Chapter 26- Harmony

Lanie's POV:

“Are you going to eat breakfast with us?”

I looked at Jasleene. Another morning, it’s already the third day of our school’s festival. We’re all busy in our booth’s departments for the last two days so it feels like it's the first time again that the four of us met here in our dorm.

“I’m sorry, I still have things to do in our department.” I said as an excuse.

The truth is, I feel the itchiness in my body to confirm my suspicions about the hidden passage. The thing is after I talked to Page I got so busy with our booth, meanwhile he’s busy keeping an eye on me even though he does not say a word but he’s always near me, busy watching the things that I do.

Within those two days students are not allowed to roam around the academy, it’s one of the rules that we follow for the Outsider’s Day that’s why I patiently wait for those two days to finish and today is the day!

“Sure, you take care.” Rona said as she yawned. She just got out of the bathroom, but she looks more like she just woke up.

“Thank you.” I took a sandwich in the refrigerator, then left our room.

“I’ll meet up with Rhosean later.” Rona shouted before I could finally come out in our room.

I just waved my hand as an answer.

I walked my way through the hallway, it’s already afternoon, so the students are already out and also the outsiders are also here to enjoy our festival.

Though the Outsider’s day is over, our school is still open for the residents of Hespheria who still want to enjoy with us.

I can’t help myself from smiling when I saw the big rides and booths that are faculty readied for the guests.

The surroundings are full of laughter and noise, I can feel everyone’s happiness. It’s a pity that I and my friends woke up late today. I want to go around with them, ride some rides and enjoy, but I still have an important thing to do. It’s fine, our school festival is five days long and it’s only the third day so we still have time.

I continued walking in the hallway that is full of students and I turned right where there are less students.

I continued walking and I can feel my footsteps getting faster and faster so is the beat of my heart.

I sighed deeply before continuing walking into the woods. I can feel the cold winds that bring shivers down my spine, it’s afternoon, but I can’t feel the hotness that the sun brings because of the trees that are around me.

I looked at the surroundings and made sure that there’s no one around here except me.

I slowly walked my way to the trees and bushes that hid the secret passage.

The acacia tree stood proudly in front of me and it occupied the way to the secret passage that’s why it was hidden.

I almost grimace because this is the first time that I can see the surroundings here clearly, the last time I was here it was night and I can’t see the trees clearly but now that I can see it, it makes me shiver.

I looked away from the trees and squeezed myself in the bushes, it almost hid me, and I could feel the leaves slapping me.

I can hear that the dry leaves make noise whenever I step on it, even the squeak of the small branches that’s on the ground.

I didn’t go to the secret gate, I’m just here to confirm the suspicions I had on where Wilemna got her idea for doing Harmony.

I’m just not sure what is the connection of the perfume that she made about the things that are happening right now. The reason why she went here can be for the perfume only and she just accidentally saw this secret passage three years ago.

It could be her also who dropped the flash drive, but I’m sure she wouldn’t leave that important thing here.

“Maybe…” I gulped at the thought that crossed my mind. “She was being chased by someone.” I whispered.

That’s the only reason that came to my mind, but when I thought about the other owners of the keys of this secret passage it contradicts my first reason. It’s possible that one of those two dropped the flash drive, but Rona is not in the list because if I based on her story she didn’t know about this passage and she just knew when the key was left to her, there’s also a direction on it.

My head’s aching for thinking too much. I can feel that the person who left the flash drive here and the person who left the key in Rona’s bag are the same person, and my theory could only end up with one person, Wilemna.

She was being chased, and maybe she thinks that she couldn’t survive from the danger. Coincidentally, Rona has been just near here and left her bag open, Wilemna probably saw her bag and quickly made a map and put that on Rona’s bag with the key, and because she’s in a hurry she accidentally dropped the flash drive that I found.

“Oh shit!” I cursed when I thought that my theories are contradicting each other.

If she left the key in Rona’s bag that time how can she go out to the secret passage? It will not be opened without a key.

Maybe… the one who left the key in Rona’s bag is different from the person who dropped the flash drive… Which seems impossible because if they’re different, the person who put the key on Rona’s bag will get it back from her for sure and for the person who dropped the flash drive, it’s impossible that he didn’t know that the flash drive is missing and I’m sure  will look for it.

Or maybe…

My suspicion is right that it’s Wilemna who did those two things.., and she will only leave the key if she has another key with her.

My eyes widen with a sudden thought that comes to my mind. She’s with someone with a key that time. That’s why she has the courage to leave the key in Rona’s bag because she knows she can still go outside using the secret passage.

“Who’s with her?” I whispered to myself. “And what’s with the keys? Where did it come from?”

My mind is still confused with everything. Yes, I’m smart, but it’s not easy to come up with theories and I don’t know where I should start and what to think first. I’m not really involved, but look at me involving myself with the mysterious things happening here, it’s not fun to be in a game you don’t know how to play and makes you feel like you’re just an extra player.

One thing is for sure, it’s not Yshmael. For one simple reason, because the content of the video in the flash drive involves his family.

Whoever it is, if my theory is correct, the one who has the last key is the only one who knows if Wilemna is in danger or not, and if what happened three years ago is true.

She’s called the missing heiress of Hespheria, for now, since no one knows her whereabouts and also I’m not sure if her decisions are the same decisions I’m making right now.

I sighed, I came here to confirm my suspicions, but my mind got carried away by deducting the theories I have.

I close my eyes as I calmed myself, I know all the what if’s I have in mind will make it more confusing for me to think about all the possibilities.

I let myself feel the surroundings and let my nose be attacked by the smell of it. The scent of the woods, the dried leaves, the rusty scent given by the air and the freshness of nature.

Spring. I don’t need to smell the perfume that’s inside my pocket. The place where I am now has the Harmony’s scent.

I am about to open my eyes when I smell something strange.

My eyes widen as I follow where that strange scent is coming from that is blended with nature's scent.

“Abyss.” I only smell it one time, but the scent is engraved in me with the creepy feeling that it gives me.

The scent of Abyss immediately goes away as I start stepping to leave the place where I am now.

I ran after the scent of the abyss that was slowly fading away.

I immediately made my way out from the bushes, good thing I’m just in front of the entrance of this passage. If ever someone saw me here they will not be suspicious about something since it’s still far from the secret gate.

I started running and passed by the towering trees. The scent of abyss is fading away and I’m sure I can’t find anything if I don’t hurry now.

“Wait!” I shouted at the person’s figure that is slowly getting away. I can only see his back and his black outfit.

He stopped for a second, but he didn’t look or even glance at me, instead he quickly turned in our hallway’s direction and blended in with the students.

I ran again but all I can see are the students who are enjoying the festival.

I let myself get into the crowd and tried looking for the person who’s wearing black, I already feel dizzy but he’s no one to be found. I only stopped when I felt my phone vibrate and I immediately took it out of my pocket.

My forehead creased as I read the message that came from an unknown number.

“Find me in Laboratory 6, Building 3, 5th floor. ABYSS.”

❤