Snow enough to muffle the devil's footsteps

It was almost three in the morning, the whole school deeply quiet. But in the east wing, the girls bed-rooms, someone was still awake. Nothing but the glow of the cigarette gave her away. Lucy, because it was she, wearing a pink stripped gown, was sitting in the window-chair while smoking a cigarette of more than tobacco. Which, of course, was forbidden. That's why the window was open despite the chilling cold. She throw a look at her still well-made bed.
Nightmares, bad dreams.
Maybe it's true the Devil takes care of his own, because she ended up visiting Rupe in DreamLand, tipsy and giggling.
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The Nurse of Doom

"Tell me, my dear, did you have any trouble with your pets when you were younger?"
Lucy could hardly kept her face straight. It was difficult to decide if she felt more insulted or amused. A sudden tip-tap brought her back to reality from her brief day-dreaming. The sound of a heel tapping sharply.
"I don't think so, ma'am."
"Did you never have a pet? Interesting".
The nurse wrote something in her black-leather notebook. The heels of doom gloomily silent.
"I did have pets, ma'am, but no trouble".
"How did they die?"
"The first one died of old age. The second one, I had already left home, she went mad and I took her to the vet."
"And, even so, you said you don't have any issues with pets, do you?"
"No, ma'am".
"All right, then".
Lucy took a sip of tea. The nurse offered her some biscuits in her professional voice. Lucy didn't like the nurse and neither did she like the long sessions she had to go through once a week. Rupert could laugh openly about it, but Lucy was starting to get really nervous. The nurse was "someone" at Meestake. Bad marks in Masonry and a bad report from the nurse could make an absolutely dangerous mixture.
The heel of doom startled her. Lucy gave an apologetic smile while composing herself.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"My dear, I see you are distracted. It's all right, Mr. Carter has told me how hard you are working for his class. Keep the spirit up, my girl, hard work has always been the answer."
"Yes, ma'am".
"Another biscuit? No? Well, you may go now, dear."
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am".
"Don't forget your assignement for next week"
Alone in her bed-room, Lucy read her task. What happened to Wendy after the Peter Pan affair? Discuss.
Lucy sighed in defeat. At least it was Friday. Hell, Rupert was going to split his sides with that one!
.

Too late

It's been too long. He has been away for too long. All those goodbyes had done their work, the matter was settled and there was no point in starting again.
It's been too far away. He had gone further than them. Surely, they would never fancy one or two of the paths he himself had walked. But that wasn't even close to the point. You can face death -or worse- and come back, but when you have been really, really close, your life won't be the same. Ever.
The adventurer swore, his hands clenched. Other hands pumping him, fingering him, driving him mad.
"I shouldn't meet you again. Never. You don't wish me well, boys."
"Of course we do!"
"You wish me normal. I'm not."
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Muddy water

Thursday came in an awful way, the rain beating fiercely against the school. Lucy sighed at the view through her window, the grounds waterlogged, a filthy mist growing in the woods. She stuck the damned essay in her satchel and went downstairs for breakfast.
As always happened on rainy days, the whole school seemed to be chattering, talking about the weather and planning unusual, indoor, activities. Lucy ate slowly, a tight knot in her guts. Masonry wasn't affected by the weather.
Indeed, it was an awful class. A wet, muddy, frustrating morning. The lighthouse crashing and crashing again, each time the stones slipping from her soaked gloves when she picked them up to try once more.
After class, already inside the safety of the school, Mr. Carter took in the essays. Lucy sighed after giving in hers. Time to wait, sentence suspended until Morning.
The rain went on all day.
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