Time to start incorporating flashbacks into the chapters more! While some characters are personality-driven, others have had some interesting stuff happen in the past that would add to their development. In my Hunger Games SYOT, it was incredibly easy to do an info dump at the Reapings. Unfortunately, I can't do that here. I'll have to spread this kinda stuff out in this story since we want to keep the plot going while getting to know about the characters at the same time.

You should know this might be the last update for a while since I'm going back to school next week. Plus I won't have my sister around to bounce ideas off of and my second case is just not good enough yet. :( Sorry. I need to focus on other things anyways, and finishing my Hunger Games story should be my first priority when it comes to Fanfiction.

It was already dark when the students arrived back at their dorms. Gray clouds were beginning to swarm across the sky, blotting out the stars above. The approaching cold front had replaced summer's heat with a tingling chill. It was going to be a cold night.

Dinner was waiting for everyone at the Commons, but most of the teenagers were too upset to feel hungry. They retreated to their quarters and stayed there the rest of the night. Noah and Charlie were one of the few people to go the buffet, but their food was eaten in silence. When they arrived back at their room, they found the schedules Monobear had mentioned.

Noah snatched his up, scanning it with suspicious green eyes. "These aren't even real classes."

Charlie hesitated to pick his up. He had half a mind to skip class tomorrow, but the consequences outweighed the gains. So he gave into curiosity and took a look at his schedule too.

It was surprisingly bare. A freshman schedule should have had at least five classes on it. This one only contained three: Monobear Lecture, Team-Building Activities, and Independent Study. Team-Building was on Tuesdays and Thursdays while the other two classes were on the other three weekdays.

"I scheduled out my classes months before coming here! This isn't even remotely close to the classes I wanted to take." Noah complained, checking the backside of the paper, as if he expected to find the real schedule.

"I should think not." Charlie replied dully. "So when do you have lecture?"

Noah responded, "In the morning."

"I have it in the afternoon. At least we have Team-Building together."

Silence passed between the two. Suddenly, Charlie balled up his schedule in his fist and chucked it at the wall. Noah gave a small protest, looking around nervously for any sign of a security camera.

Charlie ignored him, growling, "We gotta get the hell outta here. Before we all end up like that Aussie chick."

"Asui," Noah corrected. A shudder passed down his spine as the memory of her demise tried to reestablish itself. But he forced it away and whispered, "Don't let Monobear hear you—"

"To hell with that gently caressin' bear!" Charlie said, flipping off no one in particular. He rounded on Noah, fire burning in his eyes. "I'm too valuable to the world to be killed. I'm getting out of here if it's the last thing I do! Now are you with me or not?"

"Of course!" Noah replied instantly, lifting his nose, "I'm valuable too; I'm a humanitarian! Do you have any idea what it's like to save a life?"

Charlie waved a hand, growling, "Yeah, yeah, that's besides the point. We're not saving polar bear hides—we're saving our hides. And we're some of the most important people this country has ever seen. I'll be damned if Monobear thinks he can keep us here till we're all dead and buried!"

It was nearly midnight.

Grant was lying in his bed with the window open. The stuffy room now felt nice and cool. Peaceful sounds of the night filtered in: crickets chirping, trees swaying in the breeze, rain lightly tapping the panes…but none of it could help him in his quest for sleep. Whenever he closed his eyes, his vision was splashed with red. Asui's death was tattooed into his brain.

With a frustrated sigh, Grant wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. He just wanted to escape this place. His chest felt tight. He had investigated Karah and Elaine's deaths because it was his job, but he hadn't had time to absorb everything until now.

Where are the upperclassmen? The thought sent fear quaking through him. They should have been moving in over the weekend. But not a soul showed up. No teachers, either. Did Monobear…kill them all?

He tried to let his mind drift away from these bad thoughts. He pictured himself in a hospital bed, flipping through channels, bored out of his mind. A pretty girl came walking in with a pile of books in her arms. She slapped them down on the bed, causing Grant to flinch.

"Whoa, watch the knee, Az! It's bad enough I have nine whole months of Dora the Explorer and Spanish Soap Operas ahead of me. I don't need an extension on that." Grimacing, he turned off the TV and tossed aside the remote.

Azalea snorted, "Nine months! It's like you're pregnant."

"Are pregnant women not allowed to walk around?" Grant retorted, fiddling with his silver necklace, "And if you factor in all the therapy that's gonna follow, I think I'd much rather be pregnant than have a torn ACL. Missing all these lacrosse games is killing me slowly."

As soon as he said it, he wished he could have taken it back. Grief caused his throat to swell. He tried to swallow it away and smile as if he had just told a very funny joke. Azalea seemed to be able to read his mind anyways. She slowly took a seat on the bed and asked in a soft voice, "How's your mother, by the way?"

Grant's smile faltered. "Same old, same old. On the upside, we get to visit all the time. On the downside, I can't take care of her garden for her. I doubt those lazy brothers of mine have been watering it." The thought of his mother's garden wilting freshened Grant's sorrow and he quickly changed the subject. "So what have you got for me today?"

Azalea perked up and began sorting through the books. "Some classics. And Then There Were None…The Maltese Falcon…Sherlock Holmes."

"Sweet." Grant grinned, accepting the mystery novels graciously.

"And you can pretend that every victim is the bastard who slammed into you at your last lacrosse game." Azalea said quite bluntly.

Grant laughed. "What about the culprits? They're usually more despicable than the victims."

Azalea shrugged. "Whatever makes you happy, I guess!" She got up and started towards the door.

"Going so soon?" Grant asked, his heart falling in his chest. Visitors always helped the time go by faster. And Azalea had to be his favorite visitor of all.

She offered him a hasty smile. "Yeah, sorry! Promised I'd meet my friends for lunch. Bye Grant!"

He tried to wave goodbye without appearing too dejected. As soon as Azalea was gone, he flipped open a book and began reading. There was nothing quite like immersing yourself in a book—especially a murder mystery novel.

These memories did nothing for Grant's mood. If anything, they only brought more pain. His mother was gone…and he might never see Azalea ever again. They had become so much more than friends over the years and he missed her terribly. But he could still draw wisdom from the words she had spoken.

He tried to put Asui's face onto the lacrosse player who had put him out of commission. He tried to pretend she had destroyed his dreams as a young teenager—granted, he had moved onto better things, but he was still somewhat resentful.

But it was tougher on him than usual. Asui wasn't just another fictional character in a novel. She was real…or had been real, anyways. And that made it all the more difficult.

Grant stumbled into breakfast, late as usual. He had slept right through his alarm after staying up for hours. Luckily, he still woke up in time for class. He had just enough time to throw on his usual attire and race to the Dining Commons. Dark circles were prominent under his eyes—he thought he could spot them on a few other faces as he walked in.

"Grant," Reeta called from her table. She was sitting with a large group that consisted of Blake, Gustav, Noah, and Kirby. Robin was sitting a few tables away, drinking coffee, while Carter and Natalie were dumping their trays. They said goodbye to Kirby and left.

Grant quickly filled a tray with food and went to sit next to Reeta. "Hey. What's up?"

"You have Monobear Lecture this morning too, don't you?" She guessed.

Grant nodded.

"I knew it." Reeta said, turning to Blake on her other side. "Monobear's gone and separated all the roommates! What a shame. I guess that makes you my only gal pal." She reached across the table to poke Kirby, the only other girl in the group.

She smiled awkwardly. "Um, okay!"

"Oh, and another thing!" Reeta snapped her fingers. "Monobear showed up and said he opened some new places on campus today. But the other class is gonna check it out since we're stuck in lecture."

Grant's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "Oh, cool!" He looked to where Robin was, "Are you going with them?"

Robin was too tired to feign enthusiasm. "Yes. We won't be leaving until everyone's awake. Apparently Charlie has yet to come out of his room."

I know what he's doing. Noah thought smugly, but he bit his tongue. He didn't want to give away the fact he and Charlie were trying to think up some escape plan. The others might wind up blabbing to Monobear. And they were trying to keep it very secretive, only brainstorming ideas in places they knew Monobear wouldn't have a camera.

Robin got up to leave. "Later, buddy!" Blake called after him, waving. He looked to his friends at the table. "Hey, Gustav, what's wrong?"

Gustav had been acting strange all morning. Actually, it was more than acting. He had completely changed his appearance. Reeta had actually thought he was a different person and asked for his name when he walked into the cafeteria.

He was dressed in all black. His long bangs hung in his face as he laid it flat on the table. All of his clown make-up had been washed away. In its place, he had smeared an excessive amount of eyeliner. Along with the make-up, his cheer and exuberance had vanished as well.

"Are we just gonna pretend all that stuff from yesterday didn't happen?" He said in a dismal voice. He didn't bother looking up to address the others directly.

Kirby was the one to respond. "Of course not," She said quietly, "I don't think we'll forget it anytime soon…but…but we mustn't dwell on these things."

Gustav let out a long sigh, his head flopping to the side. "I don't want to live on this planet anymore."

"Who doesn't, with all of the natural resources that have been used up?" Noah said, trying to smile at Gustav, "But you've just gotta keep going. Like Kirby said. Right?"

Gustav lifted his head and looked tearfully at Noah. "I thought you and Asui were closer than anyone?" He wondered.

Noah hesitated, scratching his curly head of hair in consideration. "Yeah…she was a pretty cool chick." He decided after a moment, "I had a lot in common with her. But she was a psycho too. I could never get behind her cause."

Kirby couldn't help but jump into the conversation. "Do you think anyone will kill after this?"

"Yes." Gustav answered simply, allowing his head to drop back down to its prior position. He whimpered in defeat as his forehead collided with the table harder than he expected.

"No way!" Reeta said with gusto, "Asui was like, disturbed or something! We're all normal. Well, sort of...in our own special ways. I don't think Monobear will be able to do anything to us!"

"Yeah!" Blake decided, slapping Reeta on the back. "This chick knows what's up!"

She giggled, glad to have someone sharing in her optimism. But everyone else was looking highly doubtful. Somehow they knew Monobear wouldn't let them get away with living peacefully in the confines of the school.

"So did Monobear clean up your room? When I got back last night, the stain was painted over." Robin said, making chitchat as their class loitered outside the dorms.

Libra hesitated, regarding everything that had happened. "Yeah. Last night he came to fix the drain and lock up Asui's room, all with those little paws of his. I don't know how he functions the way he does."

"Ah…"

"At least I get a bathroom to myself from now on."

Robin gave her a withering glance.

"Just trying to look on the bright side." Libra mumbled, then quickly changed the subject, "So who are we waiting on?"

"Charlie." Alistair answered. Just as he spoke his name, Charlie came striding out of the dorms. "Finally. Are we all here?"

"Looks like it. Let's go." Carter confirmed. He couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of exploring new places. He swept his gaze around, observing each one of his companions. The group was made up of Libra, Robin, Charlie, Teresa, Alistair, Natalie, and himself. Theirs was slightly bigger than the other class.

The seven of them began to walk down the sidewalk, prepared to explore campus. Before they could get very far, a bush rustled and out popped Monobear.

"I wasn't stalking you, I swear!" He gasped playfully, tucking a pair of binoculars behind his pudgy body.

Everyone halted.

"…Shouldn't you be teaching a class right now?" Teresa asked critically.

Monobear looked down at his feet, shuffling them sheepishly. "It starts in five minutes."

"You'd better get going then." Robin said, checking his watch.

"Hey! Are you trying to get rid of me?" Monobear fumed, hopping up and down angrily, "I came to see you because I thought you might like to know which buildings have opened up! Besides, the number one rule in college is that you have to wait ten minutes for the professor to show up before ditching. I have fifteen minutes to get over to the Law Building!"

"Law Building?" Teresa echoed. That was the building they had been in yesterday, for the trial.

Monobear nodded. "That's right. It's the Law/Business Building where Monobear Lecture is held. It'll be unlocked from now on, as will the Rec Building and the Science/Engineering Building! We have an unfinished building that was going to be the new Engineering Building, but unfortunately our construction crew was unable to finish it due to despairing circumstances."

Natalie shivered, wishing Monobear would leave already. "Is that all?"

"Is that all?! There are plenty of places to explore in those three buildings! I'll leave you freaks to it." Monobear turned and flounced off. Seeing his little body moving in the distance made the seven college students feel strangely uncomfortable.

"Let's save the Law Building for last." Libra suggested, "So we don't have to see Monobear."

"Good idea." Robin answered.

Their first stop was the Rec Building. The large basketball gym was deserted, as expected. Traces of confetti still remained on the floor. As Natalie shuffled by, they stuck to her long skirt. She bent down to brush them off. As she did so, a wave of emotion overcame her. How had everything become so awful, so quickly? Elaine and Karah seemed like such kind people. They weren't judgmental. They didn't deserve to die at the peak of their lives.

Everyone always said college is supposed to be the best years of our lives. Natalie thought bitterly, How ironic.

They moved on, wandering the spacious building. They found racquetball courts, volleyball nets, and multiple workout rooms. All sorts of sports equipment was lying around, from soccer balls to baseball bats. There was a large poster advertising Zumba classes outside one room. Libra eagerly went to check it out. Of course, the classes were taught by Monobear and planned by appointment. She walked away, shaking her head in disgust.

They decided to stop by the Law/Business Building next, since it was closer. Monobear should have been teaching at this point anyways. So they were undisturbed as they explored this new space.

The basement was closed off since the courtroom wasn't in use. On the first floor was a general library, full of books and court records. Robin was pleased to see a small coffee shop as well, but of course it was deserted. Upstairs was an endless hall of classrooms. The hall opened up into a luxurious lounge area with a high ceiling and gigantic windows. The amount of sunlight filtering in lent itself to a cheerful atmosphere. It was the perfect place to study…if they had anything to study.

The last stop on their list was the Science/Engineering Building, which held many wonders. Charlie, of course, was glad to see the portion dedicated to his major. But everyone else was more excited about the science aspect.

A door led to a small greenhouse in the back of the building. Noah would no doubt be pleased to see the assortment of plants here later on. There were all sorts of colorful flowers and vines climbing up the side of the house. Sprinklers sprayed a cool mist over the leafy green fronds. At the center of the greenhouse was a large, bright red flower that loomed over everything else. Its petals gaped wide to reveal sticky yellow insides. Venus flytraps the size of coffins surrounded it, growing out of the stem.

Monobear Flower. Do not touch! A sign warned, This flower is highly carnivorous not to mention it's loaded with poisonous toxins. So be careful, my precious bastards.

"I feel like he purposely put this here so one of us would use it to kill another." Teresa said, standing a good distance away.

Libra shrugged. "Could be a red herring."

They moved on. The next room they stepped into was pitch black and wafted cool air into their faces. Carter fumbled for the light switch and turned it on. But the lights did not come on. Instead, the broad, dome ceiling became alight with a number of twinkling stars. Constellations swirled above their heads, too many to count.

"A planetarium!" Natalie gasped, "Oh, I wish Kirby was here to see this!"

For a minute, the students just marveled at this beauty of a discovery. The walls were thick and soundproof, providing a golden silence. Whenever someone spoke, their voice carried and echoed off the walls. It was like standing in another world.

Unfortunately, they were called to finish exploring. Their last stop was a wing of the building, which had been dedicated to a museum. Stuffed animals and an assortment of paintings and artifacts lined the way. But once they reached a certain exhibit, all of them froze.

Asui's Masterpiece, the label read. Above was a large white paper, framed on the wall. The paper was spattered with red-brown blood that had long since dried. Looking past the disturbing color, the students could see Asui and Elaine's drawings: innocent doodles of classmates alongside skulls, flowers, and a portrait of Monobear.

Natalie gave a choked cry and went rushing off before anyone could stop her. "Natalie, wait!" Carter shouted, "We should stick together!" But she was a lot faster than she looked and quickly disappeared. Carter sighed, "I'll get her." and followed at a trot.

No one responded. Their gazes were fixed on the "masterpiece" before them. The very sight of it brought back all of those unpleasant memories, forcing the students to remember the trauma of yesterday.

This is worse than math class! Blake thought, horrified as he was forced to sit through another hour of Monobear lecture. The class was a grueling two hours long. Halfway through, Monobear gave a pop oral quiz. The questions were inexplicably inane, some of them pertaining to the lecture, others just random. The student who was able to answer the most questions correctly got to leave.

Gustav had been lying there with his head on his desk for the entire period. As soon as Monobear announced the quiz, he came to life and answered almost every question. The other students, who had barely paid attention, were in awe. Gustav was dismissed and walked out the door with a smile on his face, looking a little more like his old self.

As for the rest of them, they were rewarded with another hour of Monobear prattling on about nothing.

"Who can name a famous bear for me?" Monobear asked suddenly, jolting the students with his question. "Mr. Football Star?"

"Bugs Bunny!" Blake blurted out before giving the question any thought.

A laugh escaped Reeta's lips. She exchanged an amused glance with Kirby, who was seated next to her, then began scribbling furiously on a sheet of paper. The two girls had been passing notes all period.

"Bugs Bunny?!" Monobear raged, "You'd better be joking! Or else I'm going to put you in The Dum Zone with Mr. Scientist!"

"I'm sorry!" Blake apologized quickly, looking over his shoulder at Grant. "It's not my fault, I just didn't have time to think! Please don't hurt me."

After falling asleep in class, Monobear had put a dunce cap on Grant's head and forced him to sit in the corner of the room, facing away from everyone. This shameful spot was labeled 'The Dum Zone.' Grant wasn't about to argue since Monobear had machine guns at his disposal.

"I've got one for you," The bored scientist said from his corner, twisting his red cap in his hands, "Winnie the Pooh."

"Yogi Bear." Kirby offered.

"Fozzie!" Reeta gasped, looking incredibly proud of herself.

"Smokey the Bear."

Monobear looked at Noah, who was slouching in his seat.

"He's a pretty cool dude. Stops forest fires and stuff."

"Are you high?" Monobear asked.

Noah's face crumpled with confusion. "Excuse me?"

"None of you said Monobear!" Monobear wailed, scattering the papers on his desk, "I want to be famous too! When did Winnie the Pooh or Fozzie ever orchestrate a School Life of Mutual Killing? Those guys are nothing!" He bowed his head, looking as if he was going to cry.

No one bothered comforting him. He wasn't worth the effort.

An hour later, the students were relieved from their torture. As they filed out of the classroom, they spotted a few of their peers waiting to go in.

"Hello," Alistair greeted, "How was class?"

Grant gave a loud groan in response.

"…Fascinating." Alistair said sarcastically, adjusting his glasses, "Very descriptive. You have a way with words."

"Hey, man. All I can say is good luck." Grant said, offering Alistair a pat on the back. Then he turned and walked down the hall, dragging his feet. The others followed, barely sparing their roommates a glance. Monobear Lecture had drained all of their energy.

I promise the next chapter or at least the following one will be more interesting. Hope everyone enjoys what summer they have left (if you're still on vacation, that is)!