Saint-Akzena

Chapter Nine

Into the total darkness, were obscurity filled the inter universe of the school. Their howling's echoed in the hallways like birds does in the vast forest outside. But, in this blackness were none things could be seen. A door got open, with one behind that passed with his light.

The two prisoners of this hell entered in this great room. He held his light that illuminated from left to right. -23-13-2 Making them seeing the pillars that grew shadows on their back as the guardian dared to illuminate their sole presences.

She followed him as they both walked between the columns were none were there to be seen. Unlike those that perfectly saw the living in such a deceased place.

The teen began to see that between each pair of pillars, a double door stood on the naked wall. He thought to himself that by entering and exiting this great hall, the students must have felt like a queen and king, here in Saint-Akzena.

Choosing to take the closest one, Steve walked towards it and opened one of the two. Only to see the darkness that stood in front among his vast spaces of emptiness. As the path continued with the stairs that were going down in this huge staircase, his light illuminated the end hidden in the nothing less of the unknown.

-Yes…Yes…YES !!!!!!!

She looked at her guardian that got took by his own emotions. Taking a step away from him, but still, she stood right at his side.

He stepped on the first stairs and at this, Ackers began to walk towards the first. Followed by an Anne that said;

-Hey, if we can close the door behind they will not know we took these stairs.

-That's a good idea, I didn't even think about it!

The teen returned to the double door. 21-18-13 And after he closed the side he used, his belt got removed, only to be placed at both the handles that were tied up.

It didn't bother him as his trousers were already tight. As such, Steve rejoined the girl and they both ran to the first floor. All during he kept his weapons ready to shoot, as he remembered the sayings of Roland of Gilead;

-« I do not aim with my hand; I aim with my eyes ».

His circle of light continued to go down into the darkness that surrounded them. And as they reached the last staircase, they both saw the beginning of the silhouette of the double door far down. Alongside with what seemed to be a body that laid there on the stairs.

Illuminating the one that had a cap on his head. Steve saw the one that was still looking at the rest of the staircase above. All hidden in the blackness were none stars could be seen.

He did the same as the other just before and when he saw the jagged face. Steve retreated and turned towards the obscurity. Where it didn't make him feel like vomiting.

Anne, which she has seen everything, didn't even talk about it to her guardian. Knowing that he will be upset of her own sanity. She kept her mouth shut, as she had recognized the one that killed himself with the huge revolver that stood aside. It reflected the light of the teenager that approached the new weapon, being careful to no seeing back the exploded face.

-Asshole, you preferred to save yourself in death instead of looking for your own daughter…

Taking off the handle of his nail gun, Steve took the big one that was as heavy than both his weapons combined. He sat on the stairs and deposed his spear-nail weapons on his shoulders.

With his light that reflected on the wall aside of them, Ackers could see what he held. Opening the roulette of the revolver, he saw that all the room was filled with empty ammunition. He took them one by one and placed them on the ground with the silence of theses walls, even if the doors in here were all closed.

Steve looked at the coat that was half-illuminated by his light. As such, he slowly put his hand inside the pocket. Touching with his tips the rounded surface of the ammunition that were as cold than the school.

Extracting the two bullets that were as big as his thumb. The teen placed them in the first rooms of the roulette, ready to make the revolver breath a screaming death. He checked back for others in the same pocket. Touching some that were hidden deeply inside the man's coat. He took them to and loaded the entire roulette of his new weapon.

Steve continued to touch the body. Hoping to find anything useful, which he did. Sensing with his tips a leather at the level of our stomach. He took off this part of the coat, seeing indeed a far-west-style belt for the revolver.

-f**k yeah, oh that's so sweet!

He removed it to the deceased and reclaimed the new object to its own. Taking off his coat, Steve passed it at his right shoulder and arm, tightening it straight to his chest. Seeing that it had rooms for ammunition to be placed. At this, he filled them half the way. Knowing that the man he once meets didn't shot a lot in this silent world.

Ackers took back his main weapon, illuminating the double door that stood down to this staircase. He walked towards it, as she followed him, letting the darkness reclaim both her dead parents behind for all eternity.

The two saw the doors that were in fact the one of an elevator. The teenager cussed at this revelation and he looked at both the sides of this end. Seeing that they were in a small hallway as they have walked down the last stairs. He goes to the nearest door that could be found. And he read the numbers engraved over the classroom gate;

2034

-Nice, only one floor to go…

He looked behind, with an Anne that was half in his visible light, but the other was hidden in the veil of the blackness.

-Were at the second floor Anne, there's only one left. One!

Do you understand that ?

A little smile rose on her face as shadows began to grow with theses small movements. She approached him as he began to continue on this path.

Reading the numbers that were going up, Steve passed from walking to sprinting as Anne did the same.

2045...2046...2047...2048...Etc.

-Ah man, how am I going to find this damn laboratory in this f*****g school?

Seeing that the corridor got another that crossed it in the middle. As he could see that two news began at each side. -9-20-2 Steve decided to continue straight forwards, letting the three paths behind. Only to fall in the shadings of oblivion.

The rows of lockers didn't seem to stop as they moved deeper and deeper towards the abyss that they never reached. As his circle of light made him show the doors, some other doors and many more doors. Tired of seeing so much of theses gates, Steve approached the nearest and took the handle that was lock. Renouncing, Steve continued at the other one who gave the same result.

In their walk on this endless path, the two finally found another one that crossed both the sides. The guardian moved to his right and illuminated the deep of this path that was surprisingly short.

Steve walked on this small corridor. With its walls that were half-pale do that lockers were there at the time. Only a single door stood on the wall back in. He walked towards what he opened after. Seeing that it leads to an old-fashioned brick wall.

-Who the f**k is dumb enough to make a door that will get the students towards that ?!?

He walked back his steps. And when the teen reached an Anne that was confused as him. Steve saw at the border of his circle of illumination a door that had been painted colour that felt like the skin of a banana. Letting the humidity of the fallen rain rusting its cover.

Ackers took the handle, and as his hand made the slightest pressure on the mechanism. This one made few sounds of a broken body and the door offered none resistance to those who walked in.

He illuminated the vast classroom as they walked in. Ignoring the water that they stepped on, unlike an Anne that didn't understand why it was there. The teen saw with all the botanic maths formulas written on the classroom board that he was in a science class. Where the laws of natures were once teaching in here.

He saw among them a detailed diagram of a flower with petals recovered with a violet colour made by the chalk. At this, Steve walked towards the tiny writing aside of the tall dawning.

...Petals infusible and digestive as a hot beverage...Ah.

...venomous and painful rode's due to the activation of a toxin that wake the nerves...Ouch.

-That must have been the flowers that were growing up there…

Looking for another door, the teen illuminated everywhere in here with his light. Seeing aside the classroom board and the teacher office what seemed to be the border of a gate.

He headed to this direction, as they exceeded all theses desks with the vials and scientific materials. Their shoes recovered with dirt and an old water, were splitting this last as they reached what was half smashed to the other side.

Not knowing how such a thing could have been made, Steve pushed the rest in with the tip of his bayonet. Passing from a classroom to the unknown, Ackers firstly saw a shower curtain aside of him that was as whiter than paper. But recovered with an ink-like black that splashed on its surface. He placed the end of his dagger at the side of the large sheet and he tossed it. Seeing with his eyes and light a young girl of his age that was sat in the shower. Her back against the wall and an axe right in her stomach. With her hands recovered with her own black blood that had tried to put out the tool that killed her before.

Retreating in front of what had died a long time ago. The teen walked on the water that had followed them from the class before. Placing his circle of light aside, the darkness hidden this morbid view with its dark mantle.

They looked at the rest of the place, seeing with the large circle that illuminated the large storage of what seemed of the scientific tools, vials, books and candles. He inspected these elements from a close point of view as he walked towards theses. Seeing all the different colours in the plastic bottles and vials, the teen got to the books that he took, reading the writings with titles such as Acidity, Ph or the homogeneity of the ground.

-Acidity? Perfect!

His eyes and light looked up to the bosh. Theses had behind their windows containers that the teenager didn't hesitate to take.

He deposited his weapon on the table as the light illuminated where he raised his arms. Opening the small door made of a window that he tossed aside in an acute sound. Ackers took what he was looking for. As he read the label that had written on it; bleach water.

-I'm not looking for that…he thought as he placed it aside of him.

Anne stood there, seeing her guardian that removed the chemical bottles. More and more frustrated as he read what they had. -9-20-2 And after she shakes her head off these numbers. The girl saw that his hands got a big and long container that had in it what seemed to be water.

Steve smiled as he read what the bottle had in it and he placed it alongside his weapon. Taking off his backpack, Ackers placed the key to the outside in the second pocket at the side of his bag. Where normally, a bottle of water should be. Only this time, it was a container of molar hydrochloric acid (as he could read it) that the teenager placed.

Taking on what hold all of his tools and proofs, Steve placed it on his back as always. His weapon left the table and his hands took back the handles.

-OK Anne. I've found what will melt the handle of the door that will make us both escape. Now, let's get out of here.

She answered with a movement of her head and with a smile that rose on her face. She followed her guardian as he walked towards the end of the school laboratory.

Exceeding the many exams that either the students were making or the teachers were correcting. The two saw at the end of this long and narrow, yet big room, what seemed to be a small elevator.

It stood there, right in front of them. The two handles of both doors got took by her small hands and the girl opened the way down this floor. He brings his light inside, seeing a small platform that was there for bringing the items up and down. And with this small chain aside the opening that he remarked, Steve understand it all.

He placed his weapon back on the table, as the light illuminated the end of this large room. Conjuring the rest of the darkness that waited for them to go down. Steve played a little with the chain to make the platform going up and down. Seeing that the mechanism was still working after all theses years and/or decades. The guardian told to his protection;

-You can come, I've found a way to return to the first floor.

The child walked close and she saw the inside of the elevator. She raised herself up inside, helped by the hands of her protector who hoped that she wasn’t claustrophobic.

-Anne, I'm going to make you go down and you will open the doors in front of you. You're going to be in the dark (she opened her eyes even more, with fear that could be read) but you will get out of here…understood?

-Un…Understood…

He made the child descend into the deep of the darkness. Listening to the sounds of the cranks that made it all work. He stopped when the mechanism in all of its complexity had reached his end.

-She must be down to the first floor now…

Taking back his weapon, Ackers illuminated the exit of the second floor. As he ignored how he will do it by himself. Steve knew that he had to search once again in the place to find a solution. His eyes found the surface of a door that had behind its surface a long fire hose.

He opened it, taking off the majority of its length. Seeing behind what he removed an incendiary axe that was hooked. Having an idea, the teen cut the end of the hose and took the firefighter tool with the new weapon he found. Wrapping it at the middle of the long axe, Steve nailed the end of the hose with the rest of what he rolled over and over against the iron axe.

Rolling the rope around himself, the teen entered his head in the small elevator system. Where a deep ground could be seen under his light that he passed with him.

Holding his weapon from the middle of it with his left arm. Steve gave the middle finger to the second floor with his free hand from the right. As he right after that, left it for good.

He entered in the deep well of the small elevator case by retreating into it. Making sure the axe was at the feet of its entrance. Ready to catch him in his descent. At this, Steve began to walk contrarily to the laws of gravity. With both feet at the sides of this narrow space, and his free hand descending one inch at the time. Shaking from his fear of the emptiness that was under. The teen dare looked with the corner of his view, seeing that the light directed towards the ground illuminated a goal that was getting closer and closer.

-Don't drop off don't drop off don't drop off !

Finally, his left feet touched the surface of the elevator ceiling. He made the same with his right and he arrived there softly. Being on a wooden element, Steve admitted to himself that he didn't think about it. Thus, he took off his backpack to use the bottle filed with an acidic substance.

Proving itself to be efficient, it boiled on the surface and burned what became a hole. Smiling at this, Ackers replaced everything and detached himself from the rope. Entering the narrow box, he saw firstly it exits that was two opened doors. Which the new way led him to a vast room where he could see some white beds in it.

He came out, stepping on the first floor, with an Anne that was waiting for him. She walked to her guardian and made him a hug. -9-20-2 He made the same and told her why it took this much time.

-Look, that's what got me so long…he said by illuminating the inside of the elevator, with a rope that hanged itself forever.

Steve turned to the rest of the room, which surprisingly didn’t have any desks, office of the board. He saw the many beds that were there and he didn't care at all. As such, Steve and Anne headed to the door that was at the other side of this infirmary. Walking on a floor that suddenly got recovered with sheet papers. The teenager looked at them and took the first one that his curiosity made him saw.

My name is Elia and I will die

I can't believe what's happening to me.

Firstly, the job of my dreams that will have made me pass a good time with my friends and then, this f*****g thing that began to kill them all. I've been so dumb to come here for a refuge. I thought this place was an abandoned school which I could hide with all theses classrooms. I should have run alongside the road. Now, they are coming for me. I can listen to them everywhere. I'm hungry and I'm so tired but it's going to find.

-Poor girl…

-What is it?

-Someone that could never escape contrarily to us conclude the protector as he threw the letter on the ground.

They both reached the exit door and as the teen took the handle. He retreated himself as they could hear them howling, screaming and roaring their inhuman sounds in this unreal darkness.

Steve turned his light to the rest of the room, preventing it from coming out of the window placed at the gate. Seeing all theses pharmacies that were placed on the walls. The guardian walked to see the bottles and drugs.

Reading all theses complicated names that only a Master Degree graduate could understand their meaning. Steve stopped caring about the medications and found an aid kit. Depositing his weapon aside, Ackers took the suitcase and walked to the nearest bed.

He took many of the wound dressing to use them where blue spots could be felt on his body. After that, he used the alcohol flask and poured it on where his skin was as red than life. Tightening his teeth as the feeling of burning extended and which encrusted in him. The teen finished to heal himself.

-Bloody f*****g s**t…as he let this whisper expired from his cold breath.

Closing the aid kit, Steve locked the handles and he placed it in his backpack. Taking back his weapon, both the index on their triggers. Ackers placed the back of the handle on his shoulder. -18-5-1 He walked to the door that he placed himself at his side. Thus, he asked to Anne if she was;

-Ready?

-Yes…

Listening only to them and the silence. Steve took the handle, turned it and open the gate. Leading them back into the vast labyrinth of this school.

The first thing that his light made them saw was the long surface of all theses lockers. Looking at his left as he brought his circle of view with him. Steve and Anne began to walk on this path that led towards the unknown. They walked with the sound of silence, listening to them as they were howling far away in the abyss of all the blackness that could be felt. Illuminating all the doors, he placed his light on at both sides. Ackers read the numbers over them;

1045...1044...1043...

-Perfect...in 1001 we would probably be close to the exit...

As many thoughts began to take forms in his imagination. A feeling of shaking could be feeling down under their feet's. They both stopped, frozen in fear as the sounds of many wheels being rolled were made above. Listening to that damn childish symphony that only a music box could be able to sing. The two began to stop feeling the presence of such a monster that lost itself in the deep of the darkness.

Retaking their journey towards freedom, they secretly thought about the sunlight outside that was waiting. With the town that was far away after the great sea of firs that is the ocean which Saint-Akzena is the sole lost island.

Having such an idea in mind, Steve stopped inspecting each door. He continued to illuminate the shining floor that showed them all the toils that were perfectly placed alongside the path that continued into the nothingness.

They walked and walked even more in this corridor that didn't seem to finish, until the guardian stopped.

He saw at its front, just on the edge of his light two shoes that were standing there. Half recovered with the rays of its illumination. The teen raised this last on the legs of the humanoid being that began to howl a bestiary sound.

Steve saw what ran towards them. With his long fingers that showed firstly along with its face hidden in its long hair. It received a nail that got into its mouth, stopping it from screaming as the thing fall with a last breath.

Not having any time to think, the two could hear others far away that roared back. Multiplying their presences that were shown with howls among side the footsteps that echoed from their front and behind. They knew that escaping from theses predators was the only path towards survival. And thus, the two ran towards the closest classroom door with a handle that was locked.

They moved to the closest one, as he could open this new path that led both of them in a simple room. -11-9-20 He closed it in silence, despite the terror that boiled in his heart. And right after, he turned off the light from his weapon.

Feeling the ground that trembled of their coming. They could also hear the screams that were as close than their breath. And as they were getting more acute at the discovery of their dead brother. Steve placed his hand on the mouth of the girl. Which she was breathing as stronger than all the fear she lived.

The gate opened in a smash that echoed into the room. Like the thunder that shock the sky. Their heart got a beat that froze them to something that they could not know. Listening to a hoarse breath next to them, the two began to hear the footsteps that slammed on the floor. Its mouth let a roar that whistled to the others that shut themselves. As their footsteps were getting far away in the echoes of the dark silence.

His left arm raised the weapon towards is front. Aiming blindly at the thing that he couldn't see. He didn't have to close his eyes to see is own blackness. As he pulled the trigger many times. Listening to the sounds of projectiles that nailed themselves into a flesh that felt on the ground.

His fear drove him to the point that the sound of clicking shot out of the barrel of his weapon. Taking off his right hand from Anne mouth to place it at the other handle of his customized tool. Steve rose up and ran towards where he strung the mass with the tip of his dagger. Pushing it even deeper, Ackers retreated it, only to remake the same movement. Just to be sure as he heard the sounds of the butchering that was sung in the darkness.

He made the holy light returns as he turned it on. Conjuring the black flames with his circle of illumination. Which it showed to both of them a young girl of his age. With eyes wide open that only an eternal blackness could be read in. As the mouth was half open, without having the chance to let a single sound be heard to her brothers and sisters.

Dozens of nails covered her shirt, as the red-haired was recovered with a black liquid that his knife have let out with all theses holes.

Breathless of such an effort, the teen let his breathing being back to its regular speed. Look at the cold death eyes of the thing he killed. He placed his hand on its face, closing them forever as he couldn't see it even more.

He turned towards the living girl that was shaking. He deposed his weapons on the ground, taking her sides with his free hands. And with a smile that could only come from the art of acting, Steve said to her;

-Where close to the exit…Anne (he shakes her a bit) were going to come out. Theses things think we are elsewhere in the school.

Her face rose and she looked at the white of the guardian eyes. As he retook his hands-made rifle, seeing with his light the multiple toilet cabinets. With one of them being closed, as the fire axe was placed like someone hit the gate, just like that.

He didn't know why it was there and he didn’t even bother to ask why. He didn't take it off, having good tools for their defences and a backpack that was heavy enough.

The other side that all the cabinets faced was a large wall that had a long and vast mirror that made its surface. He looked at it, remembering the last experience he had with such a decoration. This time, however, where the axe was. It was an everyday rogue mallet that was in the alternate reality.

-You got to be f*****g kidding…

Anne looked at the same error that couldn't be one. And she saw the one that was as surprised as her of such a weird, yet simple difference.

Steve took the body of the thing from under the shoulders. Pulling it towards the closest cabinet where he hides the trace of their path. He locked the door from the inside and passed under it. After, he took a new clip of ammunition and changed the empty one with a fully loaded.

He saw that only two of theses were left. Smiling that at least he still has more than one, and not at the infinite. Ackers replaced the last ones into the pocket of his raincoat. Fully charged, his weapon turned to the door that was wide open. -9-20-13 He and her walked towards it and returned into the hallway.

They walked as he followed where the circle of light was. Being extra careful at what the edge of the illumination could show them, the two moved as the same fear towards God could fly in their veins.

After exceeding many doors as they had listened to the howls and roars that were as far than the word « away ». The two could see at their left a double door that was wide open. The teen recognized that entrance and he walked towards it with a convinced sprint.

Entering the other side, they could see with the large circle of light the staircase that was going down next to the one that was going up. They both smiled at a path that could lead them to the exit.

As such, the teenager and the child walked down the stairs and returned to the floor under all the others.

Illuminating the wall at their left, he saw once again the painting of that cyborg behind its protection of glass. The eyes of the girl made her retreat to the guardian. He didn’t know why she was this much scarred of the artwork. Steve moved his circle of light away from what wasn’t from their universe.

They got back to the centre of his vast and gigantic room. Where the teen illuminated their path that showed them the endless wall. Where only the entrance of a simple corridor was there.

Not knowing where to go other than this new hallway. As he knew that far away into the darkness stand two doors that would lead him back to the pool. -21-11-5 Steve walked towards the entrance of this new path that penetrated into the inside of the school.

At the middle of the endless way, they found a pair of gates that faced each other. Both were open and they attracted the teen with a curiosity that grew. He entered the one at his right and saw a wall in front of the gate. Seeing that it turned once again at the same side, Ackers walked the short way and turned again. Being now in a cloakroom where all the lockers were open. As they were all facing the numerous changing rooms at the end of where they were.

Remarking the absence of urinals, the teenager smiled to be in a place that he would not be allowed to be in.

They returned into the endless path. -9-20-2 And as they continued deeper and deeper in it. An end was finally found. It was made of two gates that made together a large double door. Recovered with pitch black paint that was theses;

-10-5-1-19-5-11-20-8-5-3-8-5-5-18-14-5-1-4-5-18-19.

-That's it! Those are the numbers! she exclaimed.

-Huh?

-The numbers, they guided us to here, Steve. That's where the school has brought me. It's at the other side that he's calling…

The guardian turned towards the numbers and he knew that he shouldn't go to the other side. As the presence of what he never heard had brought them here.

His flashlight got placed at the window of one door. And he saw with his circle of illumination that this path lead to a vast emptiness.

-Ah f**k it…if it was a trap, they would have got us both a long time ago.

His right hand left the handle of his nail gun and he took the one of the left door, as Anne did the same with the right. And they both entered the grand gymnasium of the school…