Saint-Akzena

Chapter Six

In a corridor with walls recovered with lockers rows as taller than a seventeen-year-old senior. There was a shining light that was held by the hands of the one that looked straight forwards. As he made shadows on the ceiling above, at each corner of where a door was found between each row.

At one point in their journey into the multiple paths of this dark hell. The two found a door that lead to a classroom. -19-5-4 Only this time, the entrance was smashed towards the inside. With his iron surface largely torn apart on the floor. Where they stepped inside, as they looked into the classroom. Empty of any form of supernatural brute that could be found in theses places.

Steve inspected the drawers of the teacher office where none loot could be found. And at this, he rejoined the girl. Placing his weapons between the two of them, with light on the wall and their face in the realm of illumination. They could see each other on their face recovered with shadows that rose up. They looked at the wall naked of everything, where a large painting of a teddy bear could be found. With its golden bow tie, sat on a chair, alone in its vast classroom that looked like an expansion of this one. Due that the interaction of the painting with the borders of the tall wall was that perfected.

As this, the teenager changed the place of his light toward the other side. Where the classroom was still taking an expansion, with nothing in it. And as such, the boy, more at ease, asked her;

-Hey…Your mother is still alive. I saw her, I meet her. We can escape from this place and ask for help to retrieve her in here OK.

She answered in silence, with her body that trembled with terror. Excepted for her eyes that was bland and empty of any form of life.

-OK…So…

-My daddy! My daddy should not find my mommy. My daddy is evil!

-Let me guest, your dad name is John?

She said yes by a head movement. As the image of a revolver that shined into the blackness of this place came to his mind. With a red blood on the hand that hold it. And at this, the sound of a human scream heard above all the floors and ceilings came as a vague memory.

It was a puzzle that all the pieces had fallen like a domino, with the visible face of the man in the shadows. Smiling at the gunfire that made the women scream of all the pain that a single bullet can bring to someone. Like a heart filled with death that took over someone under a second.

He took back his weapon, lifting is heavily complex of a nail gun with an old styled flashlight taped on. At this, he told the girl to follow him, as she knew that he was continuing to find an escape.

During their walking in this path that they continued. Steve asked the girl another question that had as an answer;

-You and your mother, why would your dad want to hurt you both?

-Mommy told me that it was because daddy was drinking too much whisky. She tried to stop him but he hit me the same that she did to mom. She said we were going off the house for a few moments and she put all my clothes in the car. But when we were on the highway, I could see dad's car driving towards us.

-And your mom decided that this place was a good one to hide into right?

The girl said a « yes » with once again, a movement of her head.

-By the way, how did you come out of that…oh sorry, I didn't even ask what your name was.

-Anne, my name is Anne, and you are Steve because you told me so.

-Yes, he replied with a smiling. At least you remember who I am. OK, your mom told me that you were hidden in an elevator. How did you escape it?

-Ah…I slipped out the two gates that weren't even close. I was alone in the dark and with theses things and I just saw your light so…-5-19-20

-Hey did you hear? She suddenly exclaimed.

-What?

-The numbers, I cannot stop hearing them. There are always whispering to me!

As she said so, a long howling came from the darkness that continued deep into the hallway.

The child took the teenager by his sides, as he rose his light and weapons in front of him.

At this, Steve looked at an open door at his right. Where he headed to, taking the girl by her hand. They entered in, as he closed the door and is light right after. Only to be back into the silent blackness. With one of its inhabitants walking to the other side, lurking infinity into the eternal night that is always everywhere. Without any stars to follow.

None sounds could be heard where they were. Except for their breathing that expired a cold fear and their roars that are lost into the multiple levels of this hell.

-Where are we asked the child, as Steve made his light returned in here.

He looked with his circle that illuminated the multiple painting that was hooked after the walls. At this, the teenager responds;

-In an art class…Or a painting one…

That what he said when he approached the artworks of a forest with the colourful shades of Fall. He approached one of them, seeing that at the bottom of the trees laid a graveyard and with a sky as blue than an ocean naked of any wave on its surface.

The grave had roots that had grown on them over the ages. With leaves that gave the objects some form of « haircut ». But what intrigued the boy was the name written on. As they were engraved on the rocks with inhuman letters from an unknown language that he had seen and heard way too much in here. At this, he took his Polaroid off from its pannier and framed the painting. Closing his flashlight, Steve pictured a new evidence in here and placed it among all the others.

Before he replaced his camera back to its place. Steve looked at the other painting, as Anne did the same from a far distance. One of them had a « princess » worthy of every prom night. With the prince at her side, having a fake crown and all the students bowing to the real winner of the end of a teenage life.

-Ah come on…

After this one, his light made them see the picture of the school. Right at the entrance where he once was. -18-15-24- Seeing the gigantic building that had a mask from the rest of the outside. Steve approached the artwork and as he saw the little details, he could see that this was in fact a painting. One that was so perfect that it felt too much real for an imaginary being.

-Which is too much true… He thought, as he looked at the bottom of the artwork. Where it was written white on the dark shadows from the trees;

Paradise is an illusion as God is in this school. The Limbos are there where innocence is advocated. Even if you live from the tranquility of the Void. Don't expect that peace will come to you.

Carol Harr

He didn't look for any senses about what she had to tell. And at this, the boy didn't wanted to escape this cursed place by taking the passage of death. Thus, they continued on their path. Thus, letting the darkness reclaim what light once were on.

The other painting that he found made him automatically took his camera. As it had on its surface the tall school that could be seen from an outside point of view. With the firs that stood tall at both sides and in the far away of the landscape. Under the grey clouds of the twilight sky. Where stars began to be seen over the great mountain. Where he remembered seeing it too when he was outside. In a town filled with humanity and sunlight.

There were a few roots under the school, where the brown of the Earth was. Until it reached a large underground pocket. At this, the roots of Saint-Akzena were going down on the walls of this prison. Where a dragon was sat, with its astral wings on him while sleeping.

The light of the flash recovered all the artwork, as the camera framed this unique second of time. Printing it instantly at the hands of the photographer that placed a new oeuvre in is pocket.

The girl approached, seeing the dragon with the light of his weapon. And she asked what it was, at this, the boy answered;

-It's what I believe to be the bad guy of this school…

She looked at her protector with eyes as terrified at his own. And they looked at the rest of the art exposure. Where the rest were simple paintings made by untalented teenagers. And a large number of them had the subject of the upcoming prom night. Which he knew that it never came for all of them.

He looked at the rest of the place where only a large bathroom sink was at the other side of the classroom. Where they both checked at, seeing an old water that was at the edge of its container. They both looked back at each other, seeing disgust at their faces.

A long howl grew from the silence of the darkness. Followed by others that screamed their inhuman roars that lost themselves in here. As the death of all that could be unheard took them in the eternal silence.

-Come on, we're going to have to get out of here…

She answered a « yes » by a movement of her head and she follows the lead of her guardian.

They returned into the hallway, letting the door behind wide open, as they continued into the abyss of the void. Where the paintings returned into the realm of blackness.

They continued into this corridor, as their light got far away in its infinite abyss where we can see them getting deeper and deeper in here. And at this, the illumination that is now small from being far turned towards the rest of what we can both see being illuminated.

-What is it? we can hear her say. Is there a monster?

-No…but there's something…I just…don't know…

He stopped caring for your presence as he continued on is own path. As you continue to follow them, as I guide you by letting theses words being read.

The path that they turned to end with a double door. He opens one of the sides, seeing a ground that shined at the illumination of his light. With the back of benches that could be seen as Steve walked deeper in the darkness. He looked at both sides and saw that the long bench continued at the two paths that laid at their left and right.

Steve approached the back of the bench, where he saw with his eyes and lights other long places that were placed down of the other. Like the podium of a social place that reminded him of the old roman senates. Only at its centre, a large squared space was there. With water that came from the cracked ceiling. Thus making this artificial lake in a dead place that had for its first-time light that shined on its frozen surface. Like a glass made of water that had never moved from all its existence. Here, deep into the silent flames of the blackness that burn everything in its darkness.

And in this so-called « lake » dozens of tables were there, nailed to the ground with their chairs and their prom-like.

-Well, at least I know when time stopped in here during the year…

The two knew that they both had to cross the lake. As their right ended in a wall and the left continued into the oblivion of the dark void. He saw this as an easy task, as the girl didn't seem to care very much. The teenager climbed over the back of the long bench and took her at his side.

20-8-5 She quickly turned her head at all the directions possible. Like she said a « No » in an extremely overreacted way. Steve didn't understand why and thought it was those numbers that only her imagination had heard.

They both walked downstairs of the multiple places empty of any presence sited on. Their footsteps got strangled as they entered into the lukewarm lake. Where all that touched and surrounded them came from the crying night sky of the outside.

At this, they smiled a little, knowing where the water was from. As it moved into tiny waves due to their large movements that they adopted to get at the other side. Where they both reached it, seeing the benches going up like a gigantic staircase made of bricks and carpets surface.

His circle of illumination showed them the path to take and when it got higher. A pair of rotten legs stood, with its little cheerleader dress and her general appearance of a human being.

-Ah s**t…

It began to go down the benches as they heard the same footsteps being made behind. He quickly turned his views and light to see the exact same result. As the twin sisters entered in here, where the water danced.

Steve raised defence and shoot a nail that flew towards the face of the one that began to scream an unreal howl. It shocked at the projectile nailed itself at the throat of the being. As it roared a silent agony, due that it felt into the water, strangling itself while living a nailing pain.

Its double howled the sound of wrath. As it began to run towards the two, seeing the world in red with her missing eyes that were replaced by a dark void. Where large projectiles, big as a thumb, themselves between theses two holes. Removing life from an unborn being.

It felt too in the water, as the twins never seemed to sleep deep in the lake. With no bubbles coming up at the side of their head. And their hair that floated on the surface of a dancing surface. Like the sun and its rays of light in the sky with an upcoming night that is going to be eternal.

They stood there, surviving this encounter with what was never human. With one of the two that knew that his weapon was empty. Hearing the empty sound as he clicked on the trigger.

Their screams and howling's began to grow everywhere. Due that both of the two children knew that they were under their feet's, above their head in the multiple floors and at the same level as they were. With the echoes that brought the monstrous voices here, in this little roman styled theatre.

They ran towards the benches that were in front of them. Climbing each one in tall and large movements. At the last one, Steve helped the little Anne to overcome the obstacle by raising her over. Thus, they were back at the ground of a hallway. Where a pair of gates were on the large wall. With the painting of a woman in her 1800's style on it and a Hollywood styled cowboy on the other.

The two heard the voices of an upcoming doom that ran into the corridors. And they were getting closer and closer. And as such, Steve and Anne fled towards the path that none howl came from.

He read in its circle of light the numbers of the doors that they both exceeded in their running. 1098, 1097, 1096... Steve stopped caring about a way that would bring them to the first one. And he opened the closest gate, when they both heard a double door being smashed at both its sides. In the same vast space that they first entered by the same path a few minutes before.

They entered in a small room. Where Steve closed the door and barricaded it with the office near its side. He removed the magazine with none nails in it and dropped it on the floor.

His backpack got removed and a new clip was found in all the stuff he holds. It got placed in where it was meant to a long time ago. And Steve aimed at the door to shoot a nail. Proving to himself that it worked. At the same time that the hitting's on the gate began to be felt in their heart.

His light reflected the ceiling, where the presence of aeration at the edge of the wall seemed like a miracle to him. At this, he pointed it to the girl and said;

-Anne, you see this aeration grid? That's where we're going to go.

He took the cabinet of the room and pushed it towards the aeration. Where he placed his weapon on, thus climbing over it. His finger passed though the holes of the grid and his force pushed the old installation off the wall. Where it goes off and falls on the ground, alongside the empty clip.

-Anne! Take my hand. Quick !!!

A little hand took his arm from the darkness where its light wasn't there. And the guardian raised the child above the ground and then, at his level. Where she entered into the narrow path that was in pure blackness.

The light of his weapon rejoined her, as Steve exceeded the girl. Making him the front view at the way that continued up in a cliff that didn't seem to end.

-Why are we stopping?

-Because it's going up he answered. As he began to sense the cold air from the winds. At this, he knew that this path was linked to the outside.

-Ah Jesus f**k! OK Anne, it's like in the park slide. You go up by holding yourself at the sides with your hands OK.

-OK!

She began to walk towards the outside. Where she told felt the cold air of the night. At this, she began to run behind and the teenager had to accelerate.

The sound of a door getting smashed echoed into the aeration. When they both heard the howls that were getting closer and closer.

-Continue Anne, I'm going to block the path!

She answered yes by her head and he let her exceed him. He looked down at the narrow aeration where he stood. Holding the close ceiling with his free hand, as the other hold his weapon that made him see what looked like a girl of his age. It came out of the entrance of this path. With this duality of glowing darkness were none eyes could be seen. When it looked up at the light. It screamed this inhuman, loud and unreal sound.

Steve aimed its face and shot. The projectiles flew and nailed themselves at a being that stopped moving. With its mouth wide open, making him watching the voids that were inside of its own hell mouth.

It began to die, as the others that entered raged even more. Having an idea, the teenager turned back towards where the wind came from and walked. He exceeded many grids that were at both sides, knowing that it was a path like this one that he took to return back at the first floor an eternity ago.

-Anne, can you hear me? I'm just behind you.

-Steve she said with the echoes of this narrow path. There's a grid that's blocking. I can see outside, there are firs everywhere!

-Outside…

The teenager continued to walk with the same rhythm. Likewise, he knew that if he began to run, he will fall and slide right into their hands.

But in this path, the climbing towards the peace of this hell was hard. And his arms and legs began to make him feel the hardness of the situation.

At the end, his light illuminated him the girl that was sat on a flat floor. Just at the edge of a dead end filled with rectangular holes. Where the cool wind came from and the vision of firs far away could be seen under the night sky.

Smiling, Steve had an idea and took off his backpack. Taking the bottle of vodka off from him as much for a few old twenty dollars.

-Hold me this he said as he showed her the bottle made of glass. As Steve wrapped the cash in a roll, thus reclaiming the alcohol.

The wooden plug got off by the boy that threw it into the abyss that was going down. As the sounds of some footsteps began to echoes from the deepest of this narrow path. Steve placed the dollars into the hole of the bottle filled with vodka. And with his lighter, he lighted up in the amounts of hundreds. Where he placed the Molotov on the ground. It lay there, burning slowly and he pushed what began to roll down into the darkness.

They continued to howl into a maelstrom of unearthly sounds filled with an unreal wrath. But, for the first time of their life, Steve and Anne began to hear the scream of terror and pain from what had always made them grew terror in their heart.

-HAHAHAHAHA !!!!! So they too think that vodka burn into their mouth! Oh yah take that you f*****g assholes!

He turned against the end of the path. Where a simple plate stood temporarily, as the teenaged pushed it out with a simple kick. Making them seen the large and vast roof of Saint-Akzena.