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The kid on the cot rifled through the side table’s drawers. I recognized the beet red face. It was the boy who had gotten into the fight earlier. What could be wrong with him? Did he get that hurt?
"What are you doing?" Dr. Green asked. "Stop it." He tugged at the corner of the wall, trying to lift it, but it was big and awkward. Gabriel and Nathan sprinted over to help him. The three of them managed to move it on top of another empty cot, but it was awkward to correct.
The boy ignored Dr. Green. He yanked a syringe out of the drawer and examined it in his hands, like he was trying to figure out how to use it. He ripped the cap off.
"Wait!" Dr. Green shouted. He let go of the wall, jumping over at the boy and trying to grab his arm. "Nathan! Don't let him use it."
Nathan and Gabriel released the wall and it fell back. They climbed over it, grabbing at arms and legs. The boy went wild, grunting curses. The hand with the needle waved around, avoiding capture. The boy aimed it at his own chest, and when Dr. Green blocked it, the boy aimed for his own arm.
“Everyone out,” Mr. Blackbourne shouted to the others who were in the nurse’s office. I turned my attention, realizing several people had gotten up from their cots. They had been staring idly at the commotion, but with Mr. Blackbourne’s command, they turned, running for the door.
I started to get up. I wanted to help. What was he trying to do with an empty needle? I started forward, ready to at least grab a leg.
Mr. Blackbourne stepped in front of me, blocking me. His hand went up to my shoulder and he pulled me back. “Wait,” he said.
"What's going on?" I asked. "What's wrong with him?"
Before Mr. Blackbourne could respond, the wild boy cried out in a rage. Dr. Green had the arm with the needle, but the boy wrenched it away.
The boy lifted his arm. Gabriel splayed his hand out to stop him. The boy jerked and the needle plunged into Gabriel's palm.
"Fucking shit." Gabriel swung his arm back, taking the syringe with it. He yanked it out, tossing it away before he dove back in.
Without the threat of the needle swinging, Nathan and Dr. Green dropped down on top of the boy like rocks, holding him down.
The boy started moaning, and then let out a loud grunt, as if he were in pain. He was thrashing but with Nathan and Gabriel on top of him, he barely moved.
"I need a sedative," Dr. Green said.
Gabriel scrambled up and replaced Dr. Green to hold the boy down.
Dr. Green dashed around, disappearing behind another wall. He came back with another syringe, and a bottle of liquid. He measured out a few milliliters. He withdrew the needle from the bottle.
"I need his arm," Dr. Green shouted.
Mr. Blackbourne released me. He nudged at Gabriel, who shifted slightly. The boy's arm whipped out, punching toward Nathan's face. Mr. Blackbourne snatched it and with a twist of his hand, he singled out the boy's pinkie finger. He forced the finger to curl forward. Mr. Blackbourne pinched it tight and held.
The boy howled but stopped thrashing. He tried bending his body to stop the pressure on his finger, but Mr. Blackbourne didn’t release.
"Sang," Dr. Green called, snapping me to attention. "Is there an alcohol wipe in that drawer?"
I leapt up, sliding the drawer in the table open. I found a wipe, and dashed over to them, opening the package.
Mr. Blackbourne lifted the sleeve of the boy's shirt. I rubbed the wipe against the boy's bicep and Dr. Green followed up by planting the needle into the boy's arm.
The boy wailed, starting to thrash again as if trying to avoid this needle. He ripped his hand away from Mr. Blackbourne.
"Back up, Sang," Nathan said.
I stepped back, and the guys kept themselves planted on top of the boy. It took a couple more minutes but soon, he slowed. His howls became cries. His cries turned into soft whimpers. Soon, he was still.
"What the hell was he trying to do?" Gabriel asked, finally releasing the boy when it was clear he was passed out. "It was like he was trying to kill himself."
"He was doing a horrific job," Dr. Green said. He wiped at his brow. "He's watched too many medical dramas. He didn't even bother with a big enough bubble to cause an air embolism." He looked at Gabriel. "How's your hand?"
"Tingly." Gabriel rubbed his thumb over the spot on his palm. “At least he used a clean one.”
“Is he sick?” I asked, gazing at the boy. Even in his drugged-induced sleep, he moaned and looked strained.
“Something’s wrong with him,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “Several other students have picked it up. A strong fever that lasts for about ten hours, heavy vomiting, with delusions and paranoia.”
“Is it a flu?” Nathan asked. “Is it going around? Are we going to catch this? Should we be wearing masks?”
“I don’t think so,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “I think there’s something the students are taking. Some new drug, although the students who are sick aren’t talking about it. The students who have come in don’t seem to know each other, and some of the symptoms are different depending on the person. This is the first one I’ve seen that has been suicidal.”
“Have you put any of them through drug screening?” Nathan asked.
Mr. Blackbourne nodded. “The results show nothing unusual. I don’t think our tests are picking up whatever drug they’re taking.”
I straightened, pulling back. “He was in a fight upstairs. Victor was watching it. I've seen him before in the courtyard, too. The fight he had was with his friend. Where is he? Maybe we should talk to him."
Mr. Blackbourne turned to me, his lips parted as if he wanted to ask but he caught himself. “Miss Sorenson, I told you no Academy activities this week.”
“I was just mentioning it,” I said, unsure how to take a break from Academy work when they were around me all the time and they were Academy. For someone who wasn’t in, I still somehow felt like part of their private school for... investigators? Security force? I wasn’t sure what, but the more time I spent with them, the more I was diving deeper into their circle. “If I’m still going to school, whatever they are taking, what should I be looking out for? How am I supposed to not get involved if I don’t know what it is?”
“Just stick with the boys, for now,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “Family first.”
My lips clamped shut at his reply, not wanting to question Academy rules. Although I would keep my eyes open, for no other reason than I didn’t want to end up like the boy across the room.
ALONE TOGETHER
The guys ran back to the gym and collected their bags. When the last bell rang, Nathan and Gabriel returned with my things from my locker. I wondered how they got access, but they must have waited for everyone to leave. I didn’t know they knew my gym locker combination, but then, things like that didn’t surprise me about Academy guys any more.
We headed out to the parking
lot together, still in our gym uniforms. The rain had stopped for the moment, but the sky was still deeply overcast. There was a slight chill as October was settling in. I fished out a zip-up hoodie to wear to ward off the cold.
Gabriel reached out and fiddled with the zipper pull. His crystal eyes focused. “This thing has angel wings for a zipper,” he said. “Did I buy you this?”
“Didn’t you?” I asked, confused. He and Victor bought all my other clothes.
Gabriel nudged my shoulder, until I turned. He poked at my back where a collection of pink stones were designed into angel wings all along the back. “God damn,” he said. “I didn’t buy you this. Where’d you get it?”
“From Nathan’s closet,” I said. “I grabbed the first one I saw. I thought you got it.”
“Did we pick it up and forget about it?” Nathan asked. He reached out, tracing one of the wings on my back. “We got a lot of stuff that day. She had the jeans tucked away for the longest time. I forgot we got those for her until she was wearing them the other day.”
Gabriel wagged his head. “So much shit has happened, I can’t remember. We’ll have to go through them. I don’t remember this thing. It looks too big for her.”
“It’s comfortable,” I said.
A chop landed on my head. “Shush,” Gabriel said.
The boys and I gathered at Kota’s clunky sedan parked on the outer edge of the school lot. I didn’t think Gabriel would be joining us, but I guessed his plans had changed since Mr. Blackbourne told him to stay near me.
I spotted Kota approaching from among a small crowd of students heading out to their cars. He carried a thick physics book under his arm, while lugging his messenger bag over his shoulder. Underneath his faux school uniform he had a very strong physique. Most people probably didn’t notice, because he wore black-rimmed glasses. Combined with the neatly trimmed hair and the formal way he wore the collared shirt and tie over his medium build, he appeared to be an average nerd. The glasses did compliment his high cheekbones and a pair of emerald green eyes. If anyone ever gave him a second look, they’d probably notice his handsome features.
