Roaring Thunder

“Good morning, good morning.”, Alison says, smiling as she walks toward the giant dining room table with the rest of us.

“’Morning, witch,” Josh says, rolling his eyes.

“Ah, and what a lovely morning it is.”

I nearly choke on my eggs, staring at Alison oddly, saying, “Okay, I give. Hit us with the news.”

“After I eat,” Alison says, pouring a bowl of cereal. “I was wondering how much perkiness I needed before you’d get the hint.”

“Any news on Rain?”, Kevin asks casually.

“Not before breakfast, Kevin. How many times must we go that?”

“Until you get something.”

“Yeah, well, I’m done,” Alison says, her bowl floating into the sink. Oh, yeah. Since Alison died, her powers seemed to have gotten stronger. And, she’s a daughter of Hecate. “Okay, so, the news is about Rain.”

Josh and Kevin do a spit-take in unison. “Let me finish. Gosh,” Alison says, rolling her eyes. “Okay … well, they’re on their way.”

“You, hide,” Kevin growls fiercely.

“Aww, but I wanted to scare her stupid. Oh, wait, she’s already there.”, Alison says, smirking. Yep, Alison has found a hate for the person who murdered her. I actually think it was because of Kevin. “Either way, I wanna see the look on her face.”

“Alison, that’s not a good —”

“I’ll tell you the prophecy.”

“I say we let them meet.”, I say, smiling.

“Wow, she has you guys acting like a couple of dogs.”, Josh chuckles.

“Oh, and I bet you never knew this about Josh!”

Josh shoots a glare at a smug Alison, who rolls her eyes at him. Oh, and her eyes changed colors. They were just like the stone she wore on her neck — black with a purple ring.

“Hey, I’ve got dirt on everyone.”

“Sadly,” Kevin grumbles. “But very useful.”

“Oh, and do you know that Raine may try some lame thing to steal some members.”, Alison says, shrugging.

“Any specific names?”, Josh asks casually.

“Martin, Max, Ash, Beatrix, Colby, Nina, Mirabelle, Adam, Eric, Melody, and I.”, Alison says, shrugging.

“She frickin’ killed you!!”, Kevin growls, standing up.

“Exactly. She’s gonna use the whole ‘Oh, didn’t you ever wanna see the world?’ and that crap.”

“Oh, I get it. Inform everyone now, to help lessen the chances of her success.”, Josh says, nodding in approval.

“Good, then we’re all on the same page. Now, c’mon! I gotta drop Sophie off and she’s under Kevin’s guardianship.”

“What? Why me?”, Kevin asks, shocked.

“Because, that way if anything happens to her, I can blame you.”, Alison says sweetly, already walking away.

“Hot,” Martin says, smiling after her. Josh whacks him on the back of the head, nodding toward Kevin.

“Martin, yah gotta learn to control your hormones.”, I say sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, you better. Or hire a guard to keep me from murdering you.”, Kevin says, rolling his eyes. Alison comes back, holding Sophie happily. Sophie lived with Alison, in her manison-like house. I mean, it looked like a tiny little cottage on the outside, but inside it was like some fancy fifty story paradise. But she — shockingly — didn’t quite like it.

“Well, lets get going. Or do you want me to drag you?”

“I can fly,” Kevin grumbles, standing up. “See you all at school.”

“Yeah, see yah!”, Alison says happily, her violet wings unfolding. I could never get over how beautiful her wings were. They glittered and shimmered behind her, even as she flew in front of Kevin.

“Now that was hot.”, Martin says, recieving another whack on the back of the head by Josh.

“Seriously, dude. Get over it.”, I say, standing up. “She still isn’t looking for love.”

“Besides, we need her for more than keeping you and Max in line.”, Josh grumbles, standing up. “Hey, maybe if you’re lucky her locker will be right next to yours.”

“Or maybe we’ll have to share a locker.”, and Max whacks him on the back of the head.

“Will you shut up?”

“Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.”

“C’mon guys, lets just head over to school.”, I say, already flying away, landing atop of the roof of the school. I hop down as I spot everyone, Alison and Kevin already in our giant group.

“Aw, damn, Melody! Give me a heart-attack why don’t yah!”, Alison says, shoving my shoulder playfully.

“How can you scare a psychic?”

“Simple,” Alison says, already walking away. I shrug my shoulders, following behind her.

“Yo, Kendall!”, Frankie says, tossing me a football.

“Hey, Frankie!”, I say, smiling.

“Yo, Psychic! What up? I haven’t heard anything ‘bout y’all the entire summer!”

“We spent some time in Europe.”, Alison says, shrugging.

“Hey, what up with your eyes?”

“Oh, their contacts,” Alison says sheepishly. “I don’t have to wear my glasses anymore. See?”

She does a little twirl, to add to the effect. Her eyes went unfocused for a minute, and that’s when I knew she saw something. But she smiles, quickly disappearing.

“Whatever,” Frankie says, walking away. “Oh, and are you doing basketball, Kendall?”

“Yeah, sure, why not!”, I yell after him, already heading after Alison, who had just walked out of the office.

“Here’s your schedule and what not.”, Alison says, before disappearing. I shrug, heading toward my homeroom. I realized Kevin had the same homeroom as me, as well as Martin and Max.

“Kevin, Alison saw something.”, I say gravely.

“She’s keeping an eye on Sophie. Of course she saw something.”

I sigh, shaking my head. That’s it. Alison was just watching Sophie. Alison skips in with Josh and Dylan slowly following behind her. Max and Martin straighten up immediately, making me whack both of them in the back of the head.

“Hey, Kendall. Tell Frankie to get off my back. He’s bugging me about the whole basketball thing.”, Alison says, rolling her eyes. “I can only look out for so much. Between watching out for Rains, and then Sophie, and the there’s Hell —”

“Okay, I’ll tell him.”, I say, laughing slightly. “You’re the school’s psychic, remember?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. Everyone’s asking me about all this nonsense, not just Frankie.”

“I’m so glad I’m not psychic.”, Dylan says, chuckling.

“Ahuh, yeah, laugh while you can. Wait till Raine gets here. You’ll be wishing that you hadn’t laughed.”, Alison says, smirking.

“I’m already regretting it.”

♠ ♣ ♠

“Sooo … Kendall, whatcha doin’ this Friday?”, Josh asks as casually as possible.

“Not going out with you.”, I say, rolling my eyes.

“Aww, c’mon!”, Josh grumbles, following me as we all manage to fit in one table. Alison was listening to her iPod, her eyes closed, as Max and Martin bicker like idiots about who should walk her to class. I swear, are all boys idiots? Alison looks around indifferently, a smile suddenly spreading across her face.

“Hey, Alison. I heard you were back. And I brought yah a little something.”, David says, gesturing to Sophie, who runs straight to Alison. She sets Sophie on her lap, smiling hugely.

“Thanks, David. Pull up a chair. There’s still plenty of room.”, — which was surprisingly true. There was plenty of room at our table. David smiles as him and the rest of the Rebel Demons pull up a chair.

“Sooo, when’d yah get back?”

“’Bout a month later.”

“Ooh, what’s it like?”, — and that’s when everyone’s suddenly interested. Alison hadn’t told us why it took so long for her to become a Riddle.

“Well, I spent some time in heaven. I got kicked outta there. Too much sass, they said. That, and I was ticked. So, then I spent some time in hell, for all the trouble I caused. You know, it ain’t really all that bad. I mean, thanks to all that practicing I survived.”, she shrugs indifferently. “Once the King was done with me, though, he kicked me out. Like, literally. Then I was just sort of floating around on Earth until Elijah, Sebastian, and Elaine found me.”

“You went to hell?!”, Kevin growls.

“Yeah. I had to pay for all the trouble I caused, Kevin. Heaven was torture, though!”

“What was it like?”, I ask, smiling slightly.

“Like my most perfect dream,” Alison sighs happily. “I hated it.”

“Okay, I’m confused. If heaven’s so great, why’d yah hate it?”, David asks.

“Simple. It was too perfect. And I missed everyone …”, Alison sighs. “I’m much happier now. This is my heaven.”

“You were so angry to the point where they threw you down hell?”, Josh guesses.

“That, too.”

“What happened while you were in hell?”, Duncan asks.

“Oh, well … umm …”, Alison says uncomfortably. “I don’t really wanna say …”

“C’mon, Alison! What could be so bad?”, Kurt asks, laughing slightly.

“Dude, it’s hell! There’s no telling the kind of torture Alison went through!”, Rick says, glaring.

“Exactly!”, Alison says quickly. “And Earth … felt weird. I’d just be wandering around freely. I stopped having visions, though.”

“You did?”, Nina asks casually.

“Yeah. I think it was because there was no one to see. There was no where to be. I was just sorta … there. It’s hard to explain. But, damn, I was relieved when Elijah, Sebastian, and Elaine found me!”, she grins at all of us.

“Is that why when you showed up, Sebastian and Elijah were there?”, Josh asks, frowning.

“Yep. They said something like, ‘miserable group of teenagers.’ I dunno,” Alison shrugs, eating some of her food. “I’m just glad to be back.”

“Glad to have yah back,” Max and Martin say together.

“Ahh, boys. I nearly forgot how idiotic you two were.”

“Hey!”

“Don’t you ‘hey’ me!”

“You just insulted our intelligence!”, Max says defensively.

“Yeah, I know. That’s what I do.”, Alison says, smirking. “Like Kevin and Josh are morons.”

“Hey!”

“Don’t you ‘hey’ me!”

“Oh my gosh! This is hilarious!”, I laugh, oddly finding this moment funny. “Ohmyfinggod! You guys are idiots!”

“Hey!”

“Don’t you ‘hey’ me!”

“Hey, that’s my line! And you’re doing it all wrong! You gotta snap your fingers, then do a little head-bob.”, Alison says, rolling her eyes.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t you ‘sorry’ me!”, Sophie says, bobbing her head, snapping her fingers.

“Sophie got it going on!”, Alison says, laughing.

“Don’t you ‘Sophie got it going on’ me!”

“Okay, this game is getting old.”

“Agreed,” everyone says together. Alison starts messing with her iPod, as we all continue our lunch … kind of.