If you don't fit in this world

Build one of your own

Live within your walls and call it your home

Do as you like

Make rules as you will

You are the king, make life a thrill

Then you come to realize

When it's just you and you only

You fit in this world but it often feels lonely

No one can come in

You made your world that way

You get to choose to leave or to stay

But wait...you never built a door

Or brought a telephone here

You never made windows either my dear

Your walls are also sound proof

It's useless to shout

Why did you build a world with no way out?

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Skye thought she was drunk when she first opened the door. However, she had not downed one full bottle of wine yet so that couldn't have been the case--it took three bottles to get her tipsy.

Jules, Abby, and Jonathan stood in front of the academy doors awkwardly as she continued to scrutinize them. Both parties did not expect to see the other. Low level Dealers were usually in charge of opening the doors, but Skye was looking for her missing hair curler and had been at the entrance when they arrived.

Seeing unfamiliar faces at the academy was nothing out of the norm. New Peccators and Dealers came in often. However, one

face in particular had recently become famous in the dark world.

Skye no longer doubted that face indeed belonged to Jules Moore when she noticed the ridiculous wooden cross image that took up more than half the space on the girl's pajama shirt. She took out her phone, keeping a watchful eye on the unexpected guest.

"Emergency council meeting. Now." The ping of the voice message delivering filled the silence.

The three continued to stand outside uncomfortably.

Skye smiled uncannily. "Welcome in. If you two don't mind, I need to borrow Jules for a moment." She took Jules' small bag from her hands and threw it at Jonathan before pointing a finger towards his direction. "You. Take the bag to one of the available Peccator rooms." She then turned her head sharply to Jules. "You. Follow me."

Jules looked at Abby worriedly. Her companion gave her a nervous smile.

'Call me if you need anything ,' Abby mouthed.

Skye walked very fast for someone wearing three inch high heels.

The building seemed endless as they passed through many stairs and hallways. Jules had been occupied on staying alive the last time she was here and had not gotten the chance to really marvel in its beauty.

It was remarkably more splendid than its neighboring public school. The stairway did not smell like burnt rubber, the lights were much brighter, and the classrooms looked so clean and tidy.

Jules was so focused on the decor, she almost bumped into Skye who suddenly stopped in front of large burgundy doors. Familiar voices could already be heard.

"Skye is not going to be happy if Simon drools on the new table."

"Wan't me to punch him so he'll wake up?"

"Don't you dare Alec. She won't be any happier if you get blood on it babe."

"Forget the table. Why does Ana get to sit on Randall's spot? I called it first! She's gonna get her sticky fingers all over the leader's chair!"

"Shut the f*ck up Jake. Nobody cares about your greedy a*s."

"Says the fata*s who can't stop eating."

Skye's current face greatly resembled Mr. Enano's furious one. She rubbed at her temples.

"Randall needs to get better as soon as possible or my hair might turn grey from dealing with these morons alone."

Skye tightened her tie, buttoned up her sleeves, straightened out her blazer, and did a retouch on her lipstick.

"If you want to be the boss, you first got to look like one," Skye said before kicking the doors open. The excessive amount of force caused the doors to smack harshly against the walls.

The five bickering student council members got quiet immediately, and everyone--including Simon who was now wide awake-- sat up straight in their chair.

"We have an unforeseen guest with us tonight." Skye sat down at the opposite end of the table so Jules could no longer hide shyly behind her.

Jules kept her eyes on the ground as she felt their heads turn her way.

Ana choked on a cookie and began coughing.

Simon slapped himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

Jake was the only one who found something more shocking than Jules' annoying face. The giant cross on her crusty wool shirt made him scrunch up his nose in disgust. "Alright, at this point she is begging for a punch in the face. I'm genuinely curious. Do you not have mirrors at your house or does your blind grandma pick out your clothes?"

"Jake." Skye chatised sternly.

Jake rolled his eyes but stayed quiet.

"I called this meeting for a reason. We can all guess why Jules Moore might make an appearance at the academy as she has done tonight. I am suggesting a thousand dollar bargain for her silence. If everyone is in favor say I."

"I," everyone repeated simultaneously.

Skye snapped her fingers towards Jake. He sighed before digging inside his blazer and taking out a wad of hundred dollar bills. He slapped ten bills into her hand aggressively before crossing his arms like a child throwing a tantrum.

Skye placed the money on the table and slid it towards Jules.

"Do we have an agreement?"

Jules looked at the cash uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry. I don't quite understand why you are trying to give me money."

Skye gave a short laugh.

"Oh, is it not enough? Did you want something other than money? Tell us what you desire."

Jules answered with confused silence.

Skye squinted her eyes at the puzzled girl.

"Didn't you come here to threaten us? To tell all the academy students about Dixon's offer and wreak havoc on our people?"

Jules finally understood. They thought she came here to spill news on the likely death of their people with the upcoming demon attack.

"Oh no, those are not my intentions at all." She intensely nodded her head in disagreement.

"Hmmm...is that so? Then what other possible reason could bring an angel like you into the devil's den?"

Jules rubbed at her arms. They were probably going to kick her out but she needed to try her best.

"In no way, shape, or form is this me agreeing to sacrifice myself for all the Dealers and Peccators, but..." She gulped and forced herself to look in the eyes of all the council members so they could see her sincerity. "I want to understand your world better. I don't want to make a life changing decision on people I do not know on a personal level. Please, let me stay for a few days so I can learn and truly make sense of this life you all live in."

To say that the student council was shocked would be an understatement. This was the first time an outsider has ever willingly come to their doors.

Ellen knew how malicious the other council members could be so she decided to reply first.

"Jules, we understand you have good intentions but this isn't a place where you can play hero. It's filled with people consumed by dark desires--every man is for himself. To be blunt, I don't think you can handle all the secrets hidden within these walls even if you were to possibly be able to reach them. We aren't good people."

"My religion teaches that no body is good because of their corrupt human nature. Jesus wouldn't have died for us if we were good enough. I am not perfect myself and I do not expect anyone else to be. Furthermore, I am not here to judge. I just want to understand."

"Nope, no way," Jake got up from his chair and leaned over the table, "Definitely a no for me. If we let this girl go around preaching about Jesus, I might as well let a demon eat me and save me from suffering. We go through enough sh*t already. We don't need church girl going around making everyone's ears bleed too."

"I'm with Jake," Alec agreed. "It's taking a lot of self control right now not to break her jaw."

"I don't mind her. I think she would be like a cute pet." Ana could barely be understood with her mouth full of cookies.

"Didn't you eat the last pet you had?" Ellen asked.

"That was a one time thing. I couldn't help myself. I was craving frog legs."

"Enough!" Skye slammed a fist on the table and gained everyone's undivided attention. She gave a menacing glare at Jake and he sat down immediately.

"You guys are acting as if this is up for discussion. This is not a student council matter." Skye looked back at Jules. "You don't need our permission to stay here. If anything, it would make more sense for us to ask you for permission. With how clueless you usually are, you probably don't know that Dixon owns the whole academy. As his Peccator, you can come and go as you like, but I'll warn you now. You might be scarred for life if you try to dig too deep."

"Im aware," Jules felt even more determined, "that is a choice I will make for myself."

Skye's face became blank. "I hate optimistic young girls. It reminds me of my past self. Look where that has gotten me." She shot up from her seat and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. Jules wondered if Skye had a designated spot for each of her curls. Her hair was always neat and fell evenly at her shoulders and back.

"Alright, meeting dismissed. Let us give Ms. Moore the tour she so desires."

No one argued against the clicking of Skye's heels as she left without a single glance back.

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Jules followed the six academy students down to the first floor. She tried not to get too distracted this time because this place was a maze and getting lost in it would not be fun. Therefore, she kept herself entertained by watching Simon's head bop up and down as Jake carried him over his shoulder.

Jake always acted very hostile but he often went out of his way to let Simon sleep. Jules wondered if he only showed a cold exterior towards her.

They finally reached a dead end where gold statues stood gorgeously. It depicted a story Jules knew by heart...the fall of Adam and Eve.

A snake with a ruby jewel for an eye was wrapped around a tree. To its left stood Eve and to its right stood Adam; both were eating an apple in their hands.

The longer Jules stared at the snake, the more it seemed to resemble the one on Dixon's neck.

"At the academy, we strictly separate our school life. For obvious reasons, the public cannot know about our true intentions. On the outside this may seem like a prestigious school for rich kids, but if you look a little deeper," Skye pressed on the snake's crystal eye and the walls on the left began to move, revealing a tunnel, "there is so much more."

Jules was astonished. She had never seen something like this before.

At the end of the tunnel, there were two academy students guarding the door. They bowed and opened it quickly.

Going through the doors was like traveling back in time. It rendered Jules speechless. Modern led lights were replaced with lamps, candles, and chandeliers. Instead of marble floors, there was a red, jade green, and cream colored oriental rug. However, it was the exquisite hand-carved mahogany wood that truly took Jules' breath away. It was everywhere, from the ceiling to the decor to the railing of the spiral staircase.

Ellen laughed at Jules' amazed expression.

"I thought this place was a dream when I first laid my eyes on it too. The architecture was inspired by Peleș Castle in Romania. It's a blend of Gothic Revival and Neo-Renaissance. Most of the furniture here was bought from antique stores all around the city."

"Wow..." Jules was at a lost for words.

"Below the staircase," Skye pointed with her dainty nail, "is where the main lobby is located."

Jules looked down the railing to a busy scene. There were academy students messing around, familiar classmates doing homework, butlers giving out drinks, and maids dusting the furniture.

"It is also where the dining area is located, but you'll get to see it all when we go down for dinner at three."

"Three? As in three in the morning?" Jules wasn't sure she heard correctly.

Jake scoffed. "No sh*t Sherlock. The demons have been predictable but we still get rogue ones raiding on random days--very rare but we still have to stay alert and prepared."

"We find it safer to let our guard down once the coast is clear. The demons don't dare come out at the Devil's hour so we must wait till then," Ellen explained.

They continued walking until they reached a staircase lined with red carpet. Two marble statues of devils holding pitchforks sat at its entrance.

"Here is where the real tour begins. We will disperse now and show you around our respectful floors. We don't like to owe favors so consider this tour as us repaying you for saving our eyes. But I will warn you one last time. This isn't a place for the faint of heart."

Skye saw the determined look in Jules' eyes.

"Alright then, it is your choice after all. You can begin by following Simon. The sloths live on the first floor for obvious reasons. They despise stairs more than anything."

The rest of the student council disappeared up the stairs, leaving Jules and a drowsy Simon alone at the bottom.

Jules stared at the unmoving boy whose eyelids were halfway closed.

Maybe he wanted her to go up first?

Jules was about to take her first step forwards but Simon tugged at her shirt.

"Yes?"

He pointed up. "Carry."

"You want me to carry you?"

Simon nodded his head, his face remaining blank.

"Oh...okay." Saying no wasn't much of an option. They would never make it up the stairs if she made him walk himself. She wasn't strong like Jake to be able to hold Simon's whole body with one hand. A piggy back ride would have to suffice.

Jules crouched down. When Simon put all his weight on her, she had to use all her might not to topple over. Jake made Simon seem much lighter than he actually was.

By the time they reached the top of the stairs, Jules was sweating and panting. She was relieved to see electric scooters-the ones often used by the elderly in grocery stores-- at their destination because she didn't have the strength to carry a full grown man any longer.

Simon got into one of the scooters and lead the way.

The first thing Jules noticed about the first floor was the thick plush carpet and the dim lighting. The whole place was littered with bean bags, couches, hammocks, hanging chairs, and pillows.

"Careful." Simon pointed at a body.

Someone had been too lazy to get to their room and decided to fall asleep in the middle of the hallway. Jules took precaution not to step on any of the sleeping bodies.

"Relax rooms."

She followed Simon's gaze. There were three large rooms with the labels Spa, Movie Theatre, and Games.

As they continued walking, a maid pushing a cart passed by. Jules took a peek inside the cart and regretted it immediately. There were bottles full of urine.

"Mine," Simon said before using his key to open a door. She assumed it was his room.

"Can I look around?"

Simon nodded.

Jules waved her hand around, trying to find the light switch. Simon hummed in disapproval. He clapped his hands twice and the room lit up.

"Ah, sound activated lights...makes sense."

Simon put a finger to her lips.

"Shhh. Peccator." He pointed to the center of the room where there was a giant grey bed. It looked so soft, fuzzy, and cozy. Jules was tempted to jump on it. It was then that she noticed a girl sleeping soundly under the covers. Simon went over to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. Jules watched closely as his eyes turned red. Abby had told her before that Dealers were unable to hide their red eyes while eating away innocence.

She wasn't sure if it was inappropriate to watch so she went inside the attached bathroom.

There was an electric toothbrush on the sink, 3-in-1 shampoo on the bathtub, and a pack of diapers by the toilet. She had a feeling toilets were not used often on this floor.

By the time she came out of the restroom, Simon had fallen asleep right next to his Peccator.

"Um...thank you for the tour. I'm going to head to the next floor," Jules whispered before clapping her hands to turn off the light.

She was met with Jake's sour face on the second floor.

"Hurry up, I don't got all day."

Jules jogged up the stairs so she could catch up to Jake's fast steps.

"Welcome to the land of the greedy. We have the largest rooms compared to everyone else. The colorful lights, slot machines, and vibrant carpet are used to make this place feel like a casino. We also have countless poker tables and gambling areas, but the best part," Jake led them inside an unoccupied room, "Is this."

The room was significantly larger than the one Simon had shown her and now she knew why. There was an enormous bank vault installed within the wall. The circular door was almost twice her height.

Jake knocked his knuckles against the door and it clang with his golden rings. "This baby is made out of steel-reinforced concrete. We got one installed in every room so stealing doesn't exist on this floor. Not only is there an unbreakable vault, you also have to get through ten locks to even get into the room."

He wasn't exaggerating. Jules turned around to look at the door and there were ten different types of metal locks securely bolted in.

"Alright, I think you've seen enough."

Jake pushed her out before she could take a good look around the room. She knew he wasn't fond of her so she obliged.

Alec was sitting on the steps of the third floor, playing around with a switchblade. Jules debated on moving on but he had already spotted her.

She stiffly waved at him and he rolled his eyes.

"Lets make an agreement. You don't speak and I won't slice your tongue out." He pointed the blade towards her before swiftly throwing it into his pocket. Jules dared not to open her mouth and followed him cautiously, making sure there was a lot of distance between them.

The third floor contrasted greatly to the colorful one below it. For one, the ground was completely white.

"We don't have any carpet here because it would be a hassle to clean stains. You're standing on white porcelain tiles--durable and makes it easy for the cleaning maids to locate blood."

Alec kicked one of the chairs in a lounging area. It did not move in the slightest.