This Time

Chapter 6

I woke up the next morning to a horrible sound. Females sobbing, males yelling and an unbroken air of panic. I leaped out of bed and saw Niall’s was empty.

Ripping open the door, I looked out into the hallway and saw the Irish boy running back to me,

‘It’s Alex, come on.’

He grabbed my hand and tugged me through the hallway, full of heads popping out their doors, sleepy and confused.

I could relate.

‘Niall, what’s going on?’ I tugged back on my arm, making him release it.

He turned to me with sad eyes and placed his hand on my shoulder.

I looked over his shoulder and saw where he was taking me. The medical wing.

Pushing past him, I sprinted to the door and forced it open.

My entire body felt numb and rigid.

Alex’s hair stuck to his forehead with blood and his body was covered in bruises.

Stumbling forward, I looked at his eyes, glassy and unmoving.

He was dead.

Sick, I had never felt this sick before. But I did now.

Staring at the broken body before me, I reached out a finger and touched the lifeless skin.

Ice cold.

I turned to Niall, who was not looking at Alex, but instead staring at me intently, waiting.

I walked up to him and placed my hand on his chest, he grabbed it and squeezed it for support but I just brushed past silently.

A small crowd was gathered outside the door and when I opened it, I was bombarded with questions.

Breaking through the swarm, I didn’t answer anything but rather kept walking back to my dorm.

The other boys were waiting for me, and although confused they didn’t say anything. Out the corner of my eye I could see Niall motioning them to go, for that I was grateful.

I sat down on my bed, feeling cold inside. I felt the bed sag a little as Niall sat next to me, but I didn’t move my eyes from the ground.

His arm snaked around my shoulders and pulled me in close. I felt my lip tremble and quickly buried my face.

‘He’s gone.’ I cried into Niall’s shirt, soaking it with my tears. I shuddered and sobbed for what seemed like an eternity. 

He just sat there and rubbed my back soothingly until I was done.

I pulled back and looked at him, his face filled with worry.

‘What did that to him?’ I asked, hiccupping slightly.

‘Three guesses.’ Niall said, still rubbing my back.

He’s right, of course it was Elicks..but how? Alex was the finest warrior I knew.

‘Are you hungry?’ Niall asked. I shook my head and replied

‘No, but you go eat.’

He chuckled quietly ‘I’m not going anywhere.’

I smiled at him and sniffed. ‘Thanks.’

A light knock on the door made us both jump and we turned to see our visitor.

Rachel’s face was stony and she looked at me with hollow eyes.

‘You have to start training today.’ She said in a croaky voice.