RowenaYawning, I rubbed my eyes and shook my head as if that would somehow dispel the exhaustion that had settled in my bones. My room was lit solely by the small lamp on my desk and the early morning sunlight seeping in beneath my curtains. It was early—but I hadn’t slept all night.How could I sleep? How could I give myself that time to relax when Eric was currently locked up in quarantine, his condition worsening by the day?
RowenaWhen my father finally finished telling the story of how I was found, I was utterly speechless. I was standing on the opposite end of the room, my eyes fixed on the now-open window as I looked down at the backyard below. But I couldn’t see any of the familiar flowers or shrubbery, tears blurring my vision as my heart pounded like a war drum in my chest.So it was true. That vision that I had had of Eric with the blood on his shoulder—those moments when I had nearly dro
RowenaIt felt like time had slowed once those doors slid open. My father and I stood frozen in that doorway for a moment that seemed like an eternity, neither of us prepared to step in and find out what had become of Eric.But when the guards both gestured for us to enter and shot us impatient looks, we finally exchanged glances and stepped over the threshold.
RowenaI strode down the hallways at camp, feeling like I was walking on top of the world. The week-long quarantine period had ended, and classes had resumed—even though we really only had less than a month left before the semester was over at that point.Outside, the fall leaves had mostly made their way to the ground, the air taking on a chillier atmosphere. In a few weeks’ time would be the winter dance. Then, after that, we would all be enjoying holiday break with the Lun
Rowena“Rowena Griffith… I love you!” I felt as though I might throw up just looking at the sign in Adrian’s hands. The stereo by his feet was blasting a cheesy love song, a song that I had heard too many times on the radio and didn’t even like, and the smug smile on his face just infuriated me even more.
RowenaI burst through the doors of the quarantine center, my chest heaving with every breath and my hair a frazzled mess. I had run here so fast that my legs felt like they might give out at any moment, but I didn’t care. I only cared about Eric.“I need to see my brother,” I breathed, slamming my identification card on the front desk. “Now.”
RowenaEric and I sat beside each other at the table. Our mother and father sat across from us; our father leaned on his elbows, pinching the bridge of his nose, and our mother pensively stirred her coffee with a spoon.Everything was silent save for the clinking of the spoon against the mug. It had been quiet like this for some time; none of us even knew where to begin or what to say.
RowenaThe camp was practically brimming with excitement as Eric and I walked through the front doors. It seemed as though everyone had heard about Eric’s miraculous recovery—and it seemed, too, that almost everyone had gathered in the cafeteria to see for themselves.As we strode into the cafeteria side-by-side, we were met with a sea of excited students and warriors alike. Barely even three seconds had passed since we were through the doors before we were swarmed, with abso