takes my hand again. In order to really get it and not to grasp in the void, he simply runs his hand from his shoulder along my arm. I feel like I get goose bumps and my anger is gone again.And Talas too, apparently! I hope! But I think he's grinning right now. Somehow I know he's making fun of me mentally. At the thought I start to grin and just say: "Stupid guy! You don't have to grin at me!" I am quite sure that he is now looking at me totally surprised. Well, I don't have such a bad knowledge of human nature either. We walk on in silence, but this time the silence is not so oppressive.



"The sun is rising. It has probably already risen outside the forest, but now it's getting lighter! We'd better hide somewhere and try to sleep!" Says Tala suddenly. Now I look around more closely and notice that it has become lighter. We are now looking for a shelter and after a short time Tala finds a niche between a rock and a large bush. We squeeze in between.



I just can't sleep! My back is totally cold from the rocks and it is really difficult to sleep sitting down!At least it's warm on my left. No wonder, Tala is sitting there too. He seems to be dozing off, but he probably doesn't sleep properly. After a short time, my eyes also close. Funny, otherwise I never sleep so well, but somehow I feel totally safe!





(Tala's sight)



I lie on my side and stare at the wall. It can't all be true. Kai would never do that. He would never kill anyone. What about Jenny? Why is she so disapproving of me. I wanted to hug her, wanted to show her that I feel the same as her. And what is she doing? Just push me away I do not understand any of this. So many thoughts are buzzing through my head. Kai, Jenny and Nini. What is going on here? What is happening to us? Why do such terrible things happen? I would never have dared to doubt Kai. To doubt my friendship with him. And now I do. Without my noticing it, I've changed.Without my wanting to. And yet I've changed. I have become different. But not only I have changed. My friends have also changed. And that scares me a lot. What if we never get back to what we used to be? What will it never be the same again? Do Raphael and Uriel know what they're doing? Are you doing the right thing? I dont know.



"" Tala? I hear Jenny's voice penetrate my ear. But I don't want to answer her. I don't feel like it. She hit me hard with her negative behavior. Why did she do that? She knows exactly how It's hard for me to show her how much I love her. Tired and confused, I close my eyes and then immediately fall into a restless, light sleep.



I feel two warm hands on my shoulders that gently shake me awake. Immediately I open my eyes and turn to Jenny. She stands on the edge of the bed and looks at me.



"The dark lights haven't yet managed to free Nini and Kai. And I don't want to sit around here so idly! That's why I'm going to look for them! Will you come with me?" Jenny's voice sounds firm and determined. I need a few moments to realize what she's up to.

"They said they could do it! And we shouldn't interfere! What good would it do us if we were to look for them? We probably won't even find our way out of this building!" I try to get Jenny to change her mind. It would be far too dangerous.



"Of course! You only listen to the commands of the dark lights! You don't care about our friends. Don't strain your own head, just do what others tell you!" Jenny's words roar in my head, they hurt in my heart. She didn't really say that, did she? How can she? I feel a thick lump forming in my throat and tears welling up in my eyes.Why is she saying something like that? Doesn't she notice that something like that hurts me a lot?



"Yes, if that is the case, then I will probably let our friends down" I say monotonously and wipe my face with one quick movement. Jenny hurt me deeply, but she doesn't need to know that. I lie back on my side and close my eyes. Somehow I feel like my throat is constricting. The sting in my heart hurts terribly and Jenny's words are booming in my head. Somehow I feel like everything is slipping out of my control, like I'm no longer even in control of myself. Jenny is somehow right. I relied too much on the black lights. I have given up my rights voluntarily.



"I'm sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to say that! Sometimes I babble total crap! Sorry!" Jenny says very quietly. I can clearly hear the tremor in her voice.At least she admits her mistake.

"It's okay! Let's start now. Then we have a better chance of not being discovered!" I say and jump out of bed. Jenny should never notice how much it hurts me that she is so to me. I have always been good at hiding feelings. I've been taught that since I was little. It's kind of useful.



When I get to the door, I turn around again and see that Jenny is still standing next to my bed. Slowly she should take her legs in hand. After all, it was her idea, not mine.

"Do you want to get stuck there?" I ask impatiently and also a little sternly. Jenny runs to me immediately. I open the door and step out into the corridor.



The hallways are filled with dim light. Torches hang here and there on the walls, illuminating the corridors a little. Next to Jenny I run silently through the castle.But I have no idea whatsoever where we have to go. I try to remember certain corners, but everything looks the same here.

But then we come to a corner that I know. I head for a door and we're in the armory. I toss her gun to Jenny, take mine, and then step back out into the corridor.



I haven't spoken a word to Jenny yet. I don't even want to. I know my voice would break if I said anything now. So I better leave it. The silence is kind of overwhelming, but I have to cope with that.



"Tala, I'm sorry! But I don't know how to show you. Yes, it's just a word, but I'm serious! Why aren't you yelling at me? Why are you silent? I know that I am hurt you! That I made a big mistake! And I'm honestly sorry! I know I'm totally stupid! " Jenny's whiny, low voice penetrates the darkness.Jenny knows that she hurt me? Then why is she doing it? It's her own fault. Why should I yell at her? I've learned to control my emotions, I don't freak out. That is an unnecessary expenditure of energy. So what do I use my strength for? Just to make Jenny feel better? No certainly not.

"You know what you've done! Why should I tie it on your nose again? I said it was okay!" I answer her tonelessly and accelerate my steps. No matter how much it hurts me to see Jenny cry. It's not my fault.

"No, it's not okay! You haven't forgiven me for a long time!" Whispers Jenny and runs after me.





From one moment to the next I feel the cold, fresh wind blowing in my face, how my lungs fill with clear, invigorating air. I open my eyes and look around. Large fir trees and deciduous trees circle us, stars shine high in the dark blue sky and the crescent-shaped moon shines down on the forest.He dips the trees in a silver dress. I turn around and see the big building that rises up into the dark sky. The pointed towers seem to touch the stars and the black pinnacles shimmer in the moonlight.



We really did it. We are out of the "castle". We did it without being noticed. I feel the feeling of control spreading in me. I am finally in control of my will again. About my acting.



Jenny and I fight our way through the dark forest. It's so dark that I can't even see the hand in front of my eyes. Branches hit my face, thorns pluck my clothes and roots try to bring me down. Behind me, Jenny stumbles awkwardly through the forest.



But this forest is different. It is quiet. Much too quiet for a normal forest. Apart from our steps and our breath, nothing can be heard. No animal noise, no wind sweeping through the leaves. Nothing.Absolute silence. This calm seems to overwhelm me inside. Immediately I breathe in and out faster and deeper.



“Tala!” Jenny's voice booms through the forest. It is unusually loud. I stop and turn to face her. Meanwhile my eyes have got used to the gloom and I can see contours and outlines.

"Don't you think it's very quiet here too?" Asks Jenny. I can hear her voice sounding scared and distraught. How I would love to take her in my arms and tell her not to be afraid. But the fear of being rejected again is just too great.

"That is it and it is also incredibly dark! The best thing is to take my hand so we don't lose each other!" I say and take Jenny's hand. I notice that Jenny's Hans is shaking and quite cold. She feels just like when Jenny slipped in the fog and I caught her hand at the last moment.Does she know that it was? Hardly likely.

And by holding her hand now, I can make her feel like I'm not alone. And I also feel a little safer when I feel Jenny next to me. And so we keep walking hand in hand. Suddenly I feel Jenny's pressure on my hand tighten. I turn around quickly. Jenny falls right into my arms and claws into my forearms. I can feel Jenny trying to free herself, but not succeeding.

"It doesn't work! My foot is stuck somewhere!", My Jenny a little panicked.

I take a deep breath and then put my hands on her foot.

Suddenly Jenny starts screaming too hysterically and tries to tear her foot out. What's the matter with her?

"Calm down, it's just me!" I say with a somewhat stern but calming undertone.

"You could have said that it was you! I was afraid it was some kind of creature that lived here!" Jenny hisses fearfully and a little angry.

But I won't let that sit on me.

"Can't I do anything if you have such a good imagination and are