Elements Academy 1: The children of the elements

Chapter 9

After dinner we are free to make our own choice. There is even a campfire in the schoolyard, where you can roast delicious marmoushe.
'Come on, let's go outside!' Sky exclaims enthusiastically, as we walk through the corridors of the academy. I'm looking for this afternoon's portrait, but somehow I don't see it hanging anywhere anymore.
'Good plan, I do feel like a nice marshmallow. I hope there is marmoushe in the form of a gummy bear!' Nyrah exclaims.
I sigh desperately.
They look at me surprised. 'What's up, Azara?' Nyrah then asks me.
'You know that portrait from this morning, don't you?' I ask her.
'That one portrait you said the eyes followed you? Yes, I know what portrait you mean,' she replies.
'Where exactly was it hanging?', I ask her.
'In my opinion in the hallway above us,' she answers immediately. 'But let that go now. Go have fun and enjoy with your new friends.'
I sigh. 'I know, but I want to know more about that portrait,' I respond and smile weakly at her.
'Hey, Azaar! That can also be done later,' she says with a desperate sigh.
'Yes but-.' 'Not now Azaar, you heard Nyrah. Come on, girl! Enjoy your first day,' says Joran and also seems to be very excited about the campfire.
I close my eyes and sigh deeply. 'Good, good! I'm going,' I say, to put up with it.
We then walk towards the front door of the academy, after which we leave the academy.

We take a step out of the academy and the first thing I feel is a fresh wind, which gives me goosebumps.
'Brrr! Isn't it too cold for-.' 'Well no, at the campfire it's nice and warm and cozy,' Nyrah says to me and grabs my arm, after which she drags me to the campfire.
'Huh, Professor Milon?', Sky asks in surprise, seeing the teacher of defense against dark elements.
'Hey, how nice that you're coming to sit there. Take a seat,' Professor Milon responds to Sky's reaction.
Without saying anything, we take a seat on a lying tree trunk, long enough for four young people in a row.
'Do you loop a marmoushe?' he asks us.
'So, delicious!' My friends call enthusiastically.
I'm just staring at me. Still suffering from the images I got at the beginning of the supper and the portrait.
'Azara?', someone asks me, but I'm back in my own thoughts. I don't get everything that's going on around me. In the fire I see an image popping up. It looks like a hallway in the school, but it's not clear to me.
But just like the other time, I see everything again from the perspective of the person I don't know who it is.
The person walks quietly through the corridor and looks around. There are lanterns hanging on the wall, which illuminates the corridor. But suddenly the walls change, to dark gray stones. The lanterns flicker and somewhere in the distance there is a layer of heavy growling. The hairs on my arms stand up and my breath stops hearing that growly sound. The growling sounds again, but apparently comes closer.
The person starts to put it on a run and continues running down the hall. Because of the fear, breathing is faster, but also heavier.
Suddenly an oak door appears. The person stumbles and only manages to recover. As soon as it arrives at the door, it grabs the door handle and pushes it down. But then it falls over. The image becomes a little blurry. The person turns his or her head. Behind him, a black hairy hand holds his or her ankle. The person starts screaming, which now makes it clear to me that it is a woman. She begins to kick her free foot against the hand, which after a few hard kicks painfully releases and retreats into the darkness.
The woman quickly crawls to his feet and pushes the door handle down again. She pulls the door open with a jerk and wants to run out of the corridor, but unexpectedly she is pulled down again. Again she screams and seeks to hold with her hands, but there is no grip. She puts her nails on the floor, but they don't make it any better. The floor turns into earth and a long fingered plant grows out of the soil. It moves quickly across the ground, towards the woman. She's still trying to grab it, but then everything goes faster than it seems. The image suddenly turns black and I still hear a low heavy laugh. Maybe it's also mysterious.

'Azara, wake up,' is the first thing I hear. I slowly open my eyes. To my right I feel warmth and the crackling of fire.'Thank God, you're awake. Are you okay now?', Nyrah asks me worriedly and puts a hand on my right shoulder.'Yes, I'm okay now. I think I'll go to bed. I think it's all become too much for me,' I answer her question and sit up. The boys, Sky and Joran are still there. Professor Milon is also still there.'Shall I walk with you?', Nyrah asks me.'No, you stay here. I'll be fine,' I say in response and stand up.I walk back to the school building and walk inside. Before I push the door shut behind me, I turn my head and look at my new friends of the day. They are chatting and laughing at a joke. The corners of my mouth curl up a bit and I close the door with a smile. I turn around and head towards the bedroom, which I share with Nyrah. Once in the dressing room I change and crawl into bed, under the warm blanket. I close my eyes and soon feel myself sinking into a deep sleep.