Chapter 22

With panic in her eyes, she looks at the people behind the glass doors, dressed in white lab suits. It is not difficult to guess what is in that room. On several occasions, she has watched videos in which people dressed in similar outfits conducted research — secret experiments that were sometimes chilling.

The teenager has no idea what is really going on at the center. She thought she already knew everything, but the horrifying truth was only now about to be revealed....

Breathing heavily, she shifts her gaze to the General, who, smiling sultrily, is eating a tangerine and speaking quietly to his nephew. He stubbornly explains something to him, and the psychologist surreptitiously glances in the girl's direction, only nodding at him. She senses that this is no good. She is in danger. She doesn't know what is really going on behind the glazed door and what those people there are working on, but the sight of them makes her feel like crying out of fear.

She watches the psychologist carefully as he walks to the door. She nervously bites her lip as she knows that the General has given him an order — want it or not, he must fulfill it.

The man leaves the room and at that moment the girl feels such fear as never before. Just a surreptitious glance at the General and noticing his terrifying gaze with which he makes her heart go up to her throat.

An unpleasant shudder runs through Sarah's body. She clenches her fists so tightly that she digs her nails into her skin, yet she feels no pain. She is overwhelmed by intense panic, unable to cope with rational thinking. From her throat comes a loud scream from which you can read how much she needs help.

The screaming turns into worthless whining when he notices the syringe in the psychologist's hand.

He whines and begs him not to hurt her, but the girl's requests are like empty words to him. He pretends not to hear them at all.

She closes her eyes, while shedding tears that flow from under her tired eyelids. She is powerless. She can do nothing, only wait for them to do her harm.

- I smell alcohol from her. This dose can be dangerous for her. These substances should not be mixed. - She hears a psychologist's voice expressing little concern for her health.

- Do what I say. This girl may even die, but I have to find out where it was hidden. She is the last person who can know the truth. This is the final move," he says in a sharp voice, but the psychologist still hesitates.

- What if he doesn't even manage to say a word? Let's wait for him to sober up.

- Listen to what I'm saying to you! - screams so shrill that the teenager flinches anxiously. She tentatively lifts her eyelids and looks at the psychologist's face with frightened eyes. She sees anxiety in his eyes. She is afraid that with this dose he might kill her.

He is on the verge of such a breakdown that he thinks for a moment that it could all be over now. He would rather not suffer any longer. She's afraid. Although she keeps pushing away theories in which she accuses Alan of working together with the General, there are times when she loses faith in him. She loses her way and no longer knows herself who she should trust. If Alan is indeed capable of stabbing her in the back, she can't stand it. He is the first boy she has ever loved. The only one she trusts implicitly and to whom she has become so strongly attached. Such disappointment, and above all heartbreak, she will not be able to heal for a long time.

- If you do not do it immediately, I will personally bail you out!

The general exudes such anger that the teenager is afraid to even look him in the face at the moment. Instead, with weeping eyes, she looks at the syringe, which arouses such intense fear in her that she trembles all over.

The man searches for a vein and applies the needle to her hand, and she closes her eyes, waiting to see what happens.

She feels her end is coming.

The strong sting makes her tighten her eyelids even more. However, it lasts only a brief moment, so she opens her eyes in surprise and realizes that the psychologist is covering her with her body and applying a small portion of the substance. She squeezes the rest into her apron pocket. She does this in hiding from the General. She defies him to save the girl's life.

Terrified, she looks at the small stain that forms at that spot, but the man covers it with his hand.

She turns around and sees that the General is glancing at the syringe to see if she really got all the contents. She corrects the glasses on her nose and forces a grim smile. He intends to get the truth out of her, but this dose is too small to have such a strong effect.

He rises from his chair and walks closer to her, watching her face with interest. He is sure that he knows the place where the grandmother hid the valuable thing, but the girl has to disappoint him, because she doesn't know the whole secret. She herself would like to know what the value behind it is and where it is hidden currently, but the grandmother preferred Sara to play detective.

She moves restlessly as she feels this small dose take over her body. The girl's gaze becomes sharper. At first, she feels dizzy and hears strange murmurs in her ears. She guesses that these symptoms are aggravated because she drank alcohol earlier. This is dangerous, and a larger dose could indeed kill her.

She shakes her head and lifts her gaze, looking directly at the General's face. He stands in front of her with a face that suggests satisfaction that the drug is starting to work. She wants to find out the truth at all costs, so it must indeed be something valuable if she is looking for it so persistently.

- So now will you tell me where your grandmother hid it? I think you still have excellent contact with her, you have definitely become friends," he claims with arrogance in his voice.

A half-smile appears on Sarah's face, which in a brief moment turns into uncontrollable laughter. Choking on saliva and unable to control her body, she watches the General's reaction, who pierces his nephew with a sharp eye.

- It shouldn't work this way! What is happening to her! - he shouts in anger. His irritation makes the girl incredibly happy. She can't get the thing she so persistently desires.

- I warned that mixing this substance with alcohol could produce an entirely different effect than what we expected.

- Then do something! Let her start telling the truth! - shouts the General, and the psychologist throws the teenager a stealthy glance. Her train of thought is now slowed down, so only after a while does she realize that the man is telling her to lie. He wants her to start talking, as long as she doesn't fall for it right away.

She shakes herself off when the General unexpectedly slaps her. The smile comes off her face and she feels a slight nervousness.

- I'm giving you one last chance. You better tell me where that bitch hid it! Talk or I'll slit your throat on the spot! - he howls, not controlling his facial expressions, which at one point starts to amuse her. Instead of fear, she feels again that she wants to laugh. Trying to stifle her outburst, she chokes on the air as the psychologist's gaze is enough to make her realize that she needs to control herself.

- Today I drank the first alcohol in my life, so don't look at me with such a crooked eye. I've started to rebel, and I used to be a shy girl. Do you know where this unexpected change came from? I thought it was because of the center, but that's not true. It is your grandson. Yes, it was Alan who changed me. I noticed a lot of similarity between you, he definitely inherited the character. He's a contortionist, but that personality and appearance of his makes me desire him more and more. What does this love do to a person? It's true what they say. A person in love becomes braver and can do anything for the other person....

- What is she talking about?

- It has just begun. A moment of truth," whispers the psychologist. He is surprised that such a small dose apparently worked on Sara.

- It scares me to think that when I marry your grandson we will become a family, but I am not going to give up on him. He is my first love. - At this point she begins to giggle, putting the General in a state of stupor. However, she isn't concerned about the look on his face and continues telling silly things. - For him, I am ready for anything. Even if he turns out to be a scumbag, I will still love him. It's a miracle that such a cool boy paid attention to me at all. At first, he embarrassed me, but the moment I seriously fell in love with him, it stopped. Now I feel safer with him than with my father. This one is just a piece of crap. He abandoned me, his biological daughter, to take care of his new wife and her daughter. Can you imagine that? That's why now the most important person for me is Alan. I put him first, and right after him are my friends.

- Another moment and I will completely lose patience.... - In the General until he boils with anger, although the psychologist tries to calm him down.

- Momentum is about to pass. With the drug of truth, it is like that. People who get it discuss everything that is on their mind. Besides, there is still alcohol in her blood, hence the stupidity, so a little patience.

- I'm going to kill this girl," he growls through clenched teeth.

- Why do you want to kill everyone? Aren't you worried about frying in hell? I can see that you are about to knock ninety, although you are still holding up pretty well for the years, but at that age I would think about starting to repent.

The general tightens his lips, but does not say a word. He slowly gets mad and until he is shaking all over to do her harm, but the psychologist still restrains him.

- I have long dreamed of telling someone what is on my heart. Now I felt a distinct relief," she says, putting her hand to her chest. The man can't stand it and grabs her by the collar of her shirt, looking at her with a ghastly expression.

- If you do not immediately start talking about where your grandmother hid the thing belonging to me.... - Alan's voice is heard from afar, calling the girl's name with clear panic.

He is looking for her.

- Your grandson can't find out about this place, no one can. Let's throw the girl out of here, because she doesn't know anything anyway. Otherwise, she would have already told everything," the psychologist says.

Sara gets the impression that he doesn't want anyone to be harmed. It is the General who is conducting everything, and he alone has an undeniable desire to torture and kill innocent people.

- Where does this certainty come from?

- I have interviewed young people many times by injecting them with this substance, so I know very well how it works. This girl doesn't know anything, certainly not at this moment. Do you want to take a risk? No one for now can find out about what we are preparing. Not even your grandson, because he is not on our side. - The last sentence makes Sara feel as if all the weight has fallen from her heart.

Alan did not conspire with the General. The ghosts misled her, and because of this, she began to doubt her beloved.

The old man listens to his nephew as he throws the girl a sharp look.

- This is not the end. Soon I will squeeze the truth out of you anyway, because I know perfectly well that with the passage of time you will learn about everything. You were lucky this time," he announces, loosening the grip on her shirt.

The psychologist grabs Sarah's hand and helps her up from the chair. He puts a blindfold on the girl so that she doesn't know where the place is located, and then leads her outside. She realizes by the unpleasant smell that they are in the underground. In addition, stepping on the wet floor in her socks, she gets the impression that her feet will fall off shortly. It's so cold that she can't control her shivering body.

She doesn't know how long they go, but at one point the psychologist pushes her to the wet floor, then walks away with a quick step. By the time she removes her blindfold, his is gone. She looks around uneasily and picks herself up from the floor when she hears the call again.

- Alan? - she asks louder, and his name echoes through the empty corridors. - Alan, can you hear me?

- Sara? - The voice he uses to say her name sounds as if he is relieved. - Sara, where are you? Can you speak again?

She looks around and realizes that she is in a tunnel that leads to the main corridor. It was here that she found the corpses of the orphaned children.

She wants to exclaim to Alan, but suddenly a sharp headache pierces her. So severe that it darkens her for a moment. She has to crouch down. She puts her hand to her forehead and shakes her head, as she gets the impression that something bad is happening to her eyesight. At first, she loses focus and sees only fog. She blinks her eyelids in the hope that this will help her, but she sees only shadows: dangerous shapes scrolling in front of her. She is perfectly aware of what they are.

Ghosts. They have returned again to take revenge.

She gets the impression that something disturbing is happening to her body for the sake of mixing the drug with alcohol. She wants to fight it off and get back on her feet, but is unable to. Chills take over her body, so she curls up in a ball, hoping that it will finally stop. But nothing of the sort comes. Instead, it starts ringing in her ears. She hears strange noises — she gets the impression that something is speaking to her in a shrill voice.

She anxiously looks around her, observing the shadows. Her vision sharpens again, but she still sees disturbing shapes circling her.

Breathing heavily, she covers her ears and frantically watches the phantoms, which are more dangerous than usual. She shouldn't show fear, because many times this situation has been repeated, but now it's different. Fear has spontaneously taken over her body, which is why she feels so anxious.

- Leave me alone, go away! - she screams in a panicked voice, with her hands making strange movements, as if she wants to chase all the ghosts away from her. She starts screaming with hysteria, unable to control her body.

And then he appears. With horror written all over his face, he grabs her forearms and lifts her up. He hugs the girl. His embrace is so strong that he doesn't even allow her to move her arms.

She faces presses into his chest and closes her eyes, trying to control her hysteria. Her breathing is still heavy, but she feels safe at his side. She slowly calms down. Especially when he starts stroking her hair with his hand, reiterating that she is no longer in danger.

Tears run down her cheeks, and Alan pushes Sarah away to see her face. He embraces her with his hands and gently wipes away her tears, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

- You don't even know how worried I was. I thought I was going to die of fear when I came back to the room, and you weren't there.... - he whispers, not taking his eyes off her.

- Why did you leave me alone? Where did you go?

- Oliver knocked, and I went with him to his room to talk. He followed us all the time because he is jealous of you. This conversation did not end well," he announces, and a crooked smile appears on his face. She only now notices that he has a cut lip. She lifts her hand and touches his wound with her fingertips. - Don't worry about your friend, I didn't even raise my hand to him. He started and ended our conversation.

- Why did he hit you?

- This is unimportant, Sara. I'm more concerned about what happened to you? You were asleep when I left, and when I returned you were gone. Was it because of the ghosts that you went down to the underworld again? - he asks with concern in his voice.

She doesn't know what to answer. On the one hand, he wants to confess the truth to him, but now that he knows that he is not on the General's side, he might do something stupid. In an act of revenge, he could go so far as to make an ill-considered move, and that would have dangerous consequences. She doesn't want something to make the General even angrier. Now that he knows that she has no idea where the thing she is looking for so persistently is located, he will give her a break for a while. So, is it worth bothering Alan?

She just wants to go back to her room and go to bed. She feels bad. She has mixed substances in her body that make her not herself. Just a moment ago, she had strange symptoms that contributed to her becoming hysterical. Fortunately, Alan's presence brought her back to her sanity.

- I think I see ghosts after drinking alcohol, and they are definitely more aggressive," she claims with a forced smile on her face.

Alan embraces Sarah and kisses her on the top of her head.

- Therefore, never drink alcohol again.

*

Unbeknownst to her, Laura is still partying with the guys, so Sara doesn't intend to go back there. She needs to rest, so she chooses Alan's room. Going to bed, she asks him not to leave her this time. He promises not to, reiterating that he will keep an eye on her. With this statement he exaggerates, so the teenager watches him in silence for a long time, as he sits on the couch within her sight.

Alan was given a room, which is a single room. Everyone envied him, claiming that the director got a solid bribe from him, so he was treated differently from other kids.

Well, no. He is singled out because the director immediately noticed the resemblance between Alan and the General. That's why he was so fascinated by him when they first met.

- Why are you awake? You watch me all the time.... I was the one who was supposed to watch you. Sleep - he speaks up, but she is not going to listen to him. She settles her head more comfortably on the pillow and plunges her gaze into his face.

- I am unable to fall asleep when you look at me so intensely, so I do the same.

- Okay, so I'll also go to bed, if that's going to help you," he says, then settles down on the couch.

Measuring one meter ninety, it's difficult to get a good night's sleep with half your legs sticking out behind the couch. This sight amuses her, so she unexpectedly starts giggling under her breath. Alan lifts his head and looks at her with confused eyes.

- Why are you laughing? Haven't you sobered up yet?

- Your position makes me laugh. I think you won't move tomorrow," she asserts, watching his try to arrange herself differently. - Come here," she whispers, patting the spot next to him. Alan crinkles his eyebrows and immediately shakes his head.

- Do you think I'll let you sleep on the couch? Never in my life. I'll get so much sleep. - She doesn't know if he is idiotic, or if he doesn't accept the idea that he can lie down next to her? After all, sleeping together is no sin.

- Alanek, this chance may not happen again," she announces with a little amusement in her voice.

- What did you call me? - Surprised until he rises to a sitting position.

- Are you really more interested in what I called you than what I proposed? - she asks with palpable indignation in her voice.

- I told you that you will not sleep on the couch.

- And I said, I want you to lie down next to me! - With this sentence, she closes his mouth.

Not a brief moment passes when, with a smile on his face, he jumps over the bed and lies down next to her. She turns to face him and snaps him on the nose.

- Tonight is an exception. Just sleeping next to you will make me feel safe enough to fall asleep right away," she claims, snuggling her head into his chest.

Alan embraces her, so she closes her eyes. With him, she feels calm, and more importantly: she is safe. At least this night, because she can't predict what awaits them in the days to come.

They are planning something. The general is hiding the cruel truth from them. There is something dangerous in the underground, the people there are working on something. At the very thought of this, Sara gets chills.

What does this man really want from them? Did he specifically take the girl to that place because he wants her to see it?

He probably wanted to scare her, and unfortunately, he succeeded.

*

Oliver bursts into the room, where Laura and her two companions are playing at their best, unconcerned about their silly behavior. They discuss empty topics, which angers Oliver even more when they don't answer the question he asks.

- Holy shit! Shut the fuck up and answer me, was Sara even here for a minute!!!?

- Since she went out with Alan, no. They are probably playing two dogs somewhere," Matthew announces, with which he makes Laura spit out her drink with laughter. Oliver takes a deep breath and clenches his fists out of nervousness. - What about you, my friend? Have a drink with me. I get the impression that you have distanced yourself from me lately. I think some girl has turned your head, since you don't think about me anymore. - Matthew wants to joke, but Oliver is not in a good mood, so he leaves the room and slams the door in farewell.

He heads toward the stairs and at one point stops when he recalls his conversation with Alan. Never before had he felt such intense anxiety as at that moment. Being in the same room with him only now made him realize what a cruel person he is.

- Sara, what should I do to make you finally believe me? You don't even know how worried I am about you," he whispers into space, leaning against the railing with his hand. He takes a deep breath and looks around the building. - But I will not give up without a fight. I will eventually make you believe me. You'll find out what a nasty man your boyfriend is. He's a monster, just like his grandfather. He is an excellent manipulator. He knows you will never believe me, that's why he is so confident, but I will destroy him. I will get rid of him and the General, and then I will help you escape.

- What are you talking about?

Oliver looks over his shoulder as if scalded when he hears Laura's voice. The girl followed him out to find out why he was looking for her friend. She noticed that he was nervous, so at some point she became concerned about Oliver's behavior.

- Laura," he mutters embarrassed. The girl does not look drunk, as he thought before. She definitely keeps better from the guys who drink alcohol with her.

- What do you mean when you say Sara is in danger? What kind of conversation did you have with Alan?

The boy scratches his head in embarrassment because he doesn't want anyone to find out before Sara does.

- Nothing of the sort. You heard wrong.

- I understood well, so at this time tell me what Alan did!