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prologue

It was about 2 a.m when I felt something was wrong. The dorm was too quiet and the night air too cold. Sleep was hard to reach; my covers were half on the floor from all the tossing and turning. A loud bang shocked me into stillness. I kept my eyes on the door and watched as a soft shadow appeared in the slight light coming from the hallway. The door swung open silently (had I not locked it after lights out?) and a silhouette stepped into my room.

"What are you doing?" I dare not remove my gaze. The silhouette didn't answer but approached me, arms outstretched. I sat up, readying myself to struggle but I was too slow. 

Something - a pillowcase? - was thrown over my head. I could feel it being tied up around my neck, my voice lost behind fabric or a hand. Another set of hands pulled my arms behind me as they lifted me. Plastic tightened and clicked as I wiggled. Hot tears streamed as panic clenched at my chest. Who were these people and where were they taking me? Was this normal in a boarding school?

They lifted me between them, capturing my legs and upper body so any movement I made was stopped. I couldn't judge where we were going or how long they carried me - everything was disorientated. 

We stopped. I tried to catch my breath as I heard voices mumble. They were unknown to me as were the words they were saying.

They swung me. I was free-falling for only seconds before my body smashed against freezing liquid. The river. I twisted and turned, water soaked through the fabric on my face. I tried to scream and water filled my mouth. Why?