Clover smiled, glad to see that Ruby was using her head and that Mindy had finally given in. Not one for enjoying the gym scene, Clover found that she was growing a bit board with being around the sweaty, smelly jocks and the whirring machines and clanking hunks of metal. But she didn't want to put an end to Mindy and Ruby's fun, either.
She nodded, "You're right. I hope he's not feeling too lonely. Sometimes I worry about him and that rat spending all their time together." She lowered her voice slightly, "Do you think he can really understand that thing?" Then she shrugged at herself, "Anyway, how about this? I'll take a quick jog back to the dorm and see what he's up to." She laughed as she walked off, "You two have fun. And don't worry, Ruby. If there's anything to report, I've got Mindy on speed-dial." She grinned as she held up her cell phone from her pocket and jogged off into the night.
Clover ran quickly across the campus to the dorm. Though it was a half an hour walk, she managed the run in 5 minutes, amazed with her new speed. Plus, she was in a particular hurry because of that prickly, annoying feeling she kept getting in the back of her mind. She suddenly had visions of returning to her room to find the television on fire, and she quickly pushed them away.
Luckily, when she reached the dorm, there were no fire trucks and everyone was bundled safely away in their rooms, squashing any notion that there had been a fire drill in her absence. In fact, nearing her room, she smelled no smoke whatsoever--only a faint chemical smell that eluded her as to where she had smelled it before.
But also, upon nearing her room, she realized that she was unnerved because it was so quiet.
Too quiet.
Hesitating, she unlocked her door and pushed it open slowly, peeking around the corner and calling out softly, "Koln?" Her room was dark, and she opened the door in full, calling a little louder, "Koln? Are you in here?"
The chemical smell was stronger in her room, and as she fumbled around for the light switch, she suddenly placed the smell.
'Sharpie.'
Click.
Her pristine white walls (which she would have to pay at the end of the year for if there were any damage to them!) were completely covered in dark, bold lines and letters. She felt her mouth fall open as she walked into the center of the room and turned in a circle.
Pictures. Writing. Gibberish. No surface had been safe from what looked like one of Koln's crazy spells. But it wasn't stick figure pictures or the bible verses which concerned her.
Reaching for the conveniently-placed note which Koln had left behind, Clover only had to glance at it once before she felt herself reeling in panic.
Her cell phone was out in a flash as she continued turning in circles and beholding her walls.
If and when Mindy picks up:
"You two need to get over here now!"
