Chapter Four:
I remained silent for a few moments, gripping my injured finger and staring at the shadow stretching out in front of me. I waited for what would happen. Would the shadow turn into a hand that grabs me? Would a creature with long teeth and glowing eyes appear behind me? Is this my end in a strange dormitory garden while I'm trying to pick a rose?
Heavy seconds passed. No sound. No movement.
I opened my eyes suddenly and turned around very slowly, as if I were afraid of startling something if I moved too quickly. I looked behind me… no one. I looked right and left the courtyard was completely empty. The trees were still, the air was cold, and there was no sign of anyone.
"Was it an illusion?" I whispered to myself.
But the feeling was real. It wasn't just imagination. I felt the presence of someone behind me, I felt breaths that weren't mine. I didn't dare stay any longer. I hurried back to the building and climbed the stairs quickly. When I entered the apartment, I closed the door tightly and leaned my back against it, catching my breath.
I was trembling.
I moved toward the kitchen looking for something to eat. I opened the refrigerator and found raw meat placed neatly in glass containers. Its smell alone made my stomach clench.
"Impossible…"
I closed the refrigerator quickly and opened the lower cabinets, where I found some dry bread. I grabbed it and ate it quickly, as if I were afraid it would disappear from my hands. I wasn't used to this strange hunger that attacked me so suddenly.
As evening approached, I began to hear sounds in the corridor. Doors opening, heavy footsteps, overlapping laughter. It seemed as if the place was waking up from a long slumber. I remembered what Carla had said. In the morning, human… and in the evening, vampires and my transformation was beginning to return.
I went to my room and put on the academic uniform I found in the wardrobe. The white shirt, the black tie, the purple skirt with dark stripes, and the matching coat. I adjusted my hair while looking at myself in the mirror.
My reflection was familiar… but not entirely mine.
"I don't belong here, but I have to understand this place if I want to survive."
I left the room to find Kevin in the living room. He was wearing the same uniform, the shirt clearly highlighting his athletic build. He looked different from the morning more lively, his yellow eyes gleaming. His beauty was charming and alluring.
Twisted thoughts crept into my mind as I gazed at his soft lips. I closed my eyes and lightly slapped myself.
"Wake up, Iris, you already have a boyfriend."
I looked at him again and noticed a strange emblem on his shirt, resembling a coiled fiery dragon.
Curiously, I asked, "Kevin, what's that on your shirt?"
He looked at me with clear sarcasm. "Are you really that ignorant, or are you just trying to find an excuse to talk to me?"
I bit my lip. His audacity knew no bounds.
But suddenly, his expression changed. He lifted his nose slightly, as if smelling something, and his eyes glowed eerily.
Before I could understand, he was in front of me in an instant, holding my injured hand.
"Your blood…" he said in a low voice. "It's… distinctive."
I pulled my hand back quickly and stepped back. But he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me toward him effortlessly.
"I think I'll take a little bite."
I trembled violently. "Stay away from me!"
I tried to push him, but he was far stronger. He bared his long fangs and leaned toward my neck.
At that moment, there was a loud knock at the door.
He froze, then sighed irritably. "Bad timing."
He stepped back, straightened up, grabbed his bag, and headed to the door, leaving without a word, while I heard voices of greetings and laughter outside.
I collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily, as if I had come back to life after a moment of suffocation. Even though I had cleaned my wound in the morning and put a bandage on it, he had been able to smell the blood easily.
This meant that others could do the same.
Fear knocked on my chest again, hard.
But I forced myself to get up. I couldn't stay hidden. I stepped into the corridor where everyone was wearing the same uniform, heading toward the adjacent academy.
I was still tense from their appearances and behavior, but I tried to walk calmly, observing without drawing attention.
When I stood before the gate of Warster Kailey Academy, the place was crowded with students. I took a deep breath and entered. The courtyard was wide and green, the buildings massive with a royal design blending Victorian style with a modern touch. I felt as if I had stepped into another era.
I stood in the wide corridor, watching the students. I didn't know where to go or what to do…
Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me: "Ha! There you are! Yesterday's girl!"
I turned quickly. It was the green-skinned girl who had spoken to me yesterday.
She smiled lightly and said, "What happened yesterday? You were running like crazy."
I stammered a little. "I was nervous… sorry."
She chuckled softly. "It's okay. By the way, I'm Maya Arrogia, first year."
I smiled. "I'm… Iris Laws… I mean, Iris Parkju, first year too."
I wasn't sure if I really was in the first year or not.
We walked together, and I followed her in silence. She said excitedly, "Let's go to the first lecture."
I didn't know which lecture she was talking about, but I followed her until we reached a huge auditorium resembling a cinema hall. When I entered, my eyes widened. The seats were arranged in tiered rows, and the stage at the front was vast.
Suddenly, Maya signaled to the seat next to her, and I sat beside her, watching silently as the hall filled with students. Suddenly, the lights around us went out, leaving only the stage illuminated.
An elderly man stood there, his features sharp, and his eyes a steady red. His voice was deep as he said:
"I am Principal James Cashmable. Welcome, new students, to Warster Kailey Academy, the grand academy that unites the three kinds: vampires, demons, and ghouls. Here, you are all equal. No one is above another."
He paused for a moment, then continued: "I wish you the best experiences and happiness here at the Academy of the Nation."
After that, everyone in the hall began clapping and whistling. I clapped with them, though I was thinking only one thing:
"Not just vampires… but demons and ghouls too."
Maya turned to me excitedly. "I'm so thrilled! To start my first day here. How about you?"
I looked at her green skin and smiled nervously. "Yes… I'm excited too."
When we left, darkness had fallen. The sky was black, and the lamps lit the corridors. I realized that the day here was very short, and the night was long.
Then we went to the name lists. Maya said, "Look, your name is here. Section G-3 for Biology and Science. And I'm in A-2 for Technology."
I felt a small disappointment that she wasn't in my class; she was the only person I knew here.
"We'll meet later," she said with a smile, then left.
I entered my classroom hesitantly. As soon as I stepped in, I felt many eyes on me. Different faces, eyes of unnatural colors, mysterious smiles. I sat in an empty seat in the third row, trying to appear calm. I placed my hands on the desk and took a deep breath.