Saint-Akzena

Chapter Eight

She looked at where the light spotted on, seeing the cafeteria table next to them. In a place where none monsters could be heard in the vast void that stood.

They walked even deeper in the place, at this point, his light illuminated the few pillars with all the pamphlets about good food nutrition. Then, they reached the end of the place as they saw the long window that continued at both sides. It showed them the eternal forest of firs which danced with the wind of the east. All while being under the pale moonlight that was among the stars.

Anne decided to sit down on the table next to the window, looking at the outside. He did the same, taking a break in their journey towards what they're both looked at.

As such, Steve decided to take off his backpack. Checking for the newspaper that he found before, Ackers placed his weapon on the table. The light directed towards the long glass, he read what you did bottom here;

Gruesome Discovery at Saint-Akzena

19th May of 1964

Yesterday, few bodies were discovered in the forest next to Saint-Akzena. Close to its football field where one of the players found the deceased due that his partner threw the ball too far. According to the medical examiner, the deceased was killed after giving childbirth. Due that their belly was still at their pregnancy limit. Only Jessica Breek, who as been missing from September in 1950, was the only one that hadn’t been frozen. Maria Lemelin, Samantha Brown and Alicia Senecal had their bodies refrigerated on a long period of time for being buried in the forest next to Saint-Akzena. Where Jessica Breek was found with a hand that exceeded the ground, according to Samira Skyle, the one that found her body. The authorities are still investigating for the time being and more details will come.

His eyes looked at the pictures placed at the bottom. As he saw the photographic portrait of the young's victims. Jessica Breek, 17. Maria Lemelin, 14, Samantha Brown, 16 and Alicia Senecal, 18.

-Jesus f**k…he thought as the frozen teenagers were added into this black hole of a mystery.

But now that this school was ruins and forgotten from the outside;

-Who will want to know about is history? Who will want to know what happens behind it and even at this. Who will be dumb enough to come here just for that? OK screw this, I've got to save us both!

Hearing what the boy had whispered to himself without knowing it. The girl looked at where the window made her see. Separated with the middle of a table, the teenager was lost in his reflections, as she was simply at the edge of the school. Touching a transparent wall that was the worst of all. Making her see the great mountain in the landscape among side the few city lights that were just behind.

He replaced the newspaper back in his backpack. Closing it after, Steve place back it on where it is supposed to be. Rejoining the child that turned towards her guardian that looked too at the dancing trees.

-I'm going to make us both out, Anne. Whatever happens, I will make you escape this shithole.

-And mommy?

-You first, then we're going to find people in town and were making them come here to help us find your mother, understand!

-But…

-Anne! He said as he cut her sentence. I've got to protect you above anything else. That's what your mom told me and that's all that matters for me. I'm going to make your escape out. No matter what will happen.

She said yes with a movement of her head. He raised himself, taking his weapon with it and he walked towards the long window. Seeing the orange light from the town that was so close, yet, far away like a paradise that everyone dreams of.

He turned to the rest of the cafeteria. His back in front of the outside and is front facing the darkness filled with this hellish silence. Akers decided to go towards his left, where it ended with few microwaves that were as vintage as the word. He imagined the long waiting line with such an old technology. As he knew, that he had experienced the same situation, but with more recent tools.

They returned towards the double door which they took to be entered in this place. He took the handle, turned it and closed the side that was left open. Knowing that only this path would let one of them in here.

His circle of light got larger as he raised it in the majority of the place. Seeing all theses tables with its artificial illumination, the two walked between the rows where a lot of food fight must have been, as they secretly thought about it.

After they exceeded many, many places to sit. The guardian and her reached the end of this vast place. Where his light makes them see far in the dark what looked like the edges of a double door. Straight open that made them see the beginning of stairs that were going up as the other one was going down.

-Score! He exclaimed, as the sound of a sinister grunt was there, deep into the blackness where its light never has been.

Steve brought his illumination at it, seeing that it stood tall, with his arms that hanged themselves both towards the ground. With his eyes that were empty of humanity and filled with a darkness that like the night. None could bring light on it.

It screamed, knowing that it was found as much that they were too. Steve retreated as it jumped on the table. Running like a wolf towards its prey as his brothers and sisters made hundreds of footsteps from the staircase that echoed the sounds to them.

Steve shot his long spear that pierced between the arms of the damn thing. This last one screamed its life out. As the silence of death took him when he felt on the ground. Anne got her hand being taken and she followed the one that fled towards where they came from.

In their panic, the two exceeded from where they came from. As they reached the other side of the vast place, Steve and Anne arrived at the large food bar that made the entire wall. Above it, where the light illuminated in its edge, Steve could see the pictures of what they served here before.

Italian spaghetti with some sausages that was as red as spiced. Some French poutine from the Canadian French cuisine, chicken hamburgers, and authentic Italian pizza. There were so many pictures with so many coloured foods. That for the first time, the teenager began to feel hungry.

-These guys were lucky ones…

He turned his light towards his left, seeing the posters for the students that had to eat well. And as such, they saw the door that led towards the other side, where they both entered.

Behind where everyone has been receiving their food, Steve and Anne placed themselves hidden. He closed his light and stopped walking as much than breathing. They heard a second one that ran into the cafeteria. Hitting itself at a table that got moved, at it screamed for hurting is feet's.

It roared and walked towards where they were. The sound of a door getting open grinded in this part of the school. It stepped a few, seeing nothing of its reddish vision. But the thing wasn’t smart and quick enough to understand that they were just at its feet in the dark like him. Thus, Steve ran towards it, knifing it in the neck with his bayonet and pushing it on the wall. Where in the blackness, he assassinated it even more. Splashing its life out of its corpse, as his body became more and more recovered with a life that got replaced by the cold death.

The silence returned, only to be retreated back into the void when footsteps echoed in this vast space. At this, they both knew that some came here from the staircase. Where it was too risky to go.

Steve whispered to her to follow his lead and as such, she braced herself to the front of his backpack. He walked towards the door and they left the kitchens that were as much in the blackness that they were.

Making steps in slow movements and without any sounds. The two walked into a vast space that was the cafeteria. With many, many roars and howls that echoes in is own walls. He saw where he was going only by the end of his finger. Touching the cold edge of the tables. Knowing he was still in the path was he should be. They continued like this, with a sentiment of pure terror that boiled their veins. Making them feeling alive like nobody has ever lived before in this hell. Where the dark flames of the blackness made them blind. As theses things were simply lurking in here. Not seeing anything wrong as they taught their prey were as humanoid like them in here.

He was « looking » for the entrances of this place where they entered in here. Cursing this place for being too huge for its own. As they continue to hear the opera of the damned. And at this, Steve said to himself;

-Dear Lord, how many tables are left…

At this, he had an idea. Ackers stopped to take his wallet. He opened it, taking a piece of money that he hoped it would work. And thus, he simply threw it towards the far window that made himself be seeing the weak illumination of the moonlight.

The sound of the trick echoed in the place, as they were all attracted by this unusual sound. They all screamed towards this division and they ran to it. Making them able to walk faster and thus, making him stop touching the edge of a table.

He walked to the wall, « looking » at his surface that he knew by its two handles that was the double door that they took. He turned it in total silence and pushed it to the other side, making the both of them leaving the infested cafeteria.

His light came back, conjuring the darkness that possessed everything. -3-8-9 They both wanted to puke their terror out of their stomach. But somehow, they weren't.

Remembering this path that they took and the hall with the drinking fountain that was way ahead. Steve began to walk, saying to her that they are going to find a new way. Which she replied yes with a simple movement.

They both heard the inhuman screams and the bestial howls behind them. As such, they looked at each other and began to flee what was behind.

He was the first of the two, with his light that showed the path that was before them. Steve stopped when the edge of his illumination showed him a door on is right that he didn’t see in the first place. Curious about it, the teen approached the gate that had its beige painting decayed. Over the window of the door, it was written in big;

Principal Assistant

Naomi Steene

He took the tip of one part of its « skin » and snatched it on the long. She did the same, amusing herself as he did the same.

After that, Ackers took the unlocked handle and turned it towards himself. Entering the large office, Anne closed the door as Steve did the same with the window store.

His light illuminated the beautiful handmade office. With a chair that had its cousin gnawed by time and unknown reasons. They thought that rats could have made this, but no small rodents were found in such a dead world.

On the main furniture, there was a red binder that was simply there. Alongside a pack of cigarettes half-empty, a bottle of wine half-empty and an everyday glass filled with. He took it to smell the horrible taste it had with time and exposition. Steve replaced it where it was and took the binder that had the title;

Confiscated From Roberta Barker

-OK let's see why that's got confiscated…he thought as he opened the binder at his first page. This one had a large envelope yellowed by time and it was protected in its plastic protection.

His hand took the envelope, which he opened. Taking off the letter in it, he read to her as he did to himself;

Dear Roberta

You said that you heard the numbers in this school, well you’re not crazy.

Daniel and I were hearing them too. Also, it’s going to be an hour ago, that I’ve heard that girl telling them. But I simply don’t understand why I wasn’t the only one to hear them.

Listen, this school is very very old. If we decide to do our research, we're going to have to go to the public library in town next Saturday. Maybe we're going to find some information about Saint-Akzena.

Maria

The teen re-read the first sentence and he showed it to Anne.

-Well, you're not the only one to hear them. It is really the voice of a girl that speaks?

-Y…yes she confirmed with a movement of her head.

He retook the letter for him, reading it again and after, he replaced it in the envelope. Where it got placed back in his protection.

Turning the plastic page, Steve found another one that this time. It had an entire notebook.

Taking it off, the boy read the name of its owner and the title;

Maria Orosco

5th grade History Class

-OK that girl own me a lot of explanations when I'm going out! He said as he opened it, smelling this « new-like » odor that the book still had after theses many, many years of imprisonment.

Saint-Akzena

The school of Saint-Akzena came from the name of the indigenous people back during the colonisation. For them, it was a sacred place where many ceremonials with their ancestors were made. By the way, the indigenous made their rituals on a large field where our football field is down the school.

When the Europeans came, they conquered this region and as we all know it. The indigenous retreated to the north of Canada. Some years after the construction of our town. The builders began to build an school that could educate to all the children of the region because of the granite that is under our feet's. The business man, Albert Addam Levin payed for the construction and management. Finally, lots of rich aristocrats sent their children here in Saint-Akzena. Because of its great popularity and the important number of graduates. At the time, few were the schools that the children stayed. Because they had to help their parent at the farm. As a symbol of success, the leaders of the school forged an lounge dagger that made the symbol of our success in our school. Our honour was placed in the library. Due that like he said it in a letter to the mayor of our time; The success of a society and its future depends of its futures generations. It is important to form them as we make our ground a sure place and one that will be important in space. Yeah, I too don't understand it but (I laugh so the others will) but I think he knew that education was important.

Also, our school was dedicated towards the elite of our youth like Harvard. It was the Harvard of its time and it was known in all our country. With all the prizes that the students took to the others in many contests, because they were that good. But with the time, the rich sent their children to schools that were more modern than our Saint-Akzena.

Finally, our used-to-be glamorous foundation became a simple regional school with a large history. At the beginning of the 20th century, a strange rumour began to be heard in the region. As its first apparition in 1927, an obelisk was discovered in the forest. It was half-buried with unreadable symbols on it. The specialists in encryption conclude that it was a hoax by our students here. Even if it dated from sixty years ago according to the geologists. I don't know what kind of traditions we got in here. But making false relics made others believe to an influence other than God is personally intolerable. For those who make this, stop it please. This was my speech on the school of Saint-Akzena.

Her text stopped there. Steve turned the other pages and saw only lines that were empty of writing. Closing the notebook that only had this written in it. He decided to sit on the chair that was, contrarily to everything here; comfortable and soft. Smiling of a break well deserved, he placed his weapon on the table. Illuminating the wall behind, as he didn't want to drag attention outside. Even if the stores of the window were closed.

He replaced the evidence in its protection and turned the page. What he found next was as a pile of sheets of papers. All broached together as they all had different types of handwriting.

A big « CONFIDENTIAL » was written on the front page, which it attracted their curiosity.

He took off the pile of classified information and turned the first page.

So OK, at the beginning, I began to have nightmares. It was only a few days ago when I started my 4th grade. But it was always the same dream. I was there, in the woods close to my school. During the night and in the sky, there was always a large long trail of dust…no, it wasn't dust, it was like every grain of it were stars. I watched at the bottom and I could see the football field filled with theses things. It looked like blackish shadows, but they were walking by themselves. They were all looking at me, but where their eyes and mouth should have been. It was theses big pitch blacked holes. You know when you are close enough to the singer in his concert that you can see the white of his eyes. Well, it was the same thing, but in a distant field and with pure darkness. I didn't know what it was, but it's always at that moment that I wake up.

The next day, I've talked about it to Cassandra and Dolores about those that haunt my nights, When it was time with Joanna, she turned all terrified when I told her about. She told me that a few years ago, in the school. An old lady who floated upside down looked at her. In the reflection of the mirror as she was not in the real world.

One day, she told me that during her second year. She found Emily in a bathroom with her wrists cut. The mirror in front was broken because she clearly smashed it with her fists. Emily screamed to her that theses had to be burned and deeply buried. But Joan wasn't able to do it. Because the pieces were automatically put to the thrash.

She told me that he returned all the way back to school during the night. She took the bag with the cursed pieces in the huge trash back the building and she brought them with her to do as Emily told. But even so, it looks like theses things are still after me for some reason. And Joana reassured me by saying that there are things much more terrible in the Universe.

I don't know what could make her believe such a thing. But I'm sure that I can do some research about theses things. But for now, I've got to hide theses writing so nobody could find them.

-Ah f**k off…he let himself say, as he placed this part on the table. Knowing that he got to bring theses with him. As such, he took off his backpack and opened it. Wanting to finish what was in the binder as is curiosity burned like hellfire. Steve retook the compilation and continued.

The next document was also in its protection of plastic. As he guessed they were all in the same kind of sheet. This one however, had an envelope as pinker than a Barbie dress. With a dried marguerite flower that sealed the letter. Finding that it was girly pretty, Steve took it off and asks Anne to open it. She liked it as she smiled opening what looked like a delivery for a princess.

She took the letter off and in her voice, she read what She had written;

Hi Andrea, it's Samira!

So, as you could guess these things that you said that are in your dreams. Well, you're not the only one to know their existence. OK, what I'm telling you is that I've done research in the library in town last Sunday. I found some things that would be useful for your comprehensions on things.

Firstly, you know that some women made their religious rituals in the region? Ah no! OK, that's cool, you just learn something. Also, theses witches venerated a little know being called Ghayak-Huph and by what the books told me. It was a divine being that passed on the « Great Turtle » who is the surface of our world, both to our ancestors the witches and the indigenous.

I think that most of the missing pets and newborn babies are linked to their ceremonials. Back in the time, the so-called God of the Borders of the Universe was able to bring those that worshipped I'm to « others back of turtles » according to the indigenous, which means, other planets like ours.

Also, according to our folklore, here were some dark ghosts that haunted the woods where the school was built on during the colonization of our Canada. Lots of witnesses were written in the diaries of the people but this f*****g Catholic organization choked the hell out of their ideologies with a God that man created. Also, according to the mediums of the time, theses black spectres came from a land situated into the night sea of infinity. And with Ghayak-Huph, they have accomplished their journey here on our world. I could suggest to you theses books but they are saying so few of what I already know.

So with this text, I hope you know lots of it and that you know well.

PS: Escape yourself, I know that your parents are one hell of an obstacle but do everything do flee this place.

The letter of Samira finished by these words; Flee. This. Place.

Steve couldn't have agreed more with the opinion of someone else. And thus, he placed this letter in the girly envelope. Only to replace it back into its protection. Considering that he will bring the whole binder with him, knowing that we're much, much more evidences to read. Ackers couldn't resist reading other as so many questions were « answered ».

The evidence that he found next to the page he turned was in a bad shape. It was recovered with traces of fingers, as the dust impregnated the paper of the envelope over all the decades of being forgotten.

Steve looked at the back of the item when he took it off the protection. Having terror that resurged when he read;

Confiscated From Patrick Karan, 4th Grade

I let here in this locker the last moments of my life. My name is Victor Venestra. I'm a guy that forgot his homework in mathematics. I've had to have it for my final exam tomorrow. Or else I'm not escaping this place to go to college. I could easily break into the school by taking dad's car. I've entered in here by breaking the window of the door west side to the school. When I got here with my flashlight. There was this girl that was looking at the window of my hideout. « It » didn't stop to look at me and even when I fled her. She was always far away in the hallway.

I found my homework and I've managed to run from her, for a while. The problem was that I've lost myself in a place that I already know for like five years. And the joke in this is that she managed to found me. Listen, I don't know who you are but I have put this paper in your locker. Hoping that someone will remember me if I ever get out.

You certainly should have heard about people who have seen human forms that had theses black eyes and mouth. Well, what follows me looked like it. But this time, it was a woman with dark hair that floated just like that. With a smile wrinkled by blackness and her eyes looked like the one of a dog. « It » floated and it was very fast. It's not a ghost because it stood blocked behind the door of the classroom where I'm writing. It's bumping against the window with its head like we do with the door of someone else. You know, when we go to the party but your stalker isn't human at all.

Whoever you are, please for the love of our Lord, get out. Tell to the school that you cached mononucleosis for the rest of the year and change for the next one. It's not for nothing that there are so many suicides and deaths here in Saint-Akzena. V.V

The page that followed was the piece of a newspaper. Steve didn't have to take it out. Is eyes read what was printed on this front page:

The Athabasca Press

By Martin Bedeau

18th August of 1966

Yesterday, Scott Nahuel and his son Victor has gone to the hunt in the woods close to their home. During their exploration, that have found in the middle of the wood a decaying school bus. The same that had disappeared in September of 1951. The young cheerleader squad and their driver were also reported missing and they were also found in the wood next to our town. The bodies, according to the medical examiner Francis Schyman, were killed by shotgun bullets. Which it reopened the investigation.

The fact that the school bus was placed in the forest without leaving any traces is still a mystery to the authorities. The responsible leader, Samantha Verlain reassured the journalist that the theory of a hostage taking with the young girls was the first hypothesis. But for the time being, we still don’t know and where are waiting for more news tomorrow.

-Dismembered cheerleaders…What the f**k does that even mean?

The young teen looked at the old pictures, seeing all theses girls of its age that were smiling with their eyes and mouths drawn black on their surfaces. The one that did so know about theses « black ghosts » at the time of parution.

He turned the page of the binder, finding an old film canister that was in its protection within another. It got slipped out and Steve read the title of the 8mm picture;

-Passage in the woods towards the cavern with the thousand voices…

-What does it mean? Asked a perplex Anne.

-This Anne (he replaced the film back in its protection) means that there's something in the woods that I will have to find out by myself. I need more answers than that! He said by pointing the whole binder.

He took out both the pages about the Akzena coming on Earth and placed them in the binder. Knowing why it had been confiscated by the staff of this place. Ackers closed it and placed the item among the others in his backpack.

The guardian took one of the harpoons placed where pencils should be on his bag. Pushing it in its main weapon, the teenager heard a click that confirmed him that it was all locked.

He too back his « two-gun » with both his hands and he illuminated the only door. The decaying painting that hanged itself at multiples places showed them the true face of the inside of this place. As she opened it and they both returned into the corridor.

Steve and Anne walked on the path that led them to the end of this long hallway. Only to return to the tall room with the aspheric statue of an unknown god of unknown believes. Seeing that the paths continued forwards (where they came from) and both sides. The two looked at each other and the guardian decided to take the right.

The corridor that they took wasn't long. As with a few steps, they entered a new thematic room. Where toothed wheels and many chemical devices were painted. They knew that they were in a science-themed place. As the mechanical and chemical technology showed themselves in theses well-made caricatures.

Illuminating what was in their protection above their touch's. They found diverse trophies that the school had won over its long life. Prize for the best chemist of the year, prize for the best mechanic of the year, etc. All were certificates with the photographic portrait with theses young people that believed to having achieved a TIME prize. Just by reading their smiles.

-Seriously, they're really making an above all of themselves…

The thematic room also had four ways. And knowing what happened last time he was in one of them. Steve didn't care about where he was and he continued forwards. Knowing that the left will lead him even deeper in the school. -1-13-20 Due that a little far behind, the edge of the building was there with its long windows.

For him, the only chance they both had was to find a staircase and go down to the first floor. And he knew that it was only one step among the thousand others towards the sunlight of the outside world. Thus, they continued their journey in the darkness and his light showed them both the path.

Walking on the ground of tiles that was recovered with all kinds of littering from the students of before. Like reversed homework or some empty cans of Coca-Cola that he accidentally crushed on. Which made fear thundered in their heart.

They arrived on the front of a double door that had both its sides closed. At this, the guardian whispered to her protection that she had to open one of the sides. As he could go in first, in case of any presences of monsters.

Anne did what he told, as she terrified of the unknown that lured at the other side. Steve saw only the darkness that continued forwards. As the sides showed him he was still in a corridor, with the walls naked of lockers and doors.

The teen walked in the only direction they saw and she followed him tight close. She looked back at the blackness that returned once the light moved. And she turned where its illumination conjured the dark flames of this hell.

As he looked at all that his circle of light made him see. Ackers began to saw a red colour on the wall. He turned his views and weapon towards the living colour that splashed itself on the old vintage drinking fountains.

Shocked by this, Steve deposited both his guns and he took the one that took the evidences. He approached the machine, trying to make it work like any other drinking machines which, of course, it didn't. But when he framed the entire thing, the machine worked when they flashed immortalized the abnormality within another.

The picture came out and as always, the artist took it off and placed it among the others. He replaced his device back in its pannier and took back his main weapon.

As they continued to walk on their path towards the unknown, Steve and Anne began to see another trace of this reddish colour. Only this time, they were printed by the hands of an alive person. A few were seeing on the wall, but as they walked more in this hallway. The more hand prints were shown to them. Leading the two to the woman that laid on the ground, on her own lake of life, as her lifeless body was simply there.

The teen approached the body, his trigger ready to spear the head of what could be a trap. And when he took the side to push her at the other side, Steve could see the feeling of horror moulded on her face. As her daughter did the same as she simply said;

--Mo…Mom?

The little girl fixed the face of their parents that was forever asleep as she didn't seem to, at all.

Her eyes were wide open, terror was still printed in her look as Steve could read it in her violet iris, as the body did the same with the guardian who was filled with failure.

This last felt on his knee, pushed by the gravity of his own guilt and the tip of if spears touched the ground painted with an innocent life.

-Anne…I've…I've lost your mother…now she will not be able to follow you.

The little one looked at her mother that was still on the ground. Laid like her dog that had been hit by a car. And like that time, she felt on the ground, overcame by her tears.

After some minutes that each felt like an eternity for both of them. The child stopped crying and he rose up. Forcing himself to do so, Steve said afterwards;

-Come on…We got to go now…

-Not without my mom…

-Anne, listen to me (he made himself to her height) your mother can't come out of here, but you, you can! You still can see the light back and go play along with your friends by escaping with me. Isn't that what your mother wanted, isn't what you know that she told me?

-Not without my mom…

She turned her head where it still was and Steve placed his hand on her face. Preventing her to see against what he didn't want her to watch. And as such, the white of her yes looked at those of her guardian.

-So, we're going to get out of here and return to town, OK?

-O…O…OK…

Steve rose up and he took back his weapon by both is handles. His heart still filled with failure and terror. Ackers looked back at the one that he never saved, as Anne still preferred to look at the abyss of the darkness.

Thus, they continued to walk into this hallway, straight forwards and beyond.