Over night

Bethany woke with a start. Her dream had been so intense and realistic that she was out of breath. It wasn't a nightmare or anything, it was just so intense. This had been happening more and more frequently lately. Her dreams had become so vivid but seemed to stray farther and farther from reality. 'It must be a side-effect of my new meds,' she thought to herself. She had been having trouble sleeping and concentrating in class lately. Her mind would wander and daydream about more interesting things. Or she would be exhausted in class after her restless nights. It was as though her body was most awake at night the past couple of weeks. It was like her body was waiting for something, but her brain never got the memo.

She rolled over and grabbed her phone from her night stand to check the time but as she went for it, it began vibrating. She picked up her phone to see that she was being called at four in the morning by her friend, Jesse. She answered with a groggy, "hello?"

"Bethany, get dressed and meet me in the courtyard. Now." She didn't understand what was happening but she was suddenly wide awake.

"Why, what happened? Are you okay?" So many questions came to mind and there was a weird tug at the back of her mind, as if she had forgotten something.

"I'm fine, but this is extremely important. I'll explain when everyone gets down here." With a click, the call ended. Bethany sat staring at her phone for a moment trying to comprehend what Jesse had said. What did he mean everyone? What was so important that he had to drive across campus at four in the morning to tell them?  She got out of her bed and threw on the closest pair of jeans. She saw her reflection and stopped to pull her long brown hair into a bun, then quickly grabbed her key and a jacket before racing down the stairs.

As she rushed out into the courtyard of Collins from her building, she saw her friends in various states of dress. Minelli looked tired but looked fairly together considering the situation. Her curly black hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. Her roommate, Jen, was lying on the ground in her pajamas. Her hair was in an extremely messy bun atop her head. She was clearly not pleased to have been roused. Jesse was staring at Bethany with a solemn and knowing look. He seemed to be observing her. She made a questioning face and he responded with a head shake and a smile as if to say never mind. He then looked around the others. His eyes lingered on each with that same expression. The last person he looked at was Nick who Bethany just noticed to be standing behind Jesse's right shoulder. Jesse mumbled something and Nick flipped his dark hair out of his eyes and disappeared into Edmonson, the middle of the three buildings on the Collins quad.

"What's going on, Jesse? Why are we here?" Bethany asked. Jen rolled over and muttered something that sounded like a curse and an agreement. Minelli just kicked her which was met with another grumble and a half-hearted attempt to hit her back.

"We are still waiting for Dillon," was all Jesse said. The next minute passed in silence save for Jen's display of upset. Suddenly, the door to Edmonson shot open and Nick came down the stairs.

He came over to Jesse with a simple, "he's coming," to which Jesse just nodded. Moments later, Dillon joined them with a "bonjour, bitches." Jen glared at him  She had managed to sit up and was starting to look more awake, though just as cranky.

"Would someone please explain to me why I am sitting on the ground in my pajamas at four in the morning?" Jen managed to say.

"Because that's where you chose to sit. Now shut up and shut your mouth, a man is talking," Jesse joked in his usual manner, though his voice did not hide the tension he clearly felt. "Now that you are all here, it's time I told you the truth. I'm not who you know me to be," he said mystically as he waved a hand in front of him. "Okay, well i am...sort of. Its kind of complicated to explain." Jesse looked to Nick as if for reassurance. Nick nodded and Jesse continued, "Something has happened. Devan was kind of...taken." Devan was another friend that lived in Collins, the dorm collection that housed Bethany, Dillon, Minelli and Jen. 

"Told you guys she was rapable," said Dillon. Bethany and Minelli simultaneously hit him from either side. He narrowed his eyes. "Like you weren't all thinking it." 

"I'm pretty sure we aren't," replied Bethany.

Behind Jesse, Nick meekly raised his hand and said, "I was."

"Not helpful." Jesse seemed more serious than usual. Bethany was realizing this seemed familiar.

"Deja Vu." Bethany didn't realized how loud she had said it until she looked up to see everyone looking at her. "Sorry. So what do you mean 'Devan was kind of taken?'"

"She was taken by the Azaradi, an ancient group of clerics," Jesse stated. This received some strange looks from the others excluding Nick, who seemed concerned by what Jesse had said. "We aren't sure what they want with her yet but we think they need her for a spell and a big one at that. Whatever it is it won't be good."

"Are you Sh@##ing me?!? You woke me up for this? I was sleeping!" Jen then muttered something involving the words 'nerdy pranks' and began to head back to her room in Cravens, another of the buildings on the Collins quad.

"I know this sounds a little ridiculous, but i'm serious. This is really happening and I need your help. All of you." Jesse seemed very assertive in this statement. He looked to Minelli for help.

Minelli sensed that Jesse was being sincere.He seemed to really believe this was happening. "Jen get back here!" She said in her 'I'm in charge' voice. Bethany smirked as Jen stared daggers at her roommate but none-the-less obeyed.

"You have two minutes, Jesse."