Chapter 2. Strange Accompanies.
She walked with her group through the University, shuffling through her papers and trying to keep up with the attendant while going over the map and taking as many notes as possible. The dining hall was massive, with lavish meals more expensive than she could have ever dreamed of affording; she scribbled down a note to make her own lunches and underlined it with force, twice. Another group was still in the enormous room, making their rounds and getting acquainted with the cooking stations, the vending machines, the bar, and so on. As one group poured into the room, only a few stragglers were left, collecting their things from the tables, and on with their tour.
While perusing the halls, the escort called out the classrooms and their teaching purposes, going into a monologue about how prestigious the school was, how wonderful this teacher was, or how great of an elective that class was. However, she was on a mission; to finish her tour and get to her cram school classes right away. She marked each class she needed to attend on the University-provided map as the group passed it, and anxiously awaited moving on to the next section.
The group made a complete circle and yet again entered the great hall – the main entrance foyer of the University. The guide drew the tour to a conclusion, and she couldn't help but to stand in bewilderment while students shuffled about her, spreading out within the school; some off to the gym, to the dining hall, to conference rooms, some off to their dorms for the next couple of weeks before classes began as there was nothing else left for them to do.
However, nothing was said about the Cram school classes or exorcists in general.
Clutching her things, she cursed under her breath and darted off into the hallways, pulling her map up to see if she had missed something.
She sprinted down through most of the halls that the guide hadn't taken them, rechecked the map and the classroom roster to see if any room was listed as exorcist or cram school classes, but nothing. Nothing in the whole school. Sighing heavily, she closed her eyes and dropped her head back and let her arms fall to her sides. She had no idea just how much time had passed and yet she knew that her classes would be starting soon, and if it weren't for the map, she would indeed be lost within the labyrinth of halls in the old school.
That was when she caught a quiet 'pssst.' Her eyes shot open and she peered around the hall, which was emptying of the few students by the second.
"Pssst."
This time, a little louder. But where was it coming from?
Her feet began moving. She didn't even know if it was for her or not, but at this point in time she was willing to do anything to be rid of the feeling of hopelessness.
"This way!" the voice came from off in the distance, playfully.
Turning the corner to a barren passage, she noticed it teed off at the end. The sounds of students' voices faded off into the distance and she continued. Her body grew tense, as her senses raised, the more alone and disconnected she became from any other person besides the voice beckoning her.
"Almost." The voice was much louder as she came to the T. She paused in the center, looking down the left, and down the right. A familiar feeling crept across the skin of her right side, raising the hair; reluctantly, she turned to the right, and all sounds from other students disappeared from earshot. The voice did not come again as she cautiously made her way, but the feeling of someone being with her only grew stronger with each step she took. As she neared the halfway point, she slowed her pace until she was barely moving forward at all. It felt as though someone's eyes were all over her body, but she had yet to see anyone inside any of the open, empty classrooms on the way.
She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry. There was a weight on her chest, so heavy she could only suck in tiny, shaky breaths. Deciding to head back, she turned around as swiftly as possible only to gasp as she slammed right into someone standing behind her.
"There you are, my dear!" the same voice exclaimed. She opened her lids and tried with all her might to push away from a mass of pink and white polka-dotted fluff, but she was encased by arms that held her tighter the more she attempted to free herself. Heart racing, feeling as if it were ready to beat right out of her chest, her eyes frantically darted off to each side to search an escape route, until they made their way up to see the face of who was trapping her—a man, with dark hair and a mischievous grin, who was looking right at her with piercing green eyes. Chills ran up her legs and spine, and she pushed her hands deep into his white coat until her arms were fully extended, but despite her efforts he kept the lower half of her body pressed to his.
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you," he assured, slowly releasing his grip around her waist. Her heartbeat began to slow with the sound of his voice; soft and smooth. "I'm simply here to help." His intense gaze never left her eyes, and it was as if she couldn't pull away no matter how much she might have wanted too.
"Help how?" she finally muttered, pupils still locked with his.
"You're a student of the Exorcist Cram School, are you not?"
"Y-yes!" she gasped. There had yet to be even the slightest mention of the Cram school since she arrived on campus, and it was enough to cause her to question if she was even in the right place. To hear someone finally say these words was like a watering hole in the middle of the Sahara desert.
He grinned devilishly, exposing sharp teeth. "That's what I thought. Please, don't be frightened. My name is Johann Faust, I'm here to escort you to your classes, my dear," he said, removing his top hat and bowing. "Follow me." With a flip of his cape, he was headed down the hall.
Confused, skeptical, but relieved, she decided there was no harm in following. Although his name sounded familiar, she had no idea exactly who this strange man was; however, he offered the only ray of hope there was in order to get to the much-anticipated destination, and she decided that was enough to trust him. The two of them passed empty classroom after classroom in silence, and as she looked him over, something in the air about him seemed familiar. She had just met this man, yet it was almost as if she had known him from somewhere.
