Page 1 of Black Hollow: Awakening

PART I

…in which Will learns that nothing is as he thought.

September 2 | Monday

Black Hollow Academy operated differently than most schools in the country. Students attended from the age of sixteen, and the program itself lasted six years. During the final two, students could choose one of the specializations offered by the school and give their education a specific focus. As a result, they graduated with a diploma equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.

Will Morgan decided it was the perfect place for him. He’d never had a plan for his life, so he figured he would just go with the flow—if, after four years, he still hadn’t discovered what he was actually good at, he’d just pick something safe and not too complicated.

He thought returning to his hometown would be a refreshing experience. A new environment, a new school, getting out from under the care of his grandparents and their old-fashioned views… It was supposed to be a new beginning. And it was, just not the one he’d dreamed of. The first year flew by in the blink of an eye, bringing with it even more uncertainty.

As if that wasn’t enough, he was once again cast in the role of the social outcast. If it weren’t for Danny…

Oh God. Danny.

Will bolted to his roommate’s room.

“Dan,” he said, bursting in. “Danny!” he called out, walking over to the bed to shake Danny’s shoulder.

Danny pried his eyelids open.

“I didn’t hear the alarm.”

“That’s weird, because I heard your alarm. Like, three times.”

“Hrnngh…” Dan made an unidentifiable noise. “What time is it?”

“Seven thirty.”

That jolted Danny awake instantly.

“Fuck,” Danny swore, untangling himself from the sheets.

They didn’t have time to properly get ready. Although Will could have sworn he’d laid out his clothes the night before, he now couldn’t find them. Rummaging through his closet for something that looked halfway decent, his hand landed on a green T-shirt, but finding a clean pair of pants proved impossible. He was forced to fish a pair of jeans from the laundry hamper, and Danny dove in right after him, apparently facing a similar problem. They both ended up at the bathroom sink, brushing their teeth in a hurry.

Glancing at his reflection, Will didn’t like what he saw. He was slender, a little over five-foot-nine, with blue eyes and thick, dark hair, and he hated his sickly pale complexion, which was prone to all sorts of breakouts. The recent late nights had taken their toll; the circles under his eyes were so pronounced he looked like someone had punched him. What was he supposed to do? He’d wanted to enjoy his vacation for as long as possible.

Danny looked completely different. He was roughly the same height, but his skin had a beautiful, olive tone. He had brown eyes and matching hair that he hadn’t cut in a several months, so now it reached almost to his shoulder blades. He’d tied it back in an exceptionally sloppy ponytail, though it perfectly suited his unkempt stubble. Dan was damn handsome, though it was hard to tell because he couldn’t care less about his appearance. Will was jealous of that sometimes.

They finally managed to get out of the house. The walk to school took less than fifteen minutes.

“So, where are we going?” Will asked.

“What?”

“After school. To celebrate the first day back.”

“Celebrate our glorious return to hell?” Dan snorted, and Will let out a small laugh. “No, thanks. Besides, I can’t. I’m going to work.”

“You got a job?”

“If all goes well, I will.”

“You didn’t say anything.”

“They only called me back last night.”

“Did you get into that coffee shop, or…?”