The Great War

VII

I stay lazily sprawled out on my unmade bed, music quietly seeping through my TV. I turn my head towards my open laptop looking at the time. 1:30. Great. I've done nothing at all, and it's the afternoon. I let out a tired groan and get up. My socked feet hit my floor as I walk to my desktop. I refresh my email page. Still nothing.

It's only been two days but still, I'm impatient. I grab my phone off my bed and unlock it. No messages. Nothing, nada. I toss my phone and it lands on my pillow before slowly sliding off. I leave my bedroom and go to the kitchen screwing that clean area up just for a snack.

𖤐

I release a puff of air rubbing my arms as I walk along town. It was chilly, which wasn't a shocker. Its fall, bound to be a cold breeze. I'd decided to go to the old high school, the one Ophelia spoke about so often before she died, I wanted to just see... see something no one else has.

Or if they had, they turned a blind eye to it. Just like so many people do to the beauties of the world. I know Lilium would bite into me for it, probably ask why I didn't call her to ask if she'd wanna come. But I was curious, too curious for my own good.

But walking down the path, towards the old school grounds, it felt natural. Like I'd done it before. The path had moss growing on it, overgrown bush lining the sides. It looked so consumed by nature.

I looked up and spotted the old school, still intact, but there were cracks running up and down the whole structure, vines and overgrown grass. Moss and probably mold are beginning to grow on the (hopefully) sturdy walls.

It was a stunning sight. Like I wasn't supposed to see it, but I did. I walked up the steps and stopped at the entrance. It looked like a castle, something you'd only see in a fantasy book or your dreams.

I placed my hand on the door, somewhat scared it'd fall on me from the age of it. I push it and it opens, with some struggle of me pushing on it. I walked inside the school, it felt warm and natural. Like I was supposed to be doing this, supposed to be here.

I look around, the inside was huge, the bottom level looked like the lunchroom, there were two grand staircases leading up to a walkway. I walked towards it and placed my hand on the old rail, it creaks with age.

I walked up the steps, very carefully scared I'd fall straight through. I place my hand on the wall next to a door, probably to a classroom. I walk to the right and go through an opening to a new area.

There was a balcony I was not gonna step on, but it outlooked a pool that was empty and slightly weird colored. I leave that area and go straight, towards some more stairs. So many fucking stairs.

I walked up the steps, and it led me to a hallway with two or three doors, leading into classrooms. There were signs above that held the names of what subject was inside, barely comprehensible from aging.

I pass them and go up some more steps that lead out to a sturdier looking balcony. Steps that led downward, towards the pool. I tap the top step with my foot, I was not gonna fall today. Once I deemed it safe, I stepped down to safe ground.

I looked around the pool area, it looked so pretty. All of it, the whole school. I peeked out towards an opening leaving the pool area, out there was a shit ton of sand, like some sort of hidden ocean. I walk out onto the sand, its warmth filling my chilled bones.

It was like I was entering summer again; it was warm. Super warm. This whole thing was weird.

I walk out onto a flat rock that looked out towards the water. This is so surreal. I pinched my arm, and this was indeed real life. I left the rock and walked further out, towards the left, the school was still in sight, but I was going downward towards some more rocks, big ass rocks.

I turn at the rocks and see what looked like an opening covered in vines that dropped downward. I walk towards it, and I swear to fucking God I heard laughter. Like a faint laughter that sounded far away but close at the same time.

I push the vines to the side and step in. And like a flash, there were two people, in clothing I didn't recognize. There was a woman, who looked a lot like Ophelia but younger, way younger. She was with a man, tall with curly blond hair, he was smiling at her with his arms spread out wide, as if showing the place with pride.

They looked like they were talking, but I couldn't hear them. Then like that, they disappeared into thin air.

I blinked a few times and stepped back, stumbling slightly. What the actual fuck. I turn around and leave, taking my shock and slight fear with me, it took me a while to leave the school. But once I did, I called Lilium.