Dark Academy

Chapter 2

Darc takes me to the north wing of Dark Academy – where polished amber stone becomes grey and dull; pretty lifeless. All colours are washed away from the rainbow. It's almost like the world is in black and white, but the furniture and decoration is quite pretty for a demon's haven.

Darc and I walk up three flights of steps, down a wide red carpeted hall, which turns through an arc into an open circular game room – at least, that's what I could make of it.

It's empty – but I hear voices through other doors connected to this lounge.

All around me, is a play room. Chess boards. Huge bean bags you could drown in. Carpet you could swim in. A fireplace you could fall in. Windows you could jump from -

Why... why was my brain focused on death so much?

Because, well, I died.

And I was only now starting to realise – my own calm? Was just shock.

And the shock was now fading, and a tremble in my hands was coming back.

Darc stands me precisely in the very centre of the room, his hands place me there, while he walks off to a small single recliner covered in savage wolf furs – and he sinks into the chair. He picks up a tea pot and pours a steaming beverage, talking – but his words are mumbles. I can't understand him, as my mind retreats inward like I've been drowning in water. I almost feel wetness leaking from my ears.

That would explain why there is green grime stuck to my skin.

I'm staring at my hands, and the pale colour is warming slowly – but my veins look still. As if my pulse is still so weak, my body is also starved of any nutrition - or care. I look horrid. I -

"Yoohoo," Darc is waving at me, trying to get my attention, "Hello, Wynter?"

"Huh?" I glance down at him, "Dead. I'm dead."

"Revived back," Darc corrects me, very patiently, "And technically you're in debt – because I'm going to stop the council from sentencing you. Because I am the council, ha...ha, I'm quite funny, aren't I?" Darc trails off, loving the sound of his own voice, "Do you feel sore at all? Your eyes wander away a lot," Vampire. Darc was a vampire, "...and you zone out too... try to stay present for me," he makes it sound easy, "...Wynter... hello...?"

I wish he'd stop with that condescending tone - I was just getting my bearings.

"Where are we? Where are your friends?" the voices I heard coming up here have all stopped.

"Ah, so you are aware of what's happening... my friends... come on out, and don't startle the poor thing," Darc leans back in his rocking chair, sipping his tea like an old man – who looks twenty-one like me, "Stay where you are, and don't move," my eyes have been wandering again around the cozy room, but I glance at the almost-impatient and extremely mean sound that just rumbled from Darc's barely moving lips. Like the kind of demon you don't want to be friends with.

Ha... but, I'm imagining things, because now he's smiling at me over his tea cup. Taking another sip.

Strange...

I look up and around the room again.

The friends.

They do exactly what Darc told them not to. I'm immediately startled by their silent entry.

I forget to inhale.

There's four gentlemen – ahem – and they are well dressed preppy vampires, standing together.