“Thanks,” I said, popping them into my mouth.
“Yeah, well, I’d feel better if you at least went to to the campus clinic and saw a nurse.” He replaced the lid and put the bottle away. “I don’t think either of us will get much done here today. You’re in too much pain and I’m too worried about you. Let’s call it quits and go find the guys. Maybe we can watch a movie or something. Henry’s got his own internet, so he’s got Netflix.”
He was right. The medicine would do its work and take the edge off within the next fifteen to twenty minutes, but the discomfort was enough that I wouldn’t remember anything we’d gone over today. The thought of him sitting close to me, near enough to touch, while we watched a movie was also appealing.
“Okay,” I agreed.
He flashed me a relieved grin, quickly shoving my books into his back before I could change my mind. “Got your stuff, just put away your pencil.”
I shook my head at his antics but slipped my pencil into my bag. He stood up, grabbing my bag before shouldering his own. “I’ve got them. No sense straining yourself. You’ll only make it worse.”
My pride burned a bit at that, but it was such a sweet gesture that I let it go. We entered the hallway, making sure to turn the light off behind us.
“Mr. Montgomery, if I could have a word.”
Startled, we turned around. Professor Lambert stood several feet away, looking at me expectantly. He smiled as if understanding our apprehension.
“I just want to talk to you about the upcoming test.” His eyes flicked towards Shannon, then back to me. Yeah, this wasn’t just about that.
Ffffeeeeed.
I turned back to face Shannon, reaching into my pants pocket. Pulling out some change, I said. “You were right. I can feel them in my throat. Can you grab me a soda? Sprite or something, don’t really care.” I knew there was a vending machine in a small break room nearby, placed there so students could take a break from studying and grab a snack. “Get something for you, too.” I fished out some more change. “And for the guys, for watching the movie.”
He took the money and smiled. “Can do. Sprites all around! I’ll text them while I wait, too.” He hurried off to leave me to chat with the professor in private.
Once he was gone, Lambert spoke again. “The open book test is next week on Wednesday. I’ll book the room you seem to use all the time for your open book.” He sniffed. “And our mutual friend tells me you need to go for a meal.”
So Arrakus had talked to him, too. Hooray! We all had monsters whispering sweet nothings into our brains.
A look of regret washed over his face. “That was an oversight on our part. We should have anticipated how vigorous he’d be, given how he’s been in the past and left you something.”
Someone, he meant.
“This is a pass to allow you out after curfew, in case you get stopped. Be back at the shack at eight-thirty. We’ll have something for you then; you can get back to your room without it only looking like you came back late from curfew if a student sees you.”
I took the slip of paper from him. That didn’t leave me much time to watch a film and hang out with my friends. I didn’t dare turn it down, though, not after Arrakus and the professor set this up. I wondered who the poor soul was they’d bring me. I hoped it wasn’t a student. Well, maybe if it was Roy. Him, I’d happily eat and not in a nice way.
“I’ll be there,” I promised.
“Good, because you are looking rather peaky, I must say. Another day and you’d look like death warmed over.” He laughed humorously. “As apt as that might be, we don’t want to do that.”
“No, sir,” I agreed.
He rubbed his hands together. “Right. We’ll see you then. You go on and enjoy the rest of your evening.”
He spun on his heel and walked away, presumably to get on with whatever they were doing to bring me a meal. It stood to reason that they had a system, beyond just handing out passes for students and faculty to go hunt. While the school was located in a greater coastal urban area, there were enough Made here for it to raise suspicions if we all fed every six weeks plus anytime one of us was injured. Not to mention Arrakus’ meals, which by all accounts had raised some recent flags. I guessed I was about to find out later tonight. The thought did not fill me with joy, but then, I’d never been one to enjoy the hunt. I fed because I had to and up until now, only as often as I had to, so I didn’t attract attention for looking seriously unhealthy as well as old. There was looking seriously ill so people glanced away and then there was oh my god is that zombie. I’d always kept to the first one.
“They had 7-Ups, so that’s what I ended up getting,” Shannon said when I joined him in the break room.
“Yeah, that’s cool. Pretty much the same stuff,” I told him.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “Everything go okay with Lambert?”
“Uh-huh. He just wanted to remind me what day the test was and which room to meet him in so I could take it.”
“Cool. So, Henry said they’d gone to order a pizza to bring back, so they’d just make it a large. They were going to play some game in Henry’s room, but said, yeah, a movie would be fine seeing as you’re not feeling so well.”
We rounded the corner of the building. The dorms were a straight shot up the path from here, so less than fifteen minutes later, we were standing outside of Henry’s door, waiting for him and Rusty to return. We talked about movies while we waited, arguing over which Stars Wars film was the best, spouting one-liners from Indiana Jones, and putting forward ideas as to who would make a great Batman for the next movie.
