Endless Recess

Warming up| Part 3

Cautiously she entered the room, everything was dark except by the dim light coming from the windows, also covered by blankets yet not to perfection.

On the ground separated from each other rested Mr. Landon and Christian.

Emma's eyes couldn't help but fall first at the young student resting on the floor, the same makeshift mattress made out of jackets and clothes, his body covered by a blanket.

His dark blonde hair covered most of his face, his fair skin scarred by visible cuts, as well as slightly swollen, he seemed to have difficulty breathing.

Hope then entered the room too, with a couple of towels in her hands, she walked up to Christian and sat next to him.

The last thing Emma saw before turning her attention to Mr. Landon was Christian bare chest, marked with purple circles and bruises, his chest erratically moving up and down, as if every breath taken had needles going through his lungs, Hope began to wash his body with care as Emma looked next to Mr. Landon.

The grown man seemed weak, despite his impressive and intimidating build, he looked pale and weak, his eyes sunken into his skull.

Mr. Landon stared at her with no visible emotion, as he coughed now and then, a cup of water next to him and his forearms bandaged, resting outside the safety of the blanket laying on top of him.

Emma sat next to him and found herself unable to say something, while she was concerned for his well-being, they had never really spoken that much before.

For a moment they just remained silent, she grew anxious as Mr. Landon raised an eyebrow, curious of her silence.

"How are you feeling this morning, Mr. Landon?" she finally said the first thing that came to her mind.

"As seen" was all that he replied with, his stern face particularly more displeased than usual, to no one's surprise.

"We didn't know that you were harmed that day" somehow feeling even more awkward due to his short and direct answer, her eyes began to wander around "we just heard."

"I know."

Starting to regret her decision, Emma almost excused herself out of the room, yet she immediately felt guilty, not wishing to let his cold and unapproachable nature get in her way, she armed herself up with courage.

"Do you need anything? Now that we all know, I'm sure we can bring you something" Emma said leaning slightly forward.

Mr. Landon stared at her in silence for a couple of seconds while the only sound in the room beside her voice was the occasional coughing from Christian.

"Medicine" he said slightly lifting his arms, his face an expression of Obviously

"I-i know and we will go down tomorrow to try and-"

"WHAT?!"

Emma fell back as Mr. Landon sat in one quick motion, his face disapproving of what he just heard.

"Why the hell would you go out? Who's idea was this?."

Unfamiliar with such a sudden outburst from Mr.Landon, Emma now had truly not words to give back at her teacher, as he stared at her directly.

"Mr.Asher" Emma muttered a little bit afraid but relaxed as Mr. Landon's eyes fell elsewhere.

"I told him to not do something like that!" Mr. Landon was now furious as he moved the blanket on top of him away " where is him?" he said once again looking at Emma.

"You are not supposed to move, Mr. Landon" The quiet and shy voice of Hope was barely heard from the other side of the room as she stared at the angry teacher.

"I want to speak with that imbecile" he then lifted his body off the ground with visible difficulty.

"Mr. Landon! You have to rest!" the adrenaline doing its work, Emma also stood up and held her ground in front of the giant man, who easily stood at least twenty centimeters above her.

Seemingly a little taken back by her firm response his face seemed to change for a brief second, only to return to his almost frightening furious face.

He looked past Emma and walked forward to the door, his body easily brushing off his student in front of him.

"Wait! We have to go down to help you!" she shouted at him.

"You will die without me" he replied not bothering to look back at her.

Acting fast, Emma ran past the giant and pressed her body against the door as he was a couple of steps from it.

Once again his face became one of both surprise and further anger, as his eyes closed for a moment and he took a deep breath as if to calm himself more, however, once they were opened again his expression showed no sign of calm, quite the contrary, it seemed dangerously upset at Emma.

And she felt it, as for a moment she felt he could throw a punch at her and knock her out, she didn't believe he would, never before had he acted in such a violent way.

But maybe his appearance, or his size, made it seem like he was about to at any moment.

"Step aside, Emma" he said sentence by sentence, sounding very much like a threat.

Maybe her courage had kicked in or she was legitimately unable to move a muscle, but Emma didn't flinch.

"Or what?" she said squinting her eyes slightly as if challenging him.

His stare deepened and sent chills down Emma's back, he then lifted his arm and held the door handle, wincing in pain as he did.

Then he forced the door open, for a brief moment, because Emma, running out of options, pinched at Mr. Landon's forearm making him recoil backward out of pain.

With the behemoth's hands off the door, Emma once again shut it close.

Hope gasped in shock as she witnessed what happened.

"Emma!" she shouted in an accusatory manner.

"What is your PROBLEM?!" Emma said to Mr. Landon.

"He has no right to send a bunch of kids to their deaths, and I will not allow it!" he replied as he reached again for the handle, but halted as Emma moved in front of it.

"But what else do you want us to do? Without the medicine, you may die" Emma calmed herself as she spoke.

"That is why I will be going alone" Mr. Landon answered matching Emma's tone, albeit more out of exhaustion than his emotions calming down.

The room once again fell silent for a moment, until it was interrupted by Christian's coughing, forcing Hope to turn her attention to him.

Emma too looked at them, how the severely injured student barely moved his mouth as if trying to make a sentence, Hope leaned closer to his face and seemed to understand him, as she grabbed a cup of water nearby and held his head up with great care, giving him the water slowly.

Emma's attention then returned to Mr. Landon, who frowned while looking at Hope, clenching his fist.

Yet both actions didn't seem to come out of anger.

"I don't want any more students to be like that Emma" his voice was now low and shaky, as he turned to face her again, this time his expression serious with a little bit of sadness "I won't let that happen."

Miss. Juliet's words came back to her, as she could hear her shout earlier that day while everyone ate how He cared.

"Mr. Landon, you could die."

All the anger Mr. Landon felt seemed to fade away as he lowered his eyes, like a scolded puppy.

"There is no other choice, it's the better way" he said as his determination seemed to return, and raised his eyes to meet Emma's.

"I will not let you out of this room, Mr. Landon."

Both of them stared at each other fiercely, as neither said or did anything.

A battle of wills.

They remained like that for what seemed like an eternity.

"Mr. Landon" the soft voice of Hope made the giant man turn his attention away from Emma.

Hope walked up to him and carefully held his arm.

"Come, you must rest" her voice was warm and calm, yet commanding.

Leaving Emma a little surprised, Mr. Landon let Hope guide him back to his makeshift bed, he rested on top of the jackets with visible pain as he lowered his body supporting his weight with his arms.

Emma relaxed her body and moved away from the door, seeing that the fight was now overdue to Hope's intervention.

"I want to see Mr. Asher, Hope" he said looking at the young girl.

"I will bring him right now" she said smiling at him.

Mr. Landon's frowning face relaxed as turned his body around giving his back to both girls.

Hope then walked back to Emma.

"Can you go bring Mr. Asher, please? I still have to finish a couple of things with Christian" she said turning to see the student near the door.

Emma too did so and realized he was still shirtless and visibly wet, he had to be dried, especially with this cold.

She looked back at Hope and after a brief moment of consideration, she nodded.

"Thank you" Hope then walked back to Christian.

Emma opened the door and looked back at Mr. Landon for one last time before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.

Once back in the hallway she heard the door of the bathroom and saw Mason's group get out of the place, talking to each other with energy.

That meant Luca was now free, he was the last person she needed to speak with.

Mason's eyes meet with her for a second, but instinctively she turned away and headed to the teacher's room not too far away.

Knocking on the door a couple of times she heard Mr. Asher's voice telling her to wait for a moment, soon he opened the door.

"What is it Emma?" he appeared exhausted and his hair was a little messy.

"Mr. Landon, he is awake and wants to speak with you" she said moving away from the door so he could step forward.

He seemed a little curious at first, then something seemingly clicked and he let out a sigh.

"I figure it's about tomorrow, right?" he fixed his glasses as he moved into the hallway, closing the door of the teacher's room.

"He was not too happy."

Mr. Asher seemed to gather some thoughts for a moment before nodding at Emma and walking to the room where Mr. Landon is resting.

Just as he opened the door Hope went out with the towels in her arms and went to the bathroom.

Emma stood there for a moment, still a little unsure of how to react to what happened, but soon she returned to herself, and her eyes focused forward.

She needed to speak with Luca, so it was time to go find him. After looking for him for a good while it was clear he wasn't on the roof or in any hallways, he couldn't be in the improvised gym since he had just gone.

Still feeling a little embarrassed about what happened the last time, she went to his bedroom and knocked, this time patiently waiting for him to open the door.

As she was about to knock for a second time, Luca opened the door and seemed a little surprised to see her, giving her an awkward smile he waved friendly at her.

"Sorry for earlier, Luca, I felt a little embarrassed by the whole ordeal" She said giving him her own awkward wave.

"It's alright, they were just messing around" he laughed a little bit forcefully "but, why were you inside?

Emma looked around her before asking to go inside, Luca stared at her with a little suspicion, but it quickly faded as he steps aside and closed the door as Emma entered the room.

Once inside she saw the cloth pieces stitched together spaced around the room, Luca seemed to notice her curiosity as he brightened up and rushed to grab one of them laying on the floor.

"Wanna know what it is?."

his awkwardness seemingly replaced by a childlike excitement, Emma felt relief and said yes.

Luca's eyes practically shined as he placed the cloth on his forearm, even before he spoke the purpose of the material was evident to Emma.

"I'm trying to make vambraces! Like the old suits of medieval armor" he showed off the cloth garment resting on his forearm, the thickness of it offering more protection than regular clothes "I can't work with metal, but I have always loved to sew."

Emma approached him and inspected the piece, curious, she scratched the surface with her nails but saw almost no damage.

"Didn't felt a thing!"

"This is amazing Luca! We can be safer next time we go out" Emma pulled out the piece and tried on her arm.

"that's not all" he seemed to get even more excited as he turned around and picked up several other cloth pieces of different sizes "pauldrons, greaves, even a bevor! I may not be able to do pieces for everyone but I can at least try!"

Emma stared at him in confusion at the names he gave each piece, realizing this, Luca's nervous and awkward self returned as he slowed down a bit.

"Pieces of 16th-century armor."

Emma let out an "ooh" and returned the cloth piece to its owner.

"I don't think I can go out any time soon, the idea of facing against them, truly sends shivers down my spine" he looked beaten as he spoke "I want to get stronger and be able to help everyone."

"That's why you were training with Sarah?"

Luca turned and left his work on the ground before answering, once his hand was freed he simply nodded.

"I work out and try to not get afraid of them" he turned around and pointed at the windows of his room that showed the inner garden, covered with blankets at the moment "last night I tried to open a window and look at THEM, I wanted to stare at their eyes and not fear but" he returned his attention to Emma, visibly distress "I just, Can't."

Emma thought of herself, staring at them from the roof, trying to do the same thing that Luca did too, she was about to speak but Luca kept going.

"Until I can get it together, I want to at least use what I know to try and help you guys out."

"Thank you, Luca, I'm sure this will come in handy down there."

Feeling reassured, Luca smiled briefly before looking at Emma seriously.

"It is confirmed then? Did Mr. Asher said you will be going down tomorrow with the others?"

"He still has not said a thing about it, but what other option there is really?."

Both of them remained in contemplating silence for a moment until Luca spoke again.

"Are you afraid?."

The question caught Emma off guard, throwing her off balance for a moment, however, she quickly regained her composure.

"No, I want to make sure we all get out of this alive."

Now Luca seemed surprised by her direct answer, then his face turned relaxed.

"you are amazing Emma" he said with a short laugh, as if in disbelief.

Having spoken about helping everyone, Emma's original goal came back to her.

"Luca, has Annie spoke to you?" she said walking closer to him.

"Annie? No, I don't think I have ever spoken with her even before the outbreak."

Letting out a sigh of relief Emma felt more at ease knowing Annie hadn't approached the most likely candidates to fill her mental list of who could fall for her ideals.

However, this was short-lived, as the obvious question came up right after the initial relief.

If not them, then who?

Others didn't seem all that likely to fall for anything she had to say, anyone but Mason.

She recalled Harley's reaction, if she wasn't as lightheaded she would have never let slip that seemingly, Heather and Annie had some type of conflict where Mason was involved.

Heather had always been possessive with her boyfriend's before, and although she couldn't think of her acting the same with Mason, who was to say she wasn't?

Maybe Annie had tried something with Mason, making Heather react, but what could Annie possibly have that Heather didn't? Why would Mason associate with her in any way?

Out of options, and out of ideas, she decided her best bet would be to speak with Mason, even if the sole idea made her heart beat faster.

"Emma?."

"I was thinking" she said realizing how long had she been quiet.

"Why did you ask me that? Something's up?"

"No, but I have my suspicions of Annie" not wishing to waste any more time, she decided to leave and search for Mason "I gotta go now, just in case, if Annie approaches you and begins to say crazy s**t, don't listen to her alright?"

Luca squinted his eyes briefly and Emma knew that she saying something like that did come out a little mean or suspicious. But Luca seemed to trust her, so he agreed.

"Thank you man, I will see you around then!"

Waving a goodbye, Emma quickly went for the door, as she opened it she was greeted by several students moving in the hallway in the direction of the teacher's room.

"What's going on?" Emma asked Adam who was moving with the rest of the crowd.

"Mr. Asher said Mr. Landon is awake! Everyone it's going to see him!"

"Everyone?" Emma asked, thinking of Mason.

"Yeah, Heather, Miss. Juliet, want to come?" he asked pointing behind him.

As Emma turned her head around she saw Jose and Mason walking towards them, feeling her heart skip a bit, she took a deep breath and looked back at Adam.

"Sure!" she said very fast and more high pitched than her usual voice.

Soon Mason and Jose caught up to Adam and Emma, the four students walked together and Emma remained next to Mason behind Jose and Adam.

Her mind was racing with how to approach the topic, she couldn't think of asking him to go somewhere alone, not in person anyway, giving him a note and then immediately hide in a bathroom stall to prevent her heart to explode out of her chest were two very different things.

She squeezed the insides of her hoodie through her pocket as she gathered the bravery to speak.

"So, you and Luca, huh?" Mason said glancing at her.

Outraged, and embarrassed, Emma's face lit up in red as she shouted as quietly as she could.

"No!, I was just looking for him!."

Mason laughed briefly, a burst of mocking yet harmless laughter that was very reserved and fleeting, laughter that Emma had not heard in quite a long time.

"I'm messing with you Emma" he said pinching her left cheek, making her somehow even redder.

Trying to avoid pouting, Emma took another deep breath and prepared to ask him, however before she knew it they were already at the entrance of where Mr. Landon was resting.

The room was now packed with the entire group except Annie.

Even Heather was standing closer to Mr. Landon than Emma expected, surprised to see her even looking slightly concerned for him.

Mr. Landon himself looked shocked, his usual inexpressive face now changed for a combination of wide-open eyes and slightly open mouth.

Emma and Mason, being the last ones to enter the room, stayed under the door frame as everyone else stood inside the room, the teachers included.

"Told you this was gonna happen" Mr. Asher said at Mr. Landon with his arms crossed, a slight smile on his face.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt too much?" Joshua asked shily.

"We are gonna beat up a bunch of those bastards!" Sarah shouted with her fist raised.

"Don't worry Mr. Asher, I have seen this before, this is the moment you get those sweet superpowers!" Brook said excitedly as if believing his words, yet Jason hit him with his elbow quickly killing his fun despite his effort to not laugh.

"Heather could give you some of the candies that Mason brought for her from your trip" Vanessa said standing behind Heather.

"Hey!" Harley said angrily while shoving Vanessa for mentioning it.

"If you want some, I can bring them to you."

Everyone stared at Heather as she spoke to Mr. Landon, surprised by her sudden kindness and clear embarrassment.

Mr. Landon's face returned to his stern appearance as he tightened his grip on his covers, he was sitting with his back straight on the floor, his eyes staring at the floor.

"We will bring you the medicine" Mason shouted, taking the spotlight "I swear."

Mr. Landon simply glanced at the young man and smiled briefly, his chest suddenly rising as if containing a sole laugh that wanted to escape.

"Yeah! You will see what we are made of señor!" José said confidently as his chest swollen up.

The room remained in silence for a moment, then Mr. Landon raised his head and looked directly at the group in front of him, Emma's throat immediately felt a knot, as even in the poorly lit room, Mr. Landon's watery eyes shined.

"Thank you, I'm really grateful for having such wonderful students" his words were a little shaky and came out breathy as if he had run a marathon "And I'm sorry I can't go out with you, I just don't want to put anyone in danger" he said lowering his eyes again.

Sarah was the first to move as she walked up to him, sat, and embraced the grown man as tears fell down her cheeks.

"We would have died without you, let us do the saving now."

Soon most of the group moved closer, sitting on the floor next to him and talking, trying to reassure him and making him hear of how grateful they were he decided to stay with them when he could've left.

Heather's group began to move to the door and as the lioness walked past Mason he moved to follow her, however, Heather raised her hand and stop him.

"I'm gonna get some air outside, don't worry"/she said winking at him, but quickly turning around and leaving with her group, Harley crying profusely.

Mason stood back and watched her leave, then he turned to look at Mr. Landon getting overwhelmed by the group, letting out some pained laughter.

And as he was about to walk closer to him Emma reached out without thinking and stop him.

He turned around and raised an eyebrow, yet Emma couldn't say anything, staring at him made her realize that whatever happened between Heather, Mason, and Annie, it wasn't her place to snoop around.

Besides, she didn't truly believe that Mason, who had always shown bravery, decisiveness, and security, would let himself be tricked by Annie.

She shook her head from side to side and let go of him. Mason, curious but not that interested, simply turned around and walked closer to Mr. Landon, sitting next to Mathew.

She stood under the door frame looking at her classmates speak to Mr. Landon in a way they never had before. She remembered how a week ago she, Mat, and Layla spoke of Mr. Landon as uncaring and detached.

Yet there he was now, cleaning his eyes so no tears could fall, laughing at the teasing of some of the guys from him tearing up.

It was a wonderful moment, despite the grim circumstances they were in.

The rest of the day went on, as usual, Mr. Asher told everyone to leave Mr. Landon rest after almost half an hour had passed, it was a beautiful moment of sharing stories of the past as everyone remembered the days before the outbreak.

With the spirits reignited, everyone left to do their own thing, Emma included, all that had happened that afternoon had been taxing on her, so she went back to her room and rested on her makeshift mattress, that after the stress both in her head due to everything and then her body due to Sarah's workout, she quickly fell asleep.

A knocking on her door woke her up however, she was a little shaken since she had fallen asleep without realizing it.

But once she focused and stood up it was clear she had been asleep for hours, the lights of the corridor were on and she could see the stars from her window.

"Emma? I brought you some food" Mathew's voice came out from the other side of the door.

Yawning despite just waking up, Emma walked up to the door and opened it to greet her friend, who as promised, carried a bowl with mostly vegetables.

"Yes! I'm starving!" she eagerly grabbed the bowl and motioned him to walk inside.

Mathew accepted and sat on the floor next to the mattress where Emma sleeps, she turned on the lights and after screeching in pain due to the momentary blindness she sat next to him leaving the door open.

"For how long was I asleep?" she asked with her mouth full of lettuce, carrots, and beans.

"It's already twelve."

Now she slowly turned her head with her eyes opened wide to Mathew's amusement.

"why no one woke me up?!" she asked staring at him angrily while shoving another spoonful in her mouth.

"I thought it was best to let you rest, for tomorrow you know?"

Then her face turned serious, tomorrow it was almost certain that they would need to go down to the first floor, somehow trying to reach the infirmary.

"I wanted to speak to you Emma" Mathew said breaking her concentration.

Emma lowered the already half-empty bowl and swallowed the food she had in her mouth.

"What is it?."

Mathew turned his body to face her and meet her eyes with a fierce focus that almost made her look away.

"Are you alright, Emma?."

"Y-yeah, Jesus you made me think you were about to ask something super serious" she said preparing to lift her bowl again.

"I mean it Emma, are you okay?."

Noticing his concern, Emma lowered the bowl once again and for a moment looking at the ground, then back at him before she spoke.

"I'm okay."

"Are you alright, after Layla?" The mention of her name made Emma's chest tighten.

"Why do you ask that Mat?" She couldn't hide how much it hurt.

"You speak of helping everyone, you say you are alright but I'm worried about you Emma."

She felt a mess of words and imagines strike on her head as he spoke, all the doubt, fear, and anger hitting her from all sides at the same time.

"I..." it was all she could say, her voice already broken and soft like a whisper, the knot in her throat preventing her from speaking more.

Mathew embraced her friend firmly and finally, after lying to herself, after avoiding the pain, Emma broke.

Crying loudly, with her entire body shaking and her breathing erratic, she hid her face on his shoulder, practically muffling her screaming as she desperately grabbed onto his jacket.

"I-i didn't want her to die!."

She said with great difficulty, as Layla's smiling face flashed in front of her eyes, just to be replaced by her horrified expression as her arm was torn apart by the lifeless husk on top of her.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!!."

Mathew held her close, tightening his hug as he softly caressed her hair.

"And I'm afraid, I don't want to die!" she relief the weight from her back, but there was more to give "I want to see my mom, my dad, I want to be back to normal!!."

She saw Mr. Landon's face of joy as everyone tried to cheer him up and saw herself, being greeted by her parents.

She cried for a good while, Mathew simply sat silently, not letting go of her friend, trying to prevent his own tears from escaping his eyes.

After a while, Emma calmed down and cleaned her face with a shirt from her pile that she used to sleep on.

"I'm a mess Mat, forgive me."

"Shut up! I was crying worse than a bad apology video!."

The friends laughed together for a moment and then fell silent again, Emma let go of the embrace.

"Hey kids, I will turn off the lights" Mr. Asher said from the hallway as he passed by.

"I should go back to my room, Mason wants to spend the night with me going over tactics for tomorrow."

"Let me go with you!" Emma said standing up with a smile together with him.

They walked to the hallway and utilizing the moment Emma spoke.

"Look at me, I haven't even asked you how you been."

"Don't worry about it, I spoke with someone when the Layla accident occurred."

"Who?."

"You won't believe it" they said reaching Mathew's door, who slept not too far away from Emma's room.

-Annie.

Emma stood still, shock by what he just said, at the same time, Mathew opened the door and walked inside, Mason was sitting on the floor with so books open and pencils of different colors on the floor.

"Don't worry she is not such a bad person, she even wanted to go with us tomorrow! since Mr. Landon can't we have the vacancy."

Emma wanted to say something, right then and there, but her mind was too busy with the revelation, the insecurity, the fear, but inferiority complex?.

"Get in already Mat" Mason said impatiently.

And she realized, Mathew was her target.

"Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow Emma, sleep well."

He closed the door.

But Emma would hardly find rest that night.