Still Sleeping

The night arrived quietly. Under the weak light of a candle, a shadow flickered upon shelves of books. Heavy boots stepped on a red carpet, resounding muffled through the entire building. Soon, the echoes reverberated into every corner.

The man casting the shadow slowed gradually down until he ceased to walk. His shadow flickered silently behind him as he silently looked down. In front of him laid a young boy defenceless on the ground. His hands had fallen to the ground, and the head had already nodded off.

The man went on his knees before he picked up a book on the floor. Briefly looking at it, he sighed softly. Then he shook the boy awake. As the eyes slowly opened, the man whispered, "Boy, I have come to take your soul."

Instantly, Libertas opened his eyes wide in shock. Looking around, he sighed in relief, "Oh, it was only you."

After he relaxed for a short moment, he quickly snapped out, "If it was only you, then why the hell did you scare me? What the heck do you mean you came for my soul?!"

Chuckling, the librarian stood up while he stretched out one hand. At the same time, he casually said, "Come, stand up. Let me help you up. You shouldn't have slept here! Do that at your home! Anyway, do you want to lend this book?"

After grabbing the outstretched hand, Libertas stood up. Then while nodding his head, he replied, "Yes, I would like to borrow it."

"Alright, follow me downstairs, and please pass me your badge."

Later at the entrance of the library. The librarian closed the door before he swiftly turned around and briefly reprimanded, "Don't forget it! Next time I better don't find you sleeping somewhere on the cold ground! It's not good for your health. Now, quickly scurry home and go to sleep!"

Waving the hand, Libertas smirked as he teased, "If you didn't wake me up, I would now be asleep!"

Subsequently, Libertas rushed off with a laugh. The librarian shook his head at that and sighed curtly. After looking once more around, the librarian slowly walked into another direction. Soon, he too disappeared in the darkness of the night.

Back in the dorm, a door slowly creaked open. Stretching wearily, Libertas stepped inside the room. Immediately, he heard Marcus snoring soundly in his bed. However, it resounded only for a short moment before a groaning replaced it. Soon Marcus looked arduously up.

After seeing who it was, his head immediately plumped back to his pillow. Then he mumbled, "There you are! Have been waiting for the whole day just for you! Where have been?"

Libertas threw the book in his hand on the empty table in front of the window. Then he shrugged and answered, "The library. To where did you drag the prince?"

While still laying on the bed, Marcus lazily replied, "Around the school. Anyway, it doesn't matter. What happened to your girl?"

Annoyed, Libertas glared at Marcus despite knowing that Marcus wouldn't see it. Following he grumbled, "She isn't my girl. At most, she is my sister. Anyway, she went to the cafeteria to eat."

Stunned, Marcus promptly sat up with widened eyes and shouted incredulous, "What? For real? You just let her go after all that I have done for you? Furthermore, she wasn't your fiancée?! Didn't you see how she adored you? How boring!"

While waving a hand dismissively, Libertas clicked his tongue. Following, he stated irritated, "Go to sleep now! That has nothing to do with you!"

Theatricality, Marcus held two fingers on his forehead before he quickly swiped it upwards. Then after kicking with both of his legs under the sheet at the air, he plumped back to sleep. At the same, he remarked unworried, "Alright. You are the boss."

Clicking the tongue, Libertas moved his attention away from Marcus. Later, he too jumped into his bed. Soon he sunk into his dreams and two snoring reverberated through the whole room back and forth.

Steadily the night was passing by without a single sound apart from two soft snoring. Suddenly, a soft groaning and the sheet laying atop of Libertas flew to the ground. With a frown, Libertas rolled on the bed around, nearly falling from its edge. Nevertheless, he still tossed clueless his body wildly from one corner to another one of it.

Gradually his expression began to distort, and he frantically pulled on his clothes. Unwell, he hastily mumbled something incomprehensible. Accidental, he hit with his head on the wall, shouting abruptly out. However, he still didn't wake up. Instead, his muttering gradually clarified.

"-O! STOP! WHY?! Stop…."

Unexpectedly, he had slowly ceased to mutter. Then suddenly, he screamingly shouted out, "NO! Leave ME ALONE! I don't want to fight! PLEASE, I am begging you! Please…."

Abruptly, Libertas clawed at the air, grabbing nothing. The hand fell to his throat. Trembling, he slowly squeezed the air out of his own throat. While gasping desperately after the air, he barely pleaded with his last breath, "Can't you let me live in peace? Do we truly need us fighting to the death? Couldn't we both live in peace?"

A tear rolled down the cheek. The hand lost the grip and plumped down beside the throat. Soon, the breathing calmed down as the distorted expression relaxed. A soft muttering escaped out of the mouth, "I fear…."

Swiftly the night passed away, and the day arrived once more. The sun slowly rose lofty over the sky. Its burning rays swept over a field of rustling grass. A bird flew circles in the sky until it dived down onto a roof, squatting there relaxed. Suddenly, a loud but a relaxed moaning sounded, scaring it. After it pooped on the roof, it quickly flapped its wings and escaped back into the sky. The beautiful and quiet scenery broke into pieces.

Marcus wearily stretched his body as he arduously stood up. His feet wobbled slightly around, still a bit numb from the sleep. While looking around, he suddenly froze. His mouth gaped stunned. With an open mouth, he stared at the sheet laying on the ground before his gaze slowly wandered upwards. His mouth twitched in disbelieve.

Libertas laid with his clothes torn on his bed. The several scratch marks stood out on the white skin. Some of them have already formed scabs. After staring for another while, Marcus quickly shook Libertas awake. Then he impatiently asked, "What the hell has happened to you? What the heck have you just done last night?"

While still a bit dizzy in the head, Libertas looked at Marcus, only for him to receive a bombardment of questions. Irritated, he pushed the fat face of Marcus away before he annoyed asked back, "What do you want from me?"

A cold breeze waved in from the tilted window, and Libertas shivered. Then while he looked at himself, his expression immediately soured. Clenching his fist, he glared fiercely at Marcus. Through gnashing teeth, he questioned, "What have you done to me?!"

Promptly, Marcus raised his hand defensively. When he then saw that Libertas didn't attack him, he breathed out a sigh in relief. Nevertheless, he still warily took a step back before saying, "I didn't do anything. I just woke up too. Moreover, didn't you hear me asking you what has happened?"

A frown emerged as Libertas glared at Marcus. Although it did seem that Marcus told the truth, somehow he couldn't believe that? If it wasn't Marcus, who did that to him, who else could it be? The dorm supervisor? Or maybe myself? Ridiculous! However, why would Marcus do that to him?

Libertas couldn't think of any reasons why Marcus would have done this to him. Hence, he dismissively waved his hand, "I didn't hear that. Sorry. Anyway, do you know who could have done that?"

Shaking the head, Marcus replied, "Nope. Besides that, you should now get up. We school will start soon."

Annoyed, Libertas got up, and remarked with a long face, "What? Is going the school more important for you than find the culprit sneaking into our room at night? You know, you could be targeted next time! Or maybe he will do something even nastier!"

Shrugging with the shoulders, Marcus turned away to put on a different set of clothes. At the same time, he spoke, "Well, won't we find him tonight if we stay awake?"

Grumbling, Libertas opened the closed locker beside Marcus. It was empty. Without any hesitation, he closed it and walked to the other side of the room. Once there, he unlocked both of the lockers at the same time. In one of them were a freshly ironed school uniform and a new school bag.

After seeing the uniform, he quickly glanced at Marcus. Puzzled, he inquired, "Shouldn't you wear the school uniform if you go to the school?"

While Marcus glanced lazily back, he involuntarily yawned. Swiftly, he took his hand in front of his mouth before he said, "You can go with that, but the people will look at you strangely. In school, everyone can wear whatever they want. The only condition is to have your badge always with you. As for outside of it, as long as you aren't on a mission, it is the same. Simple said, only if you are outside and on a mission, must you wear the school uniform."

Hearing this, Libertas exclaimed in wonderment before he shrugged his shoulders. Then he stated, "Is that so? Well, it doesn't really matter to me. I don't have anyway anything else to wear now except that. So, shall we go to school now?"

Shaking the head, Marcus replied, "No! I am hungry! It's morning, and I still need to eat my breakfast. Hence, first to the cafeteria, then to the school!"

As the duo walked out the door, Libertas nudged against Marcus. Teasingly, he remarked, "Didn't you say that the food isn't that good? Then why are going there to eat breakfast?"

Puffing the chest, Marcus declared proudly, "My dad makes the best dishes as long as the main ingredient is meat! No dishes are good if they are compared to my dad's! Anyway, now my dad is likely still sleeping…."

In the end, Marcus' voice gradually turned softer and softer. He looked to the side as a slightly blushed in embarrassment. On the contrary, Libertas' laughter slowly grew louder in return.

Rolling the eyes, Marcus hit joking Libertas on the shoulder. Then he yapped annoyed, "Shut up! Let's go faster!"

Smiling, Libertas swiftly followed after Marcus. His school life had now truly begun.