The message unfolds before my eyes. It’s all true. I can even hear the sound of the impact with reality. My hands are shaking and I feel like I’ve just gorged on dry sand and galloping anxiety. I swallow dryly and read the few lines on the paper. They are handwritten, in a clear, no-frills hand.
Get out of school. Now. Take the service stairs, you’ll find the emergency exit on your left. Go through it and head to the parking lot. Walk toward the metal fence— the third-to-last bar is loose. Move it, get out, and head to the main road. Turn right. Hotel Caravel.
You’ll know the room.
Tear this note up and flush the pieces down the toilets.
«There’s no way I can remember all this...» I murmur, scanning the bottom of the note.
P.S. You’ll remember everything. Now move, you don’t have much time.
I spring to my feet and look around, even though I’m crammed in a tiny stall that barely has enough space for the toilet. My gaze darts upward, searching for a hidden camera. What an idiot. Who do I think I am? The new protagonist of Mission Impossible?
Right. Tear up the note.
Oh God, why am I even doing this? I should just go back to class and let whoever wrote this deal with their own mental issues.
But first, I rip the pieces apart and flush them.
Just in case.
Okay, done. Now I can go back to focusing on my completely normal life.
I wash my hands, but a sudden noise makes me yelp. Elisa screams too, startled, and in the chaos, I end up splashing water all over the mirror.
«Are you insane?» I snap, pale as a ghost.
My reflection looks like a corpse. Jesus.
«Me? Insane? If you don’t hurry back, Tollino is gonna lose it. She sent me to find you.»
«Shit... Yeah, I’m coming.»
I dry my hands under the air dryer, hoping she’ll just leave, but Elisa crosses her arms and stands there like a damn soldier.
«Are you waiting for it to turn off on its own?» she interrogates me.
«Hands need to be properly dried.»
«You didn’t smoke, did you?»
That sentence makes me think of Emanuele. «Me? No! Why would you even say that?»
«Good. Come on, let’s go back to class.»
What if she’s actually a secret agent, ready to haul me off to some Siberian prison?
Elisa frowns. «Why are you staring at me like that? You’re making me anxious, Lilia.»
«That makes two of us.»
«What?»
«Nothing.»
I bite my lip. What if I told her what just happened? I’d love to lighten the weight crushing my shoulders. But what would she say? Go to the police, talk to your mom. All logical advice that I already know.
I follow her out of the bathroom, my head so light it feels like it might lift my entire body with it. I barely feel my feet touching the ground.
I slip back into class and make up some excuse for my extended absence. Professor Tollino peers at me over her glasses, expression unreadable, then gestures for me to sit.
I do, and glance out the window. The rain hasn’t stopped—in fact, it’s even heavier now. I picture myself dashing out of school, drenched by the downpour, and shudder.
That would’ve been insane. Seriously. Following the instructions of an anonymous message? Am I crazy? It goes against every basic survival instinct of the human species. Not happening.
Class is almost over, and my classmates start handing in their translations—the one I finished almost an hour ago.
There’s a knock on the door, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. At this point, even a fly buzzing would probably send me into a panic.
Tollino frowns toward the door.
«Yes?»
The door opens, and the principal steps in. He’s about thirty-five, dressed in a sharp suit with neatly combed-back hair. He replaced the previous headmistress a few months ago and still doesn’t seem entirely settled in.
Anyway, I’m starting to relax. For two whole minutes, I didn’t think about the letter. That’s progress.
I take a deep breath and lean back in my chair. Everything’s fine. Perfectly fine.
«Health check-up,» the principal announces. «Doctors from the ASL will be conducting free medical screenings.»
I catch a glimpse of white coats behind him. Two, maybe three people.
The pandemic has been over for a while now, but it’s not surprising they’re still doing health checks after everything that happened.
Or rather, it wouldn’t surprise me if I hadn’t received that damn letter.
And just like that, I’m thinking about it again.
What if the two things are connected?
Professor Tollino raises an eyebrow. «I wasn’t informed about this.»
The principal clears his throat, looking a little embarrassed. «I forgot to send the memo, but I’ve just done it now.»
Tollino shakes her head and stands. «Alright, class, you heard him. Finish handing in your tests and put away your dictionaries.»
I shift uneasily in my seat as the three doctors—a woman and two men, all around fifty—enter. The woman places a small metal case on the teacher’s desk.
She opens it with a click, while the other two set up chairs in front of the digital board. One of them picks up the attendance list and starts calling names.
Nothing seems too invasive. Just a quick swab in the nose and mouth.
They also take a drop of blood, though I have no idea why.
And now it’s my turn.
I sit, forcing myself to stay calm, even though every fiber of my being is screaming at me to get the hell out.
I sneak a glance inside the case and spot a small machine where they insert the samples. Maybe they analyze them on the spot.
«Miss Tulli?»
I jolt so hard my neck tendons feel like they might snap.
«You forgot to sign the documents for the math competition,» the principal informs me from the doorway.
The doctor shakes her head. «We’re not finished yet.»
«It’ll only take a second. I have them right here,» the principal insists, waving the papers. «Come on, Tulli, hurry up.»
His tone makes me shoot to my feet, but I can’t remember ever signing up for a math competition.
«I’ll be right there.»
I follow him out and reach for a pen.
«Sure, a pen,» the principal says—then tosses the papers into the recycling bin and grabs my arm.
«Wait, I don’t understand—»
«There were a lot of things you should have done. But you didn’t,» he cuts in, dragging me toward the service stairs.
«What?» My voice barely makes it past the lump in my throat. «Did you write that letter?»
«Quiet. Move.»
I swear, I’ve never seen that look on his face before. He seems like a completely different person.
«I can’t. I need to call my mom and—»
I pull out my phone and unlock it, though I’m not even sure who I’d call.
«Give it to me. I’ll talk to your mom.»
I hesitate, my lips parting. I expected a lot of things.
But not for him to snatch my phone from my hands.
And definitely not for him to hurl it down the stairwell.
The sickening sound that follows is enough to declare it officially dead.
«Is that enough of an incentive? Now move.»
That’s the last straw.
«You’re insane! I’m reporting you!»
I would have hit him if I wasn’t already drowning in enough problems.
Instead, I turn on my heel and run.
Run from this insane day, from the chaos in my head, from the weight crushing me.
Is it too much to ask for a little peace?
I don’t even want to go back to class—I just want to be alone. I sprint past the janitors shouting after me and dash toward the gym.
I have no idea where I’m going. My thoughts are a blur.
I know I’m making a mess of things, and this escape won’t last long.
I hear voices behind me. I need to find somewhere safe to hide.
The gym is empty, but they’d find me there in seconds.
Then I spot an open door leading to that patchy, dried-up lawn they call a garden.
I don’t think. I just run.
Once outside, I’m lost.
I turn a corner and find myself trapped—wedged between the storage shed, some electrical panels, and the boiler room.
Footsteps approach.
I cover my face with my hands.
And now what?
Oh, and it’s raining. Great.
As if that wasn’t enough, hands grab my waist, yanking me into a tight space between the wall and a recess.
I would have screamed if the shock hadn’t stolen my breath.
Emanuele presses a finger to his lips and winks.
The janitors stop just a few feet away, scanning the area.
«Maybe she ran toward the exit. Let’s check before her parents find out.»
I don’t exhale until they’re gone.
Emanuele takes a drag from his vape and exhales sweet-smelling vapor right in my face.
«You almost got yourself caught.»
I step out of the hiding spot, trying to regain some dignity.
«Forget it.» I wave off the smoke with feigned nonchalance. «It’s been a day. Aren’t they going to notice you’re out here smoking?»
He shrugs. «Chemistry teacher’s absent. Had a double period.»
I sigh. Well. That makes two of us.
I brush my forehead, searching for something to say. «Sorry, it looks like I’m following you.»
«Aren’t you?»
His blue eyes are amused, but I don’t appreciate it.
«No! What do you take me for?»
Emanuele raises his hands. «I’m joking, don’t kill me.»
«I told you, I’m hysterical. Sorry.»
«Want a hit? Hardly any nicotine, almost none.»
He offers me the cigarette and, okay, I’m guilty. The thought of putting my lips where his have been is enough to make me hesitate—but not enough to stop me. Not that it means I like him.
«Tastes good. What is it?»
«Rum. Can I ask you something now?»
I nod and take another drag.
«Why were you running?»
«If I tell you, you’ll think I’m crazy.»
«I won’t. Promise.»
I tilt my head, lifting my chin like a movie heroine. Better that than breaking down, which is what I’d really like to do right now. But the last thing I want is to look weak in front of him.
«I could be putting your life in danger.»
He raises an eyebrow. «That serious? Now I’m even more curious.»
I know I shouldn’t tell him, but at this point, everything is already a mess. Keeping it all inside is unbearable. Worst case, he walks away, and that’s it.
I barely take a breath before I start talking. I leave nothing out. When I finish, I hand the cigarette back.
«I mean, what would you have done?»
«I would’ve followed the letter’s instructions. You only live once.»
«You’re messing with me.»
«Not at all. Who wouldn’t want an adventure like this?»
«Even you?»
«Of course.»
His composure pulls a nervous laugh out of me. «I don’t know how you can be so calm. Maybe because you’re not the one stuck in this.»
«I’m so bored with life, you have no idea how much I envy you.»
«Well, then come with me.»
My heart skips a beat as I hear myself say it. Maybe that vapor really was spiked with something. And it gets even worse when he agrees.
«Why not.»
«You’re serious? What are we supposed to tell our parents—I mean, my mom? Since my dad is dead.»
«I’m sorry.»
He sounds sincere, but there’s a distant edge to it. Fair enough.
«Thanks,» I reply, rubbing my finger against my palm.
He shrugs. «Mine are always traveling for work. They wouldn’t notice for at least a week.»
«You’re crazy if you actually go through with this.» Though I don’t know if I’m saying it more to him or to myself.
Emanuele doesn’t even flinch. «Completely crazy. By the way, what’s your name?»
Right. I know who he is, but not the other way around. That realization makes my cheeks burn, and I instantly go on the defensive.
«Liliana... Lilia. Yeah, I know, terrible name.»
He shrugs, tilting his head with an amused look. «Could be worse. Like Oronza.»
«Idiot!»
«That, for sure.» He smirks, a small dimple appearing on his cheek. «So? Ready for this treasure hunt?»
I bite my lip, hesitating. «And what if the treasure turns out to be a disaster?»
«The alternative is going back to that prison of a school. Seems worse to me,» he replies, with disarming logic.
I gather my courage and take a deep breath. «And what if it’s just some kind of prank?»
«Could be. What were the instructions?»
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