grace under pressure • jerome valeska

CHAP.47: Birthday

  Three Months Later

  I yawned as I started to slowly wake up. My eyes were heavy with sleep and I shifted a bit in the bed. I had fallen asleep in Jerome's bed once more. We hadn't done anything besides kissing, we had just fallen asleep next to one another. So imagine my surprise when I I turned over, going to try and face him when I was met with an empty space. I blinked a bit, my sleepiness fading away a bit more. I knit my brow and make a sound of confusion. I yawn once more and sit up slowly, leaning on my elbow and cracking my neck a bit. I turn around to see the empty room. 

  "Jerome?" I call out groggily to nothing in particular. I sit there a minute, trying to collect myself before sitting up fully, putting my legs over the edge of the bed. I move the hair from my face, wondering where Jerome could have gone. Did he have something he had to do? He normally told me everything so that would be a little bit of a surprise. I normally had to force him awake in the morning so it was kind of weird. Maybe he just got an early start on breakfast. 

  Standing up, I reach for my prison dress and slip it on. I run my fingers through my hair in an attempt to brush it. I look to the door, creasing my brow. I walk forward and wrap my hand around the handle, opening up the door. The hallway was scarily quiet. I narrow my eyes. Something was up. Normally in the morning guards would be rushing to wake the patients who would scream and shout at the mere thought of them being disrupted. 

  Not only that, but it looked as if half of the inmates where still in their cells. And the other half was no where to be found. I stand there for a moment, scanning the grounds with my eyes before taking a cautious step forward. I click my tongue, ready to take on anything that would jump up at me. This wasn't normal. I felt a tingling feeling rise up my spine telling me something was definitely up. 

  I start to walk down the hallway slowly, making sure nothing would pop up at me. I come to a corner and I walk slower, stalking towards it before pouncing around the corner with my teeth barred. But nothing was there. I scrunch up my face and place my hands to my sides, straightening. I tilt my head as I stare down the dimly lit hall. 

  I lift my head and continue to walk in large strides, making my way down the hallway quickly and with grace. I was really getting a bad vibe. It was soooooo quiet. It was a bit scary. Like a scene right of a horror story. Too bad I was normally the antagonist in those sort of movies. I pass by a window and see the sun was rising in the sky but the darkness that constantly loomed over this place outweighed the light so only a bit shined through. I really wanted to know where the hell Jerome was. 

  As I walk around another corner I suddenly see someone in the hallway. I see a lone man with messy brown hair and a thin figure that kept twitching. I raise a brow. Once hearing my footsteps, he turns to me quickly, gasping a bit. I slow in my step when coming closer to him. He takes a step back. 

  "Where is everyone?" I ask him. He gasps again then starts to run around thee corner. "Wait! UGH!" I pick up my pace, running after him. I turn the corner just as his back disappears into the cafeteria. I groan, rolling my eyes and slow down once more but still speed walk. I come to the cafeteria door and that's when I was assaulted with confetti. 

  I stumble back, sputtering out pieces of colorful plastic. I spit the last of it out and whip my head up, scowl on my face and ready to murder whoever did that. But I was surprised about exactly who I saw standing in the doorway of the cafeteria. 

  Jerome laughed and lifted his hands, the scars on either sides of his face curving up. I raise a brow in confusion. 

  "Happy Birthday Grey!" He yells with a laugh. All of the inmates were behind him, now screaming and hollering. Balloons were set up and tied everywhere. There was confetti everywhere. There was many pastries that were now being thrown everywhere and sticking to the walls and inmates. I saw a couple of dead bodies scattered around with blood pooling around them. I look back at Jerome who was smiling like the maniac he was.