Ice Flower Path of ice

Chapter 9

<Dustin's POV>

I wake with a start, my head ringing in the relative silence. I quickly remember the things I have just witnessed and glance around my room to find- that it's empty, no blood covers the walls, no dead Brock, no dead Levi nothing. It's like it was all just a dream but it had seemed so real, it couldn't have been...could it? I stand slowly allowing my head to clear still wary of my surroundings, who's to say this isn't something I'm just imagining to save my own head, because I killed my friends. Walking out of the dorm room in silence I make my way outside sitting in front of the ivy, something that always calms me, a wall of plants to offer protection, that's the way I see it at least. My hands are shaking and my veins are pumping with adrenaline, not surprising, after all- well I might have killed my friends. I'm not sure yet.

"C- can I- sit there?" A guy, looking to be about my age stands there, his hands shaking almost as much as his voice. His hair is a mint green colour though the brown roots of his hair are clearly visible, his eyes are a soft brown though clearly panicked, each time he makes eye contact he quickly averts his gaze he looks fairly muscular, more so than me at least. On his forearm I can see a large scar roughly half the size of a thirty centimeter ruler. He's wearing very bright colours which is a little strange going off the personality I have seen so far. He's also holding quite a large book, though the title is covered by his arm.

"Ummm yeah sure bro." I reply calmly gesturing to the area beside me, he makes eye contact yet again though this time he turns his head not his eyes and quickly sits next to me as if his life depends on it.

"T- thank you." He starts to open the book his hands shaking more than they were before, his hand slips and the book flies open to a random page, he quickly catches it and flicks through to a different page.

"Hey are you ok, umm sorry I don't know your name?"

"It-s Morta-cai and I'm fine."

"Is it ok if I just call you Cai?"

"Ye-yes." He looks up at me and I give a reassuring smile, though this seems to make him quiver more and he goes back to staring at his book.

"Are you sure you're ok bro? You seem a little shaky."

"I just- forgot to take my meds that's all." He speaks so fast, I almost don't catch anything he's saying, I know for a fact he mentioned meds.

"Meds?"

"An-xiety."

"Ohhhh ok, hey I can leave if you'd be more comfortable." He looks at me again, this time he doesn't look away immediately, instead he looks me up and down, as if assessing me, like I'm a predator and he's my prey. Something I'm not too sure about myself.

"It's ok- you're just- new that's all."

"Ok. So umm whattaya reading, Cai?"

"It's called- ummm called Demon road."

"Hey I've read that one, I really liked it." I reply giving another reassuring smile. Once I finish his eyes seem to light up and a large smile comes to his face.

"Really? It's one of my favourites, I've read the series at least three times, it's so cool." He looks at me again and for a moment he stops shaking and he seems more confident, but it's gone in an instant and he looks at the ground again.

"Sorry I didn't mean to get- excited."

"It's cool bro, you didn't do anything wrong don't worry. You have a nice smile by the way." His cheeks almost immediately flush red and he sinks back against the wall trying to hide his smile this time.