Haunted High Academy(HIATUS)

© Luciana Rielle 2026. All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the author’s written permission.

Nimue turned restlessly on the large bed, her body drenched, beads of sweat glistened on her forehead and upper lip. Her eyes fluttered open and shut, revealing only the white of her irises, while her body coiled with tension, fists clenched tightly, black ball of shadows swirling around her hands as her latent powers surged forth. In her restless sleep, she turned her head repeatedly, her white hair fanning out across the pillow like a halo of moonlight.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, devoid of pupils, fixated on the ceiling above her. Yet, she was not truly awake; the haunting memories of a past memory flickered through her mind like a film reel.

Flashback, Ten years ago, The Accident

“Why are you still sulking, Liana? I told you I had no idea it would be this far,” Madrid, Nimue’s father, remarked, his gaze momentarily shifting from the winding road to his wife, who sat in the passenger seat. Liana’s arms were crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on the window, a strained smile plastered on her face. In the back seat, seven-year-old Nimue was blissfully absorbed in her doll, completely unaware of the mounting tension simmering between her parents.

“If you had just taken the route I suggested, we wouldn’t be in this predicament! Now look at us, we’re lost!” Liana snapped, finally tearing her gaze from the window to confront her husband. She rubbed her forehead in frustration, glancing around at the endless expanse of towering trees and snow-capped mountains flanking them. The snowfall was intensifying, a sign of trouble, as driving in such conditions was dangerous, especially when they had no idea where they were headed, with no signs of civilization in sight.

“I know, I know! It was my fault; I should have listened to you instead of relying on this fucking GPS!” he growled, slamming his fist against the dashboard where the GPS device blinked uselessly. Frustration bubbled within him as visibility dwindled, the world outside becoming a blur of white from the intense snow.

Liana’s voice cut through the air like a sharp knife as she exclaimed, “Language, Madrid!” Her gaze flicked back to Nimue, who had paused her play with her doll, startled by her father’s sudden outburst. Nimue’s wide eyes reflected a mix of surprise and concern as she turned to her mother, who simply shook her head, a gentle smile playing on her lips, reassuring her that everything was alright.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. Just keep playing with Miss Muffet. We’ll get there soon enough,” Liana encouraged, her tone soothing. Nimue studied her mother for a moment, her silence heavy with contemplation, before she slowly nodded. Then she returned her attention to her doll, carefully placing it on her lap as she played with the hair of the doll.

For a few moments, the car glided through the winter landscape, enveloped in a somewhat strained silence. The only sound that filled the space was the cheerful melody of a Christmas song wafting from the dashboard speakers, a stark contrast to the unease that lingered among them.

Liana’s eyes drifted out the window, captivated by the swirling snowflakes that danced in the breeze. Suddenly, something caught her attention, a flicker of movement among the trees. Curiosity piqued, she leaned slightly towards the glass, her brow furrowing in confusion. Just as she turned around and was about to voice her thoughts to her husband, another sight seized her gaze. A figure stood ominously in the middle of the road, in the middle of their fast approaching car, and her heart raced as panic surged through her.

“Madrid!” she cried out, her voice laced with urgency. In a split second, she reached for the steering wheel, her instincts kicking in as she swerved the car to avoid a collision with the person or animal. The tires screeched against the pavement, and she exhaled a shaky breath of relief as they narrowly missed whatever had been standing there.

Turning to look back to see if whoever had stood there was okay but she found nothing but the empty road behind them. What had that been? The image of a human figure had stood there, but now no one was there. The unsettling question lingered: what was that?

She shifted her gaze from behind and fixed her furious eyes on Madrid. “What on earth is wrong with you, Madrid? You almost caused manslaughter!” she yelled, causing Nimue to flinch. The little girl turned her attention from her doll to her parents, unable to cope with the loud commotion.

“How was I supposed to know someone was there, Liana? And don’t you dare raise your voice at me!” Madrid retorted, briefly glancing away from the road to meet his wife’s furious stare, his face flushed with anger. Liana let out a mocking laugh, unbelieve etched on her features as she looked at him.

“You’re not blind, Madrid! Your focus should be on the road, not buried in your pockets checking your phone!” Liana snapped, then continued, “Checking her messages.” Her voice dropped, and Madrid slowly turned to her, his eyes widening in shock and realization.

“You thought I wouldn’t find out? How foolish do you think I am? I knew all along but chose to ignore it, hoping you’d come to your senses. But no, you kept it up, and now, because of some whore, you nearly killed someone and caused an accident!” Liana screamed, tears welling in her eyes but refusing to fall.

“She’s not just some whore!” Madrid shouted back, catching Liana off guard. She had expected him to deny it or apologize, but here he was, her husband of fifteen years, the father of her daughter and the unborn baby, defending his mistress right in front of her. That was the breaking point for Liana, and soon the shouting match escalated, both oblivious to the fact that their daughter was watching them intently.

Nimue remained motionless in the back seat, her parents’ angry voices echoing in her mind like a relentless storm. Her small hands shook as she clutched her doll tightly, but thoughts of Miss Muffet comfort had vanished. The sharp and loud voices around her felt overwhelming, each harsh word piercing her like a needle, sharp and agonizing. She gasped for air, her heart racing like a drum in her tiny chest. She wanted it all to stop but the screams, the curses thrown at each other, everything was increasing in tempo, hurting her sensitive ears in process, making her chest ache, making it hard to breathe.

Then a strange sensation began to stir within her, an unfamiliar force that intensified with each passing moment. The air felt electric, and her vision wavered as reality started to fade. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to contain whatever was vying to come out from inside her, her hand pressed against her chest but it only pushed harder, clawing for release. She tried to shrink away, to make it stop, but it was too late. The power coursed through her, wild and unrestrained.

Then, without warning, something exploded in a dark flow of intense energy sending the car tumbling through the air, everything and everyone flipping upside down before crashing down with a deafening crash.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to a horrific sight. She was upside down, the seat belt still around her, blood splattered everywhere, but not on her, then she noticed a dark liquid pooling all over the floor, but it wasn’t blood. Then her gaze fell upon her mother, her neck twisted at an unnatural angle, her face pale and hollow, as if all life, her soul had been drained from her, blood all over her parents body.

“Mom,” Nimue whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and fear just as she heard footsteps approaching the crooked car.

The Present day, Nimue’s Room

Nimue’s eyes gradually returned to their usual color, the pupils reappearing as the whites faded away. She shifted her gaze from the ceiling and rose slowly, her oversized black shirt draping over her slender figure. Her bare feet met the chill of the floor, yet she remained unfazed. With sl steps, she made her way to the bathroom, stepping into the all-black space where she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

Her dark eyes reflected back at her, lacking any emotion. But then she saw it, the flaw. The tears that had streamed down her cheeks during the nightmare. As she gazed at the tears in the mirror, they began to evaporate on their own.

When she turned away to step into the shower, the mirror suddenly shattered into countless pieces, a betrayal for exposing the imperfection Nimue had longed to escape…forever. To her, it deserved to be destroyed, and so it was.