Chatoyant College Book 7: Upon What Soil

Chapter 44: Brandon

"You're right, we should," Dawn said with a sigh, leaning a little more closely against Rico's side. "I just don't know what."

"We could always try asking the faerie from the craft fair," Annie suggested. "He would know."

"Do you think he would tell us anything?" Corrie asked.

"It's worth a try," Dawn said, nodding. "That is, if we can track him down. Did anybody catch his name?"

"Brandon," supplied Edie.

"Okay, we can find him," Corrie said, springing up from her bed. She went to her computer and opened it up. "I think I can search the student directory for people named Brandon..."

"I don't know if you can search, but there's a list," Roe said, getting up to look over Corrie's shoulder. "You might be able to order it by first name." Edie and Annie got up to look as well.

Rico nudged Dawn with his shoulder. "Aren't you going to go look with them?"

She grinned and shook her head. "I won't recognize him from the picture. I saw a guy with blue skin, and since nobody else commented on him, I'm pretty sure that's not what they saw."

After a minute, Corrie said, "Okay, we've got a few different Brandons, but two of them don't have pictures, and none of the pictures look like the guy I remember."

"Well, I don't think we have much choice," said Roe. "Only one of them has a room number listed."

"Shouldn't they all have room numbers listed?" Rico asked.

"No, you can choose not to have your room number in the directory," said Annie. "It's when you fill out that little card at the beginning of the year to tell them you've arrived. There's a box to check."

"Huh, I didn't notice that," said Corrie. "Well, if it's not the right Brandon, we can find Tricia and ask her, I suppose. But for now we can head to Darnel 104."

"That's the dorm Troy lives in," said Roe, earning a giggle from Corrie.

They trooped off, Rico holding Dawn's hand, a situation about which she was not willing to complain. Still, she whispered to him, "You don't have to come, you know. I mean, I'm delighted to have you around, but I know these magic crafts don't really affect you."

He smiled at her and whispered back, "No, I'm coming. I'm glad to help, and I don't want to let you out of my sight if I can possibly help it. Besides, I have nothing better to do."

She grinned, squeezed his hand, and kept walking.

To Dawn's surprise, it actually went well for them: the door they knocked on turned out to actually be where their Brandon lived. To her senses, he was so tall he had to stoop heavily to put his head through the door, and his skin was blue, rough-textured—almost scaly. He was bald and his eyes were all white, with no iris or pupil, but he seemed to see them easily enough. He frowned at the large group congregated in front of his door. "Um, can I help you?" he said in a voice so deep it was almost hard for Dawn to understand.

"We have a question about the craft fair," said Roe.

Brandon grinned at her, revealing a mouth full of pink gums but no teeth. Dawn suppressed a shudder and continued hanging back, holding Rico's hand. "I remember you," Brandon said. "I thought you liked my globe. I can make you one like it, that explodes in glitter, or a smoke machine, for a hundred and fifty dollars."

Roe smiled and shook her head. "That's not actually why we're here. Can we come in?"

His smile faded and he shook his head. "Sorry, I don't invite people in. What is this about?"

"I don't think you want us bringing this up in a public hallway," Corrie said. She was grimacing; she must have her clover. She lifted her keys slightly out of her pocket and jingled them meaningfully.

Brandon's eyes narrowed. Without any further warning, he slammed his door shut.

"Hey!" Corrie pounded on the door. It didn't yield. Edie, somewhat more sensibly, tried the handle, but it was evidently locked.

"Please, we just want to ask you about it!" Roe shouted through the door, but there was no response.

"Come with me!" Corrie cried suddenly. She dashed back the way they'd come. Dawn let go of Rico's hand and quickly ran after her, though of course, she wasn't as fast as Corrie. When she made it out, Corrie was banging on a window.

"Is this his window?" Dawn asked her, slightly out of breath.

"Yeah, I counted them. Come on... oh, got it!" Corrie had managed to push up the window, opening it, though the blinds on the other side were still closed. "Give me a boost."

Bemused, Dawn did, helping her get through the window and into the room. "Brandon!" she heard Corrie calling when she got in. "We just want to talk to you! Oh... shit." She heard the door open, then Corrie came back to the window and opened the blinds as well. "He's gone."