This day had been ... Gabriel wasn't sure what it had been. He'd been nervous. Jumpy. He remembered Skulduggery's description of that monster--the very same monster he and the others had run into last night. He wasn't even sure whether he'd actually hallucinated or not, he'd been so nervous about it happening at all.

He'd just known the shadows had seemed darker, his lunch less appetising, every cough and hitch in his lungs something to be worried over.

Which was why, when he entered his room, his stomach was flipping over itself with dread. He stood for a moment in the doorway to take a breath and hopefully calm himself down, and then mustered a smile for Zero. It was a poor affair, especially once he spotted the crutches. He'd missed them in the morning.

"How are you feeling?"