Dorm mate….
The word made Shade’s skin crawl. no one said anything about having a new dorm mate. Mabel lead her down the once mysterious, dark hallways. Now luminous and oozing colorful signs of meaningless affirmations.
They came to the tall, ominous towers at the very edge of Drakon Hall. The ornate grey bricked buildings loomed over most of the school. Both dorm’s were identical to each other, with dark, ebony spires and flying buttresses. Between them, each floor held a common space, spiraling stair cases climbing all the way to the top. Every chair, every pin pong table was empty. Like walking through a ghost town.
“Where is everyone?” She spoke quietly, voice ricocheting off the desolate quartz pillars.
Mable glanced around, as if just noticing the school’s emptiness. “Starting on their evening studies, I suppose,” She leads Shade over the intricate mosaic of a mighty dragon, begining their decent of the first tall staircase. “We’ve updated to strict policies regarding academic excellence. If any of our professors report even a single missing assignment it counts as a strike to a students record, three strikes equals expulsion. This week we’re preparing for Family Day, where Parents get to sit along side their children in class so the students are making sure to finish their studies before the weekend.”
Shade flinched as Mabel mentioned parents, She knew that would be yet another day she sat alone. Mabel offered an apologetic smile, continuing on in silence. They passed what seemed like a million tall, arched windows before they reached the final floor.
“Here we are, room 205,” Mabel smiled, presenting a small, silver key to Shade. It was old, perhaps as old as the school itself. The end was designed in the shape of a soaring crow with a wide wingspan. Shade held it in her hand, for such a tiny object, it carried a significant weight. “This was your mothers teacher dorm before we converted it into a student dorm, and this was her key. Do be careful not to loose it, there’s only one like it in the whole world.”
“And don’t worry about bringing your other bags up, someone will come along shortly,” She smiled fondly, rapping her boney knuckles against the old wood. “Let’s meet your new roommate, shall we?”
She swung the door inward.
Shade had expected an explosion of color, or bright sparkling lights like most teenage girls rooms. She was pleasantly greeted with sheer black, deep hues of red and purple mingled within it. Mabel flicked the light switch, black lights springing to life, making the room glow like mardi gras.
The lamps were hand carved gargoyles, chiseled of quartz. Deep blood-red drapes clung to the walls, covering the french doors to the connecting roof. Not a sliver of sunlight snuck its way in. At the center of the room, a grotesque statue of a tortured man sprouted a metal tree, the branches and leave made of copper and glass. In the corner, nestled by an old wooden desk littered with art supplies, was a closet casket.
Mable walked in unfazed, a pleased smile on her lips. “Loyalty?” She called sweetly, tapping the casket lid.
An exotic copper hand lifted the lid, long, dagger like nails digging into the wood. A girl emerged. With curly onyx hair and a thin frame. She wore a school uniform as red as her eyes.
“So you’re the fresh meat?” She teased, dark brows raising in a friendly manner.
“Loyalty this is Oph-Nightshade Jones,” Mabel said softly. “Op-Shade this is Loyalty Davis, she is the girls dorm ambassador. Any and all issues you may have whilst attending Roriara can be brought directly to her.”
Loyalty shot her hand out in a flash, Shade could hear the wind whip around her arm. “You can call me Ty,” Her fanged smile shimmered.
“Shade,” She shook Ty’s hand. Ty nearly bounced with excitement, characteristics not at all what Shade had expected given her choice in decor. “You’re quite the artist.”
“Thank you!” Ty beamed with pride. Shade offered an awkward smile, attempting to remain cordial. “Oh you are just too adorable, I could eat you right up!”
Mabel stepped up then, cementing Shade’s suspicions that Ty very well might have ‘ate her.’ “I think it’s best for everyone safety that we establish some ground rules,” She smiled, but her eyes glinted with a diplomatic warning. “No eating anyone,” She looked pointedly at Ty and switched to face Shade. “And no setting anyone on fire? Capiche?”
Begrudgingly, Shade agreed to these terms. Staring into the wide, haunting red orbs of her new roommate.
Everything about Ty screamed danger. with the threat of death looming between them.
And Shade knew they would get along ravishingly.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
