Henry felt at ease, finally being in a space he didn't have to share with people he didn't know. He needed the time to think, and to rest, his head had been hurting since he got to the school.
The room was large and had almost everything he could need: a bathroom, a desk stocked with stationery, and a big window. It felt like the perfect place for him to relax and get a grip on what was going on.
'There are so many things to think about, I tried to kill someone, people grow rocks out of their skin, and I've been chosen by some sort of otherworldly presence, and I still don't even know what that means.'
Kairn's words echoed throughout Henry's mind, "If you're not lucky, soon you will all be dead." He didn't have any plans on dying, he had only just started living 12 hours prior. Besides, there was more he needed to know, who was he, what happened for him to be found in the rubble of an apartment complex, and why couldn't he see his own face.
Dozens of questions ran through Henry's head, but he had to stay calm and decide what to focus on. Opening the small notebook, he planned to write some down. However, something caught his eye—the second page, which had been blank the last time he checked, was now filled.
***
It's been twelve days, and I know what's coming, I've been chosen. Mom knows, but I don't think she's come to terms with it. It's complicated, how do you deal with the fact that your son is going to either die or turn into some sort of monster? I've got a week before the applications to Timidus open, it's the only chance I have at surviving. Who knows, maybe this is a good thing…
I really am just like dad.
'So I have a family… maybe they can he-'
His thought was cut off as a bell began ringing.
'Shit, dinner.'
Henry grabbed a spare notebook from inside his desk and quickly wrote three questions into it.
— What did I do during application day?
— Why was I found in rubble.
— What does being chosen mean?
'That sounds good.'
Henry hastily got dressed and grabbed a student handbook, which had a map of the school inside.
***
Rushing through the vast corridors of Timidus was not easy, but the mix of hunger and a fear of not answering any of his questions led Henry right to the cafeteria.
Dozens of students were standing side by side, some were in groups, the obviously popular ones were being doted on by meeker students. It reminded Henry that he was just one person in an ecosystem of dozens. There's no way they all have something against him.
Making his way to the line for food, he realized that it was certain to be alright, he only noticed a few odd glances, and most of those could be mistakes or curiosity.
The food calmed him down even more, mashed potato's, gravy, and shredded chicken. He swore he had only had better food once, but he couldn't quite remember where.
Scanning the lunchroom, most tables were completely full, and he wasn't ready to socialize to that extent. In the far left he noticed a familiar face, or for better words, hair. The same boy he had seen with the other late students was sitting alone, frizzy hair and all. Henry began walking towards him, after all, he didn't seem hostile earlier.
As he approached the table another group walked by him running to the boy,
"Are you really one of the Gilded clan's descendants!? You're famous!"
A girl squealed.
The mini group berated the boy with questions, and for a second Henry began looking for another table, his attention being brought back when he heard a slamming at the table.
The boy had now stood up, and with a scowl responded to the group.
"I want to eat alone. Please, and thank you."
He sat down, and went back to eating slowly, not making eye contact with the group, which slowly backed off.
'Well, maybe I have better odds…'
Henry stepped up to the table and sat across from the boy.
"Hey, I'm Henry."
He held out his hand as the boy looked at him with a confused look.
"So, what's your name?"
The boy looked to his left and right, confused whether Henry was talking to him.
"I'm Aurelius Mar- I'm Marlon, you can call me Marlon."
Marlon shook Henry's hand.
'Phew.'
"So, you also knew here? I think we met in the late group."
Marlon thought for a second.
"Oh yeah. You were the one they made a fuss about, right?"
Henry frowned, he wasn't fond of being the cause of drama.
"Yeah, but honest I don't know why! Actually, would you happen to have been there? On application day, I mean."
Marlon looked up, contemplating.
"Of course I was there, how else would I have applied. Though I don't actually know about what you did or anything. Just the rumors."
This confused Henry, how would he only know about the rumors if he was there.
"What do you mean, weren't you there?"
"Yeah, I was, but… I fell asleep on a bench after submitting my application. Slept right through everything until sunset."
Henry was dumbfounded, first how does someone fall asleep so easily, second how do they stay asleep when something so intense as an attempted murder is happening.
"Oh… well, what are the rumors, then?"
Giggling Marlon replied,
"Apparently, some applicant started complaining, and it bothered you so much that you tackled him then tried to pummel him to death. I heard it took three people to get you off of him."
Marlon's giggle turned into a full laugh.
"Pretty crazy stuff."
'What… I tried to kill someone just because th-they complained?'
His thoughts became cloudy, how could I do something like that, no why would I do something like that, Henry looked at his hands.
'Who am I?'
Marlon noticed the worry on Henry's face.
"Hey! Don't get all mopey at my table, besides being chosen makes people do weird stuff, I tried to set my room on fire when It happened to me."
Henry laughed.
"What why?"
Marlon's face got flush.
"I don't know! Just felt like the thing to do, besides I've heard way more crazy stuff, like apparently this one guy, just started only speaking in riddles-"
"No way!"
Marlon and Henry smiled, it seemed that for the first time in a while the both of them finally had some peace.
***
The cafeteria had quieted down to just a few groups talking, Henry and Marlon being one of the louder groups. Henry finished his food, and began looking for where to put his plate before noticing a familiar face watching them.
'Not you again.'
On the opposite side of the cafeteria, Henry saw the same girl that had wished for him to be removed from the school, the same cyan hair, and tall build. Worse than that, she was talking to the guy who recognized him earlier too.
"Hey, who is that?"
Henry pointed towards the girl. Marlon looked before widening his eyes.
"Oh god, that's Lumora, she comes from a super rich family. You know, the one that makes all the chosen merchandise that makes us look like celebrities. You know what, I heard that her family paid millions to the school to guarantee her admission."
Henry's gaze and moved from her to the guy she was talking too, he hadn't realized earlier, but he was big, much taller than him at least.
"What about the guy she's sitting with?"
Marlon frowned.
"I hate that guy, his names Arden, he's from a whole family of brutes, I swear they're only still alive because they know how to punch things."
'Gulp.'
Lumora, and the brute Arden, had stood up with a small group and started walking towards the two.
"Shit, I think they're trying to start something, aren't they."
Marlon stood up, but Henry gestured for him to sit down.
"It's okay, I'm just going to explain that I don't know what came over me, and it's a simple misunderstanding, it'll be fine."
A grin came across Marlon's face that screamed, "I have no faith in you." But Henry felt confident that he could at least defuse the situation a bit.
The group led by Lumora arrive at their table. She made a disappointed face at Henry.
"You shouldn't be here."
Henry mustered up a friendly smile and looked her in the eye.
"And why is that? If you mind me asking."
She made a confused face, not understanding the little Henry knows about his own prior actions.
"You are a danger to everyone here. One chosen goes the wrong path, and it could cause chaos to us all!"
Henry stood up, immediately being intimidated by the presence of Arden, who must have stood at a solid 6'6.
"Listen I don't mean any harm, I know I might have frightened a few people during application day, but I really don't know what came over me, I promise, what happened there will never happen again."
Marlon had begun standing up and gripped his plate tightly, Arden's hands had crunched into fists, but Lumora seemed surprised almost.
"Well, if you apologi-"
Lumora's response was interjected by the brute.
"Who cares, you and this clan failure, are embarrassments to the chosen!"
"Wha-"
Lumora attempted to respond, but Marlon had already been sent off.
"The fuck! Listen here you thick sculled meat sack, whether I'm from a clan or not, I can fuck you up!"
Marlon threw his plate at Arden's face, it shattered, cutting his face. The brute let out a cry and shoved the table, sending Marlon flying back.
'Shit.'
Arden prepared to tackle Marlon from across the table, Henry quickly wrapped his arms around him and tried to push him over, Henry had not however accounted for the difference in size, to the brute Henry was just a rag-doll. Arden grabbed Henry's torso and twisted him into the table, which slammed against his ribs, knocking the wind out of him.
"Stop!"
Lumora pleaded with the group, but it was too late, Henry kicked Arden in the chest, causing the brute to wince, and immediately turn to the defenseless Henry.
'Oh god.'
Henry stared up at Arden, as the brute pulled his arm back, and Henry watched as with intense speed Arden's fist flung towards his face.