Drip
The stairs were filled with blood, flowing red blood
The red light shone on the puddle of blood making It look brighter, I saw my reflection on the wall painted with red
I look to my right and see a similar scene, Blood moved through the small gaps of the Classroom doors at the end of the hallway
THUD
Loud noises were heard from the classroom, each loud thud made even more blood force its way out the narrow gap
My mouth felt dry, both hands numbed with fear, a certain cold penetrated through the skin, fingers trembled and wiggled on the staircase, my fingers shivering along with them
The calm and collected mind I had moments prior blanked at the scene as I saw hundreds of thick pitch black lines pointing at the classroom doors while the other few that remained all pointed at the stairs next to me.
I gulped, a cold breath escaped my lips as I exhaled from my parched mouth, before I had even realized
The room had turned so cold that I started shivering not out of fear, but out of the sudden drop in temperature
I took a soft step backwards, my legs felt heavy, the shivering threw my mind into even more panic
Step
"...."
Nothing, complete and utter silence, cold air kept on filling my burning lungs
Step!
I took another step backwards which was not as soft and gentle as the previous one
No reaction... it was deathly silent, I would be happy for the silence but a certain creeping unease crept on me
"...."
I stood there for a few moments until-
"Huap!"
Taking a deep cold breath, I turned around lightning fast and started running faster than ever before
Thin Pitch black lines started to appear out of thin air as I was running and attempting to retrace my steps to the staircase I had gone down before
'I'm running out of time!'
It seemed that whatever was holding them back before either escaped to survive or got neutralized by these things
'The latter seems more plausible'
Even though these pitch black lines started appearing, They didn't react to my running at all
'are they cautious of me? or are they conserving their strength'
Such useless thoughts were not entertained for long
"I'm not sticking around to find out"
What kind of idiot would wait for a monster that looked like an amalgamation of humanity's biggest fears to catch up and eat him alive?
'I should have just gone the same way I went down, why did I have to do that?!'
Reaching the stairs before long, cursing and disciplining myself not to repeat the same mistake as before I made an ironic thought
'First used to get down a floor, then used again to go up the same floor? this might just make me laugh'
Fortunately there weren't any pitch black lines pointing directly at the stairs this time
Quickly rushing up the stairs, I took a look behind
There was a trail of blood following me, It felt truly and utterly disturbing to my eyes, but I couldn't focus on something like that when even a second wasted could cost me my life
Resuming my movements, I took a sharp turn right and kept running the corridor
"Classroom 23!"
I found the classroom and the Closer I got to it, The quicker my Heart beat
Looking behind me, I saw the same blood trail, as if something were dragged across the floor
Feeling my leg being numb, I looked down
BA THUMP
BA THUMP
BA THUMP
The bones were exposed, blood shot from the gaping wound like a river, by the time I had reached classroom 23 and passed the red painted ruined broken door
I was accompanied by a familiar darkness instead.
Everything was engulfed in darkness and when I opened my eyes, I saw desks lined in formation with books on top of each one.
"Huh"
My theory...had been right?
Gazing at my foot
"h-ha"
A sigh of relief flowed naturally through my lips
'Thank god it was a hallucination'
It was just an unsavory illusion caused by panic
'Right, If something like that really happened then I wouldn't even be able to walk'
There wasn't any pain as well, supporting this claim more, my mind then drifted from the nonsensical illusion I was hit with
'That was... easier than I thought?' While my life had been In danger just moments ago, this feeling...
"I'm a bit disappointed?" My life had been In danger and I survived just like that? so suddenly?
"unless..."
"!"
'Damn it! why didn't I think of something so obvious before!'
the reason they didn't attack me before as I was running up the stairs to reach classroom 23....
'I still have to leave the school!'
This was a checkpoint, only meant to serve as a breather and give me enough time to be able to come up with a plan on what I have to do next In order to ensure my survival nothing more, nothing less.
'At least I was able to confirm that they were indeed following a schedule'
That thought brought a tinge of solace to my mind but I quickly dismissed the happiness of being right and focused on the present
'Can I safely assume that when I get out of the Classroom after getting my books, they are all going to target me the moment I appear?'
It made sense when I thought about it carefully, If they were forced to follow a schedule, then what happens when the schedule ends? their movements wouldn't be restricted and they could do anything within that moment of freedom that would be granted upon them
And them letting me go to Classroom 23 after that 'thing' did something to them and forced them to keep their attention on it leaving with nobody watching and paying attention to me
'Was it to trap me?'
Though I didn't know how it works but
"The darkness that engulfs me when I get transported to Gardenia would also engulf my vision and leave me unable to see anything, leaving me defenseless for a short period of time...."
'no maybe I'm overthinking things'
It was a leap in logic, even for me, of course it could be true and they really were planning something like that, however
Even if they were smart enough to do something like that, It wouldn't matter at all, knowing they might have set a trap doesn't do anything, I am just more prepared and more alert
Which should be a given if I am dealing with some supernatural phenomenon
'the only thing I need to know is that those things might potentially gang up on me and start beating the daylights out of me'
Whether or not they are capable of making intelligent and strategic plans should be none of my concern
"Cale Dice! Get in line!"
"...."
Quietly, I got in line and started shoving the books inside of my backpack while also readying myself for a fight or flight response the instant I get sent to Gardenia
'can I beat those monsters though?' I wasn't particularly confident in fighting a horde of monsters, but one monster? How hard could a monster masquerading and pretending to be a student be?
'no wait hold on that shouldn't be my goal here, should it? My goal is Survival, nothing else, so I should stick to that goal like glue'
Fighting doesn't always guarantee survival after all
'I just need to run and get out the school before anything ridiculous happens again'
The books were shoved in my backpack, faster and faster, I only focused on putting the books in my backpack as fast as possible, impatience gnawing at me
"Ah"
I reached the Final book before long
It was a book about Essays and writing
"Ah yeah that's a new subject this year" I muttered under my breath no one hearing my leaking thoughts
The book was about Essays and overall how to write a better passage or anything Involving Writing.
In primary and middle school there were many subjects that included or required knowledge on how to write good Essays In order to get higher grades. High School however had a subject completely and utterly focused on Essays
'I remember how my Sister told me to at least focus and pay attention to the Essay classes, saying that it would be important'
"Important my ass"
In my opinion I believed that my current ordeal was more important than this school subject, I took the book and shoved it in my backpack along with my other 18 books that were forcibly shoved in there.
"It seems like you're done?"
The person who appeared to be a teacher at this school asked me.
"Yes I am done, So now what should I do?"
Please, please don't tell me there is more
My heart was already struggling and coping with this situation
'You aren't going to say I need to do more, right?'
"Well, there's nothing else for you to do but go back home and wait till tomorrow"
Triumphantly, I wanted to raise a fist chuck full of sheer relief but held myself back in the end and asked another question
"I heard that everyone's classes for tomorrow will be four hours, Is that correct teacher?"
Gabriel had told me this fact last night, but it was always better to ask a teacher for confirmation, right?
"Ah that, well yeah it's true but it's only for tomorrow"
Why couldn't it be for at least an entire week?
"I see..."
Responding half-heartedly, my gaze involuntarily lingered onto the piles of paper the teacher had to sort through
I didn't know what the contents of the paper were but-
"Have a nice day teacher" I said this with the intention of being nice to him
"Ah, You too" The teacher said before putting his attention at the piles of documents
Tok
Tok
I drew closer to the door, I didn't take a deep breath like before and instead prepared myself to start running the moment I get transported
Stepping outside
A eerie gentle darkness engulfed my surroundings and vision, swirling around my very being