An unmoving body of an unknown person with his face down sprawled under the bridge that connected the central building and the front building. Blood pooled around his head; no one dared to get nearer.The academics instructed us to stay away from the dead body. The head of the academy had contacted the police station and the hospital. I pinched my nose, so did the others because of the bad smell. Most of the intelligentsia watched in horror while removing the tears. Even some female intelligentsias yelled in shock the first time they spotted the body. From his uniform, the perished boy was one of the intelligentsia. My heart fluttered in the atrocity. He had red hair. Uneasy feelings shoved into my heart. "Ron...It couldn't be him," I mumbled. I wished that Lanzo wasn't the one who took his life. It wasn't him. However, if it were Ron, it was only Lanzo he had a conflict with.I almost subsided in my place if only the pillar didn't prop my body. He wouldn't do something stupid, wo
A tall brown-skinned man with a beard in black and blue police officer uniform swiftly directed his sight at me as soon as I got into the room. He just talked to the one across from him. That boy didn't face me yet I was certain that it was Lanzo; his physical appearances were too obvious. I didn't know why this large room became narrow. It was probably because of some cabinets with a long sofa and big glass table that filled the room or my uneasy feeling to be in the same room with Lanzo and the integrator. The head of the academy got back to his table standing up against the door. I hesitantly took a seat at the end of the long sofa near Lanzo. The police officer positioned himself at the chair opposite us. Lanzo glanced at me and bowed with a smile as though he was trying to convince me that everything was going to be alright. Why could he be this calm? There were two possibilities; either he was innocent or a true criminal. Those who were used to committing crimes would just ac
Ron's case was closed. The cause of Ron's death was a suicide act, the police spokesperson confirmed. The news spread through the Academy that he was involved in the biggest mafia group in the city. He was the courier in smuggling the drugs to the school areas. Two witnesses who were also the user declared that.That night, Ron ended his life after the head of the academy summoned him to his room and warned him to bring his case to the police. Still, for me, it was too unusual that Ron would do such a thing. Nevertheless, no matter, I refused to believe it, the police officer clearly stated that based on the autopsy result, Ron killed himself.Days after Ron's death, the nightmares haunted me almost every night. Ron came into my dream with his snow-like pale face. He would just stand and watch me from afar in a sad expression. He then disappeared and changed into Lanzo. That was solely a dream. I didn't believe in a dream."Ms. Dawson, are you listening to me?" I was clueless about h
I managed to get to this place finally after a long walk. Located outside of the academy area, this building was out of people's reach. None would notice that it existed. The waist-high fence surrounded this ancient-looking structure. The foliage of the big trees canopied its roof and its surroundings while the vines layered its wall. The darkness stole its real hues.The sun had sunk to its position. The dusk walled the area. The eerie circumstance raided me with its serene ambiance. It was like in a horror movie when you confronted your fear, being dumped in a dark place alone.I trekked through the kink path so mindfully and gradually as if counting my steps. If I made a mistake, the pebbles and rocks would slide off my feet and it would result in an accident. No one would come to rescue me in this remote location. I made this decision and went this far by my consent. It was my secret mission I never intended to tell anyone including Marin. Could I call it a mission? The assignme
An ache from skidding into the hole accidentally crashed over my body. Nevertheless, the distance to my classroom forced me to step the harsh tiles along the isles with a speculation in my brain. My suspicion of Lanzo's sudden existence in the area where I was trapped inside the pit still occupied my mind. His free access to the academy at night made me wonder; there would probably be certain people provided with such a privilege. Lanzo and the one I caught sneaking inside the Academy last night were possibly some of them. Shaking my head, I attempted to get rid of that thought. The fact that Lanzo had saved my life shouldn't have allowed me to have bad prejudice about him. Without his help, I might have been buried in the hole or become a wild animal's prey. I was grateful to God for His blessing sending him for me. Whether or not the academy treated him in a different way wasn't of my concern. My pace halted at the doorway. Pushing the door, I slipped inside the noisy room where m
I stared out of the window whose glass only reflected my sorrow and worry. The dusk outside of the dorm worsened and darkened my emotions. I felt like destiny towed me and even other intelligentsia to jeopardy day by day. Today, another piece of bad news bulged. If the rumor were the truth, I wondered how people easily lost their lives in this Academy. If it weren't, where did they all disappear?My eyes flickered in tears. The raindrop on the window flowed more sadness into my soul. I could wipe the tears with my fist but I couldn't remove the woes from my heart with it.Amid my agony, my mother's face flashed like a shadow in the light. Her advice soothed me. "I believe you can make it through no matter how precipitous the road you will take or how heinous the life is ahead of you."It was only my mother's words that strengthened and empowered me with spirit. I had to endure till the end until I could stand on my own feet and bid goodbye from this academy with pride.Swiping the c
The frenzy had filled the classroom when my head peeked through the door. The flocks of the intelligentsia were discussing something on one side, and on the other corners, some were enjoying their free time together by chatting and joking around. The whiteboards along with the empty chairs watched them in stillness. The wall protected the outside from their huge voices. I walked in the middle of their laughter, ceasing in my seat.I came wearing gloom on my face as I failed to capture any good pictures for my photography class. Catching up with those unwanted men was the cause of my failure. I randomly rested my half-broken camera on the desk and observed it with sympathy. This was the only thing my mother had inherited for me. And now I ruined it. A devastating feeling jabbed my heart. Failing in photography class was nothing if it was compared to losing this precious thing. The knocks on the floor brought all the fuss to normal, muted the mouth, and set all the seats to their arr
The colorless ceiling stared at me. The white border had surrounded me when I scanned around. My stomach was nauseated because of the medicine odor. It felt like my belly would puke its contents in a minute. My head twirled every time my brain tried to recall what just occurred to me. With my frail hand, I massaged my temple to heal the intense headache. "Where am I?" I whispered in a desperate rhythm. My voice might be so weak that no one gave a response to it. "Where is it?" I repeated a question. "Dylanesa...Thank God, you're awake." Marin's face loomed above me. Joy was imprinted on it. "You are in the infirmary. You fainted in the storeroom."The images immediately rose in my remembrance. Before the world turned black, I squealed seeing the piles of objects in the coffin, the pictures of girls with the same complexion as my face. Ensuring only Marin was in the room with me, I heaved my shoulder up, attempting to sit with Marin's help. My lips trembled."I saw them," I muttere