On Hallowed Ground

Chapter Eight - Blessed With A Curse

The second bell rings just as I drop down into my chair at the back of my English class; Austin is already in his own seat, smiling at me in greeting.

"You took your time." He says, studying me. I shrug.

"Went to the bathroom." Well, not for any usual business, but to clean up my face again; the homophobic bastards in this school have been harassing me all day.

Before Austin can say anything else, the teacher stands up, holding her copy of The Merchant of Venice. "Has anyone read the next act that would like to read an extract to the rest of the class?" No one says anything. As always, she glances towards me, but I just quickly shake my head 'no' - for the first time ever, in face. "Well, I guess I'll just have to read it myself, then." She sighs, before beginning to read one of the many soliloquies in the final act of the play.

"What happened to your face?" Austin whispers, glancing worriedly at me. I feign confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"It's all cut and bruised. And I know that wasn't on your face yesterday." He frowns at me. I sigh; I thought my fringe would have been enough to cover it up, but obviously I, as usual, was wrong...

"It's nothing." Even so, my gaze flickers over to where Christofer is sat, by the window, glaring back at me. I don't dare check if Austin's gaze has followed mine. It's obvious that it has, considering when I fearfully drag my gaze away from Christofer, Austin is muttering angrily to himself.

"I can't believe you would let him do that to you." He growls, staring down at his book. Why is he so damn overprotective? I only met him yesterday!

"He didn't..." I trail off into silence, before sighing. There's nothing much I can really say to convince him otherwise. Instead of speaking, I tune back in to what the teacher is saying, realising we're no longer working on Shakespeare. That was quick.

"...Preliminary exams very soon, only a few weeks until winter break and then you'll all be sitting your exams in late spring!" What kind of a teacher could be pleased about the idea of exams?! "So, for today only, I'll allow you all to go to the library to study." Just like that, everyone has grabbed their things and is on their feet, following the teacher out of the classroom and towards the library. Austin and I wait behind, until everyone else has left the classroom, and then follow along behind them. His hand slips into mine, and I look up at him worriedly; if anyone sees us, we'll both be up a particularly dirty creek without a paddle, but he doesn't seem to understand that at all.

"I don't care if anyone sees us, Drew. If they don't like it, that's their problem."

"Oh, watch out, we've got a bad ass up in here." I roll my eyes at him, and he grins.

"That's me."

"Cocky bastard." I smirk. We step into the library after everyone else, but whereas everyone else goes straight to the computers and tables to relax and pretend to study, Austin drags me off towards the non-fiction section. "What are you...shouldn't we-"

"I want to find some mythology books. There's stuff we need to know." He tells me as he browses the shelves.

"'We' need to know...?" I ask warily.

"Well, I need to know. But if we're together then I guess you should know, too." He tugs a book out from the shelf, before pulling me across the library and towards an empty table, far away from everyone else in the room.

"What exactly are you looking for?" I ask curiously as he leafs through the book.

"These. Wendigos, they're called. Creatures that feed off human flesh and hunt in southern countries."