The Scream of the Hill

Chapter 5 - The Ghost of a Friend?

Kornélia woke up after an hour sleeping deeply and went to my room to check if I was there. She succeeded. I was there reading the book Vojta gave me but I had tears in my eyes. As I was reading, she slammed the door and I started to scream like a baby. She started to laugh at me. It was embarrassing at first but I also laughed at it too. It was her main goal to make me and the others laugh after the tragic death of Vojta. Just like him, Kornélia also loved to make jokes about everything and everyone.

"Oh god, why are you doing this to me?" I asked her.

"I just want to check if you are reading deeply or just imitating it."

"Hahaha, you are suspicious."

"As always in my private life." she laughed.

"How did you and Krzysztof meet?"

"It is a long story."

"I have a lot of time."

"Well, it was in Zakopane about 3 years ago when I visited Ewa Bilan in Zakopane. We went to a party where Krzysztof got drunk. I and Krzysztof didn't talk on that event but after a month we met again but that time it was in Falun. I was still married to the Finnish Anssi Koivuranta..."

"Wait... What? Were you married to that idiot?"

"Yes, I was. Krzysztof is my second husband. One of my biggest regrets is marrying to Anssi. We were together for 4 long years as a married couple and almost 6 years as a partner. We had many conflicts in the last months. So, in Falun, I met Krzysztof and we started flirting. On a drunken night, I got knocked up. In Oslo, Anssi was against the baby and he commanded to have an abortion. I denied and handed in a divorce paper which Anssi gladly signed. Our divorce thing went for about 5 months." she told the story behind her "After 3 months, our baby Władisław born on November 24th. It was my birthday gift from the Goddess. He was born in Katowice."

"Goddess?" I asked in a surprised voice.

"Oh, you don't know? Well, I am baptized but never practiced it. I am a Wiccan since I was 15 years old." she explained.

"I see now. I was a bit surprised when you said Goddess."

"It is okay, František. I just wanted to talk to you about your ability."

"I wanted to talk to you as well. When you did discover it?"

"I was 15 when I saw a ghost for the first time. A friend of mine from the coven said that I have this ability. I read many-many books on the paranormal so if you want to improve it, I can give you a copy of my books. I have them on my laptop. Just give me a pendrive, I'll copy it for you."

"I am not sure if I want this." I told her when I saw Richard in the door.

My trainer invited us to have dinner. Filip made traditional Czech dishes. Somehow, I ate a very little. I didn't know why I did this as I eat a lot. Someone in my head told me to go to the hill. I stood up and ran to the Adlerschanze. Kornélia sprinted after me. She probably knew what was going on. She reached me at the hill. I was crying as I found the cloth keyholders and the keys of Vojta. The keyholder was made from Vojtĕch's previous suits and a small metal part. Kornélia asked me not to touch it as it was evidence. She put it in a plastic bag with gloves on. The detective lady must have seen a fingerprint on it. I collapsed on the floor and started asking questions. Kornélia rubbed my back and told that I will know the answers soon. I also got a hug from her to calm down and we wanted to go back but my feet said no. I stood there like a tree. Nothing could move me. Kornélia was surprised but smiled at me. She knew that why I couldn't take a step.

"Are you here again?" she asked.

"I am here for František only. I don't want any guests." the voice replied.

"I came with peace, my ghost friend. I am friend of František."

"Oh, alright then you can stay and ask 2 questions as I am leaving soon."

"Who are you?" she questioned the ghost.

"Me? Do you really want to know it?"

"Yes but I might know who you are." said Kornélia

"Okay... I am a Czech who died recently."

"Did some make you drown?"

"Yes and he took my keys before he pushed me in the direction of the stream." the ghost replied and vanished.

"It was like if the ghost was Vojta." I told Kornélia

"It was Vojta... I will ask the pathologist if he really drowned tomorrow."

"No, it seemed."

"Alright. The clever lets, the donkey suffers."

"Thank you." told her proudly.

I had to realize I was a fool when I saw her crying. I reminded her of someone who pushed his will on her in the past and his sin was pride. I felt I had to apologise to her if I don't want to hurt Krzysztof as well. I walked to her and I hugged her. I told her that I was terribly sorry and please forgave me if I was an idiot. She nodded and forgave me. A huge rock fell from my heart and made me realize that I had to talk to her as she might hide it from her husband as well. I felt guilty for making her cry. I was stupid. She asked me to follow her back to the hotel and give my fingerprints on paper to her. She wanted to cross out my name from the suspects. She told me that Vojta's parents were going to meet her in Freiburg. She asked Viktor to be an interpreter between them. I was okay with it as I knew that Viktor also wanted to help as much as we could. As we arrived Richard welcomed us and told me that he made the decision of not taking part in the Summer Grand Prix to have enough time to tell Kornélia and Krzysztof everything.While we were chatting, the parents of Vojtĕch arrived. His mum ran towards me and cried like a heartbroken mum who lost her baby. It was shocking to see them like this. Someone took the life of their only child. Kornélia walked up to them and gave a massive hug. After this, she invited them to her room to interrogate them together. I was nervous as Krzysztof asked us to give fingerprints. All of us gave what was asked. Damian was the only one who became really anxious during this procedure. Krzysztof took a small note for Kornélia who finished the interrogation. The father of Vojta gave a really spiky look to Damian who was the main suspect. We all knew it even if Kornélia never-ever told us.

"I am sorry Krzysztof. I hurted your wife a little." I apologized to Pole as well.

"What have you done?"

"I-I was just way too proud of myself."

"It is fine if you have apologized to her. Anssi's sin was pride too. That's why it is a hurtful thing for her."

"I realised it. I was an idiot."

"No. You don't know as well as I do. That's all."

"But since this, I feel I am idiot."

"Would you stop this madness, Fanda?! The couple forgave you." Viktor asked me to stop.

I agreed and stopped it. I calmed down and looked around without an aim when I saw my German friend Helene who was also a good friend of Kornélia. She just came because she heard her voice at the hill with Tatjana. She was wondering where Vojtĕch was. Kornélia sighed and told her that the Czech was murdered yesterday evening. Helene started crying as she loved all of us. She rose on tip-toes to hug me. I was her favourite and she feared of losing me as well. I told her that I would take care of myself. It was past 10 pm when we went to bed. I fall asleep really slowly. I was nervous as I slept alone because Damian feared of something which was in our room. I was almost asleep when I asked a really stupid question because I felt something was watching me.

"Vojta, is that you?"