Ashwock Academy ✓

C H A P T E R - T E N

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It was almost morning. For the last few hours they inspected the books, trying to look for any way to escape or reverse the effects of the academy and occasionally looked around for any significance they didn't notice before, but they found nothing. A few people, like Damien and Teony got starving so they took a small break to go into the kitchen to fetch some food. Fletcher argued that it might be poisonous but they insisted on getting some, saying that it was fine earlier.

"I don't get it," Trevor started. "we searched everywhere!"

"Not the third floor," said Jackson. "or the fourth."

"Yeah, but didn't Mr. Barla write something about leaving all the clues here?" Ella asked, thinking. “He wanted us to get out, why would he hide it?”

“Ella’s right,” said Fletcher. “He probably hid it in plain sight.”

“Like somewhere he showed us,” said Rafe. They all sighed as they raced to the hallway that Mr. Barla showed them, checking for locked doors. It was easy to get lost, since it was such a big academy, especially since they had gotten there a less than a day ago. They didn't know what to expect as they opened each door, wondering if it was the same as it was earlier or if they would arrive to see a horrific sight.

The first door was the workshop with no tools and only wood. There wasn't much to see there, Jackson noticed. He checked all around the room but there was nothing extremely suspicious. Marisa was checking the bathroom, and wasn't surprised that she didn't find anything, either.

It was Teony and Raven that found the clue.

Everybody rushed out of their rooms and met up with them in the swimming area.Teony was pointing downwards at the bottom of the pool, with Raven holding her back to make sure she didn't fall it. As Fox’s eyes adjusted, he saw a small black rectangle under the dirty surface of the pool.

"We need somebody to go retrieve the box," said Teony. Ella went over to the pool and felt the water. She rushed away from it immediately, shivering.

"Oh my god, that's cold," She said. Nobody wanted to go near it after that.

“But somebody needs to go there,” said Fletcher. “and I’m an awful swimmer.”

“Me too,” said Damien. Of course he was lying, but he just didn't want to go near it.

Before anybody could start fighting, the students heard somebody near the back say three simple words.

“I'll do it."

Everybody looked at Fox, shocked. They didn't expect him to volunteer, which is exactly why he did. He wanted to prove that he wasn't useless, and that he could still help.

"Are you sure?" Ella asked. "I'll go with you if you want." She really didn't want to, but she didn't want him to go in there by himself and possibly drown.

"I'm sure." Everybody nodded as Teony rushed to get a towel. Fox took off his shoes and nervously looked at the water. He wasn't a very good swimmer, maybe about average, but luckily he was fairly strong, so he could probably lift up the box. He took a deep breath in, and jumped in.

It was colder than he had hoped for. All of his limbs felt numb but he didn't quit. He could barely hear the shouts of encouragement as he dove deeper. The water seemed to swallow him up, getting more and more freezing by the second he was down there. His eyes fogged up like frost on a window and he could barely see where he was going.

The students watched in agony. He had been down there for far too long already. Teony, Ella and Fletcher put their hands over their faces, not wanting to see what was going to happen. Marisa bit her tongue, and Damien called, "Come on, man," hoping he would hear it.

"Somebody needs to go down there, he's gonna drown!" Trevor shouted.

A few seconds later, they heard a gasp. Everybody that had their eyes shut opened them to see a struggling Fox, holding a small, dark black box.

Fletcher and Marisa rushed over and grabbed his arms, pulling him up. Fox collapsed on the ground, coughing up water. They all smiled. "You alright?" Damien asked. He nodded, but he was still shivering. Teony wrapped the towel around him and helped him up. She helped him walk over to one of the chairs and stood next to him.

"Thank you," She said. He nodded.

"We've got it," said Rafe. "Our next clue."

"Well what are you waiting for?" Damien asked, excited. "Open it!"

Ella grabbed the box and unlatched the container, revealing a note, a piece of paper and a small key, as well. She unfolded the note and read it aloud. “If you are reading this, then the dark magic hasn't taken over. Yet. I fear it will get stronger by the second. I wrote down a few more steps that you must follow in order to free yourself and cure the academy from everything haunting it. Unfortunately, I have been forced to hide it and protect it so that the spirits that haunt me and this world can't get it. In the box you will find a map, showing the way to the attic, where your next instructions. But beware, danger lurks inside those walls, darkness that has been trapped here for longer than you were alive. It takes three to find your instructions. I believe in you.
-Mr. Barla”

Everybody looked in shock at the words. They were all afraid to admit it, but they didn't want to face the attic, especially when the note said that it would be dangerous.

“Okay,” Trevor started. “so three people need to go to the attic. Any volunteers?”

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