Chapter 26

With a slow step, she walks through the long corridor, which seems more dark and ominous to her since it has been deserted. These gray walls hide many secrets that are beyond the comprehension of an ordinary resident of Warsaw. People living in the open don't suppose that something bad is preparing. They have no idea that there is a group of madmen who are planning to wreak havoc on the capital of the state.

Only a few young people can uncover the truth that threatens the lives of their compatriots. The youths are locked in a facility with strict discipline — a building that has been turned into a nuclear bomb production facility.

Sara stops in place when she feels dizzy. She closes her eyelids and leans against the wall with one hand to tilt her head.

Recent events have contributed to strong stress, which has bad effects on her health. She is overtired as she suffers from insomnia. For several days, she has been unable to sleep a wink for fear that something bad will happen.

Added to this is Simon's death and the lack of response from the person he loves.

Alan purposely avoids her by a wide margin; he is clearly avoiding her, and she expects the worst. She senses that he has found out something that should never have happened.

The moment she was kissed by Oliver — she did nothing. She did not object to it in any way, and what is worse: she is not angry. She is not mad at Oliver for doing something so outrageous while she is in a relationship.

Furthermore, she should seriously reconsider her behavior.

Sarah's only concern is that she enjoyed the kiss. She doesn't understand what's been happening to her lately, but she has a bad feeling that being in the presence of an incorrigible roommate is taking its toll on her. She is increasingly thinking Laura is leading her down the wrong path, and worse: it doesn't bother her either.

Should she start worrying? Recently, she noticed a distinct change in both of them. Does she get the impression that they have switched places?

As Laura continues to sit locked in her room since Simon's death and occasionally speaks out, it is Sara who begins to do bad things that damage her innocent reputation.

She opens her eyes when she senses someone's presence. She notices black sneakers, so she lifts her face and carefully looks at Oliver, who looks worried about her condition.

- Sara, what's going on? - The girl involuntarily forces a smile and shrugs her shoulders.

- The usual. I'm tired. Do you want to kiss me? - She asks, pointing to her lips with her finger. - Maybe you'll take away the bad energy from me," she adds, seeing the confusion on his face.

She slides down the wall and sits on the cold floor. She pulls her knees up to her chest and embraces them with her hands, looking at a single point in front of her. The boy takes a seat next to her.

- I'm sorry that I kissed you then. I don't know what got into me. From all this craziness, my head started to get mixed up," he announces and notices that the brown-haired woman lifts the corners of her mouth upwards.

This was not the reaction he expected.

- Ever since I met you, you seemed crazy to me, so don't make it up. You scared me at first," she announces with a little amusement in her voice.

- Really? - The boy looks interested in her answer, so she glances at him and puts her hand on his shoulder.

- I'm serious. People were shunning you, and I could see that they wanted to make your acquaintance. Although you attracted them with your looks, they were repulsed by your personality. Not counting Matthew, I was the only person you started talking to, right?

Oliver rubs his face with his hands, then smiles.

- You were different, that's why I became interested in you. At first, I loved to tease you because you were easily annoyed, and that added to your charm," he claims, and she punches him in the arm with feigned indignation.

- So is it like that? When I asked Matthew why you were rude to me, he replied that it was because of your past, but he would rather not reveal anything more to me. Only when you revealed the truth to me.... then I understood and decided to give you a chance.

- Then we started to get along," he admits, and she nods. - I did the right thing, because that's how I gained your trust.

The brown-haired woman lowers her head and removes the thread from her cotton pants.

- I am glad that we are friends. You are sincere and try to tell me everything, and I sometimes behave so unkindly towards you. I apologize for the last times I didn't believe you. I am blind to Alan, and I am afraid to admit you are right. I don't want to lose him.

The boy nods, then takes her hand. Sara is only surprised for a moment, but does not take her hand from his grasp.

- I have told you many times that I will always help you. I will protect you in every situation because you deserve it. I only tried to warn you, but I didn't force you to do anything. I left it up to you to decide. I didn't want you to suffer later because I'm worried about you.

- You are a good friend, Oliver. Even the best," she announces, lifting her gaze and looking into his eyes. Although he smiles, you can see the sadness in them.

- At least I have you," he says quietly, but this worries Sarah. Why didn't he mention his best friend?

- And Matthew?

- Our friendship has begun to fall apart," he announces, and the girl looks at him carefully. - He has noticed that I have more and more secrets from him, and I am constantly around you, which he doesn't like. He thinks he is trying to mess up your relationship. I wouldn't care if he was worried about you, but lately, he's been spending a lot of time with Alan. He seems to have found a new friend. - Sara crinkles her eyebrows. She thought he and Matthew were best friends whom nothing could separate. - I would rather not irritate you, but I get the impression that this is Alan's influence. I have only you. You are the only one who trusts me. Because you trust, right?

He looks into her eyes, and she nods without hesitation. She doesn't intend to push him away, even if Alan told her to do so. She has noticed that her boyfriend hates Oliver and wants to separate her from him at all costs.

Although she loves Alan, she won't even force her to give up her friendship with Oliver. That would be too much already.

Anyway, what is he starting to do lately?

- I will never leave you, Oliver," she says with conviction in her voice. The brunet smiles slightly and then asks her the hardest question:

- I know it's inappropriate, and I'm guessing your answer, but what would you do if you had to save one of the two of us. Would you choose me or Alan?

Sara throws him a nervous glance and starts picking at the threads in his pants with her fingers. The boy notices that she is embarrassed.

- Until recently, I would have undoubtedly answered Alan, but recently something has changed. Therefore, I do not know the answer to this question.

He was sure she would decide Alan because she loves him, but does that mean he is also important to her in some way?

There is a spark of hope in his heart.

*

Julia watches with horror in her eyes as the mutated man is subjected to strange treatments through which he is supposed to obey them. The girl does not know what they need the handicapped man for, especially since he is the brother of a deceased mathematician, but the psychologist tries to extract significant information from him.

- Why are you doing this to him? He is suffering," she says, unable to bear the harm they are doing to him any longer. Perhaps she wouldn't care so much if it were a healthy person, but torturing a person who has already suffered through a handicap in life makes compassion manifest in the heartless Julia as well.

- If you like, you can take his place. - She hears a chilling voice, belonging to the General. - He knows where the secured uranium is, but won't squeak a word. Maybe from you, we can get it out faster? - A mocking smile appears on his face.

- I don't know anything. Do you guys think the grandmother told me such things? I don't know anything about her past, so give me a break! I don't know what you need a uranium for, but if I knew, I would reveal it to you right away! Do you think I would sit here peacefully to be tortured?

Her chest rises and falls under heavy breathing. She is terrified that she might be hurt again.

- You lied to us. You are a disgusting deceiver, just like your grandmother. You stated that a certain Laura knows the truth about this, but she is not connected to anyone from the past.

- How do you know? How do you know that I am! - she shouts, and the psychologist turns to face her.

- Because for years there have been documents stuck here regarding people who were once detained here. That's how I found out about your affinity.

She looks at the General and notices his sultry smile.

- He found your documents without a problem. I wonder why he took so long to uncover the truth about your cousin Sarah. - The general doesn't look at the psychologist, but Julia sees that the man looks scared for a moment. Could it be that he is hiding something?

- Cousins? - she repeats in amazement.

- Didn't you know? Your grandmother and her grandmother are sisters who have sinned a lot in the past. Now you are suffering because of them .

The girl opens her eyes wider as Alan enters the room. Although he is always serious, this time his face is stern and he looks angry. Is he cooperating with them?

- I've been to see your work and must say that you have quite a headache," he declares in greeting. He throws Julia a disgusted look and takes a seat in the psychologist's chair. - How is it possible that this dimwit knows about uranium?

The girl looks surprised. She didn't expect Alan to know the truth about uranium, either.

- What do you need uranium for? - she asks uncertainly. Alan looks at her mockingly and rubs his forehead with a smile on his face.

- You have never sinned with intelligence," he claims brazenly, which amuses the General. The man laughs out loud, which embarrasses the teenager.

- Does Sara know what you are doing behind her back? - She asks Alan a bold question.

- Sara also does many things behind my back, so we are even.

Julia wrinkles her eyebrows, wondering what he means. If she only manages to escape from this place, he will immediately inform her of the situation.

- She won't believe you," announces Alan, screening her intentions. - Sara hates you, besides, you are a terrible liar.

- First you have to get out of here.

The teenager casts the General a concerned look. What is he planning to do to her this time?

*

Laura leaves the room and carefully looks around the corridor to make sure no one is around. She is afraid of people who might catch her because Julia accused her of hiding the truth to protect her ass.

The girl hates these types of people; to her, they are mere cowards. Another person would not accuse an innocent person, but try to solve the problem himself. Unfortunately, Julia is a mean fox and nothing can soften her heart anymore.

- Laura. - The girl jumps up when she hears Natalia's voice. The redhead and her friend Sylvia approach her, visibly shaken. She hasn't seen them for a long time. They must have been hiding in a room for a long time when they realized what was really going on in the center. Before, she hated them both, but now she understands that she acted despicably. Everyone should stick together to face the Nazis. - We heard what happened to Simon. We are horrified," she adds more quietly.

Laura closes her eyelids when she hears the name of the most important person she lost. She still can't get over his death. She misses Simon and thinks about him every moment.

- It's true. None of us is safe here," she says with difficulty in her voice. - We are imprisoned here by the Nazis.

- Nazis? - repeats Sylvia, clearly shocked by this news. - What do they want from us?

- You are not informed about anything. I would have to tell you everything from the beginning.... - She interrupts her sentence when she notices Matthew coming up the stairs. In his hand, he holds a commercial with food.

He again stole the potatoes for her.

- So let me do it, and you eat something meanwhile," he says, approaching the girls. The brunette girl smiles unwillingly and accepts the commercial from him.

- Why do you keep doing it?

- Because I know you wouldn't go down to the cafeteria for food alone. You're losing weight in your eyes, Laura.

- Provided you eat it with me," she proposes, and the rest nod their heads in agreement. They return to the room, and Matthew, while eating, tells his peers about the situation they are in.

*

Oliver leaves Sarah alone when the director summonses him. The girl assumes that they want something from him, especially since he still has to cooperate with them. If Oliver decided to separate from them, they would no doubt get rid of him in the same way they did with the previous orphans.

She is worried about him, so she paces restlessly in the corridor, waiting for him to return. And that's when she spots Alan coming out of the room where the General often sits.

Is she already falling into paranoia?

- Alan. - The boy stops in mid-step and tightens his lips in anger; however, the girl is unable to see this because he is standing with his back to her.

- What? - He replies dryly, which causes his pain.

Why is he acting so strangely towards her? Could it be that he knows she has been kissed by Oliver?

Nothing else comes to mind.

- Will you talk to me? I am devastated because you are avoiding me. I don't know what's going on," she says uncertainly, fearing his reaction.

- Are you sure you want this conversation?

Why do his words sound so ominous? Is he trying to imply something to her by doing so?

- I'm afraid, Alan. I'm afraid of your behavior," she announces in a low voice, as he begins to worry her. He has never behaved like this before.

The blond man closes his eyes as he thinks for a moment: how can he treat the girl he loves like this? Sara is the most important thing to him, but she hurt him. Although she was kissed by Oliver, she did nothing to let him know that he should not do it. As if that's what she liked.... As if that's what she wanted.

- I am the one who is concerned about your personality change. I don't recognize you, Sara.

- Why do you think so? After all, I'm still the same person," she whispers and opens her eyes wider in horror as he turns to face her and shouts:

- You are a whore like all the others!

He is bubbling with anger. He pierces her with a frenzied gaze, and she feels like scowling because Alan has never frightened her as much as he does at a given moment. Something bad is happening to him.

- Now I know why my father was so carried away with women. You are all evil. Falling in love with you is the road to destruction!

- Why do you say that? You always said your father was a monster and defended your mother. Why did you change your mind? - she asks in a trembling voice.

- What do you think? Because of you, of course. - He accuses her of something she doesn't understand at all.

- Alan, calm down. I beg you to. Control your anger and talk to me. I want to know why you are mad at me.

- Why, haven't you guessed yet? Do you have more on your conscience? - she mocks, and tears flow from under her eyelids.

- I haven't done anything wrong, so why are you attacking me?

- So now you are making a victim out of yourself and a perpetrator out of me!"? - He raises his voice again, so the girl trembles. - I'm not the one who let myself be kissed by a friend. - He utters the last word with clear disgust.

- After all, it wasn't me who kissed him! - The girl wants to defend herself, but Alan comes up to her and grabs her by the shoulders. He jerks her, causing her pain.

- But you did nothing to avoid it!

He lets her go too abruptly, causing her to wobble. Pulling her nose, she wipes the tears from her cheeks and lifts her face. She wants to speak up, but feels herself getting weak again. This is the second time this day.

Dark spots appear in front of her eyes, and then she unexpectedly loses consciousness and falls to the floor.

Alan looks over his shoulder and freezes when he spots her unconscious. He runs up to her and gently lifts her head up in an attempt to revive her.

She can't open her eyes, but she can perfectly hear his worried voice. He calls her name, asking her to open her eyes; however, she cannot do so. She is unable to.

*

Sara lifts her eyelids and realizes that she is lying on the bed. With semi-conscious eyes, she looks around the room and recognizes that she is in Alan's room. He recalls recent events and guesses that he must have brought her here.

She rises from the bed when she hears indistinct voices. With a weak step, she walks to the door and recognizes Alan's voice.

- So you say it's from weakness?

- Yes, the girl is exhausted. Lack of sleep, stress and poor nutrition contributed to her fainting," the doctor replied.

- In that case, I will take proper care of it.

The man walks away, and then Sara hears the sound of the door closing. Startled, she tugs on the handle.

- Alan? I'm not sleeping! - she shouts, hitting the door with his fists.

- I know, but be prepared to spend the next few days there.

- What are you talking about? Let me out!

- No way. I have to take care of you, and besides, it's safer if you don't hang around that asshole. After all, you want me to forgive you, right? - he asks, and when she doesn't answer, then he adds from himself. - Well, that's right. I think we are in agreement. I'll come to your place soon and bring you food, so get some sleep.

The blonde leaves, and she starts banging on the door again. She is outraged. Did he lock her in here? What happened to Alan? This man no longer resembles the boy she has feelings for. Is this really the man she fell in love with?