Morning had come all too soon as his alarm clock jabbed needles into his ears. Ezra groaned as he stirred in his warm bed, feeling reluctant to get up. His jaw hurt even more than the previous night, having transformed into a dull throb rather than the momentary pain he had experienced when he had stared at the raw meat. He really hoped he didn't have cavities, dental trips had never been his favourite although he never had cavities that felt like this before.

Turning off the alarm clock after he heard banging on the wall from Sabine, whose room was next to his, and he groggily got up. He felt more tired than he ever had, despite having slept for so long. Forcing himself out of bed, Ezra got dressed for the day and made his way downstairs for breakfast. Grabbing his favourite cereal, he faltered as he stared at the box with slight unease. Instead of the usual eagerness he would feel to chow down his breakfast, he felt his stomach coil in disgust and he slowly set the cereal back down on the counter. Maybe he would just skip breakfast that day, perhaps his body was still recovering from shock from the mansion and possibly last night's nightmare.

Ezra shuddered at the memory of the cruel man and his body reacted to the image of blood, flushing with hunger. Frowning, Ezra stomped down the feeling as he pushed passed Sabine up the stairs and to the bathroom to finish up his morning routine. He couldn't possibly feel hungry from thinking of the vile red substance known as blood, it just wasn't feasible unless this was a sign that he had watched too much television and read too many books, and quite possibly was just overthinking the whole thing. Sighing, he picked up his toothbrush and smeared toothpaste on top, hoping to get away from the disturbing thoughts.

Brushing his teeth, he looked up into the mirror for the first time since he had come home and nearly jumped out of his skin. His skin was far paler than usual and there were dark circles beneath his eyes, betraying how tired he really was. What was more frightening, however, was the fact that his reflection looked almost transparent as if he were fading away with every passing second. Ezra gasped at the ghastly sight, and quickly looked away, unable to comprehend what he was seeing and quickly finished up before fleeing the bathroom.

The mirror incident had freaked him out and he was struggling to come up with a feasible explanation. There was no way that Sabine would know how to do a prank with that type of effect, could she?

"Sabine," Ezra hesitantly called out when he saw her in the hallway and she looked up from her phone at him with raised eyebrows. "Did you do something to the mirror?"

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, "No, I haven't. Why?"

"Oh, nothing then," he nervously laughed, and rubbed the back of his head. He really needed to get rid of that nervous habit of his, he was certain that his family knew his body language very well by this point. "I thought you were the one that placed the spider there to scare me."

It was a lie, but there was no way he could tell her that his reflection was transparent. She would think he was crazier than she already thought he was. Sabine slowly nodded her head, still gazing at him with a degree of suspicion.

"Alright, weirdo," she said, ruffling his hair as she went into her bedroom. Ezra sighed in relief that she had not decided to question him, he did not know how many more lies he could tell anymore.

Sabine and Ezra said their quick goodbyes to their parents before they walked together to school. The morning was shadowed by clouds, the bitter winds sweeping across the damp, decaying leaves that littered the streets and pavement. Ezra would have normally complained about the cold, not able to handle it well in comparison to his sister, but that morning, it did not feel chilly despite the temperature hovering close to five degrees Celsius. Perhaps he was finally getting used to the colder climate, or he really was getting sick with what had been happening to him lately.

He warily eyed the school as he approached the front doors, remembering what had happened the previous day. Tentatively, Ezra took a step forward, screwing his eyes shut in anticipation of being denied access into the building much like what had happened the previous day when he had first attempted to walk into his home.. When nothing happened, he slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was standing inside the school foyer. I must be really losing my mind , Ezra inwardly sighed and headed towards his homeroom.

Zare, Kevin, and Jai were chatting, crackling over some jokes when Ezra entered the classroom. They stopped and stared at him, snickering under their breaths as they threw a paper ball at him.

"Ezra!" Kevin called out, grinning as the boy approached them wearily. Ezra opened his mouth to announce that he had won their bet and they owed him money when the teacher walked in, declaring the beginning of their first class. Mrs. Cooper was a strict, elderly woman who accepted no dilly-dallying during her lessons, her ice blue eyes piercing into anyone who had the audacity to even cough. The boys gave each other a hard stare before taking their seats. Ezra supposed their business would just have to wait.

Time seemed to move agonisingly slowly until lunch time had finally arrived and the boys swaggered over towards Ezra with an air of confidence. Ezra decided to take this as a sign that things would not go as smoothly as he would have hoped for.

"You guys owe me a hundred bucks," he said, smirking as he leaned forward onto his desk. The boys just snickered.

"Did you actually even spend the night there?" Zare asked, his face contorted in disbelief, his lips twitching trying to hold back his laugh and failing miserably.

Ezra glared at them, unamused at their accusations. They don't believe you , something purred at the back of Ezra's mind, it sounded like his own voice and yet it sounded too distorted to be his own. They think of you as nothing more than a worm squirming helplessly at the beaks of so-proclaimed vultures.

"Yes, I did, now cough it up," he demanded again, holding out his hand expectedly.

"Yeah right, as if we'd believe you," Kevin retorted, slapping Ezra's hand away.

"But I did ," Ezra's voice began to rise in anger. Yes, feel the anger, let it fuel you. Use its power to dominate those low lives, put them in their place.

"Then what proof do you have?" Kevin asked, and they leaned forward, knowing that Ezra would not have any.

"I don't have any, but I slept there all night," Ezra continued, holding his ground like a stubborn bull. He had not spent all night in that wretched place for nothing!

"As if," Jai joined in. "Since you have no proof, you don't get any money. Besides, we all know you're lying, probably too much of a wuss to have done it."

Ezra shot up from his seat, his chair tumbling backwards from the sudden force. A deep, foreign anger, one like he had never felt before, stormed within him as he glared at his classmates. He had had a hellish night in that stupid mansion because of that bet they had placed, and even if it had all been a dream, he did not go through all of that just for nothing.

"I said I spent the entire night there," Ezra said through gritted teeth, balling his fists to prevent them from trembling. They all laughed at Ezra, enjoying his reaction.

They mock you, the voice said, dripping with honey too sweet as if to disguise the poison within. Hurt them . Make them pay .

"That's too bad," Kevin snorted out, "We just don't believe a loser like you."

Ezra suddenly saw red and, without giving it a second thought, he punched Kevin, hitting him square in the jaw. Wide eyes stared as Kevin was sent flying to the other side of the room, tumbling over the desks as he went. He collapsed in a heap, lying unmoving against the wall. Ezra's jaw went slack as he stared down at this fist, wondering how he had summoned that much strength. He had never hit someone before, but he was very certain that he was not that strong.

The voice at the back of his mind laughed at the events that had unfolded before going quiet, almost as if it had withdrawn itself from Ezra's head, leaving a void. Zare and Jai took a step away from Ezra in fear, regarding him as if he was a havoc wreaking and untamed beast. However, it was the sight of Kevin's head, hanging limply, with blood droplets pooling on the scalp stirred something within Ezra, and his gums began to ache with incredible discomfort.

He opened his mouth to apologise, to explain that he had not meant to when Mrs. Cooper barged into the room followed by a few of his classmates. She first moved towards Kevin, placing a hand on his shoulder as he regained consciousness and ordered someone to take him to the infirmary. She then stomped then towards Ezra, causing him to stiffen in fear, anticipating what was to come.

"Ezra Jarrus," Mrs. Cooper said in a cold voice, "Come with me to the principal's office right this instant."

No one said anything to Ezra as he followed their teacher out of the classroom, hanging his head in shame. He really had not meant to seriously harm Kevin. It was only meant to be a light punch, bruising him at best, but had never intended to throw him across the room and cause him to bleed. The sight had left an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of Ezra's stomach that he assumed it was due to the shock. His hands trembled, he could still feel where his knuckles had come in contact with Kevin's face.

The walk to the principal's office was a short one and he was told to wait in one of the chairs outside until one of his parents arrived. Ezra sat restlessly, swinging his feet back and forth as he gripped tightly at the edges of his seat. Guilt jabbed at him, chaining him down with a heavy conscience as his mind kept wandering back to the scene of Kevin flying back, his cry echoing in Ezra's ears. His eyes widened with dread when he saw his mom approaching him with worried eyes, and turned away, unable to face her.

Mrs. Cooper stood up from her seat beside Ezra, and hauled him up with her, keeping her grip firm on his arm.

"Ah, Mrs. Jarrus," she greeted, her voice barely holding any hint of pleasantry. "Right this way."

She led them through the principal's office door and offered for them to take a seat. The principal, Mr. Aresko, was a tall and slender man that reminded Ezra of a weasel with beady black eyes and a long nose. He regarded the boy with disdain before turning his attention to Hera.

"Mrs. Jarrus," he greeted, holding an air of authority. "I believe you know why you have been called in today?"

"I-"

"Your son has punched a kid unprovoked," Mr. Aresko interrupted and Ezra glared at the man in disbelief. He was about to open his mouth to object, but the principal continued, giving the boy a quick look of disapproval with narrowed eyes. "Mr. Brunson has received four stitches on his scalp and is now suffering from a concussion. I am afraid that we will have to suspend young Jarrus for the time being, this behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated."

"But Mr. Aresko, I am sure there has to be a reasonable explanation as to what happened," Hera frowned, her hand grabbing Ezra's in comfort. "I know that Ezra would not hurt anyone intentionally."

"Be it as it may, it does not change the situation. Mr. Jarrus has injured a fellow classmate and must face consequences."

Hera was about to open her mouth in protest again when Ezra spoke up instead.

"I understand," he said in a voice so calm, he surprised himself, considering that all he felt like doing was cry. However, deep down, he knew that he was the one at fault and couldn't deny it. "I will accept the consequences for my actions."

"Good," Mr. Aresko said, nodding his head approvingly. "Then that will be all. Thank you for coming, Mrs. Jarrus. Good day."

Hera and Ezra left the office in a heavy silence as they trudged towards the school's front doors. His shoulders were hunched over with a sense of shame, never had his mother been called to school before and with the continuous lying, the shame gnawed away at him. The bet had been nothing but trouble and Ezra wished he had never accepted it.

"Mom," Ezra called out, his voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper as he fought the urge to cry. Hera glanced down at him, her eyes softening as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's okay, dear. I know you wouldn't have done anything like that without a reason," she said and Ezra could feel his heart breaking from the guilt; if only she knew. His mother was so kind and loving, and all he had done for these past few days was lie and now this. "Do you want to talk about it back at home?"

Ezra shook his head, he would rather remain silent than have to deceive his family again. Hera nodded in understanding, placing a quick kiss on Ezra's forehead before they continued on their walk home. He felt grateful that his mom for being as compassionate as she was and did not push for more information.

The day had been grey since that morning, clouds blanketing over them in a furious embrace with cold, autumn winds. Then, there was a break and slivers of light slipped through the dark clouds, causing Ezra to wince in discomfort. There was a sharp pain where the sun reached his face, his skin burning as if touched by hot metal, causing a headache between his eyes so intense that it disorientated his vision, making him stumble slightly forward as he nearly lost his footing. It was strange to have such a strong reaction to so little sunlight when even the coldest of winds had never caused a headache of such severity. Ezra hastily pulled his hood up, tightening the ropes so that his face was barely peeking through the coat and the effect was almost immediate. He sighed with relief as the pain of the migraine dulled.

"All okay?" Hera asked, one brow raised as she regarded him with an unreadable expression. He guessed that he must look silly with the way his eyes barely peeking out from under the hood.

"Yeah, the wind's just a bit cold," he smiled, not that his mom could see it. It was true that it was windy, but just like that morning, he was not feeling particularly cold.

"I suppose it is," she replied back, amused. "Winter is coming after all."

"Mhm," Ezra hummed in agreement. Soon they had found themselves in the comforting warmth of their home. He plopped onto the sofa with a sigh, feeling suddenly exhausted. It did not help that his jaw was beginning to ache again and his throat was starting to itch as if he was getting sick. Hera watched Ezra from the doorway of the living room with concerned eyes.

"Do you want some pumpkin pie?" She asked, her gentle voice soothing over Ezra's growing headache. He didn't even bother sitting up from his spot as he gave his response, merely nodding his head 'yes'.

"Okay, I will go get you some."

There was a soft thud of a plate being placed onto the coffee table alongside with a glass of milk, and Ezra mumbled out a small 'thank you'. Reluctantly, he forced himself up, his head swimming with the sudden movement.

"I have to make a quick phone call, but I will be back to check on you soon, okay?"

The boy only nodded. He did not understand why he had suddenly become so weak, having been fine only moments ago. It could be because of the stress, he reasoned, and that he really was getting sick - after all, it was the season for colds and the flu, and he had fallen in wet mud puddles the previous day. Ezra grabbed the plate of his favourite pie and slowly brought a piece up to his mouth. It took a lot more effort than he would have liked to admit, his lips slightly quivering as they opened. It was the same as last night and this morning where food had suddenly appeared unappetising, the smell alone sending waves of nausea over him.

Finally, his mouth closed around the fork and Ezra chewed. It was the same pie of a few days ago, only now it tasted like something that had gone well over its expiry date and it took all his effort not to gag. Sweat broke out on his forehead and he set the plate down with a loud clatter, nearly dropping it onto the floor as he doubled over in pain, clutching at his stomach. The sounds of the plate and his groans of agony must have caught his mother's attention as she quickly came running to his side, kneeling beside him to get a better look.

"Ezra, are you okay? What's wrong?"

Ezra shook his head, too afraid that it wouldn't be words alone that came tumbling out his mouth. Hera gently pulled his head back and touched his forehead, flinching away with a gasp.

"You're cold as ice," she gasped, hastily grabbing a cloth to wipe away the sheen of sweat off the boy's forehead. "Come, let's get you into your bed, get you all warmed up."

Hera placed Ezra's arm around her shoulder and heaved him up. The trek up the stairs was a difficult one with the boy quickly losing more of his energy, causing him to stumble over his own feet. When they finally made it to the top, Ezra wrenched himself out of his mother's grasp and heaved out the contents of his stomach, unable to hold back his nausea any longer.

"I'm sorry," he croaked out as his mother continued to rub circles on his back in comfort.

"It's okay, I will clean it up," she said as she guided him to his room. "First, let's tuck you into bed."