Millennium Academy - The Fractured Shadow - Novel I

Chapter 8 - Razz Martiez

"Peter's gone," she informed Emila once they got back. Vera had already filled the gorgon in on the other details, but since Peter didn't show up to class that day, she finally knew which werewolf.

"Yeah," Emila replied, nodding her head. "I heard Selene crying in the bathroom last period. Apparently they're cousins. And Veran's still missing." At that she gave Razz a very pointed look, which Razz returned with a short, spitting raspberry.

"Mmph." she grunted. "He must have known I would have never gone with him! If at all!"

"So many missing students..." Emila mused. "Do ya think it has something to do with the tentacle I saw the night Charlene disappeared?"

Vera's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped loudly.

Razz raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. "I have a feeling you know something I don't." She glared at Vera and Emila, her eyes accusing and fiery like burning hot coals.

Emila looked at Vera. You didn't tell her? She mouthed silently. No, I thought she wouldn't find out. Vera mouthed back. Emila turned away, took Razz by the arm and led her out of the room.

Vera could hear them whispering from outside, but only picked up a few words-

I didn't... Vera....sorry..... Ok. No...tentacle...never mind....should we....

Razz walked inside followed by Emila, who refused to meet Vera's eyes. They sat down on Razz's neat, made bed.

"Okay, was anyone going to fill me in on what was happening here or am I the sidekick now that you two are dating?" Razz snapped.

Vera visibly recoiled, a hurt look in her eyes. "I- Razz, what?" Vera may have been a bookworm, but today she was struck dumb by Razz's insensitivity.

"We're not-" Emila began, but blushed and lapsed off into mumbling.

"You know exactly what I mean. You thought I wouldn't find out that there has been something strange going on lately? I'm not an idiot, Vera. I'm just as smart as you are, maybe more, but you've been too busy keeping secrets to notice." Razz said coldly, ignoring the twinge of remorse as Vera retreated into the closet, her voice muffled.

"Whatever. The sp-" she seemed to catch what she was saying just in time. "Never mind."

"What? Or is that a secret too?" Razz sprang up, her hand balling into tight fists.

"Can't you see?!" Vera burst out of the closet, her naturally two-coloured hair bouncing angrily out of its braid, tears streaming down her face and onto her neck. "I'M TRYING TO PROTECT YOU!"

Emila stood up angrily. "Protect her from what?" she asked quietly and dangerously. Vera whirled around, bursting into tears and stumbling out of the room.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She ran down the steps and they heard a "SLAM" as Vera slammed the dormitory door shut. The two of them exchanged a worried glance, and, without a word, followed her into the hall.

_***_

It was dim, after dinner, and the only thing that let them see was the shine of candlight off of the copper, iron and steel bolts and screws that had, conveniently, fallen out of Vera's overstuffed pockets.

"She was here." Emila straightened up briskly. "Follow the trail of untidiness." Razz laughed weakly. The trail soon led down a spiral staircase, now lit only by greenlit sconces of dritch fire, glinting off of Vera's clutter.

Their sense of foreboding considerably increased at the sight of the dungeons, mucky, and crawling with googolpedes.

At a fork in the turn sat a signpost with two arrows. One, pointing down the left path, read Mirror Mirror Asylum. Another, leading down the middle, read The void, and the third, pointing to the rightmost option, read Do not disturb the disturbed. From this tunn came the sounds of wailing, and the distinguished noise of Vera's tangle of wires and metal.