Shining among Darkness

By
WingzemonX

Chapter 39.
The Black Prom

The rented limo took them right to the school gates. From the very entrance, the place was already decorated, almost in a dream. There were lights in all the trees. And from the sidewalk to the door, they had spread a long blue carpet, as if it were the entrance of some awards. Lighted moons and stars had hung, indeed resembling a starry sky.

From her window, Carrie could see that a significant number of guests were arriving, all in beautiful suits and dresses in spring colors. They all laughed and talked among themselves, showing great joy and enthusiasm.

For a moment, the young woman felt overwhelmed and very scared. Tommy made the gesture of wanting to open his door, but she reflexively reached out her hand to him to stop him.

"Can we wait a moment?" Carrie murmured slowly, almost like a plea.

Tommy looked at her a little puzzled.

"Yeah, sure. All the time you want."

Carrie nodded gratefully. Then stared out of her window for a while at the rest of the people who were passing by her limousine and heading inside the school.

"Are you scared?"

"I'm afraid all of this could have been a mistake," the young woman whispered softly.

"They're not bad people, really," Tommy added mockingly. "Besides, I need you there. Dancing alone would surely look silly."

A little giggle escaped from the girl's lips without her really intending to. That single comment somehow managed to lighten a bit the heavy burden that she carried with her. Perhaps not all, but part of it.

"Ok, let's go."

Tommy got out first and turned the vehicle around to open the door for her. The two of them walked side by side across the blue carpet toward the entrance, and with each step, Carrie felt accompanied by the pounding of her heart. But even more important than being taken by Tommy Ross's arm was the feeling of entering that place along with all the other attendees, as one of them. They were all there for the same reason: to enjoy that night and have fun like never before. And she was part of it now, no more and no less.

The initial hit of the loud music and lights was at first somewhat stunning for Carrie. The place was almost dark, except for the large reflectors in the ceilings that reflected lights of different colors and shapes everywhere. The DJ's music echoed with great force in the gym's natural echo, ringing Carrie's sensitive ears, a little more accustomed to the silence and calm of her home.

After the first impression, and once her ears and eyes adjusted, she managed to appreciate all better. During regular school days, she always saw the boys at her school as aliens to her. But at that moment, they all looked so beautiful, almost ethereal. But Carrie was not intimidated but rather fascinated. It was like entering a fantasy world, with glitters, colors, and sounds that couldn't exist where she came from. And all the others were characters in that curious tale.

As they entered, Tommy introduced her to his friend George and her girlfriend Frieda, who were quite friendly. For a moment, Tommy concentrated on greeting George, quite effusively, and Frieda took it upon herself to chat with Carrie while they walked to their table. She was even impressed by her dress, and it was hard to believe that she had done it.

The four of them sat at the table; even the decoration of this one, with its white tablecloths and centerpieces, seemed beautiful to Carrie. Tommy chatted lively with his two friends, and Carrie generally just listened and smiled. There wasn't much she could add to their conversation, and that embarrassed her. She was so inexperienced at hanging out with people that she didn't really have normal talking points, beyond biblical interpretations, sewing, and recently psychic powers. But she was sure none of those topics would be of interest to people like Tommy and his friends.

Her greatest delight, or perhaps suffering, was looking around to appreciate others. They all seemed so happy with their friends, taking photos and dancing. There were already several people dancing to a very moving song, moving with enough grace and rhythm. Carrie found herself suddenly almost mesmerized by the movements they were making, and several of them seemed to her bordering on obscene. The women waving their butts in their tight dresses, reveling in the fact that the boys saw them like this. Men sticking their bodies against their partners, rubbing their crotches against them.

Carrie was appalled for a few moments by all of this but tried not to let the feeling take over. This was how her mother would react (or actually much worse), but not her. All of this had to seem as normal as possible to her... she must.

George and Frieda got up just as another song started and hurried out onto the dance floor. Carrie followed them with her eyes, accompanied by a sincere smile.

"George and Frieda are nice," she pointed out slowly.

"Yes, they are," Tommy replied. "They are good people; there are a lot of good people here." Carrie had no doubt. "You want to dance?"

The sudden proposal created a shock in the young woman, who once again looked in the dance floor's direction, observing and scrutinizing all the movements and steps that those present were performing. Leaving aside their dances' sinfulness, the truth was that she did not know in the least how to do what they did, or at least approach something relatively normal or similar.

"Can we keep talking?" She asked sadly.

"Yes, however you want. We can wait for a slower song if you want."

"Yes, it would be better..."

She had said that, but actually, she doubted if a slow song would be different.

A few minutes later, she could see an adult woman coming straight towards them in the dancing crowd. She had short dark brown hair and wore a bare-arm navy blue dress. She looked incredibly amazed and happy to see her, and Carrie responded to her excitement with a small smile.

"Carrie," muttered Miss Desjardin, the PE teacher. She had hardly recognized her until she was close enough, and Carrie believed it must have been the same in her case.

"Miss Desjardin," Carrie greeted her lightly. "You look beautiful."

"Me? Look to you. You are so pretty."

"Thank you... I don't think that's the case, but thank you."

She glanced sideways as Tommy was standing up from his chair just now.

"Can I leave you a moment?" The boy commented. "Do you want me to get you some punch, Miss Desjardin? I heard they put it a little of Brandy."

Tommy laughed a little right after he made that comment, but Rita Desjardin's stern gaze told him that she didn't share the same sentiment.

"Seriously?"

"No, of course not," he answered quickly, his smile fading. "Just kidding..."

Even Carrie found that a little funny. Tommy walked away to the punch table's direction, and Miss Desjardin sat in the chair right next to the girl.

"I'm glad you decided to come after all."

"I had my doubts, but I spoke with someone who finished convincing me to accept the invitation."

"With whom? Some friend?"

Carrie thought for a few moments. A friend? That was how she could call her? She wasn't really sure about it, but... she liked the very possibility that it could be so.

"Are you doing well?" Miss Desjardin asked her suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts. Carrie just smiled at her and nodded slightly.

The teacher's presence didn't bother her, but it did cause her a bit of discomfort. It wasn't that they had talked much before. She had been the one who stepped in to help her with that shower incident and had brought her to the principal's office, although she had had to slap her to achieve it. Carrie did not blame her for that, and she was grateful. But seeing her right now made her remember that incident in a certain way, and it was what she least wanted to think about in those moments.

Of course, Carrie was unaware of everything Miss Desjardin had done, other than pulling her out of the showers and taking her to Principal Grayle. She did not know how the teacher had reprimanded those involved, or the pressure she had put on Mr. Grayle to impose their harsh punishments, or even how she had imposed herself on Mr. Hargensen when he wanted to reverse his daughter's suspension. If she knew, perhaps then would have understood why she was so happy to see her there... or, maybe relieved was the best word.

"I remember my prom," Miss Desjardin commented, looking over at the rest of the attendees on the floor. Carrie looked at her curiously. "I went with the captain of the basketball team. I was six feet tall, so I went and bought some four-inch heels; so that when we danced, I would look less strange by his side. He passed me by in his truck, but it broke down on the way. Can you believe it?" She gave a little laugh. "And we had to walk the last kilometer to school. And by the time we got there, those damn heels had smashed my feet. You can imagine that I couldn't dance a single piece, and we had to sit all night."

Her expression abruptly changed to being crowned with a nostalgic look.

"But still, it was a wonderful thing." She turned abruptly to Carrie then, making her a little intimidated by the sudden gaze. "Is that how you feel?"

"Well ..." Carrie muttered nervously. "Everything is nice."

"Just nice?"

"No, no... It's like being somewhere else, far from my home. I wouldn't know how to explain it to anyone, I think. It's such a... new feeling."

"Do you think you'll forget it?"

Again, Carrie thought for a bit before answering.

"No... I hope not."

Miss Desjardin smiled with pleasure. She reached out a hand to her, and placed it somewhat firmly on her shoulder.

"Focus on keeping those memories," the teacher murmured solemnly. "The pretty ones, the ones that after many years still make you smile. Not the bad ones..."

Carrie looked at her thoughtfully. She knew exactly what she was referring to... and that brought back that incident again.

"Have fun."

"Thank you," Carrie answered a little colder than she intended.

The teacher smiled at her one last time and then stood up and got back on track. Carrie objectively knew she was trying to give her some advice and help... but she couldn't help but feel some resentment, even so.

Tommy came back a little later with two glasses of punch. Since Miss Desjardin was gone, Carrie accepted the glass for her, although the taste was not entirely pleasant. She was hoping it didn't really have brandy.

"Carrie, do you really have to be at home that early?" The boy asked suddenly. Carrie nodded slightly.

"I promised it."

"Yes, sure, I understand. It's just that several of the guys and I are going to Kelly after the dance, and..."

"Yes, I understand..." Carrie answered suddenly with some regret before he finished what he was going to say. "Don't worry about me, go with your friends. I can go home alone, it's not that far. I always go walking during the week."

"What? No, no... I actually expected you to go with us."

Carrie turned fully toward him, her eyes wide in amazement.

"To... Kelly? I don't think I know her..." Tommy couldn't help but laugh a little. "What? What happens?"

"It's not a she; it's a he. I mean, it's actually a place... kind of like a coffee shop. Have you never been there?" Carrie shook her head shyly. "Well, it's one more reason for you to go and meet it, right?"

Carrie was not able to answer anything. She kept her eyes downcast and her hands rubbing each other nervously. She couldn't get out of her mind that she had locked up her mother; she had to get home on time and free her. Besides, Tommy would surely prefer to go alone to that place he was talking about so that he could talk more calmly with his friends without having to carry her around.

The atmosphere in the gym changed abruptly. The shaky and somewhat shrill music stopped and switched to a much softer one.

"Listen, it's a slow song," Tommy pointed out knowingly.

"No, I can't..." Carrie muttered nervously, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can. Let's go."

Tommy took her hand and stood up. Carrie hesitated but couldn't stop her body from reacting and rising up with him.

"No, Tommy. I have never danced."

"If you've made it this far, you should at least dance a piece, don't you think?"

His voice was so sweet and so convincing. It was as if he managed to penetrate the depths of her mind and make her act out of mere reaction, without really giving it much thought. When she least thought about it, they were already entering the dance floor, making their way among all the other couples that now rocked embraced to the rhythm of that sweet melody.

"It's easy, I'll guide you," said Tommy, then taking her by both hands and moving them into position. "Put this hand here, and this one on my shoulder. I'll put my hand on your hip, don't panic."

With great ease, he managed to get both of them into the dance position. Their bodies were so close that Carrie felt too embarrassed. Tommy's hand on her hip made her throat tighten. If that wasn't a sin... it was pretty close to it.

Tommy began to rock slightly like the others did, and Carrie hopelessly followed. Little by little, she began to feel a bit more relaxed... a little more normal.

"See? It's easy," Tommy pointed out confidently. "It's fun, right?"

Carrie didn't answer, but she couldn't deny that it indeed was, even a little. Without consciously intending to, she leaned her head forward, leaning her face against the boy's chest. The firmness of his chest, as well as the heat that it emanated, ended up letting go of the concerns that invaded him so much.

Or, maybe not all...

"Why am I here?" The young woman suddenly whispered slowly, still holding her face against his chest.

"Why?" Tommy replied with a laugh. "It's your graduation, and I invited you, remember?"

"Yes, but why?"

"Are you still questioning that? You're already here, and I'm really enjoying it."

"Seriously?" Carrie muttered, surprised.

"Of course. And I hope you are doing it too."

Carrie wanted to tell him many things. She wanted to tell him how much she was really enjoying it, how grateful she felt to him for having given her that beautiful night, and all the wonderful sensations that ran through her entire body until that moment unknown to her. She wanted to tell him all that and much more. But nothing came from her lips. She felt so engrossed in her thoughts, but they didn't quite fit together to become words. So she just kept quiet and just enjoyed the moment.

"So, what do you say?" Tommy's sweet voice whispered suddenly, bringing her back to reality a bit. "Will you accompany me to Kelly? We're leaving after some foolish couple is crowned King and Queen, and I'll take you home at 10:30. Agree?"

Suddenly, this self-imposed arrival time seemed absurd.

"Yes... Or at 11, maybe..."

They danced one more piece and then returned to the table, just in time for the King and Queen Vote. Carrie remembered that Tommy had mentioned something about that while they were dancing. Still, she really didn't quite understand what it was about. On each table, in front of each chair, they had placed an envelope and a pencil, both memorabilia of the dance with the name of the event and its date. Inside the envelope came a ballot with options of pairs to mark. Seeing it, Carrie was stunned. One of those options clearly stated:

Thomas Ross and Carrie White

It did not even say Sue Snell's name but directly named her.

"Are we in the options?" She questioned, puzzled, turning to Tommy in search of some explanation. However, he looked just intrigued as she was.

"Yes, I saw," he murmured as he looked at the ballot. "It bothers you?"

"I don't know... And you?"

"It's not a big deal," Tommy replied with a shrug, rather nonchalantly. He then turned in the direction of the main stage, where two men were setting up what appeared to be two glowing thrones. "If we win, we just go up on stage, get on those thrones, take a picture, everyone applauds us, and then we dance a little bit to make a fool of ourselves in front of everyone."

Carrie looked up at the thrones, and in her mind, she visualized as best she could everything Tommy was describing to her. King and Queen of the prom... it would be a magnificent way to crown that perfect night.

"It would be nice," she suddenly escaped without her proposing it at all. She stirred her thoughts a bit, trying to focus on what they were doing right now. "So... Who are we going to vote for? I really don't think I know any of these people very well."

"Then let's vote for ourselves," Tommy pointed out. "You know us, and we are great, don't you think?"

"No, no," Carrie repeated several times, almost scared by the idea. "I mean... I know I said it would be nice, but no... I couldn't deal with that."

"Come on, calm down. Still, it's unlikely we'll actually win..." Tommy fell silent as if suddenly regretting his words. "I mean, not because you don't have queen material, you're obviously the cutest girl around here, but..."

"No, it's ok, you're right," Carrie pointed out with a small smile. She looked at the ballot again, took her pencil, and without much thought marked their names with a big X. "What harm can it do?"

"That's right, to hell with false modesty."

Carrie's eyes widened in terror as she heard him say such a thing.

"To hell?" She murmured slowly in horror, but little by little, she began to relax. Again, that would be her mother's reaction, and she couldn't get carried away with it. "Yes... to hell."

They came shortly after to collect the ballots to put them in the ballot box. During the minutes that followed as the votes were collected and counted, Carrie amused herself, trying to chat with Tommy, George, and Frieda. A couple of guys passed by with cameras recording goodbye messages, although she didn't really know what to say. Until a few days ago, the idea of ​​leaving that school for good was quite indifferent to her. On the one hand, she would walk away from all those who had done so much harm to her for so many years. But, on the other hand, she would be practically all day at the mercy of her mother to do and undo only what she said.

But things had changed. She no longer had to resign herself to living under her mother's roof or under her care and submission. She had other options, better options like Dr. Honey's proposal to go with her to Boston as soon as she graduated. In September, she would be of legal age, and she could do whatever she wanted then. She would only have to endure a few more months, which actually might not be so bad now that her mother had learned that it was not in her best interest to mess with her by force. And after that, she would leave that place, towards a new and better life waiting for her.

So there was no nostalgia or sadness, other than for Tommy, if anything. But, for the most part, there was only joy and excitement for what would come from there. Because now, everything would be different...

The dance program said that the coronation would be at 10:00. After about ten minutes of that hour, Vic Mooney, president of the graduates, appeared on stage with quite a bit of enthusiasm on his face, holding the microphone firmly in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. The music fell silent at his signal, and everyone's attention focused on him, knowing that it was time. For most of the students present, the whole King and Queen business was insignificant, but it was the most important thing of the night for others.

"We got the results," Vic communicated, his voice echoing through the speakers, "and they were really, really closed." He held up the piece of paper on which he had written the names of the winners. This was more spectacle than anything else because he obviously already knew. "Drumming sound, please!" The DJ took care of placing the drum roll sound through the speakers. "By one vote, the winners are... Tommy Ross and Carrie White!"

There was an avalanche of screams and applause at that moment, echoing loudly throughout the gym. However, for Carrie, everything became silent... It felt as if her brain had shut down or was using all its capacity to process what she had just heard, and everything else had been pushed aside.

Had he said her name? Did he say that she won as Prom Queen? But... no... That didn't make sense...

Her mind was torn between accepting the joy of the moment and outright denying it.

What should she do? Should stand there in front of everyone? Was she really supposed to? Could she really...?

"Come on, come on," she heard Tommy say, and then he took her hand. Just as he had led her to the dance floor before, the young woman reacted by herself and stood up. Her feet practically moved of their own accord to follow her companion.

Little by little, her mind cleared up again, and she became aware of everything around them. She was able to appreciate the light from the floodlights shining on them as they advanced to the school hymn's rhythm. Carrie looked at her own glowing image, projected onto the large screens at the sides of the stage. She noticed people stepping aside to make way for them, still clapping harmoniously, bright smiles lighting up their faces. They were all looking at her, but their eyes did not cause her discomfort, nor did they cause fear. Because they did not look at her with mockery or revulsion, but with great admiration and respect... as if she was a true queen.

Her steps were so light that she almost felt that was floating in her walk. It all seemed so unreal, an image that not even in her wildest dreams could have imagined. The butterflies that roamed her entire body must be a product of sinful and undue sensations, surely; sensations that God would definitely not welcome in one of His loyal servants. But, even then, she didn't care. If God didn't like to see her like this, then He should turn His sigh to another way.

Never, in so many years of praying and pleading, had she felt so much joy as in those moments. That night was not for God, nor for her mother: that night was hers and no one else's.

"I present to you the newly crowned King and Queen of the ball! Tommy Ross and Carrie White," Vic Mooney enunciated with intensity, just as they both began to climb the front steps to the stage. And then the shower of applause became even more intense.

Once up, they both turned to the crowd, and Carrie faced them. Again their applause and their looks of happiness and pride were only for her. A young lady approached and handed her a beautiful bouquet of pink roses, which Carrie gladly accepted. One more placed on her head a diadem crown with sparkles that resembled diamonds; entirely false, but at the moment, they were worth gold to her.

Carrie stood next to Tommy, very close to him, seeking to feel his closeness and support. He accepted her and actually reached his hand close to hers and took it gently. At that point, the girl was unable to think clearly about anything. Everything was so much more beautiful and perfect than she could have expected. She couldn't think of anything that could have made it better. That shower of applause was the ideal way to say goodbye to the old her, the fearful and submissive, who was invisible to everyone. Now, she was welcomed with open arms to that new world full of possibilities.

Now, really, everything would be different.

And then, everything was painted red...

The first thing Carrie felt was a blow to the head that shook her, accompanied by a cold sensation that chilled her body. Her head was pushed forward, and her plastic crown flew off. The cold sensation worked its way through her head to her shoulders, down her back, and through her entire torso, and then down her legs and feet. Although it was very confusing initially, after a few seconds, she understood that it had been a sensation similar to as if cold water had been poured over her. But that was not water.

By mere reflex, she closed her eyes. And while she was not seeing, she could perceive that Tommy leaped to the side in shock, and the applause and the screams slowly faded into absolute silence. Carrie slowly opened her eyes again and saw everything as if it had been painted red. People were still staring at her, but the pride and excitement were gone; now, there was only confusion, much confusion on their faces.

The young woman slowly turned her face towards Tommy; he also looked at her the same way or even more. But beyond his gaze, what astonished her was seeing his white jacket, soaked in red on one side; his face also had several spots of the same shade on it. That was not paint and didn't smell like paint. It was a metallic smell and at the same time disgusting... and it was totally impregnated in her.

She looked at herself then, and what she saw was so disturbing, so repulsive, and so strange that she simply couldn't immediately understand that it was real. Her dress, all her beautiful salmon pink dress, was dyed red from top to bottom. Her arms, her hands, everything was stained with the same substance. Some of her hair strands fell over her face and were also damp and stuck against her skin. And on the ground just below her, a wide misshapen pool had formed, bright red, reflecting the light from the searchlights.

He looked up then. Above her head, tied to a rope, was a bucket, from which even at that time, small traces of that substance were still dripping; even one of those drops fell directly into her right eye.

Carrie felt intense terror but was unable to scream. She dropped the bunch of flowers out of sheer instinct, falling it into the puddle at her feet: a pool of blood...

"And Eve was weak and loosed the raven on the world. And the raven was called 'Sin.' And the first sin was intercourse. And the Lord visited Eve with the curse, and the curse was the curse of blood..."

"Tommy..." was the only thing that managed to escape her throat, like a painful moan. She looked at him again, searching for some kind of explanation for him, to tell her it was a mistake, or a dream, or her imagination, something that would prevent her from thinking about the idea that was violently invading her mind at that time.

"Carrie, I don't..." Tommy muttered, so difficult for him to put together the words and complete a sentence. Was he trying to tell her that he had nothing to do with that? The Carrie from a few seconds ago would have believed him whatever he said. But the one at that moment... she couldn't even think...

Tommy then turned to the crowd, snapping furiously.

"What did you do?! Who did this...?!"

Some looked at each other in confusion, seemingly doubtful how to react.

"Plug it up!" She heard a sudden blast from the audio equipment speakers, and Carrie inevitably looked up ahead. "Plug it up! Plug it up! Plug it up!"

Those chorus screams... Oh God, Carrie recognized them right away. She turned her eyes just a little to the side, and then she saw it. Projected on one of those large screens, there was the video, the video of what had happened in the showers, the video of her writhing on the floor, naked and defenseless while everyone surrounded her yelled and threw things at her. There it was, her moment of humiliation, big for all to see it.

And then they came, long-awaited and predictable: the laughs, few at first, but quickly turning into millions of them resonating at the same time. In a single second, that entire gym was filled with laughter and mocking glances, all directed at her.

And there it was once more, from being at the top to scrubbing again in the dirtiest and most stinking mud. Or, maybe she had never really gotten out of it... perhaps it had all just been an evil illusion.

She felt the anguish, the anger, the sadness, all building up in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

She had to get out of there; she had to leave immediately.

Then she began to walk forward with some desperation.

"Carrie, wait..." Tommy Ross muttered, but she ignored him. She didn't want to see him; she didn't want to hear him. If she ever heard him again, she feared that perhaps...

Her right foot stomped into the pool of blood, and she slid violently to the side on the wet, slippery surface. Carrie's entire body slumped forward after that slip, landing on her right thigh, and she just didn't fall on her nose because she had the reflex to stop with her hands before it was too late.

As she fell, she could hear how the laughs increased exponentially. That, accompanied by that infernal chorus of "Plug it up! Plug it up! Plug it up!" rumbled violently in her head, scrambling her ideas, stirring up any logic or common sense. Little by little, she could no longer reason, hear, or even see: she only saw red... everything was red.

"Help this sinful woman who is next to me to see the sin in her life and her works. Show her that if she had remained pure, the curse of the blood would not have fallen on her."

"Carrie," came Miss Desjardin's voice, pushing her way through the crowd and onto the stage. She walked up the steps toward her and held out a hand, offering it to her. "Let me help..."

The teacher was not even able to finish her offer, as her entire body was abruptly thrown back as if she had been tackled head-on by a burly football player. She collided with a group of students in the front row, and both she and they fell to the ground, stunned.

The laughter gradually stopped after this, but the video was still playing in the background. Everyone's stunned and confused eyes fell once more on Carrie White, who began to rise slowly. Her breathing was so agitated that her lungs seemed to explode. Her eyes were wild and lost, and her pupils had been enlarged as much as possible. The veins in her temples pounded and throbbed. Her fingers flexed and contracted against each other so violently that the bones seemed about to break. And the blood... the blood from the pool, the blood that was still liquid and had not completely adhered to the skin on her arms and face, began to slowly rise around, like tiny dewdrops.

Everyone took a step back, even Tommy.

"Carrie..." the boy said in a shaky voice, but she wasn't even aware that he was still next to her.

This was how she wanted them all to see her: scared and confused, ignorant of what was presented to them. She had tried, she really had. She wanted to be one of them, to be good, to be normal... But it was a privilege that all those impious pigs were not willing to give her. They were all a bunch of sinners, morons, and bastards with no trace of compassion on their frail and pathetic bodies. Everyone in that place had made her life a nightmare with their mockery, jokes, mistreatment, and indifference. And if God did not come down from Heaven to impose His justice, she would unleash the Hell itself on them, and on that entire decaying city!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" Carrie screamed loudly and with all her might, resounding with a tremendous explosion. And in the blink of an eye, everyone, and everything around, was pushed in all directions as if a tremendous gust of wind had hit them.

Bodies flew through the air on all sides, crashing against tables, walls, doors, or each other. The speakers, the screens on the walls, the arrangements, the tables and chairs themselves, everything was ripped from its place and deployed through the air like projectiles.

Even Tommy Ross, who was behind her, flew backward as hard as if a tremendous truck had crashed head-on. Perhaps because it was the closest to the source of all that energy deployment, the shock was much more intense. His body slammed headlong into the back wall of the gym, and his neck twisted like a stick. But that didn't matter because he didn't even feel it. The first blow he received from the front had been so tremendous that it had practically shattered his heart, dying almost instantly and without pain, without even knowing what had happened. And yet, in a way, he was the luckiest of the night. The only one who had, perhaps, the most peaceful and pious death possible...

END OF CHAPTER 39

Author's Notes:

Originally my intention was that Chapter 38 and this one were only one. Still, the final length turned out to be too long, so I decided to divide it into two better.

As I mentioned earlier, this chapter is also based mostly on the events of the film Carrie from 2013, also taking into account the 1976 movie and the original novel. But mainly, my intention was to give my own personal interpretation of these events, and primarily of the character of Carrie, her introspections, and thoughts while all this was happening.

As you could see, not everything that happened was narrated, but rather what could be described from Carrie's point of view, trying to capture her confusion and her changes of thought. Also, as you can see, I took some freedoms with several issues, some for simple personal taste and others more to match the tone and style that story has had until now.

The previous chapter and this one are almost like a personal tribute to Carrie White, her novel, and her two most influential film versions (and actually two of my favorite horror movies).

The next chapter will conclude Carrie's story, but now from Matilda's perspective. It will depart more from what was seen in the versions already mentioned. However, it will still be based a lot on them.

See you soon.