Oh fuck me six ways to Sunday.
I wake up sore, because someone, I mean me, didn't move an inch the entire night. I'm a light sleeper, too, so I guess I was sawing logs for an eternity. My head feels a lot better, so the dream definitely did me some good. I've needed a deep sleep like that for weeks.
And that dream is to thank! Or, I guess nightmare is so vivid in my head. How did I come up with all of this? Did I take too long in Hot Topic recently?
Why is the mattress on the floor?
Forget about that—I suddenly hear someone laughing, but—I live alone. Oh boy.
"Hee hee hee! Don't you have the academy to clean today?" I roll over a little to look at…
That's a ghost. That is definitely a top-hat ghost from the dream last night. I am definitely awake now as I cautiously start to sit up, staring, because a horrible feeling of dream washes over me: I don't think this is a dream anymore.
I took a bath and went to bed. Going to sleep in a dream wakes you up. This isn't Inception. There's no dream-layers. So if the ghost is here, and I'm still in this dilapidated room…
That all happened. That's not a figment of my wild imagination.
Grim mumbles in his sleep, "Zzz… five more minutes…"
Another ghost appears, "If you keep sleeping, you may never wake up again."
"Like us!" The third cackles.
"Nyah!" Well, he wakes up pretty easy when ghosts are around. I'll remember that.
I think I'm in some sort of shock because I'm not scared out of my wits like last night.
"The ghosts again!? Hey! No! Wake up!"
"I iam/i awake." I reply.
A few shots of fire, and they back off. It seems they're… playing around?
"Hee hee! So, you two are going to live here from now on?" This one looks bone thin. I'm naming them Boney. That's how I'm going to cope with this. "I hope you like our pranks!"
"We need to run these ghosts out for good!" Grim growls.
The familiar foreboding of footsteps of an uninvited individual stroll right into this room. Does no one respect that girls like to be left alone in their rooms? Actually, that's everybody but I'm feeling particularly grouchy as the unwelcome sight of the all-too familiar and not a figment of my nightmare, Mr. Dire 'Child Labor Laws Don't Exist for You' Crowley enters. A very, very unwelcome sight. And he's cheery as can be!
I also hate morning people.
"Good morning, No! Did you sleep well?" I realize he's basically my legal guardian now. I am definitely no longer an adult.
I need an adult. A REAL adult.
"When I laid down, the bottom of the bed fell out! How ramshackle is this neglected dorm?" Grim starts, irritated. How did I not notice that? Was I literally that tired last night? I swear I should've remembered something like that happening. I blink almost owlishly. "And worse, ghosts woke us up!"
"I slept pretty great." It's the honest truth. I need to stretch, but, I am definitely well rested.
"Wonderful! Even after being sent from another world! You are very tough. Now, to business, let us discuss your task for the day." Slave driver.
"I would like to get ready first." I know the look on my face says iGet out/i.
It's also day time and his eyes are still glowing. Creep Master 9000 indeed. But he takes the hint. "I will wait for you in the lounge. Do not take too long, No."
Yeah, okay.
Grim curls up to take a cat nap and I go and get ready… Well, I don't really have much choice in clothing, right? Except I spy a closet and open it up! Oh! There's a few uniforms in here, and they look a bit too big but that's a start. I pull out a white button-up and a plain black blazer, hitting the dust off of them. Yeah, these will go with the pants from last night and the nice loafers. I hit the jackpot.
The ghosts really did scare off everyone, huh? They even left a lot of things behind. That works for me, because considering I have no money, and no means to get actual, gainful employment… I need all the luck I can get to afford my ibasic necessities/i.
There's even a comb on the bathroom sink. I get to wash up and look nice and neat… even if the clothes are baggy and I swear I look like a delinquent with how I have to roll up the sleeves and cuff the pants. Maybe I'll just walk off the cuffs…
I'm going to have to hand wash this sports bra every night until I can find more… ugh.
But looking nice and combing long hair takes awhile, and I think I hear the Ringmaster mumbling to himself.
I go to Grim, giving him a shake. "Hey, c'mon, we're in this together."
"Nyahhh…" He grumbles, finally, sleepily getting out of bed as we both go down the stairs to see what horrific tasks Crowley has for us.
"Today, you will clean the campus. Even if the academy is very cleanly… you do not have magic, and cleaning all of it is impossible. So for today, focus on Main Street. It is from the main gate to the library. Now, No… I expect you to look after Grim, and make sure he does not cause another ruckus like yesterday." Does he think he looks stern when he crosses his arms? How hasn't he clawed himself?
"Understood." I reply, Grim looks so sleepy. It's cute.
"I will rely on you, No. You may have lunch at the cafeteria. Work hard!"
And with that, he whisks away.
"I hate cleaning!" Grim grumps. "I want to go to magic classes, I want to learn cool magic tricks! BANG! BA-BA-BOOM!"
"Grim, we can go to the library and study after we finish cleaning." I remind him; there's probably a lot of books on cool magic. And… maybe a way for me to go home.
Grim grumbles, but at least he follows along with me.
I remember the way from the dorm to the academy at least. I see it in the distance when we exit the dorm. Turning toward the old gate, which is on the opposite side of where I think the main campus is. If I went to the school, it wouldn't be a terrible walk to go to class, at least. I'll probably have to ask someone where the cafeteria is later.
The path takes us around a bend. And on our right-"I wonder what that dome building is…" I remark, as Grim grumbles behind me, trudging along. He's definitely in a mood. On our left is another guiding, but I'm not paying it any mind. Following the path takes us to a bridge, and I'm suddenly aware that this might be a perilous landscape as I see the water down below.
It's quite a walk too, but the path is lined with lampposts; it means I can get back to the dorm at night or day. Now, the large building we're circling is pretty, I think, and honestly I hope I'll have time to explore a little. I'm pretty curious, as I follow the bend and up the staircase. On our right is a statue, standing tall and alone, and on our left is a strange… monument? It's a tower that reaches up into the sky. It could be a small building of some sort, I'm not really sure. But then there's almost a barn-like building and when I see the details of the rust-colored roof…
"Look, we're almost there, Grim! And the sooner we get done cleaning, the sooner you can learn some magic in the library. Isn't that exciting?"
Grim gives me another grumble. He's not a morning person.
I think my eye color change gave me better vision. Sure, I can see well enough, but the crisp details of everything I see is… amazing.
There's a tree-lined path, and when I look down to my right I can see the library, which means to my left is the gate.
A sigh leaves my lips. It doesn't look too bad. Maybe we'll be able to do some research after lunch.
