PENSIONNAT - VERSION ENGLISH - BOOK FINISH

° 5 °

Grayce woke me up by shaking me lightly. I hadn't been a heavy sleeper since I had arrived at this school. For as long as I could remember, my mind had never been still. To the point where hearing voices was totally normal to me.

She urged me to get dressed and take the backpack that was on the small table.

- Where is the tray? I put it there.

- The jesters.

- The what? I asked.

- The jesters. The little balls of cold flame. They work for the Ghota. They are the ones who clean up. They clean everything.

- ... There are some in the school?...

- Yes, fortunately! In all the families there are some! Well, the Ghota families...

- Why haven't I seen them before?

- They only come out at night or in dark places. They don't like light. Come on!

We passed the boys' door, where Max was waiting for us. He too was carrying a backpack. Without making a sound, Grayce motioned for us to follow her.

It took us two minutes to reach the foot of the tower. Not surprisingly, a soldier was guarding the entrance. Unperturbed, Grayce drew a small mouse with her ghost. She let it run against the wall until it was barely visible in the darkness.

The little mouse wiped its paws on its nose and began to scratch the floor frantically. The noise spread throughout the hallway. The guard went to meet him.

In the meantime, we snuck into the hallway that went to the left.

We met very few soldiers and each time we diverted their attention. It is thus without problem, that we arrived at the back doors, reserved to the personnel, which led directly to the gardens.

- It is closed. Informed Max.

- That complicates the things. But it is not serious. I had planned it.

- What are you going to do? I asked.

- We're going to cross it.

It was an exercise we hadn't learned yet. We had to be sophomores. Grayce said she would show us how to do it.

- It's not complicated. You just have to be really focused. For the first time, you have to imagine that you are going through it and don't forget to ask your living ghost for approval. It's going to feel weird haha!

Without waiting, she walked through the door and reassured us, once we arrived on the other side.

I closed my eyes and concentrated. I called my ghost and waited for him to agree. It took him a while to answer me.

"In reality, I found him excited about the experience.

He grew and wrapped himself, a little too quickly for my taste, around my skin. He didn't speak. I was worried, but his excitement was so strong that it kept me going.

Walking through the door was like walking through smoke. Most noticeable was the weight of my ghost on my skin. It was like wearing a thin vest. Max arrived right after me.

- That was excellent!!! I want to do it again!!! Max shouted, happy.

- Calm down, Max. This is not a game! If you don't control the transaction, you'll become a ghost!

The door hid a small room where gardening utensils occupied every corner. We had to go through a second door that led outside. Max was happy about this.

- And now what? Which way is it? I asked, puzzled.

- We have to take the east door. Let's go.

We walked for half an hour, weaving through the gardens and avoiding the soldiers, to get to the east gate.

It looked like all the others. There was nothing unusual about it. Grayce closed his eyes and reached out over the road. A carriage, with two horses and a driver emerged from under the earth.

It was dark, with pieces missing in places. But a blue smoke connected the broken pieces. The horses were skeletons with a black, torn sheet over them. Their eyes held a blue light. We climbed in without saying a word.

- Clandestine transport. They are the cheapest on the market. Max and I were impressed. We went through the gate and drove through the fields and forests.

- It's Friday. Tomorrow is the weekend. They won't be looking for us. Anyway, we've been ordered to stay in our rooms. Take your ease... We have a two-hour drive before we arrive.

Everything was morbid. Taking comfort was not the easiest thing to do. Yet, all three of us fell asleep after a half hour drive.