Sweet Delora

Chapter nine

That night my sleep is ruined by Wednesday shaking me awake. "Nes, wha-"

"Get up, I need you." She tells me, getting off my bed and grabbing some things from her desk and I sit up. "What time is it?"

"Doesn't matter." Wednesday says, putting a sweater on. "Come on." She urges and I get out of bed, running my fingers through my knotty hair. 

"You gonna tell me what we're doing?" I ask also putting on a jacket. "It's the drawing Rowan had, I found the symbol." She tells me as I slip my shoes on. "Where?"

"Come on." Wednesday urges again and I roll my eyes, quietly opening our dorm room. The two of us rush through the school before eventually stopping at a Edgar Allan Poe statue. 

"Wednesday what-" I go to ask but she shushes me, pointing underneath the book that the statue is holding. I crouch down as Wednesday hops onto the statue, shining her flashlight on the book.

I examine the bottom of the book as Wednesday write stuff down. I graze my fingers against the symbol. "Stand up." Wednesday tells me, stepping back. The girl raises her hand, snapping her fingers twice.

The crow on the statue shifts, it's wings falling and the bird twisting into the statue's chest. The statue moves back, revealing a staircase underneath. "Woah." I mutter as Wednesday urges me inside.

I hear the statue shift back into place as we descend down the stairs, passing portraits hanging on the wall. 

We reach the center of the room and Wednesday throws me a flashlight. I shine the light around the room, stopping it on a photo of my parents, aunt and uncle.

"Look, it's our parents." I whisper to Wednesday who scoffs. I roll my eyes at the girl as she searches around the bookshelf. 

Wednesday grabs a book and I walk over to her, looking at the drawing inside. A manly figure with a spear in his hand and a hat on his head is shown in a fighting stance. "Is that Crackstone?" I ask, staring at the outline. "That's his ugly hat." I say, pointing to the hat.

Wednesday doesn't answer me, just slams the book shut and shoves it in her bag. We both turn to leave but the room around us goes dark before we can.

Rope is tied around my wrist and I can assume the same is done to my cousin. The bag on my head is pulled off, throwing strands of hair in my face and a bright light being shined in my face. 

"Who dares breach our inner sanctum?" A deep voice asks as I blow the hair out of my face. "You can take the mask off, Bianca." Wednesday say making the group of people around us take off their cloaked disguises and ugly masks.

The light in front of me is turned off as Wednesday speaks again. "Wait I preferred you with it on."

"How did you get down here?" Xavier asks from beside me. "Rowan showed me." She tells him, looking down to her sweater. "Left pocket." Xavier hesitantly walks over to her, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the drawing of us. "I tracked the watermark to the Poe statue."

"Then I solved the riddle." Wednesday explains, turning back to the group in front of us. "Wait there's a riddle?" Kent asks, sporting a nice black eye. "I thought we just snapped twice."

"Well aren't you the brightest in the bunch." Wednesday retorts and I smile to myself at my cousins wit. 

"The nightshades are an elite social club." Bianca tells us as I start untying the ropes around my wrists. "Emphasis on elite."

"We have roof parties, campouts, the occasional midnight skinny dip." Yoko says, twirling her mask in her hands. "And Yoko's an amateur mixologist." Divina praises making the vampire smile at her. "She makes a killer virgin mojito. It can get pretty wild." Ajax brags and I roll my eyes.

"Wow." I scoff out, sarcasm lacing my voice. "Do you guys even have a bedtime?" Wednesday adds in, her tone more bored.

"Last I heard, the Nightshades had been disbanded." I say, finally freeing my wrists. "The group kinda lost it's charter 30 years ago after some normie kid died." Xavier tells me, earning himself a glare from Bianca.

"But we have a lot of wealthy alumni, so Weems looks the other way as long as nobody makes any waves." Yoko explains making Wednesday perk up. "Someone like Rowan."

"We booted that loser last semester." Bianca says and I see Xavier tense up beside me. "Question is what are we gonna do with them?" Bianca asks the rest of the society who all just stare at Wednesday and me until Xavier speaks up.

"I say we invite h- them to pledge." The boy says making me glance up at him. "They are legacies." He tells them, breaking our eye contact and pointing towards the photo of the older members of my family. 

"After the crap those two pulled at the Poe Cup, there's no way in hell." Bianca says not trying to hide her rage. "We talk about not making waves, they're a tsunami."

"Just because we beat you at your own game?" Wednesday more states then asks. "Let me save you the trouble-."

"We're not interested in joining." I finish for her, earning strange stares from everyone else. "You're seriously turning us down?" Yoko asks, nearly dropping her mask from shock. "Can you believe it." I snap at her, my sleepiness making me irritable.  

"Untie them." Bianca scoffs at Xavier who turns to unite me but I stand up with Wednesday. "No need." I tell them, holding out the rope in front of me. "We freed ourselves a while ago."

I turn to Xavier who hands out the drawing for me. I take it, my hand lingering on his for a moment too long. I stuff the paper in my pocket, taking Wednesday rope from her and locking our arms.

Kent blocks our way out and I glare at him. "You want another bruise?" I ask, pissed off and really tired. I slam the ropes into the boys chest before dragging Wednesday up the stairs.

Halfway up she stops, stopping me as well. "It's amateurs like you that give kidnapping a bad name." She scoffs at them, starting to walk again.

We get back to our dorm and I collapse into bed. "You got this right?" I mumble into my pillow. "Sleep, cousin." Wednesday tells me and then I'm out.

<3

I'm glad I slept well as I completely forgot today was outreach day. The day after the Poe Cup where all the Nevermore kids have to volunteer somewhere in Jericho.

"All students will report for their volunteer jobs at 10 a.m sharp. Followed by a community lunch at 1." Weems tells the crowd of student. Wednesday looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. "As you know, this year's outreach day culminates in a very specials event." 

"The dedication of a new memorial statue in the towns square, which will also include performances by Nevermore students." Weems says making Enid squeal from beside me. "As representatives of our school, I trust you will all put your best face forward."

Weems finishes her speech, the school's staff handing out letters with everyone's assigned station. Ms. Thornhill hands me mine and I thank her, running off to try and find the two girls I lost in the crowd.

"Yes, I got Pilgrim World!" I hear Enid before I see but eventually her blonde hair sticks out. "Congrats Eds." I tell her, stopping beside her and Wednesday. "What'd you get Nes?"

"Uriah's Heap, whatever that is." Wednesday says, shoving her pamphlet into her pocket. "Ew." Enid says, her face full of disgust. "It's this creepy antique store." I explain to Wednesday. "You'll like it."

"What'd you get Del?" Enid asks, rocking back and forward on the balls of her feet. "The Weathervane." I tell her closing the pamphlet. "Cool, I'm crossing my claws Ajax and I will be outreaching together." Enid says, her excitement about my spot being overshadowed.

Enid glances over to the boy who's standing with Xavier, both boys smiling at us.

Take a shot every time the word statue appears ffs.

Stay safe, love y'all and don't be silent readers!!!!