Nadia entered the classroom earlier than usual. She was still quiet, hunched over, as if something was weighing heavily on her. Alicja cast her a concerned glance but said nothing—she knew her well enough to understand that not every wound could be healed with words.
Natan appeared a moment later, shivering, a scarf wrapped around his neck. He sat down beside them, watching Nadia carefully.
"Are you okay?" he finally asked softly.
The girl nodded, but her gaze was absent.
"Didn't you sleep again tonight?" Alicja asked, trying to sound casual.
Nadia shrugged."I had... a strange dream. But it's nothing."
Before they could ask further, the door slammed open. Leon entered. Slow, nonchalant steps. His uniform jacket unbuttoned, his gaze sharp and dark as steel. It was immediately clear that this was not Leon. It was him.
Natan froze. Nadia instinctively inhaled. Even Alicja furrowed her brows, watching his every move.
Leon—the General—walked between the desks, silently taking a seat at the back of the classroom. The look he gave Nadia was so cold that she felt her heart turn to ice.
The teacher entered and began the lesson, but none of them were paying attention. The tension grew with every passing minute. When Leon spoke for the first time, it was only a contemptuous snort. Then came the mocking remarks. Finally, he laughed when the teacher asked him to be quiet.
"Really, woman, do you think you have any authority here at all?" The rest of the class froze. The teacher paled. "Perhaps it's time to focus on home and baking cookies, because as an educator, you are pathetic," he added coldly.
A girl in the front row covered her mouth with her hand. The teacher trembled and ran out of the classroom, slamming the door. For a moment, there was complete silence.
Alicja squeezed Nadia's hand. Natan couldn't take his eyes off Leon. There was not a trace of the boy they once knew in his gaze.
"He's already…" he whispered. "There's really nothing left there."
Nadia swallowed and looked away. She knew it wasn't true. Leon was there. He was still resisting. But he was drowning. And they had to find him before he disappeared completely.
***
That day, everything had a different rhythm. The light through the windows was too pale, the sounds too quiet, as if the entire building had hushed in anticipation of something inevitable.
In the hallways, students spoke in whispers. Some avoided Leon with their eyes, others pretended nothing was happening. But it was clear that everyone knew.
Nadia, Alicja, and Natan stayed together, but each carried something private within themselves.
Natan walked with his hands in his pockets, glancing repeatedly at the classroom doors, as if checking that Leon was not lurking anywhere. Yet when their eyes met, he tried to smile—but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Alicja clutched her books too tightly, her nails digging into the covers. Her face was calm, but her eyes burned with a mix of fear and fury. She could not forgive herself for not noticing sooner how deeply the General had embedded himself in Leon.
Nadia, however… was like a ghost. Quiet. Transparent. Her eyes were slightly red from a sleepless night, and every rustle behind her made her tremble slightly. She feared not only for Leon, but for herself. For memories slowly returning that hurt more than any present reality.
During one of the breaks, they sat together in an empty classroom. Outside, snow fell silently and softly, as if trying to cover what was too hard to bear.
"He's watching us," Alicja said quietly. "I saw him at the end of the hallway. He was smiling. Leon never smiled like that."
Natan lowered his gaze."That's really not him. Not anymore."
"He's still him," Nadia whispered. "Sometimes… when he looks me in the eyes… for a fraction of a second, I see him. Leon. Not the General."
Silence fell.
"That's why he hasn't destroyed us yet," she added after a moment. "Because Leon is still resisting. Still holding him back. But we don't know how much longer he can."
The classroom was cold. The radiator clicked rhythmically, and the air was heavy with something intangible.
Alicja rested her head on Nadia's shoulder. Natan sat on a desk, legs on a chair, staring at the snow.
And for a moment—just a moment—they were together again. Three young people who had once only studied, argued, laughed… before everything changed. Before evil intruded into their world.
Alicja lifted her head from Nadia's shoulder and looked at her intently."What exactly do you remember from the dream?" she asked gently, though tension gripped her throat.
Nadia was silent for a moment, as if weighing every word."It wasn't just a dream," she finally replied. "It was… like going back. As if someone forced me to relive everything again. He hit me. Humiliated me. Made me stay silent, even when I knew Maria was suffering. That they took her child… And then… me… myself…"
Her voice broke. She gripped the edge of the chair so tightly her knuckles turned white."I was pregnant too," she whispered. "With his child."
A long silence fell. Natan stopped swinging his leg, frozen. Alicja straightened up, completely surprised.
"He knows," Nadia added. "He remembers. And somehow, it ties him to me. To the version of me I was. Hanna was his obsession. And now… now he wants me to be her again. To prevent me from being myself."
Natan stood, walked a few steps, then slammed his fist into the wall."Damn it!" he hissed. "Why can't anything be done? Why can he just walk around, being cruel?!"
"Because everyone is afraid of the truth," Alicja replied bitterly. "Because they think it's just Leon's quirks. Because they don't know who's really behind his eyes."
"And us?" Nadia asked softly. "Aren't we afraid?"
Silence fell. Natan turned to her, his expression serious."We're terrified," he admitted. "But still… we won't leave you alone. Or Leon. Even if he's almost gone."
Alicja nodded."We have to find a way. To pull him out of this. To pull you from his grasp. Before… before you forget who you are completely."
Nadia looked at both of them. For the first time that day, there was more than fear in her eyes. A spark. A will to fight."Alright," she whispered. "Then we start fighting. But… let's do it after the New Year. Since we're going home for the holidays tomorrow, let's rest for now and regain our strength."
"I wonder how Leon's parents will feel, seeing their son like this…"
***
The main hall of the school was filled with chatter, laughter, and the sounds of rolling suitcases. Snow fell thickly outside the windows, while inside the scent of cloves and mulled apple juice drifted through the air—the kitchen had started its holiday baking.
Parents arrived one by one, embracing their children, handing out warm hats and thermoses of tea. Alicja and Nadia stood in a corner, watching familiar faces disappear behind the doors.
Natan tugged at the zipper of his bag."It's supposed to be cheerful, but it all feels… fake," he muttered.
At that moment, the doors to the principal's office opened, and Leon's parents were ushered in.
The father was a tall man in an elegant coat, his face tense with pride and contempt. The mother—elegant, yet clearly stiff. Leon/The General walked behind them with a cold smile, hands hidden in his pockets. There was mockery in his gaze.
The principal nodded and invited them inside.
The doors closed quietly."Your son…" the principal began, nervously holding a pen, "…has been behaving in an unacceptable manner lately. He insults teachers, arrives late to classes, and intimidates students. Several of them reported feeling afraid to be alone with him."
Leon's father raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair."It's just a rebellious phase, ma'am. At this age, it's normal. The boy is maturing. Perhaps he needs more space."
"Space?" the principal repeated incredulously. "He called a teacher a… slut, in front of the whole class."
Leon/The General sighed theatrically."Perhaps I overdid it. Perhaps not. Perhaps she simply couldn't handle a student who is… a bit more intelligent than the others."
"Leon!" his mother admonished weakly.
The father smiled broadly."I truly expected a school of this reputation to handle a single teenager better. Besides…" he leaned slightly forward, "…since the school accepts students with our substantial financial support, I assume you are also obliged to provide full care for them. And Leon is a minor, correct?"
The principal froze."That… is correct," she replied, clearly overwhelmed.
"Then I expect the school, instead of looking for someone to blame, to find solutions. And Leon…" he looked at his son with a warmer tone, "…is strong. Good. In today's world, the weak are the first to fall."
Leon/The General smiled."Thank you, Dad."
***
The main hall was almost empty. Most of the students had already left the school grounds, disappearing into the warm embraces of families and homes smelling of gingerbread. A rare silence hung in the air, uncommon in walls usually filled with youthful energy.
Alicja sat on a bench, her bag at her feet, staring at the wall. Nadia and Natan stood beside her, saying nothing, feeling the weight that had settled on their friend's shoulders.
Through the glass entrance doors, a black limousine appeared. It stopped slowly. An elegant man in a suit and long coat stepped out from the front seat, carrying a briefcase. He approached them with a practiced, polite smile.
"Miss Alicja?" he asked.
The girl sighed, as if she already knew this was inevitable. She stood and nodded."Yes, that's me."
"I am an employee of your mother. I've been sent to take you to the estate in Warsaw."
"Of course," she replied coldly, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Nadia placed a hand on her shoulder."Alicja… maybe you can still talk to her?"
Alicja smiled bitterly."She doesn't want to talk. She just wants me out of the public eye until they train me for the role of the perfect daughter. If I could stop speaking and even stop breathing, that would suit her too."
Natan bit his lip, looking at her with concern."Maybe at least it will be different for the holidays?"
"Holidays?" Alicja scoffed, turning away. "It's going to be a casting for a new role. In this play, I'm supposed to be kind, beautiful, quiet—not a weirdo who sees ghosts. After the holiday dinner, he'll return to work and leave me in some apartment with a speech tutor. Standard."
She took a deep breath, then looked at them warmly, though the hidden pain was clear."But I'll manage. I always do, don't I?"
Nadia hugged her tightly."Always. But you don't have to be alone, remember."
Alicja returned the hug."I'll call. I'll write. We'll stay in touch. And when I come back… I hope we all come back safely."
She glanced once more over her shoulder at the empty hallway, then followed the man to the car, leaving behind the echo of soft footsteps and a weight that was hard to shake off.
***
The square in front of the school was filled with the clatter of suitcase wheels and the bustle of farewells. Snow crunched underfoot, and the low winter sun cast long shadows across the frozen ground.
Natan left with his parents shortly after Alicja. Waving from the car window, he sent Nadia one last, concerned smile. The girl was left alone, a suitcase at her feet and thoughts swirling in her head like a storm. She hoped that the arrival of her parents would bring her some comfort. That their presence would remind her who she really was. Or at least—who she had tried to remain.
A familiar voice pulled her from her reverie."Nadia!" called a woman, stepping out of a dark gray car and immediately running toward her.
Sara hugged her daughter tightly, with a force that seemed to ensure she was really there. Oliwer followed right behind her, a little calmer, but the shadow of similar concern flickered in his eyes.
"We missed you," Sara said, holding her close. "I missed you so much…"
"I did too," Nadia whispered, returning the hug, though with a trace of tension.
"How was it?" Oliwer asked with a gentle smile.
"Good," she lied. "A little hard with studying, but… nothing unusual. Really."
Sara pulled back slightly, examining her daughter's face as if searching for some hidden sign. And then…
Leon walked past them.
He was dressed elegantly, his parents—wealthy, perfectly styled—walking just beside him. Leon, or rather the General in his body, didn't even pretend not to see them. As he passed Nadia and her family, he gave her that look—cold, triumphant. Then his gaze fell on Sara.
He paused for a fraction of a second, tilted his head slightly, and raised the corner of his mouth in a smile. Not friendly. Not even mocking. It was the smile of a predator who had already chosen his prey.
Sara froze.
A wave of cold swept through her body. Her heart quickened. For a moment, the vague, irrational fear she had felt on the first day, seeing this boy, returned. Now it was stronger, almost suffocating. Something was wrong. Something… monstrously wrong.
Leon disappeared into the car, not even looking back.
"Who was that?" Sara asked quietly, keeping her eyes on the departing car.
Nadia quickly turned her head."No one. Just a student. A bit… strange, but that's all."
"Nadia…" her mother began cautiously, sensing something inside telling her that this was not ordinary dislike.
"Really, Mom. Everything's fine," the girl interrupted, sliding into the back seat of the car. She gave a pale smile. "It was just a tough semester."
Sara glanced at Oliwer, who placed a hand on her shoulder."Calm down, love," he whispered. "Maybe you just imagined it."
But Sara did not respond. She leaned back in her seat, hands clasped tightly in a nervous grip. She felt something bad approaching. And the worst part was, she didn't know how to stop it.
The interior of the car was warm, in contrast to the chill of the winter afternoon. The windows were slightly fogged, and a holiday melody drifted softly from the radio, which under other circumstances might have been soothing. Now it only amplified the stifling silence.
Nadia sat in the back seat, leaning against the side of the car, staring at the passing trees and snow-covered fields. Sara occasionally glanced at her in the rearview mirror. Oliwer drove calmly, trying to stay clear of the tension growing between his wife and daughter.
"Will you finally tell me what's going on?" Sara asked quietly but firmly. "I don't believe everything is 'fine'."
"Mom…" Nadia sighed, not taking her eyes off the window. "Really. You're overreacting. Everyone was just tired, and Leon is a difficult type. That's all."
"That's not what I'm asking," Sara's voice was sharp, yet full of concern. "Leon… that boy. When he passed us, I felt like… like he was looking at me as if…," she trailed off. "As if he wasn't himself. I don't know how else to put it."
"Because he isn't himself," Nadia wanted to say. "Because his soul doesn't exist. Because the General took everything." "Sometimes someone is just a rebel," she replied evasively, her tone meant to end the topic.
But Sara didn't let it go."Nadia. You know me. You know I'm not oversensitive. But that boy… there's something wrong with him. I felt it then. I feel it now. Tell me the truth. Did he do something to you?"
The girl froze. For a moment, she couldn't answer. Her hands clenched tightly on her knees.
"No," she finally said. "He didn't do anything to me. It's just… not someone I want to have contact with. That's all."
Sara bit her lip. She was silent for a few seconds, staring at the road ahead, then said much more quietly:"When he passed me… I had the impression that he looked at me like he knew me. Like he knew things no one should know. Like he hated me."
Nadia turned her head. She looked at her mother in the mirror. Their eyes met—one filled with fear, the other with tension and weariness.
"Maybe it just seemed like that," she whispered at last.
"Maybe," Sara agreed. But her voice betrayed no conviction. "But if something happened… if it happens… you have to tell me. Don't hide it from me."
Nadia turned her gaze away.
She couldn't tell her. Not that. Not now. Maybe never.
"I promise," she whispered, lying quietly.
Up front, Oliwer lowered the radio. And although no one spoke anymore, the silence in the car became even heavier than before.