Young Writers Society

Dawn's smile faded. She looked at Avery, then Sage, then back again. She repeated this for a minute, before pathetically giggling. "I mean... She was just trying to make sure I could stand up for myself. It just, um, took a few tries." Dawn brought her eyes to the ground. The grass grew a bit taller and she felt herself choking up on her words. Her chest tightened and she could feel her hands tremble. They didn't really think that.. No! Her mom could be behind this mind-control sure, but...
"It's not like she wanted to hurt me, if that's what you think!" She said, rubbing her shoulder nervously, "Even if she did, sometimes."

Dawn looked at Avery one last time, pure disbelief written all over her face. She was breathing rapidly now. It couldn't be possible! This was all just a misunderstanding! "My mom's a superhero! She's strong and, well, she's famous, so I'm a high target. And after my brother, there wasn't anyone else to protect me. I had to learn somehow, right? That's not weird, is it?" There was desperation in her eyes. She so vividly wanted this to not be the truth, but with everything happening, she was hanging on by a thread. Her excuses were barely holding up anymore.

"Dawn," Avery's voice was soft. She put her hand on top of Dawn's. "Just...tell us what happened, okay?"
Sage looked between the two, heart pumping fast. She'd never thought that her redheaded friend could've been experiencing something like this, but unfortunately, it made sense. The anxiety, the fidgeting, the constant self-checking like something bad would happen if she messed up...all red flags. How had she not noticed it before?
"You can tell us, Dawn," Sage urged. Her Semavry had grown tremendously since she got here, winding over her torso and around her shoulders. "I promise nothing bad will happen. We'll keep you safe!"

She just felt like hiding away. She kept trying to correct them every time they said something, but it was all starting to feel useless. They did say that an outsiders perspective was more informed... but it's not like they knew her mom! They'd seen her once while Dawn had spent days in her office! It was just... vines grew tight around legs and thighs as her hyperventilating got a bit worse. There wasn't anywhere to run this time, except her mother's. That didn't seem like a great option either. They were supportive! Why was she suddenly so scared? All that grounded her was Avery's hand. She looked around, then finally spotted Sage through the blurriness in her eyes. "Promise I'll be safe?"

She didn't even wait for a full answer. She pounced on Avery before she could think and a wall of vines seperated the group from the outside world, eventually encasing them to the point only a smidge of sunlight made it through. Dawn's arms wrapped around Avery and her breathing was starting to slow. Not by much, but it was better than nothing.

She swallowed hard before she said anything. "Um, all I really remember being told is that... You need to learn how to survive the real world. It hurts. I... I'm trying not to think too much after that." Dawn squeezed Avery a bit tighter. It was a grounding point. The only thing that kept her from losing it was the warmth she emitted. Her fingers eventually dug into Avery's shirt. "I think I... she... might've... um, broke my arm. Maybe. I-I dunno for certain. It's kinda hazy. I-I mean, she probably didn't, I was probably doing something stupid and couldn't dodge in time or," Dawn still could hear a sickening crack in her ears and fingers pressed into her arms, "Uh, yeah."

Avery wrapped her arms around Dawn, pulling her in tight. She said nothing as the three of them sat there, tangled with vines. Sage stayed silent, too, but her mind was racing a mile a minute.
If the Adjudicator could do something like that to her own daughter...imagine what she might do to us. Sage curled into a ball, almost completely hidden behind her darker foliage now. The emotional weight of the situation made her skin crawl, but she had to be there for her friend. After all, Dawn and Avery were the only people she could trust. Coming here was a huge mistake.

Just for a moment, Dawn let herself be engulfed in ig. Avery had her secure in an embrace, and a literal barrier root and vine kept anyone from coming in. All of her closet friends were there. It was safe. She never wanted to leave, but dark thought intruded her mind still. Every scrape and bruise started to ache more and more.
She sunk her head into Avery's shoulder. Each memory became more painful, then suddenly she felt tears roll down her cheeks. "Is my mom really the bad guy here?" shs sniffled. "I know she loves me... she does love me, right?" She didn't even know who she was asking anymore.

Izzy paced around the room, despite Powder trying to warn her against moving too much. Her injuries were still fresh, after all. "You really think Sam lost their powers?"

"Not just that!" the small boy said, hushed. Even in a dark, unused classroom, they had to be careful. "It was like a part of them was just... gone. They weren't the same when I saw them."

Izzy sat on one of the desks, deep in thought. "Last we really saw of Sam was that they got dragged off by Ms. Lane."

"And Ms. Lane works directly under the dean," Powder finished.

"Huh, she wasn't bluffing about all that, then" Izzy whispered as she picked at her nails nonchalantly. "Well, I'm happy then. She kept her promise. Now we just gotta find that Evan guy."

Powder sighed, "Are you sure that's a good idea? That lady's able to flip based on whatever her moral compass says. What if you end up like Sam? I dunno what I'd do without you..."

Izzy simply chuckled, "You showed me what you could do with your powers earlier. You can just make sure he doesn't tell, right?"

Powder nodded. "I guess... Just don't make it too obvious! If someone finds out, we're all screwed."

"What's the worst that'll happen? The Adjudicator should just be happy we got away with her dirty work for long."

Evan had finally made it to the dorm. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear rustling inside. He let out a sigh of relief, slumping against the wall.
I'm not too late.
Once he caught his breath, he creaked open the door. Sam was sitting on the bed, packing clothes into a tiny orange suitcase.
"Hey," Evan called. Sam didn't look up. They just kept packing, folding their clothes into neat squares before setting them carefully in the suitcase. Evan's brow furrowed immediately. That was a very un-Sam thing to do.
"The expulsion really messed you up, huh?" He said, sitting on the bed beside them. Sam still didn't look up. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at you. You were just defending me. I'm grateful for that."
Silence.
"Are you mad at me?" Still no response. Evan let out a breath of frustration, looking around the room. He noticed a jar of peanut butter sitting on the dresser. "Hey, aren't you going to pack this? You love this stuff."
Sam leaned down, shutting the suitcase with a sharp snap. They zipped it up, tipping it on one end so the wheels touched the floor.
"Hey!" Evan grabbed the suitcase, rolling it to the other end of the room. "You're my only friend here. You can't leave without saying goodbye!"
He leaned forward, waving his hand in front of Sam's listless face. They didn't respond.
"Are you okay?" Evan turned his friend toward him, lifting up their chin so he could look into their eyes. The usually bright orange irises were dull and murky, almost brown in color. Their whole face was just kind of...blank. It was like looking at a dead person. "...Sam?"
Evan grabbed their shoulders and shook them, trying to get them to snap out of whatever trance they were in. "Sam--SAM! Can you hear me? What's wrong?"
He shook them again, more violently this time. He called their name, voice cracking in desperation. "Answer me!"
"It's time for me to go now," Sam muttered in a flat, lifeless voice. They didn't look back as they walked away, grabbing their suitcase and disappearing down the hallway.

Izzy and Powder left their hiding spot quickly. The great thing about their friendship was that they could be seen together without any suspicion. Powder was practically joined at her hip. Izzy just enjoyed having someone so dedicated nearby at all times.

Eventually, Dawn was able to get the cage of plant-life to go down. She shuffled aside from Avery, though her head was still limply planted on her shoulder. Wet marks streaked her cheeks, and occasionally another set of tears rolled down her cheeks.
Dawn sniffled and wiped her face again, "That wasn't the only thing, either... b-but I won't bore anyone with the details," she chuckled nervously. Dawn curled up and held her knees. The vines retracted even more. "I think I need to talk to her. I just... don't know how."

Avery regarded Dawn with thoughtful eyes. After a moment, she spoke;
"Would it help if you had a weapon or something? An object to defend yourself with?'
"Or one of us could go with you," Sage offered. "I...don't know if Avery and I would be able to sneak in, but Evan can turn invisible. He could accompany you if you want, once we find him."

Meanwhile, Evan himself was making his way out of the dorm. Sam was long gone, walking off to wherever it was that they were going. Evan's heart weighed heavy in his chest, aching like someone had bruised it with a baseball bat.
They were so cold and lifeless, he thought, rubbing his arms as he stared at the spot where his friend had disappeared. What...happened? Was that the mind control that Avery was talking about?
He stood there for a moment, thinking. There's gotta be a solution for this. There's got to be a way to get Sam back! I just have to tell Avery...she said she was going out to the garden, right? I'll check there first.
Nodding resolutely to himself, the boy hurried off in that direction, still bearing the hand-shaped burns on his chest.

Izzy giggled as Sam walked past, neither batting an eye at the other's appearance. "Wow. Not even letting him say goodbye. That's... Huh. I haven't had any of that, right?" she asked, hiding her nerves as best she could.
Powder said nothing while he played with a fine, black dust in his hands. Izzy swallowed. Well, she'd been keeping away from most non-Powder approved foods, so hopefully they were fine. Finally, he came too, still letting the powder slip seemlessly between his fingers. "Sorry, I had to concentrate. You're fine, Izzy. Now let's go before we get caught. I gotta ask the Adjudicator about some stuff, anyways."

Dawn took her head off Avery's shoulders and gently nodded. "A knife would be nice. Easy to hide, can be used in a pinch. I think... Evan and I could go in, and you guys could wait outside. Though, I'm pretty sure the room is soundproof. Still, I'd feel better with you guys nearby," she said, smiling at Sage. Dawn was silent for a moment, taking in the moment. What a strange thing to happen, especially with her first (and some of her only) real friends. A shiver went up her spine. "Do you think I'll be okay?"

"I think you'll be fine," Avery nodded reassuringly, pulling a fresh handful of Daya from her canister. "And a knife is a good idea. Do you want it serrated or not?"
"I don't think the Adjudicator will try to kill you," Sage pointed out tentatively, rubbing her knee. "At least, I hope not. She's still your mother, even if her training methods are kind of...brutal."
I feel like that wasn't the right thing to say, she thought, staring at the ground. Ergh, comforting people is NOT my strong suit.

Evan hurried up the stairs. He had an odd, creeping feeling as he walked, a sort of static buzz that lingered along his spine. His bruised heart beat faster.
I need to find Avery, he thought, glancing nervously behind him. It's not safe here.

Dawn swallowed hard. Hearing those words so casually- I don't think the Adjudicator will try to kill you- it was so surreal. That was even a thing that she could think up. Her mother was supposed to be a saint... She was a saint, she thought. The realization was still settling in. "Better to be safe than sorry, but same here. Just a normal knife, if you could. Thanks. Besides, the Adjudicator's not like that. Well, I hope at least." Dawn chuckled, "I mean, it seems I really don't know her that well, after all..." She paused. She lost her smile for a moment. "... this."

Unfortunately, before he could make it to the last set of stairs, a burnt girl with a new blue shirt caught sight of him bolting up. She was just about to yell his name before Powder grabbed her shoulder. "Not the time," he said, blankly.

Izzy's jaw clenched. "You sure? If you let me run, I can push him down the stairs!" she exclaimed.

"Not yet. Something tells me we'll find a better time," Powder said.
Izzy wasn't sure how to rebuttle, so instead, she simply followed after him with crossed arms and a grumble.

Evan sighed with relief as he reached the door to the garden. He pushed it open, scanning for his sister. He spotted her in the far left corner, sitting with Dawn and Sage. He rushed over, slamming the door behind him.
Avery looked up, spotting her brother sprinting toward them. He had a panicked, worried look on his face, like something bad was about to happen.
"What's wrong?" she asked as he stumbled to a stop, panting.
"It's Sam," he said, straightening up. "The teachers...did something to them. I don't know what, but they weren't themself."
"What do you mean?" Sage asked.
"They were all limp and lifeless," Evan explained, rubbing his forearms uncomfortably. The image of Sam's dull, dead eyes clung to his skin like wet cobwebs. "It was like talking to a corpse."
"But they were still moving, right?" Avery swallowed. "They weren't...killed, were they?"
"No," Evan shook his head. "Just...changed."
His eyes flicked over the group as they all fell silent. Then his gaze landed on the knife in Dawn's hands.
"...What is that for?" he asked, pointing to it.

Dawn swallowed slowly. Well, that was the proof. Something terrible must've happened. "Last time any of us saw Sam was when they got dragged away by..." Oh, that hurt even worse. The Adjudicator could be bad, but Darcy was like a second mom. She gripped the knife's handle so hard her palms were sweating. "She must've had something to do with it. It's the only explanation."

Dawn's face went white when Evan pointed it out, literally. "It's, um," she glanced at Sage briefly, unsure whether she could even speak about what just happened. She smiled weakly, as per usual. "No real reason. It was just a gift." The redhead quickly hid it behind her back.

Evan raised an eyebrow. "A...gift? From who?"
"From me," Avery said quickly. "Dawn was planning on making onion soup tonight, but she didn't have anything to cut with. So...I made her a kitchen knife."
"That doesn't look like a kitchen knife," Evan said slowly. "That looks more like a stabby knife. What are you guys doing out here? Plotting to kill someone?"
"No!" Sage said quickly. Evan turned toward her. Oh god, oh god, think of something fast! "I-it's for training! Out in the courtyard! With those combat dummies?"
"M-hm," Evan crossed his arms, looking thoroughly unconvinced. "You know you can tell me what's going on, right? I'm not gonna snitch on my own friends. In fact, if you're plotting to get out of here, I'm all in. There's something very, very wrong about this place."

Dawn rubbed her shoulder and, after a long while of thinking, she found the best terms to put it in. "It's... for self defense. We're going to go confront my mom about everything that's been going on. We, uh, were actually planning on you being there, so that's pretty helpful actually."
Then, she looked over at Avery and Sage. "Nice try, though."
Dawn revealed the knife from behind her back, carefully rubbed the flat side of the blade. For being made from whatever Daya was, it was incredibly sharp. The thought of her mother meeting the end of it... She felt sweat build on her forehead the more she thought about it. She sat it down beside her.
"Unfortunately, the only way out is getting expelled, and we saw what happened to Sam. There's forcefields and that huge gray wall blocking us, too. So... seems like talking to my mom might be the best way to get to the bottom of this."