Dweller of the Cave

Nine

The door led to a small, dark hallway with a few other rooms. Luckily, one of them was a restroom. I got inside and found an empty stall.

Silence overcame the room besides my panting. I didn't know why I was.

I'm just some new guy, I thought. No one knows who I am yet. Maybe they'd think I'm just some rando, and no one knows who Blaine Bythesea is.

I took a deep breath and tried my best to not touch anything around me. Looking at my arm, I noticed the purple light glowed brighter. I gently pulled back my sleeve...

A small, glittering mark in the shape of a Zodiac sign grooved my wrist. I didn't know which one. The light stung my thumb as I grazed over it, like a small voltage.

"Woah..." I whispered, and I rolled up my sleeve more.

A second mark, then a third one. I pulled off my jacket. Several more signs sleeved my arms, and even patterned my chest.

My head spun in circles. I searched my brain for an answer.

Maybe I just forgot I did this. Andy could've put them there.

I couldn't go back to the pep rally now. Everyone would probably see me return and stare at me until I melted. But my bookbag was still with Griffin. Dammit.

I pulled out my phone and almost texted my mom... but what would I even say? I'd already missed two days; what kind of issues would I need to have to leave early on a half day? I put my jacket back on and waited a few minutes before I texted Griffin instead, asking if he could bring me my bookbag. But just in a few seconds...

"Blaine?" I heard Griffin's voice from the bathroom entrance.

My heart skipped. I felt so bad for him. I saw his shoes step in front of the stall.

"Blaine?" he asked and knocked on the door. "Are you okay?"

I opened the door and met his puzzled face. He carried his bookbag on his back, while holding mine up in his hand. But before he handed it to me, his eyes flared wide open. His breaths deepened like a suffocation as the bookbag pummeled to the floor.

"Griffin?" I coaxed. "Griffin? What's wrong?"

His frantic eyes searched my face and settled on my head. I think. I looked around the stall, finding nothing out of the ordinary. He didn't even blink when I waved my hand in front of his face.

"Griffin!" I grabbed his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"No," he breathed, and his horrified eyes met mine.

"I'll go get someone."

"I'm fine, Blaine. And you'll be okay, too."

"What?"

He inched away from me, his trembling hands gripping his bookbag straps. Then he met my eyes for a split second and darted out of the bathroom. The entrance door boomed as it closed.

"Griffin!" I called out.

I swung my bookbag over my shoulders and walked out of the stall. In the mirror ahead, I caught a glimpse of purple light. I made sure my jacket covered all of me, and pulled my hair over my shoulders to make sure my neck was too.

I rushed out of the bathroom and checked down the hall. Griffin was gone.

I continued down, out into the small lobby area. Only a few students stood around, talking to each other. Two girls and a guy. Surely, they didn't see the mess in the gym. I prayed that I was still anonymous.

I rubbed my arms and kept my eyes everywhere but on them.

"Hey," my voice cracked. I coughed. "Hey! Do you know who Griffin is?"