Soz it's been a while to get the next chappy up and running, but it's been
a pretty hectic last week of term for me. I'll really get on with the story
during the Easter Holidays, though, coz I'll have a lot more time then. So,
on with the story!
Chapter 5- Sleep
"Are they here yet?" queried Shacie, yawning loudly and stretching her six arms like a cat. Carmen took another glimpse out the window, but saw only the sun climbing over the hills on one side, and on the other, the sea's waves retreating and returning calmly, creating quite a peaceful atmosphere. The two other buildings stood proudly, quite identical to where Carmen was, but the North House dwarfed them, its grandeur impressive in the early morning sunlight. Carmen stayed where she was.
"No, not yet."
"Maybe they don't know what house they're in. It happens sometimes- something to do with the Year Rota, according to Professor Fern. And things are pretty unorganised, what with the new Head coming."
"Yes, but that's no excuse. They both received the acceptance letter, I presume?" Carmen asked in a stately voice. Shacie shuffled over to a large filing cabinet at the edge of South House's Group Room, and opened one of its glass doors. She rummaged through the folders until she spotted what she had been looking for and took it out, flipping over the pages.
"Let's see here...yep, by the looks of it, they both got the acceptance letters. There's no reason why they shouldn't be here, at least, one that hasn't been arranged beforehand." Carmen stood up, perfectly balanced on a tentacle that was formed by the thinning of her body, and slithered out the door leaving Shacie calling after her.
"Car, where're you going?"
"The South House Entrance Hall. I don't want to disturb anyone's sleep when they come." Carmen continued slinking her way down a narrow but cosily-lit corridor, and took a right down some stairs which led to a large, high- ceilinged Entrance Hall, the walls decorated with ornate paintings and intricate carvings, most of which were of South House's crest; a bright, half-moon gleaming in the background, while in the foreground, a collection of large waves making up a fictional sea glittered along with a Shryli (an intellectual bird with four wings) perched high up a tree.
Carmen waited by the double doors that led outside, impatiently. It was only her first year at Crynferse University, and, as she had been nominated South House Captiness, it was her duty to see to anyone that arrived late for the beginning of term. Everyone was expected to arrive a day early to take a look at their new surroundings and introduce themselves to the many Professors, Mistresses and Masters of Crynferse. Unfortunately, the South House Captain, who had been there for several years, didn't agree with Carmen's principles and had refused to wait with her.
After several minutes of tedious lingering about, Carmen decided to give up. She'd been waiting for hours, and either they were very late and had a brilliant reason for being so delayed, or they weren't going to come at all. She turned around, her three perfect plaits of raven-coloured hair swinging with her, and began to make her way back up the stairs. Carmen needn't have done that, though- because as soon as she had turned, the two heavy wooden doors of South House shook, implying that someone was struggling to get inside.
Carmen jumped, her heart suddenly beating ferociously as the THUNK, THUNK of someone knocking on the door reverberated around the Entrance Hall. She quickly slithered over to the door and hefted it open, looking angrily at the windswept and awfully tired monsters that stood before her. The purple one shoved her aside rudely, dragging his bedraggled belongings behind him. The other one smiled guiltily and held out his hand as he apologised.
"Sorry about my friend there, but we've had one heck of a long night. Anyway, maybe I should introduce myself. Jay Javino, at your service." He winked and offered his hand once more in a polite manner, but Carmen wouldn't have it. She stared at him coldly, her black skin shining in the dim light of the torches that were dotted along the walls.
"You had better have had a long night, because I've been waiting for hours for your arrival, and I'm still waiting for at least a partially believable reason as to why you weren't here when you should have been!" Randall interrupted Carmen's little tantrum by tapping her on the shoulder. She swept round, steam seeming to come out of her pointed ears. Her features, which were, in a sense, almost human-like (except for the absence of a nose) were screwed up in anger. Randall just looked at her evenly, not seeming to notice her rage.
"Where can we put our stuff?" Carmen clenched her jaw.
"Didn't you just hear what I've just stated?"
"Yes, and I couldn't care less." Carmen remained silent, and Randall could feel his own temper flaring up a little.
"Okay, I'll make it nice and easy for you. Where's...our...room?" he said, spitting each word out with precise pronunciation. Carmen still didn't answer.
"Do you REALLY want to know what happened?"
"Yes."
"Well, here's a little...appetiser, shall we say? Our car blew up. Do you wanna hear more? Coz I tell ya, it's a pretty interesting anecdote to hear at 5:00 IN THE MORNING." Randall bared his teeth aggressively, his sarcastic nature emerging. Carmen realized what she was dealing with, and decided to back down. If it was any other case, she wouldn't have even thought about giving up, but, then again, how many times had she had to back down to a lizard-monster who obviously didn't have complete control of his own temper after his car had blown up in the early hours of the morning?
"Your accommodation is upstairs to the left. You'll find a corridor with five doors leading off of it after you go through the door with the blue version of our crest. Take the second door on the right- it leads up to another narrow staircase and at its end is your room, along with your new roommates." Randall relaxed having got the information they had needed. But just as the two of them had turned, beginning to trundle up the stairs, Carmen spoke once more.
"I expect a proper explanation for your absence at breakfast. And I think that our Head of House, Professor Fern, would like to have a word with you then, as well." She disappeared down another corridor, her arms swinging like a sergeant in the army.
"Jeez, what a bossy neat-freak!" exclaimed Jay.
"How do you know?" said Randall as they followed Carmen's instructions.
"I dunno. She just seems like it. To be honest, Ran, I don't really like her."
"I wouldn't be too picky about friends if I were you. Who knows; she might come of use in the future."
"Her? No way! She didn't even tell us her name!"
"And I didn't tell her mine."
******************
Warily, they reached the top of the dark staircase that Carmen had described, and shoved open a small wooden door at its end. The room that they entered was dark and cramped, tow bunk beds that had been illuminated by the sun's early morning rays in one corner, while in the other were a couple of armchairs encircling a fireplace, the flames that had been burning brightly inside it having been stamped down several hours ago. Other than that, this room was bare apart from some wooden wardrobes and empty shelves appalling hung on the wall, so lopsided it was as though someone obese had mistaken them for some very small benches.
The windows were open, yet the air was stiflingly still, creating a slightly suffocating atmosphere. The two other occupants of this room stirred in their sleep before quietening, enjoying their dreams completely unaware of Jay and Randall. Randall picked up his stuff, brought it and himself into the room and, after deciding that sleep was more important than unpacking, motioned for Jay to join him so they could decide who would have what bunk.
Randall tried to make as little interference as possible; he didn't want their new roommates to get off to a bad start with them. Jay, on the other hand, spoilt Randall's efforts as soon as he stepped into the room. After he had flicked several lights on, he bounded up to Randall, excited beyond belief, and grabbed the shocked lizard-monster by his upper shoulders.
"Isn't this GREAT?!" he exclaimed, shaking his friend ecstatically.
"Our own room! With roommates!" He let go of Randall, climbed up the tiny steps that led to the top of the unoccupied bunk beds, and flopped down, making the whole structure creak ominously.
"Er, Jay? Maybe it'd be better if I sleep on the top bunk-"
"No way, hose'! I've never slept in a bunk bed before, so I DESERVE to have the top bunk." Randall refused the temptation to roll his eyes when he realized that their roommates, who he had completely forgotten about, had woken up grumpily. The one dwelling in the bottom bunk had rolled out of bed, too tired to be angry. The other of the two leaned over the rail of his top bunk after fumbling about for his glasses. Randall recognised the short, backward-kneed figure immediately.
"Hey, Fungus. Didn't realize that you're one of our roommates." Fungus nodded meekly. He had known Randall for years, through good experiences and bad. Yawning loudly, the other, larger monster eyed Randall.
"You two our new roommates, eh?" he said in a distinctly Italian accent.
"Yep!" Jay called from above.
"Why you wake us up, huh?" Randall shook his head.
"Don't blame it on me. I was all for letting you sleep, but Jay wouldn't leave it." The monster kept eyeing Randall suspiciously, so he tried to break the ice a bit.
"Call me Randall."
"Jerome, and if you wanna have good long years here, you switch the lights off and leave us in peace, eh?" Randall nodded, and as each individual light was turned off, the room got darker and darker. Jay had settled down, and by the time Randall was climbing into bed himself, there was a loud snoring coming from the bunk above him. Randall, now tucked snugly under the soft, white covers of his bed, reached over to switch his bedside lamp off- the last source of light in the room although it was already getting quite a bit brighter as the sun rose.
As he did so, Randall noticed something on his hand. He raised his hand sceptically up to the faint light that had been dancing around the room, and saw a little crusty circle of dry blood in the centre of his palm. He furrowed his brow, then relaxed having remembered the reason of this cut; when the car had exploded, he had grabbed Jay, trying to escape from the massive blast and one of Jay's sharp spikes had pieced him. Randall turned over, his eyelids closing slowly. It was funny how long ago that seemed, now they were here, at their destination.
Randall fell soundly asleep, breathing steadily, engulfed in dreams and memories rather forgotten...
Chapter 5- Sleep
"Are they here yet?" queried Shacie, yawning loudly and stretching her six arms like a cat. Carmen took another glimpse out the window, but saw only the sun climbing over the hills on one side, and on the other, the sea's waves retreating and returning calmly, creating quite a peaceful atmosphere. The two other buildings stood proudly, quite identical to where Carmen was, but the North House dwarfed them, its grandeur impressive in the early morning sunlight. Carmen stayed where she was.
"No, not yet."
"Maybe they don't know what house they're in. It happens sometimes- something to do with the Year Rota, according to Professor Fern. And things are pretty unorganised, what with the new Head coming."
"Yes, but that's no excuse. They both received the acceptance letter, I presume?" Carmen asked in a stately voice. Shacie shuffled over to a large filing cabinet at the edge of South House's Group Room, and opened one of its glass doors. She rummaged through the folders until she spotted what she had been looking for and took it out, flipping over the pages.
"Let's see here...yep, by the looks of it, they both got the acceptance letters. There's no reason why they shouldn't be here, at least, one that hasn't been arranged beforehand." Carmen stood up, perfectly balanced on a tentacle that was formed by the thinning of her body, and slithered out the door leaving Shacie calling after her.
"Car, where're you going?"
"The South House Entrance Hall. I don't want to disturb anyone's sleep when they come." Carmen continued slinking her way down a narrow but cosily-lit corridor, and took a right down some stairs which led to a large, high- ceilinged Entrance Hall, the walls decorated with ornate paintings and intricate carvings, most of which were of South House's crest; a bright, half-moon gleaming in the background, while in the foreground, a collection of large waves making up a fictional sea glittered along with a Shryli (an intellectual bird with four wings) perched high up a tree.
Carmen waited by the double doors that led outside, impatiently. It was only her first year at Crynferse University, and, as she had been nominated South House Captiness, it was her duty to see to anyone that arrived late for the beginning of term. Everyone was expected to arrive a day early to take a look at their new surroundings and introduce themselves to the many Professors, Mistresses and Masters of Crynferse. Unfortunately, the South House Captain, who had been there for several years, didn't agree with Carmen's principles and had refused to wait with her.
After several minutes of tedious lingering about, Carmen decided to give up. She'd been waiting for hours, and either they were very late and had a brilliant reason for being so delayed, or they weren't going to come at all. She turned around, her three perfect plaits of raven-coloured hair swinging with her, and began to make her way back up the stairs. Carmen needn't have done that, though- because as soon as she had turned, the two heavy wooden doors of South House shook, implying that someone was struggling to get inside.
Carmen jumped, her heart suddenly beating ferociously as the THUNK, THUNK of someone knocking on the door reverberated around the Entrance Hall. She quickly slithered over to the door and hefted it open, looking angrily at the windswept and awfully tired monsters that stood before her. The purple one shoved her aside rudely, dragging his bedraggled belongings behind him. The other one smiled guiltily and held out his hand as he apologised.
"Sorry about my friend there, but we've had one heck of a long night. Anyway, maybe I should introduce myself. Jay Javino, at your service." He winked and offered his hand once more in a polite manner, but Carmen wouldn't have it. She stared at him coldly, her black skin shining in the dim light of the torches that were dotted along the walls.
"You had better have had a long night, because I've been waiting for hours for your arrival, and I'm still waiting for at least a partially believable reason as to why you weren't here when you should have been!" Randall interrupted Carmen's little tantrum by tapping her on the shoulder. She swept round, steam seeming to come out of her pointed ears. Her features, which were, in a sense, almost human-like (except for the absence of a nose) were screwed up in anger. Randall just looked at her evenly, not seeming to notice her rage.
"Where can we put our stuff?" Carmen clenched her jaw.
"Didn't you just hear what I've just stated?"
"Yes, and I couldn't care less." Carmen remained silent, and Randall could feel his own temper flaring up a little.
"Okay, I'll make it nice and easy for you. Where's...our...room?" he said, spitting each word out with precise pronunciation. Carmen still didn't answer.
"Do you REALLY want to know what happened?"
"Yes."
"Well, here's a little...appetiser, shall we say? Our car blew up. Do you wanna hear more? Coz I tell ya, it's a pretty interesting anecdote to hear at 5:00 IN THE MORNING." Randall bared his teeth aggressively, his sarcastic nature emerging. Carmen realized what she was dealing with, and decided to back down. If it was any other case, she wouldn't have even thought about giving up, but, then again, how many times had she had to back down to a lizard-monster who obviously didn't have complete control of his own temper after his car had blown up in the early hours of the morning?
"Your accommodation is upstairs to the left. You'll find a corridor with five doors leading off of it after you go through the door with the blue version of our crest. Take the second door on the right- it leads up to another narrow staircase and at its end is your room, along with your new roommates." Randall relaxed having got the information they had needed. But just as the two of them had turned, beginning to trundle up the stairs, Carmen spoke once more.
"I expect a proper explanation for your absence at breakfast. And I think that our Head of House, Professor Fern, would like to have a word with you then, as well." She disappeared down another corridor, her arms swinging like a sergeant in the army.
"Jeez, what a bossy neat-freak!" exclaimed Jay.
"How do you know?" said Randall as they followed Carmen's instructions.
"I dunno. She just seems like it. To be honest, Ran, I don't really like her."
"I wouldn't be too picky about friends if I were you. Who knows; she might come of use in the future."
"Her? No way! She didn't even tell us her name!"
"And I didn't tell her mine."
******************
Warily, they reached the top of the dark staircase that Carmen had described, and shoved open a small wooden door at its end. The room that they entered was dark and cramped, tow bunk beds that had been illuminated by the sun's early morning rays in one corner, while in the other were a couple of armchairs encircling a fireplace, the flames that had been burning brightly inside it having been stamped down several hours ago. Other than that, this room was bare apart from some wooden wardrobes and empty shelves appalling hung on the wall, so lopsided it was as though someone obese had mistaken them for some very small benches.
The windows were open, yet the air was stiflingly still, creating a slightly suffocating atmosphere. The two other occupants of this room stirred in their sleep before quietening, enjoying their dreams completely unaware of Jay and Randall. Randall picked up his stuff, brought it and himself into the room and, after deciding that sleep was more important than unpacking, motioned for Jay to join him so they could decide who would have what bunk.
Randall tried to make as little interference as possible; he didn't want their new roommates to get off to a bad start with them. Jay, on the other hand, spoilt Randall's efforts as soon as he stepped into the room. After he had flicked several lights on, he bounded up to Randall, excited beyond belief, and grabbed the shocked lizard-monster by his upper shoulders.
"Isn't this GREAT?!" he exclaimed, shaking his friend ecstatically.
"Our own room! With roommates!" He let go of Randall, climbed up the tiny steps that led to the top of the unoccupied bunk beds, and flopped down, making the whole structure creak ominously.
"Er, Jay? Maybe it'd be better if I sleep on the top bunk-"
"No way, hose'! I've never slept in a bunk bed before, so I DESERVE to have the top bunk." Randall refused the temptation to roll his eyes when he realized that their roommates, who he had completely forgotten about, had woken up grumpily. The one dwelling in the bottom bunk had rolled out of bed, too tired to be angry. The other of the two leaned over the rail of his top bunk after fumbling about for his glasses. Randall recognised the short, backward-kneed figure immediately.
"Hey, Fungus. Didn't realize that you're one of our roommates." Fungus nodded meekly. He had known Randall for years, through good experiences and bad. Yawning loudly, the other, larger monster eyed Randall.
"You two our new roommates, eh?" he said in a distinctly Italian accent.
"Yep!" Jay called from above.
"Why you wake us up, huh?" Randall shook his head.
"Don't blame it on me. I was all for letting you sleep, but Jay wouldn't leave it." The monster kept eyeing Randall suspiciously, so he tried to break the ice a bit.
"Call me Randall."
"Jerome, and if you wanna have good long years here, you switch the lights off and leave us in peace, eh?" Randall nodded, and as each individual light was turned off, the room got darker and darker. Jay had settled down, and by the time Randall was climbing into bed himself, there was a loud snoring coming from the bunk above him. Randall, now tucked snugly under the soft, white covers of his bed, reached over to switch his bedside lamp off- the last source of light in the room although it was already getting quite a bit brighter as the sun rose.
As he did so, Randall noticed something on his hand. He raised his hand sceptically up to the faint light that had been dancing around the room, and saw a little crusty circle of dry blood in the centre of his palm. He furrowed his brow, then relaxed having remembered the reason of this cut; when the car had exploded, he had grabbed Jay, trying to escape from the massive blast and one of Jay's sharp spikes had pieced him. Randall turned over, his eyelids closing slowly. It was funny how long ago that seemed, now they were here, at their destination.
Randall fell soundly asleep, breathing steadily, engulfed in dreams and memories rather forgotten...