PENSIONNAT - VERSION ENGLISH - BOOK FINISH

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I woke up under the tree. Under its branches and its pink flowers. I felt safe there. I sat down and contemplated the surroundings.

Nothing had changed. I was a little cold and I had unfortunately not forgotten... How to react to the school without a director? The future was going to be a mess. A last term in the turmoil of incomprehension with a serial killer on the loose!

We were all in danger. And then... What if the alleged killer was that voice that wanted to "finish me off"?

Looking at the grass, I saw a mark. The mark made by someone who had sat there. He or she must have been sitting near me... This person had lost a small button. Probably the one on his sleeve. I took it and promised myself to give it back, if I ever found out who it was. In the doubt, I threw a small glance around me... But I was well and truly alone. I resumed, slowly, my way to the school. A headache was pounding my eardrums and I must admit, that the solitude (and especially the silence) soothed my pain.

Arriving in the corridors, I did not meet anyone. This was suspicious, since it was late afternoon.

- Where did they go?

Against all expectations, it was my ghost who answered me. A pinkish-blue mist appeared in the void. It took the shape of an arm and pointed to the large room at the end of the corridor. I was surprised that I could do such a thing, but I didn't linger. So I walked towards the large room.

The door was open. I entered without difficulty and quickly joined Max and Grayce. They were forming an assembly in front of the teachers' tables.

- What's going on? I asked Grayce.

- Ella?! Where the hell have you been? I've been worried!

- Why? Why are we all gathered here? Everyone was jostling to be first in line. Max pulled us out of line to avoid being trampled.

- There was a murder. Again. Max said. His face was a mixture of concern and anger.

A murder? The school already knew? I looked at the chair where Exila's principal was sitting. It was facing the wall... Only the back of the backrest was visible. A "deadly" coldness surrounded it, which affirmed my fears. Grayce had tears in his eyes.

- Wha... What? I stepped forward to get a better look. Is someone on it...?

My eyes locked on the arm that had just moved on the armrest.

- A replacement? Already? Maybe it was Mr. Strange? No! Surely not! The thought of him made me smile. He scratched his throat and finally turned to us.

- Good evening, everyone. A... sad news has come to plague us, in this late afternoon. While we were all busy with our duties, it seems that we neglected the evil. I hold myself solely responsible for it. Lately, my mind has been occupied with the search for Marie, who was a first grader and who disappeared. Because of the Shadows. Unfortunately, another person was... unhappy. Another person was, lost. Tired.

Grayce turned to me abruptly, getting my full attention.

- Mrs. Rose, the nurse, is dead! It's horrible!!! She burst into tears. Max immediately took her in his arms.

- But... I... I saw it. I was saying these words so low that no one could hear me. And she, she said that the director... was dead. I walked towards the front rows, hoping to understand what was happening.

- Her attacker is the same as the one in the front row. He used the same method. As a result of this incident, the president and I agreed to install soldiers in the mansion to protect us day and night.

I saw Mrs. Dona, with Mrs. Colou and Mrs. Rose, close to the Director. Their faces were dark, sad. But there was no nurse.

I didn't understand anything anymore. What was going on? Did I hear wrong? Wasn't the Director dead? But that's impossible! I saw the nurse alive!

My mind was getting fuzzy and I was beginning to hear the voice of my killer.

"You are a coward. You didn't save her" it repeated over and over.

My vision was getting blurry, I was hot! My lungs were gasping for air!

For the second time, I was sinking in a black ocean. But before I closed my eyes, I got a small narcissistic smile from the Director.

*****

I woke up in my room. On my bed.

Grayce was at her desk. She was reading a book about lost souls.

At its peak, a black soul, still alive, can act as a black hole. It would be able to become a huge ball, swallowing anything and everything.
A Ghota, using all his senses and gifts to the full, would be able to control it. All he had to do was to switch half his mind and all his soul. During this transaction, he would be subjected to so much evil temptation that if he could not control himself, his soul would itself turn into a black hole.

Since a Ghota was tormenting my mind, Grayce was reading a lot of books about souls that could go bad.

She claimed he was like us, Ghota. I wondered if he was really a Ghota and not one of those weird creatures that would inhabit their dark and scary world...

- Grayce? She looked at me and abruptly closed her book. She stood up and rushed over to me.

- How are you?! Are you hurt anywhere? Are you okay?

- Yes... I'm me...What's all the fuss about?... His face was almost touching mine.

- This is serious. We have a curfew. We have to be in our rooms by 7:00 p.m. sharp and not come out again until tomorrow morning. But this can't wait.

- Why can't it wait? Who decided that?! She brought her face even closer. By reflex, I pulled mine back.

- This isn't the first time you've fallen into a coma, is it? He is destroying you from the inside. He's attacking your mind and when he's done, he's going after your soul and there's nothing you can do about it!

- But... How do you... Are you talking about my pseudo assassin?

- This is a method we used to torture prisoners. Tonight, while everyone is sleeping, we'll sneak into the mansion and go see the twins. They're the only ones who can help you! In the meantime go eat. On the table is your meal. I'll be right back. I have to finish the last preparations.

- But you can't go out anymore...

- Yes, I can. I have a "valid" excuse. I have to return this book to the library. Come on, eat.

I ate very little that night. I was anxious to know who these "twins" were and I still hadn't told Grayce what had happened in the infirmary. Who had really died? Rose or the Headmaster?

It was going to be a long night.