Millennium Academy - The Fractured Shadow - Novel I

Chapter 18 - Vera Gonzalez

She sat in silence for a few more minutes, thinking about what Veran had told her. He wasn't lying when he said he wanted revenge. Razz had humiliated him so much that he risked everything to kill her.

The room was dimly lit, and almost entirely quiet- She could faintly hear Dr Oddity muttering to himself in his cell. He and another student had come in after she had been captured. They were both in class.

Charlene was in the cell next to her. She was staring into space, barely moving. Peter was in the next cell, pacing back and forth, over and over and over. The male student who came in with Dr Oddity was sleeping silently- Vera didn't recognize him.

Vera grabbed a piece of charcoal from her pocket, and began to write on the wall- she was bored out of her mind and beginning to lose it. Veran's visit was the most exciting thing that had happened to her today.

Day 1 - Vera G-

Veran says he has a plan? I'm not sure how much I believe. Him and the other acolytes killed Ms. Hephaestus! How can I go along with that?! I'll just wait and see. For now... let's get to know my prison mates. I think I'll be here for a while. Ugh.

"Yo. Vera." Charlene snapped out of her desolate trance. "You really think he can get us out of here?" She sounded sarcastic, even a bit skeptical.

"No." Vera answered honestly. "I don't. Veran's my brother, he's had my back for years, but no. I honestly don't think he can. Even if he's able, I have severe doubts that he will."

"Argghh." The male student groaned. "We are seriously gonna die here. I'm Raven, by the way. You're Razz's friend, correct?" He directed this question at Vera.

"...Yeah." Vera looked thoughtful for a moment, then pulled back to the present. "I'm sorry. I was just wondering where I've heard your name before?"

"I was at the sorting for Witches and Warlocks. That's how I know Razz. DeathWitch, as I recall. Wish I was one." He gave a throaty chuckle.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Death is a fundamental part of life. Without that element, we'd live forever. Not really worth it, y'know? Wow, I just got deep."

Vera laughed. This guy was weird. Weird was good. Weird was distracting. She needed distracting.

"So if you're not a DeathWitch... what are you again?"

"Straightforward. I like it. But um... I'm not a witch of any kind. I'm a lesbian Inventress."

"Oh. Uh...cool." Raven stared uncomfortably at his feet.

'Damn. I messed up.' Vera thought, kicking herself mentally. 'I'm terrible with people. What was I thinking?'

"Ahem. AHEM."

Professor Oddity had seemed to pull himself together. His hair was frizzy and bedraggled as usual, and he was wearing his typical gray blazer, and tie.

"S-s-so. Have we been dead for a while now, or am I losing my sanity? Wait- I didn't have any sanity to begin with! suoirolG!"

"Um," Vera began, "Erm, Professor?"

"seY, eraV?" He replied dizzily, his glass eye spinning in his socket as he turned to Raven. Vera shrugged, looking to Raven for a translation.

"...do you know where we are, exactly?"

"I haven't the slightest notation where we are at! No, wait- don't tell me- we're in hell! Or perhaps we are frolicking on the coast of the Bahamas. Yep, I'm correct again!"

"We're in the Ruby Alliance HQ, nerds. Or are you too blind to notice that?" Charlene grumped, pointing from her cell to the signature image of the Ruby Alliance graffitied on the concrete walls: a bone-white skull with rubies for eyes.

Vera flushed with embarrassment and went silent. Raven, sensing her discomfort, snapped, "Don't get your pigtails in a twist, princess. The rest of us are trying to escape here,"

"What do you have against me?!" she snarled, standing up in outrage. "What've I done to you? I don't even know this freak!"

Charlene prodded her finger into Raven's direction. Her amber eyes flashed furiously.

"You haven't done anything to him, Charlene," Vera began quietly, her voice growing louder with every word. "But I sure know there's a crap ton of shit you've done to me. And Razz. And Emila. And a million other people I can't even name."

"You try being popular and see where it gets you!" Charlene shouted, her eyes getting brighter and brighter. "All you have is a sliver of your sanity and no one can know or you're ruined. Oh, and don't let me forget," she said, breathless, "That you hated me anyway! Even when I tried to be nice to you! What do you have to say to that, Vera!" Vera could almost see tiny flames in her eyes now.

"You know what, Charlene!? Fuck you." Vera said firmly.

"WHY YOU LITTLE- you know what? I don't care any more. I DON'T-"

"Charlene." Dr Oddity's quiet voice echoed across the room. "Are you aware of what you are about to say?"

"Yes." she said defiantly. "Go away, and don't talk to me until you escape."

Of course, that was not to be. Often, when Raven and Vera would discuss escape plans, Charlene would interject with a genius alternative, and then ignore them until her next interruption. This slowly made Vera believe that there was more to Charlene than met the eye.

And maybe someday, Charlene would do the same.

-**-

"Rising up, back on the street. Did my time, took my chances. Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet. Just a man and his will to survive."

Vera coughed, loudly and obviously. She was sick of listening to Dr Oddity. He had spent an hour reenacting Star Trek movies. He had spent another hour screaming and sobbing furiously. He had talked about politics, and elements, and even why mosquitoes prefer cheese over blood. He had recited, "Little Miss Muffet," 47 times. And now he was singing ridiculous, catchy, songs. All. Night.

Day 2 - Vera G-

I CANNOT believe I'll be stuck here with Dr. Oddity. Like, forever. This keeps getting better and better. Veran said he'd come up with a plan? I think? He's so much more... more confusing than he was last year. Or the year before that. Or... every other year before that.

"I'll give you one, two, three, a head start! Four, five, six, your fear's intoxicating," He sang in his scratchy, off-key voice.

"That's a sacrilege of Reinaeiry," Raven grumbled, his hands over his ears.

"Who's that?" Vera asked/yelled over Dr. Oddity.

"Dude. When we get home I am giving you a taste of Reinaeiry's genius," He promised.

A long, high whistle stopped Dr. Oddity in his song. Veran stood outside Vera's cell door, his hand poised to grab the handle. His eyes glanced to Charlene, who had her fingers pressed to her lips as the whistle faded out.

"Thank you," Raven sighed, removing his hands from his ears, "Charlene." He clarified when Veran opened his mouth to say 'you're welcome.'

"I'm going to get you out of here," Veran hissed to Vera. "But leave Dr. Oddity. He'll get us caught, for sure."

He grabbed her hand, and headed towards the door. Vera looked back at Dr Oddity, who was floating distantly in his cell. He was in a world of his own.

"No." she decided, whipping her hand back, and pulling away. "Raven can keep him quiet, I promise."

Behind her, Raven whipped his hand across his neck, in a no no no gesture.

"We can't take that chance." Veran tugged Vera's sweater sleeve. "C'mon, let's go." He glared at her.

And then there was an explosion behind them. Pitch black. Then a flash of violent crimson.