Beneath My Exterior

The Aftermath ~Andrew

"That's it." I exclaim after ten minutes have passed. I heft my exterior to his feet, lips pursed. "Something's up. I'm gonna go look for them."

Emily rolls her eyes in response as she sips at her water. "Really? Just let the poor guy do his business. They'll come back when they're ready"

Andrew Jr. shakes his head, brooding over the subject. "No. You don't get it. Cole's body language..." I slam my palm down on of the many joysticks before me, programming my giant self to gather up his satchel of school books and turn towards the door Cole had led Wren through for the bathroom minutes ago. My honey coloured eyes narrow. "When he dropped his lunch, he was staring directly at Wren the entire time. And then when he dragged him off to get some food, it was like he knew something." My hand tightens around the joystick. "Something we don't."

Emily twirls a finger around her dark hair, deep in thought. "Come to think of it, I noticed that too... b-but we can't just go out on the limb and follow them like that!" She shrugs, almost looking embarrassed. "It'd look pretty weird if they left the toilets and we were waiting at the door..."

I frown. "Even before we sat down for lunch, Wren was acting strange around me, saying all those things about witchcraft that make no sense. And when Cole first laid eyes on him, his levels dropped instantly. I doubt that'd happen if he'd seen another human, y'know? Which means, whatever Wren's hiding, Cole is in on it." I circle Andrew Jr. around the cafeteria table, deep in thought, until Emily finally lets out a sigh, standing up beside him.

"Okay, okay. You've got me interested." She takes a final swig of water, before tossing the bottle back into her schoolbag. "Let's go see what's going on out there. I mean, who knows?" A forced laugh escapes her lips. "They might just be long lost friends from primary school, right?"

I smirk at that, leading the way towards the cafeteria entrance. "Somehow, I doubt it."

The hall is empty when we peer around the doorway, despite there being over six hundred students at school in total. All that can be heard is Emily's shallow breaths, and the occasional tweeting of birds outside. Light streams in from the windows in strips, illuminating floating clouds of dust particles. To the left, nothing seems out of the ordinary, yet when we scan the opposite end of the corridor, two familiar figures come into view.

"Col--" Emily begins, holding up her hand in a wave, though in a flash I've held Andrew Jr.'s finger up to his lips, shaking my head.

"Wait." I whisper, tugging her back out of sight, just as Cole raises a glinting silver dagger. My eyes widen in a mixture of shock and fear as he holds it up against Wren's neck, pinning the shorter boy to the lockers behind him. He struggles briefly, but his movements are sluggish, and eventually halt altogether.

"What the hell is he--" Emily hisses across to me, but I press my exterior's palm over her mouth, nodding in the direction of the others.

"Listen." I instruct, leaning forward a little in my controller's seat.

"What the hell were you doing with Andrew?" Cole snaps, with a surprising amount of emotion supporting his words. His voice rings through the hallway, though to my confusion, no one but us seems to take any notice. The other students continue to mull around the cafeteria, oblivious to the commotion outside. I frown, thoughts racing. This can't be some kind of cloaking spell... can it?

"I-I don't see how it's any of your business!" Wren grunts in response, resuming his struggling against Cole, who I notice is using his left arm to subdue him. To my horror, it's stained in blood, but the impairment of his nerves in that area prevent him from shrinking out of pain.