Free Revive by Tracey Martin Page B

other side of campus. To say we’ll be drenched by the time we get there is an understatement. It’s been raining nearly nonstop for the past three days. The campus is a giant mud pit, and I’m starting to feel like I’ll never get dry.
    â€œComing!” Audrey jumps down the last two steps and skids to a stop by the doors because the floor is wet from everyone’s shoes. “I had to run back for my phone.”
    â€œBecause it would be tragic if you didn’t have it for the next fifty minutes?”
    Audrey throws on her hood. “Precisely. Ugh. I’m so sick of this rain.”
    So is everyone else, judging by how empty the paths are. Usually the campus bustles in the times between classes, but today everyone must be skipping. I’d have done the same, except Audrey needs recitation, and I’m sucking it up to go with her.
    Our feet splash across the myriad puddles, and it only takes a minute before my jeans are soaked through. Wet leaves flop in our faces, and the whole campus stinks of soggy mulch and mildew. I think I should be carrying an umbrella like a sensible person, but no one does except the professors. College students are clearly not sensible. Since I need to fit in, I have to get wet with the rest of them.
    Audrey and I don’t talk much, too intent on making it to the physics and engineering building as fast as possible. When a car rounds the street, sloshing water at us, I bite back my frustration and Audrey flips off the driver. She continues to glare at them over her shoulder as they drive on, and in doing so, she misses the first of the stone stairs in front of us.
    She screams as her feet fly out from under her. Luckily, there’s a railing nearby, and she grabs it before tumbling down all six of the wet steps.
    â€œAudrey!” I run over as the couple nearby people turn our way.
    Bright red, she picks herself up. “Don’t mind me. Please.”
    â€œAre you okay?”
    â€œYeah, fine— Ow!” Cringing, she lifts her right leg off the ground as fast as she’d lowered it. “Um, maybe not. My ankle. Shit.”
    I push my wet hair out of my face, watching Audrey flex her joints. I don’t like her being hurt, but I can’t deny this is a useful opportunity for me. “Do you need to get it checked out?”
    â€œNah, I doubt it. I just need to sit for a while.” Gingerly, she lowers her leg again and tries to take another step. She ends up swearing as her leg buckles.
    I bite my lip. “Yeah, I think you might want to get that X-rayed.”
    Audrey sighs, and I take note of her reluctance to get medical attention. “Maybe. I don’t want to miss recitation though.”
    â€œI was only going because you were. I can teach you whatever you need. Come on.”
    In a rather awkward fashion we make what has suddenly become a very long walk to the health center, which is on the opposite side of campus to where we’d been heading. The rain picks up too as we go, and by the time we arrive, we both look like we’ve taken a dip in a pool.
    Audrey groans, lowering herself into a chair.
    I try not to act too interested in her injury. Sorry as I am that Audrey’s hurting, I want to know how hurting she is so I can watch for how quickly she heals. Clearly, she’s convinced it’s nothing. Whether it is nothing, or whether she’s covering something up, I’ll need to wait and see.
    It’s not much to go on, but it would be nice to finally rule out one person as X.
    It would be even nicer if I discovered Audrey is X. Then my mission would be over and I could get her to safety.
    With that in mind, I scan the health center waiting room. The main room is large and empty except for chairs along the perimeter and posters about healthy behaviors on the walls. There’s got to be a place around here where the staff keep medical files on the students.
    Sure enough, when the nurse takes Audrey