Adam's POV:
Everyday after my classes, Océane would give me swimming lessons. We had a lot of fun and we were becoming closer friends. She was an interesting mermaid to say the least. In the time we spent together in my swimming lessons I learned a lot about her and more about the whole other world I had had no idea existed.
"Zombies?" I asked while we took a break on the big rock between the island and the pier. Whenever we took a break I would ask questions about this new world I had been introduced into.
"Children of Death can reanimate corpses for short periods of time," she answered lazily. Her tail was making patterns in the water. Her hands were folded behind her head, and she had her eyes closed.
"Children of Death?"
"They are the children of gods or beings often associated with death. For example Hades," she explained.
"Vampires?"
"Keep to themselves. They're an underground species," she answered.
"Underground species means they don't associate with humans and the regular world, right?"
"Yup," she popped the 'p', "You ready to go back?"
"Not really. This is nice, it's relaxing and as soon as we go back there's going to be homework and people to deal with."
She laughed and opened her eyes, "Amen!" she raised her hand for a high five. As soon as I hit my hand with hers, she clasped mine and dragged me back into the water. We raced back, and I hit the pier first, but I had a very strong feeling she was letting me win, and was just swimming lazily back to the pier.
She motioned for her towel when she came up from the water and I tossed it to her. I wrapped mine around myself and started walking back to the school, Océane would catch up soon.
"Hey little bro!" Emma called out when I got back into the school.
"Hey!"
She had been the most welcoming of the small group. Then Océane, but I have a feeling she first started being nice to me because she felt bad about what happened the first day. Kira was bubbly, but at first she ignored me. Felicity was a mini Kira and followed her lead in ignoring me for the first week. Alan was nice, but very introverted, he was slowly opening up though. And then there was Liam. He still wasn't the kindest, but I think I was getting through. He almost smiled at my joke the other day! I call that progress!
After I had taken a shower to get all the lake water off me and finished my homework for the day, I went back down to one of the commons rooms. It was were we all met up at around four thirty.
Alan had his nose stuck in a book, while Emma, Kira, and Felicity were playing a board game in the center of the room. I searched for Océane and found her sitting on Liam's lap. They were whispering and laughing with each other. It seemed private, so I quickly turned away and went to go sit with Emma, Kira, and Felicity.
"Hey. Want to join?" Kira said while gesturing to the board.
"Monopoly. Hmm... I'd rather not be enemies with you guys," I answered.
"That's probably a good idea," Alan said with his nose stuck in his book.
We had sat there for about two minutes when an alarm suddenly went off. Everyone jumped and cleared the room within seconds.
"What's going on?" I asked Océane over the loud commotion of the school flooding to the doorms.
"Being a school where kids can easily hurt other kids, we have a very strict no killing policy," she said.
"Killing?!" What?!
"Someone must be severely injured or dead," she said with a worried look on her face.
With that the crowd took her away. I eventually made it up to my dorm, but instead went to Liam's, since his was right next to mine and I still didn't know much about what was going on.
I knocked twice and entered. I was surprised to see that Liam was not alone. Océane and Emma were there with him.
"Where are Kira, Alan, and Felicity?" I asked worried about them.
"They all went to Alan's dorm," Emma answered.
"What's going on?" I finally asked after a moment's pause.
"They only sound that alarm if someone is injured or killed and they suspect it wasn't an accident," Liam said grimly.
A murder? My mind was reeling, I was confused and worried and lost all at the same time.
"Adam," I heard my name called and looked up to see Océane patting the spot next to her on the bed.
"Why did we all have to come to the dorms?"
"To make a head count and check if anyone else has been hurt or saw anything," Emma answered staring out the window. It was starting to rain. The sky was growing darker and rain drops were hitting the window harder with each passing minute.
We didn't speak for what felt like an eternity, but was most likely a half hour.
Eventually five sharp knock came at the door and a teacher stuck his head in, "You all okay?" he asked with concern written on his face.
We all silently nodded.
"Good. Did you guys see anything?"
We all shook our heads, but it was Océane who spoke, "We were in the Commons Room of The Old Religions, and we didn't see anything out of the ordinary."
The teacher nodded, "Don't worry I bet this is just a false alarm," but his face said other wise. He closed the door behind him.
We were silent for another five minutes before I spoke up, "It's not a false alarm is it?"
"Most likely not," Océane whispered, "That bell has only rung once before, in the time I've been here, and it was not a false alarm then. They only ring it if they are really sure it was foul play."
Soon the intercom came on, "Student, do not worry. However, for your safety we thought it was best if you stayed in your dorm rooms for the remainder of the night. Teachers and staff will be around to bring you dinner. And if you would like to leave your dorm for whatever reason press the button next to your door and that will call a teacher or staff member to escort you to where you need to go."
We all stayed silent again for another five minutes when Emma finally said, "Okay! I'm tired of this silence, it's making all of this worse. Let's play a game or something, but let's not dwell on this too much. Okay?"
"Truth or Dare?" Ocáne suggested.
"Sure. Why not?" Liam said.
We all sat in a circle on Liam's bed and Ocáne started. We started off with dumb things, but we got a little more personal as the time passed. Eventually as the night wore on we all fell asleep.
~*~
Océane POV:
The bright sun that streamed through the window woke me in the morning. I yawned and curled up to fall asleep again when I suddenly realized I wasn't in my room. Everything from last night came back. I groaned and sat up. I looked around the room. Emma and I had fallen asleep on the bed, Liam on the couch and Adam on the floor.
That was going to hurt when he woke up. I thought to myself.
"Ems," I gently shook Emma, "Ems. Wake up."
"Go away, or I'll drown you," she mumbled.
"You can't really drown me. My mother is a mermaid after all."
"She has a point," a sleepy voice came from the couch.
"Ugh!" Emma groaned and finally got up. Suddenly she was fully awake, "Do you know what happened last night?"
"No, but I have a feeling we'll find out today," I respond.
Emma looked around the room and went to go shake Adam awake, "Adam. Wake up!" she yelled in his ear.
"Go away!" he turned over.
Emma sighed, then suddenly she smirked. She held her hands over him and the next thing we know, Adam is drenched from head to toe.
"What the hell!" he yelled. He made a shoving motion with his hands, but pushed Emma with wind. She flew back with a laugh.
"You're getting the hang of it I see," she said happily.
Adam grumbled under his breath, something about stupid sisters.
Then out of the blue Adam asked, "If someone was going to be murdered wouldn't Kira have seen it? She can see the future and said that if something big or important was going to happen she would see."
I shook my head sadly, "Our gifts are a way to protect ourselves. At the very beginning of the human race there were only humans. Eventually, however, some developed immortality and/or powers and became gods or other beings. Theses gifts were developed as a way to protect yourself. Kira wouldn't have seen this unless she looked for it, because it doesn't harm her."
Adam frowned.
The intercom came on, "Good morning students," the Headmaster greeted us, "You may leave your dorms now, and head down to the dining hall, and only the dining hall," with that the intercom turned off.
"Food!" Emma squealed and made a break for the door.
I turned to Liam who was rolling his eyes. We all made our way down the to the dining hall and got our breakfast. After we had all sat at a table - because we couldn't go outside - the Headmaster came in and quieted us.
"As you are all well aware, there was an attempted murder on one of our students last night," his kind face was drawn with grief, "Carla Evans was alive when we got to her, but died during the night," there were murmurs and sobs.
"I thought she just had decided to go to her own dorm last night."
"She told me she was going to go study in the library."
The Headmaster continued, "The security will be tightened and anyone who knows anything about this, please come to us immediately."
I looked back to our friends and met their wide eyes. Carla Evans was a sweet girl, no one wanted to hurt her, so why was she murdered last night?
I looked down at my plate and no longer felt hungry. We were silent for most of breakfast and ate very little after the horrible news we had just heard.
I had a feeling Carla Evans was just the first of many, though.