Disclaimer: Well, it appears as though I have neglected writing one of these things. I think it's fairly obvious that every single character in this story thus far is a creation of my own.
So, I'll keep Blaine, Alice, Simon, Hannah and Evie thank you very much! Teehee!

Onward with the story!


4. Hypothesis

'Hey Blaine, Alice. Have you seen Evie? I have something she'll be stoked to hear about!' panted Hannah who had just come tearing down a hall.

Blaine, knowing that this would lead to another week of paranoia from the girl herself, directed the fidgety red-haired in a vague, but more importantly, wrong direction.

'Wonder what it is this time,' asked Alice, whose stay at the School had just reached a month.

'It'll be the same bull as always,' Blaine rolled his eyes, tucking a loose lock of ashen hair back into place; 'Hannah shouldn't encourage her. I mean, it used to be fun listening to her go on about how evil it is here, but it's just… stupid now.'

'Well, I still find it amusing,' grinned Alice.

'But you've only been here a month. Wait until you've been here six. You'll want to wring her neck,' he retorted, 'I don't even know why she still hangs out with us.'

'Don't be mean, she's a nice girl,' Alice said, slapping Blaine lightly across his arm.

In the month that she had been at the School, Alice had made a few new friends, in spite of losing most contact with her family back in Sydney. Blaine was clumsy a boy of fifteen, who's mutation meant that he resembled something close to a ghost – his powers meant that he could transport his 'spirit' whilst leaving his body in a heavy comatose state behind. Evie, on the other hand, was a tall, tanned, older girl who's telepathy allowed her to hear the current thoughts of anyone around her. She was a paranoid girl, who believed strongly that they were trapped here and the staff spent their nights conspiring ways of how to manipulate their powers for their own gain.
Both Alice and Blaine zoned out whenever Evie began her rant – she never had proof and often relied on the passing thoughts of the younger students who were prone to creating meaningless rumors. Hannah listened intently.

Though, Alice spent most of her free time hanging out with Blaine, who still struggled to maintain control over his powers. Often, there were times where he'd do something minor, like stumble or bump into something and he would become detached from his body – though the incidence of these…encounters, were declining, it was still a pain for Alice to catch his body before it hit the ground.
Because he was younger than her, they didn't share the same classes, so Alice spent most of her class time with Evie and Hannah, who, when together, made a pretty decent being to be around. Alice was glad though, that she hadn't had to worry about hanging around Hannah all the time, and she could see her friend felt the same way. They were much too different.

It was the middle of the day, in biology, when Evie's face fell into that familiar inane expression she would adopt whenever reading passing thoughts. Hannah caught a glimpse and lit up, waiting on edge to hear what Evie heard.

'Hey, hey Alice… look! It must be real good, she's still listening!' Hannah thumped her friend who was busy copying notes on the structure of the kidney from an overhead.

'Seriously Hannah, I don't want to fail… I'm just passing as it is. Tell me later, okay? Ugh, I missed that about the Loop of Henle!' Alice waved her pen in Hannah's face, who just huffed and went back to watching Evie.

'Hey Evie, are you alright?' asked Hannah, waving her hand in front of Evie's face, her friend still staring off into the distance.

'Alice, she's still like this…' she murmured to her, Alice's response was to allow her long, brown hair to fall over the side of her face; a very blunt dismissal.

'Oh, sorry Hannah, I dozed off there,' Alice could hear Evie say. She could also hear her mutter something under her breath, but couldn't care less as to what it was.

'Don't forget that on Wednesday I will be testing you all on the structure and function of the kidney… so study!' called out the teacher over the bell that was ringing, but was left unheard as the teens rushed out of the lab.

'So, do you wanna know what she heard?' Hannah asked as herself, Evie and Alice sat down outside to have lunch.

'What who heard?' Blaine asked, walking up from behind and sitting down next to Alice, 'is this something to do with Evie?'

Evie poked out her tongue, 'hey, you know this time I think I really am on to something… don't you want to know, even a little?'

Alice groaned; she knew that Evie would just implode and tell them anyway, so she nudged Blaine who shut his mouth before he could say anything rude.

'Ms. Lepare got a note, and as soon as she started reading it I could like, hear it yeah. It took me a while to sift out her own thoughts from the note, but she was thinking of something about the students – about us – and,' Evie squinted, thinking hard, 'something about tests.'

'Of course she said something about test Evie,' Alice groaned, throwing her hands up in the air, 'she was probably thinking about the test she set us for Wednesday!'
Evie grinned sheepishly while Blaine high-fived Alice.


Sure enough, it only took the time span of two weeks for Evie and Hannah to hype up what she had heard, thus creating a small following.
'Truth is what we want, as simple as that. Let them see us banded together, let that pressure them into telling us what it really going on here!' Hannah told a crowd. It was a cold afternoon in the grounds, and the students were clustered together, trying to keep warm. Evie and Hannah were standing on a couple of chairs before the students, telling them their hypothesis. Though, their hypotheses were merely guesses based off what Evie hear in biology.
And that was it.
Evie stepped off her chair and sat down, massaging her head whilst Hannah continued repeating their slogan of wanting the truth.

'They want something from us, and if it's something they have to hide it's not going to be a good thing! What are they planning?' Evie yelled, slowly standing back up one the chair, 'What are they planning?!' she screamed, the crowd following suit, and a chorus of that question erupted. Evie coughed and sat back down again – her voice had sounded hoarse, and as soon as she sat down she began to rub her throat.

'Spread the word! Show them we know what they're up to!' Hannah ordered to the crowd before sitting down next to Evie, who had begun to look pale. As the crowd dispersed, Alice and Blaine wandered up to the pair.

'Are you alright Evie?' Blaine asked, looking concerned, 'you're really pale…'

'Yeah, I mean, all that shouting can't be any good. And you've been standing in the cold for so long,' said Alice, who had crouched down beside Evie and was rubbing her back.

'She's been using her powers over time,' Hannah informed them.

'Anything solid on your theory?' Blaine asked.

'Look, just because you're happy living in ignorance, doesn't mean that everything is what it seems!' said Hannah, standing up, 'I've had it with you! I mean, why do you hang out with us if you don't even like us?' she said, getting close to him. She looked quite despite Blaine's towering height.

'It's not like I was going to abandon Alice just 'cause she's got poor tastes in friends!' he retorted with a haughty expression.

'Excuse me Blaine?' Alice stood up before him, her mouth open.

'Well… yeah, you heard me. They're just… weird,' he stuttered, his cheeks turning a subtle shade of pink.

'They're my friends! They've stuck by me, why can't I do the same? I expected more from you Blaine, I really did,' she looked away, saddened.

'Fine, whatever. I'm leaving,' Blaine turned on his heel and left, leaving a shattered Alice behind.

'Alice… Evie's not looking too good,' Hannah approached her. Evie had drawn her legs up to her chin, she was coughing and shaking.

'She's been coughing all day… the cold?' Hannah asked as Alice tried to help Evie up, who stumbled a little.

'We have to take her to the infirmary, okay? Do you know where that is?' Alice asked, she didn't know where the infirmary was because she hadn't needed to go.

'Yeah, I'll take her. You go, alright? We'll be fine, won't we?' Hannah gave Evie a little shake.

'Okay, but tell me how she is as soon as you can,' Alice let go of Evie and watched as they walked back towards the buildings.


'I'm not going to forgive you.'

'I didn't ask you to,' he replied sitting down next to Alice.

'Then what…?' Alice asked, placing her book on her lap.

'I've seen Hannah, and she's told me that Evie's got glandular fever, and 'cause of that, something's wrong with her spleen.'

It had been a week since Hannah took Evie to the infirmary, and a week since Alice spoken to Blaine.

'Oh,' replied Alice, not knowing what else to say.

'Yeah…' he replied, in the same predicament.

'I hope she gets better, it's been really quiet without her,' Alice commented, trying to break the awkward silence that fell over them.

'Yeah,' was his only reply.

'Wait, how'd you find out when like, you can't go near anyone with glandular fever? It's contagious…'

'I asked a doctor,' he replied bluntly, raising himself from the cushiony library chair.

'Blaine, please. I don't want to stop talking to you,' Alice, looking at her feet. She was never very good at confronting a problem, 'I mean, I know they're weird and it's fairly obvious you don't like them… but… they're my friends, and you have to accept that, or I can't be yours.'

Blaine stopped walking and sighed, 'Alice, don't be stupid. I've missed having you around so much this week it's been crazy,' he slowly walked back to her.

'It's just… they remind me so much of what I am. They're just so different,' he muttered.

'What you are? You mean a mutant?'

'Well, yeah,' he slumped back down onto the chair, 'I used to be so normal… and I was so happy. They just remind me of what I know I'll never have again.'

'Oh,' Alice had no idea that Blaine ever felt this way. He had always been so caring and cheerful it was hard to imagine someone who suffered within.

'But… being around you, that makes me happy. So, I guess I'll try and be nicer to Hannah and Evie? Who knows… maybe they were onto something,' he grinned, Alice noticing how red his cheeks had gone.

They had only just reached the door out of the small library when someone small and blonde hurled themselves at Blaine and Alice.

'Hey, pass this on. Hannah is holding a meeting, she knows something big,' the boy pushed a small piece of paper into Blaine's hand, dropping a few others in the process. He scooped them up and hurried into the library to find more students to tell.


'I know the truth!' Hannah roared to the crowd. A significant number of people had come, and the demountable classroom was pretty close to full. Though, Alice could tell, quite a few of them were there to see if the rumors were true. Those rumors consisted of either there actually was a sinister group of people at this place, running twisted experiments, or that Hannah and Evie were just insane, paranoid girls with too much time on their hands.

'Well, what is it?!' shouted a voice from the crowd.

'I am here on my own because Evie is sick. She's so sick we can't go near her, or we'll get sick too. I am starting to wonder if she's still here, in this dreadful place!' Hannah continued, ignoring the question.

'What's the point of this nonsense?' another student called out.

'The point is; how could Evie get glandular fever if no known cases were present? It is so obvious! It is no coincidence that she fell ill at the same time she started to understand what's actually happening!'

'So, you're saying… someone did this to her?' the same student asked, followed by a ripple of murmurs.

'I'm saying, Evie has been silenced! I'm saying that we should all co-operate to solve this mystery, once and for all!' she replied whole-heartedly.

'Mystery? This is ridiculous! I mean, why do you want to think so badly on people who took us in to help and teach us? Just 'cause you're not happy here doesn't mean we aren't either! I say, show us the proof!' called a boy standing next to Blaine at the back of the room. Blaine nodded ever so slightly.

'Well, why won't they ever let us use and develop our powers? They want the power over us, that's why! Why did Evie suddenly get sick and disappear? To hide the truth!' Hannah fired back, her eyes blazing.

'I don't believe this propaganda drivel, you'd have to be really stupid to anyway. The staff here are pleasant and supportive, and I rather like them. Why ruin this for everyone? We feel safe here, we ARE safe here!' he shot a dirty look right at her. Hannah didn't relent, staying firm with her beliefs. Though, as he walked through the crowd to leave the room and the other students followed shaking their heads, talking amongst themselves, Hannah showed only a slight sign of defeat. Her shoulders hunched forward a little and she wore a cheerless expression. Alice moved up to her friend and attempted to console her, but Hannah threw her arms away and sneered, 'just you wait. I know it's the truth, and I'll find out for myself.'

Later that night there was a slight rumbling that was felt throughout the dorms, only to be explained by a slight tremor. The following day, Hannah wasn't anywhere to be seen.
They said they had sent her home.


A/N: Holy Cow! Man, every moment of this chapter was pure agnoy. Ugh! I had to say it. I've been complaining from the moment I started writing it to everyone who'd listen to me. It served its purpose, in more ways than one. One being, it distracted me from the impending DOOM that is University, and the horror of finding out I have to get my own Tax File Number...
So yeah, I understand the general tragic nature of this chapter, but I really had to force this one out.

I shall leave thee with a despondent sigh!
Bethiex.

Don't forget to REVIEW

NEXT CHAPTER: Rooms. Want a preview? Well, as a congratulations for reading this far, I'll give you one!

'Are you sure? Have we looked everywhere?' and it was as though as soon as that idea had nestled into her mind she began to feel odd.

Like she had began to drift apart; like she was turning into everything, everywhere. Somewhere she could hear the confused cries of Blaine, but she was only vaguely aware of him. She was searching now. Drifting, becoming part of every particle around her. And she saw it.

The stark realization of what she found had her hurtling back into her ghost-form close enough to Blaine for him to see her.

'What was THAT all about?' he practically shouted at her.