The Dracula Index - Vampire Epoch//01

2 - Mell

"The hall is empty. Teacher left her post," Roz uttered, as she started spinning the rough handwheel at the center of the door.

"Don't even dare," Felicity warned. "Want to get appointed as a General Task tomorrow? Think for a second, will you?"

"Edie is the one who said it. What if someone got hurt?" Roz mused innocently. "If we all get infected because you were being a Miss Priss, there may not be a tomorrow."

Lane joined Roz at the window, and together they eased the heavy door from its housing, releasing an ugly, metallic groan down the dormitory hall. Curious, myself, I turned to follow them. Edie grabbed my nightshirt and told me to stay.

"But what if we can learn something?" I replied.

"Don't leave me here," Edie said in a hush, her adorably small face puckering. "I can't be alone."

I took her by the hand and led her out the door. Behind us, I heard Felicity grumbling as she left the room, worried that we would get into trouble without her guidance. Tonight was the first time we had ever been out of our room during never-hour, and it was thrilling. At least until the screaming became more intense.

We heard other voices when we reached the outer doors. Most of the municipal buildings had emptied, and almost everyone seemed to be flocking to the eastern rust wall, near the Scavers' entrance. We were surprised to see so well during never-hour and soon realized why.

"They've got the storm lights on."

The low voice came from our right. It was Crevan, the jerk of all jerks. A smile widened Roz's face as she noticed the rest of our classmates. Clearly, the upper-level of Bunkhouse Boys was feeling rebellious tonight as well.

A more delicate voice spoke next. "Back away from the door, you guys. Do you want to get caught?"

"Who gives a stink, Lenny? Grow a pair, already."

"What lights are you talking about?" Roz asked, spinning around to face Crevan.

He rolled his shoulders back when their eyes met. "You can see them from the pipe heap in the Stock Yard. There are big lights on the watchtowers. Never seen them lit before, and I go out a lot at night. Hey, Edie."

Edie turned to me and hid her face from his incessant gaze. Roz slowly bit her lip at his comment. "Really? You've been out before? What do you do?"

"Explore the Stock Yard, mostly."

Looking around, I saw Lenny and Rufus standing nervously at the door to Bunkhouse Boys. They seemed just as concerned as Edie about being out at never-hour. Then I spotted Oscar kneeling behind the jungle gym in the Calisthenics Yard with some sort of looking glass over his eyes. I know now that he was trying to see past the group of Elders at the Scaver's entrance, but I didn't care much about what he was doing at that point because, beside Oscar, bare-chested, was my dark-haired Bryne. I had to instantly look away, my face was heating so quickly. I can almost feel my cheeks blushing now, in the memory of that moment. It wasn't until another scream echoed across our encampment that we recalled why we had all been brought together outside of class. Something was wrong.

The girls and I followed Crevan to the Calisthenics Yard, while Lenny, the shyest among us, and Rufus, the most fearful, stayed behind to keep watch at the doors. Bryne smiled at me straight away. He loves me, I know it. I love him, too. We've never said that before, and it's wonderful to see such a thing written in my own script. Bryne crossed his arms, pretending to be cold. I think he was embarrassed to be caught without a shirt.

"Mell, are you okay?" he asked me, a world of sentiment behind his words. I nodded.

"Is she okay? What's wrong with you, Bryne?" Crevan questioned. "Mell isn't the one screaming."