The Myth of the Hermitage

Wednesday morning, partly cloudy. First week of school after the fire incidents. In sports class, the children from Jeremie, Odd, and Ulrich's class play soccer in the sports field. At a moment, the ball flies towards Odd, who hits it back with the head. The ball elevates even more and goes over Kadic's eastern wall, making it fall on a neighbor house's terrain.

Odd: Whoopsies…
Jim: Ah, Della Robbia, three days as a student and already making an inconvenience out of yourself!
Odd: Sorry, teach.
Jim: Ah, no matter; only thing is, you'll need to join me when I go fetch it.

Some gasps are heard among the students.

Boy: Sir, the ball fell on the hermit's yard… You're not gonna look for it there… right?
Odd: The hermit's house?
Herve: That's correct, you twerp! You sure are gonna regret that headbutt now!
Odd: (to Ulrich and Jeremie) Guys, what are they talking about?
Ulrich: There are stories that some tell about the hermitage.
Jeremie: Ridiculous, of course.
Girl: Ridiculous? I wouldn't go in there even if I got paid!
Boy: Me neither!
Heidi: Sir, maybe it's better to leave the ball there, don't you think?
Jim: Okay, that's enough! For once, I'm with Belpois on this one: these tales are just tales that are told to hold you teens in terror! C'mon, Della Robbia, consider it as a rite of passage.
Odd: Don't worry, sir, I'm not scared.
Herve: Well, you should be! You better not get face to face with the hermitage ghost… You can still hear stories of those who hear it at night.
Odd: It's a good thing it's the middle of the day, then.

Generalized laughter.

Herve: Ah, but it's your fault the ball's fallen there. They say the ghost hides under the rubble… (ominous) Watch your step over there.
Odd: (joyful) Thanks for the advice, Herve. I'll send your regards when I see him.

More laughter. Herve glares at a few classmates and the laughter fades.

Jim: Let's go!

Odd looks at Heidi and winks at her; the girl blushes.

Odd: After you, sir.

The rest of the class start to murmur a funeral chant, as Jim and Odd walk away from the field.

Odd: Sir, what's that tale that my classmates talk about?
Jim: Ah, only one of those scuttlebutts that you kids like to make up! The house's been abandoned for a while and that's made stories like that to flourish.
Odd: What's that story?
Jim: Well, there was a teacher that taught here in Kadic who lived in the hermitage, and then disappeared. Supposedly he left a ghost behind him, who haunts the house that once belonged to him.
Odd: Oh, so he's dead then?
Jim: You know how it goes, the version changes according to who you ask. Some say he vanished and that the ghost belongs to one of his relatives, others say that he's the one that's haunting… But it's just ubran gelends… I mean, urban legends.

Odd and Jim reach Kadic's main gate. They cross it and walk to the hermit's entrance, which has an arched fence, covered in wild vines. Inside, the undergrowth strives and the visitors can't see much inside the site, due to the vines, grown bushes and some fallen trees.

Jim: After you, Della Robbia.

Odd goes in first. Then, Jim follows, looking at all sides. Once both are inside, Odd starts walking.

Jim: Della Robbia, wait!
Odd: Huh? What's up?
Jim: I, uh… Don't go so fast. We don't mean to call someone's attention, right?
Odd: Call who's attention? You said this site was abandoned.
Jim: Well… It's true… But wait for me, okay? I'm not who I was in my prime.
Odd: Sir, if you'd rather, I can go by myself to look for the ball. It should be near this wall, so I shouldn't…
Jim: You can forget about that, young man! We're outside Kadic's walls, and that's why you're double my responsibility. You must be under my watch at all times!
Odd: (sighs) As you please. Let's keep going then.

They both delve into the hermit's yard, walking over the overgrown grass. A mild breeze moves the vegetation. As he senses it, Jim shudders and crosses his arms.

Jim: (nervous) On second thought, we'd better move faster. I don't wanna stay too long in this place.

Odd looks at Jim suspiciously, but keeps quiet. After a few steps, they can see the hermit's cottage. It's in noticeably bad shape, with a fallen rooftop and missing one of the first floor's walls, and there are pieces of doors and shutters everywhere.

Jim: Damn this grass! Let's hope you've thrown the ball reasonably close to the wall.
Odd. Hmm, I think we're getting closer. Let's see…

Odd starts looking. Jim, instead of doing the same, looks at him from time to time and then looks at the cottage with evident fear in his eyes. He keeps his arms crossed and shivering.

Odd: (pointing towards a spot close to the cottage) Hey, there it is! (heads to the place)
Jim: (tense, raising his pitch) Careful, Della Robbia…

Odd reaches the spot and, indeed, the ball is there. He leans down to reach it, as Jim gestures as if he wanted to reach Odd with his hand. As the kid stands up again, he hears a creaking noise from the house.

Jim: Odd!

Odd becomes alert. He hears a second creak and a small creature flees in a perpendicular direction from the boy: it's a fox.

Odd: Whoa!

The fox gets lost in the undergrowth. Odd starts laughing.

Odd: (laughing) That was a good one, wasn't it, sir?

Jim, pale, doesn't reply immediately. He shakes his head.

Jim: Huh? Ah, yeah, yeah… Well, we have all we wanted… Let's go back to Kadic, and fast!

Jim starts walking toward the entrance, almost jogging. Odd, having the time of his life, follows him at a fast pace.

The four friends have lunch at the casino. Jeremie and Yumi sit on one side of the table, and Odd and Ulrich in the opposite side.

Odd: Jim almost fainted from fear! You should've seen his face.
Yumi: Hmm, how about you throw the ball over the wall again, and we all join you? That way we can see him.
Odd: Deal! We could maybe even plan a little prank for him.
Ulrich: You can count me out for that, but tell me how it goes.

Odd and Yumi laugh.

Odd: Hey, now in more seriousness: I think it's worth it to take a look at it. Maybe we could go at the end of school today?
Jeremie: Hmm, it's not a bad idea, maybe we could find a clue or two.
Yumi: You think Aelita or Waldo Schaeffer might have something to do with the hermitage?
Jeremie: I wouldn't rule it out, and given it's abandoned, I think it's a good idea to go prove or disprove that hypothesis. And if it turns out it's false, we can still scavenge some more materials for our science fair project.
Yumi: I'm sold. Ulrich, today's sparring will have to wait.
Ulrich: (defiant) Too bad for you. But I'm not opposed to this exploration.
Odd: Bombastic! So, do we invite Jim?

The rest, instead of answering, stare at a spot behind him. He turns to look: Sissi's less than a step from his seat, looking at the gang, somewhat uncomfortably.

Sissi: What're you looking at, you dweebs?
Ulrich: We could ask you the same thing.
Sissi: Oh, nothing that concerns you in particular, dearie. (looking at Yumi) Yumi, could we have a talk, just the two of us?

Yumi frowns and leans her head to one side.

Yumi: (points at herself) You wanna talk with me?
Sissi: (somewhat upset) Yes, with you, that's what I said.
Yumi: Where?
Sissi: Just over there, outside the cafeteria.
Yumi: Alright, okay.

Yumi stands up, as the rest looks at her, astonished. She follows Sissi, who goes out of the cafeteria and locates herself at the back of it, at a distance from the door, but so that she can still be seen from the inside. The boys stare at them, without being able to hear the conversation.

Yumi: Okay, what did you wanna talk about?
Sissi: Actually, I wanted to ask you for help with something.
Yumi: Me? Help with what?
Sissi: You see: tomorrow, my class has a history exam, about the reign of Louis XIV. I thought you could help me.
Yumi: (still frowning) But why me in particular? You could ask someone in your class for help.
Sissi: Oh, c'mon, the girls in my class aren't that well versed in history.
Yumi: What about the boys?
Sissi: The boys would get distracted instead of helping me, (strutting) don't you think?
Yumi: (rolls her eyes) I don't know… It's just that it's weird that I am the first person you're asking this.
Sissi: (crosses her arms, stares suspiciously) What makes you think you're the first?
Yumi: (sighs, giving up) Well, alright, I'll help you. When do you wanna meet?
Sissi: I'd like to meet today afternoon, after class.

Yumi chokes out her frustration. She thinks a bit before answering.

Yumi: Okay. Today afternoon it is, then.
Sissi: Thank you, Yumi, you're the best!

Sissi tries to give Yumi a hug, but she gestures so that the younger girl doesn't get closer.

Yumi: You're welcome, Sissi. See you later.
Sissi: Yeah, see you later!

Both girls go back to the cafeteria, and sit in their respective tables, each at quite a distance away from the other.

Ulrich: What on earth did Sissi want this time?
Yumi: (sighs) Looks like today's hike's gonna be without me.
Ulrich: What? But why?
Yumi: Sissi asked me to help her with a history test she has tomorrow. You have a test, right?
Jeremie: Yeah, it's true. But why did she ask you, of all people?
Yumi: I dunno, she's probably onto something. At least we'll find out what it is, sooner or later.
Ulrich: And why did you agree to do it?
Yumi: If I told her no, I'd have to make many fake explanations on the go, and to be honest, I'm not one that lies very effectively.
Jeremie: Humm, we can always leave the exploration for tomorrow.
Ulrich: It's true.
Yumi: Hmm, no, just go today without me. If there's a clue there about Aelita's situation, it's better to know it as soon as possible. Besides, I don't find it funny to lose two consecutive sparring sessions.

Yumi winks at Ulrich. He gulps instinctively and blushes.

Jeremie: It's settled, then. Let's go to the hermitage this afternoon, while Yumi joins Sissi.
Ulrich: Yumi, are you sure about this?
Yumi: Yeah, I made up my mind. Don't worry, if you find anything interesting, I'll join you some other day.
Ulrich: Okay… Just… Take care, you know how she is…
Yumi: (chuckles) C'mon! I can handle Sissi for one afternoon.
Ulrich: Yeah, you're probably right…

- END OF CHAPTER 21 -