A young teenage boy with black hair was walking down the school's hallway. By his side were three young kids — two boys and a girl. They were walking closely to him, all three of them taking each step carefully. They were new to this school, so they were afraid.
The girl, by the name of Amanda, was walking on the right side of the boy who went by the name of Kyle Matter. She was so jumpy that whenever she saw students walking in her direction, she'd get shy and hide behind Kyle.
For Kyle, it wasn't like Amanda and the two boys. He wasn't new to the school — this was his second year, which made him a sophomore student.
"You know, no one will hurt you here, Amanda. This is a safe place," Kyle reassured her.
Amanda felt relieved after hearing those words coming from Kyle, who she really looked up to and took as a big brother. But Amanda wasn't the only one feeling a little jumpy and scared — so were the boys, and they were twins, Michael and Mitchell. They were a little younger compared to both Kyle and Amanda.
They were walking on the other side, and just like Amanda, whenever they saw someone coming in their direction, they would hide behind Kyle and hold on close to him.
Kyle was walking in front, which meant that he was the lead, and every student he saw, he smiled at and greeted nicely. Most of the students did the same to him too.
He stopped. "Okay, guys, I know that you are all new students here, but there's nothing to be afraid of. Like I promised your sister Amanda, this is a safe space, and I give you my word — no one will hurt you. I'll protect you just like I always do at home," Kyle said, crouching down to look at them.
Kyle's words did more than assure them — they gave them strength and hope that everything would be okay. These four kids were all from the same orphanage that went by the name St. Pride's Home for the Love and Worthy.
"So you really promise us that no one will try to hurt us?" Mitchell asked.
Compared to the other three, Mitchell was the most obvious in showing that he was still a child.
"Hey, I promise," Kyle said, closing his eyes and giving him a gentle smile.
After seeing him smile, all three kids gave him a warm hug. Then they continued on their way, with Kyle taking each of them to their designated classes.
A static sound came from the speakers, and a man's voice came alive.
"Kyle Matter, would you please report to the principal's office," the principal called.
"Okay, guys, I'm needed somewhere, but if you don't mind, why don't all of you go find your lockers, and I'll be there as soon as I'm done, okay?" Kyle handed all three of them pieces of paper with their locker numbers written on them.
"Hurry back!" Amanda said, raising her pinky.
"I'll be back at the speed of sound — before you can even introduce yourself to your new friends," Kyle said, locking pinkies with Amanda before leaving.
He went through the teacher's lounge and took two doughnuts and a coffee.
"Is this for the big guy?" Kyle asked the receptionist.
"You just saved me. I'm really not looking forward to seeing him, especially this morning. You know I'm a little bit troubled," the receptionist whispered.
"Oh, so you went wild like you planned? Well, in that case, where's my share?" Kyle joked.
"Just go inside!" the receptionist said, chasing him away jokingly before answering the ringing phone.
"Knock, knock, knock — I heard you summoned me," Kyle said as he let himself in.
A beefy man, maybe in his late forties or fifties — it was hard to tell — was sitting behind his desk. From the looks of it, he had just finished eating cookies and his first cup of coffee.
On his desk was a nameplate that read: Principal P. Stevens.
"Oh, Matter! Come in, my boy," Principal Stevens welcomed him warmly.
Kyle first placed the doughnuts and coffee on top of the desk before sitting down.
"Oh, this is yours from the reception. Mandy was busy taking calls, so she was unable to bring it to you, and she asked me to do it," Kyle said, getting settled in.
"Really? You know, I think she went out with that punk, no-good boyfriend of hers again, and she might have committed a sin she doesn't want me to find out about," Principal Stevens leaned in to whisper to Kyle.
Kyle pretended not to know anything and acted clueless. "What? No, she couldn't."
In Principal Stevens's office, there were portraits of different religions — from Christianity to Buddhism — showing that he was a very religious man.
"Anyway, your mother, Sister Prudence, called and informed me that you were bringing three new students," Principal Stevens said, offering one of his doughnuts to Kyle.
"She's not my mother. And yes, I brought three new students to join our school. Their names are Amanda, Michael, and Mitchell. They got transferred from their old school to here because they are prodigies," Kyle said coldly.
"Forgive me… how are things at home?" Principal Stevens asked softly.
"I'm still here and alive, so that's a good thing," Kyle responded.
After that, the room suddenly felt cold and awkward.
"Anyway, if you don't mind, can you tell me more about these new prodigies of ours?" Principal Stevens asked, trying to break the ice.
"Well, what can I say? All I can say about them is—" Kyle was cut off by Mandy.
"Dad— I mean, Principal Stevens— there seems to be a commotion in the cafeteria," Mandy reported.
"Do you know what it's about?" Principal Stevens asked.
"Can't really say, but from my experience, it's safe to say it involves you-know-who from you-know-which investor," Mandy answered.
"Okay, thanks. I'll go check it out." Principal Stevens pressed the end-call button.
"Now, if you don't mind, why don't we finish our conversation another time? I have something to take care of," Principal Stevens said, looking toward Kyle — but he was nowhere to be found. The chair was just spinning around on its own.
Kyle was already rushing to the cafeteria. He didn't care to hear more; all he cared about was making sure his siblings were okay.
He burst in and saw chaos — a crowd of students surrounding whatever was happening.
"You better tell me, kid! What are you doing in my school? And aren't you a little young to be in high school?" a boy shouted from within the circle.
"We were transferred here!" another voice replied, sounding weak.
"No! Leave my brother alone!" a girl's voice cried.
"Shut up!" the boy shouted back — and then slapped the girl.
Kyle's heart sank. Those voices were familiar — painfully familiar. They belonged to Mitchell and Amanda.
He knew something was wrong. They were crying for help.
Kyle rushed in, pushing everyone out of the way to check if they were all right. Upon his arrival, he saw Michael unconscious on the floor, Mitchell bruised and battered, and Amanda crying as she touched her cheek.
He looked up at the person who had done this — a teenage boy, a year older than Kyle.
"What are you looking at, orphan?" the boy said cockily.
Kyle clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as he walked toward the boy — and kicked him in the chest. The impact was so loud it sounded more like a thunderclap than a kick.
Kyle's kick was so powerful it sent the boy flying. Principal Stevens, Mandy, and several teachers arrived just in time to see the aftermath — terrified students, and the bully lying unconscious against the lunch counter.
The next scene shifted. Kyle, Amanda, Michael, and Mitchell were back home — inside what looked more like a haunted house than an orphanage.
Waiting for them was a scary, mean-looking lady. She didn't say much; she just slapped Kyle five times across the face — hard.
"But Sister, it wasn't his fault!" Amanda tried to explain.
"Shut up! All of you, go to your rooms — now!" the Sister shouted.
Amanda, Michael, and Mitchell all jumped and began trembling. They looked at Kyle, who nodded and said, "It's okay. Go. I'll be fine."
They went upstairs.
The Sister grabbed Kyle by the ear and dragged him into the office.
"Strip. Now. And don't make me ask again," the Sister ordered, now holding a whip.
Kyle did exactly that. He stripped and turned to face the other direction — and then the Sister began whipping him mercilessly.
Later, Kyle was sent into a small room that had only a single bed with an old, smelly mattress and a bucket that smelled like something had died inside.
"You will stay here for two days without food or anything until you've thought about your actions," the Sister said coldly before slamming the door and locking it from the outside.
Kyle tried to put his clothes back on, but his back was so bruised that he struggled to wear his T-shirt.
He sat down on the bed, waiting — but eventually, exhaustion took over, and he fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, Kyle woke up because he felt like he was being burned alive.
"Why is it hot in here?" he said, confused.
It wasn't like he could open a window or anything — the room looked more like solitary confinement than a bedroom. The small window high above had iron bars.
All Kyle could do was take off his shirt. His back was bloodied from the whip marks; the pain was gruesome, but he managed to bear it.
As if that wasn't bad enough, his stomach grumbled. He hadn't eaten in more than three days — and with these added days, who knew how long it had really been.
Just as he was feeling the pain in his stomach, something appeared in front of him. First, a burst of fire came alive — and as it toned down, a floating, flaming skull appeared.
"What in the Hail Mary—?" Kyle said, backing up.
"There you are," the flaming skull said in a deep, rumbling voice.
Then it opened its mouth wide — and swallowed Kyle's head whole.