Monstercat University I

Chapter 018

[Dilumi's POV]

I wake back up an hour or two later, much more refreshed. That's better, I think to myself. I sit up and stretch. Veela is still in bed, and Anna is sitting in the chair beside the desk. "Morning, Anna," I say, heading for the shower. She doesn't answer, and she looks kind of somber, but maybe she's just deep in thought. I get a nice, warm shower and pull on a light blue spaghetti-strap top with pink butterflies outlined with sequins, accompanied by some jeans. When I walk back out, it looks like nobody has moved much. Anna has usually gotten Veela up by now.
"Anna, you okay?" I ask. Slowly, she gets up and comes towards me.
"You might want to sit down," she says, in the quietest, softest voice I've ever heard her speak in. This is not like her at all. In fact, it's pretty much the complete opposite. Too shocked to speak, I sit down on my bed, letting my damp hair lay across my left shoulder. There is no light in our room but the dim, eerie light of the lamp beside my bed, bouncing off the walls in a spectral gloom. Outside our window, the sky is an obscure, misty grey, as if a dark veil has engulfed the earth and shrouded the sun. As Anna comes and sits beside me, a vague feeling of apprehension settles over me, and it makes me want to crawl back under the covers of my bed and pull them up over my face. I shudder. How I wish Anna would just say what the matter is and get it over with. She takes a deep breath, then looks me in the eyes. "Tristam went to a party last night."
"And?"
"There was a fire in the building," she says, looking at me steadily. "Tristam was on the second floor." I can feel my heart sinking to my toes with every word she says. I know what's coming. "They got most of the people out, and they put the fire out eventually. Tristam and two others were still inside. They tried to find them...but..." Anna breaks her gaze and looks at the floor. "They tried to find him..." she repeats in a shaky voice. I realize she is holding my hand. After a few moments, she looks back up at me. "I-I'm sorry," she manages. I sit frozen, staring blankly at nothing, as Anna gets up and walks over to the desk, where she stands facing the window with her back to me. This can't be true. It can't be. I'll go out to Drumstep class today and Tristam will be right there in his desk. This is all just a dream. Things like this don't happen here, do they?

[Aero Chord's POV]

"NO!!! You can't tell me that!!!" Braken screams as he whirls off his bed and turns to face us, backing away. This was probably the loudest he's ever been in his time here, and it's clear neither Noisestorm or I was expecting this kind of reaction from him. Noisestorm has finally stopped eating his chips and is gazing up at Braken in alarm. Hurt and anger channel through Braken's eyes as he looks from one of us to the other. "You can't tell me that!" he repeats, his voice cracking a little. "You're lying to me!!!"
"No. It's the truth. I'm very sorry, Braken," I say sincerely. He turns to the side and buries his head in his hands for a couple seconds before looking at Noisestorm. His raven-black hair falls over his right eye as one lonely tear rolls down his cheek and falls to the floor.
"You," he says, pointing at Noisestorm, who has just put another chip in his mouth.
"Hmm?" Noisestorm says nonchalantly. Braken rushes forward and seizes Noisestorm by the collar.
"HOW COULD YOU JUST SIT THERE AND ACT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED?!" he screams into the terrified Noisestorm's face. I leap up and pull Braken back.
"Woah, Braken. It's okay. Sometimes that's just the best way for people to get over something," I say. Braken, breathing heavily, looks for no more than a second at me and then yanks himself away and sits down on his bed, sobbing. I kneel down to his level and put my hand on his shoulder, saying his name.
"Leave me alone," he responds shakily, pushing me away. I sit down on my bed, and Noisestorm gets up and goes into the kitchen. Well, I guess Braken does just need some time to himself. Within a couple minutes, I get up and head to the kitchen too.

---

I pick up my ringing phone. It's Principal Monstercat. "Hello?"
"Hey, how's Braken doing?" His voice is anxious and quiet. Wow, Monstercat is always so concerned.
"Well...not too good. He yelled at us when we told him, and now he's kind of...shut down. He just keeps staring off into space and he won't talk to us." There is an audible sigh from Monstercat's end.
"He can have the day off then."
"Should I stay here and take care of him?"
"No, you guys go ahead and go to class."
"Okay." I hang up with Monstercat and look at the clock. It's almost time to leave. I walk over to Braken. "Hey, I'm going to class, ok? I'll be back to check on you at lunchtime. Call me if you need anything." Braken looks up at me and gives me a small nod, then Noisestorm joins me and we walk out the door towards class.