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When you grow up where I did, you hear a lot more stories than the ones most people know about. I remember one from when I was young. It was about this hero who tried to save his lover from the underworld with a song, or something along those lines… I can’t remember it all right now, I just remember that I really liked it. I thought he was stupid, and I didn’t understand why anyone would do something like that, but I liked it.
When I came to Night Raven College, I met a vampire named Bram. So did a few other people. They’re my brothers now, and sure, I had to be dragged out of my room to interact with them, but they mean the world to me now. Even the extroverts. I would do anything to save them. Even if it meant defying death.
Because sometimes it does. From the first day we were all in Diasomnia together, I could tell that Cater just… Wasn’t all that right in the head. Usually I just ignored him because he was loud and obnoxious, but sitting in the lounge of Diasomnia chatting with my brothers, I started to pick up on little things when I wasn’t talking. Like how sometimes he’d take long breaks from the conversation, but always plaster on a smile whenever someone asked if he was okay.
I suppose that’s why I’m here now. Because I’m worried about him, and I made a vow that if any of them tried to kill themselves, I’d go down to the underworld and drag them back myself. I guess he just thought I was joking or something.
I knew the rules. That part of the story I heard played over and over in my head with each step we took back home. I tried everything to keep my eyes in front of me. I pulled my hood up over my head so it’d be more work to turn and look at him. I assured myself he’d be fine over and over and over again. I tried to think of all the trips he dragged me out on that I ended up having fun on against my wishes. I tried to think of all the times he was so confident he’d finally beat me at a video game, only to get absolutely crushed like the Normie he is. I tried to think of him smiling, laughing, having fun with our family and all the great times he’d have with them again when we got back.
However, I was full of doubts. Did he trip? Did he sit down to rest and get a left behind? Did he even come along at all? There were so many questions running through my mind.
Against my best interest, I turned around to check.