Chapter 2

Nathan is a terrible whiner. If he could, he would spend his whole life locked in a room, preferably isolated from people. He is an introvert who, unfortunately, shares a room with two extroverts.

He doesn't know which one is worse. Sebastian or his peer Leon? Probably the latter, since on the first day, where he doesn't even have time to unpack, he is dragged by force to tour the boarding school.

This is the first time he has seen such excitement in a man who walks around the old building, looking at every corner.

- It's really fascinating that twenty years ago, such a tragedy happened here... - says Leon with excitement in his voice. - They killed people here, they behaved the same way as during the war... The Nazis...

Nathan sighs loudly, but otherwise says nothing.

The Swiss pulls his friend outside, curious about what's behind the building. Many students are saying goodbye to their parents in the courtyard, causing chaos. Walking past all these people irritates Nathan.

- Haven't you ever seen a field, a pond, and a tree? - he asks, crossing his arms over his chest. - I think our room is more fascinating...

- This is a popular tree and pond. A must-see!

Nathan rolls his eyes, looking like a sulking child. He doesn't understand why he agreed to this, but he suspected that his roommate would have died if he didn't go for a walk with him.

I want to get this over with and just go back to my room.

Leon's attention is drawn to a married couple standing by a pond. When the woman turns to face him, the boy feels strange... like he knows her, but he could swear that he's seeing her for the first time.

She is sad, sorrowful. Cuddled by her husband, she heads with him to the front of the building. As she passes Leon, he has the impression that he feels an unexplained connection with her, so he turns over his shoulder and their eyes meet once more.

This is really weird.

- Why are you looking at them like that? Do you know them? - asks Nathan.

- No, I don't know.

The teenagers approach the pond. Leon looks with fascination in his eyes at the tree with the names on it.

- It must be them... In those days, people would sign the trunks. Now students don't do that... - he says, stroking the tree with his fingers. - It's a really wonderful keepsake.

- Man, you're acting odd. Can we go back to our room now?

Leon, however, does not react to his words. In a strange frenzy, he stares at one name. He touches it with his fingers and could swear that he hears terrifying voices coming from the pond.

- You're back, damned boy. You're finally here. - The whispers make his body paralyze with fear. He stares at the pond with wide eyes, slowly walking to the shore.

Nathan, staring at his phone, entirely ignores his new friend. He pays no attention to him at all, even when he kneels at the edge of the pond and touches the dirty water with his hand. Only a splash makes the disoriented sixteen-year-old look away from the screen and notices that Leon is not with him.

- I hope this isn't a joke... you hid behind a tree, right? - Nathan shouts, but when he looks there, there is no trace of his roommate.

He looks terrified as he looks at the pond. He has a bad feeling about this, and although he never cares about people outside his family, he can't let anyone die in his presence. Furthermore, he'll be the first suspect!

He throws his phone on the grass and jumps into the water without thinking. As he swims lower, he sees his unconscious roommate at the bottom. He grabs his hand and swims with him to shore. He revives him on the grass, and he coughs up water and when he comes to, he looks at his roommate with a confused look.

- What happened? - he says, coughing and holding his hand to his chest.

- You tell me, idiot, because I hope this isn't some kind of joke... You almost lost your life!

***

Lying in bed, Leon stares at the ceiling, wondering what it was. He could have sworn something had called him to the pond, told him to touch the water, and then he had been pulled in? At the bottom, he saw apparitions writhing there, looking happy...

- It's only the first day, and you've put on such a show! Great! Simply wonderful! I almost died of fear! - Nathan shouts, piercing him with his gaze.

- So you were worried about me, roommate? - says the Swiss in a hoarse voice, smiling at the corner of his mouth.

- I only know your name and age, so there's no way I'd worry about you. I just didn't want to be suspected of murder - he replies in an irritated voice.

- Would you believe me if I told you I saw something strange at the bottom of the pond?

Nathan sits on the bed and looks at his roommate in silence for a long moment.

- Something weird? What is it? - He looks intrigued.

- You, when you jumped in to save me - he replies. Seeing his face, Leon bursts out laughing. Nathan, irritated, throws pillows at him, wanting to beat him to a pulp.

- Be glad it was me you saw and not the Grim Reaper. You should be grateful I saved you.

- I am. - Leon finally becomes serious. He looks intently at his roommate. - Thank you. I'm serious now. Thank you for saving me.

Nathan nods.

- Cool, the most important thing is that nothing serious happened to you, but seriously... how did you fall in there? Did you slip?

The Swiss would like to share with him what happened, but they've only known each other for a few hours, and he doesn't know how he'll react to this strange story. For now, he prefers to keep it to himself.

- Yes, I slipped. I'm a monster, you have to keep that in mind.

The door to the room opens and Sebastian rushes in. Their elder spends more time outside, which is why they can't talk to him. However, the seventeen-year-old wants to get to know them better when he tells them the good news.

- Puppies, I have to take care of you, so pack up. I'm taking you to a welcome party, organized by the beauty of this facility.

- What is the beauty of this facility? - asks Nathan, looking at his older colleague with a confused expression.

Leon absolutely adores him. The boy is inimitable.

- Not what, but who, brat. It's Wiktoria, the headmistress's daughter, my woman - he replies, putting his hands to his chest. - Move!

- You won't tell me what to do. I hate parties. I'm staying in my room. - Nathan doesn't intend to go anywhere this time.

- I'll go with you, Sebastian - Leon says, getting out of bed. - Just allow me fifteen minutes to get myself sorted. Nathan can rest in peace.

- If he thinks... if that's what he wants, he'll lose the best, welcoming party.

***

The sixteen-year-old is impressed as he walks alongside his older roommate. Sebastian, despite looking a bit like a thug, is handsome, so it's no surprise to him that he's recognized in this place. He thinks he's really very popular since everyone greets him.

Leon feels he's attracting the attention of the fair sex, but that's probably because he got carried away and went all out like he's at a fashion show. His bangs, which used to fall over his eyes, are now perfectly combed to the sides, and his cornflower blue tracksuit and white T-shirt make him look too handsome.

- Puppy, you went off like a rat at the canal opening - Sebastian says to him, a bit jealous that his younger colleague is starting to attract more attention than him.

- You can't blame others for looking handsome even in a garbage bag - he replies, and the look Sebastian gives him is a little scary. The sixteen-year-old is not impressed, however, because he just shrugs. - Be glad Nathan didn't come with us. That one's going to be a heartbreaker. They love scoundrels.

- That one irritates me more than you.

Sebastian runs up to the short-haired blonde girl, and Leon looks around with interest. They are in a sports hall, which is colossal. People are talking to each other, many of them just getting to know each other.

The sixteen-year-old approaches the snack table. He takes a cookie in his hand, and his gaze finds a girl standing alone against the wall, in a place where the least light falls. She has a light, almost pale complexion, black straight hair with bangs, and looks depressed.

The boy looks at her for a long moment. She finds his gaze and looks at him with sad eyes.

Leon tries to approach her, but someone grabs his hand and holds him back. He looks at his roommate, Nathan, with a confused look.

- Something crashed in our room, a book fell off your shelf. BY MYSELF. I preferred coming here than sitting in a haunted room. I'll be holding on to your hand all evening - he says in a terrified voice.

- Are you afraid of ghosts?

- Don't laugh, but that's my only weakness. Just try telling someone... - he waggles his finger at him, then grabs his arm. - This number of people scares me, but sitting in a room with ghosts is worse. Can we go somewhere less crowded?

Leon looks towards the wall where the girl had been standing a moment ago, but there is no trace of her anymore.

- So you're more afraid of ghosts than people? - he asks Nathan, and he nods.

- People irritate me, ghosts scare me, there's a difference.

The Swiss takes the plate of cookies and walks with his roommate hanging on his arm towards the exit of the hall. There are also many people in the main hall. They stand in groups, talking.

The boys turn to the side and sit on the stairs leading to the girls' rooms. It's quiet and peaceful. There's no one there at the moment.

- I think this place might be haunted. Many people died here, right? First during the war, and also twenty years ago... - Nathan begins, but he is not allowed to finish, because there is a noise from the room next to the stairs. Someone is persistently knocking on the door.

Leon stands up from his seat, and Nathan's eyes are so scared that tonight he is nothing like the cold bastard he was just a few hours ago.

- What if they're ghosts?

- Now I know why you didn't want to explore this place with me this afternoon. You were afraid - Leon claims in an amused voice, wagging his finger. - The nasty tiger turned out to be a scared kitten.

Nathan peeks out from behind the wall as his roommate approaches the door. Leon frowns, noticing that the handle is barricaded with a broomstick. He pulls it out and opens the room, from which an angry girl bursts out.

- I'll kill that crazy idiot! - she shouts in greeting, combing her hair back. Nathan looks at her from behind the wall with one eye, and Leon stands in front of her, wondering if someone just locked her in here. - Thanks - she says to him, her emotions fading and she finally sees her savior.

- Cool, I was just wondering who could be there.

Nathan walks up to them when he realizes it is a human, not a ghost.

- What happened? - Leon asks her.

- Can you believe I share a room with a haunted lunatic? Maybe I shouldn't say that, because my parents went through hell here twenty years ago, my mother saw ghosts herself, but my roommate is a complete nutcase!

Leon focuses on the words that refer to the past of the girl's parents.

- Your parents were here twenty years ago?

- Yeah - she says, putting her hands on her hips. - I know it's weird that I'm here too, but you have no idea how long I've been begging them to let me.

- What about that crazy girl? - Nathan asks with interest. - Can you tell me who I should avoid?

The girl looks at him with furrowed brows.

- I don't know her name yet, but I'll tell you her name when I finally find out - she replies, then holds out her hand to Leon. - I'm Nadia, savior.

- Leon, and this is my roommate, Nathan - he replies, pointing at his friend with his thumb.

- Thanks for being here and helping me get out of that office. It was a strange and smelly place, I thought I heard mice there. I could have sworn something was even touching my leg.

The Swiss bursts out laughing, and she joins in. Only Nathan doesn't understand what they're laughing at.

- We stole cookies from the welcome party, do you want to join us?

Nadia nods and sits down with the guys on the stairs. She's had friends her whole life because she got along better with guys. She hopes she'll make new friends this time, too.

Little does she realize that it is fate that will bring them together... especially her and Leon.