Marck approached with slow , tentative steps , like he would a wounded animal , but stopped a wary distance away .
“ Are you okay , McTaggart ? Should I call for the school nurse , perhaps ?”
Connor grunted something close enough to “ Fine ,” and Marck returned to his deck , but he continued to watch Connor out of the corner of his eye . Connor laid on the ground and stared up at the ceiling , taking careful , shallow breaths . So long as he didn ’ t move the dizzying colors almost made sense , but his stomach continued to churn . He peeled the glove off and felt a pang of disappointment when the wild colors faded from view , leaving him with only the drab , cinderblock-gray walls of his dorm room . The world looked dull and uninteresting . He held the glove up to his face and stared at the simple object . Despite the severe nausea , he considered putting it back on . Instead , he used his bed for support to drag himself back up . He sat on the bed , watching Marck organize his desk . When his stomach settled , he stood up , keeping a hand on the bedpost for balance . “ I ’ m going to go find my friend before orientation . You wanna come ?”
Marck barely grunted a “ No ” before Connor dashed out the door . He went back to the atrium , hoping to see Garrett ’ s giant , round glasses . Groups of students sat in the shade of the trees , while others popped in and out of each other ’ s rooms , exploring their home for the next year . The sounds of more conversations drew his eyes upwards to the older kids ’ dorms on the balconies above , but he knew Garrett wouldn ’ t be up there . He climbed a hill near the center of the park to secure a better view . Eventually , he spied Garrett leaning against the wall by a dorm and staring wide-eyed into the open atrium . His skin was a sickly green and his breathing was ragged . Connor ran down the