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⊹ Book 1 of the Aldergrove Duology ⊹
After being told he has only six months left to live, Clementine decides to track down his sister's murderers, leading him to Aldergrove Academy, a place...
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It was on Wednesday that Clementine finally felt he was ready to return to his classes. He was still waking up with headaches and pains throughout his body, but he suspected they were a result of his rapid decline.
He couldn't lay around in his dorm anymore. The walls were driving him mad. He'd stared at the murals for so long that he could probably paint them perfectly onto paper if were an artist. And as mad as he felt at himself for admitting it, he felt he might be missing Sebastien, who he hadn't seen since Saturday. But he wasn't too worried. The white-haired kid had told him he had an exam, so he was most likely busy with that. The uncertainty around how much time he had left to live also drove him to his decision. He was wasting his days and he didn't want to risk losing any more. It was time to get up and get back to work.
With a quiet sigh, he pulled on his turtleneck. He made sure his bandages were tight and secure and then stepped out into the lounge, where Elliot was waiting for him.
"Are you sure you're feeling up to this?" his roommate asked him. "It's only been a week."
"Yeah. Sitting around is driving me insane. I also can't really miss anything else."
"True. I think it's a little silly we have to pass our written exams as well as literally try not to die here to graduate, but...eh," he said with a shrug.
Clementine nodded in agreement as he slipped his shoes on. "When are we supposed to be studying for the end-of-term exams?"
"Uh...I think after the winter break. I was going to get—"
Suddenly, the gramophones outside in the hall crackled and fizzed, interrupting Elliot. "All students, please proceed to the assembly hall. All students, please proceed to the assembly hall."
They looked at each other and frowned.
"What do you think it's for?" Elliot asked as they headed out of their dorm.
"Maybe it's another update," he suggested, locking their door.
They joined the crowd of students heading for the stairs, and when Mathew and Mavis joined them, they made their way downstairs, through the corridors and towards the assembly hall. Clementine looked around for Sebastien, but he wasn't sure why he was hoping to see him right now. He didn't have any reason to be over on this side of the academy.
He followed the crowd inside, took his seat between Mavis and Elliot, who seemed to make a point of being able to sit next to him by sitting down and shuffling along before Mathew could sit there, and stared over at the stage. Professor Huxley was standing with Professor Warren, looking down at a clipboard and muttering to one another. The rest of the professors were standing around the edges of the hall, all with the same vacant stare on their pale faces.
