Chapter 3

                                    

                                          
The final bell rang out, a sweet release into the promise of the afternoon. The children sprang from their seats, eager to escape the confines of the classroom. Elena watched them go, her thoughts lingering on Sophia's emerald gaze. With a sigh, she gathered her belongings and stepped into the hallway, the scent of chalk dust and childhood dreams trailing behind her.
The corridor was a river of chatter and footsteps, the current carrying her towards the front gate. She spotted Anastasia waiting for her, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "How was your first day?" she asked, her arms wide open for an embrace.
Elena stepped into the warmth of her friend's arms, feeling the weight of the whispers recede slightly. "It was... interesting," she said, her voice trailing off as she watched the children disappear into the sea of parents and guardians.
Anastasia's eyes searched hers, noticing the lingering shadows. "What happened?"
Elena took a deep breath, the whispers of the ancient world still echoing in her mind. "It's nothing," she lied, forcing a smile. "Just a strange feeling, that's all."
Anastasia's eyes searched hers for a moment before she shrugged it off. "Well, I had quite the adventure with little Theo," she said, her voice filled with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "He turned my math lesson into a circus!"
Elena couldn't help but laugh, the tension in her chest easing slightly. "Oh, really? What did he do this time?"
"Let's just say he tried to prove Pythagoras' theorem with a rubber band and a handful of paperclips," Anastasia replied, her eyes dancing with mirth. "I've never seen someone so determined to find a loophole in math."
Elena chuckled, the image of a young boy with a mischievous glint in his eye bringing a smile to her face. It was a welcome distraction from the whispers that had plagued her all day. "Sounds like he has quite the imagination."
As they walked out of the school, the setting sun painted the sky with a palette of fiery oranges and deep purples. The heat of the day had given way to a gentle breeze that carried the scent of blooming jasmine. The two friends strolled towards the forest, their laughter fading as the towering trees grew closer.
Elena couldn't shake the image of Sophia from her mind. Her emerald eyes seemed to hold a secret, a spark of something ancient and powerful. As they approached the edge of the forest, she spotted the girl again, her figure a solitary silhouette against the verdant backdrop. With a pang of concern, Elena watched as Sophia slipped between the trees, vanishing into the shadows.
Anastasia tugged at her arm, her voice filled with laughter. "Earth to Elena! You're going to miss the bus if you don't snap out of it."
The grip of the whispers loosened as she turned away from the forest. The world of the schoolyard reasserted itself, the laughter of children and the chatter of parents acting as a balm to her unsettled spirit. With a final glance at the trees, she allowed herself to be drawn back into the present, the whispers of the ancient world retreating into the shadows of her mind.
The two friends continued their journey home, their conversation a blend of the mundane and the profound. The setting sun cast a warm glow over the city, painting the buildings with a fiery kiss as it descended towards the horizon. The air grew cooler, carrying with it the promise of a quiet evening spent with tea and textbooks.
As they approached the edge of the city, the towering trees of the ancient forest grew closer, their leaves whispering secrets that had been carried on the wind for millennia. A sudden gust of wind picked up, sending a chill down Elena's spine. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as the whispers grew louder, coalescing into a single, unmistakable word: "Elena."
Her heart racing, she whipped around to find Anastasia looking at her with a mix of confusion and concern. "Did you hear that?" she blurted out, her voice trembling.
Anastasia, her eyes wide with surprise, took a step back. "Hear what?" she asked, the laughter from earlier fading from her voice.
Elena swallowed hard, the whispers now a deafening crescendo in her ears. "It's... nothing," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper. "Probably just the wind playing tricks on me."
Anastasia's brow furrowed, her eyes searching Elena's face. "Are you sure?" she asked, her concern genuine. "You've been acting strange all day. Is it nerves?"
Elena nodded, the whispers of the forest now a dull roar in the back of her mind. "Yeah, probably just nerves," she lied, her voice tight. "First day jitters, you know?"
Anastasia searched her eyes, her concern unabated. "If you're sure," she said, though her voice was tinged with doubt. "But if you need to talk, I'm here."
Elena managed a small smile, her heart still racing from the whispers that seemed to follow her every step. "Thanks, Nastia," she said, using the childhood nickname that brought a small comfort in the face of the unknown. "But really, I'm fine. It's just been a long day."
"Well, if you say so," Anastasia replied, though the furrow in her brow suggested she wasn't entirely convinced. "But if you need anything, you know where to find me."
Elena nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt for lying to her friend. "Thank you, really. But let's talk about something else. Do you want to grab dinner tonight?" she asked, eager to change the subject.
Anastasia's eyes lit up at the suggestion, but she bit her lip. "Oh, I wish I could, Elena. But I promised my mom I'd babysit my little brother tonight. He's been a handful since school started."
Elena felt a pang of disappointment, but she understood. "No worries," she said, her voice light. "We'll plan something soon. Maybe once the school year settles down."
Anastasia nodded. "Definitely. And hey," she added, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "you can tell me all about the chaos of your first week over ouzo and meze."
Elena's thoughts briefly drifted to the mysterious whispers of the forest, but she shrugged them off, focusing instead on the warmth of her friendship with Anastasia. "It's a date," she said, her voice filled with the promise of shared laughter and late-night chats.
"How's Andreas been?" Elena asked as they turned onto her street, the scent of Anastasia's favourite bakery wafting through the air. "It's been ages since I last saw him. He must be all grown up by now."
Anastasia's eyes lit up with affection. "Andreas is doing great. Thank you for asking," she said. "He's become quite the little philosopher. He keeps asking me why the chicken crossed the road, but I think he's onto something deeper than just a simple riddle."
Elena couldn't help but laugh. "Ah, the existential crisis of a five-year-old," she teased. "I'm sure he'll have you questioning the meaning of life in no time."
Anastasia rolled her eyes playfully. "You wouldn't believe it. He's always had a way of seeing the world differently. It's like he's an old soul in a child's body."
Elena chuckled, the sound of it seeming to echo through the now quiet streets. "Sounds like he takes after his sister," she said, her eyes sparkling with affection.
"Don't you start," Anastasia playfully swatted at her arm. "I'll have you know, I'm not that deep."
Elena's laughter was the last sound to carry on the evening breeze as they parted ways, each retreating to the sanctuary of their own homes. Her apartment, a cosy haven nestled among the bustling streets of Athens, was a welcome sight after the tumultuous day. The whispers had faded to a distant murmur, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief.