'God will forgive you.'- that's what they told them. 'God doesn't exist.'- that's what Seulgi believed. But nobody cared what Seulgi believed in. She was the sinner- so she had to obey. That were the principles her school followed.
The Lakeland Girl...
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25 days before
Irene's POV:
It had started to rain as Irene was lying in her bed. It was autumn, and the air was getting colder and colder. She had already asked for some extra blankets. Now she was cuddled in three of them, one belonging to Dami.
Irene wasn't made for Winter. She was petite and fragile and hadn't got the muscles or fat which could warm her up. She was one of the first to wear the Winter uniform. In September. For the months around Christmas, she usually froze herself to death or walked around with gloves and a scarf.
It looked hilarious. But at least she wouldn't get a cold.
The flicker of dozens of candles enlightened the room, spending some extra warmth. Or it was just the so-called placebo effect that gave Irene the feeling. Unfortunately, the whole dorm had become sticky and full of thin smoke.
She coughed.
"Can I open the window?" Irene got rid of the first blanket. She observed Dami who was kneeling down on the floor. The scenario was pretty weird, but familiar to Irene. She experienced it every week.
Since Dami was the representative of the botanic committee, she got the permission to take some equipment of the greenhouse with her. It was a privilege for every representative, except of Irene who couldn't take kitchen items.
Knifes would be too dangerous.
Dami had taken half of the greenhouse with her. She had placed several stones in front of her, all ordered in a certain pattern. Behind her three candles. The Sisters offered them two candles per day so they could use them for the compline.
Last year, Dami had the idea to store all of them on the window sill as a decoration. Now she was using them for her rituals.
Furthermore, the girl used her bed sheet as a carpet. Irene had helped her to extend it to the maximum so she could cover the floor. In combination with her candles and the weird stones it seemed like she was summoning the devil.
Irene had never really understood what Dami was exactly doing. Or if Dami knew what she was doing. But it didn't matter to her as long as the girl wouldn't hurt herself.
"Dami, can I open it now?", Irene asked another time since she didn't receive an answer. Dami opened her eyes and blinked.
"For one minute."
Irene sighed and removed the other two blankets. The noise of raining became louder as the cold air floated into their room.
"Give me the fourth candle", Dami mumbled.
Irene cleared her throat.
"Please?"
Irene nodded and took the small candle from the windowsill. The hodgepodge looked almost like a little booth. She played with the little wick until Dami reached for the item. She knew that she was breaking one of the minor rules with asking for a 'please'.
