Sparks

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  I woke the next morning to see Avis at the foot of my bed, and he seemed rather pleased for a change. Oh no. A happy Avis was likely to be worse than an angry one.

  "Congratulations, you made it farther than any of my students and you still burned out before Round Three!"

  "Burned out?"

  "Yeah, don't you remember what happened with Shaz? You're going home my friend!" Avis seemed happy; no, more than that. He seemed overwhelmed with joy. Does he really hate me that much?

  "You're burnt as toast! Come on, Lheda wants to see you."

  I couldn't say I didn't expect it; the rules were pretty damn clear. I didn't want to go home though. I was only a few yields from Round Three, where I would finally start to learn how to use my Spark.

  I feigned as much indifference as I could when I threw on my green coverings and followed behind him. The door somehow seemed larger than it had the first time. Gentle as an ox, he opened it, then threw me inside like a rabbit for the wolves. The Headmistress waited to speak until Avis closed the door.

  "Lark, can you explain yourself?" Of course there was a perfectly rational explanation; he wanted to hurt Khea, so I killed him. As good as that sounded in my head, though, I couldn't say it. Khea wasn't supposed to see me, and I wouldn't let my last words at Myxini condemn her to any sort of punishment. I'd go down with the ship.

  "No."

  "Young man, you have severely injured another student. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

  At least he's not dead? He got what he deserved? "I don't like him."

  "Very well, it seems I won't be receiving any of your cooperation. Because of your actions, you will remain in Round Two until the first frost of the season." Is she simple? It's been snowing for months. If anything, it was starting to warm up a bit.

  "The frost is already here."

  "I'm aware of that, Lark. I mean the next frost." As if on cue, Avis appeared in the door to drag me away and down the corridor.

  "I thought you said I was going home?"

  "Don't act like you wanted to go." He was right-I didn't-but that didn't mean I understood why I wasn't.

  Avis dragged me by the collar of my shirt all the way back to my room and threw me onto the stone floor. "How could you have gotten away with it?!" he screamed as he paced back and forth from the door to my bed. His hands raced through his dark hair and a few strands began to work loose. I'd never seen him so upset. This is bad.

  "Look, I know you don't like me?" His foot shot out to kick me where I lay on the floor, but I brought up my leg to block him. I immediately knew that, while I had saved myself from one blow, I had earned a firestorm of anger in return. For the first time since I met him, I was scared of what he would do to me.

  Avis moved to kick me again, harder this time, but stopped just at the last moment and turned to kick the iron frame of the bed. "God dammit!" He had clearly hurt himself, but I was thankful, if not confused, as to why he hadn't hurt me instead.

  He glared down at me before he hobbled out and slammed the door. It's going to be a long summer.