Saint-Akzena

Chapter Seven

As they walked towards outside that could be seen everywhere. The two felt from the end of this aeration. Where it stood a foot over the roof, as Steve and Anne saw it, grinding the pain of their little falling.

They both raised themselves up. Seeing a vast surface recovered with water that was still fresh from the passing storm. As they both saw the infinite void filled with all the stars that could be seen. With the long and cosmic cloud that stood long into the night, as the two children's seen a part of the Milky Way for the first time of their life.

She smiled, as she began to breathe in the cool air of the outside. Where all the firs danced with the invisible arms of the wind from the north. And some orange lights from civilization could be seen a little down the side of the mountain. Where Anne ran towards the border. Only to be stopped by the tall fence, crying out of desperation.

Steve rejoined the one that cried at the view of the artificial lights that were as far as the stars in the night sky. Where the crescent moon stood above all over the misty clouds.

-You see, we're going to come down and that's where we will be going…he said, as she stopped living once again the terror that this world made her feel.

After that, they both began to look at the surface of this vast roof. Where all the sides of this squared place were fenced. He didn't even think about getting over it and climbing down with the old bricks. That would only end in a broken back or even worse.

The aeration trap that the exit wasn't alone in here. A few others like it were there, but as vaster than the building was, Steve didn't want to take any chance of getting lost again in such narrow spaces. Especially with a child at his care.

After a little later, he found a trapdoor over the floor where there weren't any handles. Cursing at this, the teenager continued to look over with his light and saw the edge of a large circle of glass. Where a new entrance could be made.

His light passed thought this gigantic window, only to illuminate in little what looked like a few tables. He wanted to be sure and Steve pulled out his spear gun out of his back, as such for his backpack that he placed at his feet.

Opening the zipper, the boy took the large tape and placed his long weapon on the surface. Then, he did the same thing with his nail gun, just at the end of the canon where the little spear was out. He tapped them together and made the same with his long ceremonial dagger that looked like an artistic bayonet.

Steve took his two-in-one with both hands. Placing it like a carabine against his shoulder, aiming with both its eyes like his uncle Gerald taught him so when shooting with an firearm at those empty cans.

He felt much more confident to having made a new defensive device. Even if he would like to have a military assault rifle with a tactical silencer on. Steve felt proud to making such a tool for his survival. He even had the sensation of having a carabine and a pistol at the same time. However, both together were heavy to hold and his tired arms told him so.

Steve approached the vaulted circle as Anne looked at his weapon with surprised eyes. The teen aimed at this floor of glass and shoot a spear that pierced the now destroyed part of this strange ceiling. For the broken parts felt in a thunder of acute noises.

-Ah crap! He exclaimed to himself, as he thought that they were coming under. Which after an eternity of waiting, it appeared not to have been the case.

Steve approached the edge of the hole. Aiming with his light that showed him the tables recovered with dirt’s and flowers that were recovered with glass pieces and one spear that were on the floor.

-OK Anne, we're going to jump in and…Anne?

He turned himself towards the one that was far away, just in front of the fence. Looking again at the distant artificial lights. The guardian reached her back and saw that she continued to cry.

-Anne, we're going to have to return back in.

-No…she snubbed. I don't want to be back in the darkness…

-Anne listen to me! He said as he placed himself at his level. We're going to have to return and go down all the way. The fire that I've made in the conduct blocked them from getting here and it's the same for us. Because I'm pretty sure I've started a fire in that office. This huge window will let us pass into the school and when we're going to find a staircase. We go back at the first and we exit. That's where both of you and your mother have come here isn't?

She said yes by her head, as she had stopped crying out loud in silence.

-Good, I too entered this hell by this door and it's going to be those ways that were going to exit. Do you believe in me?

She answered yes once again, saying the response that Steve wanted to see.

-Cool, follows me then he concluded.

They walked towards the new entrance, as the child looked one final time at the mountain its little lights behind. As much for the dark storm filled with lighting that continued to the east. Where only the tips of firs could be seen in this sea of a greenish forest that danced under the shadow of the night.

She arrived with him at the edge of this new path. Where the teenager jumped into the blackness, armed only with his light and a spear he retook from the ground. Placing it back in his big guns. He placed it on the table next to him with the dirt and flowers. Showing his arms to the girl that he called;

-Come on Anne, I'm going to catch you!

The girl sat down the edge and she let herself slide in. She felt right on his arms that catch; bringing him more pain into his muscles which were beginning to be tired of all of this.

Steve took back his weapon, holding it with two triggers with both their firepower that was as quiet than the wind outside. He looked at where they were both. Seeing the strange flowers that weren't dead and still were directed towards the ceiling.

She took one of them, as they didn't have any spines and were as softer than silk. They both had never seen such a plant and they looked at each other. Knowing that much more important things were to be done.

An echo reached where they were and Steve freaked out at from the direction it came from. Seeing and closed double doors with his light, the two could hear the sound of a crying one.

The sorrow was chanted in the tears of a young girl, just to hear her eternal complaint in this dark hell. Steve made his left-hand leave the handle of the nail gun to get at the one of the doors. Which it turned by itself, making him retreating as he aimed the entrance. Booth his hands on his weapon, breathing heavily. As they both seen that nothing was there behind the open door. Not even a howl that was far away could be heard, only silence…

Steve stared at the door that with one of its sides opens expired a cold air that caressed their face with its touch from death. He sensed two little hands from the girl behind him that he looked at. Seeing that Anne was a few feet from him, her face painted with terror as she saw the transparent prisoner that his guardian couldn't see. Even in the freedom of the void, the unknown teenager continued to cry, as her should ever be there. In the dark flames of the blackness that is this hellish world.

The guardian walked slowly towards the double door, his hands holding the weapon that shacked from his fear. And a bayonet that entered first at the other side, where he knew that his feet were protected to walk into.

He took of his hand that hold the handle of his nail gun and took the one right at his side. Where it got replaced quickly and the boy retreated back to Anne. Where they were both under the light of the shining stars above.

Steve looked back at Anne, which she was doing the same with the person that quit the two by taking the wall. He saw her too, and without saying anything. The guardian took the innocent one by her hand and pulled his protection right to him. And they walked to the gates in front of them that they both opened.

Seeing multiple posters with scientific themes light made them show on the wall. The two knew that they were in a science class. Which it didn't bother any of them at all. As such, they walked between the desks to reach the door at the other side of the class.

Anne stopped as Steve continued, only to do it so. Seeing that the girl looked at an open binder on the desk. Which Steve illuminated, discovering an envelope that was in the pocket inside. He lowered his weapon and placed it next to the binder.

Taking the letter, the teenager opened it and took off the paper that was recovered with words that were clearly written with an old typewriter. At this, he read in a low voice;

I was able to reach the trap. You wouldn't believe me how I reached it and you should try it too. Listen, I don’t know what is at the end of this ladder. But I can assure you that it is that scary. At the walls surrounding me, there were skulls everywhere and they still had their eyes that were looking at me.

Oh and by the way! I swear that something bad is going to happen. But by what the dragon told me, the sorceress will be able to return at the side of her father and he said that he didn't know what could happen at his native world right after.

-Thomas

-Sorceress…

-What does it mean asked the girl that understood absolutely nothing.

-I have no idea he answered. As Steve placed his backpack on the desk. Replacing the letter in its envelope and thus, putting it in his bag filled with evidence.

He retook his backpack and the weapon that continued to show them the door in its circle of light. Before leaving, he looked at the other binders. Seeing schemas with theses odd-looking flowers that were violets. With all this biological maths that was written as a foreign language aside the dawned plants.

-Well, that's weird…

They reached the door and Steve opened it. The hallway began from left and right and continued both the ways, all directed towards the darkness.

In front of them, where his circle of light was. A large poster in its window recovered this part of the wall. Steve looked at it carefully, being face to face with Big Brother as Anne could read the title of the book 1984 been read.

-Ah, that would have a strange resemblance with the system of this school…he thought, as he remembers the story of Winston Smith.

He turned his light and view over the left. Seeing that the path continued ahead little and at the right as it turned. They walked on this way, hoping to find the entrance to a staircase. As they were at the final floor, over four others. And at such, they could hear them howling and screaming under their feet and at their same level. As the echoes of this blackness were everywhere in what was everywhere.

Some of theses roar began to have footsteps that accompanied their demonic symphony. They were getting closer, as the echoes bring them louder and louder towards the one that stood frozen in fear. With a child at his side that had her heart that beat's a red fear in her veins.

Steve looked at both sides of this corridor, seeing them at both the edge of his circle of illumination. Where he saw at his left two doors that were separated by a modern-like drinking water fountains. As he remarked that all those that he saw here was old-fashioned. Even for the sixties that this place got cursed.

He headed towards the closest of the toilet room, as she followed him, holding the front of his backpack. Entering where only girls were allowed, Steve got even deeper in his hiding. As he entered in one of the many cabins, turning off his light and letting darkness overcome their surface.

A roar echoed into the void of the corridor next to them. As they could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer. Only to do the same as they were getting distant too far away into the dark oblivion that they both came from. As they heard the sound of a door being smashed open in the echoes of this hellish silence.

Steve pushed the door of this cabinet and turned on his light that illuminated on the ceiling above. He lowered it, seeing the large mirror where thousands of girls were looking at each other before. With a light that reflected on himself as he walked towards his own.

Ackers looked at his right side of his own reality. Seeing someone that was half-laid on the edge of the bathroom sink. Between him and that unknown girl of his age, there were a few sinks that still were clean of their whiteness. Due that one of them was bathed of a reddish substance and had in his containers a beating heart that was literally broken in two.

Anne saw the one that had been faced with terror painted in is eyes. She asked what was wrong (in a place that berated the word) and the teen told;

-Go to the door and look at the wall, OK.

-OK she concluded. Without asking if she was the only one to see the girl that was « sleeping » at the other side.

He looked at the organ that he could only see in the reflection. As it wasn’t there in his reality. Walking towards the dead girl, he took her by the arm and pushed her. Seeing that life couldn’t be seen in her eyes closed in her own darkness. Where fresh tears were still on her face. As much for a red colour that once splashed out of her chest.

-OK f**k this man…he thought as he began to touch at where life quit the body of this girl. Knowing that this was indeed real.

Just like the same person that stood at the other side of the mirror, smiling at the teenager. Steve retreated as she began to cry tears of pain. With her old-fashioned dip pen that she printed to him with her hands. She closed her eyes and his light turned off at the same time. Having fear that thundered from his heart, Steve gave a few slaps to his flashlight that brought back what could be seen. As he did to the dead girl that was still at the edge of the bathroom sink, only this time at the other side. He retreated with large moves and he turned towards an Anne that had followed his orders. She clearly saw the emotion of horror that was painted over the terror that she once read in is eyes. And at this, Anne let him took her hand and they ran towards the door, returning into the endless corridor.

They have continued into the deep of this path. With time that ruined its ceiling as the rest of this place empty of light and life. As the holder of this last and the other one that he protected stopped to catch their breath in this cold hell.

He walked towards a side of the corridor and sat down. His back on the surface of the lockers, Steve pulled his weapon on his legs and his hands laid on the surface of what was that heavy to carry around.

-We going to take a break OK…

-OK…she answered as she rejoins him by siding at his side. Putting her hands on the floor and the back of her head on the wall of theses lockers that never seemed to end.

-Do you think I'll be able to see my mother again?

-…

-Steve?

-Anne…listen, you got to know that it's you that I have to get out. If I find your mother, I will make you both escape this place. But, for the time on, I've got to concentrate to how I will get you back to town. And then, I will be able to bring people here to look for your mother. Firefighters, police corps, the damn Canadian Forces and their Kiowas with their missiles and machine guns. I will bring them all here by forming groups. They will be able to find her…

-…and clean up this place from theses fuckers!

-Ah she briefly replied. But how are we gonna get out of here?

There was a silence, the teenager knew that he wasn't sure if these possibilities would actually work. But even so, he was capable of keeping true is own lie that was hope.

-There's a double door that is the only entrance. I'm pretty sure that it will get us out. The only downside is that this school locked it. If I find the laboratory, I pretty sure I'll find some acid and melt the handle and its lockers. Hey, if I can also find a roll of aluminum paper and a plastic bottle of water. I can make a bomb to explode the door. And at that, we will be free and outside of theses damn walls!

Or else, we still can return to the first floor and were going to enter the aeration systems. There must be some grill that lay towards outside. I would only have to smash one by pushing it and were off way before their knew were escaped.

-But why would they come out of here?

-Hmm…well, it's not just walls that hold back predators. Plus, there are woods everywhere that surround this place. So, reaching the town will be a long ran.

She shook her head in a sign of yes. Understanding that escaping Saint-Akzena proves to be much harder than it first seemed. Thinking about it, the light inside her soul lowered. But even at this, it didn't burn out. Contrarily to the one of Steve that was near its breaking point.

-Well, OK…we still got to continue living. Or else we fall and we never get up the teenager said as he raised himself.

-OK she said as she did the same.

They both saw the edge of the hallway. Where the light illuminated what they could see in this grand circle of projections. Losing itself in the deep of the blackness, far away in this path that never seemed to end.

They walked to the middle, him before her that stayed at his back. Exceeding many doors that led towards classrooms that they let the eternal shadows take over as they passed. There was even one that had a large surface of water that was at the feet of the closed gate. At this, the teenager thought to himself that it was

-Probably the water that came from the sky when thunder screamed outside…

They stopped in front of a double door that was closed as all the others. This one, however, was way different than all that they saw. At the great curiosity of the girl and the terror that froze the soul of the guardian. The pair of doors were recovered with white pages that had printed on them many lines. Steve walked with fast movements and he took one without hesitation. Reading the words that continued to make their effects;

Coming from the where the night rules, he crashed on this world, only to still be in his cell.

And as this world wanted to, the Saint got buried under his prison into the underground.

He could still influence those that came over his cell, as he brought them here when Man discovered fire.

Showing the knowledge that came from his world; he taught them how to learn from everything.

As such, the influenced build the foundation that was made for the same purpose they once were the children's.

After he had influenced the beings of the planet that he finished to learn. The Influence was exiled from his learners.

Flying the black sky filled with stars, it wandered in the cosmic winds until he found a new world.

After he read the last line, Steve remembered the text that was similar in its reading. Only this time, the sense of the story wasn't as identical as the one before. Ackers didn't make the same error and he took one of the sheets. Folding it and placing it in the interior pocket of his raincoat.

-What's that? Asked the child as she read the poem.

-Something that is very complicated answered the boy that in reality had no idea what it was.

Steve took the handle of the left side, pushing it at the other side. Thus, they both entered the second part of this endless path. Letting all the copies of the chant being swallowed by the darkness.

They saw the same corridor that only continued straight forward. They exceeded the locked doors and the beginning of a new hallway that lost itself too in this chaotic labyrinth. They didn't enter it, knowing that it would only let them be lost even more.

Thereafter, one of the doors took the curiosity of the teenager. This one was broken with a huge hole in its middle. Making its surface being recovered with cracks. And like a large spider web, theses traits attracted the boy that had is consciousness trapped by his curiosity.

He simply pushed the door inside the classroom. Holding his weapon like he always did, looking with his eyes and light. As she stood at his back, seeing only what he could see too.

The circle of illumination made them both see the desks that were empty of living presence. All excepted for the one that had a human form on its surface. Folded against herself, the knees after her chest and the long hair those were recovering her naked back. The thing raised her head, making it seeing the light back for a long time ago. The one that saw her automatically recognized what she was and he shot is harpooned right towards her face.

The projectile flew out of his main weapon and fled at the thing that opened her mouth.

The tip of the spear pierced the neck from one side to the other one.

The thing tried to scream, but only the silence of death came out of the eternal blackness. She tried to do anything, but the guardian ran towards her with his ceremonial bayonet at first sight. He assassinated her by stabbing the bottom of their chest, as Anne had her hands on the eyes. With a face that could be read; « I'm at the edge of the breaking point ».

Steve gave the final move, making her being right opened as she falls on the floor. It made one hell of a noise here and in the closest corridors that echoed the sounds of war. But after that, the cold silence returned, as always.

The teenager took her head by her hair, pulling out the long spear that was recovered with a black substance still warm of a alternate life he took. With his shirt, he wiped this precious ammunition that he replaced right after.

-Ehwwww he exclaimed as he felt the warm blood being on his skin. As he places back the bottom of his shirt on him.

Eventful, Steve decided to inspect the place. Finding only binders with musical sheets in them. He looked at the teacher office, seeing on its surface a gramophone that stood in front of the whole class. With its rotation lever, its wax cylinder and a huge speaker in the form of a trumpet.

He could resist to let a swear getting out of his mouth as he saw this musical wonder. The girl rejoins him; avoiding seeing what was as dead as laid on the floor. And at such, she didn't even know that she walked on the life that had flown out of the corpse.

She asked to her guardian if this was indeed a machine to listening music.

-Yes, you see the lever here. It's called a crank, it works without the help of electricity and it make the cylinder that made the whole thing playing music. You wanna hear it?

And at such, she said yes.

Steve began to turn over and over the lever. Knowing that there were no monsters close as the noise of the one behind would actually attract any attention. He still made the machine being activated by moving the little key and by giving a little push to the cylinder.

The sounds that came out were not loud. And the speaker made of steel let them came in clumsy creaking of the cylinder that turned. In this chaos of awkwardness, the voice of the long-deceased women came out and sang;

-♫ I have a true and noble lover, He is my sweetheart, all my own, His like on Earth, who shall discover, My heart is his and his alone ♫…

Smiling of such a discovery, the teenager deposited his weapon on the office next to the musical machine. Letting his light illuminated a side of the class behind. Where he could find a cabinet that he didn't find. He walked towards it, as they both continued to listen from a device that came from a time much older than the 20th century.

He opens the doors, seeing in the shadows of the inside multiple wonders that made him smile in such a hellish paradise. With all theses multiples box in form of cylinders that he knew what they all had. All had the name of Edison's on each product. Which it made Steve angry on which one to take for outside. Knowing he will make a lot of money by selling them off.

-…♫ come, come, I love you only, My heart is true, come, come, my life is lonely, I long for you, come, come, naught can efface you ♫…

He discovered far in the back what seemed to be a wooden chest. Smiling even more, Steve took both sides of it and pulled it towards himself. It got open and the view of twenty of theses little things were found. Here, deep into the cold and old foundations that were even older than what he brought to the teacher office.

Steve took one of them, reading the mark of Columbia that was drawn on it. He read the title of the song, its singer, its author and the place where it was recorded. And the words said that it was during the international exposition of Paris during the year of 1901.

-…♫ come, come, I love you only, come, hero mine ♫.

The passionate replaced it and took another. This one, however, had the title of Au Clair De La Lune, but nothing was written about the author, the singer, the place or the date.

He decided to open it, impatient to know what it would be like to hear it in this musical form. The containing got shown to the girl that was as curious as the one that placed what was inside at the machine.

Steve removed the one that played before, when students were still here a long time ago, and he placed the French classic in it. Turning back the lever, Ackers restarted the machine and sat down alongside the girl. And thus, they both heard what they would never suspect of being the witness to such an indescribable symphony.

The sound that came out of the wax was only the defaults from the old machine. Put after a long minute, the voice of a woman came out, with an entire crowd that followed her will. Both were saying;

(The Woman)

Oh great Ghayak-Huph, the great gate between the eleven universal doors…

(The Crowd)

…Oibu Yaesevr Ghayak-Huph Yaesevrtu saoiesztu tumzestu thtu-wu mtoikm vrwatum-wuspoi vrtu wymsphatués-wu…

(The Woman)

…when your consciousness is listening, your presence is in each one of us…

(The Crowd)

…Thoies-wuwewytu ze woim-wusptumtu tuwoiwyztu ze saestu-wututu tuwuz tum wbuewym vrtu moiwy-wu zoiwy-wu…

(The Woman)

…at this, accept these beings that are condemned to the Infinity alongside yours…

(The Crowd)

…Ethoies-wu ewtusaztu wutu-wu tuzestu-wu wewysp wuoim woimvre-wamtutu-wu spm-jespm sae-eswasp zoisp…

(The Woman)

…and accept to transport us towards worlds that are unknown to us.

(The Crowd)

Tuz ewtusaztu vroim vrtu moi-wywu zesem-wusaoies-ztues hatues-wu thtu-wu waoim-vrtu-wu wewysp moiwy-wu wuoim spm-woiwy-wu.

The cylinder continued to turn around itself, with its multiple parasites that came out of the speaker. The sound shut itself up at the same time when the machine stopped. They had their arms that surrounded each other, as the void of the school returned. Alongside the distant howls and roars which no human ears should ever hear. Just like what this cylinder had in his wax.

Steve took it and replaced it in his canisters. Placing this one in the pocket of his backpack were the bottles should be. After, he took his weapons and her hand, thus leaving this place for good.

Being now in the hallway, the two walked on its endless path. Being now on a floor recovered with newspaper sheets. The teen took a knee and approached the ground. Reading titles such as a shootout, a personal vendetta and even one with a locker. He cared for the last one and asked the girl to place it in his back, which she did.

He raised himself up and continued to walk. As she did the same, seeing where the spotlight showed them the reality of this ruined place. With all the closed doors and the many, many lockers filled with what Life had brought from the outside. They all exceeded them, as their path led them both to a point where they stopped.

They arrived in a vast space where they saw that it continued in a new hallway straight forward and at their sides. But what intrigued them the most was the huge drinking fountain in the middle of the place. Mostly because of the statue above the drinking points that looked like a sphere with multiple maelstrom that each had a mouth at his centre. The planet showed its big shark teeth to the two that looked at it. And as such, he said;

-Ghayak-Huph…he whispered as he remembered the name.

He placed his weapon on the ground, taking out his other made for taking real evidence in pictures. Framing the aspheric silhouette of the damn thing, Steve thundered a flash in the room. As the Polaroid immortalized the place in his picture that his photographer took. Placing it among side all the others.

Steve took back his weapon and saw what his light made him see. Seeing the corridor that continued forwards. With this huge drinking fountain, between it and other path that began in this room.

-Hey Anne, were going to continue this way OK he said as he pointed the same path that continued with his circle of illumination.

This one was different from the last one, but more similar than others that he only took before. Due that the walls were naked of lockers rows or any form of classroom doors. But, even to this, the sides had on each surface the posters of well-knows and unknown books. Just by looking at the covers, Steve knew theses were made locally by those that studied here before.

There were also these football matches that had their unique photographs in forms of posters.

1956, 1957, 1958, etc., were the dates that Ackers read. As the girl did the same, but with the colourful plays posters.

Finally, the corridor finished with a double door that surprised the guardian. With his painting of food like the box of fries, the typical French bread and all theses plates with steaks that were well cooked. The two looked at each other and they decided to enter towards the other side. Where the teen walked first, bringing his light in a vast room that he saw firstly the tables of a cafeteria.

-Oh s**t…