Chapter 36

Nine

I don't want to chase around anymore, and I have someone I want to talk to.

I knock on Maddy's door.

For a short while, she doesn't answer. She must either be out, ignoring me or didn't hear. I raise my fist to knock again, then pause and turn around.

"Stanley." She says. "Come in."

It's super awkward, at first we just sit and stare and the floor.

"So, how are you alive?" I ask

"I honestly have no idea. Some man asked me for a coin, I walked away and the next thing I knew I was in a hospital bed. Apparently some girl found me but when I asked to see her they couldn't find her anywhere."

"When was this?"

"About a year ago."

"I'm surprised you didn't rot."

"Wow."

"I didn't mean it like that. But, you, died over two years ago."

"I've got no idea what happened either."

"Did the girl tell anyone where you were found? If you were kept in a freezer then that would explain it."

"They didn't even know her name, apparently all they said was that she found a girl. The description they gave could suit over half of the female population and CCTV didn't help. Messy brown hair, average height, average body shape, English accent and was in her teens."

That description fits Katy.

No, that description also fits a million other teenage girls, it couldn't be her. Besides, this was a year ago, and useless.

In the corridor, I hear crying.

"Look, Stanley I'm getting really tired. I've not been the same since Well, you know."

"I get it, I should go see that outside." I say, heading towards the door.

After I close it, I hear "well that was awkward." From inside.

Couldn't agree more.

On the floor are two girls, a brunette and a blonde, crying on the floor. They're north in sleeping bags and the others around them look upset.

"What're you guys doing?"

"Well, Six kicked us out of the boys dorm so now we're here." Says one of the girls, and takes a sip of something that's clear and I'm almost certain isn't water. Hell, what do I care? "Why are you crying?" I ask

"I don't want to talk about it." Huffs the brunette, going deeper into her sleeping bag.

In another room I hear 'everyone seems to know the score' and it causes more tears.

"Alright, I'm just going."

"I think we should pray to Shrek to ease the pain." Suggests one of the girls. "Our Shrek, who art in thy swamp."

Right, I'm done. Crazy humans.

"James, fuck off with your Shrek fetish."

"But Shrek is love, Shrek is life." I hear, followed by a scream.

"NO! I don't want the tea!"

(This actually happened, but not at the same time. I did NCS and on the first week we got kicked out the boys room so we all hung out in the corridor outside the girls room, which was separate and even more private than the dorm which we had left the door of open anyways, so I'm not sure why we were allowed there, and on the second week we were camping and after England lost the World Cup my two friends cried while in sleeping bags and when I played Three Lions they started crying even more. So I thought I'd combine the two. I Really hope none of them are reading this I'd probably yeet myself off a cliff since they'd know who I am. Also I'm not sure where to go from here ahhh)

Merlin.

"So, how much do you know about us?" Asks the girl who eats with me.

"Your parents are gods." I say. "But I'm confused, I thought there was only one god? My human studies class told us that many humans worship, but only to one god. Whether it's God, Allah or someone else."

"Human studies class?" She repeats.

"It was an optional course."

"So you're quite the nerd."

"You sound like my brothers." I smile.

"And if you want my advice, don't question magic. Just accept it."

"There are many gods. Also, why was I told not to tell anyone? Isn't it like being a Guarde, you're warriors right?"

"Humans are very different from your Loric people. I heard that if you're a human Guarde and you don't go to the Academy, you get placed in solitary confinement. Who knows what would have happened if Nine didn't create that Academy. But they're just normal people on Loric."

"Basically."

"So, why aren't you named after a number?" A boy asks

"Because my parents were normal Guardes." I shrug.