Chapter Text
Once Singh was fully out of earshot, Roland rounded on Monty and Kevin.
‘’Can I just ask,’’ He started, ‘’’cause I feel like you were very, very- wanting to know about the forest. Was there something we’re gonna do in the woods?’’
‘’No reason.’’ Monty asserted. He sent a glare towards Kevin hoping that Roland wouldn’t read too far into it, but it was clear the shorter boy hadn’t bought it. The suspicion and knowing look in his eyes was enough to make Kevin turn away.
‘’No, I just, um…I like nature. There was a good, you know, forest where I lived near Bristol.’’ He attempted. He lifted his eyes until they met Roland’s again, holding his breath in anticipation. Roland’s features relaxed in an instant.
‘’I love nature, too. Well, I don’t know about you, but it’s been an exhausting day and I would like to get some sleep.’’ He grinned.
‘’Yeah, me too. Should we all go up to our rooms and have a nap?’’ Monty asked. He nodded towards the door that Singh disappeared through and let Edgar take the lead, following the boy back up towards their dormitories. They passed a million more corridors and archways, but found themselves back at the common room in less than ten minutes. They were about to round the final corner when Roland nearly tripped over a figure laying across the floor.
Roland staggered back, ‘’Oh, hey Ben. Did you get any beans?’’
Ben sighed, adjusting his elongated legs that didn’t quite fit the length of the hallway, ‘’Yeah. Weren’t very filling.’’
‘’Is it ‘cause your stomach gets massive as you grow as well?’’ Kevin asked.
‘’Yeah.’’ Ben nodded. His eyes fluttered closed in exasperation.
‘’Maybe you should have it in the morning and just eat a big meal at the start of the day.’’ Kevin suggested. Ben sighed, wiggling uncomfortably against the cold and jagged floor.
‘’Yeah, I’ll- I’ll shrink overnight. It’s just, uh…’’ He tutted, ‘’Yeah.’’
‘’Do you need help getting back up to the room?’’ Monty asked.
‘’Oh, no, I’m just stuck in the corridor now.’’ Ben shrugged.
‘’If you want, we can lift you up and move you sideways into the- ‘’ Monty made a lifting motion with both of his arms, gesturing loosely to the common room door.
Ben paused and looked up at Monty in surprise, ‘’Yeah?’’
‘’Yeah, should we all- should we all pick him up?’’
‘’Yeah, alright, yeah.’’ Kevin agreed. All four boys crowded Ben and tried to lift all 7 feet of him, aiming his head towards the door. Kevin was the first one to tap out, his arms too achy and tired to support the weight. Monty and Edgar gave up quickly as well. Roland felt a sudden surge of energy power through his veins, no doubt from the copious amount of beans he had consumed. He lifted Ben like freaking Atlas and started guiding him through the archway.
‘’You three guide him.’’ He said easily.
Edgar shook himself out of his shock, rushing to open the door, ‘’We’ll guide and curl.
One of the other first years held the door open from the other side. Some of the other boys were yelling instructions or encouragement as Ben was carefully manoeuvred through the small opening, Kevin unhelpfully trying to push him through by his legs.
‘’Pi- Pivot! Rotate- ‘’
‘’Okay, here we go. Just bend in the middle, Ben, there we go. Round in the L bend.’’ Roland panted.
‘’Okay, okay.’’ Ben said. He couldn’t do anything but lie there and let Roland try and shove his body through the archway.
They managed it eventually, laying Ben down across the middle of the common room. One of the boys shoved some furniture aside while another cushioned Ben’s head against the table football. The ghost white moonlight bathed the room in an elegant glow.
‘’Aww, thanks guys.’’ Ben gushed, ‘’This is great.’’
The first years settled in the cold gleam of the moonlight and started chatting about how their days have gone. They were all exhausted and ready for sleep, especially after the beat downs they had received from Morty and Melvin, who were also dotted around the room. They talked about their curses, their families, where they came from- they talked until the room darkened and the moon crept further up into the sky.
Some of the first years were gathered around the football table, encouraging each other and being competitive. The goalies were still missing, so the boys kept sticking their hands in to block the ball from hitting the goal. They laughed boisterously and high-fived each other.
Soon, ten o’clock arrived.
‘’Guys, I’ve got an idea about how we could all bond.’’ Roland said, glancing around the room excitedly, ‘’If Ben is in for it.’’
Edgar threw his hand of cards onto the coffee table, ‘’Wh- wh- what was your idea?’’
‘’I was going to suggest a limbo competition. I thought we could all use Ben as the limbo pole and we could all limbo under and see how low each of us could go.’’ Roland grinned.
Ben gave them a thumbs up from where he was still laying, a sharp indent left in his cheek from the leg of the table.
‘’Yeah, alright.’’ Monty agreed.
‘’Let’s do it.’’ Kevin said.
Roland and Brandon set Ben up using the various sofas and armchairs in the room. Ben’s head laid by the window while his legs stretched all the way across to the other side, leaving enough room under him for the boys to limbo under. A very off-key rendition of the Limbo Song was being orchestrated by Kevin.
The game began with a lot of loud cheering and joyous laughter. Roland was out in the first round, feeling too tired and wobbly from carrying Ben into the common room. Edgar followed and went to go sit in the corner.
‘’I’m too tall.’’ He mourned.
The competition went on and more and more of the first years dropped out, until it was only Monty and Kevin left. Edgar and Roland cheered raucously from the sidelines. Monty knocked his head on Ben’s back immediately, and the crown went to Kevin.
‘’Well done!’’ Monty said proudly. He stood up and dusted off his trousers as Kevin was lifted into the air by the other boys. He was hoisted onto Brandon’s shoulders, being labelled rightfully as the Limbo King of the First Years.
‘’Yeah! We’re having the best time ever!’’ Monty yelled excitedly into the crowd. Kevin was let off Brandon’s shoulder as the laughter and chatter finally died down.
‘’Right. That was really good fun, but now I really think we should go to bed.’’ Roland smiled. His eyes were slowly drooping, the exhaustion of the day settling deep in his bones.
Everyone bid each other goodnight and took off into their respective dormrooms. They made their first stop at Monty and Edgar’s, yawning and dragging their feet as soon as their beds were in sight.
‘’Night, night.’’ Monty said with a droopy smile.
‘’Goodnight, guys.’’ Kevin said.
‘’Goodnight.’’
Roland smiled, hands fidgeting restlessly, ‘’Night, everyone. You know, I was nervous about coming here. But after meeting you three, I think…I’ve got some friends.
‘’Yeah.’’ Edgar smiled. Brandon inserted himself into the tight circle the boys had formed, wiggling his fingers at them playfully.
‘’I think,’’ He said, ‘’We’re gonna get along hand in hand.’’
There was a beat of disappointed silence.
Roland let out a pained sigh, ‘’Night, Brandon.’’
Roland and Kevin turn and enter their room on the opposite side of the corridor. Edgar and Monty shut their own door, the creaking of the hinges loud in the dead of the night. Edgar could already tell he wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight. He waved a goodnight to Monty, shuffling tiredly into their dingy shared bathroom. He brushed his teeth, changed, and came back out with half lidded eyes. He had to pass the little window as he made his way to his bed, and Poe landed on his shoulder with a loud screech. He tugged at Edgar’s sleeve insistantly.
‘’My- I- What?’’ Edgar asked, annoyed. Poe pulled and pulled at his pyjama sleeves until they came to stand at the tiny window. Outside, on the outskirts of the playground, was a little outdoor gym where bulky third years were lifting weights and doing pull ups. Edgar groaned at Poe in annoyance.
‘’No, Poe. I won’t. I won’t!’’ He tried to flick the little bird away from him, but Poe hung on and nipped Edgar’s ear. Edgar grumbled as he steadily got under his comfy covers- he was trying not to wake Monty. He couldn’t even close his eyes before Poe was flying over to the window with a warning screech, frantically looking around the room. He tapped the window aggressively with his beak.
‘’Nevermore.’’
Edgar tried desperately to ignore it.
Tap tap tap.
‘’Nevermore.’’
Edgar let out a long sigh of annoyance. He wriggled out of bed and dragged his feet over to the moonlit window.
‘’We’ve- We’ve just done this, Poe. We’ve just done this. You’re still pointing to the outdoor gym, I don’t care how well-equipped it is.’’ Edgar rubbed his eyes tiredly, mind half asleep. His room was a kaleidoscope of shapes and colours through dropping eyes. He angrily shoved his glasses back onto his face.
Poe pecked and screeched until Edgar finally looked out the window, eyes scanning blearily over the vast expanse of the Plagueround. There was about two hundred meters of grass until the edge of the rocky plateau that the school stood on. Beyond the plateau was the roiling fog and rain and thunder of the Plagueround, trees scattered densely among the thick blanket of white. Edgar looked across the plateau- and at the lip of the rock, a small, cloaked figure stood holding a lantern, staring up at the misty window. It was wearing a little colourful poncho and a long-sleeved green t-shirt. Its glowing eyes fixated on Edgar as it took a few staggering steps backwards, vanishing mysteriously over the side of the plateau.