Chapter Three - Darcy

“God doesn't require us to succeed, he only requires that you try.” - Mother Teresa

  Sneaking in at least one coffee a day was all that was going to keep Darcy going. 'It's only going to dehydrate you. You need water, water, water!' Renae's big speech at lunch time kept ringing in Darcy's ears. She knew she'd die if she didn't let that exciting taste pass through her lips. Besides, she couldn't really get any sicker than she already was.

There was a bowl of soup still sitting on her desk that Renae had kindly brought over. Darcy had tried to get it down but it was pumpkin. She'd never been able to stomach that stuff. Her parents used to own a pumpkin patch. And by pumpkin patch, it was more like a pumpkin paddock. Every day for her entire childhood, all Darcy could recall was picking pumpkins, selling pumpkins, eating pumpkins, cooking pumpkins. They'd always have pumpkins loaded in their ute ready to take to a school fete or a market stall. The car smelt like pumpkins and soon enough Darcy was pretty sure she began to smell like pumpkins too. The funny kids at school gave her the name Country Pumpkin. She couldn't stand Halloween either�"even though it was not a known celebration here, her parents would bounce around the kitchen carving pumpkins and putting them out in the front lawn.

It was certainly a childhood never to be forgotten. So now to Darcy, pumpkins had become very hard to tolerate.

Renae knew all about her crazy pumpkin parents so maybe she was making a joke. Or maybe she thought pumpkins were actually like blood to Darcy's family. Or maybe she was just being nice.

Darcy stretched until a healthy cracking sound flitted down her spine. She'd been cooped up in this room for far too long, it was starting to send her crackers.

She slid herself out of bed and changed into trackpants and a hoodie. She stuffed a handful of tissues into her pocket and grabbed a water bottle from the six pack Renae had also dropped off. She was obviously trying to tell her something.

Upon locking her door, a shout of exclamation stopped her from taking one step.

'Darcy, what are you doing?' Renae dashed over and grabbed her arm. 'Do you need something? Let me get it for you.'

'Renae, relax.' Darcy sighed and took a big hulking snort. 'I just needed to get out of there for a bit. I'm just going for a bit of a walk.'

Renae eyed her off warily. 'Are you sure that's a good idea? Maybe I should come with you.'

Darcy rolled her eyes but pushed her lips up into a smile. 'Don't be such a worry wart. I'll be fine. It's not like I'm on my death bed. I feel like I am, but I'm really not.'

'You just don't look great...'

'Gosh, thanks. I'll file that away with the rest of the wonderful compliments I'll receive today.'

'You know what I mean...' Renae looked a little hurt. 'It's what my mum always said�"water, soup, rest.'

'Profound!'

'Come on Darcy, we'll walk together.'

As much as Darcy loved Renae, she knew she'd chat. And the last thing she needed was a chatter. Her head already felt like it weighed ten tonne.

'To be honest, I think I just need to be alone. You know, I thought I'd spend some time with... well, you know...' Darcy pointed towards the ceiling.

'Oh!' Renae suddenly caught on and a smile lit up her face. 'Enjoy.'

It was the only way she knew Renae would understand. Darcy had no intention of having a one on one with the Man in the Sky, she just wanted to vacate her mind and get some fresh air.

When she escaped the dorm buildings, the cool breeze struck her in the face. She flipped her hood over her head and sniffed when her nose began to run.

Perhaps this wasn't the best idea.

She strolled across the quadrangle and was nearly at the uni grounds when the sky opened up and a torrent of rain began to pour down.

'Oh crap!' Darcy turned and ran back to the closest building, tissues flying from her pocket and her hood getting caught in the wind, threatening to blow off. She took shelter under the verandah of the building and shook her sleeves out.

'Damn! Damn, bugger, damn!'

'Darcy?'

She turned at the sound of a voice to where the front doors of the building were wide open. It was Salem.

'Oops...' Darcy regretted her choice of words the minute she saw him standing there.

He didn't even seem to care though. 'What are you doing? You must be freezing. Come inside.'

She couldn't exactly stay out in the rain; if she returned to her room sopping wet Renae would murder her.

She followed Salem into the main room where about fifteen to twenty people were gathered. Music was blaring from a speaker system with a girl about her age up the front singing. The people were gathered as an audience, their arms in the air, their eyes closed and their lips moving along with the words. Tears were rolling down one girl's cheeks.

She joined Salem in the back row next to the crying girl and he gave her a smile before raising his hands and singing along.

It took a moment for Darcy to realise this was the boarder's chapel. She couldn't make out the words so she had no idea how anyone else was singing along. She looked at the girl next to her out the corner of her eye whose lips were moving at record pace; she was speaking in what sounded like gibberish.

Darcy turned back to the front and crossed her arms across her chest, trying not to move or make a sound. Was she possessed? Should she tell Salem? She looked across at him and suddenly he started doing the same thing.

Maybe that's what God wanted people to do. Make crap up and then tell Him about it.

The entire atmosphere of the place scared Darcy to the pit of her stomach. She had to get out before she became possessed as well.

'Excuse me, sorry.' She squeezed passed Salem who opened his eyes at the touch and took Darcy's hand.

Darcy nearly jumped a mile in the air, thinking he was going to use her as a sacrifice or something.

'Sorry, I have to go,' she whispered not meeting his gaze.

She didn't even care that it was still raining outside as she bolted across the quadrangle towards her dorm room. That was the most frightening thing she'd ever encountered and she couldn't believe Renae was a part of that. Maybe Renae didn't know. Maybe this was some sort of cultish demeanour they adopted in secret. That would explain Salem dragging her in there. Maybe they were worshipping that girl singing up the front. She was pretty and could be mistaken for a goddess, Darcy thought. Perhaps God had placed her there to be worshipped in his absence. She was probably still awaiting Darcy's voice, not even realising that she'd already left.

She decided it was not something she wanted to be a part of, cult or not. If God expected people to be crazy possessed nut jobs then she knew she'd never fit in with that. She'd never allow herself to get mixed up in that crowd. It was too scary. The entire idea of it was scary but she couldn't stop thinking about it. She feared that whatever it was she witnessed in there would be burned in her mind forever. That was probably how they gathered up their subjects. She was probably going to be next.