Academy of Deadly Arts

by Helen Scott

  He was so damn positive it was hard to stay in a funk around him, and that's all I wanted to do. I wanted to mourn the loss of my life. My family, friends, mundane job, all of it, it was just gone. Taken from me by an accident. How was I supposed to come to terms with that so quickly?

  "Listen, I'm not trying to be pushy or hit on you or anything, but there are a few of us that get together and watch movies every night. You're welcome to join. I could even get you some ice cream or cake or cookies, whatever you want. You're not alone here even though it might feel that way at first." A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he looked down at me with nothing but sincerity radiating out of those rich brown eyes.

  "That'd be nice," I said after a moment. "So long as there is something else I can wear in my room."

  "You should find whatever you need or want in the closet and dresser. They are coded to whoever is using them at the moment, so don't worry about finding pink lacy dresses, unless that's your style, of course. As you progress here you won’t need to rely on the closet so much and can change parts of your appearance at will depending on your skill level."

  "Pink frilly dresses are so not my style," I said with a laugh as we turned and headed back to the school grounds.

  I felt the bubble close around us once again and the colors returned to normal, along with the speed of everything. It was like the living world was sped up, like they were all rushing through their lives. Whereas we had all the time in the world but somehow, because of that, time itself had slowed.

  Within moments we were back at the dorm building and Bowie was hesitating behind me. "Want me to swing by and pick you up in an hour or so?"

  "Yeah, that's good," I replied, gifting him with a smile. I slipped through the doors and wove my way through hallways and stairs back up to the room I had apparently been allocated to share with Rose. For a brief moment I wondered who I could talk to about getting a different room. It honestly felt like whoever was in control of that stuff had picked the person most opposite me to be my roommate. Something I was less than thrilled about.

  When I opened the door I had expected Rose to be waiting for me, tapping her dainty heeled foot and demanding to know where I'd been and why I'd been gone so long. Something about her just struck me as the possessive, overbearing type. As far as I could tell she wasn't there, unless she was asleep on the couch and blended in too well.

  Curiosity got the better of me and as soon as I went into my room I opened the closet to find darker clothes waiting for me. I sighed in relief as the fear of the pink frilly dresses I imagined were in her closet dissipated. As I flipped through the hangers I found jeans and t-shirts and sweaters on one end of the closet and on the other there were multiples of the school uniform that the Arbiter had made me wear. I was an adult, not to mention dead, and I was supposed to wear a school uniform? What kind of person did they think I was?

  I pulled a pair of black skinny jeans and an almost threadbare t-shirt from the closet and ducked into the bathroom to change. No one had really talked to me about any of the physical changes I could expect to feel. Did ghosts pee? Did I still need to shower regularly? Was I supposed to eat and drink? I was hoping that this movie night might give me a bit more clarity.

  The only thing I'd really noticed so far was that my emotions felt muted. Maybe that was just the trauma though? Or getting used to being dead? I wondered what my family and friends thought. The Arbiter said I'd been on life support and my parents had pulled the plug, so they must have been grieving at the same time I was, right? I found the thought strangely comforting.

  My hair was still as purple as the day I'd dyed it. Even my eyeliner was still intact which seemed odd given that I'd apparently been in a hospital after a car accident. I had no doubt that if I'd been buried, and my mother had her way, then I would be wearing some horrid pastel dress with no makeup on whatsoever and a satin bow in my hair, ever her little princess.

  I checked myself over in the mirror; the jeans were jet black and torn just so, while the t-shirt turned out to be more of a charcoal-gray color with a white band logo on it. Nope. This wasn't right. Yes, it was my style, but there was something off about it, something that didn't look right. I stripped out of the clothes and folded them up, tucking them inside the closet to re-evaluate later.

  Instead of the skinny jeans I pulled on a pair of sheer black tights, dark wash shorts that were distressed on the front, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket I found at the very edge of the closet. I also grabbed a flannel shirt and tied it around my waist for good measure. May as well let everyone know exactly who I was off the bat. I certainly wasn't going to censor myself in the afterlife. Finally, I pulled on some black and white Chucks and some rings and necklaces that had been sitting on top of the dresser, and when I looked in the mirror I felt more like myself than I had in ages.

  When I glanced at the clock I realized that I'd taken up all my time getting ready, and I didn't even get a chance to examine any of the other things that had appeared in my room since I'd first poked my head in the door. If I really was dead then I'd have plenty of time for that later, so I spun on my heel and headed out, trotting down the stairs and through the open door where I found Bowie waiting for me once more.

  3

  Avery

  Bowie's longish hair was roughly combed back, and he was wearing a baseball style shirt that highlighted his muscular shoulders and arms, with his jeans slung low on his hips. The man looked extremely tempting even though he wasn't my usual type. Not that this was a date or that there would be any flirting. The only thing that was happening tonight was meeting some of the other students, or ghosts, or whatever, and watching a movie.

  I really hoped that the afterlife wasn't decades behind on movies and TV. There were only so many repeats a girl could watch. Plus, I'd be way too tempted to spoil everything for people that had been dead longer than me.

  "Hey." Bowie tilted his chin up in a nod, then his gaze swept over me, giving me a once over. The man couldn’t seem to help himself. "School uniform not your thing, huh?"

  "Not so much, no," I said with a grin.

  "Well you'll have to get used to it at some point since it's required for classes," Bowie replied, sounding resigned to his fate.

  "Seriously? Why? We're all dead, aren't we, so what's the point?" I asked as he started heading down the well-groomed pathway.

  "If I knew that I'd tell you, but all I know is that it's required. You can't even get in to some classrooms without having the uniform on. It's almost like a badge, or key of some kind that grants you access. It helps keep the Shades out. You totally don't have to go to class, but going is the only way you'll get out of here and move on to whatever lies beyond purgatory."

  "Figures that purgatory would be a form of school," I muttered, unable to prevent the bitterness from entering my voice. I wanted to ask about the shade part of his statement but was honestly tired of feeling clueless, so I figured it could wait.

  "I'm sensing some unresolved issues there," Bowie said as we walked. After a long pause he continued, "Want to talk about it?"

  "Not really."

  "Fair enough. A word of advice though? Purgatory is all about dealing with your issues, so whatever it is, the sooner you deal with it, the sooner you can move on."

  "What would I be moving on to though?" I asked, somewhat rhetorically.

  "Well, thankfully, I get to avoid that question for now since we're here." Bowie gestured to the house that we were standing in front of like he was a butler welcoming me to a fancy-ass estate. "My roommates have picked out a movie already; I hope you don't mind."

  "I'm pretty easygoing when it comes to that kind of stuff, but what about everyone else?"

  "I think you'll be the only guest tonight." There was a tightness in his voice that made dread pool in my stomach. Just me and Bowie and his roommates? Surely this wasn't a date? Right? Had I read the situation wrong?

  "Oh, okay," I said while I tried to plan a strategic exit.r />
  "Come on, you'll feel better once you meet them," he urged as he jogged up the front steps.

  The house itself was stunning. Painted in a warm, creamy brown and trimmed with a hunter-green it looked every bit the elegant Victorian masterpiece it was. A large, wraparound porch with ornamental spindles decorated either side of the stairs that led to the front door and a round tower with a steep, pointed roof was on one corner of the three-story home.

  "How come you get to live here and I'm in the dorms?" The question popped out before I could stop it just as I reached the top step.

  "It's all to do with how long someone has been in purgatory. We've all been here a while, so we were able to get out of the dorms and into off-campus style housing. There are some spirits that have been here much longer, and will probably never leave. Those are the ones who not only sometimes serve as teachers but have potential to be the most dangerous as well," Bowie explained as he opened the door.

  "Don't scare the poor woman," a man called from somewhere in the house.

  "He's scaring her?" another outraged voice demanded. "Dammit, Bow, come on!"

  I had wanted to ask Bowie how long he'd been here, but with the intrusion of his roommates into our conversation it seemed like it wasn't the best opportunity. I tucked a lock of my purple hair behind my ear and followed him inside.

  The interior of the house was almost the polar opposite of the exterior. Sleek, modern lines covered the walls and surfaces. The lack of clutter gave it an almost minimalist feel while grays and creams made up the bulk of the color scheme I could see up to that point, with glass being used for tabletops and other accent pieces. It was beautiful, definitely not the sort of house that belonged to a bunch of younger frat boy type guys, which made me wonder just how old some of them were.

  "You didn't say she was hot, Bow. Come on, man, you holdin' out on us?" A deep masculine voice sounded from the top of the stairs that were off to one side. I turned to find one of the most gorgeous men I'd ever seen walking toward me. His eyes pinned me in place, they were such a startling blue, and when combined with his perfectly pouty lips, lordy, I was a goner. It didn't even matter that he had a manbun, something I'd refused to ever find attractive. Although from what I could tell his hair was something most girls would envy. It was thick, that much was clear since half his head was shaved and his bun was still bigger than one I could create. It was also a rich, honey-blond color that could never come from a bottle because there were too many damn shades to it.

  Another guy appeared a moment later, just as sexy as the first. His hair was short, a thick ebony swath on top of his head, which was complemented by the dark scruff that decorated his chin and lower cheeks. It was a little more than a five o-clock shadow, but not enough to be a beard, at least not yet. Green eyes peered at me as he came closer, but there was a wariness about him that made me cautious. The black t-shirt that clung to his arms and chest was torn in places, drawing my eyes to his pale olive skin.

  "Avery, this is Gaius and Xavier," Bowie said as he gestured first to the blond then to the dark-haired man. "Guys, this is Avery."

  "Pleasure," the blond murmured as he took my hand and dropped a kiss on my knuckles.

  My mouth dropped open. Who kissed a woman on their hand anymore? I couldn't deny it was flattering though. The cocky smirk that tugged at his full lips let me know that Gaius knew exactly what he was doing.

  "Hey," I finally answered after being stuck for a moment longer than was comfortable, before I ripped my eyes away from his and focused on Bowie.

  Defeat shone in the other man's eyes and I realized that this must be a common occurrence, or at least somewhat common. Gaius might think he's smooth, but he wasn't going to make my panties drop that easily.

  "Happy afterlife," Xavier said, before he went to the fridge and grabbed a beer.

  "Thanks?" I said, unsure how else to respond.

  "Drink?" Bowie asked.

  "Yeah, sure. I'm fine with whatever," I replied, stuffing my hands into my pockets as Bowie grabbed each of us a drink. We all headed into the living room and Xavier and Giaus flopped onto the slate gray couch that was large enough to let at least three people sleep on it, and if the ottoman was taken into consideration as well, then I was willing to bet it could fit five. Why was I thinking about how many people could sleep on this couch? Oh, I know, 'cause my mind latched on to the most random shit when I was nervous.

  "Sit wherever you want," Bowie offered as he handed me a bottle of beer that was already starting to sweat. I nodded in thanks and followed my host to the couches where he flopped into an armchair. The action surprised me, so I sat on the love seat, alone. "Noah not coming?" Bowie asked. I assumed he was talking about another roommate, but I wasn't sure, and I wasn't about to ask.

  "Who knows? He's probably balls deep in one of his groupies. Bastard," Gaius grumbled, clearly jealous of their friend, if that's what Noah was.

  "What are we watching?" Xavier asked.

  "Inception," Gaius said.

  "Why do you always pick the serious movies?" Xavier asked sounding rather put out.

  "Do you guys, uh, the afterlife, purgatory or whatever, run on the same time as the living?" I felt like each word was being dragged out of me extra slowly, not just because they were all staring at me but because I was still waiting for someone to tell me it was all a big joke.

  "Yeah, pretty much. I mean we don't have to wait for anything really. We can see movies as soon as they are out, TV shows before they air, all that kind of stuff. Same with music," Bowie said as the opening credits started to roll.

  "So how come you kicked it so young?" Xavier asked as he took a swing from the brown bottle.

  "Car accident, apparently. Don't remember it though. You?"

  "Same," Xavier said.

  "I was caught in a shooting at a concert," Bowie added with a shrug. "Didn't even realize I was dead until I wound up here."

  I waited for Gaius to chime in with his cause of death, but he stayed quiet, and I wasn't about to ask. Maybe it was all part of his mysterious facade. I'd known plenty of guys like him when I was alive, and it was usually a facade. A wall that they put up to protect themselves from anyone getting too close for various reasons.

  "I can't believe this, all this afterlife and academy stuff... It's all real," I muttered.

  "You're certainly fresh of the boat, aren't you?" Xavier replied with a sidelong glance.

  "I was her guide, give her a break. She hasn't even slept yet," Bowie said, jumping in to defend me.

  "And I thought I worked fast, damn Bow, I think you broke a record with this one." Gaius chuckled as Leo's character fell back into a bathtub full of water.

  “A guide?” Xavier asked, frowning down at his drink. No one seemed to acknowledge what he said though.

  "I thought she could use a couple friendly faces since she's been assigned to room with Rose," Bowie replied.

  "How the hell did that weirdo end up with a roommate like her?" Giaus demanded as he jerked his thumb in my direction.

  "Dude, I don't know, but that's what the Arbiter wants, so that's what he gets." Bowie shook his head when he finished the sentence like he couldn't quite believe it himself.

  "Fuck the Arbiter," a different voice said from the door.

  "Noah, great, you're here," Bowie said, only his tone didn't match the words. He sounded more disappointed than excited.

  "You started without me?" Noah asked a moment before he stepped into my line of vision.

  I about spit out my mouthful of beer when I saw him. The man was the epitome of rock and roll, well for my generation anyway. He was wearing nothing but a leather jacket and black jeans with holes in the knees, paired with big black boots. Two necklaces hung between the lapels of his jacket, the silver winking in the light and drawing the eye, because obviously the tattoos that decorated his skin underneath weren't enough to do that on their own.

  "Noah, this is Avery. Avery, Noah." Bowie took a long drink from his beer
after he was done with introductions. I wasn't sure what lay between the two men, but clearly Bowie had something stuck in his craw to do with Noah.

  "Nice to meet you, sweetheart," Noah said as he meandered into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of cola and came back toward the couch.

  The open floor plan of the house let me see everything that was going on from where I was sitting, and it also made me realize that Noah had two options, sit between his buddies on the main couch or sit with me on the love seat. Part of me felt bad because I was so overwhelmed by all the hot, sexy men stuck in one place, but the other was doing a happy dance because at least, even though I was apparently stuck in purgatory, there were hot, sexy men who were there with me.

  Noah had slipped off his jacket while I wasn't looking and fell into the seat next to me in nothing but his low-slung jeans. I had to gulp and focus on my breathing just so I didn't openly stare at him. Not only was his style beyond attractive to me, but his blue eyes were just as piercing as Gaius's, if not more so considering they were paired with a similar mane of jet-black hair that was on Xavier's head. Add in the piercings—a ring on his nose and lip—and tattoos, which appeared to be everywhere, and I knew I had plenty of material for some alone time later. I hoped that Rose wasn't in the room when I got back, because the one thing that I wanted more than anything was the sweet release of an orgasm, even if I had to give it to myself, and I didn’t yet know how thin the walls were.

  We sat and watched the movie in silence for a little while until Noah abruptly turned to me. "You should leave."

  "What?"

  "It's getting dark. You need to leave, get back to the dorm before it's too late," he repeated seeming to think I had nothing but fluff between my ears.