Chapter 33: The Dead Decorating Part Two.
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We spread out down the hallway with decorations in hand. I plonk my box down outside my door and rummage through it, quickly finding a set of lights at the bottom of it. I tuck it over my shoulder and open the door to my room, shoving a chock underneath to keep the door wide open. I grab the chair out from underneath my desk and haul it back outside. 

 

Shutting my bedroom door I look to see how far Sammy got with her decoration for her to be nowhere to be seen. I shrugged to myself and walked to the end of the hallway, where there was a small glass canopy you could sit in and watch the views. for health and safety reasons there was a metal set of steps leading out of a small emergency exit door there too. I sat sideways on one of the chairs there and slid the lights off my arm and onto the floor and began to untangle them. 

 

I quickly began to curse the Principal’s name and everyone involved in last year’s decorations. The roll of wire was so messed up a Rubik’s cube expert would have major issues sorting it out. I throw it on the floor in frustration after about 10 minutes worth of fiddling and tugging at it. I was going to take care of that nightmare last. I jogged back to the box and began stinging up all the tinsel around some of the boards and paintings, making specially sure to tuck them in nicely. I then went and hung shiny red green and gold bangles on the metal door numbers, placing them just in the gap behind. And with that I only had the lights to do. After enlisting Sammy for help, we quickly got the wire unravelled and she travelled back down the hall, hanging the lights up in similar places to the tinsel, hoping that the lights would bounce nicely off of the reflective material. She gives me the thumbs up and I plug them in, the hallway basking in the glow of gold and silver lights. I guess they’d saved the normal colours for the tree. I give Sammy the thumbs up which she returns with a smile.

 

As Sammy returns to the other end of the building I sink back into the seat, early mornings always robbed me of a lot of my energy. I was up way too late last night playing games. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep there but a tap on my shoulder quickly made me realise what I’d done.

 

“Yo zombo? You haven’t died here have you?” I shoot up at the unfamiliar voice and my head smashes into something fleshy. My neck gives away and I’m doing a sickening spiral over and over until my head smushes into the glass like a daft fish.

 

“Mmmph-Grrr” I growl through the carpet.

 

“Fuck that hurt!” The male voice said from behind me. “What's with you falling apart and shit anyway? Did the freak who put you together do a poor job?” There was only one person who this could be. Bird Brain, it had to be.

 

“Your body’s twitching and freaking me out. Pull yourself together already!” he yells at my helpless form. I hear a door open not too far away and another reasonable familiar voice shouts out.


“Hey!” Feet start pounding down the hallway towards us, exaggerated by my proximity to the floor with the vibrations travelling right through my skull, this was followed by another set of footsteps behind that. “What did you do?” It was a female voice, but not Sammy’s scottish accent.

 

“Nothing I swear! She knocked herself out. Hey! Off the shirt!” 

 

“Oh my god Sylvie is everything okay?” The second set of feet arrive and this time it is certainly Sammy. A pair of soft hands pick my head up, squeezing my cheeks slightly.

“Mmmhphr” My head is plonked on my slumped over body, and I quickly gain control over my motor functions back. I look up at Maeve pinning Bird Brain against the wall, despite him being taller than her by a head. She seemed to be waiting for me. I shook my head at her.


It was my fault. I jumped up in surprise and we butted heads” I kept what he said to me to myself. I don’t really know why, it was my fault after all. I fell asleep.

 

“Are you sure?” Maeve asks, backing off of Bird Brain. Who straightens the collar on his polo top.

 

“Yes she’s sure. I caught her napping here by herself. She ought to be more careful and go to bed earlier or something. How she got a girlfriend is beyo-” His remark was cut off by a swift and unapologetic kick in the nuts from Maeve.


“Shut the fuck up you waste of space. The last thing she needs is a bully” 

 

“Fu-uu-ck you” He limps off, clutching at his bruised crotch. “I’m going to go find the Nurse”

 

“She won’t be too sympathetic to you!” Maeve calls back to him as she watches him go. She sighs and turns back to me. “How are you feeling, Sylvie?”

 

Better after that display, although..”

 

“Although what?” Sammy asks, sitting on the seat besides me.

 

Nevermind. You hit him pretty good Maeve. An impressive kick” I smile weakly, trying to steer the conversation away from my insecurities. I’d already confided to Maeve once before and I don’t want to sound like an angsty broken record, always moaning and moaning about all the things that bugged me or ate away at me. 

 

“Did you have to resort to that Maeve?” Sammy chides her like a mother, almost tutting. Maeve shrugs in return.

 

“It was the quickest way to shut him up, and it worked didn’t it? Who cares if it gets me in trouble at some point. We all know he deserved it” she grins. “Now if you don’t mind I’ll go back to snoozing. Maybe if they find me asleep they won’t believe him and then no-one gets into trouble but him” I hadn’t even noticed that Maeve was still in her pajamas.

 

Okay, see you later Maeve” She jogs back to her room, leaving me and Sammy together. “Right, I’m done down this end. Do you need help?” 

 

“I think I have it handled, perhaps you should go take a break in your room Sylvie?” She was right, I really should. I nod in agreement and slowly get to my feet, picking up the empty cardboard box which had held my decorations. “I’ll tell the Principal you needed to rest more. Don’t worry about it”

 

Oh, don’t tell Erina please. I don’t want her to worry. I’ll tell her myself what happened when I see her later” 

 

“I’ll try not to. Don’t worry” I leave her be and return to my room, switching on the TV to have something to listen to whilst I attempt to nap. I never liked sleeping without something being there in the background, it was always a calming and relaxing influence that let me sleep easier and focused my brain away from thinking of reasons to not sleep. I know I’m weird but it works for me. I threw myself on my bed and peeled off my socks, wearing socks in bed weirded out my senses of touch. I throw them in the wash basket I kept on the other side of the room. It didn’t take long after that for me to conk out.

***

 

An hour and a half later

 

I was woken by a loud crash outside on the balcony and a barrage of knocks on my window. I roll out of bed and pull the curtains open, expecting to see Erina outside. My prediction was correct. I quickly slide open to let the soaked dragon girl in. Her shirt was practically see through since the weather hasn't let up at all. “Are you okay Sylvie?” I nod furiously and run to get her a towel. I wrap her up nice and tightly with it and sit her by the heat lamp.

 

Colin wasn’t amused by this, as he pokes his little bemused head out of his little hut, clearly woken by the crash landing outside. “I’m doing fine Erina, what was the rush?”

 

“Sammy told me what happened!”

 

She told you? I told her not to” At this she blushes and looks away.

 

“Ah so something did happen! I saw her by herself in the cafeteria and I thought that was odd. You told me you’d be together today, and when I asked and didn’t receive a convincing answer. I came right here. You gonna tell me what happened” she looks at me pitifully.

 

I don’t want to make you angry unnecessarily at anyone. Its fine, I’m fine. Just an accident that was my fault. I was too tired and bashed into someone”

 

“Is that it?”


Yes Erina, that was all. No need to soak yourself to the skin for me. You should use my shower, warm yourself up some more”

 

“Thanks, don’t worry me like that. Shoot me a message if you’re not gonna be about” She pouts adorably. I peck her on the cheek.


Sorry. Will make sure to do that in the future. I was just so tired. I stayed up way too late last night” I duck my head apologetically, and grab her hand to pull her into the bathroom. I walk her into the bathroom, she takes me by surprise and closes the door behind me, hugging me tightly.

 

“I’m sorry for freezing myself silly too” She kisses me on the lips, the sweet but faint taste of her lip gloss invading my sense of taste like a subtle pheromone. I kiss her back. My clothes were getting damp because of how soggy she was but I didn’t care. I’ll have a shower after she has had one. I was anything but sleepy anymore. I doubt you would be if a goddess was making out with you either.

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