AMARA HAS NEVER been that girl who believes in fairytales or knights riding on a white horse. She knows she is not some lame princess in a story who needs a magical kiss to seal her "happy ever after". No, because she is the evil queen who orders someone to kill the princess. She is the greedy step sister who wants the golden child gone. She is the black sheep of the family. And this school will be her domain.
"Ameera, where are we heading to?" Amara asks her twin.
The two girls wearing identical dresses with similar smiles have diverted from the group and are now exploring the wild on their own. "Hush, you'll draw our guards towards us again."
"But mom said to never go into the woods," Amara complains. They get closer and closer to the dense forest and it also gets darker as chill runs through her body.
"I already told you," Ameera counters. "I have been here. I know the routes, we'll make it out alive. Besides, we'll just follow these rocks and we'll make it through." She points at the white pebbles lying practically everywhere.
Amara can only do nothing but sigh. Although the girls are twins, they differ in so many ways. Whereas the other loves to go through an adventure, the other likes going to tea parties and spending the night with her friends. While the other loves pearls and diamonds, the other loves exploring rock and naming them after her own. While the other is a bright child that shines like the sun, the other loves staying in her own world. While the other lives to the rules, the other was born to break them.
The two of them are like black and white, darkness and hope, bad and good, contrasting yet so perfect together. One wouldn't be able to live without the other. They become the symbol of life, good things wouldn't be able to shine without the bad.
"Ameera, I'm getting scared," Amara whispers as they get more lost inside the towering trees. She grasps her twin's arm to ease her fear.
Ameera can't help but smile at her sister. Even though they were twins, she loves acting like the older one. Truth is, she's not brave. She is actually really scared right now, but because her sister's by her side she feels courageous. Yes, her strength comes from her sister.
"We're almost there," Ameera whispered back when she saw the mark she left the last time she's here. She can feel the tingling sensation of excitement that she felt when she discovered the place. She can't wait to let her twin see it. It's one of the most beautiful phenomena she has ever seen in her entire 7 years of living.
As they go deeper to the heart of the forest, the trees start to clear up as well as the grass blocking their way. The twigs she broke from last time has also lessened, another sign that they were getting nearer and nearer.
Ameera's palms are starting to sweat and her heart is beating faster than usual. She feels like she's this close to hyperventilating.
There is faint blue light from where they're going. And the buzz from her excitement has intensified. "We're closer."
Amara can sense the passion coming from her sister. Although she doesn't understand her addiction to this type of activity, she's glad that her sister's enjoying it. Which is why she's not as scared as she was before because she knows that they're going to be okay. Her gut feeling tells her so. Oh, how naive she was back then to believe that.
"M-mom?" Amara's quivering little voice draws the attention of many, temporarily stopping the party.
Gasps erupted from the crowd when they saw the state she was in. She was holding her arms out like a child waiting for some beating. Her lips were quivering and her eyes were beyond terrified, like she just saw the monsters under her bed. Her hands, which were filled with blood, were shaking uncontrollably. Her white dress was stained with blood, ruining the peaceful appearance it creates.
Her mom runs to her and kneels in front of her. The panic in her mom's eyes is evident. "I-I-I didn't… mean to do it."
Her mother's eyes widen and she gulps. "Wha–what is it that you didn't mean to do, darling?" Her mother's voice was filled with distress although she tried so hard to mask it. "Where's Ameera?"
Amara's heart constricted at the memory of her mother's question. Until now she can still hear her unanswered question even in her sleep. Each time she remembers, she tries to answer and each time it also gets harder.
The burden in her heart gets heavier every time. She wants to release that burden and to be free from it but she knows there's no way out. Even if she can reverse time, there's nothing she can do.
She clenches her jaw to stop the tears from falling. She knows it's her fault and she has to take responsibility for it, that's why she's living her life the way she's living it.
The abrupt stop of the ship made her open her eyes. She looks around and everyone is standing up as if they're preparing for battle. Or maybe they are.
She knows that she's only a spirit, she has no flesh and bones but she can feel the icy air hit her. Sending chills running down her spine. Fear sits on her heart and she's startled to feel it. It's been so long since she's been afraid of something. And the last time left her traumatized.
She can't see anything aside from the black fog clouding up their surroundings. She has no idea where they are or if this is even real. Even after all the explanations presented to them, a part of her still wants to hope that this isn't real. While most of her is more than ready to accept her fate and just stay.
"Okay, every soul, I am pleased to inform all of you that we have reached our destination," Professor Gothel said. Her voice echoes, enveloping them in a cold hug. A light appeared in the sky, its shine sending glow around them. It hovers in the air for a few seconds before drifting down on top of the professors' heads.
"Once you step down from this ship, your silvers will also be activated. At first, all of you will be given equal ranks, 0. You shall start from there. Then at the end of your first week, you will see your initial ranks. Rankings will be based on your behavior and academic excellence. Once the initial ranking is shown, those who weren't cut out for it will still have the chance to redeem their rank by going through a remedial program. After that, however, the elimination of silvers shall begin. Your preliminary rank will be shown by the end of tomorrow so you can see how bad or good you're already doing," Professor Merida explains. "If you wish to stay, then be our guest and do bad. If you wish to survive and go back to your world, then do better if not the best. That's all souls. Now, welcome to Ghost School."