Phantom Thunder

Chapter 11

There was no bell on Sunday morning. Not until ten, when the people that were still sleeping had long pressed their luck. Surprisingly, or maybe not, since I was in a dorm of teenaged girls who spent their entire week waking up 'early' and working out, the room was silent the entire morning.

A few girls were up before me, sitting quietly in bed reading, or crashed on the couch. Everyone was silently respectful to the people still sleeping. Some tiptoed out in pjs to find their friends in the other dorm, or go down to breakfast.

I woke up just before nine and wandered over to the bookshelf. My body ached from the accumulative beating the last week had given me. I remembered Ms. Eilaen telling me to take it easy and let myself recover. Mission aborted. I pulled out a random book and sank down in the beanie bag chair. I tried to focus on the small black print, but I couldn't find meaning in the words. They were just scribbles for my mind to recite and then throw away into forgetfulness. My thoughts kept wandering back to the sound of Laura's laugh, the day we made pancakes, the morning of her death. When I first came to the academy, I didn't want friends. I didn't want people, even if they claimed to be like me. Now, I wished they were awake, and I wasn't alone with my fractured emotions. My first week at the Academy had distracted me from the pain. A week. It felt like so much longer than a week since I woke up in the infirmary next to Spark.

I realized I'd read the first few pages and hadn't absorbed a single concept, so I flipped back and reread the paragraphs. Finally, the bell rolled loudly and woke the rest of the girls. Lilian wandered over and sat down on the edge of the beanie bag chair, causing her to sink and me to rise.

I put down the book. "Breakfast?"

"Sure."

We walked down with Jessica and a girl who Lilian introduced as "Fishie".

"Alaina Fisher" the girl explained. "Known affectionately as Fishie."

We claimed the end of one of the tables in the banquet hall. The boys came down and joined us soon after, all in loose t-shirts and sweat pants. They looked like they'd simply rolled out of bed and walked down, which they probably had. Seth's hair stuck up awkwardly on one side.

The Sunday morning breakfast was incredible. It was slightly different from the other mornings. There was still a buffet style of fresh fruits and cereals, but students could request anything directly from the kitchen if they were willing to wait the time it took to make.

"They serve breakfast until one" Lilian said through a mouthful as we sat down with our plates piled with buffet options and kitchen delicacies. I had no doubt that the Academy students took full advantage of the afternoon breakfast.

After a long relaxed meal Lilian and the boys decided there was no better way to spend the clear Sunday than at the lake.

"You guys have a lake?" I asked.

"Oh my god." Lilian said. "We have to take you. That settles it."

The lake was nestled in the forest. There was a small sandy beach, and large rocks that finally gave away to tree line. Across the glittering waters I could see a tree leaning out across the lake. Cliffs rose up from the surface, some rough and short, then rising to one tall, smooth face.

"Rope swing" Blake pointed to the tree that grew out over the lake.

"Cliff jumping" Seth imitated Blake, pointing out across the water to the smooth face.

"Lake" Lilian said coming up beside Seth to mock his mocking of Blake.

"Sprite" Spark announced, and a pop can came flying at Seth. I looked over at Spark with curiosity where he crouched by the water. "Where'd you get the sprite?" I asked, because I was sure he had nothing but a towel when we got here.