" I've come for the cooking club." I said evenly as I came inside the prefect meeting room without bothering knocking.
As I closed the door behind me, I could feel all the stares on me and I smirked coldly, knowing very well that they were trying to find out why I came.
But when I turned around, the gaze of Hamilton was much stronger than the other one and his eyes seemed to tell me to do nothing dangerous.
"I don't want to be a member anymore." I announce in a deadly silence, remembering Archie pleads to stop me before coming here.
" Why so ? You haven't even tried yet." Intervene Blaise and I smiled at how good he wore his act. So flawless and without any imperfections. If I didn't know, I would have thought that he really was asking that just by interest. Now I knew that if they wanted, I could be a member of this club. The other one... The one under the cooking club.
" I just have a lot to study for the exams to come and I wouldn't have enough time to do both." I explained.
The four prefects looked at each other before nodding and I understood at this instant that my plan was working perfectly and that they were falling right in the trap I made for them...
Very soon, they should be in prison...
Izzy stood up with the key of the door and locked us in the room, always in silence before sitting back on the couch next of Hamilton who was staring at me afraid now.
He knew I was up to something bad...
"Ethan. Would you want to be a member of the cooking club and still be able to study ?" Blaise asked seriously, all the fun off his face. The act was down, it was time for big things to be done.
I nodded, still standing between the circle the four prefects formed around me while we were talking. Now, I wasn't the one in the strong position and they could do anything with me.
" Then you will be able to do so if you prove your are truthful enough. Go and get the food necessary for the cooking and if you did well, you will definitely be a member of the club."
They weren't talking about the coming club anymore but of the secret one. The one which not even the principal knew about. The one so secret only the members and the prefects knew it existence.
" The truck is wanting. Go now behind the school, where the trash are thrown. Don't worry, you shouldn't be seen."
And after unlocking the door, I slipped out of the room and took back my breath. And as I walked a little deeper in the empty corridor, I met up with Archie who seemed to be waiting for me at the stairs.
When he saw me, he walked towards me at a quick pace and slapped me in the face. Was it really necessary to come to such extremities ? Maybe he was only being scared for two people as I banished this emotion from my body...
" Are you happy now ?" He half yelled and I almost felt guilt at making him this worried. Almost... " You are maybe going to die..." He muttered.
" I'm sorry, I truly am, but I'm the only one with you able to stop them." I explained in a quiet voice, calming his worries down. " Wasn't that what you wished ? What you dreamed of, Archie ? They killed you, never forget that."
Archie didn't spoke for a few minutes, his eyes looking downwards before he finally broke down : " I don't want that the only person I can speak too die. I don't want to be alone again, do you understand ?!" And I could almost see invisible tears falling on this pale, pale face.
" I'm sorry Archie." I whispered, more to myself before turning left and leaving him alone again in the cold and depressing corridor.
I had to do it. I had to preserve the innocence of the younger ones in the school. I didn't want anymore death. I didn't want anymore secrets. And most of all, I wanted to set Archie free. To help him spread his angel wings so he could fly to paradise. I wanted him to not be chained to earth anymore because of ancient remorse....
As I walked through the garden, dark memories coming upon my mind, I saw Lexan coming towards me at a quick space. I noticed that Clayden wasn't with him and I wondered if it was because of the things he took...
" Hey Lexan. Are you okay ?" I asked as he passed in front of me without stopping.
I stared at him, seeing how much weight he had lost and how deep and black the bags under his eyes were.
" Ye-yeah. I'm o-okay. Why ? He stuttered.
" Just asking..." I muttered in response, afraid he was going towards a dead end. Or not afraid as I didn't have any emotions at the moment but something close to it that I couldn't name. Something that wasn't a feeling...
And as I went on walking, I recalled every students walking down the corridors, in just as bad state as Lexan. Maybe less but still. Everyone who went to so worried for there grades and losing weight as a result was a proof that the prefects had much more power than what we thought.
Especially Maxime Max who seemed to be at the head of all that. Then Blaise who was like his right hand man and who did all the bad work - that, I wasn't sure - and finally, Izzy and Hamilton who haven't won the entire trust of what we could call their 'chief'.
Everything was planned perfectly, had no imperfections, no errors. I felt almost bad to tear this plan apart before remembering what these prefects did. They were murdered. Cold blooded murderers.
And slowly, the landscape changed as I walked into the back garden, the one forbidden to every student except for the prefects. A depressing aura surrounded me as I looked around, checking if there weren't any dangers. Pierce garages bags spilled everywhere on the floor, crows flying in circles above my head and yelling their baleful song. And, almost hidden before dead bushes, a muddy truck with a stubby woman waiting next to it.
As I got closer, I saw with almost disgust how greasy her grey hair were, how much hate her eyes seemed to hold behind these black sunglasses.
" Comin' for the food ? She asked with a strong accent and I just nodded, unknown of what else to do.
She took from the open window of her truck a basket full of ingredients but I could feel there was something else hidden under. Something that no one should know the existence except the prefects.
" V'ry dangerous what you' doin'. " She said imin a harsh voice before climbing inside her truck and driving away, leaving me behind with this deadly basket.
When I was once again alone, I wondered for a short moment if I shouldn't just dump it content on the floor so that no one could touch it. But I knew very well I couldn't, it was too dangerous for me. I had to act slowly and innocence of what was truly happening. There was no need to do any harsh move before being sure that I wasn't going to be killed in the instant. Everything was just a matter of time.
But when I was about to go back to the prefect meeting room, a hollow form came towards me, stumbling within every rock and wavering at every step he made. When he was about two meters away from me, I recognised the glimpse of his red hair.
" Clayden ?" I whispered, afraid I must reckon. " Is that you ?"
And the boy in front of me with dead eyes and a body so slim it could be compared to a sheet of paper looked at me, slowly lifting his head who seemed to weigh too much for him to handle.
"It's you..." I said, startled, shocked...
Clayden was dead, not physically but mentally. When I said that no one else should die, I failed to my inner promise. I was too slow to save him.
And I had been an idiot to not trust him when he was still being himself .