Wide Awake - Academy of the Fallen Series (15 page)

TWENTY-NINE

If anyone asked Hunter where the Academy was, he wouldn’t be able to tell… no one would.  All he knew, was that the Academy was surrounded by mountains, and there were only a few places where he could go to in order to be sent to the Academy,
and the closest
place to him was an abandoned c
hurch in town.

As far as h
e knew, the hidden door in the c
hurch’s basement only allowed two types of beings to get past it, the fallen and the haunted… that was what he had been told.  Hunter wasn’t exactly either one of those, but he had heard of other beings entering it.  Chase had been one of them.  He hoped he would be able to get through, but even he wasn’t completely sure at first. 

As the door opened, he stepped into the field that led to the entrance of the Academy.  The Academy was isolated from the rest of the world, from everything normal; but what scared him the most was that once those gates closed, there was only one way that he was getting out of there, with approval.  After messing up so badly in keeping Benjamin away from Kayla, he knew that approval was not going to happen.

Hunter hesitated before even touching
the gate.  Surely
, Kayla’s dad would go and get her out of the hospital so that she could be healed, but he wanted to be
the one
to help
getting her
to the Academy.  For one reason, he didn’t trust the Fallen.  Never had and never would… After all, every single one of them had somehow messed up… badly.  And that opportunity for a second chance that the Academy offered, was nothing but an experiment; an experiment that they tested on people like Hunter; even if Hunter was a little different than the others.

“There is no other way,” he told himself.

The gate opened at his touch, and as soon as he took a few steps forward, just enough for the gate to close… it did, and just the sound of it locking gave him chills.

Hunter approached the first door, where the same exact being as the first time welcomed him.  Ember was one of Pharzuph’s students, the fallen angel of lust.

Ember looked exactly the same, wearing a short black dress, black tights, and combat boots.  Her long blonde hair was now accented with red highlights.  She also sounded just like she had before… like she had yet to learn her lesson.

“Hey sexy!  Missed me?  I knew you would be back eventually.”

Hunter ignored her and kept on walking in the direction of Mr. Daniels’ office.  Ember followed him, mostly just checking him out, but only until she got distracted by Ethan.

Ethan was new at the Academy, and to Ember, new was exciting.  Ethan was one of Forcas’ students; Forcas, also a fallen angel, was a professor of ethics.

As Hunter walked by, everyone just stared at him in shock.  Most of the haunted were never allowed to leave, not without the company of one of the Fallen to watch over them.  For that reason, none of the Fallen, well, except for Ember… none of them could stand him. 

Once in the office building, no matter who tried to stop Hunter, they couldn’t.  He ran straight into Mr. Daniels’ office.

Daniels was looking out of the window.  “Quite a commotion you were causing, Mr. Chambers.”

He then turned around.  “What happened?”

Hunter was exhausted and very irritated.  “What happened is that I was never told Kayla’s brother is a demon.  Is that why you sent me instead of one of them?” he asked referring to the fallen.  “It was not to attract his attention, wasn’t it?”  Well, thanks to that, Kayla is now hurt.  She needs help.  A LOT of help.”

Daniels looked away.  “I don’t understand how he found her.  I did everything to keep her away from this world.”

“Really?!”  Asked Hunter.  “You should be asking what he did?  What happened to Kayla?  Where she is?  Not waste time wondering about things that you cannot change.”

Daniels looked startled and confused.  Realizing for the first time how much Hunter had changed.  In any other circumstance, Daniels would have punished Hunter for addressing him like that, but the
truth was, he felt guilty;
guilty because he didn’t ask the right questions; guilty because he felt as if he no longer knew how to be a parent.

“What has he done to my daughter?”  He finally asked.

Hunter described everything, including Kayla’s presence after the incident.  Daniels wasn’t happy to hear that Chase was involved, but he didn’t say anything.

“We need to bring her to the Academy,” Daniels finally said.  “As much as I tried to shield her from everything, there is just no other way.”

“Good, then let’s go.”

“Hunter, you know this will be easier if I send the others.”

Hunter was furious, and afraid for Kayla.  He just knew that would happen.

Daniels saw the concern in Hunter’s expression; concern that led him to believe that Hunter needed to stay at the Academy or he would get in the way.”

He tried to reason with Hunter; not that he felt like he had to.

“I know you don’t trust them Hunter, but I will be going as well.”

Hunter nodded; knowing that was better than the alternative.

“Do you mind if I ask who you are taking with you, Mr. Daniels?”

“That will be decided soon.  I’m not sure yet, but I know that I want to waste no time in leaving.”

Daniels urgency in getting Kayla there gave Hunter some sense of relief. 

Daniels dismissed Hunter, who met his gaze.

“Well, since I’m not leaving, where should I stay?”

“You can go back to your old room.  You will have a roommate now… Ethan Campbell.”

“Sir, with all due respect, I’m not sharing a room with one of them.”

“Hunter, Ethan is new here, give him a chance.  Besides, as concerned as you seem to be about my daughter, I don’t think my time should be wasted in worrying about finding you another roommate.”

Hunter froze in place, feeling weak and guilty for even worrying about that at all.  He then turned around and walked to the door, looking back at Daniels before he opened it.

“Mr. Daniels?”

“Yes, Hunter?”

“Would you please let me know when she is here? … And whatever you do, you should probably worry about how to get her away without worrying her mom and dad… I mean… Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher.  Kayla would hate me for that.”

Daniels hesitated for a second.  “Sure.”

“Thank you.”  Hunter said, before he turned around and left.

THIRTY

Hunter’s room was just as he left it.  It was a plain room, with two beds, two dressers, a desk, chair, and a bookshelf.  Really, the Academy could be compared to a prison… No computers, no cell phones, the walls were bare, all rooms exactly the same.

His roommate wasn’t there, and Hunter was glad for that. 

He didn’t have any of his belongings, but the Academy had arranged for new items to be taken to his room while he talked to Daniels.  Of course, they already knew that he would be staying. 

In the dresser on his side of the room, he found clothes, mostly jeans, plain white and black T-shirts, and other essential items.

At the sound of someone coming, Hunter quickly laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, pretending that he was sleeping… The last thing he wanted was to talk to anyone.

It was Ethan.  “Great!  Company is all I need,” Hunter heard him mumble.

Hunter surprised himself with the urge to respond; he just couldn’t help himself,  ‘Trust me, this is the last place I want to be.”

“Well, it certainly sounds like you walked in here out of your own free will.”

Hunter sat up then.  “I guess nothing has changed.  I’m not sure for how long you have been here, but however long, you should already know how fast rumors get around.”

“So, why did you come back?”  Ethan asked.

Hunter shrugged.  “That, I can’t talk about.”

Ethan glared at him.  “Well, I guess some of the rumors are not rumors after all.”

“What do you mean?” Hunter asked.

“That you don’t trust us.”

Hunter laughed.  “I suppose you are right.  That was not a rumor at all.”

Ethan ignored Hunter’s comment and kept on talking, sounding almost desperate, as if longing for a friend… wanting someone to talk to.

“Well, I just don’t understand how anyone would willingly come back to this place.”

“It was necessary,” Hunter said.  “What did you do to be sent here anyway?”

“I guess you could say due to ethical issues… Anyway, one little incident that I will be paying for… well, for a long time.”

Hunter didn’t ask any more questions.  He had his own mistakes to worry about and he wondered whether Daniels had already made his choice on who was going to help him get Kayla.

Hunter didn’t even expect to be told of what was happening, so he was surprised when he opened the door to find that the person knocking was Daniels’ assistant, letting him know that they had left.  That was however, all of the information that he was given.

Not long after the assistant left, there was someone else at the door.

“Who is it?” asked Ethan, not bothering to get up.  After all, he knew that whoever was out there wasn’t there for him.

“It is Ember.”

“Just go away, Ember,” said Hunter.

“Come on, I heard things… I’m sure you want to know who left with Mr. Daniels.”

Hunter thought about it, but thinking there was nothing that he could do to change what was happening, he decided it was best not to know.  He also didn’t want to give Ember any information, well, any more information than what she had apparently managed to gather.

“There is nothing that I want to know.  Just leave.”

He could hear the sound of Ember’s heavy combat boots as she walked… well,
stomped
away.

“This is about a girl, isn’t it?” asked Ethan.

Hunter ignored him.

“Look, I get why you don’t trust them, well us, being that I’m a Fallen just like them, but you really shouldn’t stereotype.  I just got here, I barely even talk to anyone, and I share your opinion on trusting most of the people here.  Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that you don’t have to trust me, but it would make things easier if you could give me the benefit of the doubt since we are sharing a room.”

Hunter looked at him, “I’m sorry, but how can you even talk about trust, aren’t you here because of a little ethical issue?”

“Yes, but it is not like that—“

Hunter lay back down, ignoring Ethan.

Ethan sighed.  “I’m here because I – well, there was this girl…”

“Oh save it.  So what, you are like Ember then?”

Ethan seemed appalled.  “No!  It was nothing like that.  It wasn’t… lust, it was… Well, what I’m trying to say is that I shouldn’t even be here.  I shouldn’t be one of the Fallen.”

“Right!  None of us should be here,” Hunter said in a sarcastic tone.

Ethan was getting more and more frustrated, but he just wanted to tell someone.  He wanted to have someone in there who could trust him, and most importantly, Hunter had been out in the ‘real’ world.  He hoped that Hunter could help him get out and find the reason for him being there.

So in spite of Hunter’s lack of interest, Ethan continued.  “Before… I used to help people transition between humanity and the
Otherworld
, and sometimes, even past that.  When they sent me to her… well, I was just supposed to help her feel better until it was time for her to move on.  She was never supposed to see me, but she did.  She was just so sad, so scared that I started to try and find ways to save her instead of doing what I was meant to.”

Hunter was listening attentively.  “Did it work?”

Mr. Daniels suddenly walked in the room, interrupting their conversation. 

Hunter hadn’t even realized how long it had been.

Hunter quickly stood up.  “Is Kayla here?  Is she okay?”

“No, Hunter.  She is not here.  I have the others watching her, but I need your help.”

“What do I need to do?”

“It is Chase.  He won’t allow anyone to go near her until he hears from you.”

Hunter smiled.  He could always trust Chase.

“I need you to summon him,” Daniels said.

“Mr. Daniels, with all due respect, we both know that he will not be coming to the Academy, no matter who summons him.  I can go with you, I can help that way.”

Daniels sighed.  “Let’s go.”

Hunter was surprised by how easy it was to convince Daniels to let him go.

Ethan quickly intervened, “Can I go?  I could help.”

Daniels glared at Ethan.  “You know very well you can’t leave the Academy, and you can definitely not be near that hospital.”

Ethan felt frustrated and relieved at the same time, his first thought was ‘She is still alive’… his second thought was that she was likely still in pain, only now, he wasn’t there to help her and he didn’t know if anyone was.

“If you are going, we need to leave now,” Daniels ordered.

Hunter walked by Ethan who was still frozen in place, and following Daniels, he left.