Push and Shove: The Ghost Bird Series: #6 (The Academy) (3 page)

Nathan and Gabriel released the wall and it fell back. They climbed over it, grabbing at arms and legs. The boy went wild, grunting curses. The hand with the needle waved around, avoiding capture. The boy aimed it at his own chest, and when Dr. Green blocked it, the boy aimed for his own arm.

“Everyone out,” Mr. Blackbourne shouted to the others who were in the nurse’s office. I turned my attention, realizing several people had gotten up from their cots. They had been staring idly at the commotion, but with Mr. Blackbourne’s command, they turned, running for the door.

I started to get up. I wanted to help. What was he trying to do with an empty needle? I started forward, ready to at least grab a leg.

Mr. Blackbourne stepped in front of me, blocking me. His hand went up to my shoulder and he pulled me back. “Wait,” he said.

"What's going on?" I asked. "What's wrong with him?"

Before Mr. Blackbourne could respond, the wild boy cried out in a rage. Dr. Green had the arm with the needle, but the boy wrenched it away.

The boy lifted his arm. Gabriel splayed his hand out to stop him. The boy jerked and the needle plunged into Gabriel's palm.

"Fucking shit." Gabriel swung his arm back, taking the syringe with it. He yanked it out, tossing it away before he dove back in.

Without the threat of the needle swinging, Nathan and Dr. Green dropped down on top of the boy like rocks, holding him down.

The boy started moaning, and then let out a loud grunt, as if he were in pain. He was thrashing but with Nathan and Gabriel on top of him, he barely moved.

"I need a sedative," Dr. Green said.

Gabriel scrambled up and replaced Dr. Green to hold the boy down.

Dr. Green dashed around, disappearing behind another wall. He came back with another syringe, and a bottle of liquid. He measured out a few milliliters. He withdrew the needle from the bottle.

"I need his arm," Dr. Green shouted.

Mr. Blackbourne released me. He nudged at Gabriel, who shifted slightly. The boy's arm whipped out, punching toward Nathan's face. Mr. Blackbourne snatched it and with a twist of his hand, he singled out the boy's pinkie finger. He forced the finger to curl forward. Mr. Blackbourne pinched it tight and held.

The boy howled but stopped thrashing. He tried bending his body to stop the pressure on his finger, but Mr. Blackbourne didn’t release.

"Sang," Dr. Green called, snapping me to attention. "Is there an alcohol wipe in that drawer?"

I leapt up, sliding the drawer in the table open. I found a wipe, and dashed over to them, opening the package.

Mr. Blackbourne lifted the sleeve of the boy's shirt. I rubbed the wipe against the boy's bicep and Dr. Green followed up by planting the needle into the boy's arm.

The boy wailed, starting to thrash again as if trying to avoid this needle. He ripped his hand away from Mr. Blackbourne.

"Back up, Sang," Nathan said.

I stepped back, and the guys kept themselves planted on top of the boy. It took a couple more minutes but soon, he slowed. His howls became cries. His cries turned into soft whimpers. Soon, he was still.

"What the hell was he trying to do?" Gabriel asked, finally releasing the boy when it was clear he was passed out. "It was like he was trying to kill himself."

"He was doing a horrific job," Dr. Green said. He wiped at his brow. "He's watched too many medical dramas. He didn't even bother with a big enough bubble to cause an air embolism." He looked at Gabriel. "How's your hand?"

"Tingly." Gabriel rubbed his thumb over the spot on his palm. “At least he used a clean one.”

“Is he sick?” I asked, gazing at the boy. Even in his drugged-induced sleep, he moaned and looked strained.

“Something’s wrong with him,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “Several other students have picked it up. A strong fever that lasts for about ten hours, heavy vomiting, with delusions and paranoia.”

“Is it a flu?” Nathan asked. “Is it going around? Are we going to catch this? Should we be wearing masks?”

“I don’t think so,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “I think there’s something the students are taking. Some new drug, although the students who are sick aren’t talking about it. The students who have come in don’t seem to know each other, and some of the symptoms are different depending on the person. This is the first one I’ve seen that has been suicidal.”

“Have you put any of them through drug screening?” Nathan asked.

Mr. Blackbourne nodded. “The results show nothing unusual. I don’t think our tests are picking up whatever drug they’re taking.”

I straightened, pulling back. “He was in a fight upstairs. Victor was watching it. I've seen him before in the courtyard, too. The fight he had was with his friend. Where is he? Maybe we should talk to him."

Mr. Blackbourne turned to me, his lips parted as if he wanted to ask but he caught himself. “Miss Sorenson, I told you no Academy activities this week.”

“I was just mentioning it,” I said, unsure how to take a break from Academy work when they were around me all the time and they were Academy. For someone who wasn’t in, I still somehow felt like part of their private school for... investigators? Security force? I wasn’t sure what, but the more time I spent with them, the more I was diving deeper into their circle. “If I’m still going to school, whatever they are taking, what should I be looking out for? How am I supposed to not get involved if I don’t know what it is?”

“Just stick with the boys, for now,” Mr. Blackbourne said. “Family first.”

My lips clamped shut at his reply, not wanting to question Academy rules. Although I would keep my eyes open, for no other reason than I didn’t want to end up like the boy across the room.

––––––––

T
he guys ran back to the gym and collected their bags. When the last bell rang, Nathan and Gabriel returned with my things from my locker. I wondered how they got access, but they must have waited for everyone to leave. I didn’t know they knew my gym locker combination, but then, things like that didn’t surprise me about Academy guys any more.

We headed out to the parking lot together, still in our gym uniforms. The rain had stopped for the moment, but the sky was still deeply overcast. There was a slight chill as October was settling in. I fished out a zip-up hoodie to wear to ward off the cold.

Gabriel reached out and fiddled with the zipper pull. His crystal eyes focused. “This thing has angel wings for a zipper,” he said. “Did I buy you this?”

“Didn’t you?” I asked, confused. He and Victor bought all my other clothes.

Gabriel nudged my shoulder, until I turned. He poked at my back where a collection of pink stones were designed into angel wings all along the back. “God damn,” he said. “I didn’t buy you this. Where’d you get it?”

“From Nathan’s closet,” I said. “I grabbed the first one I saw. I thought you got it.”

“Did we pick it up and forget about it?” Nathan asked. He reached out, tracing one of the wings on my back. “We got a lot of stuff that day. She had the jeans tucked away for the longest time. I forgot we got those for her until she was wearing them the other day.”

Gabriel wagged his head. “So much shit has happened, I can’t remember. We’ll have to go through them. I don’t remember this thing. It looks too big for her.”

“It’s comfortable,” I said.

A chop landed on my head. “Shush,” Gabriel said.

The boys and I gathered at Kota’s clunky sedan parked on the outer edge of the school lot. I didn’t think Gabriel would be joining us, but I guessed his plans had changed since Mr. Blackbourne told him to stay near me.

I spotted Kota approaching from among a small crowd of students heading out to their cars. He carried a thick physics book under his arm, while lugging his messenger bag over his shoulder. Underneath his faux school uniform he had a very strong physique. Most people probably didn’t notice, because he wore black-rimmed glasses. Combined with the neatly trimmed hair and the formal way he wore the collared shirt and tie over his medium build, he appeared to be an average nerd. The glasses did compliment his high cheekbones and a pair of emerald green eyes. If anyone ever gave him a second look, they’d probably notice his handsome features.

His gaze swept over the other students and then landed on us. He nudged his glasses up and his eyes darted to me, to Nathan, and then settled on Gabriel. There was a slight hint at curiosity but it was gone in an instant with an accepting nod. He must have been used to the boys opting to ride home with him at the last minute.

Nathan waved shortly at Kota. “We’re in trouble.”

Kota glanced briefly at me and then at Gabriel. “What now?”

Nathan started explaining and was just up to the part about Mr. Blackbourne telling me to take it easy when Gabriel nudged him in the ribs hard.

“Ow,” Nathan said. He rubbed at the spot. “Gabe, what–”

Gabriel made a zipping motion over his lips and jerked his head toward the school.

We all turned and I spotted Marie, my sister. Her T-shirt was tight against her thin frame, and her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her head was down as she walked toward us.

“Everything okay?” I asked her as she got close. She’d been taking the bus lately. I didn’t think she liked riding with the boys.

Marie’s head picked up as she got closer. Her eyebrows scrunched together, and she glared angrily at me. She turned her attention, noting the three boys. Her lips clamped shut, and she clutched at the straps of her book bag. She wasn’t going to answer.

Was something wrong? I wasn’t sure how to ask in front of the boys. I locked gazes with Kota, silently asking for help.

He didn’t miss a beat. He opened the front passenger door. “Want to sit up front?” he asked her.

Marie gave him a slight nod, a small thank you, and wedged herself into the seat. Kota closed the door for her.

We all got in. I sat in the back between Gabriel and Nathan.

The ride was silent on the way to Sunnyvale Court. I occasionally exchanged glances with Gabriel and Nathan. They asked me the same questions I was asking them mutely.
What’s wrong with her?

Marie said nothing, and the moment Kota parked the car in the driveway of our two-story, gray house, she jumped out and ran inside.

We clustered around Kota’s car in the driveway. My sister had retreated into the house and I felt guilty about not being able to do more for her, and sad that she wouldn’t let me. The last few times I’d tried, she never talked, and she pushed me out the door. Although before, she’d never seemed this upset. It was unsettling.

“I don’t think she likes riding with us,” Gabriel said. “I don’t know why she does it.”

“She doesn’t have that many friends,” Nathan said. “And the ones she has don’t have cars. You know how crowded those busses are. I can’t really blame her wanting a break from it.”

“How do you know she doesn’t have many friends?” I asked. I never saw my sister much during school and didn’t know who she hung out with except for Danielle, a neighbor. Usually our schedules were so different that I never saw her at all. Ever since our mother went into the hospital, it was like she avoided me even when I was home.

Gabriel smirked at me. “Have you seen your sister? She sits at the band geek table.”

“How do you know which table she sits at?”

“I go through the cafeteria before I get to the courtyard,” Gabriel said. He hooked an arm around my neck and hugged me close. “She probably just had a rough day. Don’t worry about her. She probably didn’t want to ride the bus. Those busses are shit.”

Maybe she was still adjusting. At least she had the boys and me looking out for her. Even if she couldn’t appreciate it right now, the boys bought groceries, and took care of a lot of things we couldn’t do for ourselves. I tried to believe Gabriel and the others, that she had a rough day.

Kota collected his book bag and mine. “Okay, Mr. Blackbourne’s given us orders. Sang, do you want to come home with me?”

I nodded. If Marie was feeling down, I thought it best to give her some space. If I went with Kota, she’d have the house to herself. I looked at the others, confused. “Are you all not coming with us?”

“They’re going to go fetch vitamins and healthy food.” He turned to Nathan. “You want dinner shift?”

“I’ll make dinner,” Nathan said. He turned to Gabriel. “You coming?”

“I’ll go,” he said. He squeezed me around the shoulders again and then released me, heading for the car. “I don’t want you buying her just rabbit food and tofu.”

“Hey, tofu tastes pretty good if you fry it right. And I don’t care what she eats. She could eat a whole damn cow if she wanted. I’m tired of her looking like a stick, and being about as lively as one lately.”

Kota stood beside me as Nathan pulled the car out of the drive. Gabriel waved to me as they started down the road. I finger waved back and he smirked at me.

When they were gone, Kota sighed and turned to me. “Do you need anything from your house?”

I shook my head. I couldn’t think of anything I really needed. I had clothes at Nathan’s house, and I was pretty sure I had a few things at Kota’s house, too. “Think it’s okay to leave Marie alone?”

“Danielle should be by after school. She’ll keep her company.” Kota turned to head down the drive.

Danielle didn’t sound like the best sort of company, but it was all Marie had, so I didn’t want to say anything further about it. I’d never talked to Danielle, but the guys didn’t like her and at one point, she stole my clothes. I didn’t understand why Marie was friends with her but it wasn’t my choice. It was hers.

As we started walking down the road, a brown, old car rolled up, and parked on the curb a few houses down from Kota’s house.

Kota paused in the road. I glanced at the car, recognizing it as Mr. Morris’s. The principal, Mr. Hendricks, had Kota followed nearly everywhere. It was uncomfortable, but as long as we were watched, Kota couldn’t do much Academy work, and that made Mr. Hendricks happy. “Mr. Morris is taking a shift again,” I said.

“I see him,” he said. Kota’s eyes darted from his house to the brown car, as if he was trying to figure something out.