By the time Maya left the building, it was pitch black outside. Her suitcase sat waiting by the exit, and she suspected it had been rummaged through.
'Was it like border control?'
With a sigh, she wished she had someone to help her. How was she supposed to manage the suitcase with her hands already full? She glanced at Leo, who could only offer a shrug in response.
'Why can't ghosts carry things? It would be great if Leo could help.'
As she tucked her belongings under one arm and grasped the suitcase with the other, Maya reflected on the unpleasant events of the day. After all the hype about the grand Elements being her saviour, she hadn't expected to be treated like an inconvenience.
'At least the office woman seemed nice.'
Perhaps it was overly optimistic to expect things to proceed smoothly. Though it was a world of magic, it was also very real. The staff was busy preparing for the new school year, and the unexpected addition of a new student to the mix only added to their workload.
Daria, her should-be guide, had left her. Despite being busy even before they reached Mellgrah, Daria had numerous places to visit upon arrival. It seemed unreasonable to drag Maya along, so Daria had given her a short farewell in case they didn't meet again soon.
It was equally unreasonable to expect the other student to wait and introduce Maya to the place. The only thing left was for Maya to become acquainted with the place herself. She received brief directions before exiting the administrative building and stepping into this unfamiliar place alone.
The streets were dark and devoid of life, as if they had never been lively before. There was no one to ask for assistance and Maya felt as though she shouldn't be out there either. This sense of unease motivated her to find her dormitory building as quickly as possible.
'Is it some kind of a curfew?'
The town's layout wasn't built in an orderly fashion, so, although it looked picturesque, it was difficult to navigate. The only comfort she had was Leo being by her side, despite that comfort only being an illusion. There was nothing a ghost could do in the face of danger.
The dorm complex was close to the administrative part she just arrived from. This part of the town was less packed and had many detached dorm houses. They had somewhat of a cottage feel. Although they had several floors Maya suspected not too many students could occupy one, so that's why there were so many, making it harder for her to orient herself. Not to mention they were marked by Greek letters Maya was unfamiliar with.
Eventually, she found a building marked with her symbol. Still, she wanted to double-check. Spotting the ominous girl from earlier, smoking against the building, only increased her uneasiness.
Hidden behind a high neckline, the girl's alabaster skin starkly contrasted against her dark clothing and raven hair. Maya could see that, despite still wearing parts of her training uniform—high-waisted, wide-leg pants secured by a tight sash belt—she had a distinct fashion style. Her worn-out Docs suggested a mix of punk and goth influences with an explicit preference for the colour black.
Despite priding herself on not having prejudices about people, Maya felt intimidated by this person, about whom she had been warned. Especially after the girl glanced at her as if she had just shown up to her party uninvited.
As Maya fumbled to retrieve her folder, it slipped from under her arm. The folder opened, scattering papers everywhere.
'Oh, no.'
The girl didn't seem to pay much attention to her before but now, with an annoyed click of her tongue, she realized she couldn't ignore the mess Maya had created.
Embarrassed, Maya kept her head down as the girl took a final long drag from her cigarette and extinguished it on the brick wall. Then, to Maya's surprise, the girl approached the crouching Maya who was nervously gathering the scattered papers.
"Hi, roomie," the girl put on an oddly cheery tone that didn't suit her.
"W—what?" Maya replied, looking up at the girl in confusion as if expecting her to be speaking to someone else.
Up close, Maya noticed that the girl was strikingly beautiful. She was tall and slender, with a doll-like face that seemed almost unreal. However, her appearance was contrasted by an air of disdainfulness. Despite the smile on her face, her eyes gleamed with a cold intensity that made Maya feel as if she were seen as a vermin.
The girl rolled her eyes, bent down to pick up Maya's key from the ground, and presented it to her, pointing out the keychain with the room number.
'Had she noticed it from such a distance, in poor lighting?'
"We're roomies. C'mon, pick up your shit. I'll give you a tour."
Maya wasn't sure whether the girl was being rude or if this was just her way of being polite. She also noted the girl's impatience when she abruptly started helping her gather her belongings, despite showing no intention of offering assistance just moments ago. It was as if she couldn't stand how long it took Maya to gather her things herself.
The girl grabbed what she could — ending up with most of the papers that were collected from the ground — and continued inside, expecting Maya to follow without further prompt.
"I'm Elena, by the way," she added, as Maya struggled to manoeuvre her suitcase over the porch steps and the doorstep.
"Nice to meet you. I'm—"
"Maya Watergate," she interrupted, waving a paper that clearly stated Maya's name, not bothering to face her.
Following the gentle sway of Elena's silky hair, they entered a dormitory hall through a heavy wooden door. One side opened into a large living area, while the other led to a staircase. Maya was fascinated by the ornate doorframes of an older-era house.
This was a stark contrast to her own modern, minimalist home where every element adhered to the principle of form follows function and wasn't approached with such meticulous care. She had never handled a doorknob that seemed more suited for display in a museum than for everyday use by students.
"The ground floor's for everyone to use," Elena spoke. "To the right is the common living area. Straight is the kitchen and dining area."
She lazily pointed her fingers in both directions and continued toward the stairs uninterested in activities that could be going on in those rooms.
As they passed, Maya caught a glimpse of the common area. It was a large open space, slightly lower than the entrance lobby. In a house like this, it was likely formerly a sitting area. Flanking it were additional rooms, separated by columns and a single step. One room seemed to be the aforementioned dining room, while the opposite room appeared to be a study. There was a group of girls watching TV, with others engaged in conversation.
"The housekeeper's quarters are down in the basement."
As they ascended the grand staircase, Maya looked around curiously, while Elena moved forward unperturbed, having seen this Edwardian hallway countless times. Maya was eager to ask questions, but she restrained herself for the moment.
Upon exiting a room, a girl noticed Elena and tried to get her attention. Despite surely seeing her, Elena didn't respond.
"Is it almost done? You sure are taking your sweet time," the girl commented.
"You can't rush a masterpiece," Elena responded with a forced smile and continued upwards, unbothered.
"It better be one, if it takes this long," the girl retorted, annoyed.
"If you want a rush order it's going to cost ya' more," Elena added lazily, not tending to hide it was only a way to milk more money out of her.
"If you keep swindling your customers, soon you won't have any!" she was glowering after Elena. "I knew I shouldn't pay you in advance," the girl grumbled to herself returning to her room.
Elena and Maya didn't stop until they reached the third floor where the stairs ended. By then, Maya was out of breath.
'No elevator?' she thought, but she already knew the answer. This was an old house converted into a dormitory; accommodating an elevator would be too much to ask.
The last floor, nested right under a steep roof, bargaining with it for usable space, was a completely different story than the previous two. It contained only two doors instead of four: one leading to a roof terrace, and the other that they were currently approaching.
Here, Maya almost bumped into Elena when she abruptly stopped in front of the door.
"I need to ask you some questions before I let you in," Elena decided.
"Okay," Maya agreed, aware that she had little choice since Elena still held her key.
Turning her full attention toward Elena for a moment, she stubbed her toe on the last stair as she was pulling on her suitcase.
"Ouch," Maya winced in pain.
Elena gave no response. Looking back up, Maya saw Elena simply watching her. From this angle, in the dim attic light, Elena appeared somewhat scary, seemingly directing a harsh glare at Maya.
"What is it?" Maya asked, feeling uneasy.
"I haven't decided what to do with you yet," Elena replied evenly. Something about the way she said it gave Maya chills. "Say… are you a person of faith?" she asked.
"Huh?" Maya was taken aback. 'Was this a test?'
"Are you religious?" Elena paraphrased, but her tone didn't seem patient.
Considering being in a world of witches, Maya responded carefully. "Well, I don't go to church. But I guess I believe there is a God"
"A political answer," Elena was amused. "I'll take it you're not religious. Good."
Maya exhaled, relieved. "Why do you ask?"
"My old roommate tried to perform an exorcism on me," Elena said nonchalantly while unlocking the door.
Maya felt a sudden surge of unease.
'Is that a normal thing for witches? Should I follow this girl into this room? Come to think of it, this floor doesn't look like it was meant for accommodating students. It was an attic, not a living space.'
"Wait… 'Old' roommate?" Maya almost shivered, feeling slightly alarmed. "What happened to her?"
Elena opened the door, revealing deep darkness inside. "Oh, nothing. I just sacrificed her to the Dark Underlord."
Then, like on cue, she turned back to Maya, with the widest smile and hungry eyes, gesturing for Maya to enter first.
Maya could feel every hair on her body standing on end. Fear coursed through her veins, making her blood run cold. She wanted to run but her body was stuck in place.