Chapter 1: The Unexpected
Vi had always been the type to blend in. If there was one thing he knew how to do, it was to stay unnoticed. He wasn't the sort of person to stand out in a crowd or make waves. In fact, he preferred it that way. At fifteen, he already understood the weight of being average. His friends—James, Oliver, and a handful of others—would often joke about it, but Vi never took offense. They didn't know the whole story, and Vi wasn't about to let them in on it. The less they knew, the better.
Vi's life had always felt like a cycle. He woke up, went to school, came home, studied, ate, slept, and started again the next day. Nothing was new, nothing changed, and that was exactly how he liked it. His world was small, a simple routine he could predict with precision. And for a kid who didn't care much about anything, predictability was a kind of peace. His hair—dark brown and untidy—was just the right length to fall in front of his face, hiding his eyes whenever he felt like disappearing. His blue uniform, though unremarkable, was just another layer of anonymity. Nothing about him was meant to draw attention.
But it wasn't as easy as it sounded. There were days when Vi felt like he was suffocating in his own skin. Like the world was too loud, too demanding, and he was too small to fit inside it. The weight of his past—his parents' disappearance when he was barely old enough to remember—hung over him like a cloud, dark and unyielding. They'd simply vanished, leaving no trace behind, no goodbye. His grandparents, though kind, had never explained why. He had tried to ask, of course, but the answers were always vague, always hollow.
"Don't worry about it, love," his grandmother would say, patting his head like he was still a child. "They're gone. Let's focus on you, now."
But Vi couldn't let it go. Not entirely. Every so often, when the house was quiet and the world outside seemed far away, he would sit in his room, the dim light of the streetlamp filtering through the curtains, and wonder: What had really happened to them?
Despite these thoughts, Vi had learned to let go. It wasn't that he didn't care—it was that caring had become too painful. It was easier to close that chapter, to let it slip away into the distant corners of his mind where it couldn't hurt him anymore. The truth, after all, didn't change anything. They were gone, and nothing he could do would bring them back.
He shifted his focus to the present, to the people around him. James, the loud one, always cracking jokes and talking about the latest game or football match. He had a talent for making people laugh, and even Vi couldn't resist the occasional chuckle. Then there was Oliver, his quieter friend, with his sharp wit and dry humour. Oliver had a way of seeing through people, understanding things that others couldn't quite grasp. He wasn't the type to lead the conversation, but when he spoke, it was always with purpose.
And then there was Sophie. Sophie was different from everyone else. She had this quiet grace about her, like she existed in a world apart from everyone else. She wasn't the loudest or the most outspoken, but there was something undeniably captivating about her. She had a way of moving through life without drawing attention, yet everyone noticed her all the same. Vi tried to ignore it, to tell himself that she was just another girl, but the truth was he thought about her more than he'd like to admit.
He never talked to her, never tried to make his presence known. He wasn't the type to engage with someone like Sophie. But he watched her from the corner of his eye. When she passed him in the hallways, his heart would do a strange little flip, and for just a moment, he'd forget about the world. He'd forget about his own insignificance, his lack of purpose. Sophie was the one thing that made him feel something, and that terrified him.
But he never let it show. Not to her. Not to anyone.
It was just another ordinary school day when everything changed. Vi had barely woken up when he found himself walking to school, lost in his usual daydreams. He passed by the usual landmarks—the corner shop, the park where kids played football, and the quiet alleyways where he sometimes took shortcuts. It was the same as any other day, the air crisp and fresh as he walked alone.
"Oi, Vi!" James called, waving from a few yards ahead. "You planning to stand there all day?"
Vi blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. He looked at James and Oliver, standing a few steps ahead, waiting for him. He didn't have the energy to pretend he was interested in their banter, but he joined them anyway, mostly out of habit.
"Where's your head at today?" Oliver asked with a knowing smirk.
"Nowhere special," Vi replied with a shrug. "Just the usual."
As they walked into school, Vi couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The usual buzz of voices, the clatter of lockers, the distant hum of the school bell—all of it felt too... ordinary. He tried to push the thought aside, but his instincts were always sharper than he liked to admit. Something wasn't right.
It wasn't until the first bell rang, signaling the start of the day, that the first sign of trouble showed itself. The floor beneath their feet rumbled, just a faint vibration at first, like the building was shaking. At first, no one said anything. It was too subtle to be certain. But then the shaking grew worse.
The ceiling light flickered, casting odd shadows on the walls. The tremors turned into jolts, strong enough to make the desks shift, the walls groan.
"What's going on?" James muttered, grabbing the edge of his desk. "This isn't normal."
The students in the classroom looked around, confused. It wasn't a drill, not a fire alarm or an earthquake drill. The teachers didn't know what to do either. For a brief moment, everyone was still, waiting for someone to make a decision, to tell them what to do.
But before anyone could move, the building lurched violently upward. The world tilted, and the floor seemed to pull away from Vi's feet. His heart raced as he grabbed the desk to steady himself. Outside the window, he saw the ground beginning to recede. The buildings and trees below shrank, growing smaller and smaller.
"It's... it's flying!" Oliver shouted.
The entire school was being lifted into the air, hovering above the clouds, and Vi felt a chill crawl up his spine. The teachers were scrambling, trying to maintain control, but there was nothing they could do. It was as if the ground had been ripped out from under them, and they were helpless to stop it.
In the blink of an eye, everything they knew—the school, the town, the world they'd always taken for granted—vanished. The school wasn't just flying. It was gone.
Vi's last thought before everything went dark was simple: What the hell is happening?
Vi had never felt so utterly disoriented in his life. The sudden shift from the familiar surroundings of his school to this strange, unfamiliar world had his mind reeling. The school building. hovering mid-air, slowly descended and landed with an unsettling thud, the ground beneath them vibrating as if it too were unsure of its place in this new reality. The students and teachers remained frozen in shock, staring out of the windows, unable to process what had just happened. There was no explanation, no warning. Just sudden chaos.
The first few minutes were filled with a kind of stunned silence. Some students. stood near the windows, peering outside into the dense jungle that stretched endlessly in all directions. Others huddled together, whispering theories and questions about how the school had ended up here. Even the teachers, usually calm and authoritative, were clearly rattled. They shuffled about, trying to regain some sense of order, their voices tight with panic The principal, a tall, stern-looking man named Mr. Dunlop, tried his best to maintain control. He moved quickly through the hallways, ensuring that no one panicked too much, but even he looked uneasy.
His usually composed face was furrowed with confusion, his mouth set in a hard line. He quickly.
gathered all the teachers in the staff room for a meeting, hoping that, perhaps, together they could make sense of the situation. Vi and his friends, along with hundreds of other students, were left to wonder what had just happened and what might come next.
"I don't get it," James said, breaking the silence. His voice was low, but his words carried. "We were in class one minute, and now we're... here. How?"
"I don't know," Vi muttered, rubbing his temples. The strange sensation of weightlessness was still lingering in his body, like the world had shifted beneath his feet and his balance hadn't caught up yet. "This is... this isn't normal."
"Do you think we're dreaming?" Oliver asked, looking out the window with a skeptical expression. He had always been the more rational one in their group, but even he was starting to look unnerved "Not dreaming," Vi replied quickly. "It feels too real for that. Plus, I don't think we could all have the same dream" Vi's words hung in the air for a moment, and the unease spread like a ripple across the group. They weren't alone in their confusion. The other students around them were murmuring amongst themselves, their voices a chorus of fear and disbelief. Some were trying to joke it off, attempting to make light of the bizarre situation, but the tension in their voices was palpable. Others, however, were openly crying or panicking, clinging to the walls for support.
"We're in some kind of... alternate world, right?" Sophie, who had quietly joined the group, asked in a soft voice. Her normally calm demeanor had taken on an edge of apprehension. She wasn't one to show fear easily, but even she seemed unsettled by the sheer impossibility of their situation. Oliver nodded, his brow furrowed.
"That's what it looks like. We're not in our world anymore. This isn't a dream, and it doesn't look like we're hallucinating, either."
The ground beneath their feet rumbled again, a low, ominous sound that made the walls groan. Vi felt his stomach lurch as if the earth itself was shifting But nothing about this place felt familiar.
The sky was the same shade of blue as before, the sun was still high above, but the jungle that stretched out before them was unlike anything they had ever seen. The trees towered above them, their branches thick and tangled, casting long shadows on the ground. The plants were dense and vibrant in color, but there was an unnatural, otherworldly quality to them."Does this feel real to you guys?" James asked, his voice a little shaky. He wasn't one for deep thoughts, but he couldn't help feeling that the situation was beyond anything they could possibly understand.
"It feels... too real," VI agreed. He stared out the window, trying to make sense of what was happening. They had been ripped from their lives, transported to a different world, and now they were left to figure out what to do next. There was no escape, no clear way out.
"Guys!" shouted one of the students from across the room, pointing out the window. "There's movement out there!" Vi, Sophie, James, and Oliver rushed to the window, looking out into the jungle. They saw shadows moving between the thick trees, but nothing clear enough to identify, It was almost like something was watching them. Something big.
"Is it... people?" James asked, his voice
tight with fear. "Could be animals," Oliver offered, though his words were far from convincing. They were far from any kind of normal animal in their world. Before they could discuss it further, the principal's voice came over the loudspeaker, cutting through the rising tension.
"Attention, students. We understand that you are all scared, and we share in your confusion. Please remain calm while we assess the situation. All teachers are currently in a meeting to discuss what has happened. We will update you shortly. For now, please stay inside the building." The announcement did little to calm Anyone. If anything, it made the students more nervous. The waiting was unbearable. Vi found himself tapping his fingers on the desk, trying to distract himself. Sophie's eyes kept darting around, her body tense, while James and Oliver whispered to each other in low voices.
It wasn't long before the teachers returned to the classroom, their expressions serious. They were clearly no closer to an explanation, but they had a plan, or at least something thatresembled one.
"Alright," Mr. Dunlop said, addressing the room, "We can't communicate with anyone outside this building. The radiosaren't working, the phones are dead,and there is no sign of any kind of signal. So we're sending one teacher outside to investigate. We need to
Know what's going on out there, and if
this world is safe for us to explore."
The students fell silent. It was obvious that everyone was terrified. Who would want to be the first to venture outside into an unknown, hostile world? The teachers looked around, their faces filled with uncertainty. "Mr. Thompson," Mr. Dunlop said after a long pause. "You're the most experienced in wilderness survival. We'll need you to step outside and survey the area."
The teacher, Mr. Thompson, was a burly man with a gruff exterior, his muscles built from years of hiking and outdoor sports. He nodded reluctantly and gathered his things, stepping toward the door.
The waiting felt like hours. Vi found himself holding his breath, every moment seeming to drag on forever But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Mr. Thompson reappeared. His face was pale, his eyes wide with disbelief "It's... it's normal," he said in a low voice, his words trembling. "I've checked everything.
The air is breathable, the terrain is safe. It's just...a jungle. A huge, dangerous jungle." For a moment, there was a collective sigh of relief. Maybe they weren't trapped in some nightmare after all. Maybe they were just... somewhere else. But that relief was short-lived.
Suddenly, the ground trembled again, and a loud screech echoed from outside. Before anyone could react, the doors burst open, and the air was filled with screams. A massive creature-something. between a spider and an octopus- crawled into view. It had enormous legs. covered in bristling hairs, and its body was a grotesque combination of sleek tentacles and twisted arachnid features. It screeched again, a sound so horrible that it sent chills through Vi's spine.
In an instant, the creature lunged, wrapping its tentacles around Mr. Thompson. It tore through his body, pulling him apart as if he were a ragdoll, his organs splattering across the ground. The scene was horrifying, grotesque, and utterly surreal.
"Get inside!" Mr. Dunlop shouted, his voice frantic. "Now!" But it was too late. The students screamed and scrambled to find shelter, the reality of their situation sinking in. The jungle was not a safe place. They weren't alone.
Screams filled the air like a chorus of pure panic, deafening and relentless. Students scattered in every direction,
shoving past one another in a frantic attempt to escape the monstrous creatures that had descended upon them. Teachers shouted orders that no one could hear over the cacophony of terror.
'Run! Get to safety!" Mr. Dunlop bellowed, his voice hoarse, but even he was frozen in the doorway for a split second, staring at the grotesque hybrid monstrosities.
The spider-octopus hybrids moved with terrifying precision. The largest of the three creatures, easily towering over the school building, lashed out with a tentacle covered in slimy, spiked suckers, crushing a group of students instantly, Blood sprayed across the courtyard, a horrifying splash of red against the dense green jungle backdrop
Vi's heart hammered in his chest as he ran, his breath ragged, the air burning in his lungs. He dodged and weaved through the chaos, the screams of his classmates blurring into an overwhelming wall of sound.
"Vil Over here!" Oliver's voice cut through the noise, sharp and desperate.
Vi whipped his head around and saw Oliver sprinting toward him, his usually calm demeanor cracking under the weight of the nightmare unfolding around them.
"We need to stick together!" Oliver gasped, clutching Vi's arm as he caught up. "It's the only way we'll survive!"
Vi nodded, barely able to form words. His gaze darted wildly, searching for any sign of James-or Sophie. The fleeting memory of Sophie's terrified face burned in his mind, but survival
instincts shoved it aside 'Where's James? Vi shouted over the chaos.
"I don't know!" Oliver yelled back, his voice strained with frustration, "We can't go looking for himl There's no time Before Oliver could finish, one of the smaller hybrids lunged toward them, its eight jagged legs skittering across the ground with horrifying speed. Vi barely had time to react before Oliver grabbed his wrist and yanked him to the side, both of them tumbling into the dirt as the creature's tentacles lashed through the air where they had just stood
"Move!" Oliver hissed, his voice sharp with urgency. The two scrambled to their feet and bolted, the creature's screech following them.
Vi glanced back as they ran, his stomach turning at the sight of students being torn apart. One of the hybrids had pinned a group of girls near the building entrance. It was devouring them, its tentacles lifting bodies and tearing them apart with sickening ease. Blood soaked the ground in a grotesque puddle, and Vi's legs threatened to give out beneath him.
"Keep going!" Oliver shouted, pulling Vi back to reality.
As they sprinted, Vi caught sight of Sophie in the distance, her blonde hair whipping behind her as she ran. Her face was a mask of pure terror, her screams blending into the chaos around her. For a brief, gut-wrenching moment, Vi considered running toward her, but his survival instincts took over. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus on his own survival. He couldn't help her-not now.
The ground trembled beneath their feet, and Vi glanced up to see the second hybrid clinging to the school building. Its massive body dwarfed the structure,
its legs puncturing the walls as if they were made of paper. The creature let out an ear-piercing screech before driving its tentacles through the roof, ripping it apart in a shower of debris.
"We can't go back inside!" Oliver said, his voice steady despite the madness. "It's not safe! We have to find somewhere else to hide!"
Vi nodded, his throat too dry to respond. His mind felt like it was shutting down, the sheer scale of the carnage overwhelming him. Everywhere he looked, people were dying-
screaming, pleading, being torn apart. The air was thick with the metallic stench of blood and the echoing cries of the doomed.
They stumbled upon a massive tree with a hollowed-out base, its gnarled roots twisting like the hands of some ancient beast. Oliver shoved Vi toward the opening, practically throwing him inside before squeezing in after him.
The hollow was small, barely enough space for the two of them. The air was damp and smelled of earth, but it was a refuge a thin barrier between them and the monsters outside.
Vi's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. His hands trembled uncontrollably, his entire body vibrating with adrenaline and fear. Oliver, on the other hand, was eerily calm. He leaned against the dirt wall, his face pale but
determined, his eyes darting toward the opening as if expecting one of the creatures to appear at any moment.
"They're... eating everyone," Vi whispered, his voice cracking. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking. "I-I saw them.... tearing them apart... Sophie... James.... everyone..."
"Shh," Oliver said sharply, placing a hand on Vi's arm. "Keep your voice down. They'll hear us."
Vi bit his lip, trying to stifle the sobs that threatened to escape. Tears streamed down his face, and his chest felt like it was going to explode. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to regain control.
"This isn't real," he whispered, his voice trembling. "This can't be real..."
"It's real," Oliver said quietly, his tone grim. "And if we want to survive, we can't fall apart. You hear me? We can't fall apart."
Vi nodded, though his mind felt like it was splintering. He couldn't process the horror he had just witnessed-the blood, the screams, the sheer carnage. But Oliver's calm presence was like an anchor, pulling him back from the brink of complete despair.
For what felt like hours, they sat in the hollow, listening to the distant screeches of the hybrids and the dying cries of their classmates. The jungle outside was alive with chaos, but the small space they occupied felt like a fragile bubble, separate from the madness.
Vi's tears eventually subsided, replaced by a cold, hollow numbness. He leaned his head against the dirt wall, staring blankly at the ground. His mind replayed the last few minutes over and over-the sight of Sophie running, the sound of James's voice, the image of the hybrids devouring their victims.
Oliver, still watching the entrance, finally spoke. "We'll figure something out. But right now, we stay quiet. Stay hidden"
Vi didn't respond. He couldn't. The weight of everything was pressing down on him, suffocating him. He closed his eyes, hoping-praying-that when he opened them, this nightmare. would be over.
But deep down, he knew the truth. This wasn't a dream. This was their new reality. And there was no waking up.
The silence in the hollow tree was deafening, broken only by the occasional distant scream or the wet, sickening sound of the creatures feasting. Vi stared blankly at the ground, his mind numb. Every so often, his body trembled involuntarily as if trying to reject the memory of what he had seen. He wiped his face with his sleeve, but the tears and sweat seemed endless.
"Vi," Oliver whispered, his voice low but firm. "You need to calm down. Look at me."
Vi turned his head slowly, his wide, tear-filled eyes meeting Oliver's determined gaze. Oliver placed a hand on Vi's shoulder, gripping it tightly.
"Listen to me," Oliver said, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. "I'm not going to let them eat you, okay? But you have to save yourself too. I can't do this on my own. You need to pull it together, at least enough so we can stay alive."
Vi nodded shakily, his lips pressed tightly together. "I—I'm trying, man. It's just… I can't stop thinking about—about them. Sophie, James, everyone... They're all gone."
Oliver sighed, glancing out of the hollow toward the carnage in the distance. His watch glinted faintly as he adjusted his sleeve. "It's just past ten," he muttered. "Feels like we've been here forever."
"Why are you so… brave? So calm?" Vi asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "How are you even holding it together in a situation like this?"
Oliver let out a soft, bitter chuckle. "Brave? Calm? Mate, I'm panicking as much as you are. I'm just not letting it show. The way I see it, we've got two choices: either sit here and let fear paralyze us, or try to stay alive. And right now, I'm picking the second one. Barely."
Vi tilted his head, studying Oliver's face. "But why? Why are you saving me? Why not just run off on your own?"
Oliver paused, his expression tightening as if he were choosing his words carefully. "See, aren't you my friend? Or anything close to that? Otherwise, I'd have left by now. Look… my first priority is me. Always will be. But you were nearby, and I thought, if we stick together, maybe we have a shot. I didn't really think it through."
Vi stared at him, his lips quirking in the faintest hint of a smile despite the situation. "Huh. Thanks, I guess."
"Don't mention it." Oliver's tone was curt, but there was a flicker of warmth in his eyes.
---
Hours passed. The forest around them seemed to settle, the creatures' screeches becoming less frequent, though the occasional crunch or slurp reminded them of what was still out there. Vi's stomach twisted in knots as he tried to ignore the hunger gnawing at him.
Oliver leaned slightly out of the hollow, scanning their surroundings. His eyes locked onto a nearby tree. He froze, squinting to make sure he wasn't imagining it.
"Vi," he whispered urgently, nudging him. "Look. Over there."
Vi followed Oliver's gaze and spotted a small group huddled in a similar hole in a different tree, some distance away. His breath hitched when he recognized one of them—Sophie. She was crouched low, her face pale and streaked with tears, but she was alive. Sophie smiled, her eyes filled with tears, yet there was a flicker of hope in her smile. A few other students were with her, ones Vi didn't recognize. They were hiding in the hole of a different tree, high above the ground, some distance away from where Vi and Oliver were.
"They're alive," Oliver murmured, making a small hand signal to the group to stay quiet. One of the boys in the group noticed and nudged the others, who all looked over, their expressions a mix of hope and fear.
"What do we do?" Vi whispered, his heart racing.
"Nothing," Oliver replied firmly, pulling Vi back into the hollow. "We do nothing."
"What?!" Vi hissed, his voice barely contained. "They're alive! We have to do something!"
"And what do you suggest, genius?" Oliver snapped, though he kept his voice low. "Fight those things? There are three of them. Three! They'd tear us apart before we even got close. And those creatures… I don't know what they are, but they're not just mindless beasts. It feels like they're a family or something. The big ones are the parents, and the smaller one... it's their kid."
Vi blinked, his brow furrowing. "Now that you mention it, that kind of makes sense. The smaller one kept staying close to the bigger ones earlier."
"Exactly," Oliver said. "So if we make a move, they'll come after us. They're not just hunting—they're protecting. We stay here, and we stay quiet."
Vi slumped against the hollow's wall, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "And what about James? Do you think he's alive?"
Oliver exhaled heavily, leaning his head back. "Who knows? Maybe he's dead. Maybe he's not. James is stubborn, though, so until we see a body, you can't rule him out."
"Can't you say something nice for once?" Vi muttered, glaring at Oliver.
Oliver smirked faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Nice doesn't keep you alive, mate."
The two fell into silence, their whispered conversation blending with the muted sounds of the forest. Outside, the hybrid creatures roamed, their grotesque forms moving with an eerie grace. One of the larger creatures perched itself on the ruins of the school building, its many eyes scanning the area. The smaller one skittered nearby, occasionally letting out a high-pitched screech as if calling out.
Vi hugged his knees to his chest, trying to push down the rising tide of fear and exhaustion. Oliver, ever vigilant, kept his eyes on the hollow's entrance, his jaw clenched.
---
A few more hours passed, though it felt like an eternity. The air inside the hollow grew stifling, and the tension between the two boys was palpable. Every sound from the creatures outside sent a jolt of fear through Vi's chest.
Finally, Oliver broke the silence. "We'll wait until they're gone," he said quietly. "If they ever leave, we'll figure out our next move."
"And if they don't?" Vi asked, his voice trembling.
Oliver didn't answer. The silence that followed was more chilling than any response he could have given.
Olivier says, "What'd you think happening there?"
Vi shrugs, his voice low and cautious. "Where...you mean where we come from? I don't know. Maybe the whole world is doing something, maybe searching or anything. Like... trying to figure out where we are."
Olivier leans back slightly, his expression contemplative. "You see, I have theories. If anyone saw us during teleporting time, they'll know we got teleported or something. But if they don't know, they'll think the whole school disappeared—with students and all. They'd start searching for us, you know? Later, they probably can't do anything. And we don't even know if our time here is the same as back home."
Vi nods slowly, processing the idea. "Hmm... that's a fair point. At first, I thought we might've ended up in some kind of Amazon forest or something. But now..." He trails off, shaking his head.
Olivier continues, "But now, I don't know either."
Their conversation is interrupted when they notice a smaller spider-octopus hybrid attacking a group of students, including Sophie, who are perched in a tree. The creature's writhing tentacles slither up the branches, trying to grab the terrified humans clinging desperately to the higher limbs.
Olivier's eyes widen, and he mutters under his breath, "What the... this motherfuc—"
Vi cuts in, his voice trembling. "Should we distract him with something?"
Olivier snaps his head toward Vi, his tone sharp and panicked. "Yeah, if you want to die! If he comes to us, we can't defend ourselves. He's gonna kill us. Think about us, not them. Let them die!"
Vi turned his head away, his heart sinking as Sophie's scream echoed in his mind. He clenched his fists, the weight of helplessness pressing down on him like a heavy fog. He hated this. Hated feeling useless. The forest seemed to close in around him, a suffocating wall of twisted roots and shadows. Then, without warning- BOOM!