Everly Academy

by V. B. Marlowe

  Molly ignored Isleen. “Skype? You guys have a way to Skype? How?”

  This time Tress pressed her lips together tightly.

  “Uh, we really can’t say,” Lily said. “It could get someone in this room in a lot of trouble.”

  “No. I promise. No one will get in any trouble.”

  The girls sat stone-faced. No one made eye contact.

  “We can’t tell you how we Skype but . . .” Marina began.

  “Mah—ree—nah,” Isleen said between clenched teeth.

  Marina glanced at Isleen and then went on. “We send letters with Owen when he and his father leave the border. He delivers them to the guys, and they send back letters for us.” She looked at Isleen again and then down at her hands. “That’s all I can say.”

  Isleen folded her arms over her chest. “It’s mostly just dumb love letters from Jack to Tress.”

  “They’re not dumb,” Tress shouted. “Letters from Jack are my favorite thing.”

  Isleen fixed her gaze on Lily. “Or, they’re letters from Pinocchio to Lily. He’s madly in love with her but she has no interest in a boy made of wood. I can’t blame her. Who has time for splinters when you can spend your days adoring a man-child who will never love you because he’s in love with someone else?”

  Lily threw down the pillow she had been clutching and charged toward Isleen. Before Molly could react, Scarlett and Drusilla were up holding her back. “I hate you,” Lily roared. “Why do you have to be so damn awful?”

  Isleen smirked, obviously pleased by the reactions she was receiving. Molly stood and clapped her hands. “Enough, ladies. Why don’t we all take a breather?”

  Isleen and Tress were the first to leave while the other girls hung back to comfort Lily.

  “You can’t let her get under your skin like that,” Scarlett said.

  “There’s only so much of that girl I can take. If I have to live with her for much longer, I’m going to lose it.”

  Molly couldn’t imagine having to live for two hundred years with a person she couldn’t stand. She had to get the girls out of that house before one of them exploded.

  17

  “Oh, very badly,” said she. “I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It’s horrible.”

  The Princess and the Pea, Hans Christian Andersen

  Dru had been hard at work ever since the emergency meeting so Molly decided to pay a visit to Dru’s lab before dinner. She had never been there before, but she knew it was located on the third floor of the estate, where she had followed the girls of the Midnight Society the other night.

  She knocked on the steel door and waited. After a moment, Molly heard the click of a lock as the door slid open. Dru, wearing safety goggles and a lab coat, poked her head out. Her eyes widened. “Oh, Ms. Dillinger. Come in.”

  Molly slid inside and closed the door gently behind her. Dru locked it. It only took a moment for Molly to be amazed. The large room was filled with tables and stations holding various test tubes, different colored liquids, petri dishes, hot plates, beakers, microscopes, and plenty of things Molly had never even seen before. The walls were covered with posters of the human body, the periodic table of elements, the ocean, the solar system, and other scientific things. Although English had been her favorite subject, Molly had always found science interesting.

  “Wow, Dru. I had no idea all this was going on in here.”

  Dru shrugged like it was no big deal. “This is my favorite place to be. I love the girls, but being around everyone twenty-four, seven can be hard. Sometimes I need my own space.”

  “I understand that,” Molly said. “I would be the same way.” She took a seat on one of the stools. “Living here is like having nine sisters so I totally get needing a break.”

  “Yeah, and nobody gets science the way I do, or even really likes it, so I doubt they’d want to spend much time down here anyway.” Dru nodded over to two silver plates where pills that looked identical to the ones Allison took were drying. “They should be ready by the late morning.”

  “What do you do down here when you’re not making placebos?”

  Dru opened her mouth to speak but then closed it and laughed to herself. “Never mind. It’s really silly.”

  “What do you mean?” Molly asked. “Trust me. I won’t think it’s silly.”

  “Okay. I’ve been working on cures.” She moved over to a set of test tubes filled with colorful liquid. “For my skin condition, but not just that, something for all the girls. Well, except for Lily and Jolie and Marina. There’s not really anything science can do about their situations.”

  “Have you made any progress?” Molly asked.

  Dru looked down. “No. Waste of time. Clearly science is no match for magic, but at least trying gives me something to do and a way to fill these long days. Maybe one day something I create will actually work.”

  Molly sat across from Dru. “You know this is absolutely amazing, right? I don’t know another person your age who could all in one day discover the ingredients of two medicines and then create placebos that look exactly like the originals. I don’t know anyone of any age who would even attempt to come up with their own cures.”

  Dru smiled and looked down. If her skin wasn’t the color of mahogany, Molly guessed her cheeks would have been red. “Ms. Dillinger, I read lots of books about the advancements in science and the incredible things doctors and scientists come up with. Do you think . . . do you think if I lived on the outside that I could be like them? That I could be good enough?”

  Molly smiled. “Of course. It can still happen, Dru. Because of you, we’re getting closer to breaking the curse and getting you girls out of here. You can still go to school and be whatever you want to be.”

  Dru’s smile broadened. “That would be phenomenal if we could actually pull it off. I can’t decide whether I’d like to be a chemist or a doctor.”

  “You have time to decide.”

  “Ms. Dillinger, do you really think I’m good, like good enough to win one of those Nobel Prizes?”

  “Absolutely, Dru. I think you’re good enough to do anything you want. There’s no limit for you girls once we get you out of here.”

  Dru nodded and focused on a book lying open on her station. Molly felt slightly guilty. If she was going to convince the girls that their dreams could come true in the outside world, she had to do everything she could to get them there.

  She decided to let Dru get back to her work, so she slipped out of the lab. Dru had done her part; now Molly had to do hers. Somehow, she was going to have to find the code to the locker Dr. Meyer used for Allison’s meds. So far, she had only thought of one option. She hated herself for it, but she didn’t see any other way.

  Dinner was quiet. Molly guessed everyone was thinking about Allison and the medicine situation. Allison sat calmly at the table feeding herself a bowl of soup. Half the soup ended up on the table, but the other half managed to make it to her mouth. Molly hated Dr. Meyer for purposefully doing this to her, but the hatred made Molly feel a little better about what she was going to have to do after dinner.

  “You girls are awfully quiet tonight,” Bea remarked. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes, Ms. Bea,” the girls said in unison, but Bea didn’t look convinced at all. She glanced at Molly, and Molly was afraid that she knew something was up and would ask her about it. Ms. Halifax sighed. “I say enjoy the peace while it lasts.”

  As dessert was brought in, Molly excused herself from the table, stating that she had something to do. She hurried to her room and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Molly had a skill that was going to come in handy just then—she knew how to make herself cry on command.

  “You can do this,” she whispered to herself as she headed for Dr. Meyer’s office.

  Molly took a deep breath and knocked on the doctor’s door, hoping he was in. At first th
ere was no answer, and Molly knocked again. “Come in,” he said after a moment.

  Molly let herself inside and closed the door behind her. Dr. Meyer was busy counting pills and putting them in tiny white paper cups. It took all Molly had inside of her to keep her composure knowing the poison that made up those pills. Dr. Meyer glanced over his shoulder. “Ms. Dillinger. What can I do for you?”

  Molly tried to look as sad as possible. She thought about the face that had always worked on her father when she was a little girl. He rarely ever told her no. “I wanted to know if you had a second to talk.”

  He twisted the top of the pill bottle. “Sure. Have a seat on the couch. Make yourself comfortable.”

  Molly took a seat on the middle of the tan sofa, which she found quite comfortable.

  “Let me just put these away.” Dr. Meyer took the pill bottles and walked them back over to the open safe where he placed them inside and closed the door.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Molly said. “You were about to give Allison her medicine, weren’t you?”

  “Yes, but that could wait a few minutes.” He took a seat in the chair across from the sofa. “What did you need to talk about?”

  “I’ve been very homesick. I think the reality that I may not be leaving here for a really long time is starting to set in. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss knowing what’s going on in the outside world. I feel like I’m in prison right now, and I don’t know how to handle it.”

  The doctor smiled. “What you’re feeling is completely normal, and I’m glad you’ve decided to come and speak to me. If you’d like, you can lay down on the couch and close your eyes. It might help you open up a little.”

  Molly removed her ballet flats, placed a pillow underneath her head, and stretched across the couch. If she wasn’t careful, she might have fallen asleep.

  She closed her eyes and listened to Dr. Meyer. “I’m going to say a word, and I don’t want you to think. I just want you to say what pops into your mind.”

  “Mother.”

  “Smothering and overbearing.” Whoa, Molly thought. That sounded so harsh, but it was what had first popped into her mind. They did a few more word associations, and then the doctor had Molly talk about her life on the outside. Molly wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but she’d been in the doctor’s office longer than she’d wanted to. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she was homesick, and talking to the doctor was helping her, even if he was a fraud.

  Molly rolled over on her side and pretended to be asleep. “You lie here as long as you want. I need to give Allison her meds, and then I’ll be right back.” Molly kept still, listening for the sound of the door closing behind Dr. Meyer.

  Even though Allison’s room was at the end of the hall, Molly knew she didn’t have much time. Once she could no longer hear the doctor’s loafers against the hardwood floor, she sprang from the couch and hurried to his desk. Thankfully he’d left the keys there. As quick as she could, she hurried over to the safe and removed the plastic baggies from her back pockets. They were filled with the two types of pills Drusilla had made.

  With shaking hands, Molly emptied the bottles and replaced them with the placebos. Her hands shook, and she moved a lot slower than she cared to. If Dr. Meyer were to catch her red-handed, there was no way she could possibly talk her way out of this. She hoped the doctor wouldn’t notice the difference in the odor of the pills.

  She put the tainted pills into her baggie and slid them into her back pocket. She would keep them as evidence to show Bea, once Allison started to show some improvement. Bea wouldn’t be able to deny the proof.

  She lay back on the couch with her heart pounding. Just as Dr. Meyer walked in, she stretched and yawned. “I can’t believe I fell asleep. Thank you so much, Dr. Meyer. This was really a big help. I should be going now.”

  “I’m glad I could be of help. I’ll follow up with you in a few days.”

  “Okay,” Molly said, hurrying from the room.

  The hardest part of the challenge was over. Now all they had to do was wait for the effects of Allison’s poisonous medications to wear off and see what she really had to say.

  That night, Molly felt guilty as she fell into a peaceful sleep. She thought about how Isleen couldn’t sleep even if she wanted to. How Drusilla was dealing with the worst part of her skin condition. How Gretchen’s stomach was killing her and how all the girls were dealing with their various issues. It wasn’t fair, and Molly wished she could do something to change it. Hopefully soon she would be able to.

  The next afternoon after class, Molly decided to get some reading done outside. She was craving fresh air, and she was hoping to run into Owen. Running to let off steam was the only way she knew to deal with her stress.

  When Molly stepped outside, she spotted Marina and Lily taking a dip in the pool. Jolie and Allison sat in the garden. Molly had never been in the garden, so she decided to stop by.

  Jolie carefully trimmed several lilac tulips, while Allison sat on her knees gently cradling a daffodil in her hands.

  “Jolie, you keep this garden up beautifully,” Molly said as she approached.

  Jolie grinned proudly. “Thank you, Ms. Dillinger. I’ve always had a green thumb, and my garden is my happy place.”

  “Why is it called the singing garden?”

  Jolie looked up as if Molly had just asked the most incredible question. “Ms. Dillinger, you haven’t heard them before?”

  “No.”

  Jolie stopped trimming and cleared her throat. “Everyone, Ms. Dillinger would like to hear how beautifully you sing. Let’s put on a show, on the count of three. One . . .two . . . three.”

  A beautiful song that Molly wasn’t expecting filled her ears. It didn’t sound like humans singing and she couldn’t make out any words, but it was a soft soothing sound that sounded like a mixture of harps and violins. Even Allison had a trace of a smile as a look of calmness spread over her face.

  “Allison loves when they sing. It always soothes her.” Jolie gathered a bunch of roses. “I’m going to take these in to Ms. Bea. She wanted some fresh flowers for her desk. Could you watch Allison for a few minutes?”

  “Of course,” Molly replied. “Take your time.”

  Once Jolie was gone, Molly knelt before Allison. This morning Allison had taken her placebo pills. Molly wondered how long it would take for the old meds to lose their effect.

  “Allison,” Molly said softly. Allison stared at the flower in her hand. Molly called her name a few more times. Although Allison didn’t look at her, she blinked each time Molly said her name. At least she was getting a reaction. Molly wasn’t sure if Allison was listening, but she decided to speak to her anyway. “Allison, I know the medicine you’ve been taking has kept you trapped in your own head and you haven’t been able to really talk to anyone. But we’re working on fixing that, and I’m betting soon that you’ll be able to tell us all you have to say.”

  Allison clicked her tongue, looked Molly dead in the eye, and then resumed looking at the flower.

  “The girls say you know how to break the curse, a way everyone can be saved without having to kill each other. You have the answer they’ve been needing for two hundred years in your own head. Do you understand how powerful you are?”

  “Pens,” Allison whispered.

  “Pens?” Molly said, unable to hide the surprise of hearing Allison speak. She remembered the other girls saying how Allison always mentioned pens. “What about pens?”

  Allison looked as if she were about to say something else, but she gasped. Molly looked over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. It was Dr. Meyer hurrying over with another round of pills. Molly’s body went rigid.

  The doctor stepped gingerly into the garden holding a small plastic cup of pills and a bottle of water. “Hello, Ms. Dillinger. Excuse me while I administer her meds.”

  Molly watched as the doctor tilted Allison’s chin up and poured the pills into her mouth. Even though she k
new they were placebos, she had to fight the urge to knock the pills away. She also wanted to know exactly what his motives were.

  Dr. Meyer assisted Allison in chasing the pills down with water, and then he left them alone. Allison watched him as he moved toward the house. Molly took her hand. “It’s okay, Allison. We know what he’s been doing to you, and it’s going to stop.”

  Allison met Molly’s gaze and clicked her tongue.

  18

  Molly ran a towel over her wet curls. She had just finished washing her hair. An announcement came over the intercom just as she was about to plug in her blow-dryer. It was Cinnamon from the Glam Room. “Ladies, the Glam Room is now open for Everly Ball preparation.”

  Molly heard what sounded like a heard of elephants and rushed to open her bedroom door. The girls tore down the hallway screaming in a mad dash to get to the Glam Room.

  “I get the makeup chair first!” someone called.

  “No way!”

  “Nobody else better be wearing red tonight!”

  She watched the girls disappear around the corner, and the noise subsided. Molly turned to head back into her bedroom and was startled to see Ms. Halifax standing behind her. “Oh. I didn’t see you come up.”

  The woman’s face remained as hard as stone. “Understandable with all the commotion. I stopped by to announce that I will be passing down one of my responsibilities to you. I’m sure you’ll be much better at it.”

  Molly refrained from rolling her eyes. “What now?”

  “You must chaperone that silly ball.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Molly didn’t have a problem with that at all. In fact, it sounded like fun. She had been to dances and banquets, but never a fancy ball thrown by a fairy. “Is there anything specific that I need to do?”

  Ms. Halifax looked her up and down. “No. Just make sure everyone behaves themselves. The ball begins at nine and ends promptly at midnight. Not a second later.”