The next morning felt strange. The storm was gone, like nothing had happened. The sky was clear, and sunlight came through the windows. It should have felt normal again, but it didn't.
I woke up late. Maybe because I didn't sleep properly. My head still felt heavy. For a few seconds, I just sat on the bed, thinking about last night—the basement, the priest, that voice. I shook my head and stood up. "It's nothing," I told myself. "Just overthinking."
The convent was more alive in the morning. Girls were walking around, talking, some laughing. It felt completely different from the night, like two different places.
I went outside to the courtyard. The ground was still wet from the rain. Small drops of water fell from the roof edges. The air felt fresh, but cold. I looked at the same place where I thought I saw someone last night. Empty.
"Looking for something?"
I turned. It was one of the girls, around my age. She had a small smile on her face, like she already knew what I was thinking.
"No… just looking around," I said.
"You're new," she said.
"Not really. I used to come here before."
"Oh," she replied. "Then you came back."
"Yeah."
There was a short silence. Then she pointed toward the far side of the courtyard. "People don't stay there at night."
I followed her finger. The same place.
"Why?" I asked.
She shrugged. "Just… don't."
Then she walked away like it wasn't important.
I stood there for a few seconds. That didn't help.
I decided to check the garden area at the back of the convent. It was smaller than I remembered, but still the same—plants, tools, and a stone path.
That's when I saw her.
She was sitting on a low stone wall near the edge of the garden. Her head was slightly down, and she was holding a small flower, not picking it, not breaking it—just touching it carefully.
I walked a little closer and stopped. I don't know why, but something about her felt different. Not in a bad way. Just… quiet.
She looked up. Our eyes met. For a second, neither of us spoke.
Then she stood up quickly. "Sorry, I didn't see you."
"It's okay," I said.
Another silence. This one felt longer.
"You're new?" she asked.
"Kind of. I used to come here before. Long time ago."
She nodded slowly. "I've been here… longer than most."
I didn't know what to say next. "What's your name?" I asked.
She hesitated for a second.
"Aelith," she said softly, like it was something I should remember.
"I'm Morron," I said.
"I know," she replied.
That surprised me. "How?"
She looked away. "Everyone knows."
That didn't feel true.
The wind moved a little stronger, and the trees made a soft sound. It felt like the moment was about to end.
"You shouldn't stay outside too long," she said.
"Why?"
She didn't answer immediately. "It gets cold."
That wasn't a real answer.
Someone called her name from inside. She turned. "I have to go," she said and started walking away.
"Wait," I said.
She stopped but didn't turn fully.
"Do you know anything about the basement?" I asked.
There was a pause. A long one.
Then she said quietly, "Don't go there."
This time she didn't wait. She left.
I stood there alone. The same feeling from last night came back.
Something was wrong. And now I knew one more thing.
I wasn't the only one who felt it.
End of Chapter 3