PENSIONNAT - VERSION ENGLISH - BOOK FINISH

° 14 °

It was the first time I walked in the gardens. Normally, they were just crazy flowers with gigantic trees or very small ones, or bushes of all shapes. But there, they were illuminated by lanterns and garlands of all shapes! Although everything was strange, I felt a comfort to walk among them.

A rose, similar to the one I had received at mom's house, was growing next to a gigantic bush. There was something attractive about it, something...

- Precious.

A man. Old. He came up behind me with a hat in his hand. He looked tired.

- I beg your pardon? I asked.

- These roses have the particularity of being .... precious. When they are bathed in the rays of the full moon, a crystalline sweat emerges from some petals. These crystals, are then used for the most precious jewels of our community... like our link objects for example.

- They are beautiful. Do you still have your link object?

- Of course I do! A pocket watch with six hands!

The old man took it out of his pocket and showed it to me with his trembling hand.

- It is beautiful... The hands are yellow and green... it's beautiful. It really is.

- The colors come, depending on our experiences and of course... the strength of our soul... If I may say so, yours is gorgeous.

- Ah... thank you. I didn't want to talk about it. Nobody had heard what I had heard.

- The Fleur de Lys appeared... indeed, it means a pureblood.

- Yes...amazing, isn't it. My eyes were fixed on the rose.

- Does it evoke a message, a warning? Or a danger, perhaps? Now I was looking at him. Did you hear something? A barely audible sound... ?

I was beginning to want to stammer to drown out the fish, but... oh, to hell with the varicose veins! I didn't know this man, but if he could help me understand!

- I heard something, yes. I continued.

The grandfather's eyes looked at me hungrily. Like a child who wanted to know the end of a story.

- What was it?

- Words. The voice of a person in pain, I would say.

- And what did this voice say?

- That it has found me and that it will come to "finish me off". So, tell me sir... What does it mean? When she spoke, I don't think anyone could hear her, yet she easily hid the noise in the room!

- She was only hiding your ears. The little man seemed to be thinking...You are in grave danger and it may be that this danger will affect our community...

- What danger?! I don't know anyone in this community!

- But obviously, HE knows you...You see, there are several vengeances among us! But yours appeared during the passage.

- What does that mean?

- Which means... someone has been stalking you since you were born and much more!

- But what should I do?! Shouldn't I tell someone? The police could help me!

- Humans won't help you miss... the threat is not human, I'm afraid.

- What do you mean?

- A suffering voice is the voice of a very old soul. A lost soul...but you see a soul, cannot communicate like this unless it has done the unthinkable.

- And what is the unthinkable? I asked perplexed.

- The unthinkable is to stay.

- What? To stay? What do you mean?

- A lonely soul does not stay among humans and Ghotas. It would suffer so much that it would become a Darkai or worse.

- So how does she stay?

- I have no idea! But know that she must be dark... very dark and very dangerous. I will try to find out more.

- Thank you...Really.

- I will contact you if I have more information about you.

- Thank you! And what should I call you?

- Mr. Tocque. He disappeared into the smoke, scattering to the wind.

Grayce and Max came running to me. I told them everything in great detail. How I got there, Derne's smile, the voice in my head looking for me and the meeting with Mr. Tocque.

- We have to find out who knows. Assured Max. An old soul? How can a soul be "old"? Besides, what happens when you die? Max asked.

- It's not that simple...for the old soul. Grayce explained. A soul is in itself "old" as long as it is not touched... So it can live many lives and reincarnate when its cycle ends. I think Mr. Tocque is referring to the...

- The what? I asked insistently.

- It's quite funny to say, because they are only legends! But dark souls are the children of death. In the stories anyway! Grayce asserted. In the Ghota books, death is an entity of polymorphic nature. It is capable of transforming itself into a beautiful flower or a great forest fire! And it is said that she has children who help her in her work... Hence the dark souls. You see? It is only a myth! It's impossible that death is interested only in you! They have too much work to do and besides, although it brings death, it's just. I think it's more like a Ghota, but maybe it went wrong.

- Your tales are horrible! Max shouted at Grayce. And you're making children read this?! No wonder the Rylook twins are crazy!

- Well anyway, we're not telling anyone. We'll do some research on this, but in private. And we should start with the Fountain. Maybe we can learn more. I suggested.

- I suggested. "Okay! Max and Grayce replied at the same time. I was glad to have them around... especially at a time like this!

*****

The ball and its traditions. After their passage, the first years had to open the ball. We were to dance. A White Spectre with a Black Spectre. That was the rule. We would pick up our passing partners at the Fountain, where we would stand ready on the dance floor.