When she walked by, an icy chill filled the air
Sara, a sixteen-year-old brunette with an athletic physique,
was a new student at Hillcrest Boarding School. She was unhappy to leave her
friends behind, but her father insisted on moving her to a more prestigious
school. “The last two years are most critical before continuing your education,”
he said. “And Hillcrest is the finest. Nearly all of their students get into
reputable universities.”
Her parents were impressed by Madame Chloe, the school
principal, especially her mother who embraced her role as a socialite in high
society circles. At their meeting, Madame Chloe dressed impeccably in expensive
and fashionable name-brand outfits, and the way she presented herself and the
school's achievements instantly won them over.
At first, Sara found the principal charming as well.
However, as the conversation progressed, the way Madame Chloe’s eyes darted to
her and scanned her entire body, made her uncomfortable. Despite the flashing
of those dark brown eyes only lasting for a split second, Sara sensed something
sinister behind the pleasant exterior of the woman’s lovely smile, pristine
clothes, manicured nails, and flawless hairstyle.
Sara always listened to her gut feelings and begged her
parents not to make her change schools, but her parents, visibly mesmerized by
the principal’s performance, made their final decision despite Sara's weak
objections. “You know nothing about life! Gut feelings are not reliable,” her
mother shouted. “The school’s reputation is impeccable. You’re going to be a
student there, and that's final.”
Sara gave in and hesitantly accepted her parents' decision
and moved into her new school's dorm at Hillcrest. Knowing that every school
has its social hierarchy, she thought she would need some time to fit in and
catch up. However, it soon became apparent that this school was different from
others.
There was no hierarchy among teachers or students. There
were subordinates and only one top dog: the principal and history professor,
Madame Chloe. Her authority and dominance were obvious as she walked in her
signature bright red stiletto-heel shoes, her cold eyes darting from student to
student. The sound of those heels in the hallways would quiet the students and
even the fellow teachers. When she walked past, a chill filled the air. Her
presence commanded fear and obedience from everyone around her. Sara couldn't
help but wonder what it must be like to have that kind of authority and
influence over so many people.
Madame Chloe ruled with an iron fist and Sara soon heard
rumors that her physical fist brutally broke several bones over the years.
Students had no one to report the physical abuse to, and unfortunately, by the
time they were allowed to see their parents, their injuries had healed. Because
of the school's reputation and the highly respected principal's words against
the students, people dismissed the complaints as childish rumors. The injured
students had no proof.
Although Sara had a hard time keeping her rebellious nature
under control, she kept quiet while keeping her eyes and ears open. Until…
about two weeks into the school year, she stood by her locker across from
Madame Chloe's office when she saw her classmate, a petite blonde girl
staggering out of the room. Vera sobbed pressing her hand to her side, visibly
in pain.
Sara followed her into the bathroom, where two girls stood
by the sink and hugged the crying girl.
“You’ll be alright,” Kate, a dark-skinned statuesque girl
whispered, wiping Vera’s tears.
“I can’t take it anymore!” Vera cried. “This was the third
time this week and she didn’t even tell me why I deserved such a harsh
punishment. My leg is still bruised where she kicked me two days ago.” She
rolled down her knee-high socks. She gasped and stood up, her face contorting
in pain. She held her side. “I think she broke my ribs this time,” she sobbed.
Mary, a plump redhead, huffed. “She’s a cruel sadist! She
yanked my hair so hard yesterday that she pulled out a strand and my scalp bled
all afternoon. All because when the monster said, ‘eyes on your books’ I looked
at Vera.”
“Why doesn't anyone do something about this?” Sara asked,
closely watching the group's reaction.
“What can we do? We can’t
prove anything,” Kate shrugged despairingly, tears flowing down her cheeks. “Nobody
believes us, not even our parents.”
“What about the teachers?” Sara
questioned.
Mary shook her curly hair. “They know what’s happening but
are too scared to say anything. The only teacher who was brave enough to gather
evidence against this monster disappeared before you got here.”
“What do you mean by disappeared? Did she leave school?”
Sara asked. The three girls seemed to sense
Sarah’s authoritative yet compassionate nature and opened up.
“Oh, no,” Kate shivered and said, “Miss Clara was in my room that night, taking pictures of my bruised ribs and listened to the tape I recorded on the small device she gave me. I hid the recorder in my underwear and turned it on when I was ordered to Madame Chloe’s room. She beat me so badly that day... the more I screamed and begged her to stop, the more she hit me. Just remembering her face, how much she enjoyed watching me wiggle in pain, and the obscenities coming out of her painted mouth, makes me nauseous.”
Read the full story in the book:
https://books2read.com/u/m27NQd
What if you think the known world isn’t strange enough? Embark on a journey that pushes the boundaries, challenges your perception, and questions reason, logic, and established beliefs.
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