Crimson Rose

Chapter 3

This is insane.

To: Miss Lana Windsor
From: The Axernove Academy

We are pleased to welcome you as an interim student of The Axernove Academy for a week of trial classes. During this period, you are to submit your electronic devices and any kind of exculpatory articles to the school authorities. However, you will be free to contact your family through letters or mails via the school.

Welcoming her with due gratefulness,
The Axernove Academy.

I stare at the postal mail in my hands with due ungratefulness. This is practically holding me hostage. "Guess you are writing us letters from tomorrow", Louisa giggles as she packs my suitcase for the week. "Trust me I am not going to write even one.", I say to which Louisa glares at me.

"The taxi will be here in five minutes", yells my father from the living room.

Five minutes. That's all I have before I leave. Instantly, the emotions of anxiety and uneasiness dawn upon me. My sister notices and smiles. "You are going to be fine", she says. And for a split second I believe her. That gives me enough courage to pick up my bag and other belongings and head downstairs.

"Be Good." That's all my father says to me when I meet him. Louisa hugs me before kissing my forehead. We finish our goodbyes as I get into the taxi. After a final wave at each other, the car leaves slowly and steadily, first driving past my house then my home, gradually into the woods.

After two hours of nauseousness and fatigue, I arrive at the metal gates and a worker dressed in grey overalls takes me to a building secluded from the rest of the academy. There, I find several eyes following me as the man guides me to my room. There are ten rooms in each floor and by what seems to appear two students in each room. Beads of sweat trickle down my forehead, either from climbing up the stairs or because of the realization that I will be roomed with someone.

My nervousness dies down when the man opens the door to a room. He tells me that I will be residing here alone until the moment I officially join. I nod my head as an answer and he leaves leaving my luggage behind. I sigh taking in the spaciousness of my room.

Perhaps a room mate would not have been so bad after all.

There are other rooms beside mine but vacant most likely. They seemed to have intentionally given me a room sheltered away at the top floor. I shake my head and try giving life to the room by adding books to the lonely shelves and hanging clothes on the empty hangers. They have not taken my phone yet so I assume it will be confiscated tomorrow. I fall on the bed after arranging everything and call my sister.

"They did not take away your 'exculpatory articles' yet?", Louisa mocks me.

I smile and turn to my side. "That's the first thing you say to me?"

She giggles, "How is it there?"

"Fine. They have placed me in a room away from everyone. Can you imagine?"

"Seems like heaven for you."

I close my eyes. "Right."

"Lana." her voice goes stiff. "Take care. I love you."

I did not think I would be homesick so soon. I open my eyes and gulp. "I love you too.", I say before sleep overtakes me.

Hours pass and I am woken up by a knock on the door. Sunlight travels into the room through the windows indicating that the sun has risen. I rub my eyes and make myself presentable before opening the door.

In the hallway stands a girl dressed in a blue nightgown holding a black bag, staring at me.

"Your uniform.", she says and hands me the bag.

"Thank you.", I stutter before she glances at me for the final time and enters the room beside mine.

So the rooms were not vacant after all.

The thought brings me some amount of comfort and I head inside. The uniform is the same as I had seen on the students on the day I had visited. Plaid beige skirts and white shirt along with a brown blazer. I freshen up before wearing it and heading downstairs with my 'exculpatory articles'.
Being careful so as to not lose my way I head to the Principal's office.

"Yes?", a small woman dressed in a light pink floral top and white pencil skirt asks me when I enter.

"Good morning. I am Lana Windsor, here on trial. I am here to submit my electronic devices to Principal Moore.", I say trying to sound polite.

"I see. I am the school's receptionist, Mrs. Edwina Flowers. You can submit the devices to me.", she says.

I nod and hand them to her. "When will the classes start?"

She looks at her watch then at me. "It's 7 a.m now so in about 30 minutes. You are free to look around the school in the meantime if you wish to."

After thanking her, I leave the office.
As soon as I exit the weather turns gloomy again. Sunlight disappears under thick clouds and I feel the cool wind flow against my neck. The trees sway and students begin to come outside of their dorms to the field. This time, no one seems to notice me. Grateful for the opportunity to roam around, I walk towards the field as well. I notice a small opening beside a cracked wall in the corner of the field.

Something turns in me.

Go inside.

A voice says. And so I do.

Inside, are small shrubs, flowers of rose, lilies, hyacinths and more. It would have been a beautiful garden if not for the fact that it reeked of death. The black, clayey soil squelches under my shoes consuming each flower slowly. It takes me a while to notice the man watering them at a distance. It was the same man who had guided me to the dorm yesterday. He did not seem to notice my presence so I continue walking towards him.

"Hello, young lady", he says looking at the plants.

With a new sense of boldness, I ask him, "Why do you water them?"

He continues watering them and does not look at me. "What do you mean?"

"They are dead.", I answer. "The plants. They will not live."

At that he turns his attention to me and finally meets my eyes. He smiles and whispers, "Well my dear. Sometimes the dead require kindness as well."

Before I am able to grasp the ridiculousness of it all I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Miss Lana Windsor."

I flinch at the sound of my own name. I turn around to find Principal Moore glaring coldly at me and feel whatever had possessed me earlier ebb out of me.

"Who were you talking to just now?", she asks. Her green eyes cutting into mine.

I turn around again, terrified to find no one present in front of me anymore. There are no signs of the plants being being watered or of the man.

"No one.", I lie ,"I followed a cat here and was looking for it."

Something grips at me to keep my mouth shut and not tell her anything of what I had seen before.

Principal Moore considers me for a moment and says, "You are not supposed to be here. Did you not see the 'Prohibited entry' sign at the entrance?"

I stare behind her in confusion and notice the sign in terror.

"I am so sorry. I did not notice-"

"Never mind that. Please leave." Principal Moore cuts me off.

I nod in understanding and look down before slowly walking towards the exit.
With every step that I take, I feel my legs getting heavier and her eyes burning my back. My ears go numb as I step foot outside the 'garden'. My eyes start to water as I fall down to my knees and bring my hand to my mouth. The emotion of unexplainable grief overwhelms me for reasons I cannot understand. For a moment I feel as though I have lost the most precious thing in my life and I let myself cry in the corner of the field even if I cannot comprehend why.