Ryan sat outside the school on one of the many stone benches underneath the large blue awning known as the "smoke tent" puffing on a long cigarette. The students from his class were also around him, along with the occasional instructor or janitor taking a break. Bruce was standing by the entrance talking to one of the directors of the school, talking very seriously about something. Ryan couldn't help but feel like a target, as if they were going to throw the blame for whatever just happened on him. Perhaps that was because he was unable to put the blame anywhere else either.

     He had done as Bruce asked, and jogged down the hall to MOTO-6, a class in his building that frequently had running motorcycles inside the classroom. The school had once had an issue with instructors and students passing out due to the carbon monoxide in the exhausts not being properly ventilated, and had to update the facility to include long hoses that clamped around motorcycle exhausts and channeled into a large overhead ventilation system, forcing the exhaust outside the school. The ventilation seemed to be working properly, and all the inhabitants of the MOTO-6 classroom seemed perfectly fine, and Ryan hadn't smelled anything in the classroom that could be related to exhaust. Nonetheless, the instructor in that class ordered all the bikes to be shut off and an evacuation of the class.

     Their class was joining Ryan's at the smoke tent now, as were the few other classes in Building A. The students from other classes were finding their friends from Ryan's class and checking on them, bringing them water or even fanning them as if to flush out any carbon monoxide poisoning with fresh air.

     Ryan turned his attention back to Bruce and the director, who was now gazing around at each of the students with a horrified expression. Ryan imagined the last thing this guy wanted was another story about carbon monoxide in the school affecting students. The director nodded to Bruce, who started making his way to the smoke tent.

     Much to his surprise, Bruce came and sat down next to Ryan, who put out his cigarette in the stone ashtray on his left.

     "So what's gonna happen now?" Ryan asked.

     "Well," Bruce started, "If there's an exhaust leak in the building, we can't chance anyone getting poisoned. We'll wait for the board's official decision, but I don't think they're gonna chance it. The school may be temporarily closed until we can have the ventilation systems inspected, and if need be, updated."

     Ryan frowned, he gave up everything to relocate and come to this school. He never had much, but everything you have is everything you have. [i]Update the system? That could take months! What am I supposed to do while until then?[/i]

     "How long will that take?" Ryan asked, unable to hide the panic in his voice.

     Bruce looked back at Ryan, their eyes locking. Somehow his expression and tone reassured Ryan. "You'll be fine, son." He said, interlocking his fingers, "You're grades are solid, and your lab work is spot on. I'm not sure how long this will take, but look at it as a break. You've been busting ass and it shows, in your grades, and in all your instructors notes."

     Bruce's eyes narrowed, and he put a hand on Ryan's shoulder, "You sure you feel alright?" He asked, "You're looking a little bit like the rest of us now..."

     Ryan suddenly realized he was tired again, like he felt on most days. Only moments before though, he was surging with energy, like he could've run for miles. Now he was crashing again, and the thought of bed was the most blissful thing he could imagine. [i]What the hell is going on?[/i]

     "Ryan?"

     The instructors voice shook Ryan out of his sleepy trance. Back to zoning out it seems.

     "Yeah, I'm fine," He replied, "Just been a long day."

     "Well I'm gonna go check on your classmates," Bruce declared, standing up, "seems like they're all coming around now."

     Ryan snapped his head around to see the other students. He hadn't even noticed how loud it was becoming around him. Conversations were flooding the air, and even pockets of laughter. Life seemed to suddenly appear out of what was moments before a horde of the undead.

     "Fresh air," Bruce proclaimed, "works wonders."

     The instructor smiled and walked away to check on the other students.

     "Yeah," Ryan muttered to himself, "Wonders."