Tainted

Chapter 1.

Nari was on her knees in a matter of seconds, scooping up the papers so fast that the woman had no time to react or help. "I'm so sorry." Nari bowed again, grasping the disheveled papers to her chest.

The lady smiled sympathetically at Nari before turning and marching down the hallway, Nari scrambling to take off after her. "We were very happy to take you, Nari, your marks are outstanding." The woman praised, her heels clicking away on the tiles. "Thank you," Nari mumbled, her attention on the papers as she tried to rearrange them back into the correct order.

"And this is your classroom." The woman smiled, wrinkles forming around her eyes, the tour of the school finally coming to a crescendo ending. Her frail fist knocked on the door before sliding it open and revealing a bare classroom. "Nari." Her name vibrated off a tough chest. 

Shaky pupils shot up and a tall, lean figure came into view. The teacher straightened his thick, black glasses and extended an inviting smile to Nari. He was handsome and extremely well-built, his broad shoulders pushing against the threads of his white dress shirt. 

 All the students were hidden behind the door, and Nari knew the second she stepped through the threshold of the class all eyes would be on her. She hovered forward but stopped herself, causing concern to rise in the eyes of her guide who motioned for her to enter. Nari's face almost contorted in agony as she took the step forward, coming into full view of her peers.

A buzz quickly picked up around the classroom, whispers, awes, and inappropriate comments.

"Keep it down." The teacher, Mr. Park barked before stretching to tuck in his shirt. "Everyone this is Baek Nari." He smiled and pointed politely at Nari before turning to look at the young girl, "Welcome to Pyeongyang Nari. Please, choose any seat."

Nari looked at the classroom, noting that there were only 2 seats open, one in the back and one in the front. She thought back to the last words her mother spoke to her before she left for Pyeongyang, "Sit close to the front, keep your head down and study hard."

Taking her mother's advice Nari settled in the seat closest to the front of the class, taking out her textbooks and notebook, she kept her head down, focusing on nothing else but the words of the teacher.

-

At lunchtime Nari headed for the library, passing blobs of students in the hallway and overhearing snippets of each conversation. "Do you think she's dead? Just like all the others?" A female student sobbed to her friend and Nari's ears perked up for a moment but quickly brushed it off as some TV show gossip.

The library was empty just like she hoped, allowing Nari to move freely in between the shelves.

'The extraordinary life of Supreme leader Kim Il-sung.'

'Our thriving nation.'

'The history of the motherland and how the war was won.'

Nari pouted, running her finger over the dusty book spines. She was hoping to read something that evoked a bit more emotion. She explored the library a bit more, every nook, hoping to find a hidden gem and she found just that. A reading corner, hidden behind towering shelves and tucked away in the furthest corner from the door. A large leather chair with a simple coffee table resting in front of it.

A book laid wide open on the coffee table, inviting Nari, begging to be picked up and investigated. Nari sat down, the chair letting out a puff of air as it sucked her into its comforting grip.

Her eyes darted from one line to the next, immersing herself in the head of a serial killer seconds after he had stolen the life of his victim. This was clearly an illegal book in the country because of its violent nature but this was the emotion she wanted to feel, being someone you're not and feeling a feeling that's hard to come by in life. Emotions were hard to come by in general when life is just a monotonous routine of nothingness.