It was her first day going to class. She didn't know what lessons were like at the local place. After all, the teachers here dealt with disobedient, arrogant youngsters who required nerves of steel.
Over the weekend, she had managed to get used to the behavior of her peers. They didn't count for much. Even classes with a psychologist didn't exactly help them. They were rebellious and rude. They had noticed that Sara was not like them and couldn't defend herself, so they made her a scapegoat. It was to be expected, but she hadn't thought their behavior would be so despicable.
Fortunately, she had Laura on her side, who sometimes stood up for her, although at times she got fed up and yelled at her to get a grip.
The boy who had helped her that evening turned out to be a new student, who had arrived the same day as she did.
The girls were delighted with him because he was the son of the prime minister. He seemed to ignore everyone. He was arrogant and didn't tolerate anyone getting in his way. Moreover, he appeared to have no intention of making new friends. And despite his attitude, he was well-liked because of his respected status, while Sara felt oppressed by his character. The girls made fun of her, and the boys constantly reproached her for lying on the stairs in her underwear. They offered her meaningless arrangements, and instead of slapping them, she just ran away.
She had no self-confidence.
Sara stopped at the entrance to the classroom and observed with panic what was happening inside. The room was in complete chaos. Boys were beating each other up, pushing each other on benches, and girls stood in a corner, peering into mirrors and applying a thick layer of lipstick to their lips.
When she went inside, someone brazenly pushed her, causing her to land on her knees.
She got the impression that she had skinned herself. Everyone in the class burst out laughing, thinking it was funny. The brown-haired girl lifted her face and looked at them with tears in her eyes.
She was embarrassed.
"Since you occupied the entire aisle, I had no choice," said the girl who had been teasing her from the beginning. She was Laura's biggest rival, but the brunette could easily put her in her place.
"Sara, what are you doing? Get up and pull all your hair out of that dumpster! Why do you allow yourself to be treated this way? Do you want to be a laughingstock?"She heard the angry voice of her roommate above her. Seeing that the girl wasn't going to listen, she walked past her and punched her rival in the face. Surprised, Julia caught herself, her cheek burning. "You'd better wash off that makeup, because I can see your eyelids can't take the weight. I don't know what Matthew saw in you," she added with superiority in her voice.
"You shouldn't be interested in this," said a boy who had just appeared in the classroom. He walked up to Sara and extended his hand to her. He helped her up from the floor. She hissed in pain as she straightened her injured knee, so Matthew grabbed her around the waist, which made her uncomfortable. She felt a blush on her face. Everyone was looking at them."I'll take you to the doctor, and you, Julia, think about what you're doing. Everyone here has many faults, but most are trying to change their behavior. You aren't doing anything about it."
Julia boiled with anger, while Laura watched them closely. Both of them were jealous. Not because he had helped Sara, but because he had been kind to her.
"I warned you that you couldn't handle it. You're too nice to be in this place. They see that, and that's why they treat you that way. The people staying in this center are problematic. They love to bully the weak — it makes them happy," Matthew declared as he led Sara to the doctor. "You're different from the rest, and I guess that makes me want to defend you. You're like my sister — just as innocent. All my life I've been protecting her, but eventually, I lost a little of that, which is why I'm here."
Sara glanced at him with apparent interest. Matthew was the first to speak to her, and besides, he had been kind to her from the start. Although he was the most popular boy at the center, he didn't act like a bully at all. Usually, such people picked their noses, but he was entirely different.
"Thank you," she replied quietly. He nodded and smiled kindly. Sara looked ahead and unexpectedly felt a pleasant tightening in her stomach when she noticed the blond man walking across the street. She didn't know what the feeling was, especially since she'd never experienced it before, but it was certainly pleasant. This boy had caught her attention the very first time she met him, and it wasn't just about his looks.
She didn't know if what she felt now was infatuation, but one thing was certain: this boy was her type. Even though those were only her desires, she had always believed that one day she would meet the man she imagined as her ideal. And although her character didn't allow her to pursue that direction, at least she could enjoy the sight of him.
The blond man cast Sara a brief glance, and she discreetly looked back at him, which did not escape Matthew's attention.
"He's the new one, right? Alan?" he asked. Sara looked at him, abashed and blushing. She shyly nodded, and Matthew smiled charmingly. He could see the newcomer had caught her eye, yet he was kind enough not to pursue the subject. He knew how difficult it was for a shy person.
*
The doctor washed Sara's knee and applied a bandage, then told her to return to class. Matthew had already gone ahead to excuse her.
Sara entered the classroom and apologized for being late. The teacher asked her to take an empty seat. She tentatively looked around the room and found only one vacant chair—on Oliver's bench. The classes felt strange here, especially since the girls had to sit with the boys.
Sara wasn't sure if that made the class any quieter, but she felt embarrassed.
"I fought so hard to sit alone, and you ruined everything," Oliver said in an unfriendly tone.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at him. Meeting his unsympathetic gaze, she quickly turned her face away.
Oliver scared her. Even though he had helped her before, he still managed to be mean.
"If you want to look at me, do it normally—not like a frightened mouse, as if I were going to bite," he added.
This time, Sara didn't honor him with a glance at all. He had a terrible character, and she preferred to pretend he wasn't there rather than listen to his spiteful remarks.
Curious, she scanned the classroom to see who she would be spending class with. She caught glimpses of a few familiar faces and was surprised to see Matthew sitting on a bench with an ex-girlfriend.
Sara noticed that he was being a prankster, which pleased the rest of the class—they laughed at his jokes.
Halfway through the lesson, the door opened. Alan stood in the doorway. With indifferent eyes, he looked around the classroom, and Sara felt that strange joy again when she saw him.
"It seems there's no free place for me," he said, turning to leave. However, the teacher did not allow it. With a hand gesture, he encouraged the boy to come inside. The blond boy listened but obeyed reluctantly.
"You're welcome. Today you can sit at my desk, and tomorrow you'll get your own bench," the teacher declared, making room for the new student. Alan walked through the classroom, all eyes fixed on him. He took a seat at the desk and sprawled comfortably, crossing his arms over his chest. "Your rebellious attitude is cute—but only for now. In this place, you'll quickly regain your sanity," the teacher added, looking at the blond boy.
Alan ignored the remark and scanned the students. His gaze lingered a moment longer on Sara. She quickly lowered her face, feeling her cheeks flush. She was embarrassed to have been caught staring.
*
After class was over, she decided to take a walk in the fresh air, especially since she hadn't yet had a chance to see what lay behind the building. Laura had disappeared somewhere with her best friend, so Sara had no one to ask to show her around. She could have asked Matthew, but she was too shy to do so. He probably would have agreed, but just talking to him wasn't part of her plan.
Sara stood in front of the building and put on a sweater. She looked around carefully. The place gave her the creeps. A dense forest surrounded the fence, blocking much of the light, so it seemed dark there. The fence itself was very high, probably built so no one could escape. It looked old but solid. Wire spikes were attached to the top, further discouraging escape attempts.
Behind the building, there were more trees and a small pond, and the rest of the area was covered with grass. Sara guessed there was nothing else back there, especially since the playground was in front.
She approached the pond and looked curiously at an old oak tree. She noticed hearts and lovers' names carved into its trunk. Smiling, she touched the carvings with her finger.
Suddenly, she felt fear when Julia appeared behind her, accompanied by her two best friends, who never left the leader's side.
"You clung to my boyfriend like a turnip to a dog's tail," Julia said. Sara looked at her with fear in her eyes.
Julia stepped closer, and Sara retreated backward, alarmed to find herself at the pond's edge.
"And not even an ex-boyfriend?" one of the girls asked, but Julia shot her a furious look. The blonde immediately fell silent, afraid to provoke her friend.
"You just pretend to be so innocent, using that to hit on other people's boyfriends. I wonder why you ended up here? Good kids' parents don't get rid of them at home. This is a center for naughty youth," Julia said, emphasizing the last words.
"I ended up here because I was innocently accused. My father was in the wrong," Sara answered quietly.
"What are you doing? Leave her alone, you painted zebra," Sara breathed a sigh of relief when Laura stood up for her. Laura could be mean sometimes, but she could count on her help.
Julia smiled mischievously and unexpectedly pushed Sara into the pond. Sara screamed, and a moment later, plunged into the water. This was what she feared most, since she couldn't swim.
She had never learned because of her mother's death. She remembered that day perfectly. She had been in kindergarten when her mother came to pick her up. At that moment, an accident happened on the bridge. A drunk driver was coming straight at her mother's car from the opposite direction. The mother tried to evade him but was hit, lost control, and crashed into the guardrail—which did not stop the car. She died instantly. Since then, Sara had never dared go near the water. Moreover, the water reminded her of her mother's death.
Now, with her last strength, she tried to surface and catch her breath. She felt as if something was pulling her down. She tried to lurch upward but couldn't. It felt like something was holding her leg.
She looked down and froze, seeing indistinct figures writhing near the bottom. Panic overwhelmed her; she felt her breath growing shorter, knowing she would soon run out. She wanted to scream, but the water silenced her.
She looked up one last time and saw someone jump into the water. Her eyelids grew heavier, and she lacked the strength to fight. She pressed her lips together, but water began to flow into her mouth and nose. She struggled too violently for too long, until her body weakened, deprived of oxygen.
The last thing she remembered was the sight of a transparent figure appearing before her face... and then darkness took over.
*
Sara heard indistinct voices above her. She struggled to catch her breath and began coughing. Someone helped her up, and she spat water from her mouth. Breathing hard, she tried to calm down. When she opened her eyes, she saw people around her. Among them, she recognized a frightened Laura, a soaking wet Simon, Julia's friends, and the perpetrator herself, who covered her mouth with her hand. At the sight of Sara conscious, Julia exhaled sharply.
But then Sara froze again as Matthew and Oliver came running toward them.
"What happened?" Matthew asked, kneeling beside her. He had helped her many times before. "Are you all right?" Sara coughed and nodded.
Laura stormed over to Julia and slapped her again.
"Do you even think? You almost killed her, idiot!" she yelled, tugging at Julia's blouse. Julia tried to push Laura away, but only Matthew stepping in made the brunette release her.
"Matthew, it's not like that. I just pushed her a little. I had no idea she couldn't swim," Julia protested.
"This time you went too far, Julia," Matthew raised his voice, grabbing her hand firmly. "I've turned a blind eye to your antics, but this is the last straw. We're going to the director now, and you're going to tell him everything. Let him deal with you, because I've had enough." He then turned to the others, his gaze softening. "We should get her to a doctor. There could be complications later. I'll handle Julia."
Julia begged him not to, but he ignored her pleas and pulled her away, her friends following close behind.
"It's true. We should get you checked out," Oliver said, so Sara glanced at him. Without objection, she nodded. The brunet helped her to her feet.
"I can go alone," she said, looking at the drenched Simon. She realized he was the one who had helped her. Without him, she might have died. "Thank you," she added with a grateful smile.
Oliver sneered and shot her a sharp glance. "I don't know how you let yourself get pushed around like that. If I were you, I'd have dealt with her long ago." Then he quickened his pace and walked away, leaving them behind.
That night, Sara experienced her first true nightmare. It was hard to fall asleep with the pain in her chest, and the memory of what she saw underwater haunted her mind. She wasn't sure if it was a hallucination from the near-death experience or if something had really been there. She remembered the strange, transparent figures swirling near the bottom like phantoms.
They seemed to pull her down, as if they didn't want her to leave. It was as though they wanted her to see the bottom up close.
Eventually, exhaustion won out, and despite the chest pain, she finally fell asleep.
In her dream, she relived the drowning. She was underwater, struggling to break the surface. But this time, no one came to save her. The phantoms circled her tightly, and she stifled a scream. She knew this was the end. Weakened, she gave up.
Yet she was still alive, feeling the abyss consuming her. Calmly, she watched a bright spot—the light from above. She wanted to close her eyes, but something held her gaze fixed. She had to witness her death.
That's when her body hit the hard bottom. Around her lay many other bodies—or rather skeletons—people who had died the same way: by drowning.
Sara opened her eyes and realized she was in the center again. She looked around the room she shared with Laura and noticed it was still night. Her roommate's bed was empty—nocturnal antics were Laura's thing, while Sara preferred enough sleep to function during the day.
During the nightmare, she had screamed so much her mouth felt dry. She got out of bed, slipped on her favorite slippers, and walked to the cabinet. She grabbed a bottle of water—too tired to search for a cup—and took a drink.
Turning around, she froze.
In the middle of the room crouched a woman. Her head was tucked between her knees, black hair hanging to cover her face, making the scene eerie.
The bottle slipped from Sara's hand, spilling water onto the floor.
The woman lifted her head and met Sara's eyes. The teenager shivered with chills. The woman's eyes were blank, her face mangled, her body battered. For a brief moment, Sara forgot how to breathe. Terror rooted her to the spot. Panic overwhelmed her, growing with every second.
Never before had she been this afraid.
"If they had killed me sooner, you would never have come into the world," the woman muttered awkwardly as she stepped toward Sara.
A loud scream tore from Sara's throat.
She opened her eyes, breathing hard, and saw Laura crouched in front of her. The brunette stared back with frightened eyes.
Tears streamed down Sara's face.
"What… what happened?" she asked, confused. Laura stood and pressed a hand to her forehead, concerned.
"You're burning up, Sara. We have to go to the doctor," Laura said. Sara looked around the room and saw dawn had come. She was sitting on the floor. Her attention landed on the bottle under the cabinet and the still-wet puddle.
So it hadn't been a nightmare. What had happened was real.
"Laura, did you stay here all night?" Sara asked, voice trembling with fear.
Laura looked at her apologetically and shook her head.
"No. I'm sorry. I'm your roommate and should have taken care of you. I'm really sorry for leaving you alone," she said. Sara shuddered. This was what she feared most.
It wasn't a dream. It really happened. Someone had been with her that night. And it wasn't Laura.