The Switch

The Switch (Chapter 9)

I was starting to have a small panic seizure.It wasn't a joke.I went by the bars(That room was a lot like prison cell,it's door was locked)and tried to get the hatch open.I failed.

I cried a bit.

This was a big mess.

It felt like a bad dream

When I sat on a floor,ruining that white toga of mine,I heard someone approaching to me.

I quickly sat up and ran up to the door to see closer.Someone came down the stairs,down to me.That someone came slowly and was really scary.

He wore a black hoodie and his face was covered with it.

He wore casual jeans and if I wasn't that scared,I would've thought he was really swaggy.

"Welcome,Ashley"stranger had stopped by the door and spoke to me now"You didn't quit the camp,knowing you were a fifth yearer.Upcoming events are mystery to you,and you must be scared.Don't.You are safe,if you understand the school rules and follow instructions.You have no power here,Ashley.You may have friends,however romantic affections are forbidden.I am your mentor,Clave."

He rose his head and looked me in the eye.He had dashingly blue eyes and his skin looked like chocolate covered with ashes.Creepy.

"I will lead you in your room now."

He opened the cell door without any trouble and stood a second at the door.

I was so confused as someone can be.

I didnt understand anything he had said,yet I realized that was something really important.What school?Was this a nightmare and I'll wake up at home?I got my hopes on that one.

I was too scared to move and sat on the dirty ground when mentor approached me.He smiled to me and gave me his hand to help me up.

I was surprised from that kind gesture and didnt accept the hand and looked at him suspicioussly.

He took my hand himself and dragged me up.

"Oh,you already ruined your dress.Luckily,we have more of those"he said when he looked at the cloth I was wearing.I couldn't call this a dress.But I was thankful I had at least that,since I was naked under it.

When we got out of that prison and up the small wooden stair,we got into a long corridor.

The walls had red tapets and red carpets.The walls were covered with paintings.There were no windows in this corridor.

As I understood,we came out of the wall.The prison was a secret room with a secret door in the wall.

Clave started locking it with many locks(Security,of course) and I looked the paintings.

One painting was of a strict old lady who wore a long red dress and sat on an armchair,looking right in my eyes.

The one on the other side was of a boy who was on the ground and looked like he was in pains.It also had a small emblem on the upper right corner.It was red and had a knife and a white flaming tulip on it.It was creepy and I hoped that the pain the boy had in his eyes was only painter's imagination.Clave had done the locking and called me.

We started going to the big dark wooden door by the end of the corridor.

"Don't be scared,really.It's not that bad.You'll get a closer explanation on the speech of the Master tonight."

Clave said.He wasnt so scary afterall and seemed really friendly actually.

"Where am I?"

I asked.I had millions of questions more,but I started with it.

"You're at the School of the Dead.

I know it sounds creepy,but it's really not."Clave added the ending quickly when he saw me getting paler.

"T...the Dead!?"I asked hysteriacly"AM I DEAD!?!?"

"Shh,guurl."Clave said"It's past midnight,the others are sleeping already.

And you're not dead."

He said,when I felt like I was gonna scream"You're just frozen.If you want,you can call this death,but the switch from aging to stay young forever was so quick,it's not even worth noticing"

He understood he had said too much and added"But you'll understand when the Master explains.For that time,calm yourself"

He opened the door and we got into a big hall,made of black marmor.A stair leaded down to the sitting room.

On the right side of the sitting room there was a big stair leading to the door"Boys dorm" ,

on the left "Girls dorm.

In the middle of the hall was a fountain,that was surrounded of comfortable swingy sofas and chairs.This room was also filled with tropical plants of any kind and the air in it seemed almost warm.I could hear some birds and I guessed there were birds in here also.The theme of the room changed so suddenly so I was confused again.The roof was made,of glass and I saw hundreds of stars lighting the sky.

"So...it's 3am and everybody wake up 6am.You can sleep a bit,if you want to.Man,I thought you died.Everyone woke up 22.pm yesterday,you woke up really late,only minutes ago.Well,goodnight then,you know where to go."Clave left and close the big wooden door suprisingly quietly.

I went by the sofas,fountain and plants,up the stairs, in the girls dorm and there was a cozy and neat bedroom full of beautiful rose plants.Big roses came down from the ceiling,wich was made of glass as from the last room.There were big beds,and each one was unique.Some were made of pink wood,some light green and some were yellow.All of them had flowers,birds or lakes or rivers graveired on them. All of them had soft and silky beige curtains.Some girls had closed them,some hadn't.

Some beds were empty and every bed had it's own theme.One had tunes of Mozart on it,the one next to it was decorated with fox and deer painted on it.I recognized some of the girls from the camp and tried waking them,but they didnt wake up.

I went by the big white door at the end of the room that had sign "Wardrobe",that was next to another white door"Washroom"

and was in the middle of any girls dream.When I lit the lamps,there were dresses,shoes,skirts,bags,necklaces and rings of any kind.Drawers were full of famous brand creations ,behind every door there was another style,collection or season.

I just took a simple dotted pajama from the drawer"Bedtime" and went back to bedroom by one of the empty beds.I didn't see well in the dark,but I believe it was light blue.I closed my curtains and looked out of glass roof.

I didn't have any sleep and observed everything I could see.My curtains were decorated with knitted flowers from inside.Roses,violets,dandelions and frezies were blooming,just as my pillow,blanket and sheets were.

It seemed hours later for me,when I finally drifted into nightmares,still in the lack of knowledge about my situation.

Where am I?

What is all of this?

Where is my family and Marcus?

I guess these questions have to wait until morning.

To be continued.