Surrounded by the darkness of the past

She opens her eyes and carefully looks around the room she woke up in. She is lying on a cold, wet floor, with brick walls surrounding her. The main corridor has passageways leading to narrow tunnels, and the only source of light is an old light bulb—bobbing on a cable just above her head.

The place is scary and gives her the creeps.

She looks down and realizes that she is wearing pajamas and her feet are barefoot. The girl is cold and feels a shrill chill. She doesn't know how she got to this place. She can't explain it. For several days, she has had a dream in which phantoms drag her to the bottom, and she dies looking at human skeletons.

Since that day in which she almost drowned, strange things have started happening to her. She sees inexplicable phenomena, can't distinguish between nightmare and reality, and today she even woke up in a strange place, completely unaware of how she reached it.

The girl pinches her hand to make sure she's not dreaming, and bites her lip when she realizes she's actually here.

The teenager looks around her with panic, wondering which way she should go to get out. She stands on the main corridor from which narrow tunnels exit, and on the other side is a large grille. She walks up to it and looks inside.

The girl gets sick when she notices the decomposed corpse lying against the wall. She turns her face away and holds back the vomiting reflex.

She runs over to the other side.

Closing her eyelids and taking a deep breath, she leans against the cold wall, trying to calm the panic rising within her.

A light bulb goes out.

Her heart freezes, and a cold sweat covers her. With trembling hands, she pulls back the hair that invades her face. She stands still and listens to the quiet sounds that come from the tunnels. She gets the impression that she hears tapping and someone's footsteps. Someone is heading in her direction. Sarah's breathing accelerates and her body refuses to obey. She is unable to move from her position.

She is terrified.

- What is happening to me? - she mutters panicked, trying to sharpen her eyesight. It is so dark that she is unable to see anything. The footsteps get quieter and the tapping gets louder. She is so frightened that she can't focus on her thoughts. She doesn't know what to do, where to go, especially since she can't see anything.

The light bulb flares up again, and to her eyes appears a figure standing right in front of her.

She opens her eyes wide. A black hole appears on the phantom's face from which a shrill screech comes out, and she feels she is losing ground.

She does not know how long she has been unconscious, but she wakes up in the same place.

The girl rises from the cold floor and carefully looks around the corridor. This time she doesn't see anything disturbing. She is drenched and frozen. Water drips from leaking pipes on the ceiling, forming small puddles on the floor. She can no longer stay in this place. She decides to take a chance and enter one of the dark tunnels to find a way out.

Furthermore, she runs through the water, trying to see any light. She screams in pain as her hand snags on something sharp. Pressing her lips together, she touches the wound and feels tears coming to her eyes.

All her life she has been a coward and afraid to take risks, but currently she has more courage in her than she had before. She wants to get out of this place at all costs and return to peace.

She breathes a sigh of relief when she notices light breaking through gaps in the ceiling. There is an exit, and a narrow ladder leads to it. She climbs it and tries to open the trapdoor. She starts banging on it and screaming, hoping that someone will hear her. Furthermore, she wobbles dangerously, but manages to catch her balance. She lifts her face up when she hears someone open the trapdoor. The bright light glaring into her eyes, so she shades them with her hand.

- What are you doing here? - She hears his voice and freezes. She tentatively looks at him from under her squinted eyelids, and the blond man extends his hand to help her out.

She shakes his hand and he pulls her up. Confused, she looks around her and realizes that she is behind a building. It must be early morning, as the sun has just begun to rise. She shifts her gaze to Alan, who is wearing sweatpants. Hanging around his neck are large headphones from which hip-hop music is coming out. He had to run, so this is a happy coincidence. If it weren't for him, there's no telling how much time she would have spent there, trying to find another way out. And even though he is the last person who should see her in this state, she is grateful to him.

- I you-just... - begins to stutter, so the blond man measures her carefully. He keeps his gaze a moment longer on her bare feet and her pajama sleeve, on which blood is visible.

- Did someone lock you up again? Last time I also helped you get out of a strange place," he declares, and she blushes. Not only is he the boy who caught her eye from the beginning, but moreover, he finds her in an uncomfortable situation once again. She feels shame. - But you don't look good today. Are you all right? I think you should go to the doctor.

- No! - denies quickly, vigorously shaking her head. - I can't. I've been to his place so many times that it would be strange if I went again," she adds more quietly, and his attention is drawn to the girl's bare feet.

The 17-year-old opens her eyes wider when the boy unexpectedly takes off his white sneakers from his feet and crouches beside her. He puts on her his shoes, which are several sizes too big, but she immediately feels warmer, including at heart. Blinking her eyelids, she looks at him shocked, while at the same time impressed by this act. Not only did he get her attention the first time they met, but now he is so good towards her. He helped Sara and made her heart beat harder. She didn't have to take the first step, because Alan just did, and because of this, she began to believe that, in her eyes, he was the perfect man.

- Better? - he asks, to which she shyly nods. Although he hasn't smiled at her once, she considers him the nicest guy on earth. - You shouldn't let them treat you this way. I get the impression that you don't fit in here either and ended up here solely on the whim of your parents. Apparently, we are on the same level," he says, with emphasis on the last words. - And I think you should go to the doctor, though. You are very pale.

The boy wants to leave, but Sara shouts something that embarrasses her as well. Alan must think she's crazy at this point; however, this sight has shaken her too much that she can't keep quiet.

- There are corpses down there! I saw them, I swear.

The blond man turns to face her. She feels like collapsing to the ground. It's silly that she just told him about it. She had a chance to get closer to him, especially since he was the one who took the first step toward their acquaintance, and she was acting like a crazy person. What else can he think of her?

- A corpse? - he repeats with curiosity in his voice, and she closes her eyelids. She sees the look on his face. He looks as if he feels like bursting into laughter, but he's playing hardball, so he restrains himself.

Confused, she nods and turns her face in the opposite direction, trying to hide her embarrassment. She feels like an idiot.

- As soon as you recover, we can play CSI, if those corpses are actually there," he claims, and she could have sworn that for a moment, a smile appeared on his face. The first smile she's seen from him since she met him.

The blond man walks away and disappears behind the wall of the building, and she punches herself in the head with her fist.

Humiliation, is the first word she thinks of.

*

When she returns to her room, Laura is still asleep, so her roommate hasn't even noticed her mysterious disappearance in the middle of the night.

She takes a warm shower and takes care of the wound on her hand, which she experienced during her escape from that place. When she comes out of the bathroom, the girl is just waking up. Stretching in all sorts of ways, she mutters under her breath about how the night is far too short. Sara would have been happiest not to sleep at all, if that were possible. If she hadn't fallen into the pond where she rubbed herself to death, she probably wouldn't be acting crazy now.

That was still missing.

Not only do they already tease the girl because of her character, but now she sees phenomena that are impossible for others to see with the naked eye.

- It's so early and you're already awake? - Laura asks her, leaning on her elbows. She looks at Sara with curiosity in her eyes.

The brown-haired woman forces a slight smile.

- I have not been sleeping well lately.

- I can just see it. You are pale and have bruises under your eyes. You should cover them with makeup, because you look like a zombie," she claims, and a mischievous smile appears on her face. Laura is too outspoken, and occasionally that's good, but there are times when she overdoes it.

- I will do it. I don't want anyone to find another reason to tease me," she says quietly, looking in her makeup bag for concealer. She walks over to the mirror and applies as much as she needs in the right places to hide the imperfections caused by fatigue. - Would you believe me if I told you that since I almost drowned, I've been seeing ghosts and something bad is happening to me?

For a long moment, there is silence in the room, which Laura breaks with a sudden snort.

- Sara I know you were close to death and had temporary hypoxia of the brain, so sometimes you may think you see something that isn't there, but I beg you never to talk about it again, or I'll think you're crazy," she replies amused.

This is enough for Sara to end the subject. Her roommate is different from her, so some things the girl prefers to keep to herself. She is not likely to be the person she can confide all her secrets to.

- Have you heard about Julia's strange behavior? - Suddenly, she changes the subject, and Sara looks at her with interest. She shakes her head as the brunette emerges from under the bedsheets. - Apparently, she was given extra visits with another psychologist by the principal. There has been talk for some time now about this man for extremely difficult youth. Julia was not seen for two days, and when she returned to the room she behaved really strangely. She hardly spoke at all, even to her best friends. I wonder what these classes are, if they are so effective. - She rubs her hands together eagerly . - I hope that this painted zebra has finally seen the light.

The door to the room opens with a bang, and a panicked Simon runs inside. He looks at Laura with pleading eyes and folds his arms, asking her for help.

- You have to hide me. Later I will explain everything to you, but protect me, Laura. - With a nod, the girl tells him to hide.

The boy crawls under the bed with difficulty.

- I bet I know what you mean," he mutters.

The door opens again, and a pretty blonde woman stops in.

- Where is Simon? I'm sure he hid in this room," she declares in an angry voice.

- I count to five. If you don't get out of here I'll kick you out with my hands, and I warn you that it really hurts," Laura threatens her, smiling mischievously.

The blonde looks at her and freezes when she sees the owner of this threat. Without a word, she withdraws from the room, and Simon gets out from under the bed. He looks gratefully at his friend and only then greets Sara.

- Hi. You look tragic. You're frighteningly pale," he says, then shifts his gaze to Laura," ... and you look beautiful even with uncombed hair and no makeup. Thanks for covering for me.

- Why did she chase you? What did you do wrong again?

- I stole her moisturizer. She is the only person who uses cosmetics of the same brand as me, and I just happened to run out, so I had no choice. My face is too handsome to be neglected," he claims, surreptitiously glancing at the brown-haired woman. - And I would rather not look like your roommate," he adds maliciously, then leaves the room.

Sara opens her eyes wider. Laura parries with a loud laugh.

- I'm friends with him for a reason," she announces, shrugging her shoulders.

*

Throughout the class, Sara fights sleep. Her eyes close on their own, and Oliver, who is sitting next to her, continually throws her disgusted glances. He probably doesn't like the fact that the girl is squirming so much. However, she needs to be moving to stay awake. She doesn't need any more trouble, especially from a strict teacher.

- You're wriggling around like you have worms. You're driving me crazy, so calm down or you'll be sitting on the floor," Oliver says, so she immediately stiffens. She breathes out nervously and takes a pen in her hand, twirling it between her fingers. The brunet looks at her while making a disgusted face. - A repulsive ninny. Ever since you got here, I've been nervous all the time.

She tucks her hair behind her ear, feeling his uncomfortable gaze on her. She doesn't know what he wants from her, but sharing one bench with him is a bit scary.

Sara wonders why he ended up here, since he is a particularly difficult case. He probably caused many problems and his parents couldn't cope with him. Matthew is the only person Oliver befriended. He most likely had to put in significant effort to get close to his strange roommate. Sara admires him for being able to break through his wall.

She looks around the classroom and her gaze is caught by Laura, who is pinching Simon on the thigh. The boy is already red with anger, but he remains silent, not wanting to turn his friend in. Matthew, who shares a bench with his ex-girlfriend, is sketching something on a piece of paper, while Julia stares with absent-minded eyes at a single point.

There is indeed something wrong with her.

- We don't play with cell phones in my classes," the teacher says, stopping by Alan's desk. - In my opinion, they should be taken away from everyone. In this center, you don't need them. There is a telephone of the director, so you can communicate with your family," he adds, and the whole class gives a quiet murmur of displeasure.

- Then why don't you still chain us up? That would be best. What do you get money from your parents for? To torture us? Indeed, I forgot. After all, parents don't care anyway, because they get rid of us from home to save themselves additional trouble," the boy mocks, and the teacher pierces him with a stern look.

- I advise you not to be so arrogant, especially towards me. One student behaved identically, and after additional classes with me, he realized his mistake," the man announces, glancing at Matthew from the corner of his eye. - Maybe I didn't quite subdue him, but at least he doesn't snort.

- I won't let them dictate what I should do. I am not here of my own free will. I will decide for myself, and if something doesn't suit you, then you can throw me out of this moronic place, where the teachers are on the same level as the youth," he says in a raised tone.

The teacher unexpectedly slaps him in the face.

The students fall silent, and Sara covers her mouth with her hand. The blonde boy breaks from his seat, but Matthew stops him from making a mistake.

- You can't win with him. I've been in a similar situation," he whispers as a mocking smile appears on the man's face.

Alan clenches his fists.

- I don't care that you are the son of the prime minister. To me, you are the same mongrel as the rest of them. A brat whose parents got rid of him," he announces, and Alan points a finger at him.

- I will not leave it like this. You will regret it," he threatens the man, then leaves the classroom and slams the door. Quiet conversations are spreading among the students, but one look from the teacher is enough to make everyone fall silent.

This man is terrifying. He has no right to beat his students. He could be in serious trouble, especially since Alan is the son of an influential man.