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Georgetown University

Thankful for the end of the day, Professor David Ramel rubs his eyes as he pops an antacid and heads back to his office. Having spent the day trying to teach anatomy without his dummy, the tenured instructor wants nothing more than to relax with his collection of cruise pamphlets. He is still deciding on where to spend his sabbatical, which his wife has repeatedly told him will be five years overdue. Feeling a gurgle in his stomach, David stops at the nearest water fountain and drinks until the sensation goes away. Still caught up in his thoughts, the professor nearly turns into his anatomy dummy that is standing behind him. With a high-pitched yell, he jumps back and slams into the wall, a dull pain running up his back.

“I’m sorry about that, Dave,” Professor Soleman says, the man standing only a few feet away. He takes a drink before patting his coworker on the shoulder in a half-hearted attempt to calm him down. “Good thing you have that vacation coming in a few months. I found Gem here in the library. She was left her standing in one of the rear stacks, but I have no idea who left her there. Probably one of the rowdier fraternities. You know how those pledging challenges go around this time of year. Can’t do anything unless we have evidence. By the way, Charlene, wanted me to talk to you about Harvey Pugh.”

“Surprised to see you acting as her messenger,” David ruefully admits. Focusing on his dummy, he frowns at the gap where a plastic kidney once sat. “Thankfully, I have spares left over from previous pledge week casualties. Although, Gem has lasted a lot longer than the others. Glad I got her from that medical school in New York City. This girl is eighteen and looks as good as she did on her first day. Well, she will when I put the new kidney in. I’m rather surprised because it’s usually the liver or heart that the students take out.”

“Avoiding the subject won’t make it go away,” Jason claims, taking his glasses off. Holding them up to the light, he casually cleans them in the hopes of the other man speaking. “We’re all aware that Mr. Pugh has yet to attend a class outside of tests. He even got his syllabus off our websites, but that doesn’t mean he should be expelled. All of his work comes in on time and he communicates with his professors. Think of Mr. Pugh as a special case.”

Professor Ramel sighs and rubs his stomach, which feels uncomfortably tight. “He has no medical reason to avoid classes. I know he isn’t staying in his room since I’ve seen him leave to attend that mythology club. All of his professors have been talking about teaching him a lesson, but I’m going to do something about it. Maybe expelling is extreme, so I’ll write a letter to the dean about suspension. That’s the best I can do.”

“What if we can get him a note?”

“That sounds unethical.”

“Not by much.”

“Have a good night, Jason.”

“Try to do the same, David, but know that Charlene won’t like your response.”

Taking his anatomy dummy under his arm, Professor Ramel walks away without a second glance. Hearing a door close at the other end of the hallway, he relaxes and searches his pockets for his keys. Not wanting to put anything down, it takes him a minute to get the door open and push his way inside. Stacks of papers cover his desk and books are on every flat surface, a third of them written by the professor. David puts the dummy near the window, which he opens to get some fresh air. Checking his coffee maker, he grimaces at the cold remnants and settles for a soda from his mini-fridge. Sitting in his chair, the professor takes a few sips and chooses a paper to grade.

A thud makes him jump and he looks around to find that the anatomy dummy has fallen over. Going to pick it up, he hears a fluttering above his head and flails to wave away the raven that came in through the window. The bird snatches an old bagel before leaving, two of its feathers landing on the ungraded papers. With a muttered curse, David moves the dummy away from the cold draft and searches for a tissue. Feeling another gurgle in his gut, he rushes back to his desk and takes another sip of soda. Patting his stomach, a loud belch makes him blush even though nobody else is around. He is about to return to his seat when a playful giggle causes him to turn around, the noise continuing until he coughs.

“Must be my imagination,” he whispers, his eyes searching the shadows. The ceiling lights flicker, so he reaches up to tap at the bulb that falls to the floor. “And here I am without a spare and not enough moonlight to move around. This better not be a prank! Doesn’t make any sense that the bulb fell out. The socket would have to be stripped or sabotaged. I can simply leave the room and come back in the morning.”

Letting the silence last for a few minutes, the nervous professor eventually heads for the door and does his best to avoid the books. Banging into a shelf, he winces at the pain shooting up his leg from a broken toe. Surprised at how easily he was injured, David tries to move with more care and fights the urge to rush for the door. He grabs the doorknob and twists to find that it has been locked, the jarring stop snapping his wrist. Wailing in pain, the terrified man stumbles back and scrapes against a cabinet. The sensation of blood flowing down his arm causes him to reach up to a gash, the edges frayed and raw. Whirling around, David steps on the broken bulb and his foot is reduced to blood-seeping shreds. Unsure of when he took his shoes off, he stops moving and tries to make sense of what is going on.

Footsteps echo in the hallway before the doorknob starts to turn, the movement abruptly stopping. David tries to call out for help, but the attempt causes his jaw to break and hang loose on his face. Teeth fall out when he tries to push his mandible back up, the pain reaching a point where his body starts to feel numb. Attempting to reach his desk, he steps on a pile of books that slide beneath his feet. With a sickening snap, his lower leg twists and becomes completely turned around. Unable to walk, David hops and flails in the darkness, his moans echoing off the quivering walls. Having almost made it to his chair, his other leg suddenly shatters and he falls backwards. Professor Ramel hits the anatomy dummy with enough force to sever his neck and send his head rolling across the floor. A chorus of caws fill the room as three ravens fly through the window and begin to feast on the remains.

(One step back if you feel lost.)

Hollins University

Aurora closes her textbook and starts glaring at her brother, who continues staring at his notes. Deciding not to speak until she has calmed down, she goes to her dresser and hunts for a scrunchie to put her hair up with. Grabbing a mesh bag, the tired student throws in the ones that she forgot to clean last weekend. Aurora decides on a red one from the bottom, but realizes that it used to be white before a disastrous dissection in her zoology class. She can still vividly remember the sound of something bursting from the table behind her and the sensation of warmth and stickiness striking her head. Giving up on the distraction, she slams the drawer shut and whirls around to find that her brother is on his phone. Even though Apollo is trying to look like he is researching something, the sounds effects betray him. Taking her film camera off its hook, Aurora whistles to get his attention and gets him with her newest flash that temporarily blinds him.

“Already got my money’s worth on this toy,” she claims with an evil grin. Carefully putting the camera back, she whirls around to cross her arms and put on her best authoritarian scowl. “I can’t believe you told mom and dad about that stupid dream. You know how much they worried when we had that as kids. We were nearly medicated because of it. Even though the setting changes, the whole thing with doodles and crazy deaths remain the same. Do you really want them to make us see a shrink again?”

“If it helps me figure this out then I’ll go,” Apollo replies, imitating his sister’s posture and expression. Seeing that he is about to lose his video game, he quickly hits a few buttons with his thumb and quits. “There’s no reason to get so upset. Mom and dad think it’s only me, so you can keep lying. We both know you haven’t put whatever is causing our dream to rest. I’m still thinking a trauma in the womb. Could we have been quadruplets and absorbed the other two before birth?”

“This is why I keep telling you take a creative writing minor,” Aurora says with a half-hearted smile. Reaching under her mattress, she pulls out a diary and searches for the last time she had the dream. “It’s been a week for me and it was fairly tame. Everyone died from poisoning instead of a unique one each time. Then again, my experiences were never as vivid and varied as yours. Maybe you’re the cause of it all and I merely have to get hundreds of miles away to cure myself.”

“That’s not very nice.”

“You’re right, but it sounds like such a beautiful dream today.”

“Can’t run away from your problems.”

“Of course you can if you’re faster or can afford the airfare.”

The awkward silence lingers as Apollo tries to figure out if his sister is serious about wanting to get away. Having never spent more than a weekend away from each other, it is difficult for the young man to imagine going for very long without her. He smirks at how strangers find their attachment creepy until they admit to being twins. Apollo is still amazed at what they can get away with since people tend to assume their shared birth has given them a predisposition for being strange. The only time he can remember things going off the rails was when they went to prom together in each other’s clothes, their real dates happy to be a part of the prank. To this day, he is not sure why the teachers and some of the students got so upset about an innocent clothing swap.

“You were thinking of our prom prank again,” Aurora says, putting her fingers to her temples. Knowing that the psychic joke only works on new friends, she drops the act and flops onto her bed. “Do you think anybody else can decipher our different smiles? I can’t do it with anyone other than you. Be nice to see the truth behind expressions even for a day. That would help me talk with Bryce. I don’t think she was ready to come back.”

“She wasn’t very talkative at lunch, but she seemed better,” Apollo replies, taking a seat at the desk. He scrambles out of the seat when a raven lands on the sill and violently bangs a large snail against the window. “Those birds are really creepy. I know we had them at home, but the ones here have no fear. Thomas and I saw a flock staring at us from across the street last week and they never moved. They were gone when we passed by later, but it looked like they had devoured a cat.”

Aurora knocks on the glass to shoo the bird away, but it simply cocks its head to the side and stares at her. “Students probably feed them, so they aren’t afraid of humans. The ones you saw were guarding their meal. Even on campus, winter means less food. Although, I do see a lot of them. It’s like they’re the school’s version of pigeons, which I haven’t seen one of since our first week. Are we really talking about ravens?”

“We’re only studying together until our friends get out of their classes or whatever they’re doing,” the young man reminds his sister. Waking up the computer, he goes to the school’s meteorology site and pulls up maps listed for the next class. “I’ve looked over these things a hundred times. There’s nothing else for me to do. Be nice if you had a television. I can’t believe your roommate, who is never here, forbids TV and you go along with it. Thomas would have to pry my favorite shows out of my cold dead fingers. You want to take a nap while I play some computer games, Aura?”

“I’m not that tired and please don’t call me that, Po,” she responds, her eyes locked on the well-made bed on the other side of the room. With a groan, she gets to her feet and goes to her roommate’s closet. “The strange thing is that I haven’t seen her in a while. Always figured she came in while I was in the lab or I’ve become a very deep sleeper. Some of her clothes have been moved, but I don’t know where she could be on the weekends. Unless she managed to find a boyfriend and is staying with him. Doubt it considering how prim and proper she was. Nearly drove me to move off campus. I even started the paperwork and talked with Charlene in housing about it.”

“You have got to stop running away from your problems.”

“Does it look like I left?”

“I’m just saying that you shouldn’t even consider it until you’ve tried to fight back.”

“For the last time, I’m not putting itching powder in her bed.”

“Killjoy.”

(CLICK HERE to revisit the recent past.)

College of Charleston

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Harvey Pugh asks as he bring Bryce a cup of water. The tall and cherub-faced student sits next to her, ignoring the way his friends look at him. “I wish I had some deep insight to say that would help you recover from your grief. The concept of loss and death change from culture to culture, so perhaps we simply make our own path. Do you find it difficult to be out of your room? It has been two weeks since Trina died and you two were becoming serious. Although, I’m unclear as to how someone can vomit up most of their digestive system.”

“Maybe you would have an answer if you ever went to class,” Chris Garcon mutters, taking the seat on the other side of Bryce. Putting his hockey stick on the table, he leans back and tries to put what he believes is a comforting arm around the young woman’s shoulders. “I can’t imagine how horrible this is. You two were in love and now you’re alone. Harvey shouldn’t bother you with questions when you need someone to listen to. I’m always there for you. No strings attached since you’re a lesbian, so it isn’t like I’m hitting on you.”

“For the last time, I’m bisexual,” Bryce groans, her fists clenched. The only reason she does not hit either of her friends is because she would not expect anything else from them. “Yes, I find it a challenge to be in public, Harvey. At least you’re trying to be kind, which I really do appreciate. Chris, you should go make out with Jennifer’s new friend. That anatomy dummy seems more your type. Why do you have that thing here? Hello? Hey, O’Connor, are you still with us?”

Snapped out of her trance, the red-haired theater major nearly falls out of her chair. “Sorry, but I was up late pledging and part of it involved the dummy. I’ll be giving it back once we’re done here. Going to have to play the role of an idiot again. All I missed was Harvey asking an awkward question and Chris speaking from his mouth while thinking with his penis. Can’t believe future generations will be entrusted to a man like you. Don’t teachers typically have morals?”

“Like I’m going to take that from someone who’s career path will eventually involve porn and a heroin addiction.”

“Only if you mean I’ll be playing those roles in the movies.”

“Don’t try for comedy. You’re terrible at it.”

“My professor would politely disagree.”

The students are startled by the slamming of a book, all four of them turning around to see the elderly librarian glaring at them. With a slow nod, the wrinkled woman goes back to her returns and whispers as a bald man comes through the door. Professor Jason Soleman stops for a moment to talk with his coworker, the pair keeping their voices low and watching the students through the corner of their eyes. Obviously uncomfortable with the conversation, the man fixes his crimson tie and does his best to hide his anger at the librarian. For her part, the woman remains calm and sits down to polish the star-shaped medallion hanging from her neck. By the time Thomas and Apollo came running inside, their advisor has given up on arguing and trudges to the group. He takes a final look at the librarian before pushing his glasses up his nose and taking a notebook out of his jacket pocket. Professor Soleman freezes at the sight of the anatomy dummy, his eyes immediately darting to Jennifer.

“My teacher told me to imagine people in their underwear, so I thought imagining them with no skin would be even more effective,” the young woman explains with a playful giggle. She keeps smiling in the face of her angry advisor, who eventually lets out a sputtering sigh. “I will bring it back as soon as the club meeting is done. Maybe we can use it for something. There has to be some old mythology that involves body parts. Minus one kidney that I’m still searching the house for.”

“It seems that I will be leaving as soon as I speak,” Professor Soleman says, hiding his amusement with a cough. The squeak of a chair causes him to turn around, the black-haired woman in a lab coat trying to act like she has always been there. “I get the feeling that none of you are interested in mythology today. One of you may have spent the night molesting an anatomy dummy, another just returned after a terrible loss, and a third obviously has something better to do. Let me leave you with a simple task. Pick a lesser god and write a paragraph about them. Everyone knows about the gods and goddesses that modern entertainment focuses on like the Olympians. All you have to do is find one, read a bit, and leave your work with Marcy over there to get your extra credit. I do thank you for helping with this club, which I hope will become a full class next year.”

“I’ll make sure we get the work done,” Thomas declares, cutting off the latecomer. He continues smiling as the professor carries the anatomy dummy out of the library. “So, why is our great leader late? That isn’t like you, Aurora. Oh, before I forget, I’m happy to see you again Bryce. Not really sure what else to say since I know how serious you two were getting. Apollo or I can help you with this if you don’t feel up to it. Just ease back into things and let us know if you need some air.”

“Why does he get to say stuff like that and not get in trouble?” Chris blurts out while putting his feet on the table. Turning to Jennifer, he starts to lick his lips, but stops when she returns the gesture. “How about we split into teams? Try to find deities who are polar opposites or have some kind of connection. I’ll work with Harvey and everyone else can split into pairs. Whoever wants to go solo can do so since there’s only seven of us.”

“I’m sure that’s directed at me,” Aurora says in a strained voice. Rubbing her neck, she tries to clear her throat by sneaking a sip of energy drink from a flask. “Had to pull a late night at the farm because a calf was being born. It didn’t make it, so I’m out of it. Sorry to let everyone down, but it might be best to let me sink or swim on my own. Feel like taking an obscure death god anyway. We have to call mom and dad before afternoon classes, Apollo, so don’t take too long with Jennifer.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” the flustered twin asks, his loud voice earning him a glare from Marcy. Avoiding eye contact with the theater major, Apollo takes a seat next to her and puts his hands between his knees. “Not that I’m upset about working with you, Jen, but my sister made it sound like I had something else in mind. I . . . Do you want to get some pizza for lunch and help me get out of a boring phone call? Entirely as friends and it would help me get a rise out of my family.”

“I’ve always wanted to save a damsel in distress,” Jennifer teases, giving Apollo a quick kiss on the cheek. Getting both twins to blush fills the young woman with enough pride that she puffs out her chest. “This is my favorite club meeting to date. What about we all work together and choose a group of seven? That way we work and succeed together. My classes are doing a lot of team exercises this week, so I could use the practice. May I humbly recommend the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan?

Feeling cornered, Bryce slides out of her chair and crawls under the table to get closer to Aurora. “That sounds like a great idea since some of us are out of it today. Not a big fan of the topic, but don’t listen to me. Hard to believe in luck after what happened to Trina and her family not being happy about me showing up at the funeral. Never mind since that’s not club business and we need to get this assignment done.”

“Why weren’t they happy about you attending?” Harvey innocently asks. He yelps when Chris smacks him upside the head, the philosophy major covering his mouth when Marcy looks in their direction. “Okay, I think I understand. Sorry for asking. I forgot how often people refuse to accept the differences in others.”

“That is such an adorable way to say you forgot that people can be assholes,” Jennifer interjects with a giggle. The rest of the club cannot stop themselves from laughing, which is cut off by the librarian slamming a book as loud as she can. “Let’s get this done before Marcy over there starts hurling encyclopedias at our heads. Love to meet the people that still use those relics.”