Page 99 of Fractured Fates
Ham.
It’s a ham.
A rotten ham.
My stomach turns and I peer down at Pip.
“Can you tell what it is?” Winnie says.
“Yes,” I tell her, wrapping the plastic back around the slab of meat and marching with it to the door.
I walk out of the dorm, around the building and towards the communal trash cans, opening the first lid and dropping the package inside.
The smell still hangs in the air, following me. My stomach twists and I run inside the dorm, racing straight to the bathroom and vomiting into the toilet bowl.
After I wash my face and swill water around my mouth, I return to my room. Winnie’s opened all the windows and is dashing around squirting perfume into the air.
“It still stinks in here,” she moans, Pip squeaking his agreement. “What the hell was that thing?”
“A ham,” I say, and my friend freezes in her tracks.
“A ham?”
“A rotten ham.”
“Maybe it wasn’t rotten when they sent it.” I stare at my friend. “Yeah, I suppose not. But why would someone do that?”
“Because the people in this school are assholes – present company excluded.”
“You think it was someone from the school?”
“I can’t think who else it could be.” I reach down to stroke Pip’s head, calming him down and guiding him back to his bed. He licks at my hand and snuggles up in his blanket.
“You should tell Stone,” Winnie says.
I shake my head and shrug off my remaining clothes. “No, I don’t need his help.”
I snap my fingers and extinguish the lamp.
“I’m really sorry, Rhi,” Winnie says. “I don’t understand why they can’t leave you alone.”
“Yeah,” I mumble, lying flat on my back. But I know why. It’s because I’m different. Because I was an unregistered. Because, rather than groveling and begging for forgiveness for my very existence, I’ve not cared what they think of me, my past or my pig. I’ve made myself a target and it’s a matter of pride for them now. They have to win this battle. They have to see me put in my place. They won’t stop until I am. The whole thing is exhausting.
But despite how tired I am, despite how late it is and all the chores I need to complete tomorrow, sleep won’t come.
So much for getting the hang of things around here. So much for thinking I could belong.
A week ago I could actually see myself staying. Could even see myself enjoying myself. How quickly all that has turned out to be garbage.
No life. No frigging clue. And one less friend.
I’ve screwed everything up. I’m not cut out for people, for friends, for fucking civilization.
I’d be better off on my own with Pip somewhere no one can find me.
29
Rhi
