MEMORIES

The dream was normal to begin with; me, Oliver, mum and dad. We were playing hide and seek and I was the one seeking. I had found dad and Oliver so I was left looking for mum. The attic was the only place left to look so I went there but when I got on the ladder the place changed instantly. From the familiar gothic look of the stone walls I realized I was back in school. My hands were very different so I knew I wasn't even in my body anymore. I was on a ladder for sure and there was someone else above me.

"Aren't you going down, Chrita?" the girl asked,"Is something wrong?"

"No. It's just cold. Are you sure this ladder goes straight into the sewing rooms?" I asked in my mother's voice.

Rooms? Why rooms? It's not like a whole warehouse can be a single room but it was known that way so why did mum say rooms?

"Yes. Over heard Elise speaking to Garcia. I'm sure."

I was suddenly not in mum's body but watching them from below. The girl above mum was the lady from the pool, the other Christabel. If I'm not mistaken Garcia is Sr Drevin.

"I want to know what happens in here but....." mum started saying when she reached the end of the ladder,"... something isn't right."

"Something like what? Don't tell me you're scared."

"If people just come to sew in here then why does it have an underground space? It's so dark it would make sewing impossible. Not to mention secret entrances I the middle of the forest."

"The underground space might be to store fabric and the secret entrances might be secret exists for emergencies like a fire breakout." Christabel tried to convince my mum who looked perplexed.

"Help!" someone screamed directly behind me and her voice was very familiar,"Help me please!"

I slowly turned around and saw Elise, the older version I had seen with Jen. Behind her was the morphed creature from earlier today. I didn't know if I should run or stay put because I had no idea if I was visible or invisible. I run just to be safe but when Elise and the monster passed me I slowed down and saw mum and Christabel climbing up the ladder. Mum fell so Elise led the thing into another passage and it followed.

I was suddenly in an office where a bloodied and emotionless Elise stood in front of Ms Stevenson. There were photos on the walls of different students and among them I saw my mum, dad, Sr Drevin, Christabel, Sr Patronelle, Elise and....Maria.

"Vee!" I heard Markus shout.

I opened my eyes and found myself standing at the entrance of the tunnel in my room. I gasped in shock and looked behind me where Markus and Oliver were standing behind Elise. She walked towards me and looked into the tunnel and then she took my hand in her own.

"What you saw is a memory. We'll talk about it in the morning so please don't think too much about it." Elise said looking sad.

"In the corn field?" Oliver asked.

"Yes." she said leading me to her room.

I slept easily and woke up early with tears in my eyes. Why was I crying? I wiped my tears and saw Elise looking at me standing naked. I was also naked which meant she was planning on bathing me or rather dry cleaning me.

"Let's go bath." she said covering herself in a towel.

I got off the bed and we went to bath. Classes were boring as usual and they went by really slow. When it was lunch time I was feeling sleepy probably because I had taken a 'walk' that night.

"Are you feeling alright?" Oliver asked me looking worried then he looked at Elise and said,"Shorty, what did you do to her?"

"I asked her to bath." Elise said calmly.

"Bathing can't cause someone to be sleepy." Markus said,"And feeling sleepy isn't something someone else can induce, Ollie. You know what happened."

"I was trying to start a conversation." Oliver said pouting his lips.

I closed my eyes and opened them again when Elise tapped my shoulder.

"Sr Patronelle is here." she whispered in my ear.

My eyes flew open and I sat up straight. Elise got up and went to talk to the old nun. I started eating and a minute later Elise returned to the table and sat quietly. Sr Patronelle was still standing by the door and she didn't look like she wanted to leave.

"She wants to talk to the two of you." Elise said using her spoon to point at Markus and Oliver.

"Why?" I asked starting to feel anxious.

Sr Patronelle was in those photos so she must be crafty.

"Relax Vee. We're just going to speak to an old hag. Imagine we are doing volunteer work at a retirement home." Oliver said smiling brightly.

I smiled at him and he got up with Markus. Sr Patronelle had a bright smile on her face as they walked towards her. I tried to read her lips but I failed to do so. I only managed to understand that she told them to follow her. The three of them left and soon suppertime ended and Elise and I had to go for prep. I couldn't even keep my eyes on my school book so I started going through the doodle book I had borrowed from the library. I started following the steps to doodle a tropical island and needless to say, it was horrible. Markus is an art student so maybe he can help me become better at drawing or.... should I get better on my own so that I can impress him?

"Doodling for beginners. Your hands weren't meant for art." Christopher said smiling down at his book.

I rolled my eyes at him but when I looked down at the drawing I had made I accepted defeat. Instead of looking like a tropical beach it looked like a horror island. I closed my book and waited for prep time to be over but the time seemed to be moving by like a snail. I thought time was supposed to run!

"Let's go." I heard Elise say next to my ear.

"Where?" I asked looking at her.

She said nothing but glared down at me and I got up and gathered my things. We left and I saw Markus and Oliver walking ahead of us. We reached the cornfield in no time but as we headed to our usual gathering place we heard voices. Elise stopped walking and gestured for us to remain where we were. She walked on without us but then I could suddenly hear the voices of the people speaking.

"Do you think she will come?" said one voice, a boy.

"She has to." said a girl.

They stopped talking, probably because of Elise.

"That's two offences for the both of you." Elise said solemnly,"Go to your rooms."

The two people did not protest in any way. When it became quiet we proceeded to join Elise. She was already sitting on the ground when we got there so we also sat down. She was quiet for a very long time and I could tell she didn't want to say anything.

"Did you really see the two of them together, Elise?" a man's voice asked.

I wasn't in the cornfield anymore but I an office. I was standing in a corner while Elise sat on a chair next to a crying Jen. Behind Elise was the punisher while opposite then sat a gaunt looking nun. Behind the nun was a man in a black coat with a hat even though they were inside. Elise seemed sad and confused with the man's question and she looked at Jen before saying anything. She opened her mouth to speak as some surety appeared in her eyes. The punisher placed her hands on Elise's shoulders the she bent down to speak.

"Don't be afraid, Elise. No one is here to hurt you." she said with a little hissing sound at the end of each word.

She dug her thumb nails into Elise's back and the surety that was in Elise's eyes disappeared.

"Yes. They were in his room." Elise said finally and Jen cried even more.

"Take her to the sewing room." the nun said as if she was passing a verdict in court.

The nun got up and left with the man while the punisher patted Elise's back before fisting up Jen's hair to drag her away. Jen screamed as the tall girl pulled on her hair making the chair fall as well with Jen in it. Jen was dragged away and she gave Elise a warning.....or a promise for revenge.

"I will come back! You will be with me down there! I will reveal the truth about you!" Jen shouted.

Now alone, Elise broke down in tears and soon the punisher came back with an evil grin on her face.

"One last offence and you will join your dear friend and your lover as well."

"But you said you would spare him." Elise muttered.

"You chose to fall in love with the wrong person, Elise Davison. You just had to chose Oliver Myre."

I was back in the cornfield and found her staring at me with teary eyes. I looked at Oliver and a tear fell from my eyes. Did they reincarnate?!