Adventures of Adira: School of Secrets

Chapter19, Into the Dark

   A few minutes passed, and everything was normal. Hailey came back and started her usual bragging, but luckily she wasn't bragging to us.

   Francesca wanted to go back to the school because she was getting tired of wearing her dress, so she went and told Hailey that she was going to the room first. Like every time, Hailey didn't seem to care, Francesca wasn't surprised because either way, Hailey would wake her up bragging or complaining.

   She bid us goodbye and left the house, but I was wary about the situation. I saw Zenny looking at Francesca as she left the house, and it was like she also felt that something was wrong.

   She shook her head and approached the door. Lewis and Hugo followed her as I joined them asking: "Where are you going?"

   "It's been long enough, plus I don't think Fran is safe, I will go back with her. Two is better than one." Zenny answered.

   We looked at each other but decided to let her go. Lewis was a little uneasy about the situation too, so he understood why Zenny wanted to go.

Zenny's P.O.V

   When I left the house it was bright, but as I walked further and further away from the house I entered into the pitch-black night. I was hoping that Francesca would hear me telling her to slow down, but she never did. I was starting to think that she was already gone, but how can someone walk that fast?

   I continued walking under the light of the night sky, but it was hard. I almost fell and tripped many times, but I continued walking with the hope that I was going in the right direction. At one point I felt like the ground moved for a split second. I didn't know if it was an earthquake, or I accidentally stepped on a rock, but it was weird.

   There was a time that I felt that I wished that I had a flashlight or a phone, but I didn't so I had to rely on my instincts. Francesca was nowhere to be found, and I was starting to worry that she might have disappeared.

After walking for who knows how long, I finally saw the school's lights. I went running to the school, and when I got to the door Miss Gemma saw me. I was so worried that my face looked so anxious, which made Miss Gemma worry.

   "Zenny, what's going on?" She asked.

   "I am okay Miss Gemma, but did Francesca come?" I asked.

   Miss Gemma looked around then shook her head. My heart quickly dropped. It would be a miracle for someone to not get lost in that pitch-black night, and maybe Francesca did get lost, or maybe she disappeared like everyone else.

   "She left the party before me, and she still didn't come back?" I questioned.

   "No, I have been here for an hour now expecting the students, I didn't see her at all." Miss Gemma answered.

   I felt like there was no point questioning her more, so I just told her about how dark the path was then I went upstairs. While I was going to the third floor a little girl bumped into me.

   She was a cute little girl with bright brown eyes, and she looked a lot like Federico. "Sorry." She softly apologized as she put her phone in her pocket.

   "Can I borrow your phone for a second?" I asked, hoping to get a chance to call and warn the rest about what has happened.

   She got her phone back out of her pocket and handed it to me. When I opened the phone application I remembered that I didn't know any of my friends' phone numbers. My face fell into a frown, so the little girl asked: "Is there anyone you want to call?"

   "My friends at the party," I replied, looking down at the floor.

   "My brother is at that party." She responded as she pressed her brother's contact for me.

   Her brother indeed was Federico, and I can't say how thankful I was at that moment. When he answered I quickly asked, in a whisper so that the little girl wouldn't hear, if Francesca was with them. He seemed uneasy when he heard my question, to a point that Stella responded instead of him saying: "Didn't you go with her?"

   "I did, but you try walking in that pitch-black night. The stars aren't that bright. I was lucky enough to make it to the school." I replied.

   Stella told the rest about what has happened, so Adira grabbed the phone and asked: "Was there anything that you heard on the path?"

   "I didn't hear a thing, but it was a weird path as if the earth tilted for a second," I answered.

   "Well, we'll try searching for her, you try waiting in case she appears," Adira ordered me.

   After a few hours of worry, the rest of my classmates came. When Adira entered our room she put the ruby Francesca was given on the vanity.

   "Why did you bring that?" I asked.

   "Because I find it weird how she disappeared the same night she was given this ruby. It might be a clue, and this whole situation needs to be taken care of very carefully." Adira replied.

   "I personally think that this is silly. She might have lost her way and then came back after you." Heather commented.

   "But we searched for her, Heather, if she was out there she would've been seen by anyone who wasn't at the party or by the teachers, but she wasn't," Adira explained.

   "That's maybe because there was no one out there at the time," Heather responded.

   "I hate to admit it but she has a point. It was pitch black outside without a single person in sight. I was lucky to have made it back in one piece." I agreed, though I really didn't want to.

   "But this is strange." Adria commented, "People don't disappear into thin air that easy."

   "Easily." Heather corrected.

   "But Adria does have a point, this is starting to look like a pattern," I added.