When the children woke up, they got dressed, and Vlad went to take a shower. When he came out, there was no one in the room. He stood still for a moment, listening to the silence… as if it was too deep… unnatural.
He sat down at the table and opened his diary.
July 1st, 10:00.
I'm at the camp with my friends. My parents sent me here on June 20. I didn't want to go… but I've noticed that I'm starting to like it here.
I like that everything here is perfect… even too perfect.
I've made a friend — Elizabeth. We often read together and walk around the camp yard. Of course, she's not from the same kind of family as me… but what does that matter? Why judge people by their money? That's stupid. Even if someone is poor, it doesn't mean you can't be friends with them. They might be a hundred times better than someone rich… or the opposite.
As the Little Prince said: nothing is perfect.
Vlad froze for a second.
As if a thought… someone else's… softly touched his mind.
Perfect… perfect… everything here is perfect…
He quickly shut the notebook, as if trying to shake off the feeling, hid it under the mattress, and hurried to the dining hall.
In the dining hall, Elizabeth was already sitting. She quietly sat next to him.
Vlad didn't mind.
— Hi… — she said softly.
— Hi, — he smiled.
They started talking, but suddenly Vlad's friends walked into the dining hall.
Without saying a word, they came up… and threw food right into Elizabeth's face.
Vlad jumped up.
— WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
Egor smirked:
— Why are you sitting with her? Since when do you hang out with ordinary people?
— And with a girl? — another added.
— What's it to you?! — Vlad snapped.
Elizabeth silently stood up.
Her face was dirty, but what hurt the most… were the words.
She went to the bathroom, wiped her face, and sat next to her sister without saying anything.
Vlad approached her.
— Elizabeth…
She said quietly:
— Don't… Just go to your friends. To people of your level… not to some girl.
She stood up and ran away.
In the hallway, she bumped into Lyudmila.
— Easy, easy… — she said softly, hugging her. — It's okay… come with me.
Her voice was strangely even… soothing.
As if every tone smoothed out the pain.
They entered a room.
— Sit down… everything is fine… you're safe… — Lyudmila repeated quietly, stroking her head.
The words seemed to flow… to seep inside… lulling her thoughts.
Elizabeth's eyes began to close.
— Sleep… just sleep… — Lyudmila whispered.
When Elizabeth fell asleep, Roman entered the room.
Silently, he gave her an injection into her wrist — directly into the vein.
Elizabeth twitched slightly…
But didn't wake up.
— Everything is going as planned, — Roman said quietly.
— Yes… she will become calm soon, — Lyudmila replied.
She covered her with a blanket and gently stroked her head again.
When Elizabeth woke up, there was a strange feeling inside…
As if everything bad… didn't matter anymore.
She went to the library.
Vlad was already there.
She sat next to him… and suddenly burst into tears, burying her face in his shoulder.
— Elizabeth… it's okay… — he said softly.
He didn't even notice how his voice had become just as… soft… even…
She wiped her tears.
— Let's call the counselors… maybe they'll bring tea and juice?
— Let's, — Vlad nodded.
Roman brought them drinks… and headphones.
— Put them on… it will be calmer, — he said.
They did.
The music was quiet… slow…
It seemed to seep into their minds… blurring their thoughts…
Calm… silence… good…
They drank the juice and tea.
Elizabeth hugged Vlad.
— I'm sorry for what they said… — he said quietly. — They just don't understand…
— I understand… not everyone likes being friends with people who aren't their level…
— Let's go to the yard?
— Let's!
They sat under a tree.
It was quiet… too quiet.
As if even the wind didn't want to disturb this… perfection.
They carved into the oak:
Vlad Alexandrovich Vorontsov
and
Elizabeth Vladimirovna Smirnova
— Let's write a story? — Vlad suggested.
— Let's…
And they began:
In a foggy school hidden deep within the forests, Simon and Nolan studied. Their hands and eyes had long been filled with evil: Simon's black hands and Nolan's black eyes held a darkness that had grown for years. No one saw their true forms except each other — Simon saw Nolan without his bandage, and Nolan saw Simon without his wrappings. They knew each other's true nature, and that knowledge made them stronger.
Over time, darkness completely took over them. Fears, resentment, and hidden desires became a living force, controlling mind and body.
— Finally… — Simon whispered, raising his black hands. — I am free.
— I've been waiting for this… — Nolan replied, removing the bandage and revealing his endless black eyes. — We were born for darkness.
— They are completely ours… — Simon smiled, as darkness crawled along the floor and walls.
— We… are Night… — Nolan whispered, as if casting a spell. — Darkness has taken us.
In the corridor, Nolan approached a classmate who used to bully him. His black eyes met his gaze, Nolan's cold smile gripped his heart, and his mind surrendered. The classmate lowered his head, unable to resist.
Simon saw another classmate who once laughed at him. He raised his black hands, and darkness engulfed the victim's mind. Fear wrapped around every thought, and will disappeared — submission came instantly.
Simon and Nolan now spread darkness everywhere: black hands and eyes became tools of control and terror.
Your thoughts are ours. Your fear is our weapon.
They were no longer human. The school, forests, and valleys were consumed by final darkness. Evil had won, taking them forever.
When they finished, both of them smiled strangely.
— It's… perfect, — Elizabeth said quietly.
— Yes… perfect… — Vlad repeated.
In the evening, at 9:00 PM, they went to dinner.
Vlad sat next to his friends — to avoid conflict.
But inside…
he didn't care anymore.
After dinner, the children went to sleep.
And when they lay down…
the music turned on again by itself.
Quiet.
Unnoticeable.
Seeping into their minds.
Sleep…
You are calm…
You are obedient…
Everything is perfect…
And the children didn't even notice…
how their thoughts were no longer entirely their own.