School of Deaths

by Christopher Mannino

  “And Jason’s not in our Applications class,” continued Suzie. “Any question from him will seem unrelated to us.”

  “That sounds shaky.”

  “I’ll do it,” said Jason. “Let’s meet back here tomorrow. Same time.”

  “Good luck,” said Suzie.

  Frank looked like he wanted to protest, but Suzie rose. The decision stood. As much as she needed her friends, she called the shots, which was a strange reversal. She’d been isolated, struggling to get them to believe. Now they followed her. Jason would ask.

  As they left, Suzie waited an extra minute before opening the bookcase. No one was in the house. She nodded to the others and they walked out. They’d return at different times, by different routes. Were they being followed, or was Suzie paranoid?

  She walked into the cool night air and glanced up at the crescent moon. A scythe of white sliced the souls of stars, cleaving the heavens. A cold crescent moon stared down; yet, for an instant, perhaps, she saw a smile.

  The smile of Athanasius.

  She smiled back at the sky.

  * * * *

  “It’s the smell,” said Jason.

  He peered over the dusty table, tossing an old book to the floor. A pile of dust rose, catching the dim glow of the flowers.

  “What smell?” asked Billy.

  They’d met in the library two days in a row. Suzie’s excitement had never been this high. For the first time since arriving in this world she had something to think about other than the Final Test. Sindril had brought her here, she was sure. Sindril wanted a Dragon Key, and somehow he wanted her to help find it. Sindril. She didn’t even care what he wanted. He’d killed her friend. She couldn’t leave this world until he paid the price.

  “What did he say exactly?” asked Suzie.

  “At first he wouldn’t answer,” said Jason. “I told him Cronk had mentioned he was the smartest Death in the faculty. You should’ve seen him perk up to that. I explained how I was doing research for a special portrait about the Revolt, but didn’t know much about the ’Mentals.”

  “Smart,” said Billy.

  “Still wasn’t easy,” said Jason. “Tried to ask in the halls, but he was too busy. He brought me to his office at the base of East Tower. Man, that place is freaky.”

  “And?” prompted Suzie.

  “You ever noticed how the World of the Dead smells like strawberries?”

  “Yes,” she said. “I’ve definitely noticed.”

  “Well, according to Rayn, it doesn’t. What we smell is the ’Mentals. I stopped short of asking more and thanked him.”

  “You mean, if we can track the smell, we’d find where they live,” said Suzie.

  “How are we going to do that?” asked Billy.

  “Deaths steal from the Mortal World,” she replied. “They stole clothes for me, when I first got here. Maybe we could steal a dog?”

  “That stealing you mentioned isn’t easy,” said Frank. “Only a certified Death can cross into the Mortal World without constant supervision. And if it was a living dog? I don’t think it’s possible. Besides, how long would it take to train? No, we need another way. Yesterday, I remembered Cibran mentioning his home village. It’s north of the College, in the forest. If you head north and follow the scent yourselves, maybe you’ll be able to find them.”

  Suzie sat for a moment. Would they be able to track the ’Mentals themselves?

  “Maybe there’s a map here in the library,” added Billy.

  They searched for hours, but didn’t find one.

  “We should still try,” said Suzie. “I’ll come back to the library every day and try to find a map, you guys can come too. We’ll go in a week, whether we find one or not.”

  * * * *

  Saturday arrived and they’d found nothing. She looked out her window as a gentle rain came and passed. Billy led her outside. The sun emerged from a cloud and a rainbow appeared, stretching behind West Tower. They sat together on a bench in a courtyard, looking up. He put an arm around her shoulder and she leaned her head against him.

  “Has everyone noticed?”

  “It’s not a big deal,” said Billy. “I’m okay with it.”

  “We’ll go without one.”

  “Wait. What?” He turned to her. Without a mask, she saw his full disfigurement. Bruises and small cuts covered the right side of his face. The wound on his left side had healed poorly, and was scarred and surrounded by a brown tinge.

  “You were talking about my face, right?” he asked.

  “I was talking about something else,” she said. “But never mind.” She didn’t want to say that they were looking for a map. Probably no one was listening, but still…

  She looked up at the colors hanging in the sky. A bird flew overhead, crying out, and fluttering toward the mountain of West Tower.

  “Tell me about yourself, Billy,” she said. “We’ve been friends for months, but you’ve never said anything about your life before.”

  “Before I came to this world? Before I became a Death?” Billy laughed. “Seems like ages ago. A different life.”

  “Frenchie said his brother got pulled here. I can’t imagine watching your brother go missing, only to find him here.”

  “Me neither.”

  “I had a brother named Joe who used to tease me a lot. I have a brother named Joe, I mean. He’s still my brother. I will see him. I'll see my parents too.”

  “Maybe, but I’ll miss you if you do.”

  “I’ll miss you, too, Billy.”

  A cloud drifted in front of the sun, and the rainbow faded. A squirrel glanced at them and darted away. She didn’t smell strawberries, which meant no ’Mentals around. She wondered if any remained in the College.

  “I was lonely before I came here,” said Billy. “My parents were divorced and I didn’t have any siblings.” He shifted on the bench and looked toward the red stone walls around them. “I had a dog named Comet. He was my best friend. We used to take a lot of long walks together, to get away.” He pulled a long blade of grass from the ground and twirled it around his fingers. “I lived with my mom most of the time, but she started seeing other guys. Whenever my dad was around, they’d fight. I started failing school, but they hardly noticed. Even when I got skinny they thought it was a cry for attention.” He tossed the grass away. “I ended up here. I’ll be honest, Suzie. I never took the Final Test. I told them to fail me, and they did. Truth is, I couldn’t imagine going back.”

  “Billy, I’m sorry.”

  “Heads up, one of your teachers is here,” he said.

  “S-S-S-Suzie, can I have a w-w-w-word?”

  “What is it Cronk?” she asked.

  “I’ve s-s-s-s-seen your T-T-T-Test.”

  A tear fell down his face. She’d met Cronk before any Death; she’d even seen him in her dreams before he appeared at her door. She stood and wrapped her arms around him. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Billy turn away.

  “You c-c-c-can pass.”

  “Thanks, Cronk. You’re not just my teacher. You’re my friend as well.”

  She watched Cronk walk away, turned, and kissed Billy on the lips.

  “I understand how you felt,” she said.

  * * * *

  The plan was set. Suzie laughed aloud. For the first time since arriving in this world, she was truly happy. Even if it didn’t work, she’d proven something she needed to know—she had friends. They’d never found a map, and had even spent an extra week looking, but they were out of time.

  The plan is set.

  Frank and Jason would stay at the College, and if anyone asked, Billy and Suzie were confined to Eagle Two with the flu. Jason would insist they were highly contagious, and would spend a few nights at Frank’s house. Suzie hoped it wouldn’t take a few nights to find the ’Mentals, but it was better to be safe.

  The hardest part was leaving the College unnoticed. For a while, Suzie wasn’t sure what to do, but fate seemed to be on her side.

&n
bsp; “Everyone’s called to the Hall tonight,” read Billy. “They want to discuss how the College will function without the ’Mentals.” He folded up the notice that had been slipped under their door. “Everyone will be there, and Jason will tell them we’re sick. Guess they’re realizing life’s different without servants catering to you. It’s perfect, Suzie.”

  “I’m glad you’re going with me,” said Suzie. Billy leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. She didn’t blush. She was starting to like it when he kissed her.

  Four long hours later, they heard hundreds of Deaths filing toward the Hall. Suzie and Billy waited another half an hour before leaving Eagle Two. Suzie snuck into the corridor and peered out the front door. In the reddish dusk light, the reds and browns of the earthen walls grew vivid. The College looked empty.

  “Let’s go,” said Billy. He and Suzie ran toward the Ring of Scythes.

  They ran through the Ring, and as they passed beneath the blades, the sky turned orange. Suzie felt a familiar tingle around her and paused.

  “Suzie?”

  An eagle flew in front of her and turned its head. The bird vanished, leaving only two eyes of swirling green flame.

  “Suzie, we have to keep moving. What is it?”

  You are going to my home, said the eyes. And you are going to your home as well. The end of the journey is at the journey’s beginning. The world around her melted into flames. The fire didn’t burn, it was warm and comforting.

  “Suzie?” She felt Billy shake her, but she couldn’t move.

  The answer does not lie in a distant land. It lies in you; in who you are. Find the truth and save us. You are strong, Suzie. You are—

  The eyes vanished. Suzie glanced around but they were still alone.

  “I’m okay,” she said. “I had another vision. Let’s get out of here.”

  They passed the Ring of Scythes and walked north.

  “Strawberries,” she said.

  “I don’t smell it,” said Billy.

  “Me neither.”

  They followed the path uphill. Trees parted as they reached a small pond.

  “This is the pond Cronk brought me to the night I first came to the Land of the Dead,” said Suzie.

  “I’ve been here a couple times,” said Billy. “This is Silver Pond.” He glanced at his reflection and shuddered. “If Cronk brought you here it was probably to show you that you weren’t anorexic in this world.”

  “They did the same for you?”

  “Yeah.”

  The two writhing towers loomed against the sky in the distance, covered in shadows. They passed Silver Pond and entered another forest, older than the first. Billy helped her climb over a few massive overgrown roots. At one spot, she tripped over a patch of roots and tangled thorns. Billy plucked two thorns out of her leg. Overhead, the sun sank beneath the canopy of trees.

  “You think Sindril will figure out we’ve snuck away?” asked Billy.

  “I don’t,” she replied. “He’s got enough to worry about, and I haven’t seen a guard on us. Besides, the Final Tests are coming up and he has no ’Mentals to help get things ready.”

  “That’s probably one of the reasons they called a meeting.”

  “Right,” she said.

  The forest opened and a barren field of grass and rock stretched to the horizon. Suzie turned around. The forest ringed the horizon, with no sign of the College or its towers. No sign of pursuit either.

  “It’s getting late,” said Billy. “Maybe we should set up camp here.” He pulled his backpack off and opened it.

  “I don’t like being out in the open,” said Suzie.

  “You’d rather go back to the forest? If any animals are around, I’d figure the forest would be more dangerous for us.”

  “Deaths or animals,” said Suzie. “I'm not sure which would be worse. Let’s set up at the edge of the forest. We’ll use that canopy Frank stole; try to make a tent out of it.”

  “Should we start a fire? If you’re worried about being caught—”

  “A fire will be okay,” she said. She wasn’t used to making decisions. Part of her wanted to remain hidden, but she thought about the green eyes and the surrounding flames. Fire was familiar and comforting. Besides, it’d keep away animals, which were probably more likely to be after them than Deaths.

  “This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” said Billy as he started setting up the tent. He gathered sticks from the edge of the forest and heaped them into a pile. He took a match and after several failed attempts, managed to set the pile on fire.

  “What do you mean?” Suzie pulled out one of the gorgers they’d filched and broke it in two. She handed half to Billy and gazed into the flames. No eyes.

  “We’re running into the woods chasing a strawberry smell, and for what, to create a distraction for you to sneak into Sindril’s office? Come on, Suzie, you have to admit, this is a bit nuts.”

  “Maybe,” said Suzie between bites. “Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts.”

  He laughed. “No, I’m glad I’m here. I’ve been a Death for two years now, and in all that time, this is the first moment I’ve felt alive. Never felt like that back in the Living World either. Thanks, Suzie, you’re…you’re a good friend.”

  “You are, too, Billy.” She sensed he wanted to say more, but she wasn’t quite ready to hear it. This was new to her too. “We should take turns sleeping. One of us will keep watch,” she said.

  “Why don’t you sleep first,” he said. “I’m not tired.”

  “Me neither,” she said. “But I guess you can have the first watch. If anything happens, wake me. Run if you have to, but wake me first.”

  “Stars are coming out,” said Billy, gazing out across the rocky field. Above them, millions of tiny lights glistened against a sea of black. The moon shone, almost full, like a watchful eye of silver, surrounded by attending stars.

  “They’re beautiful,” said Suzie.

  “You’re beautiful,” said Billy.

  Her face turned red, and she moved a little away from the fire. Then she lay down.

  “I’m going to sleep now,” she said. “Wake me in two hours and we’ll trade.”

  She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. She sensed Billy was watching her, but she didn’t open her eyes.

  What were these feelings? Billy was her friend, but he was more. He was ugly, with his disfigured face. Yet, something about him remained unhurt. He was also caring. He’d always been on her side, even when the others had doubted her. Or had he? And he had failed his Final Test on purpose. That still befuddled her. In the Living World, he must have felt as alone as she felt here.

  The Final Test. When the time came, what would she do? If she passed, how could she leave Billy, Frank, and Jason? How could she think of not leaving? She didn’t belong here, none of them did.

  Yet Billy had chosen to stay. There were other boys in the Living World, and other girls too. Still, no one had ever paid attention to her the way Billy did.

  For the first time, she realized an advantage to being the only girl in a world of men. It meant she had no competition. No, don’t be ridiculous. You’ll meet plenty of boys back home. But where was home? She wasn’t sure.

  She didn’t remember drifting to sleep, but the ground faded away and Suzie found herself flying through stars: tiny shining scythes grinning at her with hungry steel teeth. She kept flying and the stars crowded around her, trying to nip her with their blades. A gust of flame sent them scattering.

  You are strong, said the green eyes. You are nearly home.

  “Where is home?” she asked. “I’m not sure anymore.”

  Only you can answer that, Suzie. Look inside your heart and see. Look inside your heart and find the truth.

  Billy rubbed her shoulder gently, waking her. She wiped her sweaty forehead and propped herself up. The fire had died down, but still burned enough to give both warmth and light.

  Billy lay down and she watched him as he clos
ed his eyes. In the flickering light, his face looked even more disfigured. Try as she might, she couldn’t ignore the charred skin or ugly scar. She turned to the forest and rose.

  Shadows lurked at the edge of the firelight, taunting her. They danced and moved with every flicker of flame. In the distance, she heard a wolf howl.

  She sensed something watching her, but nothing emerged. She stayed near the fire and turned back to the open field. For two hours, she wondered what was in the woods. She remembered the albino ’Mental. Frank claimed he had “gotten rid of the problem” but what had he done? Was the albino dead?

  The night passed without incident. Flames and riddles filled her dreams; apprehension filled her waking moments. At last, dawn broke on the edge of the rocky field. The fire had long since died out, but she kicked dirt on top of it and spread the ashes.

  “Anyone who wanted to follow us would have,” said Billy. He took out a gorger and split it with her. Instantly, her half took the flavor of hot eggs and bacon.

  “Let’s get moving,” she said between mouthfuls. “Gather the stuff, and we’ll go.” Together, they finished breakfast and filled their backpacks.

  “Strawberries,” Suzie said. “I smell it faintly, coming from that direction.”

  “Looks like that’s where we’re headed.”

  “I’m strong,” Suzie muttered to herself, echoing the words she’d dreamed too many times. If only she believed them.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The First Female Death

  Two days later, Suzie’s legs throbbed in agony. They walked from dawn to dusk each day. They’d followed half-beaten trails and abandoned roads. They’d crossed fields and forests, even wading through two streams. They hadn’t found anyone. Yet they were going the right way. Strawberries filled every breath. Ripe, delicious strawberries, mixed with smells of mashed strawberries and strawberries past their prime. In one of her dreams, the red flames faded into a field of vivid red strawberries.

  “We need to head back,” said Billy. “We’re almost out of food.” They’d tried a few berries in the forest, but spit them out. Suzie had split the final piece of her strength cake, but it hadn’t filled their bellies.