Apris Academy

8. Midnight, Part I

From the perspective of Brooks.

This morning, I'm so tired that I don't even bother brushing my hair. I just put on a beanie and walk down to the dining hall.

I'm still thinking about last night, even as I'm mechanically scooping cereal into my mouth, trying to keep my eyes open. The crying, the talking, the-

Just then, I hear a rustle coming from my backpack, which is currently hanging on the back of the chair I'm sitting in. I turn around, hoping no one stole anything.

Instead, I find it zipped open, a letter sitting at the bottom. Someone must've dropped it in there when I wasn't looking.

I look up, trying to find the culprit, but there's no one even close to my backpack.

I open the unsealed and unaddressed letter cautiously and pull out the paper inside. My stomach drops when I read it.

Meet us in the North Wing.

Midnight.

If you want to stay alive.

***

It's only my second day of classes at Apris Academy, and I'm already having problems.

First of all, I can't focus on anything. All I can think about is that letter, and what it implies, and if I'm going to do what it says.

Second of all, Diana keeps giving me these weird looks in Philosophy class. Like she's trying to tell me something.

I'm literally so confused right now.

I guess all I can do is wait for midnight and hope for the best.

***

Now that I'm wandering aimlessly down a dark hallway in the middle of the night, I'm realizing how bad of an idea this is.

My flashlight guides me through the darkness. The plastic knife I stole from the dining hall sits in my pocket, just in case.

But I'm terrified.

I don't even know where I'm supposed to be going. The letter didn't give me a specific room or dorm. All it said was, "North Wing".

I freeze. I can hear whispering in the room ahead of me.

"It's 12:02," a voice says. "Are you sure they got the letters?"

"Aiko," the other voice says, "Of course they got the-"

I creak open the door to the room.

The room is mostly empty, except for a bed, a bedside table, and a desk. There are three windows on the back wall, allowing moonlight to spill into the room. But most of the light comes from the lit candle on the bedside table.

Diana and another girl sit on the edge of the bed, watching me with wide eyes.

"You sent the letter?" I ask Diana, stepping into the room.

"Yeah," she says, standing up. "Well, technically, Aiko wrote them. But I was the one who sent them."

Aiko stands up from the bed and waves.

"Wait, you sent multiple letters?" I ask.

Diana nods. "We also sent one to-"

"Hello?" I hear Theo say from behind me.

I spin around. Theo walks into the room, a confused look on his face.

"Um, is this where I'm supposed to be?" he asks, looking at Diana.

"Yep," she says. "Aiko and I have something to tell you guys."