Chapter 9: Seven Years of Silence
At that moment, while Lily sat in class and the teacher explained the lesson, her mind was nowhere near the board.
The sound of the lecture gradually receded, dissolving into a faint blur of noise in the background.
She began to revisit everything she had gone through over the past years.
Seven years in which everything had changed—except for one question that still pressed against the heart of a girl who was no longer a child.
Was the shadow… real?
She was no longer that little girl who closed her eyes after a bedtime story, believing a happy ending was enough to drive the darkness away.
Now—she stood on the threshold of seventeen.
A high school student, her features calm… a calmness too deliberate, almost artificial, as if it were a mask concealing something no one else could see.
Her hair had grown long.
And her smiles had become rare.
But the question itself never disappeared.
It slipped into the corners of her mind with the first thread of morning light, then returned harsher when night fell with its familiar weight.
She lived in the same house.
The same walls.
The same ceiling.
But the feeling… was no longer the same.
Since that night—the night of the final story—she had awakened to a silence she was not prepared to face.
She still remembered the details with painful clarity.
How her father finished the story.
How he smiled at her.
How he whispered, "Good night."
Then he and her mother left in their car… never knowing that farewell would be the last.
He had only said:
We won't be late.
But they were late… forever.
The police said: an accident.
A sudden collapse of a small bridge crossing a narrow stream.
The car slipped.
The bridge gave way.
They drowned.
An ordinary accident.
That was what was said.
But the sky had been clear that night.
Not a single drop of rain had fallen.
No structural failures had been recorded in the area.
No prior cracks had been detected in the bridge's frame.
Everything appeared normal… in a way that invited doubt.
And strangest of all, the only witness had said in a trembling voice:
"I saw a shadow… standing on the bridge seconds before it fell."
A shadow.
Its echo returned to her mind whenever she crossed a bridge.
Whenever the light thinned.
Whenever night returned—longer than it should be, heavier than she could endure.
And deep within, she knew…
Some stories do not end.
And the shadow… does not disappear.
The word that had followed her since childhood.
The word her father always lingered on, his voice slowing before he continued, as if afraid to give it a clear shape or a definite name.
As though that shadow had not been the beginning of a tale… but its conclusion.
After her parents' death, everything changed—yet everything remained in its place.
She now lives with her guardian, Lorraine.
And with her younger brother, Ken, who has not yet reached fifteen.
In the same house.
The same walls.
And the staircase she once ran across as a child, chasing her own laughter without fear.
Beneath the restless glow of memories.
Lorraine tries to appear strong.
Her tone steady.
Her steps measured.
But her eyes… betray her.
They carry a deep, quiet sorrow she cannot conceal, no matter how hard she tries.
A sorrow that knows the truth… even if it never speaks it.
As for her younger brother, he is rational and quiet, behaving as though everything is still under control.
He reviews his lessons regularly.
He arranges his room with excessive care.
He speaks in a measured tone, slightly older than his age.
But his features betray him at times.
There is a still fear in his eyes… one he does not acknowledge, one he does not give words to.
And in his resemblance to her…
She tries to appear normal at school.
She sits in her seat.
She writes what is dictated to her.
She lifts her head when her name is called.
She draws a smile when the moment requires it.
But deep inside… something does not rest.
Something awake.
Waiting.
As though the shadow… never truly left.
She laughs at the right moment.
She participates when she is expected to.
She performs her role with a precision that borders on acting.
But the unease was no longer a passing thought.
No longer a faint whisper at the edges of awareness.
It had become a living weight… pulsing in her chest.
Especially after what she had seen in recent nights.
Something standing at the edge of the forest near their house.
It does not move.
It does not approach.
It does not retreat.
It simply… stands.
Like a silent guardian.
The same stillness.
The same posture.
That presence… nothing like a human.
She could not make out its features.
Nor define its shape clearly.
As if a shadow had detached from its source… and chosen to remain on its own.
Watching.
Always… watching.
And what happened at the cemetery… made everything darker.
It was not merely a distant glimpse.
Nor a vague sensation of an unseen presence.
It was different.
Closer.
Closer than it should have been.
And yet… Alex's appearance in her life unsettled everything.
It made her think: perhaps the story was never imaginary.
Perhaps the shadow was real.
Perhaps… it was the one who caused her father's and mother's deaths.
Lily breathed slowly and whispered in a faint voice:
Where are you, Alex…?
She raised her hand to the place of the bite and touched it gently.
She closed her eyes.
Thinking of him.
Of his truth.
And of Lorraine's words.
She murmured inwardly:
Did I fall in love with Alex that quickly…?
That's ridiculous.
Why do I feel drawn to him?
No… this is not love.
It is curiosity.
An attraction to something unfamiliar.
Alright… I cannot deny that he is a handsome young man.
But there is something about him… that frightens me.
Could I truly love someone like him?
Would that be a beginning… or an end?
She inhaled deeply once more.
And whispered again, as though admitting something she did not wish to accept:
That bite… made everything more complicated.
She opened her eyes slowly.
The classroom ceiling seemed distant, as though she were looking at it through a thick layer of water.
The teacher's voice suddenly returned, clear:
"…Lily? Can you read the next paragraph?"
She flinched slightly.
She stood up.
The book was in her hands, yet the letters before her blurred for a moment, as if refusing to be understood.
She swallowed her unease and began to read.
Her voice was steady.
Calm.
No tremor within it.
No trace of the storm raging inside her chest.
She sat down again.
She placed her hand over the bite once more, this time with hesitant lightness.
Was it only an impulse?
She closed her eyes for a single second—
But the second stretched.
The cemetery returned.
The cold air brushing against her skin.
The trees unnaturally still.
And that feeling…
The shadow between the gravestones and the trees.
Then Alex.
His calm smile.
His gaze that seemed deeper than it should be.
And his cryptic words… the same ones Lorraine used to repeat in the past:
"Some things return… when their time comes."
She opened her eyes.
Her heart beat slowly, heavily.
Was this the time?
Her pulse quickened until she could feel it in her fingertips.
If Alex was connected to the shadow…
And if the shadow was connected to her parents' deaths…
Then what did that mean?
Had she come closer to the truth?
Or closer to something more dangerous?
She bit her lower lip hard.
No.
She would not run.
She would not settle for fear.
If there was a secret encircling her life for seven years—
She would uncover it.
Even if the price… was her life.
The bell rang.
The classroom stirred with motion.
Chairs scraping.
Bags zipping shut.
Voices blending together.
But Lily remained seated for one second longer.
She looked out the window.
The sun was bright.
The sky clear.
The town still.
Still… more than it should be.
She whispered:
If you are truly part of this, Alex…
Then I will find you.
And I will know the truth.
Even if the shadow… is waiting for me at the end.
The truth… as Lorraine said.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Do I have the courage… to fall in love with someone who sees me as prey?
What am I in his eyes?
Prey?
Or something else?
She shook her head lightly.
No.
I do not have the courage to give my heart to someone who might see me as prey.
But I do have the courage… to search for the past.
For that night.
And for the shadow that never left.
If Alex is part of the answer…
Then I will face him.
Not as prey.
But as someone demanding the truth.
Alex…
Anyway, I will play along with you in this game.
The game of Beauty and the Beast.
I only hope… that its ending will be a happy one.
And while Lily was lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the two figures approaching her.
Alice and Liz.
Liz stopped in front of her and waved her hand slightly:
Hi, Lily. It seems Seraphine didn't come to school today. Do you know why?
Alice joined in, her expression clearly puzzled:
Yes, it's really strange. She can be cheerful and lazy sometimes, but she doesn't like skipping school. And yet… she didn't come today.
Lily lifted her gaze to them.
She hesitated for a moment before answering.
Seraphine.
The name alone was enough to bring yesterday's conversation rushing back into her mind….
Lily smiled playfully, masking the tension that had begun to creep into her chest.
She said in a light tone:
Well, I don't think there's any need to worry. But if you want to know why Seraphine is absent, it's better if we go to the principal's office and ask directly.
Liz and Alice exchanged a quick glance.
Then they nodded in agreement.
The three girls began walking down the long corridor.
Their steps steady.
Soft conversations slipping between them.
A few minutes later, they reached the principal's office.
The corridor leading to it was quieter than the rest of the school.
The sounds faded.
The air felt slightly heavier.
Lily stopped before the dark wooden door, where a small plaque bearing the principal's name was mounted in formal script.
She exchanged a quick glance with Liz and Alice.
Then she raised her hand and knocked.
Two light knocks.
A brief silence.
Then a voice came from inside:
Come in.
Lily slowly opened the door.
They stepped into the office.
The room was carefully arranged.
Bookshelves lined up behind the desk.
A wide window allowing daylight to stream in.
And the principal sat behind his desk, his glasses lowered slightly on his nose, looking at them questioningly.
Lily spoke calmly:
Excuse me, sir… we wanted to ask about our classmate Seraphine's absence today.
She's not usually late… so we were concerned.
The principal looked at them for a moment longer than necessary.
Then he slowly closed the file in front of him.
And said:
Seraphine…?
He paused briefly.
Yes, the administration has been informed that she will not be attending for an indefinite period.
A sudden silence fell.
And Lily felt… that something had already begun to change.
The principal said as he reopened the file in front of him:
Alright, you may leave now.
Then he looked up at them and added in a neutral tone:
And in any case, if you are worried about her, you can contact her by phone.
He offered a brief, formal smile, then returned to his papers, as though the matter was already settled for him.
But for Lily…
Nothing was settled.
She nodded respectfully:
Thank you, sir.
She stepped out with Liz and Alice into the corridor.
The door closed quietly behind them.
Liz said:
See? I told you there was no need to worry.
Alice added:
Maybe she just needs some time with her grandmother.
But Lily did not respond immediately.
Phone.
Yes… she could call.
But why hadn't Seraphine sent a message?
Why hadn't she told her beforehand?
A faint ache tightened in her chest.
She slowly took out her phone.
She hesitated for a moment…
Then decided to call.
After a few seconds of ringing…
A voice came from the other end.
Loh… hi, Lily.
Lily pressed the phone quickly to her ear:
Hi, Seraphine. You didn't come to school today, so Liz, Alice, and I were worried about you. Are you okay?
A brief silence followed.
Then a faint exhale was heard from the other side.
Well… I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand. I'll be staying with my grandmother for a while.
She paused for a moment, then added in a lighter tone:
There's no need to worry. We can keep in touch by phone anytime. So really… don't worry.
Lily stared ahead in silence.
Seraphine's voice sounded normal.
Calm.
But there was something…
Something she could not quite place.
Maybe fatigue.
Or perhaps… something else.
Lily spoke gently:
If you need anything… tell me.
Another brief silence.
Then Seraphine replied:
I will. Do that, alright.
But in Lily's heart…
The unease did not fade.
Seraphine laughed lightly, playfully, just as Lily was used to hearing from her.
Then she said in a playful tone:
Alright, I'll hang up now. My grandmother is waiting for me in the kitchen to teach me how to cook a bird over low heat.
Lily smiled despite herself.
Really? Since when did you start caring about cooking?
Seraphine laughed again:
When you're forced to stay at home… you discover new talents.
Then she added more softly:
I'll call you later, okay?
The line disconnected.
Lily lowered the phone slowly.
A bird… over low heat.
An ordinary phrase.
An ordinary moment.
But something in her chest did not settle.
Was that a real laugh?
Or an attempt to hide something larger?
She lifted her gaze toward the sky through the corridor window.
The day was bright.
But the feeling inside her…
Was not.
Lily lowered her phone, then looked at Alice and Liz with a faint smile:
Well, girls, you heard her. She's fine.
She lifted her shoulders slightly and added:
I'm heading to the cafeteria now. What about you two?
Alice and Liz exchanged a quick glance, then smiled in a way that carried meaning.
Liz said playfully:
As for us… we have a mission.
Alice continued, the teasing clear in her voice:
We're going to look for Aldric.
They waved at her at the same time:
Bye, Lily.
Lily watched them walk away down the corridor, their whispers never ceasing.
She sighed softly.
Aldric…
Everything had become more complicated than it needed to be.
She turned and walked alone toward the cafeteria.
Her steps were calm.
But her mind was not.