The Locked Door

When I woke up in the morning, I looked at my alarm and it was 7 o’ clock. I got up from bed, and went to have a bath so that I could start my day. It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining. Everything seemed normal that day, but little did I know.

When I got ready, I went downstairs to have breakfast with my family. I ate my breakfast, brushed my teeth, grabbed my bag from the living room, and headed to school with my little brother. When we arrived, I kissed my brother’s forehead – that was something that I always did, to wish him luck, and then went in the school to find my friends.

I had three best friends, well actually, they were my only friends. The first one was Mary, a beautiful white girl with black hair and black eyes. The weird thing about Mary was that she was always talking to herself. I can’t think of a single day that I could understand what she was talking about at all! My second friend was Ethan, a really tall black guy, with wide shoulders, brown curly hair, and green eyes. He was from Africa, and came to our school two years ago. And the last one was Clarice. She was the shortest among us, a short white girl, with very long black hair, which she had actually painted red. She had a lot of piercings and was wearing glasses. And I guess you want to know how I looked. Well, I don’t remember clearly. I think I was quite tall, but I don’t remember how I looked or what color my hair was. Maybe I will remember one day.

So, let’s just continue with the story. As I mentioned before, I went to find my friends inside the school building. When they saw me, they waved their hands to greet me, and Mary started running towards me to hug me. The four of us walked in the halls, heading to our classroom. I think our first subject was chemistry. Well, we eventually arrived in the classroom, and went in. After class was over, we decided to go in the cafeteria and grab something to eat. Everything seems normal so far, right? Well, that’s exactly when everything starts.

Many students were in the cafeteria that time, so there was too much noise. Suddenly, we heard someone screaming, and everybody stopped talking. It was quite. Very quite. Then we heard that exact same scream again. Someone decided to find where that scream was coming from. Then another person followed, and then another, and at the end everyone who was in the cafeteria started walking towards the same direction. Ethan looked at us, and we knew that he wanted to know what was happening. Without a second thought, we started following the rest of the students hopping to find out what was happening. At some point, everyone stopped. It was like something was stopping them from walking. That’s when Mary stepped on something. It was a cell phone. She picked it up, and Axel recognized it. How could he not? It was Olivia’s! Olivia was Axels’ girlfriend and they had been together for one and a half years. Since they were together, Axel was always happy, and we could tell.

As soon as he saw it, he pushed a couple of students in order to pass and see what was happening. It was there. It was in front of his eyes. The body of Olivia was lying on the floor of the school and blood was flowing. He couldn’t believe in his eyes. He couldn’t keep looking at the dead body, but he couldn’t look away. Tears were falling from his eyes, but he didn’t even realize. He fell on his knees, and kept crying. That’s the last thing I remember from that day. I can’t seem to remember anything else from that day. Only the memory of Alex crying on the floor, and the dead body in front of him is left in my head from that day.

“Axel Ambimbola, a student from Malroy High school, committed suicide. His parents, teachers, and friends are crushed”. It was written on the newspapers. I think it was a month later or so. I’m not sure though. I went to school but only Mary and Clarice were waiting for me. We went to class, and when the bell rang, we went out to get some fresh air. The worst thing is that I don’t even remember how I was feeling at that time. But it wasn’t over. We were sitting outside, and Clarice decided to go to the bathroom. When she came back she was acting weird. She was more quite than usual and didn’t look at her phone for once, even though she usually couldn’t let go of it. It was quite suspicious, but we didn’t mention a thing.

The next day, Clarice was acting even weirder. She would suddenly stand up in the classroom, or suddenly yell, she even started saying things that we didn’t understand! Mary and I were really concerned and didn’t know what to do. How could we help her?

I don’t remember when, but at some point Clarice stopped hanging out with us. I think that even if I remembered when, I still wouldn’t know why. So it was just Mary and I. Axel was gone for good, and Clarice wouldn’t even talk to us. At that time we were so busy and school was a lot of pressure, so we didn’t think that it would last long. Mary was still very depressed because of what happened to Axel, but I don’t remember how I felt. I guess I was sad…

Months went by, but still Mary wouldn’t talk to us. And that wasn’t just it. We found out who murdered Olivia. Well, kind of. There was a serial killer in our school! I don’t even know why the school didn’t close but it should have. But what could we do? At least I was always careful, and didn’t go anywhere around the school without company. To tell you the truth, that didn’t help much. Do you too have a room in your school where you are not allowed to go in, and when you ask a teacher what’s in there, they say it’s a teacher’s office, or they change the subject? Well, in my school we have this kind of room. And it is kind of weird. The door is very old and rusty, and the color has faded, making it look like historical site. None of the students had ever entered, well, except of me.

I don’t know when or why, but I remember that I sneaked in the room one day. And that was the first and the last time I ever went in there. It was midnight and I got in by myself. I looked around the dusty room, and didn’t find much. At least that’s what I think. I’m not sure if I found something suspicious or important. But I do remember that I was looking at something that was on a table. And when I turned around something happened. I don’t remember the face of the one who did it, but he did it. Then everything went blank.

You want to know what happened? You want to know who I am and where I am right now? Well, I was murdered. My body was never found in that forbidden room of the school. I was killed, and my body was lying on the floor, and my blood was flowing. My body is probably still there, next to that dusty table, and my soul seeks for revenge. Yes. I am still in the school. I am always there. My soul is walking around for many years now. I’m looking at these happy people enjoying their high school years. Hoping for someone to find my body. Hoping for the one who killed me to die. Because I want his blood to flow on the floor like mine did. And now you are reading my story. I remembered my name after all these years. I am Ophelia Damien, and this is my story. My curse.