Panic surged through me, gripping me from all ends. In no time at all, I rushed downstairs, not looking back or even taking a moment to think through what I had just seen. The chill wind hit hard causing me to rub my arms. I was met with a small crowd gathering around the young dead man.

Pushing my way forward, I got a good view of the dead body. His body sprawled around the floor awkwardly, blood formed like a tunnel from his mouth making it to other parts of his body. The young man's eyes were dull and glassy, all life ripped away from it.

The vile stench of death covered the environment like a cloak worn an old man and having a bunch of sticky students around me didn't help, either. The young man looked no more than twenty.

Still under my scrutiny, I noticed that this particular man had a small star just above his wrist. It was hard to see with all the blood but it was still somewhat visible.

Angst tugged at my heart, pulling it ever so lightly. My palms were left sweaty at the thoughts of what could have caused his death.

A professor sauntered in, pushing back all the students, waving them away. "That's enough now, you can all go back to your dorms." Even in this situation he still managed to remain calm, not having a single hint of fear in his golden irises. He must have seen much worst.

His words weren't that effective, though. I found it difficult to leave my present position. My feet were stuck to the ground like a tree firm in it's position. I couldn't quite get my eyes off the young man.

A group of men approached the dead body and were more than ready to relief the ground of carrying the young man. Having seen quite enough, I raised my gaze from the cadaver in front of me and eyed the students. Quite a number of them had fear playing a genteel tune on their features, each of them shivering.

I had seen enough. There was still something important I had to do tonight.

Carefully and cautiously, I made my way out of the crowd and into the institute.

I flipped the watch Simone had given me earlier today and typed in a message quick.

I need to see you. Where can we meet?

Not wasting any time I sent the message. I peeped over my shoulder prudently.

No one was in sight.

The halls were as empty as ever with only a few lights. Satisfied, I moved along, assiduously awaiting Simone's reply.

After what felt like three minutes, my watched buzzed against my arm. In no time, I flipped the little gadget and read Simone's message.

Meet me in the dining hall.

Hastily I made my way towards the hall, hoping to get some answers and affirmation to my theories.

The vast dining hall was even darker than the rest of the building. Squinting my eyes, I tried to find Simone. Chairs were arranged perfectly around each table and the air here seemed to be even more frigid than the rest of the building.

Cold air brushed against the nape of my neck. I turned almost immediately, my guard up. Simone stood in place, her eyes boring holes into me. "Do you have it?"

I huffed in relief. "Don't scare me like that!"

She gave a light chuckle. "Haven't you been paying attention in your Survival Techniques class? Always be prepared."

My lips twitched, daring to release a chortle, but there were more important things to deal with at the moment. I took out the paper that held the answer to some of my questions, from it's hiding and slipped it into Simone's hand. "There you go."

The peculiar piece of paper was left under my babysitter's intense scrutiny. "Follow me."

The woman hadn't even waited for my response before she started moving. Time waited for no one, indeed. My feet caught on and I followed her like a lost puppy.

She followed a route I was quite unfamiliar with. We didn't walk through the main hallway like I usually did, instead Simone led me to an elevator in the east wing of the building.

The elevator walls were a shiny silver and I could perfectly see our reflections on them. Simone reminded focused as ever with her lips pressed into a thing line, while I on the other had a deep frown etched on my face.

"I think he was killed," I muttered, breaking the silence. The thought had been nagging at the back of my mind for a while and I couldn't shake off the feeling that the Council had something to do with this. My mother had told me they were planning something big and the Council was simply not to be trusted.

Simone pressed a few buttons, which made the elevator doors close in response. Her eyes mirrored concern. "What makes you think that, sweetie."

"I don't know. It just feels like it and-and nothing makes sense!" I huffed. Frustration was climbing up my walls, looking for a way to fully engulf me. Life back with my parents wasn't like this. Sure there were some setbacks and the nagging desire of my parents wanting me to bend to their every will, but at least I didn't have to see people die.

"Life itself doesn't make sense dear, get used to it." Her eyes drifted off, and silence covered us in its cold embrace once again.

The elevators opened and once again Simone led me into this strange environment. We walked through the narrow passageway. The only difference between this place and the hallways I was quite familiar with was the passageway was well lit. We walked passed several doors, each having distinct Hebrew writing. I was quite fascinated by the language and history. It was one of the things I studied as a child.

Simone came to a halt and opened on of the room labelled תשוקה, which meant "passion" in English. It did fit Simone for the short time in which I have known her, she seemed like she was a passionate woman.

I stepped inside, examing the small room. It was most definitely high-tech. Not a lot of people in Annexia had half of the gadgets littered a cross my dearest babysitter's room. A small bed was situated in the middle of the room and by my left was a desk with computers just waiting to be greeted by Simone's hands again.

With no delay, Simone locked the door behind us and started the tests on the strange substance. I paced around the room, waiting for answers to my legion of questions.

After was seemed like a year she pierced the silence. Her voice came out in a whisper. "Heilute bites."