Sand scatters beneath my feet, biting into the cuts in my soles. My lungs scream with each breath and my heart is at risk of beating out of my chest. I can barely see in front of me, can barely hear anything over the roar of the tides and my own fearful gasps.
I won't go back!
"Thalia!" She sings. "You're being foolish." Where is she?!
I won't go back I won't go back I won't go back—
Sharp pain tugs at the back of my head and I scream as she grasps my hair, yanking me backwards.
"Thalia!" She releases me, standing over me with a look of disdain and irritation. I scramble backwards, reaching out, trying to grab anything—please someone, help me!
There! My hand graces something sharp and I yank it to me, my eyes meeting hers at the moment she realizes how serious I am.
I won't go back I won't go back I won't go back.
"You cannot control me anymore!" I scream.
"No!" She lunges at me but it's too late.
Everything goes black.
*
*
*
I slam onto my knees, pain radiating up my bones. Grass tickles my skin and my fingers reach out to grip the long strands, as my head pounds in confusion and pain. I feel my chest cleave with terror, but I don't know why. What the hell? Where am I?
I turn my head, pausing as my gaze catches on the marble sign just feet from me, the words Grim University etched into the stone, a small scythe slicing through the letters.
"What the fuck is a Grim University?"Crossing my arms over my chest, I fight the chill that keeps settling into my bones. The sign is small and cracked, almost as if it were an afterthought yet the building behind it looks as if it were crafted by the darkest marble, beautiful and dangerous. The sky dips into a pale pink and I find myself walking down the path before I can change my mind. I don't know how I got here, but anything is better than just standing out in the cold.
"Whoa, who the hell are you!" A girl startles me as she jumps up from where she was laying down in the grass. I didn't even see her at first, but the way she stares at me as if I'm...wrong...it makes me want to run.
She's beautiful, deep brown skin, freckled and smooth with braided knots of red and silver cascading down her spine. Her pink sweater is thick with the letters G U stitched together on the sleeves, connected by a scythe and before I can move backwards, she's in my face, her grey eyes bright with excitement.
"Ohhhhhhh shit!" She claps, a squeal escaping her painted lips. "This never happens! An unscheduled drop? Finally, some excitement!" She grabs my hand, pulling me with her and I don't resist, stumbling behind her long legs. "We gotta go before someone sees you!"
"What is this place?" And where are you taking me? I wonder. She pulls me away from the front doors, where a group of people are laughing, instead dragging me to the side of the building. It keeps stretching on. How large is this campus?
"We have to hurry before they realize you're here!" She tells me over her shoulder. My legs move with her on their own volition and though in the back of my mind, I feel like I shouldn't follow a stranger into some building, I have no idea where else I would go.
"Where are we going?" I finally ask and she stops before a cracked fissure in the wall, kicking at it with her boot. A click echoes and the wall cracks open a hidden door.
"Shh!" I let her pull me into the room, following her down a set of stairs until we reached a hallway full of doors. She stops before a door with silver tear drops painted onto the wood, placing her hand against it until it creaks open and I follow her inside.
I glance around the room, blinking in surprise at all of the pink. Her walls, her sheets, and even the high tops kicked beneath the bed. Books are stacked up on her wooden nightstand and mushroom lights are strung up on the wall just above. She gestures to the other twin bed opposite of hers, bare of sheets but covered in notebooks and plushes.
"Don't mind how it looks, I'm hardly ever here." She says, gesturing for me to sit on one of the beds. Hardly ever here? It looks like she has lived here her entire life. I sit on the edge of the bed covered in plushes, the tension of all this unknown keeping my spine straight, but for some reason I feel comfortable around her. I feel comfortable here.
"Oh, I'm Mel. Sorry." She grins, and I yelp at the sight of fangs.
"What? Oh gods, come on I don't bite. Well, I do, but not you." She rolls her eyes, rummaging through the nightstand as I try to wrap my mind around what I just saw.
"Are you real?" Am I hallucinating?
"I know, so crazy." She yawns, pulling out a bright yellow brochure, handing it to me with a grin. "Go on. Read it!" Mel jumps onto the other bed, crossing her legs and leaning back as I finally sit across from her, dropping my eyes down to the handmade brochure.
Welcome to Grim University! You died! Oh no, now what?
Choose your profession! Don't be a deadbeat!
Reaper or Guide?
If you prefer revenge and not being a stick in the mud, the scythe life might be for you!
If you're boring, go be a guide!
Vampire
Pro: Nightlife rocks.
Con: Blood
Profession: Reaper
Spirit*: Pro: Walk through walls!
Con: Everyone sees through you. Literally.
Profession: Guide
Siren: Pro: Drowning men and hanging with sea creatures!
Con: Always wet
Profession: Reaper
Stay Human*:
Pro: Nothing!
Con: Everything!
Profession: Guide
*Offers chance of reincarnation
"I'm dead?" I whisper. I wince as a stabbing pain throbs behind my eyes. The beach, sand kicking up...someone yelling. I can't remember.
"Of course you are—oh you don't remember?" Mel giggles, but it's at odds with the panic that suddenly flashes in her eyes. "Oh shit they're gonna put you in grief counseling, that's so lame." She sighs. "It'll be fine. We all died a very awful death to end up here, but it's not so bad!"
This is insane. It doesn't make sense. How can I be dead? How can I not remember?
"I made that myself, you know." She tries to distract with a smile, her fangs flashing. "Most of us had to choose our species on the spot but I would decide quickly if you have any questions before they find—"
A loud banging cuts her off and she groans, glaring at the door.
"Mel, seriously? You can't kidnap the new drops."
"I didn't kidnap her!" Mel crosses her arms, winking at me. "I simply saved her from your boring tour."
"Unlock the door." The male doesn't sound angry, if anything he sounds indifferent.
"Any questions?" She whispers to me. "If you pick Vampire, we can bite necks together!" She widens her eyes in excitement. "Do you have any idea how fun–"
"Mel, I hate walking through doors. Seriously, open." Mel groans loudly, stomping to her door and ripping it open.
"You shouldn't have chosen Spirit if you didn't wanna waltz everywhere."
"Well," he glares, "I didn't have an idea of what Spirit entailed. Because like all drops are supposed to, we choose the species that calls to us, we don't have time to think it through." He looks over to me, his translucent face smirking. "She made you look at some brochure, right?"
I opened my mouth to reply but nothing came out. I could see through him. Like literally.
"Ew, I can see into the hallway. Can you not do that?" Mel echoes my thoughts.
"Well, I was preparing to walk through your godsdamn door, Smel." He ripples and I can't help the shock painting my face when his body solidifies in front of me. He tall, tan skin and bright green eyes half hidden by the brown curls falling over them.
"That's so disgusting." Mel mutters, glaring at him.
"Ew, don't be specist."
"That's not a word." She counters.
"Bite me."
"I would but I would just fall through." She swings her head to me. "Did you think long enough?" The guy rolls his eyes.
"Come on, you. Gotta take you to Assignment." He nods his head at me but I don't move, instead glancing over to Mel.
She smirks. "She likes me better."
"Probably stockholm syndrome since you kidnapped her from the godsdamn lawn—"
"She just appeared, what was I supposed to do—"
"Take her to Assignment?" He waves his hands as he talks and the way they bicker almost calms the anxiety in my chest. Almost.
"Did you even ask her what her name is?"
"No, we didn't get that far."
"Bet you shoved your vampire propaganda at her, though."
"Go disappear." She growls and I shrink back without thinking.
"Quit scaring her!" He steps forward and offers me a hand this time. "Come on, I'm Mateo. Let me walk you to Assignment."
I glance over at Mel who is still giving him a death glare, but it's softened since he came in and I force myself to take a step closer.
"Nice to meet you." I close my eyes, trying to remember. "Thalia. I'm Thalia."
The beach. Sand kicking up and someone screaming. Screaming at me. My name.
"Thalia, stop!" I won't go back, I won't go back—
Mateo gently touches my shoulder, his eyes solemn, as if he can hear my own thoughts. "Come on, Thalia. Let's get you settled."
When I move to follow him, I can't help the small relief when Mel comes with us.