THE GAME BEGINS

The next day I was getting ready for school. With bathing done, I was drying my hair; then we heard a scream. It was Lavinia's, from the bathroom. We couldn't open the door as it was locked from inside; so, I and Chris pushed opened the bathroom door (The door was not too properly latched). Lavinia was on the bathtub; there was a weird silence. On the walls and the outside of the bathtub were stains of red liquid. We walked on the tips of our toes, expecting a trap to boom out, all of a sudden. I craned my neck to look inside the bathtub. It was just Lavinia over there, lying unconscious. It was all okay, but the thing that made my brain fuzzy was her appearance. She and her bath suite were covered in huge amounts of blood. It took all of us to lift her and carry her onto a bed. We quickly wiped her face with a towel and sprinkled water on her face.

We asked her what had happened. I heard something that went through my nerves. She explained to us, how she was looking at the mirror when suddenly she noticed something black standing behind and how it had pushed her into the bathtub and puked blood (gross) all over her face. Ann started speaking as soon as Lavinia was done with hers.

"What is happening in our room? What's all this? First, Sara fainted and now Lavinia is attacked by a blood puking creature. What's all this happening in here? I just can't digest a thing. Don't you guys think we should inform all these to Mrs Lengel?" Everyone nodded but I protested because I knew who it was; it was Alsace. I stood still, guilty of what I did. I shouldn't have promised her. Why did I do it?

"No, we shouldn't tell her. She won't believe us, there's no point in just blabbering stuff people don't believe."- Somehow I convinced them not to say it to anyone. Because, more the number of people who get to know, more the number of people Alsace will get to attack. And knowingly, I will not let anyone get attacked.

I was absent-minded that day at the class. I asked Mr Dave if I could go to my room as I was having a bad headache (This time a real one.)

I went to the room; Lavinia was lying down on her bed, fully asleep. Ann too was sitting beside her, in case of any help she needed (She'd taken the whole day leave and was in charge of Lavinia). As I walked in I asked Ann if she wanted to have some rest. So I took in charge of Lavinia, who seemed to be in deep sleep.

Hours passed, my thoughts were still on Alsace. Who really was she? Why were all these happening? Was this her, or someone else?

I couldn't continue thinking over, as something else suddenly caught my attention. The light bulb which I had switched on (for assurance) started blinking and blurring. Without thinking much further, I switched it off and then on. But it was of no use, the bulb went on blinking and made these weird noises.

I didn't understand why?

But then it clicked in my mind. Alsace; this was something related to her. I wasn't such a bold soul to face what was to come, so I hurried towards Ann and shook her hard. What's the use, she was sleeping like she was dead. I turned back only to greet curtains that were dancing horribly in a mysterious wind. I sat in my bed shivering from my head to toe. I started praying to all the gods I knew. I couldn't possibly go to the door and open it, I was neither mentally nor physically strong enough to do that.

A weird noise issued from somewhere and my eyes were fixed onto the corner(which was now becoming pitch black).

Under the blinking light, I saw something coming towards me. The thing was about six feet. It was getting closer to me, and I was feeling dizzier. It wasn't Alsace. This creature was something different.

I freaked out when I saw its face, I don't know if 'face' is the right word for the creature. The creature was under a hood. The only things visible were its hands, they were long and had cracks all over.

My body felt numb all of a sudden like I'd been tied with an invisible rope. I tried to scream but the voice sort of died right there in my voice box itself. I didn't dare to open my mouth and ask who the creature was(What good would that get me?). I stared blankly, emotions flooding over me that it became difficult to understand what I was really feeling now. The creature came nearer and nearer to me. The nearer it approached me, the lesser my heart pulsed. I thought to close my eyes, but that too failed. My eyelids felt like it weighed almost 150 kilograms. It neither opened nor closed.

The creature was near me, much near that it was almost impossible for me to distinguish mine and its breath. It opened its mouth and spat blood onto my face. It just opened its mouth and the blood flew out from the mouth right onto my face. That's when my brain rose from its deathbed.

I screamed.

Ann jolted up from her bed and turned to look at me (I was staring all around in amusement, the thing had disappeared and everything felt normal). Ann looked at me and started screaming.

"Calm down it's me, Sara. Lend me a towel, will you?"

She ran to the cupboard and grabbed the first cloth her hands got hold of.

"Here you go. W-What happened to your f-face?"- She said her long fingers trembling in fright(I suppose).

"Nothing, I don't want to make you more scared by telling this."- I knew that those words wouldn't work. But why making her freak out, already when she was looking cold as a stone.

"Can't the thing brush its teeth at least once, in a while, this stinks."- I muttered to myself, and God knows how Ann heard it.

"It was the same stuff that attacked Lavinia, wasn't it? I know, Sara. Something is happening over here, Sara. I don't understand. My parents say that all these are jokes. But I don't believe them in that statement."- She knelt, and looked towards me, right into my eyes and asked- "Do you?"

There was a very awkward silence. Maybe "horrifying" is the right word. Neither of us said a thing but merely stared at each other.

"No, Ann. There's nothing like that."- I broke the silence and hurried to the bathroom (The gross thing was still up on my face). I didn't look back at Ann. I made the least attempt to answer her questions. I silenced her every time she approached me with Alsace's questions.

The biggest surprise was that, after all this that happened in the room, Lavinia didn't even wake up.

That night I couldn't sleep even a wink. I was really scared, what if, it will come again? Certainly, the creature that I saw today was not Alsace. Then what could that be? After all, I had some other doubts too. If Lavinia saw the same thing, then why did it attack me too?

First I see Alsace and now some other thingy. Was there any ghost society meeting, going on in our school? I had to find answers to all my questions. One thing was for sure; there was something mysterious happening here. Something, lot more than what Alsace said to me.

*

The next morning, I woke up very early. We were having a holiday on account of our School Anniversary. Ann too was awake. She was copying down yesterday's notes. I didn't talk a lot to her, afraid that she might again jump onto Alsace and the other creepy stuff. I felt it best to have a shower but the bathroom made me think twice (Who knows what might come in there next?).

But for God's sake, everything was alright. I took a very quick shower and came out of the bathroom as quickly as possible. With a cup of juice in hand, I walked out to the playground behind our hostel. Thoughts of Alsace again came back to my mind. If I had to solve this mystery, then I had to survey Alsace. I felt it, I had to find out what really, was happening in our school.

I had to save my friends. Wait, why did I say that?

Something, aunt Mary always used to tell me was-' Never try acting brave to save your friends, that will cost you a lot.'

Well, I never understood what it meant. But now, I couldn't take her advice, not when all my friends were in danger. My thoughts floated back to what I was thinking initially.

If I have to find out everything about Alsace then, I had to find help. I had to share all that I knew to one of my friends. A one I could trust to the core. A one, brave enough. Now I had to find the right friend with whom I could share everything. Not Ann, of course. Lavinia was not that trustable(I mean, come on. She can't be the right one).

Flores was okay, Christina too. But I thought to go for Christina. She was a positive soul and she was very trustable too.

Now, all that I needed was a fixed time to tell her everything. Well, it seemed as though luck was with me today. Today was our shop off day. And we were all going for shopping. By the way, how would you people know what a shop off day was? Well, our school once a month would take us shopping in LITTLE BLITTAN'S MALL to purchase the stationery materials and all those things we required(Our school is so cool!!).

All were getting ready, I included. I glanced over at Christina who was tying the laces of her shoes, looking so happy. It kind of hurt me at first, the thing that I was planning to tell her would disturb her. But I had no other option.

We went to the shopping mall on a school bus, along with Mrs Flowsy; our shopping staff. Talking about Flowsy the lousy(That's what we call her, not we, I mean 'me'), she was a really lousy soul. Her face never looked happy. It seemed as though she had forgotten how to smile. We used to play pranks on her, for which we have been caught too!! But, she cared for us.

'Fool, her job is to look after you. She is not doing this for you, but for herself.'- Said the voice in my head. Ohh!! Maybe that might be the truth, anyways I need to focus now- "How to deliver the thing to Christina?"

While all of us were choosing dresses for ourselves, I beckoned Christina to come with me. She, at first looked at me in surprise. I didn't reply to it. We had to get to somewhere, without Mrs Flowsy, noticing us. I took a long walk with a curious Christina behind me.

I inhaled in deeply and started to say the matter without a full stop(I didn't use comma either).

After she heard to me, without uttering a word she took me to a cafe. We took seats and told nothing to each other. She looked at me for some time. And I avoided her eyes. I felt like, I chose the wrong person. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how she would react to me.

But to my surprise-"Look at me, Sara." At this point, I raised my head slowly and looked at her. Her face was emotionless.

"Sara, you had all these to things to say and is this the time you felt perfect to tell me?"- She asked. I could feel my lips twitch as I wondered why she said this.

"So, you are ready to take the risk to find it out?"- I asked, and to say the truth. I felt like a small rat squeaking helplessly.

"Of course. And I am glad you chose me to share all these things. I am honoured, you know? And by the way, why were you so late in saying this?"- She asked, her face still emotionless.

"I was scared. Even now, I'm scared, I didn't know how you would accept it. And after all, how can I intentionally make you take in such a disturbing matter? But today, I had no choice."

"Sara Alves. We'll fight together. We'll do it. Everything's just going to be right. God'll never ignore us."- those words were warming to my heart.

Well, seriously I thought that she would consider me insane and take it a joke. But she believed me and she was now ready to fight with me(Gods I am fortunate).

We sat there and chit-chatted for some time. We then walked back to our friends who were billing their purchases. Mrs Flowsy anyway was straining her head towards all directions, as though she was looking out for someone. When she saw us walking towards the billing counter, she walked towards us, stamping her foot so loudly. She bent down towards us (She was too tall and towering), Gritting her teeth she asked us angrily

"Where were you, people?"

I stood dumbstruck. What should we say? But Christina replied quickly.

"Toilet."

"Both of you?"- She cast a look at us.

"Yeah, both of us wanted to go"- She told again.

"Don't you know you have to inform me if you are going anywhere? And didn't you both purchase anything?"- She asked, her face sweating too badly.

"It was urgent."- I said.

"And, we have all the necessary stuff with us. We don't need anything."- Christina replied.

She cast a suspicious look at us and walked away.

"Oi, ghosts are prowling around in the hostel and do you expect us to waste time shopping? Grab your lives and run, you fools."- Christina said, not loudly enough for Mrs Lousy to hear.

"Oi ghosts, we are coming for you!! Grab your lives and run, you fools."- I said, imitating Christina's voice. She looked at me and grinned, and there we ran towards the billing counter because, MRS. LOUSY WAS LOOKING AT US LOUSLY!!!!

********

To be continued...Stay tuned.