Two days later
"Okay it doesn't seem that I will get transported to Gardenia until [8:15] In the morning"
It was currently [7:51] In the morning right now
'In the end, I never really did find out and understand for sure what the pitch black lines really are'
"My best guess is that they alert me when my life is in danger"
I pondered and thought about it for two days but my efforts in trying to uncover the true nature of those thin pitch black lines weren't successful.
'In order to understand what the abilities in my eyes are, I will definitely have to go to Gardenia'
The thin pitch black lines that were only visible to my eyes were related to death in some shape and form, this I was confident in.
'But if that was the case then I will have no way to experiment on making me unable to find out more about it unless I went to Gardenia'
Of course since I thought that the thin pitch black lines were related to death, I obviously tried to stimulate it and make it react
However I was met with no response, I tried getting as close to the balcony, I tried getting a knife as close to my neck as possible. But I was met with no results even with that[1]
'It probably didn't react or grow thicker because it knew I would never do that no matter what happened'
Making my trip to Gardenia all the more essential for me.
Of course, I didn't know how exactly my ability worked, for all I knew it could be sentient
'And then there is that Top student thing'
In order to ensure and guarantee that I survive, I would have to aim and become the Top student of Gardenia-
"Wait"
I dragged and retracted my thoughts
"The letter never did mention which school I'd have to be the Top student of, did it?"
I gulped, my nape growing itchier
'I'm not going to have to become the Top student of both schools am I?'
As I was having such dreadful and terrifying thoughts, I took my phone out and looked at the time
"It's time"
[8:05]
Raising my body, I got up from the bench that I had found Inside the Cafeteria and started swiftly heading to where my locker was.
***
Crossing my arms, I stared at the lock that hung on my locker
'I was actually quite surprised when I found that my doppelganger actually acted according to what others think I would do and locked my locker with the lock I had bought yesterday'
I didn't feel like I should have been surprised by this, but I couldn't help but marvel at supernatural that was in front of me
"Well right now I think I have... biology classes?"
Opening the slightly dented locker, I took the book which had been put in there from yesterday and also took a pen that was in my pocket, I then put my Backpack in the locker and closed it.
Clack
The lock closed with a satisfying sound
'Even if the doppelganger does exactly what others think I'd do, it's still somewhat unsettling to entrust my stuff to a mere doppelganger'
The doppelganger would imitate my movements precisely, but it was never said that it wouldn't have any thoughts of its own
"Well that's just overthinking it"
After locking my locker, I glided through the hallways and reached classroom 14 for my biology class.
'What would happen if I just sat In the classroom before the time reached [8:15]'
I had been curious about this for two days, it didn't feel like a bad idea at the time, so I decided to try it
"Let's see what happens"
I went up to the classroom door and tried to push it open .
"..."
The sound of the doorknob not budging an inch was vividly replayed in my mind for several instances
Ah yeah why would the damn door be open if the teacher probably isn't here or just got here...
"I didn't think it through that much did I?"
Trrrr~
Trrrr~
The school bells rang, signifying that the time was now [8:15]
"Haaaaah"
I sighed in frustration, my vision started to fade away
My surroundings were then met with a familiar gentle darkness and got engulfed in it along with my vision.
***
When color returned to my surroundings and I could see again, I found myself sitting on an uncomfortable plastic chair In the front yard of the school with a podium In front of me
"?!"
I got startled by the unfamiliar sight that my eyes laid upon and jumped from my seat, or at least tried to.
'I...can't move an inch!'
I couldn't move a single muscle In my body no matter how hard I tried to
'Is this how it would feel like If I put glue on the chair and sat on it?'
I quickly dismissed those thoughts as I realized that the chair would also have to be glued or bolted through the ground.
I looked around me since that was the only thing I could do in this situation
"...."
The moon or the 'fake' moon which is what Carlos referred to it as, that very same moon hung in the sky, it's blue glow scattering everywhere mixing with the bright sun's brilliant indistinguishable light
'They are also here'
Strange creatures filled the once empty plastic chairs as if it were natural and normal.
'You know what, calling them monsters doesn't really sit well with me'
I felt that calling them that every time would be too corny and embarrassing.
'I'll call them Sludge from now on'
It wasn't any better but I believed that It was better than just calling them monsters even if they were one.
'Plus, I won't be so scared when facing them'
Alleviating my fear even slightly is incredible enough
As I kept looking around and seeing all the Sludges that my eyes could see, I noticed a strange Sludge In the distance.
'Isn't that sludge more.... human?'
The Strange Sludge that caught my attention looked more humanoid than the rest, It didn't have a bloated head and while I couldn't see it's face since I was in the back, I assumed that It closely resembled a human's face.
I noticed a few others that were the same as the strange Sludge, though I couldn't exactly tell how they looked since they were considerably far away from my line of vision
'Are they maybe more powerful?'
It was a reasonable assumption and from a glance they did seem more powerful than the other Sludges
Haa haa
One other noticeable fact was that the Sludges seemed more...alive than before, I could feel their ragged breathing as opposed to last time where none of them seemed to be even breathing and felt like corpses
I didn't dwell on it any longer and turned my attention to the black lines that only I could see.
'Nothing...'
No reaction whatsoever, they didn't grow any thicker like last time and I didn't feel any pulse from them.
'Does this mean that I'm safe?'
I didn't know how it exactly worked, but if there was no reaction from the pitch black lines then I assumed that there was no Immediate danger.
step
A soft step come from the podium, my eyes laid upon the podium to see who it was. Every single other sludge seemed to think the same thing as they all started to stare at the podium.
step
Another soft step that seemed to reverberate throughout the whole space even though It was quiet was heard.
And I took a glimpse at it.
'Is that... a goat?'
A goat with black fur and four protruding horns coming from it's head and golden eyes that resembled gold itself, with a humanoid like appearance was wearing a neat three-piece suit.
Behind the goat stood multiple figures with Carlos Ashen being one of them
The goat took a step forward and reached out to what looked like a lectern with a microphone on it and spoke.
[Welcome esteemed students of Gardenia, we have been waiting for you]
The goat said with a slight smirk protruding on its face
[1] please do not be stupid and do this for some dumb reason even as a joke