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Darkmond

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Chapter 1: Darkmond (Fallon's POV)

"And that is our lovely Dark Bay. It's the only beach you can find in this whole town." Of course, it is. We passed through Shropshire Hills in the mountains of England to get to this stupid small town. 

"Ah, that's a nice beach, isn't it, Fallon?" 

I looked at my aunt as she spoke. I didn't say a word, just stared at her blankly. 

She sighed, patting my hand softly. "You know why you're here. It's important." 

"No, I don't know why I'm here, aunt Celeste," I scoffed, straightening up. I saw Mr. Garry, the driver, looking at us through the rearview mirror but I didn't care. "I don't understand why you had to force me out of New York, not only to the UK, not only to Birmingham but all the way up to the hills! I'm going to die here. I'll be living The Shining." I folded my arms across my chest, staring out the window. 

She clicked her tongue. "Fallon," she said sternly. "You know why you're here, I am tired of explaining this to you. You're not a child anymore, you're nineteen. And what happened three months ago... It's just too dangerous for you to be back in New York. You'll stay here till I can guarantee your safety back home." 

"And how are you sure I'm safe here?" 

"Because my friend owns the school, Fallon." 

"You made me withdraw from college, auntie. This is ridiculous. I can't believe this. Not only have I lost mom and dad, but you deemed it best to pull me away from all my friends too. I had a life in New York!" 

"A life you wouldn't be alive to live," she snapped. We both held eye contact, glaring at each other. 

Mr. Garry finally cleared his throat, "Ladies. We've arrived," he announced, his British accent prominent. 

I climbed out before she could say another word to me. Mr. Garry got out too, watching me with pity. "Could you please open the trunk so I can take my bags?" I cleared my throat, folding my arms across my chest. 

"They'll be sent to your room, Ms. Fallon, don't worry." 

"Thank you," I said softly. 

Auntie got out, glowering at me, and then walked ahead. I followed her behind, furious. We eventually reached the principal's office and were allowed in after she knocked. We walked in and she sat in the seat while I stood by the door, refusing to sit. 

"I'm Tiffany Ashby, the principal of Darkmond High." The woman stuck her hand out, smiling. 

"I'm Celeste Kilton, Fallon's aunt." 

I hate my aunt. Why couldn't aunt Caroline take me in? Celeste was my Dad's sister and Caroline was Mom's. 

Was. Because now Mom and Dad are gone. 

"Ah, right. Fallon." She glanced at me. "Mr. Nicolas had told me you'd be joining us this week." 

Mr. Nicolas? Who the hell is that? 

"Have a seat, Fallon. Please." 

I let out a breath and walked over, slumping into the chair. I plan to throw a fit every chance I get until auntie takes me back home. 

"Mrs. Tiffany—" Auntie began but was cut off immediately. 

"Ms," she corrected sternly. "It's Ms. Tiffany." 

I looked down at her nameplate which clearly said 'Ms. Tiffany Ashby' so I guess auntie should get new glasses. 

"I'm sorry, Ms. Tiffany if you could please instruct Fallon first so she can be shown to her room. I'd like to have a word with you in private." 

"Sure." Ms. Tiffany grabbed a folder of papers, handing it to me. "It's only the first week of this academic year, so you haven't missed anything, don't worry. This folder has all the information you might need. It has a map, your schedule, your room number, your teachers' information, my information, and the weekly schedule. The uniform is already in your room, the schedule will tell you, we only wear uniforms on Monday to have a proper start to the week." She reached into a drawer and took out a single key. "Your room key." 

I took it out of her hand and grabbed the folder, standing up. "Anything else?" 

She eyed me for a minute, seeming amused. Does my misery amuse her? Is she one of those principals who enjoys torturing the students she knows hate it here? "Your tour guide." 

I blinked in confusion. 

"Remy Montgomery. She's your neighbor and when we compared your schedules, you share a few classes as well. She'll show you around. Don't say no, she'll be in trouble if she doesn't. That's all, you may go." 

I huffed and turned around, leaving. I glanced at the key in my hand, reading the number that was engraved into it. 

333. 

I followed the signs and made it to the hallway where my room should be. I was scanning each room number and walking when I saw a room open near the end of the hallway. A blonde came into view with a set of books in her hands. She was skimming through one of them while walking. I moved aside and she walked right past me but stopped immediately. She retraced her steps, walking backward and slamming the book shut loudly. 

I jumped, the sound of pages clashing together echoing in the hallway as she looked at me in confusion. 

"Fallon?" 

I nodded slowly. "Remy?" 

She grinned, nodding enthusiastically and then sticking one hand out. "Nice to meet you," she chuckled. 

"You too," I offered her a small smile. 

"Are you looking for your room?" 

"Well, I saw you leaving yours so I know mine now," I laughed softly. 

"Great. So, I have class today, but you officially start tomorrow." She glanced at her watch. "Lunch is in another hour, how about I come get you then? I'll show you around and everything," she offered. 

"Yeah, that works, thanks a lot." I fished my phone out of my back pocket. "Can I get your number then? It'll be easier to talk. Campus seems huge." 

She eyed my phone in amusement and then smiled. "Campus is pretty big. But um, phones don't work here." 

"I'm sorry, what?" 

"Yeah. Each phone has a telephone on the nightstand with a booklet, you'll find all phone numbers in there according to the rooms. This is the main building and student building for the Literature faculty." 

"So... that means all the literature students and teachers live in this building?" 

"Yeah, along with the principal. That's why the campus is so big, each subject has its own faculty building and we go from one building to the other for class. Makes sense?" 

I nodded. 

"Great. So, I'll see you for lunch, bye," she waved, her fingers dancing as she walked away. 

"Bye," I called out after her. 

She seems nice, thank God. That's one person that comes close to being a friend. One person to make this place a little less miserable than it could be. 

I stopped at the room beside Remy's frowning when I realized that the plate stating the room number was broken and missing. Well, it has to be this room, it wouldn't be the one across the hall, would it? I glanced at that one and just my luck, the number plate was missing for that room too. "What the hell?" I mumbled to myself, standing in the hall like an idiot, debating which door I should open. 

I took a step towards the one across the hall and moved to insert the key into the lock but before I could try the key, the sound of the door unlocking reached my ears and I saw the doorknob twisting. I spun around quickly, turning to the room I was now sure was mine. I stuck the key into the lock, hearing the door behind me open. Luckily, my door unlocked and I pushed it open, walking in and turning to close the door behind me. I turned around, expecting to see someone locking their door but I couldn't see anyone. 

I looked down the hall and saw a guy walking away. He was extremely tall, a full-sleeve fitted black t-shirt hugging his body. I lifted my brows, my eyes going down and then coming back up as he disappeared down the corner, reaching the staircase. 

I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts, smacking myself on the side of my head. I moved back into my room, closing and locking the door, dropping the keys on the nightstand. I saw the white telephone and the booklet under it. I sighed, checking my phone for a signal but there wasn't any. I dropped the phone on the silk black sheets and moved to my suitcases that were placed in front of the closet. I need to unpack as much as I can today. 

I took a look around the room, walking to my desk that had a huge, arched window right in front of us, giving me a clear view of campus. 

The campus was... strange. Not what you would expect a boarding school academy to look like. The architecture was mostly dark, the buildings looked more like castles and cathedrals than a school campus, and the statues... I noticed on my way up here that all the statues were darker in their concepts. Mostly fallen angels rather than guardian angels, more focused around the concept of hell than heaven. 

And our hallway? It has seven statues, showing the seven sins. Gluttony, wrath, pride, envy, sloth, greed, and lust. 

Mr. Garry told us on the way that while Mr. Nicolas, whoever that is, only recently transformed this place into an academy, the buildings have always been here and no changes were made to the interiors. 

The seven deadly sins shown through sculptures and statues in a building on a student campus? Strange. 

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Chapter 1

I can't get over the campus I'm imagining in my head, I literally want to live there

anyway, let me know what you think of our main character

next chapter: warned