SIX

Eli

I think I went a little crazy in our afterparty after the victory dinner.

I may have had two bottles, or a few more, before I lost it. And then I remember just laughing and cheering. I think I saw June making out with someone I recognize from the marathon team. Nissa was pulling all kinds of pranks on the other players, and I was a willing accomplice. We got caught, of course, because Captain Noah sees everything. But I remember still laughing.

It was a fun night for me to remember.

And then I remember being inside one of the bathroom stalls, puking everything I consumed tonight. Nissa had passed out somewhere, and I never saw June again. I probably don't need to know why.

I heard footsteps coming inside the stall on my 7th attempt to puke. I heard Noah call my name.

"In here," I said, my voice hoarse from too much puking.

"You alright?" I felt his hand rub my back.

"Do I look like I'm alright?" I sarcastically said.

Noah laughed. "No, you look like the end of the world."

There was another puking sensation climbing up my throat, so I turned my head back to the toilet bowl to vomit. "Which one? As far as I remember, the world ended 12 times," I joked, referring to the 12 Death Plagues that wiped out the world.

"Probably the 9th," he answered, referring to the plague where a virus literally sucked up people's blood, leaving them dry, body and bones, in a span of weeks.

"You're a horrible person," another sensation came up, and I puked on the bowl again. Noah laughed a little harder this time, and I was starting to take offense.

"C'mon Elle belle let's get you back to your room," Noah wiped my face with a wet face towel he got somewhere, and then tried to scoop me. "Tried" because he failed right after two seconds. "Jesus Eli, you might wanna try losing a few pounds," he joked in between chuckles.

"I'm gonna kill you tomorrow and I'm gonna take over as team captain," I glared at him, my words slurring as my drunk self tries to keep myself awake.

"I'd like to see you try, then," he grinned. He carried me again back to my room, which is a long way he traveled considering he had to transfer two buildings to get to the Golden Crow's dormitory. The girls belong to the east wings, and the boys to the west wings. Since Noah entered from the top floor west, he had to travel all the way east down to my floor to get to my room.

Quite the work he does if he was able to endure carrying me all the way. I guess being team captain really is a position worth so much effort and endless dedication.

Noah knows the passcode to our room so he put it in and carefully laid me down to the bed. My roommate is still nowhere to be found. Noah was saying something but I'm about to pass out from too much alcohol consumption so I just nodded randomly to whatever he said. He then scooped me up and made me sit.

"Eli, seriously, you need to shower before you sleep. You reek of alcohol," Noah said.

I just made some random noises since I'm too drunk to respond. I felt him carry me to the bathtub and splashed water on my face. At that point, I had no choice but to shower, or else he'll do it himself. I took a quick one and changed into a comfortable night gown. I came out of the bathroom to find him lying on my bed.

"I've showered. You can go now," I urged him as I lie beside him on the bed. My eyes started to flutter close. I can feel him staring at me, but I was just too exhausted to confirm so maybe I was just assuming.

I felt him fix my sleeping position and then a blanket spread over me. The bed moved as if someone got up and then I heard the door open and close seconds later.

I fell asleep in an instant. And I had a dream.

I was back at home, but it was dark everywhere. I tried calling for anyone, but no one answered me. I went to my siblings' rooms but they were all empty. I went back downstairs and ran to the dining hall, expecting them to be there. But it was empty as well. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small light coming from the main door of our house. I followed it and it led me outside, only when I went outside, I was expecting to see our patio and the angel statues on top of the fountain, but I wasn't in the house anymore. I was in the middle of nowhere. I felt grass under my foot, and there were flowers as far as my eyes could see. The place was eerily peaceful.

I heard a voice from behind me. I recognized the voice as my littler sister Marie, so I looked back with a smile on my face. Only to see horror in front of me.

I was back in front of the house, but our house looked torn and burned down, as if it has been deserted for decades. Where the green lawn used to be was no more, and instead, it was just dry land and ashes. Where the majestic fountain with perfectly scultped angels stood no more, and in its place were 14 gravestones, 13 of them containing the names of my siblings. I saw the 14th one right in front of me, with a big grave stone that has my name. The grave was empty, but somehow, I felt like it was waiting for my dead body.

I tried to scream, but no voice came out of my mouth. My feet started to step back but my back bumped into something. I turned around immediately, only to see Yula in front of me. She was wearing her favorite white nightgown, and it was stained with blood everywhere, especially at the pelvic area. She was sweaty and her eyes wore a terrified look and they were staring straight into mine. She started to open her mouth. I couldn't hear her voice, but I could see her lips were moving. Somehow, I understood what she said perfectly.

"You shouldn't have left us."

I tried to scream even more at the ghastly sight of my sister in front of me, but no matter how much I tried, no voice came out of me. In a split second, Yula pushed me into my grave, and I was falling down in slow motion. And then, the earth swallowed me whole. Everything went dark.

I was screaming as I awoke from my nightmare, my eyes desperately trying to adjust to the blinding lights. Except when I opened my eyes, I was no longer in my quarter.

I was in a white room with no doors and no windows. It was like a huge box with no ins and no outs. I tried banging on the walls and screaming for help. But nothing was happening. It was starting to feel like my sanity was slowly slipping away from my grasp. So I screamed even more. I gripped my hair and fell to my knees. The room started to feel like it was suffocating me. My mind felt empty and I couldn't feel anything. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a door emerged, and then it opened.

Desperate, I made a run for it. But as I reached the other side of the door, I found myself falling what seemed like an endless freefall. In my mind, it went really quickly. But to me, it felt like falling for eternity. I was starting to lose consciousness.

And then I woke up abruptly.

This time, for real. I was back in my quarter. I can see from the glass divider that my roommate is back and asleep on her bed. I looked at the clock beside me. It's past 7 a.m.

Great. I'm late for breakfast. I hope Nik or Noah got me a tray of food.

I took a quick shower and hurried downstairs. Before I left, I attempted to wake Lu, my roommate, just in case she wants breakfast. She just shrugged and went back to sleep. Suit yourself, then.

The dining pavillion is probably the biggest area in the campus, since it's the only place where almost all of the students gather to do one thing: eat. I found both Noah and Nikola at our usual table, and my breakfast tray was sitting beside Nik's. I slide in the seats beside him.

"You look awful," Noah greeted when I reached for my tray.

"Good morning to you, too, former team captain," I said sarcastically, with emphasis on the way I said former.

Noah chuckled. He took one of the paper cups beside him and handed it to me. I instantly smelled coffee.

Noah and Nikola are already friends before I arrived at the academy. When I met Noah on the train three years ago, Nikola and I started hanging with him more often, so the three of us are kinda like best buddies. Noah and I are on the Ringshooter team, while Nik's a pod racer.

"Where did you go last night?" I asked Nikola.

"Headmaster wants him to run for Council President," Noah answered for me.

"Headmaster Florence? Dude, go for it!" I said with astonishment.

"I don't know El, seems like a lot of jobs," Nik replied.

"Which is why it's perfect for you. You like doing a lot of things," I cut him off.

Nikola just shrugged. I guess he isn't that enthusiastic about the headmaster's proposition than us.

"Oh yeah, your serums are arriving this afternoon. Want me to pick it up for you?" Nik informed as he tried to change the topic. I stopped eating after he said that.

"What is it?" Nik asked.

I stayed quiet and debated in my head if I should tell them. But by the look on their faces, I knew I didn't need to.

"It's back, isn't it?" It was Noah who spoke this time.

"Yeah," I said as I made another sip on my coffee.

"How many jumps this time?" Concern was slowly building up in Nikola's tone.

"Just three." I put down the coffee and poked the beans on my plate.

"Which ones?" Nikola asked again.

"The graveyard, the white room, and the freefall," I replied.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked.

"Yeah," I immediately replied. "I think so."

"Look, El, you don't need to go to class today, okay?"

"No, no, I'm fine. I need to go to take my head off it, as well. Plus, it's my favorite class with Instructor Denaiah. I'm not skipping painting class today for some stupid nightmares."

I think Nik's about to say something else when the bell rang. We all hurried to finish our breakfast and head to our respective building. Nik and Noah are taking classes on the same floor, while my painting class is on a different one.

"Just take it easy today, Eli, okay? If you don't feel good, just inform Instructor Denaiah to send you to the clinic, okay?" Nik reminded me as we half ran and half walked to the Arts and Crafts building.

"Nik, I'm fine—"

"You're not, Eli. You haven't had these jumping dreams in six months, and then out of nowhere, they came back. It means the serums aren't working anymore," Nik replied.

"Then maybe I just need a stronger dose," I tried to reason out.

"No, you don't. The doctors have increased the strength of your doses four times now, any more than that will take a toll on your body, Eli. Nobody has to be a doctor to figure that out."

"I'll stay with her, Nik," Noah butted in.

"What? No," I rejected his idea.

"I'll skip sculpting and sit-in with her. Take some notes for me, will ya?" Noah said.

"What? Noah, you don't have to. I'm fine, really!" I tried to convince Noah not to babysit me for today, but I feel like both his and Nik's mind are already made up.

"Thanks, Noah," Nik said and then he ran to his floor.

Noah turned to me with that stupid look on his face and I rolled my eyes. "Fine," I gave up. He won't go no matter what I say, anyway.

We both entered the lecture hall and sat at the farthest top desk. At the whole duration of the class, Noah seemed to have taken a liking to the lecture and didn't try to talk to me. He just sat right next to me and pretended to be in love with painting. I scoffed. Yeah, as if.

"You should stop pretending in front of me. I know you're not one bit interested," I mocked.

"Shush your mouth, young lady. There is beauty in the patience for the art we call painting, and I like things..." he turned to me and acted as if he was horrified at the sight of me, "...beautiful."

I elbowed him after that comment. He let out a small ow indicating I hit him in the side of his stomach. I quietly chuckled.

About five minutes before the class ends, a staff came inside the room and whispered something to Instructor Denaiah, and then they both look at mine and Noah's direction. I swallowed out of instinct.

"Hale," Instructor Hale called out. "You're needed at the Headmaster's office."

Noah and I exchange looks after hearing that. He then motioned me to go on. I stood up and walked out of the classroom. I followed the staff going to Headmaster Florence's office.

When I went inside, I found Nikola sitting quietly in one of the seats in front of a glass table. Headmaster Florence was sitting in front.

"Have a seat, Elizabeth," he said in a soft tone. Funny, the first time I saw him three years ago when I arrived, I thought he was gruff and strict and military-like because of his big, muscular body. But he was actually the most gentle among the six Headmasters of the six houses in the academy.

"What's going on?" I asked Nik as I sat beside him. He had this horrified look on his face as if the world is about to end. He seemed to be in shock to comprehend my question.

"How is the serum working for you, Elizabeth?" Headmaster Florence asked.

"Uhm..." I was thinking if I should tell him my nightmares are back or not, but decided I should just be honest since Nikola will just bust me either way. I'm regretting telling him this morning. "It's wearing off, I guess. My dreams are back."

The headmaster nodded. "Unfortunately, I cannot allow any increase in your current dosage any further. It will be too risky."

"I understand. Thank you, Headmaster," I quickly replied.

"But I can make your stay in the academy as comfortable as you like. I can get you a bigger room if you like. Maybe a bigger bed? I can have your brother stay in the next room as well."

"No, thank you. I'm fine," I politely replied.

He nodded once again. And then he clasped his hands together on top of the table and his face turned suddenly serious. He reminds me of Alexei whenever he does that. Like he's about to say something that I wouldn't like.

"I called you two here today because we received a message from the Hale household this morning," he said. "Nikola has already spoken with Alexei before you arrived, Elizabeth."

I could feel both my body tensed up at the sound of the Hale household. We haven't heard from Alexei in almost a year, although I know Nik sends him messages every now and then to update him with things about me. Well, my condition in particular.

I hitched my breath as I waited for the headmaster's next words. Am I going home now? Do they need me back? I hope they're seriously joking if they tell me they found me a groom. I will ringshoot the heck out of him into the North Pole. I can do it, I'm running for next year's team captain. Although, I think June is my biggest competitor for the position.

I turned to face Nikola who is still quietly sitting beside me with a pained expression on his face. "Nik, what did Alexei say?"

He struggled to look at me, but when he did, I could see how much he was trying to swallow back a cry from the back of his throat. Finally, his mouth opened to speak.

"Yula has died."