As I followed the pathway, it led me to a set of double doors that appeared to connect to the school hall. Before I even reached the doors, I felt an inexplicable pull, as if something was drawing me towards them. I stood frozen in front of the doors, unsure what to do next. But I was certain that Jayden and Nkosi had gone inside.
I slowly reached out and grasped the door handle, pushing it open just a crack. I peeked inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light within. The room was a performing theater, with rows of chairs facing a small stage. It looked like a typical school theater.
But as soon as I stepped inside, a chilling cold washed over me, unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It was as if a dark, icy grip had wrapped around my entire body, threatening to drag me down to my knees.
And then, the scenery around me began to shift and distort. I was no longer standing in the school auditorium. The familiar surroundings had vanished, replaced by... something else.
The air was heavy with the stench of death, and the constant sound of dripping water echoed through the corridor like a mournful sigh. As I spun around, desperate to escape, I realized the entrance had vanished.
In its place stood another corridor, stretching out into darkness like an open mouth. Panic clawed at my chest. The corridor was littered with school stationery, books, and broken chairs. But what stood out was the floor – it seemed that something had made a pathway, pushing all the debris to the side. The pathway wasn't completely straight, though; it kept making smooth curves.
This place reminded me of the school, yet it was horribly off. The walls, once a dull beige, were now charred and blackened, as if ravaged by fire. The floor, littered with shattered chair legs and splintered wood, seemed to stretch on forever. Even the air felt thick and heavy, weighing me down.
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. My heart started to race, and I began to panic. I took a few steps back, but my feet tangled, and I tripped over a half-brick on the floor.
I landed hard on my backside, the impact sending a jolt of pain through my tailbone. Even though I was in pain, I couldn't help but look into the darkness that now loomed before me. I felt a strange, yet familiar sensation creep over me. I wanted to call out for help, but my mouth wouldn't obey me.
Still facing the corridor where the door once was, the hair on my skin slowly stood up, warning me. That's when it hit me – the sensation I was having wasn't just fear. It was more. It was dread.
I wanted to get up, but my muscles locked me in place. My body seemed frozen in terror, refusing to move or respond.
That's when I first heard it – the sound of something being dragged on the floor. At first, the noise was distant, but it rapidly grew louder, and it was clear that it was heading my way.
The creature emerged from the darkness, its flat, disk-like head with scales that shimmered like dark, polished marble seeming to absorb the light around it. Its mouth was slightly open, but I couldn't see what lay within, and I didn't want to.
Its tongue kept flickering in and out of its mouth with a hypnotic rhythm, like a snake sensing its surroundings. The tongue was long and slender, its tip darting in and out of the creature's mouth with an unnerving speed.
As it slithered closer, its movements were eerily fluid, as if it had perfected the art of navigating the shadows. The air seemed to vibrate with its presence, making my skin crawl with an unspeakable horror.
Its presence seemed to fill the room, making the air feel thick and heavy with an unspoken malevolence.
Just as I was about to scream, a hand fell over my mouth, covering it. "Don't," I heard. I mustered the strength to slightly turn my head, and Jayden was standing next to me, one of his hands covering my mouth.
While still looking forward, he motioned for me to keep quiet with a finger. Time seemed to slow down. Jayden's friend, Nkosi, rushed forward with amazing speed, pulling Jayden with one arm and lifting me over his shoulder effortlessly.
He let go of Jayden and ducked as something came from behind us, forcing Jayden to slam against the wall.
It didn't take me long to recognize what it was – the metal net. Before I could fully process my thoughts, Nkosi was moving again, this time doing a full sprint while carrying me.