Fear University

by Meg Collett

  “You mean pretty crazy?”

  Sunny snorted with laughter and jumped off the ladder, hitting the ground with a thump. I followed from higher up, bending my knees to soften my fall. Sunny’s eyes widened. “Ready?” I asked her, striding off toward the main building.

  The courtyard was empty; the general store still closed. I’d never been on a college campus, but I imagined most were ghost towns this early too. Students sleeping in on Sunday mornings had a safe feel to it that I liked. Like I was one among the masses, camouflaged. Safe as houses, I told myself, but I’d never had a safe home, so I corrected myself. Safe as colleges on Sunday mornings. I tilted my head back and breathed in the fresh, cottonwood-scented air as Sunny hurried to catch up to me.

  We went back to the Death Dome, as I’d dubbed it during my long night last night, and I quickly changed into some workout clothes I’d picked up yesterday with Sunny. When we left again to head down to the ward, the dome was still silent with the occasional bout of snores and soft music playing from forgotten headphones.

  “So,” I asked, returning to our earlier conversation, “why is Luke worse than Hatter?”

  “Oh, well, Luke comes from one of the oldest hunter families—the Aultstrivers. His mother and father take all this very seriously. I mean,” Sunny said, correcting herself as she breezed down the stairs to the ward, “we all take this seriously. But they take it to a whole other level. Luke’s father started training him before he even learned to talk. He could have skipped Fear University and gone straight to hunting. He’s that good.”

  I raised my brows as I thought over Sunny’s answer. We’d arrived down in the main ward. Sunny waved to the exhausted night nurse still on duty before heading into the communal area, which looked the same as when I’d arrived the other night. Throat bite guy was gone. Dead or moved to another room.

  “Should parents do that?” I asked. “Train their kids so early?”

  Sunny pulled out supplies from the shelves. I sat down on a nearby stool and watched her work. “It’s not recommended,” she answered. “The university wants to be the primary teacher, but Killian Aultstriver follows his own set of rules.”

  “That must have been hard on Luke.”

  “He’s hard to read, Ollie. Hatter wears his scars on his sleeves. We all know what the ’swang saliva does to him when he’s bit: it makes him manic. But with Luke . . . no one really knows. Everyone guesses based on the rumors, but they’re just that: rumors. He holds it all in, and he and Hatter fight more than any other hunters I know. So you know he has to be damaged from the saliva. But he doesn’t let it show, and that’s dangerous around here.”

  I examined my hands as I thought over her words. When the ’swang bit me the other night, I hadn’t felt anything but a slight burn. But then, I hadn’t really been bitten. I shoved my own hands into its mouth, so maybe that made the difference.

  I still couldn’t help but wonder how I would react to their saliva.

  Sunny set out sterile packets of syringes and blood sampling tools, lining them up neatly on a tray. She worked without looking at me, which I preferred. “Have you always known about the ’swangs?”

  “Pretty much. My mom told me stories about them since I was a little kid.” She laughed softly, shaking her head. “My grandmother is even worse. She’s constantly teaching me remedies for healing bites, about the usog, and everything else. I had a good childhood. Some aren’t so lucky.”

  While I thought over her answer, Sunny arranged my arm on the counter before wrapping a tight tourniquet around my bicep. I looked away, licking my dry lips, as she picked up the needle, which met my skin with a cool, metal kiss. “Was it hard for you to believe in ’swangs?”

  “Not really.” I didn’t know she was drawing blood until she slipped another vial into the syringe to fill. “They’ve always been a part of my reality. Like if you grow up knowing the monster under your bed is real, you don’t understand a life where they aren’t, you know? I always knew the night was bad.”

  Sunny released the tourniquet. I turned to look as a drop of blood welled in the crook of my arm. I’d heard about the night being bad a lot while I was here. Like these people lumped the night and ’swangs together as one big monster. But the night wasn’t bad. Just the ’swangs. Why make everyone so afraid of the dark?

  “Time for the marrow sample,” Sunny said, startling me from my thoughts. She rolled over a padded table, and draped it with cloth. “Lie on your stomach, and I’ll lift your shirt up over your back so I can see your hip bone.” Sunny talked to me during every part of the process, even as she numbed the skin area, which we both knew I didn’t need. She was kind and efficient as she worked, using her voice to soothe me. She would make a great doctor. The university was lucky to have her, even if she wouldn’t be hunting.

  I sensed her hand still above the scar on my back. She didn’t ask, and I didn’t offer an explanation.

  Thirty minutes later the test was done and Sunny used a liquid seal to stitch up the incision over my pelvic bone. “I’m going to keep some of this with me today in case this wound opens up after you work with Luke.”

  Before I nodded in agreement, Luke walked into the ward, the door swinging open with a bang. He nodded at Sunny, but didn’t look at me. “Is she ready?”

  “Oh,” Sunny said, her voice cracking slightly. “She hasn’t had breakfast yet.”

  “Too bad.” Luke shrugged. “You’re done?”

  “She should eat.” Sunny’s sternness was lost on Luke. He just stared blankly at her until she sighed heavily and said, “She has a wound on her hip, so you might want to be careful. Her elbow and hands are still healing too.”

  Finally, Luke turned his attention to me, his eyes flat. “It shouldn’t bother her if she can’t feel pain.”

  “They’re injuries and could be made worse. She might not be able to feel it, but it can still hurt her. Be careful with her blood sugar too since you won’t let her eat first.” Sunny lifted her chin. Seeing her square off against Luke made me grin as I hopped down from the table. Luke’s gaze caught on my bare stomach, and I took my time lowering my shirt.

  “Keep some of that liquid stuff close by, and I’ll be good. Thanks, Sunny.”

  “No problem.”

  Luke didn’t wait on me to follow him before he left the ward, the door swinging behind him. I rolled my eyes at Sunny and followed him out without a word. This was going to be interesting.

  I didn’t have a hard time keeping up with him; he was tall, but I easily came up to his shoulders. He didn’t check to make sure I’d stayed with him, not until we were in the courtyard. Finally, he stopped and fully looked at me, his eyes scanning the length of my body.

  “What the hell are you wearing?”

  I looked down at my clothes. So much for him checking me out. I’d dressed in a neon-pink baggy tank top over an electric-blue bra, gray galaxy stretchy pants, and blindingly bright yellow sneakers. I’d pulled my hair back in a tight ponytail, which I flicked over my shoulder, the long strands bouncing against the middle of my back. “Workout clothes,” I said, grinning. Very nice, designer workout clothes I’d picked up yesterday with Sunny. I’d never worn anything so nice, and I liked it.

  “That’s not in uniform.”

  I checked out his pants and tight running shirt, the kind that wicks off sweat and leaves nothing to the imagination. “And you are?”

  Luke clenched his jaw. I’d won. “Let’s go.”

  I fell into step beside him as he jogged down the wide gravel road leading to the front gate I’d seen yesterday. He angled toward the fence’s wall next to the entrance, where a guard in the watch tower waved down at Luke, who nodded in return.

  “Where are we going?”

  “Running.”

  I raised my brows, lengthening my stride to keep pace. “How far?”

  Luke grunted and ran faster, and I kicked it up a notch. No warm up then. I’d never gone for a run in my life. Not unless I counted r
unning for my life, and I did.

  The fall day warmed my skin enough that sweat spread across my brow and trickled down my temples. The scent of Luke’s sweat mingled with the wet earth and brine in the air around me. All in all, it was a nice day. I’d definitely experienced worse.

  We ran the first half of the front fence line winding along the bay, which was blocked from view because of the fence and front entrance. I expected us to turn around and head back when we came to the corner watchtower, but Luke hugged the corner, a trail worn into the ground beside the fence, and took off along the next fence line at a faster pace. This side of the estate grew thicker birch trees, casting the trail in cool shade, which I was grateful for. Spots of sunlight worked its way through the treetops and landed on the ground like puddles of golden lava. I sped up again and easily fell back into stride with him. I didn’t miss his sideways glance, but I kept my eyes forward.

  A mile later, at the second watchtower, Luke went into the corner again, shoes kicking up dirt, and sprinted out. I churned after him, noting the sweat dampening his shirt and making the material cling to the massive muscles of his back, but I didn’t allow myself to enjoy the view for long. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of having me behind. I drew level with him and shot him a grin.

  The estate basically formed a rough square, and as we barreled down the third fence line and almost the third mile, my breathing came in short, quick pants that left my tongue thick and the roof of my mouth dry. My heart banged about in my chest, but my legs stayed solid enough beneath me that I didn’t fall flat on my face. No matter how good I thought I felt, I knew better; my body would pay the price for this tomorrow. My hip bone grew slick with what I assumed to be blood, which meant my cool pants were likely ruined. But if my evaluation with Dean had any running in it, I wanted to be ready, to be fast and strong. If running until my legs fell off helped me pass, then I’d run.

  Along the back of the estate, we passed the bush plane runways and large hanger. Instead of trees back here, we ran under the massive, slowly turning wind turbines I’d seen yesterday. They whirred above our heads and cast crazy shadows at our feet that made me so dizzy I had to keep my eyes pinned on the horizon. A modestly sized water treatment facility and power plant took up as much space as the turbines. All the things that made Fear University run were hidden in the back, tucked away so young students didn’t have to think about it.

  I focused back on the run, having to think about each step so my lead feet didn’t make me trip. Luke was pushing me, testing me, but when we came to the fourth corner and back along the front of the estate, I was ready. I stormed into the corner, passed Luke, and sprinted out, leaving him in the dust.

  I cranked my legs and arms, urging myself faster and faster until my hair streamed like a jet’s trail behind me. Luke cursed and surged after me, but I managed to stay in front, even as my heart lurched along in my chest. My breathing turned into one long gasp, and blood trickled down the back of my leg from the bone marrow test wound. I didn’t care about any of it, though. I was beating Luke, and I would be damned if I let him pass me. A crazy grin spread across my face.

  I felt alive and free for the first time in two years.

  More people were in the courtyard, eating breakfast and hanging out as we came into view. I sensed the guards patrolling the fence above us, watching as we passed. I liked the attention. I liked that they saw me racing ahead of Luke, clearly beating him at his own game. His footsteps pounded behind me, but I crushed him. I didn’t stop at the entrance; instead, I ran to the first corner, adding another half mile to our run.

  “Stop,” Luke growled from behind me, his breathing as battered as mine.

  I slowly fumbled to a shaky stop, letting my legs unspool beneath me. Laughing, I turned around, ready to rub my win in his face, when he grabbed my shoulders and shoved me up against the fence.

  “Hey!” I complained, but I couldn’t move. He had me pinned with his hips, his grip crushing my upper arms.

  I expected him to be angry, to lash out at me for turning the run into a race. Maybe a lecture about taking Fear University seriously. Instead, he leveled an icy cool gaze on me, his face so devoid of expression it looked creepy, especially since he was the one who had pinned me to the fence. My stomach flipped with nerves, and a lick of fear inched up my spine. I loved it.

  “Is this some joke to you?”

  He was inches from my face, but he acted completely unaffected. His voice sounded controlled, smooth and calm. Meanwhile, my heart flailed around somewhere in my throat, but I wouldn’t let him know that.

  “Actually,” I said slowly, eyes lingering on his lips to piss him off, “I think it’s very funny that I beat you.”

  Luke let go of one of my arms and reached behind him. He pulled out a knife from a holster under his shirt and flashed it in front of my eyes. If he’d been pissed at me, I might have thought he was trying to threaten me. But now, with his cold stare, I knew he was proving a point. “This isn’t some joke. You will die here.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “You should put that away before you hurt yourself.”

  He listened to me and lowered the knife. My legs wobbled like loose rubber beneath me, but my breathing slowly returned to normal. Although, my heart still thumped erratically from Luke’s proximity. “You don’t belong here,” he said before stepping back and giving me some space.

  “Really? That’s not what I heard.”

  “It’s true. You’re going to get yourself hurt or someone else killed. There’s a reason civvies aren’t allowed here. We,” he motioned to the school behind him, clearly excluding me, “have been born and raised for this. We can handle the pressure of hunting ’swangs. Civilians can’t. You will never understand this life.”

  “Or maybe you’re worried that I’ll take your kill record. Be a better hunter than you. Are you that competitive?” I closed the distance between us until my breasts brushed against his chest. His jaw ticked wildly, rewarding me with some reaction from him; I knew I was pushing him too far, but I licked my lips. His fingertips started to dance across each other, nostrils flaring like he was scenting me. Slowly, I peeled away his cool exterior, his control. “I like a little competition, you know,” I added, lacing my voice with a rough, husky rasp to jab at him a little more.

  Something pressed against my thigh, making the muscle twitch with flashes of heat. A cool breeze brushed against my bare skin. Before I could look down, my leg gave out beneath me and I fell. Not bothering to catch me, Luke stepped out of the way and merely watched me collapse against the ground with a loud thump. A shocked hiss pressed between my teeth. Luke’s knife was buried hilt deep into the muscle of my thigh.

  My red murder haze descended on me like a fog that choked my breathing and made me lash out like a wounded animal.

  “You fucking piece of shit. I’ll kick your ass.” I yanked the knife out and jerked to my feet. Swinging my arm, I aimed for Luke’s heart, fully prepared to kill him. But my leg didn’t hold me, and I went down again. When I tried to stand, I fell once more. Floundering on the ground in front of all the guards and students, I wanted to scream.

  “If you stay here, you can’t rely on your condition,” Luke said above me.

  I cursed at him, but to my horror, he let my words roll right off him and bent to pick me up, plucking the knife from my grip and dropping it to the ground behind him. I tried to shove him away, but he ignored my fists and easily lifted me off the ground, blood running from my split running tights. He carried me all the way back to the prison building, passing in front of the students outside, who watched us like we were a twenty-car pile-up on the highway. I’d never felt so embarrassed, so small, in all my life. I wanted to melt into him, and not in a good way. I wanted to be acid that burned his arms off. I wanted to kill him.

  S I X

  On Monday morning, I limped into my first class. Not exactly the entrance I wanted to make on my first official day at Fear University. But I stepped in
to the classroom with the hope that not everyone had heard or cared about the little stabbing incident yesterday.

  Luke had carried me all the way back to the ward, where Sunny, much to her dismay, had to sew my leg back up, reseal my bone marrow sample wound, and run me an IV for dehydration. Thanks to Luke’s good aim, he’d only damaged my muscle, which, according to him, wouldn’t be enough of an injury to slow down my training, even though Dean had apparently met with Luke in his office and given Luke a vicious talking to. I wished I’d seen it. He deserved it.

  He was a total asshole.

  As soon as I stepped into the classroom, the hope of going unnoticed dried up in my mind. Everyone, every single person, looked up as I walked in. The talking stopped abruptly, people’s jaws still hanging open mid-word. I skidded to a stop, frozen in the doorway of the classroom, my stomach flipping over. In all my life, I’d never had that dream where I was naked in a crowd, but I was having it then.

  So this was it then. Not only was I the freak outsider—the civvie—but now I was the girl Luke Aultstriver stabbed in the leg for the hell of it.

  The professor stood at the front of the room next to a chalkboard, his hand hovering above the board. He was a gangly, skinny guy with milky white skin and black eyes. The awkward, silent moment stretched out until he scowled deeply, angry with the interruption, and waved a hand over his shoulder, which I took to mean I could take a seat.

  Fear Theory. First period. Off to a great start.

  I took a deep breath and started toward to an empty seat in the back. I tugged at the collar of my white shirt, the uniform’s gauzy pants making my legs itch. I’d hoped wearing the uniform would help me blend it, but clearly that was a lost cause. I squared my shoulders and glared at anyone still staring at my bandaged leg or hands as I limped to the back of the classroom. I plopped my backpack onto the floor next to my desk and slid into the chair.