Ellis thought over the years he’d come to know Roman well, almost to the point where he could finish Roman’s sentences. For most of the ride, Roman was rather quiet, fiddling with his phone while looking out the back window, likely paranoid about sneaking out. It wasn’t until they reached the tunnels that he started to speak. It was mostly questions directed at Sam but every time he went to speak, he would stick his tongue out just a little. An odd habit he usually only displaced when he wanted to say something but felt he couldn’t. Although Ellis knew Roman like the back of his hand, nothing could have prepared him for what he started to say.

“So... I was looking at Fletcher’s phone-”

“That’s low, even for you.” Ellis replied as he stepped out of the truck.

Out of all the things Ellis assumed Roman valued, privacy would have been one of them. Half impressed that he managed to get past the password he motioned for Roman to continue. He didn’t respond, instead favoring to keep his head low to hide the growing pink blush. Funny, Ellis didn’t remember Roman being this easily embarrassed. What's on that phone? Ellis wondered.

The tunnels were littered with broken bottles and trash. Dim lighting peaked in from the other side although there were plenty of turn offs that lead different ways. The arched concrete walls were covered in neon graffiti of curse words and love confessions. It was exactly the sort of place Sam would frequent. As they made their way deep into the tunnel, Ellis kept a hand on the wall. It was a survival tip he heard once about getting lost in caves. For all intents and purposes, the tunnel may as well have been a cave. Sam continued to lead but none of them really knew what they were looking for.

“Actually.” Roman stopped mid step. “Looking at Fletcher’s phone doesn’t even make the list of bad things I’ve done.”

“Whatever helps you sleep.” Ellis listened to the crunch of glass beneath his boots. “Whatever you know, keep it to yourself. For Fletcher’s sake.”

Conversation died after that, leaving each boy alone with their thoughts as they wandered down the labyrinth of tunnels. The area was unremarkable but Ellis got the feeling that people lived there and not the sort of people he’d wanted to meet. Between the fast-food wrappers, empty bottles and crumpled up blankets, He started to piece together the sort of life that these street vagrants were living. It was disgusting, the smell alone was enough to make his stomach turn.

Roman sulked, his shoulders held low as he trudged down the tunnel. It could have been sneaking out or betraying Fletcher’s trust that set him off. Either way, Ellis didn’t care. The sad boy routine may have worked on parents, teachers, girls and anyone else who’d look at him for too long but it would not work on Ellis.

“Can I just say-” Roman tried again.

“No,” Ellis commanded, not even trying to hide his frustration. “For once in your life Roman just do the right thing.”

“I just-”

“I don’t care.”

“Someone’s pissy.” Roman replied though directed his statement at Sam.

Sam largely ignored him. He was captivated by a bricked off side tunnel with graffiti writing around saying ‘As Above So Below’. By no means was it that remarkable but it seemed to consume Sam. Taking out his phone, he pointed the glow of the screen at the wall. Why he didn’t use the flashlight feature was beyond Ellis’s comprehension. Sam guided the light along the arch and inspected a small symbol that resembled wild flowers.

“Roman, doesn't it look like the flowers that were on that old journal we got Ross to translate?”

“I suppose they do.” He said casually. “Maybe we should try and find a map of the tunnels? Like in the archives or something?”

“It’s a waste of time. Trust me.” Sam's voice was lined with a tone of bitterness. “Besides we oughta-”

Sam held a finger over his mouth. Light footsteps were heard in the distance, approaching faster and faster. Whipping around, the boys turned to face the figure approaching. Ellis would have guessed a homeless person or perhaps an addict of sorts but he was wrong. It was Helga walking with a spring in her step.

She looked as she always did, which was to say intense. Her black dress flowed around her in a mystical way that Ellis couldn’t quite place. How she continued to find them at any point had become a mystery that he didn’t care to know the answer for. He simply wanted her gone.

“Potion is done.” She announced.

“I feel like you're stalking us.” Sam said.

“Hardly, I do a little scrying. The town isn’t that big.” Helga pulled her curls back behind her shoulder. “Why are you down here though? Bit of an odd spot.”

“Not your concern.” Ellis answered.

“Fine. Whenever you guys want to be done with haunting? Swing by my shop and I’ll get you sorted.”

“So, you aren’t going to force us to drink it.” Sam sounded suspicious.

“I just assumed you’d drink it. It’s sort of your best bet.” She paused. “Anyways, either drink it and suffer the side effects or let the ghost kill you-”

“He’s not trying to kill us.” Ellis snipped. “He’s looking for help.”

“How do you know that?” Helga’s voice softened.

“We spoke with him with a Ouija board. He said he wants peace.” Ellis’s brazen confidence was quickly shut down by Helga’s cute laugh, almost like a child's giggle. “What?”

“Ouija boards don’t work. It’s a kid's game. The only way a game like that could ever work is if a medium is playing.”

Suddenly, Ellis wasn’t so certain anymore. He couldn’t imagine what happened at dorms being fake or a prank pulled by one of the others. Helga reached into her bag, pulling out three pink business cards. She handed Sam and Ellis one but for Roman she pressed it into his hand while looking deeply into his eyes.

“I think Fletcher’s a medium.” Roman blurted out. “Uh he’s got a dead kid following him.”

Ellis wondered if that was the secret Roman found on Fletcher’s phone. Helga took a few seconds to absorb the information before nodding. Her focus remained on Roman as she continued to talk,

“Okay, so you guys are probably starting to notice your powers more. Fletcher being a medium is okay. Unexpected but okay...I wouldn’t trust anything Davis says. You have no idea if it’s him or the Fae speaking.” There was nothing more that Ellis loathed than the way Helga would state information as if they should already know it when she herself wouldn’t explain anything. “At your leisure, come take the potion. It’s your best bet.”

“Pass.” Sam replied.

“I’d advise you to learn exactly what you're getting yourselves into. I’ll give you a crash course on magic before one of you accidently kills someone.”

Helga didn’t make any sense. From the moment she’d returned into Ellis's life she kept bouncing back and forth between trying to be helpful and insane. Unwilling to explain yet constantly sprinkling facts throughout everything she said. Ellis desperately wanted to understand what she needed from them. Sam first looked over at Roman, then back to Ellis before crossing his arms and leaning back against the grimy wall.

“Pass.” He repeated

“Talk to your brother then. He’ll tell you what you need to know.” Helga replied. “I’m trying to do what’s best for everyone. Davis’s spirit is only going to get stronger over time and you are hardly equipped to deal with him. Do you really want innocent people to get hurt?”

While looking at his phone, Roman was muttering something that didn’t make much sense. When he finally lifted his head up, a look of fear crossed his face. It was an expression Ellis was quite familiar with. The way his lips would slightly part and deeply furrowed brows mixed with nervous picking usually meant that his mom was upset with him.

“Uh my mom’s texting me. I have to go.” Roman exchanged a look with Sam. “Take me home?”

“We aren’t done here.” Helga started as the boys started walking back out of the tunnels.

“My mom is more of a threat to my life than you or Davis.” Roman replied. “Give me the potion. I’ll drink it now.”

“Roman, wait.” Ellis started but Helga already had given the bottle to Roman.

“You guys gonna make me do this alone?” Roman questioned quietly as he looked at the glass bottle filled with a black sludge like liquid.

Sam looked to Roman then to Ellis. He didn’t say anything but he held his hand out for his potion. Sam gave it a quick sniff before nearly gagging. Exchanging a look, Sam and Roman downed the sludge like it was a hard whisky.

“Why didn’t you make me one?” Ellis asked.

“As far as I can tell, the ghost has no interest in you.” Helga answered “If you do start having episodes like the other boys, I can make you one.”

Ellis nodded to her, certain he would never take her up on that offer. Sam and Roman both dropped to their knees and began vomiting.

“That’s normal.” Helga said. “It tastes bad. Guess they have weak stomachs.”

Helga didn’t even say goodbye before disappearing off into the night. Quickly, Ellis helped the other boys to their feet before they started back towards their vehicles. Whatever sickness the potion left them with seemed to wear off once they reached the end of the tunnel.

Leaving the tunnels meant they’d need to return another day but Ellis couldn’t imagine a spell book being kept down there. There was no place safe enough to store anything. He tried not to think about it too much, instead choosing to focus on the drive home.

“Did your mom actually text you?” Sam asked as he started the truck but Ellis already knew the answer. Roman was a fantastic actor but he wasn’t good enough to show fear like that.

“Yeah.” He breathed an exasperated breath as he spoke. “I am very much in trouble so if I suddenly disappear that’d be why” Sam laughed but Ellis didn’t think Roman was joking.

***

Neither Roman or Sam died from the potion which Ellis supposed was a good thing. Nearly two weeks had passed since their first tunnel exploration. Occasionally, Ellis would see Roman in passing so he clearly hadn’t disappeared but he didn’t stop to talk or answer his phone; Not that he ever actually answered it. In spite of Roman’s distance, Ellis and Sam kept exploring the tunnels but nothing ever came of it.

The new semester posed new challenges. Generally, he was relieved not to have to work with the boys anymore but that posed the issue that had made Roman so hard to track down. If they didn’t have classes together Roman was present as a ghost. Plus, Ellis hated his life role credit class. To begin with, life role classes were inherently pointless. They offered no academic value, nor did they teach anything worth knowing but it was a graduation requirement. Desperate to get it over with, he chose culinarily.

Culinary as it turned out was much more reading about vegetables then Ellis would have expected. It bored him so much that he would count ceiling tiles. The class was a little unusual as he wasn’t used to having a mini section off kitchens as a work space but it would have to do. Counters were entirely stainless steel, as was any equipment they had. Ellis loathed writing on the metal so much that he bought himself a clipboard most days. It wasn’t just the room that bothered him. Mrs. O’Hara was the teacher and she was a lot to handle. She was a small woman with a voice so loud it could make a grown man cry. Her passion for teaching was often overshadowed by her need for total control.

Mrs. O’Hara stood at the front of the class explaining the basics of soups while Ellis tried to convince himself the experience would be worth it. She was an older woman with thick framed glasses that didn’t suit her but every time she would look at a student’s work, she would push the glasses up her nose and squint. Like any other class, she wrote in almost incoherent cursive as she sputtered out a hundred things about soup.

“Excuse me, ma'am. A student is at the door.” Beck said ever so perky.

Beck and Fletcher had been strange recently. The two spent far more time together then before to the point Fletcher was refusing to help with the tunnels search. Awkwardly, Ellis almost regretted telling Roman to keep Fletcher’s phone messages a secret.

Bouncing up to the door, Beck opened it and let in a very dejected Roman. Speeding walking, he rushed to Mrs. O’Hara’s desk handing her a flimsy piece of paper that looked like it came from the office. As she always did, she pushed her glasses up and slowly read the note, mouthing each word as she went. Standing up, she faced Roman as if what he had done was some sort of offense.

“Mr. Davenport, I’m excited you’ve decided to switch into our wonderful class. Even if you are late.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Roman kept his voice light.

“You can join Miss. Muldoon's group.”

“Ma’am, would it be possible for me to be grouped with someone besides Beck?”

“Sorry, late placement means no choice.”

With a loud sigh, Roman plopped down beside Beck. The class continued on with the lesson. Learning the ins and outs of soup just didn’t suit Ellis’s fancy. Finally, Mrs. O’Hara gave a worksheet out. What could possibly be asked about soup, Ellis wasn’t sure but he was certain that even just scratching a pencil on the table would be more interesting than Mrs. O’Hara’s soft drawl as she emphasized the importance of broth. The moment the sheets were out and she was back at her desk, Roman shot up from his seat. He practically pushed Beck over to cross the room and sit with Ellis.

“Let me copy your answers.” He said in a hushed whisper as he took the vacant seat across from Ellis.

“Not happening. Why are you avoiding us?”

“I’m not. Super grounded.” Roman leaned in. “Please? What if I beg?”

“I’m not into that.” Ellis was gob smacked by his own joke. He didn’t normally stoop to Roman’s level of humor. “Just go ask Beck for help.”

“Yeah, no. I’d rather die. How about I sit here and start talking really loudly until O’Hara hates you as much as she hates me?” He laughed.

“Mrs. O'Hara doesn't hate you...Yet.” Ellis rolled his eyes. “So, you hate Beck now?”

“Absolutely, hated her before too.” Roman strained his neck to look at what Ellis was writing. “I’m just not being civil anymore.”

“Why is that?” Ellis asked, setting his pen down. He wasn’t about to let Roman copy his work for another semester.

“Her car got trashed, I got blamed and for once, I didn’t do it.” Roman paused looking back at Beck. “Odds my dad would transfer me to a public school?”

“Negative thirty eight percent.” Ellis responded confidently. “You should move back to your seat. O’Hara is staring.”

Roman shot him a desperate look before slowly rising from the chair and moving back to his spot. Largely, Ellis forgot about Roman’s presence in the class, focusing instead on the worksheet at hand and the math homework he had. On occasion, he would glance over at Roman but every time Beck was closer than before. He got the feeling whatever problem Fletcher was hiding had a lot to do with Roman.

Waves crashed behind him. Not again, Ellis cursed to himself. For just one moment he closed his eyes, trying to stop the oncoming vision. When he opened his eyes again, he wasn’t in culinary class anymore. It was a deep endless darkness engulfing him. Looking down he could still see his body. His perfectly starched white dress shirt was stained red. In the distance, he could hear chanting but he didn’t recognize the language. Suddenly, he could see water beneath his feet and those damn eyes sinking lower and lower into the depths. It was the clearest he’d ever seen them. The eyes weren’t an easy shade to place, like steel yet icy. However, the shape was distinctive, sharp. Familiarity tugged at his memory. He knew the eyes; he knew who they belonged to. He just wasn’t certain of how.

It was a yelp that ended his vision. Roman had grabbed Beck’s wrists and was saying some curse that Ellis couldn’t make out. Even though she had cried out, Beck seemed to enjoy the contact she had with Roman. Pulling his sleeves down, he whipped away the gold tears, praying that no one noticed.

“Mr. Davenport. What on earth makes you think that assault is a proper response?” Assault was a strong word for Roman holding her wrists away from him.

“I’m sorry ma’am. She was-”

“I’m not the one you need to be apologizing to. Learn some manners or I’ll have you permanently removed from my class.” The words hung in the air for a moment before Roman swallowed hard as if he was physically swallowing his pride. Ellis watched as the defeat washed over him.

“I’m sorry, Beck. It was uncalled for and I should have used my words instead.” It sounded sincere but Ellis knew better.

The bell rang and the students began to pack up in a frenzy. Probably in an attempt to get out of the awkward situation. Roman stayed seated until Beck accepted his apology. Ellis decided he had to figure out what was going on there but it could be left alone for a while longer. He needed to sort out his visions first.

Ellis waited by the door as Roman offered another fake but sincere sounding apology to Mrs. O’Hara. She lectured him for a moment about abuse and violence but must have gotten bored halfway through as she dismissed him in the middle of the spiel.

“So,” Ellis started as they walked out of the classroom. “We need to talk to Fletcher and Sam. My...uh...visions are starting to happen at school.”

“That’s not ideal.” Roman didn’t sound like he was listening. “O’Hara hates me, huh?”

“Most teachers do.”

Ellis looked over at Roman as he took his blazer off and crammed it into his backpack. He was going on about how terrible culinary would be but Ellis didn’t care enough to listen for specifics. He let Roman ramble on about his problems until they reached the main hall where Sam was sitting on a window sill reading some classic literature book that was more than likely an overdue assignment.

“Sam. Call your brother. I want to talk to him.” Ellis called to him while completely cutting off what Roman was saying.

“Which one?” Sam replied, licking his thumb to turn another page.

“The one that knows about the occult.” Ellis said even though the answer was painfully obvious.

“That would be Alden. Why?” Sam still didn’t look up from his book.

“You know why.” Ellis rolled his eyes. “I had another vision and I need to figure this out. Call him.”

“Yeah, no. That’s going to require a visit and I’m not interested in that.” Sam said before Ellis snatched the book from his hands. “I need that. I have English next and I’m like three chapters behind.”

“You’re impossible. I am so-”

Before Ellis was able to dig in and say something to hurt Sam, Roman grabbed his arm and pulled him in close. Only a few inches apart, Ellis was uncomfortable. He didn’t like being that close to anyone, let alone Roman but being so close, he could see little details about Roman that he didn’t normally notice. The way his mouth naturally pulled into a pout and the faint scar on the edge of his chin. His eyes were actually quite extraordinary, the way the pale sickly blue created such a bold contrast to his hair. His eyes were ice blue with an almost gray twist.

It was Roman’s eyes in the vision and suddenly, he wasn’t sure how he hadn’t seen it before.

“El, you need to calm down-” Roman said in a hushed whisper.

“I think you’re going to drown.” Ellis paused. “Your eyes are the ones from my vision.”

He let go of Ellis’s arm and turned back to Sam who still had his hand held out waiting for his book to be returned.

“We need to talk to Alden.” Roman stated with confidence.

“No way in hell am I doing that.” Sam stood. “This is my family; I get the final say.”

The funny thing about the final say was Ellis always got it. It didn’t matter who, what or why. He could wear them down until it was easier to give in then to fight him over it. Sam would be no different.