The Secret Door (#Wattys2016)

Chapter III Back to the Forbidden Corridor

You're kidding," Don said after hearing from Van how he befriended the likes of Ana.

"It's no big deal, we just have a bit of a chat," Van replied as he scratches his head.

"My dear pal, Ana is the most popular girl in school! Guys everywhere are itching to get a glimpse of her. Do you realize how fortunate you are?" Don exclaimed while shaking Van in every word he speaks.

"Wonder what Ana saw on you," Alice chuckled, sounding as if this is all a bad joke.

"Be careful though Van, hanging out with someone like Ana had its consequences," Cara advised.

"The girl must be bored, and she doesn't have someone to talk to but me there. She will forget me tomorrow, I'm sure," said Van, for this is how most upper-class people from higher sections behave.

But the next day, Van and Ana is again seen together having a lively chat in the corner of the library. They have indeed become good friends and Don was never been so proud.

"Go for it," he whispered one day and Van only drops his head.

But not everyone is happy to see Ana hanging out with an oddball like Van. As what Cara advised, being with Ana had its consequences. And as a matter of fact nasty rumours are now beginning to surface about him, supposedly concocted by people who doesn't approve of their friendship. Most are outrageous, like how one claims that Van used black magic he learned from Rock Music to entice Ana. Van had endured worst treatment before and he found this to be laughable. There are also cases where Ana's so called fans will confront Van to try to intimidate him, but in no avail as what happened one day. While he and his class are clearing the school ground as a part of their weekly assignment, a large thuggish student suddenly appeared and went for Van. Their confrontation ends with Van chasing the school thug with a pitchfork. Van is also finding it difficult now to get around the school for he is always being accused of sneaking into restrictive areas. He had a suspicion that Kirsten is behind this. And if that wasn't enough, he had a scuffle with a gang of bullies who tried to jam his head in a toilet one afternoon.

"Good thing I got away and I have to use the plunger to defend myself," he muttered to Alice that lunch break.

"And where's Kirsten, she's supposed to be following you? How come she didn't report this," asked Alice, sounding upset but amazed all the same.

"She ran away scared when the scuffle began," Van replied before crushing a soda can with his hand.

Van plans to surprise his friends that Friday afternoon by introducing Ana to them. He knew she will like them; in his mind's eye, he could see her chatting animatedly with Cara as Don and Alice argue in the background. This gave him a strong urge to laugh. He is expecting to see Ana in the library, but she is not there at this time. And when he searches the school, she is not in her usual hangouts or in any places a student is allowed to roam freely. Did she miss school today, sick perhaps or having personal issues?

"There you are," Van said after finding her walking among the many scurrying students in the corridor. He tried to call her, but Ana never responded. She walks quite fast and Van had to jog to keep up to her pace. Why is she in such in a hurry today?

"Hey don't go there!" Van shouted after seeing her make a turn towards a deserted corridor. She is heading to a restricted area of the school, and if he's not mistaken it leads to the dark hallways where the girl in black lured him. If someone catches her, she's lucky if all she got is a week's worth of detention. Van again called her, and when she didn't answer he makes a frantic sprint to catch up to her. A security official suddenly appeared and Van had to stop to hide himself behind a man-sized vase. And when he's gone Van then checks his surroundings for Kirsten. So far no Kirsten is in his tail. The scuffle with the bullies had taught her to stay away from his business. With the area cleared Van resumes his frantic chase. He is now far behind Ana and how strange that even in full speed he still can't catch up to her. And why did the guard don't even noticed the passing Ana?

"Please not there, we're dead if someone sees us," he muttered, for they are here, in the dark and abandoned hallway. The place is as forbidding as ever and the walls and floors are still thick with cobwebs and dirt. He is not sure why Ana is here or what she is doing in this place, but they must get out of here fast.

But Ana is gone!

Ana is just here a while ago, a few paces ahead of Van and suddenly she is gone. Maybe she just made a turn in a corridor somewhere here? Van thought that it happened before when he met that strange girl in black. In this exact place, in this dark corridor is where she disappeared. And he hears it again, the low moaning sound coming from the end of the hallway behind the closed door. This might be his chance to explore what's beyond the mysterious door and chances are Ana is in there, but first...

"Al, Don, Cara, you could come out now," he called.

And three dishevelled figures rolled out from behind an old bookshelf. His friends are no expert in concealment indeed. The bookshelf is not enough to hide Don's vast frame and in this silent corridor, Alice's mutter could be clearly heard.

"Van, this is not what you're thinking," Cara explained after disentangling herself from Don and Alice.

"Yeah man, we're not following you or something," Don added. While getting up he almost squashed Alice.

"Yes I know, so what's your excuse then," Van replied with his hand on his forehead. To find his friends ripping a page off Kirsten's book of spying on someone is a bit depressing. But he's glad to see them here in this dirty hallway.

"It's just your friend, Ana," Alice said, "she's acting weird today."

"What do you mean?"

"I think she's not herself today Van. We saw her walking aimlessly in the corridor. We got curious, and we followed her. So we ended here."

"She walks really fast you know, we are basically running, and we almost lost her," Don added.

"Wait, you should have seen me going after her. I was a few feet behind her," Van said, sensing lies in their story.

Don and Alice look at each other, a queer expression dawning in their faces.

"That's strange, we never saw you there," Cara answered.

"No way..."

"Promise Van, we only saw you when we got here," Don added. And Van's face begins to go pale.

"You're kidding me."
"Does it look like we're joking Van," Cara asked sharply, making Van's hair stand.

"And where is Ana? She's just here a while ago..."

"She is not here Al, she disappeared."

The mere mention of the word sends chill to their spine. It was as if reality begins to distort all of a sudden. They all ask the same question; what is happening now?

"We should leave now," said Van, thinking he had enough of this place. This must be the reason the Principal barred this place from stragglers.

"Right, before we saw something here..."

"STOP IT DON," Alice shrieked, sounding scared.

"Excuse me, but stay where you are..."

Everyone turned to the source of the voice. Van's stomach gives a nasty lurch. They forgot about her, Kirsten, the one sent by the Principal to watch Van. And now there she is, staring at the lot she caught venturing in a restrictive area of the school.

"Oh are we in trouble now," Kirsten sneered.