What happened at Beldmount Boarding School?

Interview 1.4

With the lamp in her hands, Jen felt braver. The man was subdued, and a heavy object protected her. "Then what?" She asked, ice on her throat.

"I decided I didn't want to be part of that sickening thing. I wanted out. Unfortunately, one cannot get out of the pact unless he reached adulthood or went far away enough to be out of their clawing reach. Far away from Lovegood and the neighbouring cities. The demons had grown too powerful to be safe in those." the man played with his hands. "I planned an escape, but my conscience robbed me of my sleep. It told me to stop everything. This ritual, this evil and horrible initiation." he smiled with a child's innocence as he watched his hands play.

All this bothered Jen. She wanted to get away, but she couldn't. No one was there to help her or him. Why?

"Why didn't you tell your professors? Or did they know?" another push on the door and nothing.

The man continued to play with his hands, making shadows with the afternoon glow. Bunny shadows.

"Very few ever told them, and those who did it regretted it. They became the target and were bullied by other demons and their callers. And the adults? The adults dismissed them. They lived miserable lives. No... I needed another plan. I needed help, so I asked him, my demon." he made shadows of a bunny hopping, its ears moving with excitement. 

Jen scorned. "And he helped? Interesting, since he was so evil."

Mr Knowles ignored her, his concentration on the wall and his shadows. The bunny became bigger and sinister. Jen's grip grew stronger on the lamp and on the door handle.

"Yes. He was duty-bound to me. To help me. That was what I asked him when I summoned him and he did it. Though there was always a catch and this time was no different." he laughed as the shadow grew bigger than him. Dusk was finally setting in.

"How did he help you?" Jen gave up calling for help or trying to leave. There was no way to escape from the beast that formed in the shadows, from those teeth.

"He told me to burn the crypt and the book. That would close any path to our world and make the ritual disappear. No more new initiations and no way for demons to crawl back here." the once shadow beast morphed into a human figure that danced around in elegant moves. He danced through the rhythms of the man's laugh. "He forgot to mention that this would enrage the other demons who still hang on in this world. Especially him... Puzuzu."

"Puzuzu?" the man-like figure stopped dancing, facing her with his thin fingers reached out and a deadly smile, all from the old man's fingers. She glanced from one to another, unsure where to keep her eyes.

"Yes, Anne Katherine's demon." the figure contorted and the voice, that belonged to Mr Knowles blended with the shadows.

"They have names?" quivered Jen, scared as the shadow seemed ready to swallow her.

"No... Names give them power. Only her was bold enough for it."Now Jen was sure the shadow spoke, its mouth moving and its teeth always growing.

Jen's legs gave out and she was unable to stay up, her rash was gone, but the danger was not.

"What did you do after the fire?" her voice was nothing more than a whisper. She wanted to cry as the shadow peered down on her. It was a like nightmare and she was just a little girl.

"I escaped... after asking my demon to leave some scars as proof of the school's mistreatment. It was the only way my parents would let me come back. I just didn't realize it would take me two months to reach home. Ah... it was a cold spring that year..." Jen noticed what looked like very faded scars through his face, it surprised her how she didn't catch them earlier. A closer look and she gasped, they matched the claws of an animal, of a shadow that lingered too close by.

The man shivered as if the shadow was not his creation, as if it was something else.

"You weren't there then? On that day?"

He turned away from the shadow and focused on her, his eyes black as charcoal. "No. But I heard the rumours."

Then nothing. There were no more shadows and no more talks. He just sat there unmoving, silent. Jen called several times, shouted even and nothing. He was no longer in this world, he had closed himself on his.

With all the noise she made, someone finally came, almost running her over with the door. It was an angry nurse, who berated her for lying that she was a family member. Jen tried to explain but the woman demanded that she left the elder alone, as he was not well. In between the angry tirades of the nurse, Jen was able to express parts of what had happened, yet she was met a furious face.

"You cannot be serious, Miss." The nurse was with her back on Jen, helping Mr Knowles to his chair. "You came to visit him and didn't even know about his condition?" now she looked at Jen, her hands on her hips.

When Jen palled and said nothing, the nurse gave out the shocking news.

"He hasn't spoken in decades."