Part 4 - Don't tell anyone

Y/n

"Haha wait so you're saying that Wednesday used a nail gun to lock you in there?"

I say, passing Pugsley another gummy worm. It wasn't exactly an earthworm, but we made a compromise. He took it and huffs out a laugh as he bit off the head, the part we both agreed always has to go first. We both sat on the floor next to my bed, our backs leaning against it while we talked about random things. It was nice, I haven't felt this relaxed in a while.

"Yeah, I think I was in there for at least 6 hours before Lurch found me and broke me out. And mind you, I was four, I'm pretty sure I cried the whole time."

I scoff and take a bite of my own gummy worm.

"Yeah I would've too, that's so cruel. Did you at least get her back for it?"

"No, I wish, but I was a little kid, there wasn't much I could do except tell on her and then face even more of her wrath because of it. But, I like to think it made us closer, no matter what she says otherwise."

I watched him inhale the rest of the worm as I try to wrap my head around the dynamic that him and Wednesday seemed to have.

"What about your parents? Didn't they do anything about it? Like I dunno, tell you guys to get along like good siblings and play nice?"

He thinks for a moment.

"Well, I guess indirectly, yes. They're more the 'yeah sure you can use the rocket launcher, but be sure to stay clear of the garden' type of parents, I had a lot of unsupervised free will as a kid."

I huff, I was a little envious of him.

"Wow, lucky. My parents were definitely NOT like that when I was a kid."

He turned his head and gave me a curious look.

"Yeah? Well what are your parents like?"

Crap. I shouldn't have said anything. I don't wanna dump my shitty family lore on this guy, I only just met him today. I mean what do I even say?

"It's uhm...it's kinda complicated, I don't think-"

*knock knock knock*

Both of our heads whip towards the door, my voice dropping to a sort of whisper yell.

"Are you expecting anybody?"

He shakes his head.

"I don't think so, are you?"

"Nope. Okay, I'll get the door, you stand over there and hide until they leave."

We both stand up from our seated positions and make our way to our respective spots. And sadly I had to leave the gummy worms behind on my bed. Pugsley goes and stands where I said, next to the door on the side of the hinges, so when it swung open he would be hidden. I quickly swallow the last bite I took of a worm and place my hand on the door handle, twisting it until I opened the door with a slight squeak.

Oh, that's who it is.

"Ajax. Whaaaat are you doing here?"

He scoffs.

"Wow yeah nice to see you too Y/n great to have you back this year."

I hold my hands up in mock defense.

"Okay okay, I'm sorry. Hello Ajax, nice to see you. What can I help you with."

Ajax smirks and gives me a short nod.

"Much better. Anyway, as you may have heard already, this year I've been selected to be the resident advisor for Caliban hall."

"Woooow, congrats dude, you got like the most boring job ever."

That remark got me an eye roll, just what I was looking for. It's always more fun to tease the guy you like, it hides the other feelings.

"Yeah yeah whatever, you're just jealous cause I've got more power than you now."

I scoff and give him a fake offended look.

"As if. And was there actually a reason you're here orrr...?"

"Okay, the year has only just started. Leave the snark till next week. And I was getting there, alright? So, since I am the new resident advisor, I have to go around to all the dorms and ask if you guys have any questions or concerns. Aaaaaand, to also remind you about the annual story telling that's starting soon. So uh, you guys are gonna be there right? You and,"

He glances into the room and looks back at me when he doesn't spot anybody else.

"Where's your roommate?"

Okay Y/n, time to make a decision. Lie to the guy you like, or risk him knowing and telling someone, even by accident. Yeah okay lying it is. I glanced at Pugsley through the gap between the hinges and the door. He looked nervous, and I can't blame the guy. I return my attention back to Ajax as I try my best to make some shit lie up on the spot.

"I uhm, it's actually just me in here this year. Yeah, there was an odd number of people so I get a whole dorm to myself. It's great right? Peace and quiet all year long. How lucky am I."

The deadpan stare he was giving me was all I needed to realize he wasn't buying a single word that just came out of my mouth. I hate how good this guy is at reading me, it's like he can read my mind, it's unsettling.

"Uh huh, okay. So are you gonna try that again and tell me the truth or do I have to point out the fact that I can clearly see the other bed set up, which is clearly not yours, not messy enough. Also,"

He points over to Pugsley's nightstand.

"That's a hair gel container, since when do you use that."

Don't say it don't say it don't don't say it.

"How would you know what hair gel looks like? ...What are you doing to those poor snakes..?"

He did not look impressed. But I was used to it, so I just stood there smiling until he spoke again.

"Y/n just tell me who else is in here or I swear I will take this beanie off right now."

We hold eye contact and I knew he wouldn't leave until I caved. And unfortunately for me, I cave pretty easily when it comes to this guy. So, I let out a huge breath I hadn't even realized I was holding, and I tell him.

"Listen okay it's not my fault it happened, there was a mix up when the school assigned dorms for this year cause I registered a little later than I meant to so we just got paired up by default, and we tried to go down and fix it but they said there was no other dorm spots and we were told not to tell Principal Dort and now everything's really complicated. 

But I promise you it's only temporary until we can find someone who's willing to have an extra dorm mate. So uhm, long story short, this is Pugsley."

Just as I said that, I open the door a bit wider and Pugsley steps out from behind me and greets Ajax with a dumb grin and an extended arm, for what I'm assuming was a handshake. As their friendly greeting happens, albeit a little hesitantly from Ajax, who I'm sure is a little shocked about this whole thing, I introduce the two of them.

"Pugsley, this is Ajax Petropolus, campus douchebag. Ajax, this is Pugsley Addams, my roommate."

Ajax turned his head to look at me once I had said Pugsley's last name.

"Addams? As in..?"

I give him a short nod.

"Brother."

His mouth makes a small 'O' shape as he connects the dots.

"Wow, so you're like, suuuper screwed if someone finds out about it this. Does this mean I can use this against you?"

I glare at him.

"No, we both know you hold no power over me whatsoever. And please, I need you to promise me you won't say a word of this to anybody else, especially Principal Dort."

He thinks for a second before folding his arms and leaning against the door frame.

"And why should I do that."

Oh do not play with me right now asshole.

"Because I don't think you realize that you'll get in trouble too. You know, as Caliban's resident advisor. And if that isn't motivation enough to keep your yapper shut, if you do tell anyone, and trust me I will find out if you do, then I will ruin any chance you have of getting back together with Enid."

And with that, his face drops. The previous cocky expression was looong gone. Perfect, I had hit a sore spot. I do admit I felt a little bad, but I didn't know any other way to make sure he keeps quiet. Plus I wasn't being serious, I didn't have any right or particular need to butt into their thing, whatever it was right now. Honestly I didn't know, they liked each other a lot last year, but I haven't seen them together at all since schools been back. Maybe they had a falling out over the summer, but it wasn't my business.

"...whatever, I won't say anything. Now come on, we're starting the storytelling. Oh and clean up your room, it's practically a hazard in there."

Pugsley pipes up from behind me and asks Ajax,

"Will you stone me with your snakes?"

The hopefulness in his voice was almost amusing. Ajax just stared at him.

"That's not gonna happen."  

With a final uninterested smile to the two of us, he walks off down the hallway towards the common area. I flip him off after he turns his back before I gesture for me and Pugsley to follow suit.

Once we reach the end of the hallway and make our way into the dimly lit room, the only source of light being the fire place, everyone from Caliban sat around on the floor as Ajax took his place in front of the fire, flashlight in his hand ready to start this ridiculous story. Which unfortunately I had fallen for last year, due to Ajax's unparalleled story telling skills.

But now I knew better.

I guide Pugsley to sit on the floor next to me, behind a couple of the other kids as the room goes quiet. I lean over and whisper to Pugsley.

"Don't take what he's saying seriously, it's just a scary story he tells to frighten you."

He nods in return before focusing on Ajax, and I do the same.

Then the flash of artificial light glows under Ajax's face, a wicked grin crossing it.

"Tonight, you're gonna hear the tale...of the skull tree. It's Caliban tradition to tell this story on the first night of school."

I internally roll my eyes. Here we go.

"There once, was a brilliant boy, with a fragile heart. He spent his days in bed, drawing all the incredible machines he planned to build someday. Now the doctors only gave him months to live, so he decided to design his own heart, so that his body could keep up with his dazzling mind. The operation was successful, but the clockwork heart, it changed the boy.

He looked over at me, and I just gave him an 'oh really?' look back. He smirked and continued telling the story to the other kids.

"He became cold, and driven by ambition. When he arrived at Nevermore, he was hailed as the greatest mind to ever walk the halls. But his inventions became more dangerous. Until one night, his genius...cost him his life. Legend has it, his body is buried at the foot of the skull tree, in an unmarked grave. But, if you put your ear to the skulls hollow left eye, you can still hear his clockwork heart. Tick...tick...tick..."

I look over at Pugsley to see what he thought of these words, and he seemed pretty invested. It made me wonder how gullible he is, or maybe he's thinking of something... Ajax's voice turned my attention back away from Pugsley, but I had a small nagging feeling he was taking this story a little too seriously.

"Only the bravest in Caliban hall have ventured out at night to take the dare to listen to the tick, of the clockwork heart...so will you?"

I look back to Pugsley again, only now had a smile creeped onto his face. And I knew that kind of smile, he was planning something. Please don't tell me he actually believes this story. It's just some dumb tale to scare the newbies, it's not real. Plenty of kids have gone out there before and haven't found anything, I mean it has to be all made up.

I lean over and whisper to him again.

"Hey, don't do anything stupid. If something happens to you out there, I can't help you. Got it? It's just a story."

"Yeah, sure..."

Once we had returned to our dorm for the night, Pugsley and I both sat at our desks and worked on separate things before it was time for lights out. I got a bit curious of what he was doing, and why it was so quiet, so I looked over at his desk to the best of my abilities in what was now a mostly dark room. He had a flashlight shining down at what looked to be a map of the school grounds. How did he get that? And what could he want with it.

I minded my own business and didn't ask about it, and eventually they called lights out, and both of us got into bed for the night. Though I couldn't fall asleep for a while. I had a really bad feeling I was about to be pulled into something really dangerous.

Please don't let whatever he's planning be stupid.

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*Authors note*

Okay so I've made a slight timeline change to the story, since I went back and realized that pyre lighting happens the day after Ajax told that story, so apologies, but it won't affect the events that happen, just when they happen.