Chapter 8- Timing

Lanie's POV:

Rona and I looked at each other. She made a thumbs up sign.

"You're both weird," Lovely murmured. She even looked at us with doubtful eyes.

Jasleene also looked at us.

I forced a laugh. "We're trying to learn how to communicate through sign language."

Rona laughed too. Our laugh overlaps each other making us looks like witches. Our roommates just shook their heads and continued what they're doing.

I'm really nervous. This is the first time that I'm breaking the rules. And it's not really so me but I have to do this.

Rona and I thought and planned this carefully. I'm going outside the Academy, without a permission because it's impossible to get one. Going out during weekdays are not allowed. Especially when I don't have any valid reason. And it's not like I can tell them that I'm going out to get my laptop. 

First, Page sent something and I'm really curious about that. And we can't use our personal computer for that for our own safety. Those information may be dangerous to us. 

Second, I can't wait for weekend. I know what Page is capable of. He can delete that or worst, he'll hack my account and remove that. And even now, I am not that sure if that piece of information is still there. It's a gamble but I'm still doing it.

I and Rona glanced at each other when the Gong echoed. It's nine o'clock in the evening and that sound is a sign of a nightly roll call.

We got out of our room and form a line. Then Ms. Cleo, one of the instructor, came and checked every room. She also count the students per room to check if there's missing or such.

She then reached our room and checked. Her eyebrows raised as she look at us before turning to another room.

"Okay, Girls, on your room!" She shouted when she completely finished her job.

I am the first to return to our room. 

I simply fixed my clothes. I'm wearing an all black clothes inside my pajamas.

"Hey! You're both staying here?" Rona mumbled. "No plan of going to library tonight?"

Jasleene and Lovely looked puzzled. I bit my lip as I acted like it's nothing.

"Why are we going there?" Jasleene confusely asked pointing herself.

Rona faced her. "You don't know? Our research for Literature. Reporting and something, and such!" I almost praise her for her acting.

I tried to act normal, even it's hard to suppress myself from laughing.

Jasleene took the bait. She even get her notepad and confirm what she heard.

"You're right but the reporting will be on next week."

Rona shook her head. "Well, I'm going to share to you two this blessing of mine, because like they said, what are friends are for, right? I was in the faculty earlier, and I heard Ms. Lagar talking about moving the reporting earlier than she scheduled. One more thing, our sense of preparation is one of the factor that she's looking for, right?"

Jasleene and Lovely looked at each other. Rona almost convinced them. Well, I am too, if only I don't know what she's up to.

"I'm done with mine. The only thing that I'll prepare are the slides." Rona added. She even sat with her computer and started to do something. When I looked at her, she's just playing Plants versus Zombies!

"Let's go, Jasleene! We need to find Ms. Cleo immediately for a passes!" Lovely get her things and pulled Jasleene.

The two left and now, it's only me and Rona.

"Chicken! As easy as 1, 2, 3!" She happily shouted.

I don't know if I'll congratulate her or shake my head from what she did.

I took off my pajamas and prepared for our plan.

"You have to return before six in the morning, alright?" Rona told me and handed me a key. "When you get outside, turn left, then walk toward that direction until you reach the huge bushes. There's a Narra tree there, take the opposite route, you'll see a small gate there. Use that to get out of the Academy."

I looked at the key, "How come there's a secret passage there?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. All I know is that there's three people who knows about that, including me. And you, being fourth."

"Three?"

"I don't know about the other two. When you get there, you'll see three locks. And if you use the right key with it's corresponding lock, that gate will be open. By using this key, you can open one of the lock without minding the other two. That's why I assumed that there's three of us holding a key. Three keys, three locks. One key per lock".

Rona walks towards the door and peeked.

"Who gave you the key?" I can't help it. I'm curious as hell.

"Believe me or not, I don't know how that key went into my bag. I just saw that in my bag with a sketch of the secret passage. I'll just tell you the rest later, we don't have time for a chitchat."

She opened the door and peeked again. She motioned me to come near the door. "In a minute, the lights will go off. But you have to wait for thirty minutes just to make sure that no one will see you."

I nodded. She's good at escaping. She even mastered the art of fleeing and I'm amazed.

Like what she said, the lights went off. We waited for thirty minutes.

Rona tapped my shoulder, "Take care." 

I quickly left the room and slowly walks towards the hallway. 

I followed all of Rona's instructions and eventhough it's dark, I never use the flashlight she handed me.

l almost squeeze myself into the bushes as I saw the guards doing their rounds. And waited for them to leave.

I moved and run towards the more thick bushes then crawled while hiding in the trees. 

I got a goosebumps and I don't even know why. I even heard screeching sound and noises but I decided to go on with my plan.

"Atlas!" I murmured when I saw the Narra tree. But I almost give up when I saw how creepy and scary the tree is.

I accidentally trampled a branch and it caught the attention of a guard who's doing his round near the area.

"Is there anyone there?"

"Shoot!" I could barely breathe as I heard the guard. I'm doomed!

Bewildered, I sought a place to hide but all I can see is darkness. 

I almost gave up when someone pulled me, a pair of arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me towards the Narra tree.

I was so scared that I closed my eyes, I wanted to scream but a hand covered my mouth.

"I guess you're just imagining things, Adolfo. You don't have to called me here," someone said.

"I'm just making sure that everything is fine, Felimon." I heard footsteps approaching us.

"Shit!" It was just a soft curse but I still heard it. The one who's holding me is in panic too. And he's voice seems familiar. I tried to looked at him and I was shocked to see Yshmael!

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