Fragile Hearts [DANGEROUS FELLOWS]

⚠️THIRTY-FOUR: BLOOD OVER BREAKFAST⚠️

You woke up at nine in the morning.

According to the clock on the wall, at least. You sat up, stretching, sunlight trying to shine through the drapes over the windows. Sliding out of bed, you decided to look around before heading to the dining room.

You found your clothes, freshly dried and folded on a table by the door, and you quickly put them on. There was a television across from the bed, and you pressed the power button. The screen brightened to life but all of the stations were playing static.

You turned it back off before checking the mini fridge, which was stocked with soda and a bottle of champagne in the back. You left it alone, deciding to finally leave the room.

You stepped out into the hall, and wondered why it looked different when you realized the lights were on, unlike last night. Hailey was standing in front of the elevator, waiting for it to come down, and you walked over to her.

"Good morning," you greeted, and she gasped, stepping away from you dramatically.

"You scared me," she said in a trembling voice. "I thought e-everyone else was asleep."

The elevator finally reached the second floor and the doors slid open, letting the both of you inside. Hailey hit the button for the first floor, looking pale as it began to descend.

"Elevators make me nervous," she said, shuddering.

Everything makes you nervous, you thought, but you didn't say it out loud.

The elevator landed on ground floor and Hailey rushed out, seeming relieved to be on solid ground. She looked around the lobby before her eyes landed on the entrance to the dining room, hurrying over, and you followed behind.

The huge dining room looked so empty with only a few people occupying it. Sitting at a table on the far right was a woman and a young boy, both eating plates of french toast, and the sight made your stomach growl. Your heart lifted when you saw two familiar faces, Lawrence and Ethan, sitting at one of the tables in the middle.

"Good morning," Lawrence greeted, pulling out a chair for you.

"Thanks," Hailey said, sitting in it.

You took the empty chair opposite of her, propping your elbows on the table. Ethan straightened up, rubbing his eyes, and you could tell he had been dozing off.

"Morning," he said groggily.

"Did you sleep well?" Lawrence asked, smiling intently at you.

You nodded, and the thought of your dream made you look around the dining room.

"Who are you looking for?" Lawrence asked next.

"I was just wondering if Felix was up yet," you told him, and you'd never seen someone's smile disappear so fast. Lawrence crossed his arms with a huff, and you felt your heart sink. Why did he dislike Felix so much?

"He's up," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair. "In the kitchen."

Before you could say anymore the door burst open rudely to reveal Zion and Jay.

"Where's the food at?" Zion asked in a loud voice, startling the woman sitting at the side and making her glare at him.

"I'm starving." Jay added, both of them coming over to a table next to yours and taking seats.

"Did someone say starving?" came a voice from the kitchen that made your heart flutter. Felix emerged from the kitchen door, holding plates of french toast, and it took everything you had to not just run over and take them all.

"Here you go, (Y/n)," he said with one of his sweet smiles, setting a plate in front of you. You grabbed the fork from the plate, digging in, and when the warm toast entered your mouth you couldn't help but let out a sigh. It was sweet and warm and buttery, tasting just like home.

"Good, huh?" Felix asked with a laugh, and you nodded, taking another bite as he went to deliver plates to everyone else. You only stopped eating to look up when you heard the dining room door open again, Harry and Sue standing there.

"Good morning!" Harry greeted cheerfully, walking over and stopping to stand beside you. He stood there for a moment since all of the seats were full, then decided to take a chair from another table and drag it up next to yours. You scoot over to give him room, and he sat down, giving everyone a wave.

"I forgot there were so many of you," Felix joked. "I'll be back with more food. Is this everyone?"

"It is," Lawrence said with a nod. But was it? You knew there was someone missing. Eugene was probably in the infirmary, and something told you that he wasn't who you were thinking of.

"Judy," you realized, getting to your feet. "She's probably just sleeping. I'll go get her."

"I'll come," Harry decided, jumping up quickly. "Maybe something's wrong."

You shot him a look before you could stop yourself, your stomach churning. It's safe, you thought, praying it was true.

"Don't be long," Lawrence called as the both of you left the dining room and headed for the elevator. Harry boarded first, hitting the button for the second floor, and the ride which had seemed so short just last night, felt like a century now.

"She's always been a heavy sleeper," you said weakly, but you couldn't fight the feeling of dread. You remembered Judy's face before she went to her room, scared and nervous, and you'd just brushed her off. Guilt settled in your gut, threatening to push the french toast back up your throat.

The elevator finally stopped moving, the doors dragging open, and you burst into the corridor and straight for Judy's room, knocking loudly.

"Judy?" you called, thinking maybe if you imagined her smiling face answering you hard enough, it would come true. You knocked again before grabbing the handle, your heart thumping.

No locks, she wouldn't have stood a chance, your brain thought without your permission. You blocked it out, your hand shaking so much the door started to rattle.

Harry put his on top of yours gently, turning the handle and letting the door creak open.

And the scene before you was a living nightmare.

Broken glass littered the carpet, leading back to the shattered television that lay facedown and crushed. The blankets were strewn across the ground, looking like someone had dragged them, and the mattress was hanging from the side of the bed frame.

"Judy?" you called, and it felt like your heart was trying to escape from your ribs. You were about to step in when Harry grabbed your arm.

"It might be dangerous," he told you. "I'll go first."

He entered the room, sweeping the broken glass on the carpet over to the side before leading you forward. Tentatively you followed after him, feeling a chill go down your spine.

"What in the world happened here?" Harry said, stepping over the broken television. You went the other way, towards the bathroom, the door hanging open.

"Judy? You in there?" you asked gently, reaching to flick on the light. Your heart knew something was wrong before you even saw it, constricting like it was being squeezed by a cold fist. And you didn't know what it was until you looked down, down at the bathroom tile.

A smear of blood, speckled with strands of Judy's hair.