A/N: This chapter was unbetaed, so please excuse any grammar mistakes (or let me know so I can fix them. Thanks:)


„You look awful," Olivia said in the middle of breakfast and Tomas wanted to say he possibly couldn't look as bad as he felt, but thought better of it. Instead he just shrugged and buried his spoon in the soggy cereals. It was over two weeks since the terrible nightmare about people dying and while Tomas didn't have any fits since then, he had serious trouble sleeping. Every night he fell into fitful slumber only to be awakened an hour or two later by a feeling of impending doom and flashes of violent images in front of his eyes. He never remembered the details, but the cold sweet and churning of his stomach told him he didn't want to. After few nights of this hellish circle Tomas tried to stay awake two nights in a row and the third night he managed to sleep through most of the night, waking up only once. But even he knew this was not the best way to handle things. His concentration was shot to hell and he already got low scores on two different tests. It was only a question of time when one of the teachers would call Olivia. Or when Tomas would be too tired to notice a car while crossing the street. Rubbing at his eyes, willing away the now constant headache, Tomas sighed and left his breakfast untouched.

A cool hand touched his forehead and he wished it would make everything better. But wishes were for children and people who weren't freaks. He pulled away.

"There's no fever, but you still look sick," Olivia sighed, sitting down next to him and looking almost as tired as Tomas himself. "Do you want to stay home today? It's Friday anyway."

"What? No! No, I'm fine," Tomas quickly protested and pulled himself up in the chair. Friday meant it was time for the class of Latin and later on tutoring with Marcus. That was the only reprieve he had lately from the crippling fear nagging at his stomach. Being close to Marcus seemed to push the darkness into the background, whether it was in class or at his house. Right now, Tomas needed whatever break he could get, even if only for a few hours. He truly felt on the verge of a breakdown.

"It's okay, Tomas. I can write you a sick note and you could get three full days to relax. It might help." Olivia tried to convince him, hoping that some time off would be all Tomas needed.

"No, I don't want to sit home alone and think. I have tutoring after school today and I'm actually looking forward to it."

Tomas had finally told Olivia about the Certamen and the study group, although he might've omitted some little details, for example the fact he was getting private tutoring. He didn't want Olivia to think he was putting too much hope or work into it until he was sure of the outcome. Olivia still looked dubious.

"Are you sure you're up for it, Tomas? You know I don't want to push you into anything, especially not now. We can handle this, you still have three years until you need to apply to a college and by then our situation could change."

Tomas shook his head, hiding a wince when the move sparked the headache. He put on a fake smile and put a reassuring hand on Olivia's arm.

"It's fine, really. I actually enjoy the material. And like you said, it's Friday. I think I'll spend the next two days sleeping."

Olivia sighed but then gave up.

"You're probably the only kid in whole Chicago who wants to go to school when they have a free pass."

Tomas snorted and kept playing with his breakfast, pretending interest even though the cereals had almost turned into mush by now.

"Are you working tonight?" He was a bit hazy on Olivia's schedule lately. He actually preferred when she had night shifts, because then he could sit in front of the TV and stay awake. It was easier than when he had to lie in a dark room and pretend sleep until Olivia herself went to bed before turning on his bedside lamp and pulling out one of the books Marcus lent him. He liked to look at the drawings. Even though they couldn't stop the nightmares if he fell asleep, they calmed him down while awake.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be leaving you alone so often, but the nights are paid the best. I promise I have the whole weekend free." Olivia had two part time jobs. One was an assistant in a small law office, which was just code for 'coffee bringer' and the other was a receptionist at a hotel. The hotel job was the one giving her nightshifts, but also better pay, so Olivia didn't protest that much. Tomas was just happy that both jobs were relatively safe and cozy and his sister didn't have to work her ass off at some factory.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Tomas waved her off, already thinking that maybe he could stay a bit longer at Marcus's and Peter's house and soak up the positive energy. Feeling in better spirits just at the thought, he headed for school.

His better spirits lasted all about half an hour when he sat down in the history class and realized he totally forgot to do his homework. Luckily it was the first time and the teacher must've thought him a pitiful look to wave it off with a warning and a request to bring it to the next class, along with a new homework. Great, Tomas thought. He barely even came to school and already had to make up for missed work.

His day didn't continue any better. The math test in the next period was probably going to be a disaster as Tomas had to rub at his eyes every two minutes, because they were tearing up from the too sharp sun shining through the window. The worst however was the Spanish class, where Tomas's head kept falling on the desk until the teacher rapped loudly at his desk and Tomas almost jumped out of his skin. When he was asked to answer a question, of course he didn't know the answer and gained his first F in Spanish. Tomas was truly mortified and spent the rest of the hour at rapt attention, even though he was half swaying on the chair. He could barely wait for the bell announcing lunch break and as soon as it did, he rushed towards the bathroom, splashing cold water on his face. He then spent the next twenty minutes outside, doing laps on the empty track. Only two more classes until Latin and hopefully that should wake him up. Because if not he would have to face a concerned Marcus as well and that was the last thing Tomas wanted.

By the time Tomas made it to the class for Latin, he truly believed coming to school was a mistake. So far his academic records would have been way better off if he had skipped the day altogether. The only thing keeping him on his feet was the hope that he will perk up once Marcus enters the room. But first he had to make it to his seat, sidestepping the leg thrown in his way and ignoring the mutter of freak coming from the seat behind him. He wasn't making any friends at the school, but to be fair, Tomas wasn't even trying. Quite the opposite. He had a hard time adjusting when he returned from Mexico, the kids were laughing at his accent and obvious unease about the different school system. Tomas was taking it pretty hard, trying to fit in. When his mom died in the accident though Tomas just gave up. There was no one else to impress only Olivia and Tomas had only so much energy left. He rather focused it on academics than on trying to socialize.

That currently left him at a point where he had to face bullies almost daily. But being a freak had its upside too... they never dared to hurt him too much, perhaps afraid that his condition could be 'catchy' or that he could flip out on them. Tomas learned quickly how to ignore them altogether and today, well... ever since entering the school it felt like walking through molasses, as if he was half asleep. He felt mostly detached, maybe a blink of an eye away from succumbing to the weariness that was plaguing him. So when a small ball of rolled up paper hit him on the back of the head he didn't even deem it worthy enough to turn around. No, his eyes were focused on the door, waiting.


When Marcus entered the class, there was a rush of movement as some students returned to their seats, putting away cell phones before they could be confiscated. Marcus had them trained well in the last few weeks and he was proud of the fact he didn't have to even raise his voice to make the kids in his class listen. He saw what some of the other teachers had to deal with, and either he got the most well behaved children or those teachers lacked any authority. It was probably the mix of both and Marcus didn't ponder it for long. His eyes landed on a familiar face in the seat at the back and his heart clenched with worry.

Tomas was looking even worse than on Monday when Marcus last saw him. Currently they had tutoring session twice a week but Marcus was ready to ask the boy to maybe join him on the Wednesdays as well. He wanted to keep an eye on Tomas, because Olivia obviously didn't have the time and the kid didn't have anyone else. Peter surprisingly didn't protest at all.

Since their first meeting he already met Tomas two more times, once they even managed to convince him to stay for dinner. The fact Tomas offered to help with the dishes seemed to impress Peter. When later that night Marcus asked him if he didn't mind the boy coming in more often, Peter just shrugged.

"I saw him put a coaster under his drink and you followed suit. I didn't think anyone could improve your manners, but he seems to be a good influence," Peter said all seriously, then laughed when Marcus grumbled something and nipped at his shoulder playfully.

"Or maybe not. Should I worry about rabies?"

Marcus decided it was a rhetorical question and ended any possible debate with a kiss. That was Monday and he was so busy with study plans and the study group he decided to ask Tomas about the extra lesson on Friday. He saw the kid only in passing in the halls and even though he looked withdrawn and pale, he didn't look this bad. For a moment Marcus wondered why was Tomas even at school, but then he saw the relief in his eyes, the sudden sagging of shoulders. There was a hint of a smile on Tomas' tired face when their eyes met and Marcus couldn't but give a small nod of acknowledgment.

All he had to do was finish this class, then he would take Tomas home and maybe finally get to the bottom of things. Something was very wrong with the kid and Marcus was afraid that if he kept putting off the questions, one day Tomas simply wouldn't come to school. Marcus already failed one child... Gabriel's face flashed in front of his eyes, momentarily replacing Tomas's. Marcus blinked and saw the curious look on Tomas's face. No, he wasn't going to fail another.


For once it seemed that time was trying to crawl to a stop. Despite Marcus's presence, Tomas couldn't push back the feeling of impending doom. It was as if something was coming, something dark and Tomas found himself curling a hand around a pencil so hard there was an unmistakable sound of it breaking. Tomas blinked then jerked when a hand landed on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Marcus was giving them a dictate and everyone was listening to his voice, heads bent over paper and writing. Everyone but Tomas who was obviously staring into nothingness and breaking writing implements.

Swallowing, Tomas looked up and gave Marcus a small nod, indicating that he was okay. Marcus didn't seem convinced, but he let it go and continued walking around the class, dictating.

Tomas looked at his paper, realizing it was empty sans a weird scribble he managed to create while pushing the pencil against paper. Blinking, Tomas thought maybe he could redo the dictate during their tutoring, maybe Marcus would give him a bit of a leeway. Getting a second F during one day was definitely not in his plans. What would his Abuela say to him if she saw his conduct today? Tomas couldn't bear to think about it. Actually, he couldn't think about much of anything. He realized with dismay that Marcus's voice sounded from afar, cutting out like a badly tuned radio.

Tomas frowned, turning his head a bit like a dog, trying to hear better. It didn't help. If anything the move made the world turn fuzzy. Tomas felt momentary panic grip at his chest as he saw the classroom fill up with white fog, but it was just a blink of an eye really. Just a millisecond as the world became a wall of white then Tomas's consciousness hurdled into darkness, leaving his body and soul behind.


The room he was in was dark... there were no windows, or if there were, they were hidden behind heavy dark drapes. It was a large room, the dominant of which was a long dinner table, filled with food. There were candles and a big, luxurious chandelier right above the table, but the light from it seemed to barely reach the walls. The room was empty and Tomas walked around it, uneasy and feeling out of place. His hands touched the artfully carved backrest of one of the chairs. He felt the soft carpet under his feet. There were portraits along the walls, portraits of important looking people. Tomas was just about to walk towards them and read the names below, when a door opened and several people walked in, chattering quietly.

Tomas froze, expecting to be yelled at or at least receiving an odd stare, but no one acknowledged his presence. The people coming in were all children. Well, not exactly children, they looked to be a bit older than Tomas himself. They were wearing preppy looking school uniforms and each and every one of them was shining with confidence and excitement. Tomas counted a total of fourteen children, all taking a seat at the table.

„Excuse me?" Tomas asked a bit sheepishly, leaning against the table right next to the youngest looking girl. She smiled and reached for a glass of water, while her other hand vanished under the table, landing on the thigh of the boy next to her. Neither of them seemed to note Tomas who was standing in the space between them and who jumped back with a yelp when said hand passed through him as if he wasn't there.

"Dios mio," Tomas uttered and shook his head, backing into the corner of the room. He didn't want to risk another contact. "This isn't real," he realized but the thought itself scared him. Never before was he aware of himself in his visions. He always saw through someone else's eyes. 'I want to wake up' he thought and closed his eyes, but it didn't work. He was still in the room, the kids were seated and the door opened to admit three other people. Two were obviously servers, bringing in two huge bowls. No, those weren't bowls, Tomas realized. They looked awfully similar to the urns he saw at the cemetery where they buried his mother. But that wasn't making much sense. The two urns were put down on the table, one on each end. The two servers left as silently as they came. The chatter in the room stopped, all faces turned towards the man walking towards the head of the table.

Tomas followed their gaze and felt as if someone just walked over his grave. It was a strange tingling feeling under his skin, a cold wave rushing over his whole body. The man looked to be in his forties, whole head shaved to hide a bald spot. He was wearing the black attire of a priest, complete with the white collar. The man passed Tomas by mere inches and Tomas got a chance to look straight into his eyes. They were dark and dead and the creepy smile the man was sporting only made them look so much more horrifying.

Tomas pushed himself back against the wall, praying to all heavens that the man couldn't see him. As if reading his mind, the man's mouth twitched in a sick grin and Tomas could swear his eyes flashed yellow, but it was gone in a second. The man - and Tomas couldn't think of him as a priest, as a man of God - turned away from Tomas and took his place at the head of the table. He didn't sit down though. Instead he spread his arms.

"What a sight you all are for my sore eyes!" he spoke, his voice silky smooth, but Tomas grimaced, feeling as if each syllable was a small tendril of darkness reaching out towards the unassuming students.

"So much youth, intelligence and potential in one room. I'm honored to have you all here, my dear children." The man smiled and Tomas felt like throwing up. Couldn't anyone see the sickly green tendrils reaching out, touching their ears with each word? The darkness was worming itself inside their heads, but the students didn't react. Their eyes were almost feverish with anticipation and Tomas could see all the hubris around them. How the words, the school, everything was coveting to those children, playing up their desires and hunger for power.

"You're the brightest students of this school and this is your last year. In a few short weeks you'll graduate and leave for your summer vacations at exotic islands or on a cruise around the world," he smiled and the students gave a small laugh. Tomas pushed himself away from the wall and headed towards the table, his steps slow and deliberate, not wanting to bring attention to himself but needing to be closer. There was something pulling him in, like a whisper. He couldn't see a small ghostly tendril of sickness sneaking over the floor, towards him.

"Once the summer is over, you'll all go to your apprenticeships and from there on, it will be a smooth ride to wherever your heart wants to take you. And believe me when I say I know exactly what each of your heart's desire."

There was a wave of unconscious nods and Tomas caught himself nodding along. Startled, he took a step aside, away from the tendril.

The man took in a deep breath, as if smelling the air, then let it out, satisfied.

"You see, I can feel it. The ambition. The drive. You're all so hungry to prove yourself to the world, to your parents. All that entitlement to power, ooh..." the man licked his lips. "I can almost taste it. You're the future of this country, the future of your families. All you need is a little something. And that's exactly why you're here tonight."

There was a shudder of mutters across the table, curious looks being exchanged, maybe even a hint of worry in some of those eyes. Tomas swallowed. He could see some of the tendrils attached to the students faltering as doubt was starting to appear and he almost applauded, his mind shouting 'Yes! Doubt him! He's a liar!'

But the words never left his mouth and as the man inclined his head in thought, Tomas noticed another flash of yellow in his eyes.

"I know what you must be thinking. What does father Simon think he can offer us?" the man looked into the face of each individual at the table and Tomas could see the tendrils gaining strength. "Well, I have only one word for you. Power."

As if on cue, the two servers reentered the room and silently walked toward the urns. Father Simon turned his head and Tomas could've sworn he was looking right at him. As if in slow motion, the corner of his right eye darkened and Tomas's own eyes widened as he watched the appearance of the third pupil. The students at the table noticed too as there were several startled yelps, but no one stood up to leave. It was as if they were glued to their chairs. Even Tomas couldn't take a step back, his legs frozen. He looked down and was horrified to see that one of the tendrils managed to wrap around him. He could feel it crawling under his shirt, up his spine, the touch on his skin leaving a burning cold sensation. He felt a touch on the back of his skull and it was as if suddenly there was a myriad voices inside his mind, all screaming at him to run. But Tomas couldn't and neither could anyone else in that room.

The two servers now stood at the table, each lifting the top off of the urn.

"Feast, my children," Father Simon said, once again spreading his arms in an open gesture. The servers reached into the urns, grabbing a fistful of dark ash and throwing it in the air.

"Vocare Pulvere."

For a second nothing happened. It was as if time itself stopped... the ash was floating in the air above the heads of the confused students. It looked hypnotic and Tomas couldn't let his eyes off of the soft pattern that was being created, even as the logical part of his brain shouted that this wasn't possible, it wasn't natural. But that part of Tomas's brain was deafened by the voices, the soft scratching sound at the back of his skull.

He watched as the ash formed into one big dark cloud floating above the table and the students' heads. Then the cloud broke up into smaller pieces and like predators smelling blood, each clump headed for the face of a student. Tomas opened his mouth in a shout of warning, but no sound came out.

The ash took a form of a worm and pressed against sealed lips until they opened, pushing inside, driving out all the air.

Tomas gasped, feeling the breath being taken from his own lungs, feeling the sick smell of death enveloping him in its embrace. All he could see was the horror in the eyes of the others. He heard the manic laughter of father Simon and felt the darkness take over him, the voices inside his head erupting in a scream so loud it blew the world away.