Chapter 32

Alan watches Sarah's every move with a concerned eye, as she continues to hold the scissors to her neck. He is afraid that the phantom that has taken over her body will harm the girl, so he must react quickly. He feverishly ponders what he should do, as time is short.

If she doesn't figure something out, they'll both die, or in the worst case, just her.

Standing on the other side of the door, Laura, with a motion of her hand, urges the running psychologist, who is accompanied by Erik. Taking advantage of his help was the boy's first thought, since he has the keys to all the rooms.

The man opens the door and rushes inside, focusing his gaze on the teenager.

- Sara? - speaks in a trembling voice, clearly worried about her condition.

Erik enters behind the man. Laura watches them at the threshold, nervously squeezing the door handle in her hand.

- This is not Sara," he takes the floor, recalling her strange behavior. - It's something that has taken over her body.

The phantom looks back, and anxiety shows in her eyes when she spots the psychologist. She reaches out to him and, with deep longing, strokes his cheek. The man is confused, but at that moment his attention is focused on the dangerous object stuck against the teenager's skin. He lets her touch it, taking advantage of the moment of adoration, and takes the scissors away from her, throwing them to the other end of the office.

- You should not have come here... - she whispers, and tears glaze in her eyes. - You are in danger.

She touches him for too long, and this results in her leaving. The soul melts, so Sara faints directly into his arms. The psychologist takes the girl in his arms. He plunges his gaze into Alan, noticing that he is watching the teenager with some concern in his eyes.

- I will take care of her. She looks exhausted," he declares, heading for the exit.

The boy wants to protest, but Laura, who is closing the door, makes a gesture with her hand with which she informs him of immediate death if he does not let go. Seeing the determination in her eyes, he guesses that she is not joking at all. This time he lets go.

*

All three sit in the psychologist's office while Sara rests on the doctor's bed. The man looks in on her occasionally to make sure she is okay.

- Are you sure the General won't come here? Maybe it would be safer if my friend stayed in the room?

- The general is not in the building," he replies, sitting down in a chair. - He left it for some time. I don't know what he is planning, but his people are still here and working on something.

- Over something? After all, we know it's about developing an atomic bomb....

The psychologist pulls down his eyebrows, carefully looking at the girl. He prides himself momentarily over something, then laughs out loud. Laura looks surprised by his reaction.

- Did you believe this foolishness?

- Foolishness? - he repeats indignantly. - After all, Sarah's grandmother hid from the General the uranium that a scientist from Russia created for him during the war...

Erik looks closely at the man, noticing that he is amused by these words.

- These are fairy tales that the General had everyone tell to hide the truth.

- Really? So, in your opinion, what are his people working on in the underground? They are dressed in lab suits, and it is strictly forbidden to enter there....

- Certainly not over the creation of a bomb. I know it's possible, but I didn't think you'd gulp it down so easily. - The man shakes his head. - Creating a bomb is something unimaginably easy. The Nazis have deals with Russia, and besides, they won't attack this country. A third world war would break out.

The teenager opens her mouth, completely lost in all the guesswork. She clogs it up. She can't get any words out.

- So you think my grandmother lied to me?

The gazes of all three rest on the girl as she peeks into the room. She is pale and her lips are so chapped that at that moment she looks as if she is seriously ill.

- Sara. - The psychologist rises from his chair and with an animated step approaches the girl. - Are you feeling well?

- I'm fine," she announces sourly, wanting to forget about the apparition that forcibly took over her body. - I didn't do anything stupid, did I? - She makes sure, watching their faces carefully, as if trying to read the truth from them.

- We found you in time. Nothing happened," he explains, wanting to avoid details. He doesn't intend to frighten the girl, so he doesn't mention to her the dangerous situation that recently took place.

- That's a good thing.

The room is awkwardly silent and only the old clock, hanging on the wall in the study, makes sounds.

- You're probably wondering why I didn't mention to you earlier that the idea of uranium and the atomic bomb was nonsense? I was afraid that the General would get something out of one of you, so I repeated the lie. If he found out that the disciples knew the truth, he would start snooping and would eventually discover that I was working with you.

Sara is curious why her grandmother also lied to her. What is this thing if it means so much and not just to the General? Why is everyone trying so hard to protect it?

- What has changed that you now admit to?

- I don't want you to continue being stuck in a lie. However, I will not tell you about anything for now. This is for your safety. This is not the time yet. - He sends Sarah an expressive look, with which he communicates to the girl that only she can know the truth.

*

She lifts her head and makes sure her roommate is plunged into a deep sleep. Although Sara still hasn't recovered and looks bad, she needs to visit the psychologist's office. She noticed that the man doesn't want to say anything in a larger group for his safety, and guessed that it is her he wants to reveal something to. He would like to tell the girl something important in private, so she decides to go to him in the middle of the night.

She tries to be careful and carefully checks each corridor before she enters it. She doesn't want anyone to follow her, because by doing so, she could bring unnecessary trouble to a man.

Her guesses are confirmed when she checks the door leading to the psychologist's office. They are only opened by the appropriate card, but for her, he has left them ajar.

She walks through the narrow corridor and, without knocking, enters the room, finding a man sitting alone in an armchair. At the sight of the teenager, he moves in place and bestows on her a warm, friendly smile.

- You are.

- As you can see, you were sure that I would come.

- You are a smart girl, that's why I knew you would understand me. - He rises from his seat and pushes back his chair for her. - Sit down.

The teenager follows the man's command. She leans against the desk top with her hands and delves into the man's questioning gaze as she slumps back in her chair with a sigh. She craves all the answers from him. Furthermore, she hopes that this is the moment when he will tell her overdue secrets.

- Let me start with the most important... What did you mean when you said that the creation of the atomic bomb was complete nonsense? Why did my grandmother lie to me and make me believe that she hid uranium from the General to prevent a tragedy?

The man laughs quietly.

- Well... to some extent she avoided tragedy. I think by doing so she was trying to protect you. If she had confessed the truth to you, you would no doubt have launched a search. This is something that can destroy a person.

- Destroy the man? - she repeats amazed. - How dangerous is that?

- So much so that those in the know might even kill each other just to get their hands on it.

Sara opens her eyes wider, increasingly curious about this mystery.

- So my grandmother didn't confess the truth to me because she was afraid it might lead to...

- ... you'll go crazy," he finishes for her, leaning on his elbows and clenching his hands into one fist. - What I mean is that you will get so obsessed that you won't think about what you are doing.

- So how can I convince you that this will definitely not happen? - She plunges her strong gaze into him, nervously playing with her toes.

The man sighs loudly.

- You don't have to convince me. I believe in you because I see that you are emotionally strong. You have been through a lot, and yet you stand firmly on the ground. Someone else in your position would have given up long ago. Not everyone finds out overnight that they are psychic.

The teenager smiles under her breath in response.

- It's true.

- That's why I want you to know the truth. I wasn't going to talk about it in the presence of your friend, or even Eric whom I trust. Do you know why? Because it could divide you, and I was afraid that each would go his own way, because you would hate each other to the point where finding this thing would be so important that you would eventually become enemies.

The girl nods.

- Since it's so valuable, I'm not surprised that even the General lied so that no one would know the truth. Now I understand why he got so mad when his grandmother hid it from him.

The man closes his eyelids and massages his forehead. He looks nervous.

- Time is short. It would be better if you could get to it before the General returns to the center.

- It's strange... why did he leave the building so suddenly?

- I think he has his reasons. - He looks thoughtful for a moment. - But for you, it could be an opportunity. Nevertheless, be careful and be cautious, because there are still his people in the building, closely following your every step...

- Will you tell me what this thing is, if it means so much to everyone?

The psychologist remains silent for a long moment. He stares at the teenager's face, as if wondering is he can ultimately reveal the truth to her.

- This is a precious piece of jewelry. Worth such money that it's even difficult to imagine," he replies in a stifled voice. - The general used to get it from wealthy people in those days. Do you know what value it has now? Even millionaires would cut themselves for what is in the hidden box.

Sara puts her hands to her mouth, clearly surprised by the man's words. If it has such value.... it's no wonder everyone wants to get it. That's why the General desires it so obsessively. It's all about money. Giant money!

The teenager would like to say something, but eventually becomes speechless.

She plunges her frightened eyes into the slightly ajar door and then into the man, when they both hear a noise coming from the hallway. The psychologist jumps off his chair and runs outside, but finds no one. Someone has managed to escape...

- We are in trouble. Apparently someone heard our conversation," he declares in a concerned voice.

Could it be that someone is following her?

*

The teenager is still proud of the words she heard from the psychologist's mouth. To some extent, she was relieved. She knows that the General is a mentally ill person, so she was afraid that the lie about the bomb is true, and the population is in grave danger, so now she is relieved. What's really at stake is money — a sizable sum that could lead to hatred among friends. The hidden jewelry box is of such value that even the thought of it makes a person get a stomach ache.

It's a desire that tempts everyone. Money has always been the greatest demon among mankind. Many people pursue wealth without considering the harm they do to others. Money rules the world and for it a greedy person is even capable of killing, especially when it's a giant sum that provides comfort for a lifetime.

The world has been the same for many years when it comes to this topic.

Sara does not return to her room. She carries her in an entirely different direction. She runs up the stairs to the second floor and enters the room that belongs to Oliver.

The boy has moved to another room, no longer able to stay in Matthew's presence. Once, his best friend has become a stranger to him and jumps around, Alan, considering his roommate a traitor.

She looks inside and notices that the boy is lying curled up on the bed. She walks over to him and sits on the edge, placing her hand on his shoulder. Furthermore, she doesn't wake him up. He looks peaceful while sleeping, so she would rather not disturb him. Oliver deserves to rest, because recently childhood memories have begun to return to him, making him particularly stressed.

- You have recently become the closest to me, so I will fight for you, Oliver," she whispers.

He is lying on his side, so she kisses him on the cheek and rises from the bed. Seeing that the boy is plunged into sleep, she takes one last look at him, then leaves the room.

Pressing her lips together, she closes the door as quietly as she can. Her heart stands still as someone tugs on her arm. She turns her face to Alan, who mirrors her with frantic eyes.

- Have you recovered yet? Why were you at his place! - He raises his voice, disregarding the fact that he is holding her hand too tightly and causing her pain.

- What do you mean when you say I've come to my senses? - Her face pales. Her first thought is the phantom that has taken over her body. Could it be that Alan witnessed it?

He doesn't respond. He presses his lips together and plunges his angry eyes into her.

- Why were you with him? - he repeats the question, tugging at her too hard. - Maybe you are already together, huh? - He squints his eyes, watching her closely, as if by doing so he is trying to x-ray her through.

- Get away from him, Alan. He's my best friend, so I wanted to see if he was okay. He's got enough problems on his mind, and you're missing out on adding to them," she claims with indignation in her voice.

Furthermore, he snorts under his breath and looks toward the door with contempt in his eyes.

- It's strange to leave him in the middle of the night....

- It's strange to be roaming around the building at this late hour. Are you suffering from insomnia? - she attacks him, feeling tears coming to her eyes as she thinks about how awful their relationship is. Everything has changed. He has changed.

He pushes her away and moves toward the room where Oliver is, but the teenager jumps to the door and shields it with her body. She can't let him go in there and wake Oliver, especially since the boy can finally sleep off his nightmares.

- Move back, Sara," he speaks to her in a warning voice. The girl is stubborn and does not even think about obeying his command.

- Leave him alone. He has nothing to do with us. You are the one who destroyed our relationship.

Alan twists his lips in a tart smile.

- You were the one who was kissed by him. Do you think I'm the one who spoiled our relationship? - he asks, getting dangerously close to her. - Tell me... Who is to blame for my anger?

- As you could well see, at the time I did not reciprocate the kiss. - She looks boldly into his eyes as he stands in front of her and leans the door with one hand. - But you still think it was my fault.

- Then? - He catches her at her word. - So would you do it now?

- Of course not. - She storms out. - Finally understand that Oliver is my friend, and we have nothing in common, so stop having objections to him! - She raises her voice to clearly communicate this to him.

He leans over her face and bites his lip, seeing her concerned look.

- Do you want to get out of here? Then see through it, Sara. Think by whom it will be easier for you to leave this place. - Saying this, he looks her in the eyes. - I guess you heard a story from your grandmother in which she told you about her friend Hanna? This woman was clever, thanks to this she managed to survive and escape from this building. Take an example from my grandmother and make the right choice. - She is shocked by his confession.

Is he comparing himself to the General? Does he want her to join him? Also... how does he know his grandmother's story?