Surviving my Scholarship

The Monkey Gland

                It threw me off that the bed was empty when I woke up. It took me twice as long to get ready than usual. At least, that is what I'm blaming. My sore muscles refusing to let me move more than a few inches at a time made me sound like a weakling. I wept internally when we pulled up to the stairs heading into the main building.

                "Well you made it," Helga grumbled from outside the testing door. "You are late."

                She hit the button and we trudged into the room. She took her usual shadowed spot and grunted at someone else in the shadows. I stood in the doorway staring at the addition of furniture to the room. They put in another desk. Sitting there propped up all comfortably was Dez. He turned to stare as I slowly trudged to my seat.

                "What are you doing here," I asked as I activated my desk and moved the hover chair to where my behind would most likely be. I couldn't afford to make a mistake here because my legs couldn't hold me.

                "Feeding Quantum," he shrugged turning his Comm Unit so I could see. I turned and screeched when I saw the zombie on the page. What used to be a massive gorilla, had lost most of its fur and some of its skin. The muscle breached through and half its mouth was now bone. I looked away quickly and he chuckled. "What? Pierce got me hooked again. Mine isn't a cool skeleton like his. I swear he tried to bite me when I resuscitated him. You have one right? Let me see!"

                He pulled my arm and activated the Comm Unit. Grog popped up and then frowned at Dez. He turned around and started shaking his behind at him. Dez burst out laughing.

                "I know that fox anywhere," he cheered. "How's it hanging Grog?" I nodded and readjusted the seat sitting down. "So, Phoenix was yours?" I nodded again as I plopped down on the chair.

                "Eeep," I complained as my behind hit the chair. My back was killing me and the chair provided no relief.

                "Oh no, pet," he sat up leaning towards me. He gently placed a hand on my shoulder. He turned his head towards the shadow. "Helga, you need to be gentle with my pet."

                "If you actually cared, you would ask me to be harder on her," Helga grumbled. It was scary having a voice come from nowhere. "You asking me to go easy is like asking for her death." Dez sat up and blushed as he hovered back to his area. I glanced back at Helga my eyes a bit wider. I hoped my message to be nice got through.

                "Why are you here Dez," I questioned again as I grabbed the chip in front of me and started up the first exam. Apparently the twins are not making an appearance yet.

                "I figured I hadn't gotten tested since I was twelve. Maybe I could skip some of these pointless classes," he shrugged and leaned back again.

                "More like you begged them," came a deep voice behind him and Dez's balance in his chair faltered.  

                "My dad pays you to be quiet," Dez snapped back and the voice chuckled. Helga growled slightly at Dez and her yellow eyes came into view with a glare. Dez's head lowered as he muttered a slight apology and sat back like he was.

                "I heard you were testing and figured I could get a little time with you," Dez blushed as he activated something else on his Comm screen. I nodded as my score popped up and the stars joined my bag.

                The door swung open and the twins with giant boxes came in. The one grumbled to the other and they both chuckled.

                "Sorry for our tardiness," they both said in unison. I flinched. I couldn't wait to be done with the horror movie twins.