The Stronghold

Crazy Nights

The second I got back I sat down, head in hands. If the map was gone then I'd be found out and if I was found out I'd be fired - or worse.

"What is it?" Georgina asked, walking over and crouching next to my hunched form, one hand on my shoulder. "You're not dying, are you?"

"No," I murmured. "Why does it always come to death with you?"

"I'm a vampire," she shrugged. Placing something on my head she giggled slightly. "A vampire who made a flowercrown."

I frowned and looked up, feeling the thing slip about my head. Georgina adjusted it immediately, a big smile on her face.

"What?" was all I could say. "What?"

"I gave you a flowercrown," she said. "Oh, and I managed to connect my arm to Tumblr."

She tapped two fingers on her metal forearm and a screen lit up the air. The newly updated home screen of Tumblr greeted us, blinking pictures from an anime of some sort.

"How did you do that?" I said.

"You've already forgotten what improvements you made, haven't you?" Georgina sighed.

"Well, it's not the first time."

"That isn't a good thing, Pepper."

"I know."

*

I ended up falling asleep where I was sat, a blanket draped over my shoulders by persons unknown. Opening my eyes and glancing at my watch I saw that it was near midnight. Shuffling across the room I went to my proper bed, wincing at the twinging pain in my back.

Simply pulling off my shirt I slid into bed, resting my head on the pillow and sighing happily.

"You're freezing," Georgina murmured, elbowing me in the side. I mumbled something and snuggled closer to her. At first she grumbled but then relented, placing her head on my shoulder.

"Goodnight," I whispered eventually, a small smile on my face, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"'Night."

*

Waking up the next morning I yawned, stretched and then yelled in terror. Shaade was crouched on the end of my bed, staring at me. Seeing that I was awake he cackled and sprang away, disappearing into the dusky light.

"What the actual heck?" I exclaimed, pulling the duvet closer to me. "Shaade, what?"

There was another low laugh and two black eyes shone out of the shadows, blacker than the unlit corner of the bedroom. He grinned, teeth sparkling white.

"Shaade, stop being creepy," Rebecca ordered, poking her head around the door. Noticing my confused look she shouted for the others. I whimpered in fear and huddled closer to the headboard, a pillow in front of me.

"Everybody's gone crazy," I said to myself. "No one knows what they'll do."

Calm down, you paranoid idiot.

"Fantastic, you're awake," Georgina said, perching on the end of the bed. Shaade bounced up beside her and she moved closer to me, lying back and directing the other Super Glitches.

Emmi, Amalia, Lotte, Rebecca, Sophie and Josh crowded into the room. I was amazed at how much of the room they filled but also the fact that I had so many friends.

"Now, Pepper," Georgina said, tilting her head towards me but eyes staying front, looking at a large display board that had just been pushed into the room. Josh created some light using fire and Sophie, Emmi and Rebecca stood by the board, ready to flip up the sheets of paper.