. She was never one to argue with her elders. "I hate this," she muttered, signing her name underneath Nick's.
"You'll be fitted for your uniform tomorrow afternoon," he said. "You won‘t be alone. Rem outgrew his while Reiyl and Kasei need theirs."
Fumbling around his desk, he pulled out a black book and began looking through it. "Unfortunately, I can't take you tomorrow. I have a meeting at the firm, so Riley will drive you there."
"Where is the fitting at?" she asked.
"Harbinger," Nick replied. "The uniform shop is on the first floor. You'll probably run into other students who actual live in the dorms."
"Dorms?" she asked.
"Think of it as a college," Nick replied. "Not all students that go to Harbinger are from the local area."
"Oh," she replied, sitting down finally. "Did you go to this school?"
"Of course," he said, going back to more paperwork.
A calm came over the room as Jennie sat quietly. "Nick?" she questioned as she looked to the floor between her feet.
Looking up from his work, Nick gazed at the small girl that sat in front of his desk. "Something wrong?"
"No," she whispered, getting up. "You don't need me anymore, do you?"
"That was it," he said with a smile as Jennie stared at him with somber eyes.
"Okay," she muttered, turning away. "Oh, have you heard anything about my parents?"
"Not yet," Nick replied.
Standing in the same spot for a few minutes while Nick watched her, she stared blankly into space as her body gave a soft shudder. "You will let me know when you hear something, right?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered.
She forced a smile and nodded. Turning around, she stilled as her eyes burned and tears stung at the corners of her eyelids. With a heavy sigh and deep breath, she once more buried the memories and feelings. Better not to feel it. Better to regress. Numbness…
A chill befell her. And it was then she was able to walk from the office.