Alice into Darkness

Here as Promised

The chapel bells started to ring as the classes of that day were over at last, it was time for everyone to go home and soon dozens of students and their professors emerged from the halls and buildings everywhere... they all looked happy and satisfied after having completed the first day of a new term, and the children laughed and talked to each other on their way back to the gates.

A little of snow continued to fall from the cold and grey sky, the wind was a little stronger than before and at this point everybody had decided to wear their winter hats, furry gloves and even blue and black scarves wrapped around their heads...

"Eileen! Where are you? I am here... I came on time, as promised!"

Alice remained invisible as she floated from one place to another, exploring the entire complex and trying to find Eileen between the varied groups of adults and students... It turned out that Saint Adelaide was a larger community than she had imagined it would be, but eventually Alice discovered her new little sister at the moment that she was departing from the chapel.

"Thank you, Miss Christie" Eileen said, beaming as she placed a large orange book inside of her backpack- "This is exactly what I needed for my homework, thanks to you it's going to be great!"

"No problem, Eileen" the professor replied, and Alice discovered that she was an old woman of long, grayish hair and friendly blue eyes- "You take care, and please be careful on the way back home..."

"My big sister is waiting for me!"

Alice still had no idea how to get her physical form back so she could continue with her normal life, but she decided to follow Eileen anyway all the way back to the street. It so happened that Eileen was already way behind the groups of other students, all of the professors had vanished and she was crossing one of the frosty gardens when it happened by surprise:

"There goes the Skaellyn!"

Alice watched as a pale and blond girl emerged from between some nearby bushes, she dashed towards Eileen and just an instant later she had stolen her Skaellyn hat with a quick movement of her hand. The girl had no trouble to push Eileen and cause her to fall to the frosty ground and grass, since she was taller and stronger, and after that she laughed as Eileen just gasped on the snow.

"Elsa Stallgren" Eileen said, glaring at her enemy as she scrambled to get back on her feet- "Give me back my hat!"

"Come and get it, you little Skaellyn!"

Elsa just ran away laughing and carrying the furry hat with her, Eileen dashed after her looking furious and Alice followed them all the way to one of the most secluded and lonely gardens of the school... It seemed that there was nobody else at that place, and then a cold and blond boy appeared from behind a tree and pushed Eileen to the ground as well.

"Who is going to defend the little Skaellyn this time?" he laughed, tossing some snowballs at Eileen as she tried to stand up- "Oh look, we have your crazy and ugly hat... Come and get it! What do you say, sister? Maybe we should break it this time?"

"Stupid Elliot" Eileen replied, defiant and proud- "You only mess with me when my brother is not around!"

The invisible Alice could do nothing but watch as Elliot and his sister just tossed the hat from one to the other, laughing and chanting while the smaller Eileen did her best and yet failed to recover what was one of her favorite possessions...

"Oh look! The little Skaellyn cannot even get her hat back!"

There was nobody else nearby that could even witness the wicked abuse, and after some time they grabbed Eileen's backpack as well and kicked it together without the slightest respect for whatever that could be inside of it.

"There you are, Skaellyn!" Elsa said, laughing as she tossed the hat straight at Eileen's teary face- "Now go home and tell Logan all about this, we are not afraid of him..."

"Wait till I grow up, Elsa..."

"Oh, really?!"

Elsa advanced a few steps, Elliot retreated and Alice was shocked to witness what happened just an instant later: The abusive Elsa delivered a punch right at Eileen's fragile nose, and even though the impact had not been really strong it was enough to send the weaker girl back to the ground...

"You... You shall pay for this, someday!"

Eileen recovered both her pack and her hat, she dashed away with a good amount of blood flowing from her nose and Elsa just remained there as she laughed and almost cried with delight... The siblings then proceeded to follow their own path, and they abandoned the school grounds by going through a hole in the wall that they had concealed with fallen leaves and snow.

"That was a little harsh, Elsa..."

"Come on, she cannot do anything against us!"

Alice followed Elsa and her brother by floating some distance behind them, it seemed that the siblings lived somewhere outside of the town, they had no idea that now a dangerous ghost was after them and soon they ventured into a rather eerie and lonely forest...