Strains

When I wake up the next morning, my bedroom light is still on. I turn it off since the sunlight has already lit my room enough. A quick glance at my watch tells me I’ve missed a good chunk of dead language class and Hercules is without his wine allotment.

I pull an orange from my stash in the closet and sit on my bed. There isn’t much food left in here, just the small assortment of fruits and veggies that I set aside to take to Caiden as a healthy snack. It’ll get me through breakfast and lunch, but not beyond that.

Maybe I could go to the library during dinner, when everyone on campus is in the dining hall. Would Caiden let me stay there with him if I asked? I don’t want to go to class anymore and I’m tired of answering to Matthew and the stupid rules here. If that means I have to live on old ding-dongs and pretzels, so be it.

I finish peeling the orange and eat a segment. The sweetness of the juice runs over my tongue and quenches a thirst I didn’t know I had. Before I know it, the orange is gone. That was too good, and seeing how it’ll be lunch soon anyway, I can afford to eat another one.

I check the bag, but don’t find another orange. What the heck? I could’ve sworn I had gotten two at the pick up stand. My closet is dark, so I move into the light to check again. A plum falls through the bottom of the bag. Of course there’s a hole in this bag, just big enough for the fruit to fit through. There are still a couple of carrots in the bag, which explains why the bag hadn’t disappeared.

Geez.

Even though the plum would probably be delicious, like all the other produce on campus, I really want another orange. I climb on top of the dresser in my closet and look behind it.

It’s dark, but there’s just enough room for things to fall. Looks like there are two round objects and what might be a sock.

I stretch my arm into the crevice and take hold of the first round item. Score! There’s my orange. Still, I better get the other piece so I can take it with me when I leave. I toss the orange onto my bed and lean into the hard wood of my dresser again.

I fish out the sock and round thing in one grab. I slide backwards off the dresser. Stupid bag making me work today. I unwrap the sock from around the fruit.

It’s a peach.

My heart stops, and I can’t breathe. My chest, it hurts. I throw the fruit at my door. Not hard enough, it doesn’t disappear, just falls to the floor.

Memories of last night flood my mind. I shut my eyes and drag myself into bed.

A thud echoes off the door. That’s the first step in opening it. Oh crap. What do I do? Where do I go?

I dive underneath my bed before the door has a chance to open. This is lame, I should’ve jumped out the window. The massive spider could be down here, next to my feet and I might not even know.

The door shudders for the final time before opening. Who would be busting in my room right now? They didn’t even knock. What if it’s the guy from last night? No, that doesn’t make sense. But what if it is? What’ll I do? I hate this, feeling so helpless.

I’m tuck myself back pretty far, so I can only see the intruders feet. Or shoes. Brown loafers, they’re clean and business ready, and stopping right next to my bed. My breath stops. Do they know I’m here?

A hand comes into view and sets an apple on the floor in front of me.

“You’ll need to find a better place to hide if you’re going to ditch class.”

Of course it’s him.

“Okay,” I say. I pull myself out from under the bed and pick up the apple. Matthew motions for me to sit on the bed. I do, and he sits on the chair opposite of me.

“Ready to talk?”

I slowly shake my head no.

He reaches his hand out and places it on top of the apple in my hands.

“Alright. Don’t say anything then. I’ll do all the talking.”

I look down at the red apple.

“I spoke to Chef Floy this morning.”

I wince and try to still my trembling hands.

“He said he saw two students in a compromising position when he went to do inventory last night. They ran off, so he didn’t get a look at their faces. I…I have a feeling I know what happened.”

A tear drops down my cheek and onto the apple. I don’t want to live this again.

“I need you to fill in the blanks for me,”

“What for? It’s not like you can do anything,” I say, and then the floodgates open. I drop the apple to cover my eyes. “Only their facilitator would be able to punish them, it’s in the handbook isn’t it?”

“If you think the rules would allow that type of assault to happen on campus then you need to read the book again.”

He brings something soft to my cheek. It’s a white handkerchief. I slip it in between my fingers.

“And while I do have a vested interest in your wellbeing, this isn’t just about you. It’s my job to make sure the entire student body upholds the academy standards. So, I need you to tell me what happened and who it was.”

“I don’t know.”

He pulls the handkerchief from my face. He leans forward and is close enough that our knees touch. His brown eyes burrow into mine and I can’t help but look into them. My mind goes fuzzy for a moment then snaps back into focus when Matthew looks away. He turns back to my desk and bites his knuckles.

Did he just do what I think he did?

“I can make you forget, if you want.”

I hate this. I’m so helpless and pathetic. And now he knows it too. Losing my memory of what happened wouldn’t change that.

“Elizabeth, get dressed,” Matthew orders.

I’d rather stay here and sulk.

“If you want to keep moving ahead then do it. There’s no benefit to dragging your feet.” He tosses a dress out of my closet and onto the bed.

“I really don’t want to go anywhere.”

“Noted. Now get dressed, and hurry, morning classes will be ending soon.”

***

I huddle behind Matthew as we cross the campus. It’s deserted, but I still double check every shadow that we pass for the Spark from last night. The academy gate is just ahead, once we past it, maybe I could breathe again.

Matthew suddenly turns around. What did I think wrongly this time?

“Elizabeth, wait here,” Matthew says and speeds past me. “Theron!” I back up and take a seat on the bench next to the sidewalk.

Matthew catches up to someone heading to the dorms, but I can’t make out who it is. Someone named Theron, I guess. Doesn’t look like it’s just friendly chatter. Matthew crosses his arms as he listens to Theron, then he says something which prompts frantic nods from him. Their conversation ends and Matthew walks cooly back to me.

Wonder what that was all about.

“Just handling work things, let’s go.”

I rush to walk behind him again. Finally, we’re off campus. Not good news for my feet, since the paved path is gone and I have no idea where we’re headed. We pass the worn path heading to Hercules’ house. A tinge of guilt strikes my core.

“I already spoke to Hercules. He picked up his allotment at breakfast.”

So he did have to get it himself. At least he won’t have to do class completely sober. How will I explain it to him later?

“Like I said,” Matthew continues. “I already spoke to him. Obviously, I left out some details and I’d like you not to tell him anything else. He’s fond of you, and I wouldn’t want him to go on a rampage across campus if he knew what happened.”

“Yes, sir.” It makes me feel a little better to know Hercules would actually do something. I should’ve known, he’s had a soft spot ever since he found me. Caiden had a point when he called me insensitive, I never considered Hercules a friend, and I’m a jerk for not seeing him that way. I’ll have to make it up to him soon. Maybe force myself to go on one of his morning jogs.

After ten more minutes, the path through the trees broaden, and the trees break, leaving nothing but picturesque sky behind them. Legacy Academy lies on a series of hills, and we were now on the precipice of the main one. Below was a scenic valley of green grass and split by the turquoise blue of the river. Buildings lined up in rows along each sides of the banks, looking so small from here that they looked identical. At the north end of the town was a castle like structure that spanned a third of the size of the town.

“That’s the Council’s headquarters. We call the town Hero’s Square. Academy graduates that specialize in trades have opened shops there, it’s where I had your uniform and watch made.”

“Is that where we’re going?”

“Not today, I will be heading there tomorrow to get your uniform mended. The Council frequents the shops pretty regularly, so I’d like to keep you away for now. Besides, it isn’t like you have money of your own to buy anything anyway.”

I frown slightly. Matthew has great taste in gifts, but I’d like to shop for myself. Even if it were just at the Pick Up Stand. Still, instead of complaining, I follow Matthew away from the overlook and to another wide path to the west.

At the end of the path, among another grove of trees is a cottage. It’s bigger, and tidier than Hercules’. There are a few flower beds full of violets and perineal herbs, and even a small veranda, complete with a wooden bench. There’s even what looks to be a large workshop off to the side.

Matthew leads me up the porch and unlocks the door. He looks back at me.

“Make sure to wipe your feet.”