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"I thought about how there are two types of secrets:
The kind you want to keep in, and the kind you don't dare to let out." –Ally Carter
Year 2113. 12:00 AM. Academia Astra, A City.
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I didn't know when it started or how it actually began.
But I knew that something pivotal happened when I was ten. Because. . . well, that was when every memory seemed jumbled.
Whatever transpired that year must have been so intense. It had my memories shuffled or messed in a way that I could not make much sense of those childhood recollections anymore.
It could have been a trauma like what the academy doctors said. That would pretty much explain my chronic anxiety. But a nagging feeling told me it was something else.
Maybe the Academia had kept secrets from me or us. A truth, which I didn't hope to find out. I would dread to consider this but the whole Academia set-up had always been tad too weird for a school.
Once, I had read that there were two types of secrets. One that was meant to be kept and the other was something no one could dare to let out.
My hopes were that mine was something I would have wanted to keep to myself. Like an embarrassing moment or a naughty deed that may lead to another detention slip.
But later on, things became more apparent that the secret would likely be the second type.
"Are you sure about this?" Lexi whispered, her bushy eyebrows creased together resembling a crested owl. The grey in her eyes reflected the light from my torchlight.
"Do we have a choice?" I hissed as we continued to walk grudgingly towards the west wing.
It was the midnight after the regular health checks and I was certainly not in the mood for extra adventures. Yet we were forced out of our comfortable rooms to take part in an exploration dare, as they called it.
Carefully, Lexi and I tiptoed passing by Scarlett's room until we turned to another corner to reach a small dark lobby.
"You arrived late, Skyler," Travis sneered. "We thought you were goin' to chicken out."
Around six other kids laughed while Travis placed both hands on his hips and flapped them as he made cackling sounds to imitate a chicken.
I would have found it funny seeing his semi-bald head glimmer under the moonlight as he made poor attempts to irritate me but I had been in a foul mood since morning.
My patience had worn thin. I bit back an urge to retaliate. They were seriously annoying. But I should try to be diplomatic and deal with this efficiently.
"I'm here now, Travis," I said in a calm manner. "Please hand over Lexi's room key."
My outstretched hand was met with a rope in lieu of a key. I scrunched my brows in confusion and lifted my eyes to meet his green ones.
"Key?"
"Not yet, Skyler," he replied with a mischievous grin. "We have a game."
"I'm not in the mood to play here."
"Well, you should have thought twice before taking Lizzie's spot in the student leader board."
Lizzie giggled triumphantly beside Travis. I guess they were chummy. That made sense as to why Travis and cronies were on us. I could tell that they wouldn't make this easy for me.
I rolled my eyes, "How many times do I have to say that I did not ask to be class leader?"
"Oh, then tough luck for Lord White's privileged little princess?" He shrugged, ignoring my reason.
"It's an initiation, leader," Lizzie said without missing a beat as she narrowed her eyes at me. "Consider this a bonus part of being a favored princess."
"Just climb into that building's room," Travis instructed with his index finger pointed outside the window.
I followed with my eyes at where his finger was pointing and discovered that it was the rumored 'vampire' building. Stupid gossip.
"And why should I do that?"
I raised one eyebrow. We all knew that students were not permitted to venture to the west building. There's definitely some important reason why the school specifically told us that the area was restricted.
Now, these idiots were mindlessly exploring it. Doing that spelled trouble. Travis shrugged and played with the end of the rope on my hand.
"We might have 'accidentally' thrown Lexi's key into that room," he told us with a sly smile.
Lexi flinched at the mention of her name.
"Skyler," she tugged my arm. "It's okay. We can just tell Scarlett tomorrow."
"Oh no, you can't," he immediately remarked. "We have pictures of your cheating spree in the exam last week."
No, she wouldn't. I was pretty sure Lexi was not the type to cheat her way to pass the exams.
I whipped my head to ask Lexi if that was true. But her face gave her away before I could even say anything. She could only gulp and stare down at her feet in guilt.
I clenched my fists. Travis grinned maniacally as the rest of the kids laughed and snorted with him. I swore under my breath and on Hogwart's three-headed oversized puppy. I wished I could summon that savage hound and order it to maul these imbeciles.
I released a sigh of defeat. If it weren't for Lexi, I would never dare associate myself with these troublemakers.
I fought an urge to wretch the smug look off his face when I gave my torchlight to Lexi. I gripped the rope tightly and checked for any signs of wear and tear. I didn't trust these bullies to play it fair.
"Skyler," Lexi called me in a whisper. Her eyes moistened. "Let's give up. I don't mind being kicked out of school."
I shook my head. That's stuff I could not permit to happen. I gave her a small smile before squeezing her hand.
"Just don't do it again, Lex."
"B-But. . ."
Her eyes widened and tears flowed continuously. I pat her head to reassure her. It'd be alright soon. I just had to suck it up for a bit and then we would be avoiding any other situations that could lead to these things.
I was aware of why they took the bullying to a whole new level. They made it harsher because Lexi's my friend. I couldn't ignore that fact and couldn't stand idly to watch from the sides. There was no way I would let Lexi suffer this alone.
I believe in her. She didn't mean to cheat. And I believed that she wouldn't do it ever again.
I took a deep breath. I should keep calm and execute this with solid concentration. I guess I would just have to test my wall climbing skills earlier than the rest of my batch.
'Here goes nothing.'
I tied the knot firmly on my waist and warily climbed out of the window. The small entrance to the west wing building was the window on the third floor at the farthest end.
I side stepped slowly on the ledges, as the rest of them watched me with amusement while Lexi held her breath horrified and still sobbing.
'It's okay, Skyler. You're not gonna die today.'
I cheered myself on, trying not to look down to the ground while the gush of cool midnight air hit my skin. I shivered in both the terror and the coldness of the night as I tried feeling the walls behind me for guidance.
After some excruciating minutes of channeling my inner lizard, I reached the window.
The room was dark and mostly empty with only a faint glow from the moonlight to illuminate it. I could barely make a view of what was inside, save for a shadow of a tall dresser and a square dusty figure on the wooden flooring.
The building did seem unoccupied or abandoned just like what the rumors had claimed. I tried to shake off the goose bumps that inevitably spread all over the skin on my back and arms. Here and now wasn't the best time to contemplate on Halloween themed ideas.
Stealthily, I slid one foot in after the other, very vigilant not to draw any attention to me in case someone was in that room. I caught sight of Lexi's key on the wooden planks beside the square figure taking after a dusty box. It must have landed there when Travis threw it up here. I crept nimbly like a thief and seized the key with my fingers.
'Got it.'
My mind exclaimed in relief as I tucked the key safely inside my pocket. Now, I just need to get back in the other dorm area. I turned and again tiptoed hurriedly to the window. And just like any 'lucky' character in fictional books, I had to mess up a little at the most crucial time.
I must have applied more pressure on one foot than a while ago since in that moment I heard the wooden flooring creak quite louder than what was acceptable.
I gasped, scaring myself almost to a cardiac arrest.
When I heard nothing else, I sighed in relief and swiftly tied the rope back to my waist. I made a mental note to never read any horror story and avoid hair-raising gossips starting tomorrow. The whole silly vampire hypothesis nearly brought me a heart attack.
I had barely taken both my feet out on the ledge when I heard a bone chilling grunt from inside the room.
I froze.
My breath and mind stopped altogether as my heart began pounding against my rib cage.
Knowing very well that the stone ledgers could not produce the crescendo of wooden creaking sounds, like what I was hearing at that moment, could only mean one thing.
I felt my heart lodged at my throat. I promised I would never ever carry out a skill test without Scarlett again.
'So help me, God.'
I slowly and reluctantly craned my neck to look at the source of the creaking sound. Right then, I felt my knees lose their strength as my eyes fell on it. Within that sinister pitch black darkness, a pair of eyes was staring back at me.
Hungry. Glowing. Crimson.
The eyes of what I could only think of as a nightmare that had come alive.