Surrounded by the darkness of the past

The teenager was sure all along that the boys would get a punishment, as the teacher looked overconfident, in his head devising a cruel plan for them. However, she rather didn't expect the headmaster to forgive them by giving only an instruction that if they disrupted order again, then he wouldn't be so lenient towards them. Maybe he would rather not arouse some suspicion because he's worried whether the teacher will come up with something cruel for them, and after all, they can't seem to know who they really are.

 Only a few people know about it, and they have to keep quiet for the sake of their safety.

Sara is increasingly worried about Oliver, as he has become even more sullen and silent since the psychologist called him in for an interview. She senses that they know full well that it was Oliver who helped her escape, but they have let him off the hook because she is not the girl they are looking for. The teenager dreads to think what they would do to him if she was actually related to the woman who tried to kill the General. Nevertheless, they punished him because he had a mark from the blow and a swollen cheek. He didn't tell Sara what happened, and lied to Matthew that he had a fight with some boy. The girl is not stupid and knows that this is a lie, but she forgave him because he had already suffered enough.

Alan also began to behave differently. Ever since she told him the truth about the General, he has been trying to avoid her, yet she did nothing wrong. She wanted him to know about it. She attempts to protect him because they are preparing a plan against him. Occasionally, however, she gets the impression that he is simply ashamed of his family, and even more so by being related to a monster.

However, all the while, she smiles at him to let him know that it doesn't matter to her. After all, he is an entirely different person from the General. After all, he can't help who he is related to. It's not his fault, but the girl noticed that he couldn't bear the thought. Although... how would she feel if she were in his shoes?

- Here you are. I've been looking for you everywhere. - She hears Matthew's voice. She looks over her shoulder and notices that the boy is concerned about something. He sits down next to her on the grass, his back leaning against a tree trunk.

Sara likes to come to the pond to collect her thoughts, as the room is constantly noisy due to her loud roommate. And even though she holds bad memories associated with the place, she still hopes to find the answer to the question: why have these incomprehensible things started happening to her since she escaped death?

At first, it wasn't as scary as it is at this point, as the ghosts are getting more and more aggressive and demanding that she kill the General's grandson. And this has intensified since the General showed up at the resort. She feels as if the phantoms are getting some kind of frenzy, and only she can see them and feel their physical contact, so they take advantage of this. She suffers even though she is innocent.

- Do you resent me for what I did to Laura? - asks the boy unexpectedly, so she focuses her eyes on him.

He smiles slightly and shakes his head.

- Now I don't. At first, I was angry to see her suffer. She cried constantly, but Simon's presence put her back on her feet. He's a good friend because he took proper care of her, so don't resent him for hitting you. You know very well that you deserved it.

- I would rather not do this to her, but I can be spiteful, so I needed to get back at her. I know Laura has liked me for a while, but I broke up with Julia because of her. Her play was boorish, so I wanted to treat her similarly. Only now did I realize how childish it was, but at least this way she hated me and understood that there would be nothing between us.

Sara nods.

- I noticed that you are still thinking about Julia. Wouldn't you like to try to rebuild what was between you? - The boy shakes his head vigorously.

- Too late. There is no chance for us anymore, but Julia will always be someone important to me. That's why I wanted to talk to you...

- Is something wrong?

- Not yet, but I have a bad feeling. I think Julia is in danger from these bastards. Lately, I've noticed that they keep looking at her, and the principal has told her to see a psychologist. And this is what worries me, because she is supposed to go to this sadist, when she has done nothing wrong recently. Something is wrong," he claims, and then she freezes. Suddenly, it occurs to her that the girl they are looking for might be Julia. From their conversation, it was clear that she is a person who causes many problems, and besides, Julia had already visited him once. Just why didn't he realize by then that she was that woman's granddaughter? Why did he think that Sara was the girl they were looking for? What is this all about?

- Where is Julia? Under no circumstances can she go there. We must stop her, if only by force," she says with panic in her voice, rising from the ground.

The boy looks at her with concerned eyes, guessing that she is right. They run to the building, wanting to find Julia as soon as possible.

Sara heads to her room, and Matthew decides to check elsewhere. Unfortunately, Julia is not in the room, so Sara runs down to the hall. She frantically looks around the hallway. Although she hates Julia, she can't let the bastards there hurt her.

She bites her lip, feeling people's gazes on her. Some boy painfully nudges her shoulder while smiling insolently, and she doesn't even react. It's true. She's no longer as shy as before, but she still lacks the confidence to respond in public. She doesn't know if she could defend herself, and she would rather not become a laughingstock.

Only after a while does she notice that Alan is sitting on the windowsill, watching her the whole time. He puts down the book he has been holding in his hand so far and jumps off the windowsill. He walks over to the boy who had specifically hit Sarah with his arm. Furthermore, he grabs him by the collar of his shirt, embarrassing him. Alan is a head taller than him, yet the shorter boy tries to keep a stone face.

- Such a tough guy that you accost innocent girls? - he throws with anger in his voice, and the word "innocent" echoes in her head. Is that exactly what she looks like in his eyes? - Do you like to terrorize women? Then why don't I bully you a little, huh? - he asks, pushing him back. He does it too violently, as the boy falls backwards onto the floor.

A few of the girls giggle, and Sara nervously scratches the back of her neck, unsure if she should react. Public speaking still makes her embarrassed, as she hates being the center of attention. But then she reminds herself of Julia. After all, she needs to find her, and Alan can help her do it.

The blond man stands over his lower colleague and presses him to the floor with his foot. He laughs under his breath.

- Will you apologize to your friend, or should I make you do it? - he asks, and the boy looks around at the people who are standing by the wall, apparently amused by the whole situation.

- I didn't do anything, and no one here likes this little one because she looks like shit," he says with anger in his voice, so Alan grabs him by the shirt and lifts him up.

He jerks it around like a rag doll.

Tears appear in Sarah's eyes. The words of this boy clearly hurt her. She has noticed that she is not liked because she is different from the other kids and does not fit into this environment at all, and moreover, Julia has said awful things about her. Many times she heard people say nasty things behind her back.

She feels terrible, yet she has done nothing wrong.

- What did you say, dunce? What did you call her? - he asks with fury in his voice and pushes him against the wall with all his strength. The boy groans in pain, and before he can get up from the floor, Alan reappears at his side and this time punches him in the face with his fist. Blood pours from his nose, and Sara's eyes open wider as the blond pushes him toward her. The brunet collapses in front of her legs, and Alan walks up to him and grabs him by the back of his shirt, causing him to kneel in front of her.

- Apologize to Sarah," he orders, but the brunet spits out saliva with blood as he has a cut lip. - I won't repeat myself, and when someone doesn't listen to me, I can be unpleasant. You wouldn't want to feel it on your skin, asshole.

- Alan, stop it. I don't need his apologies. They are not worth anything to me, just like him," whispers Sara in a trembling voice. - Please, stop already. Now we have a more serious problem and I require your help.

No one has any idea that an elderly man is watching them from behind the wall.

A mocking smile appears on his face. He squints his eyes and looks at his grandson with curiosity. He has to pull the boy to his side at all costs, and now he knows what will be the perfect way to make sure he doesn't refuse him.

Furthermore, he found a solution.

*

During the incident in the corridor, when Alan stood up for Sara — approaching it too emotionally — Matthew managed to find Julia. He talked to her and asked her not to go to a psychologist, but the girl was not going to do it from the beginning.

After her last visit, she decided that she would never go back there again, so Matthew promised her that he would not let anyone hurt her.

- I knew that this cow was still important to him. I was just a toy, he wanted to play, so what was I hoping for? - Laura snorts under her breath as Sara explains the situation with Julia to her.

The brunette at first wishes her all the worst and says she deserves to die, but Simon, who is sitting next to her, quickly calls her to order. All the while, he repeats to his friend that even the worst enemy cannot be wished dead, so Laura finally relents.

- I hate the bitch, she probably inherited her genes from that grandmother who allegedly tried to kill the General.

- Matthew will try to keep an eye on her, but then what? They tower over us, so if they'd like to, they will still get her. Just makes me wonder why they need Julia? After all, she's not guilty of anything, it was her grandmother who attempted to kill the man. The general just wants to relieve himself when he kills her granddaughter? I don't understand any of this," says Simon, to which Laura crosses her arms on her chest.

- I think he just gets satisfaction from watching someone's death. He is not a man, but a monster. - Sara says this as a knock on the door sounds. Oliver steps inside and, with a nod of his head, calls her in. She approaches him, surprised by his sudden visit.

- We need to talk.

Laura and Simon are watching them with obvious curiosity in their eyes, so they step out into the corridor. The girl looks around to be certain, but there is no one nearby.

- Is something wrong?

- You were right. Julia is in danger. I accidentally overheard their conversation. The general will not rest until he gets his hands on her. He sometimes said that he hates people from Poland and can't look at us. I don't know what he is planning, but we must be careful. This man is unpredictable and, as you can see, he doesn't care about anything, so we are all in danger. We have to stick together. - With these words, he makes Sara's face blanch.

The brunet watches her closely as her back leans against the wall.

- So what? Is he planning to kill us?

- I'm afraid this is about something else. He knows very well that since we are locked up in the center, no one is interested in us. It's something like a correctional facility, so I think he's trying to take advantage of it. - The girl feels chills on her body. She gets the impression that Oliver is thinking the same thing as she is.

Is that why the spirits are trying to warn her? In that case, why do they want Alan dead? He is not guilty of anything. Is this the way they just want revenge?

- Do you mean to say that he wants to do it again? - she asks in a trembling voice, but Oliver only nods as a schoolgirl walks past them.

- I'm just guessing, but it seems most obvious to me. He really can't look at people from Poland, and that means he is not sane in his mind.

Shocked by this news, she returns to her room. She hides behind the closet when she notices that Simon is trying to kiss Laura. He almost succeeds, but the girl suddenly turns her face away and gets up from the bed.

- I can't, Simon. You are my best friend. I would rather not spoil our relationship, because I really care about you, and besides, I'm still healing my broken heart. It's not easy for me after the way I was treated by Matthew," she says quietly.

Simon gets up from the bed, and walks over to the girl so he can see her face.

- You still like him, don't you? You have hope. It's pathetic, Laura. You are a nobody to him, and you see him as the eighth wonder of the world. I really don't understand it. How could you not see that I had a deeper feeling for you from the very beginning? I really care about you and would do anything for you, but you still prefer this idiot who treats you like trash. It hurts. It damns well hurts," he says in a brittle voice, then leaves the room, slamming the door.

- Simon," she whispers, wiping tears from her cheeks. - I'm sorry, but it's really hard for me.

Simon is right. He really cares about Laura and would do anything for her, but she still blindly looks up to Matthew, for whom she means nothing. How can she still have hope when he treats her in such a cruel way? She has a boyfriend by her side who really loves her, and she can't appreciate it.

Laura suffers through her stupidity.

Sara comes out from behind the closet, and although she shouldn't interfere in their affairs, she can't look at it any longer.

- You are making a huge mistake, Laura. I talked to Matthew and I know that he still loves Julia. You should let him go, because you will suffer unnecessarily. Simon really cares about you.

The brunette looks at her roommate, but doesn't say a word. Sara was sure he would yell at her, yet she remained silent.

Did she understand her words? That's what she hopes.

*

Another night in a row is a nightmare for the girl. The phantoms whisper terrifying words in her ear, and she lies in bed with her eyes closed, praying that they will finally stop. Pressing her lips together, she tries to hold back the tears that gather under her eyelids as the ghosts repeat that they will kill her if she does not comply with their request.

She rubs her head into the pillow as the bedclothes slide off her, landing at the other end of the room. She feels an icy hand grab her leg and try to pull her off the bed. Furthermore, she grabs onto the railing, unable to let herself be hurt again.

However, she fails to hold on and is pulled, painfully falling to the floor. She feels that she has bruised her hand. She attempts to defend herself, but an unknown force drags her across the room. Furthermore, she wants to grab onto anything, but is unable to do anything. The door opens with a bang, and the phantom drags the girl out of the room.

Despite the noise, Laura does not wake up. Only Sara can hear it.

She is scared when she notices that the ghost is dragging her towards the stairs. With panic in her eyes, she grabs onto the first rung and doesn't intend to let it go for any reason. She realizes how painful that would be. The phantom unexpectedly lets go and then Sara hears someone talking. It comes from the lobby, so she runs downstairs and looks curiously from behind the wall.

- I do not know how you will do it, but currently you have to bring the boy, if only by force. No one can know I'm talking to him, so it has to take place at night," says the General, looking at the math teacher with a fierce face. - What else are you waiting for?

- The boy will not listen. He hates me. Besides, the kids lock up for the night, so I won't go inside," he replies in a frightened voice and cowered as the General slapped him across the face with all his might.

Sara hides behind a wall so he won't accidentally see her.

- Are you disregarding orders? You're supposed to bring my grandson, and right now! - The general is planning something, so she can't let Alan meet this man.

Without thinking, she runs to the men's section, where the boys' rooms are located. She frantically looks back and starts banging on the door, ignoring the sleeping students.

- Alan, open up. I'm begging you," she whispers under her breath, checking sometimes to see if the teacher is coming. She hears the sound of the lock opening and breathes a sigh of relief when she spots the boy on the threshold. He is wearing boxers, so she is embarrassed and quickly covers her eyes. Her cheeks burn incredibly, but she has no choice. She has to warn him.

- Someone will come for you in a while, so hurry. I heard that the General wants to see you. It can't be anything good, so you have to hide," she says hurriedly, looking in another direction. - The director definitely has extra keys to our rooms, so you can't stay there.

She gets scared when she hears someone coming up the stairs. She looks at the blond boy, looking to him for support. The boy grabs her hand and pulls her deeper into the hallway. They hide behind a wall and watch in silence as the math teacher walks up to his door. He grabs the door handle and carefully presses it. He looks around carefully. Furthermore, he is surprised when he realizes the door is open. He goes inside, and they take advantage of the moment and run down the stairs. Alan pulls Sarah in the direction where the girls' rooms are located. He looks at her uncertainly when his gaze is caught by the cantina, located next to the stairs. This is the room where the girl got stuck after the party at Simon's house, and also the place where they first met. It was from here that Alan freed her when she snapped.

Disregarding the fact that she is shaking her head, he pushes her into the room, then goes inside himself and slams the door behind him.

- You made a mistake. They only open from the outside. We fell into a trap," whispers Sara in a panicked voice.

This place scares her, and she felt it the first time.

The cantina is minimal, so despite the darkness there, she feels Alan's proximity perfectly. Her heart beats hard, and her breathing becomes uneven. At first, she thinks it's out of fear, but understands that she's wrong when the boy moves even closer to her.

Her hands are trembling and she can't control it.

- Are you all right? You're trembling all over, Sara," Alan says, at which she swallows her saliva harder. After all, she can't tell him it's because of him. She would sooner sink to the ground than gather for such a confession, so she has no choice but to lie.

- They're here again, that's why I'm scared," she whispers quietly, and opens her eyes wider as the blond man grabs her by the shoulders and pulls her close.

Surprised by his sudden behavior, she does not react in any way. Her head is at the level of his chest and her hands hang along her body, as she does not know what she should do with them. After all, she can't embrace him, her heart is acting like it's going to jump out of her chest anyway. Besides, he is shirtless, so she feels uncomfortable.

She wants to move away from him, but he doesn't let her and hugs her even tighter.

- At least let me do it for a while, Sara. I would like to know what it feels like. I just need a moment...