Akina's Reflection

IV

I went down the elevator, to go collect the mail. A month has passed, and I'm finally doing better in those classes of mine. I'm doing way better in chemistry, which is good, because I want to be a pharmacist when I graduate.

There was indeed mail, for Aubrey. A single letter, surprising, because who ever wrote this probably never heard of e-mail. While going up the elevator, I examined the letter, looking to see who it's from.

I paused, almost not coming out before the elevator shut again. The letter was from a person without a last name, for some reason. Simply addressed as Cody.

Whenever I could, despite my warning, I look through Aubrey's stuff, looking for any clues about who Cody is, and everything else Aubrey has been through. Now I have a letter from Cody, so I can perhaps find out more about him too.

"Sayoki, what took you so long?" Aubrey asked, not looking up from whatever he is doing on his computer.

"I got the mail. It's a letter for you, Aubrey, from a certain 'Cody.'"

"Really?" he said, jumping up from his seat, and checking out the letter. He carefully opened it, and began to read.

I tried to read over his shoulder, but he gave me a weird look, so I backed off. I could always read it later.

Anyways, I had to get to class soon, so I began to prepare my stuff for class. Before I left, I heard Aubrey say

"Be careful today."

Be careful? Why would he say that today, and not any other day? I do not think he is warming up to me. He seems as secretive and suspicious as ever. Does he know something I don't?

So far, the day seems normal. A few students were missing from class today, but it's almost autumn, and people get sick around this time. At lunch, I headed over to Indigo Creek, deciding I'll pay a visit to the ice cream shop.

Only Sam was there today. I haven't seen Cherry here for a few days, maybe a week. I'm beginning to worry.

"Where's Cherry?" I asked Sam. Sam looked real worried.

"I don't know," He said, looking at the register she is normally in front of.

"I haven't seen her around, her car is always at her home, but she doesn't come to the door when knocked."

I guess many people have been sick lately. There seems to be less people in the halls than normal this past week. Somehow, I feel like I'm missing something.

As I began my walk back to the car I rented, which I parked in a street parking area, I passed by an alleyway. Two people were in there, watching me. They both had silver hair, and almost matching clothes, except one was a girl, the other a boy. I shivered, and continued walking.

Looking back at the alleyway, I didn't watch myself, and bumped into somebody.

"Sorry," I said quickly, looking up at who exactly I bumped into.

He was a tall man, who didn't look that old, can't be older than Mr. Alstein, but had silver hair. Behind his glasses, his violet eyes scanned me, up and down.

"No, no, you didn't mean it..." he said, his voice pretty smooth.

"My name is Farsdale, Don Farsdale, you are?"

"Um, Sayoki." I said, though my lessons on 'stranger danger' screaming inside my mind.

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Farsdale, but I have somewhere important to go. Nice to meet you." I said politely, before quickly walking off to my car, which happened to be nearby.

As I drove off, I looked down the alleyway again. The two strange people were gone, but I noticed Mr. Farsdale crossing the street, almost towards the alley.

I searched my pockets, looking for the dorm key. I found it, and opened the door. Aubrey slammed his laptop screen down when I opened the door, but then lifted it back up again when I walked through the door.

Aubrey is almost always on edge, but never this much so.

"Oh, just you." Aubrey said, after resuming his laptop stuff. "I thought you were..."

He trailed off.

"You thought I was what?"

"Nothing." He then said in a lower voice, probably to himself,

"More people are disappearing this year than before."

I looked over at the laptop screen. It had a bunch of dates and numbers on the otherwise blank page.

I laid down on the bed, then looked back at Aubrey and his desk. The letter he had gotten today was there, by the edge of the desk. The one from Cody.

Suddenly, I had a risky idea. I carefully crawled to the foot of my bed, then reached out, keeping an eye on Aubrey. Aubrey seemed pretty disturbed by his numbers and dates and whatever, he didn't seem to notice Cody's letter slipping off his desk.

I went back to where I normally sit on the bed, and removed the letter from the envelope. I glanced back at Aubrey, then unfolded the letter.

"Dear Aubrey," It said,

"The doctors have seemed to have taken a liking to me over the other subjects, just as you had said. Besides Father, who always despised of me, they all have nicer attitudes towards me than other eye coloured subjects. Nothing really happened from last time you sent, besides a rat sneaking into the room they keep me in. It is quite interesting, for such a clean building, I don't see how they have a rat problem.

On the back of this paper is a map of the top floor, they took me in there yesterday, for some new tests. I think they are testing my immune system, for I have done nothing physical, but they injected me with something. I also have better news: I found the code for the main entrance door. I do not know where the other side of the door leads too, so you would have to find the other side of the door, Aubrey. The code is 777097.

You will have to hurry, the code changes every two weeks. By the time this letter reaches you, you would most probably have nine days left.

-Cody."