《Athed Academy》 Prologue: No Time Like the Present ... ¡°Thirteen students, eh? That¡¯s quite the number.¡± The man approached the desk, reports gripped in his hand. ¡°Why not even, like twelve perhaps?¡± ¡°It seemed fitting,¡± the dry voice said, a wry line plastered on their lips. Footsteps echoed, drawing upon the secretary, as a hand snatched the papers with a fell swoop. ¡°They¡¯re all from that school in Singapore, as you requested,¡± the man said, stopping to adjust his glasses. ¡°We¡¯re just in the process of gathering them now.¡± The silhouette nodded, skimming through the files. ¡°If I may ask¡­¡± ¡°How many are on the premises?¡± ¡°Twelve so far. One¡­ proved to be difficult. But-¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Student nine. But hear-¡° ¡°Seems like an interesting one then, remind me to keep a track on them¡­¡± the figure put a hand to their chin, muttering. They glanced up when the secretary cleared his throat. ¡°What?¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Are you sure you wanna do this?¡± ¡°Of course. You¡¯re not having second thoughts, are you?¡± The secretary paused, rubbing his thumb against his index. ¡°You¡­ outdid yourself this time, didn''t you? Bought an island and everything.¡± ¡°Of course. Anything for my beloved pupils.¡± The shadow gestured towards the view. A beach lay beyond the window, displayed with coastal cliffs bordering the ends, sun rising above the sea. One could feel the breeze by glancing at the palm trees, swaying side to side in harmonious succession. Water rippled and birds soared, creating a picture perfect scene one would find in an album gallery. ¡°It¡¯s quite the view,¡± the secretary said as he peered back down, stroking his fingers once more. ¡°Glad you agree.¡± A sober glint crossed over their features. The figure turned toward the computer situated on the desk. Sitting down, their hand hovered over the mouse and with a click, revealed a set of security footage. Each clip, fuzzy and dark, seemed similar in appearance, the sole difference being the captives in each shot. ¡°It seems they¡¯re all in place.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The secretary tilted his head and stared up at last. ¡°I was under the impression that number nine had just arrived¡­¡± ¡°Well, it appears you were mistaken,¡± the silhouette said with a shrug. They wandered to a pair of double doors, footsteps ringing on the marble floor. ¡°You coming?¡± Hesitation. The figure narrowed. ¡°Are you sure that we should start? It¡¯s just so soon¡­¡± ¡°Of course.¡± They smiled. ¡°No time like the present, right?¡± ¡­ Chapter 1: Paradise? Chapter 1: Paradise? ¡­ Everything seemed blurry at first, nothing but vague outlines. But as his focus rekindled, the ceiling started to regain its sturdiness, the squiggles becoming the edges of a wall. With a groan, the young boy found the strength to sit up and viewed his surroundings. ¡°Why am I¡­ on the floor?¡± He mumbled, his hand stirring strands of sable. Hooded eyes flickered as he continued to look around, thin brows furrowing. The room was not his nor one he recognized. The slate walls, almost metallic, formed a box-like room, the floor a darkened hardwood. A lone bed rested on the left side and a desk lay parallel to its location. He stood up, his neck stiff. He noted a pair of doors in the distance, entering the closer one. It opened to a modest bathroom with all the bare necessities: Shower, toilet, and sink. A small, gray rug sat under the sink cabinet, a mirror overhead. Inspecting himself, his focus wandered over to a small bruise that pierced his neck. ¡°Weird¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Probably nothing¡­¡± ¡­ The other door led to a hallway resembling one of a hotel. Linen walls bordered the walkway, a square-patterned carpet making up the floor. Including his, there were four rooms, each with their own number. ¡°Room seven.¡± He closed the door to look. ¡°Huh.¡± He wondered if this was some surprise vacation formed by his parents. Then again, it was not like them to bring up stuff out of nowhere. He sighed. Whatever. His head still felt too fuzzy to think hard anyway. Reaching into his pants pocket, he grabbed his phone, planning to send a text. Where are we? Buzz. Message unable to send. Please try again. He pressed the resend button. It buzzed once more. ¡­Message unable to send. Please try again There with his luck. An elevator, however, down the end of the hall gave him a slimmer of hope. Advancing towards it, he pressed the button for it to come. Everything here looks so¡­ new. And my parents are so cheap. Now that he thought about it, his parents never did vacations either. Was this a dream? Ding. The sound brought him back to his senses. To his surprise, another boy already waited inside. About the same age, his hair was a similar shade of black with violet highlights for bangs. Tawny-beige skin, the stranger wore a white t-shirt, and blue-jeaned jacket atop. His eyes and lashes, larger and longer in comparison, looked at him, waiting. With a nod, the boy stepped into the elevator, gaze averting the other. The door shut soon after, another sound signaling their descent from the second floor. The stranger eyed him, hesitant. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Ding. The door opened to a small lobby area. ¡°Never mind,¡± the stranger said, whispering an apology. He began his walk away when Jared called out after him. ¡°No, what were you saying?¡± It must have come harsher than he intended for the recipient flinched in response. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. My name¡¯s Jared. Can you finish what you were saying please?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kai,¡± he said, voice mild though tentative. ¡°Do¡­ Do you know where we are?¡± ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t know where this place is either?¡± Jared asked, crossing his arms. Kai shook his head. ¡°So, you just woke up here?¡± Kai nodded and shuffled his feet. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re both lost then.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you gonna say something, or am I just talking to myself?¡± ¡°Er- sorry¡­ um¡­¡± Kai glanced around, fiddling with the back of his short hair. ¡°This¡­ doesn¡¯t really look like a hotel lobby, does it?¡± Jared paused. ¡°No, now that you say it¡­ it doesn¡¯t¡­¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Jared glossed over the area, placing a delicate hand atop one of the leather couches. There were multiple little sections like this, some areas with bean bags, others with tables and chairs. Bookshelves lined the walls, and Jared mused how this may be more of a library than anything. ¡°Do you¡­¡± The opening of an automatic door interrupted his statement. Kai loitered before it, darting Jared¡¯s gaze. ¡°Sorry. I- um- you looked busy and I wanted to go out.¡± ¡°You could have just told me,¡± Jared frowned, following Kai close behind. ¡­ A stark breeze blew as the two boys looked around, hands shielding from the sunlight. Palm trees towered over ferns and bushes, while trimmed grasses met with white sand not far ahead. Mountains bordered the sky instead of clouds, and a vague outline of a dome building was held by the stony cliffs. ¡°Do you recognize this place?¡± Now it was Kai asking questions. ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t.¡± His parents despised warm climates, much more tropical ones. They would never set foot on a beach for that reason, calling them ¡°a waste of space.¡± Beside him, Kai continued to tap his foot, arms crossed to his waist. He changed his stance, once, then twice, before saying, ¡°Hey, look.¡± He signaled in the distance. Two girls seemed to be fussing over their phones; something about there not being a signal. The taller of the two- hair coffee-brown with two golden pins- hovered over a bench, patting the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I tried contacting Avery, but the message isn¡¯t sending,¡± the shorter of the girls showed her phone, rose lips downturned. She ran a hand through her inky hair, tapping her phone once more in frustration. Slumping down, the girl looked up to her friend, before making eye contact with Jared. She sprung up from her seat. ¡°Hey, person!¡± ¡°Me?¡± Jared gestured to himself. ¡°Yes, yes, you!¡± ¡°Can I help-?¡± ¡°I need your phone!¡± She said, not waiting for him to finish. Jared blinked in surprise, eyes contracting. ¡°I don¡¯t even know you, why¡¯d-?¡± ¡°Please excuse her,¡± the other girl neared, sighing. She jabbed a thin finger at her friend. ¡°She¡¯s socially inept. I¡¯m Sun. She¡¯s Ella.¡± The shorter girl waved in response, though showed slight disapproval of her friend¡¯s statement. ¡°Jared. And this-¡± A sheet of air replaced where Kai stood, as if never there to begin with. Jared turned back around. ¡°I swear there was someone with me.¡± ¡°They seem to be gone now,¡± Ella pointed out. Her round eyes still lay on the phone in Jared¡¯s hand. ¡°You can¡¯t have it. Besides, I don¡¯t have any signal either.¡± The two girls shared a glance. ¡°Strange¡­¡± Sun said, biting her lip. She proceeded to clear her throat, adding, ¡°Well, sorry for bothering you then. Thanks for your help anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± As they walked away, a thought crossed Jared¡¯s mind. ¡°Wait, um¡­¡± ¡°Something wrong?¡± Ella pivoted back. ¡°Do you know where we are?¡± The two girls glanced at each other and frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t know, sorry. You can try asking the people in the courtyard, though. We haven¡¯t asked any of them.¡± ¡°The courtyard?¡± Jared crossed his arms. ¡°Yeah, just follow the path past the shrubbery there and you¡¯ll see it.¡± Sun motioned towards some bushes, a faint trace of a path concealed behind it. ¡°We were about to go there too.¡± ¡°Oh, cool, do you mind if I come with?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡­ It took no time to arrive at the supposed Courtyard. Spacious and grand, it looked similar to a town plaza with its grand water feature, benches, and quaint trees. Cobblestone paths reached out to a modern building, circling the fountain along the way. Many others idled around the different sections of the yard, and excluding Jared and the girls, there stood about nine others. ¡°Why were you over there, anyway?¡± Jared asked, adressing Ella. ¡°You could¡¯ve asked some of these people for their phones.¡± ¡°Well, you see, we were trying to get a signal. We saw some sort-of thing on the roof and thought it might catch one.¡± ¡°No, you thought that.¡± Sun gave a look. ¡°I told you it was probably ventilation or something but you wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°It was worth a shot!¡± As the two exchanged remarks, Jared felt a tap on his shoulder. ¡°Boo!!¡± Jared jumped, letting out a short shriek. The assailant, meanwhile, fell into a fit of laughter, one Jared knew too well. ¡°...Luka?¡± The brown-haired perpetrator flashed another grin, showing off his telltale dimples. His umber eyes gleamed in sadistic enjoyment as he tried to regain composure, while Jared just looked at him, scowling. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°Pity, but I¡¯m here to stay,¡± Luka said, wrapping an arm around Jared¡¯s neck. Sun turned towards them both, her bickering with Ella coming to an end. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you know him, Jared?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my friend,¡± Jared said as he tried to release himself from the grip. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ella¡¯s gaze focused on Luka. ¡°Do you have a phone?¡± ¡°A phone?¡± This moment of distraction provided just the opportunity for Jared to slip out of Luka¡¯s arm. ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°Do you have a phone?¡± Ella repeated, emphasizing the last word and reaching out her hand. ¡°I do, but¡­ why do you-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he''d be more than happy to lend it,¡± Jared said with a tiny smile. He leaned in, reaching into one of Luka¡¯s pockets, and pulled out his phone. ¡°Hey, wait-¡° ¡°Thanks!¡± As Ella hassled with the phone, Jared shared a look towards his friend. ¡°I would feel bad, but¡­¡± Jared shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d just like to apologize for my friend. Again.¡± Sun sighed, tired eyes darting between Jared and Luka. ¡°No need, she¡¯s fine. Luka doesn¡¯t mind in the slightest.¡± Luka tried to keep the look of disdain, but soon a small upturn found its way onto his lips. Then, it broke out into a genuine grin. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you here.¡± ¡°We saw each other two days ago.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s still nice to see a familiar face, don¡¯t you think? Or, do I annoy you too much?¡± Luka prodded a finger. Another laugh. ¡°Both can be true.¡± ¡°Hey-¡° ¡°Ugh.¡± Ella groaned, still extending the phone into the air. ¡°Please don¡¯t break it,¡± Sun said, hands moving as if expecting it to fall. ¡°It won¡¯t send anything.¡± ¡°I could¡¯ve told you that, I tried that earlier,¡± Luka said before pointing behind himself to some people in the distance. ¡°No one here even knows where we are and can¡¯t contact anyone either.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re just stranded here?¡± ¡°Guess so.¡± ¡°At least we¡¯re somewhere pretty,¡± Sun said, gazing at the beach behind them. The waves rippled, dragging parts of the white sand back and forth, as Sun stood unmoving, mesmerized by the view. ¡°I guess¡­¡± As the girls continued to admire the view, Jared started to peer around. He opened his mouth, wanting to talk with Luka, but noticed he too seemed preoccupied with the beach before them. He considered exploring the area when a lock of purple caught his eye. ¡°Hey!¡± ¡­ Chapter 2: Canaries in the Mine Chapter 2: Canaries in the Mine ... Jared jogged towards the shorter boy, calling out again, ¡°Hey, Kai!¡± Kai¡¯s head shot towards the voice. ¡°Oh, hey.¡± ¡°Where¡¯d you go?¡± ¡°I- dropped my phone in my room. I didn¡¯t notice till she asked for yours.¡± Kai motioned towards Ella in the distance. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ it didn¡¯t come to mind,¡± Kai shrugged, glancing down. Jared nodded with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m guessing your phone has no signal too?¡± Kai shook his head to agree. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Jared was about to continue his statement when a voice came from the distance. ¡°Welcome, everyone, to Athed Academy.¡± Megaphone in hand, the speaker had black skin, tall in stature. Seeing he caught all attention, he fixed his glasses before saying, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all. Classes will begin shortly.¡± He nodded, turning around, not uttering a word more. Commotion soon erupted in the plaza with a series of blurbed responses. ¡°Classes?¡± ¡°Wait, ew, we¡¯re at school?¡± ¡°Kidnapped just to be sent to school, monsters they are.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Even Kai said something under his breath. ¡°This sucks.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Jared said, smiling and looking over at the boy. Kai blinked at him in surprise. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to say that aloud¡­¡± Kai rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°You¡¯re just saying what¡¯s on everyone¡¯s mind.¡± Ding. A loudspeaker attached to one of the trees then buzzed in. Please report to room Room 107. ¡°Guess that¡¯s where we need to go¡­¡± ¡­ With one building explored and the other inaccessible, it did not take a genius to realize the location of the Academy. The high, modern structure towered over the plaza with its three floors and elongated balconies. Sheared hedges bordered the bottom walls and budding flowers stayed planted in the space between. Jared could have sworn he saw a wall still dripping in fresh paint, white droplets running down the frame. ¡°This is nice,¡± Kai said as they entered, going toward a lounge area in the distance. His pupils lit up as he gaped up at a light fixture with lightbulbs dangling in different directions. ¡°Yeah¡­ there¡¯s no way my parents could afford to send me here, though¡­¡± Jared¡¯s brows furrowed as Kai let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Yeah, mine too.¡± The sound of footsteps broke off their conversation. ¡°So this is where you went. I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡± Luka smiled before coming to a halt. ¡°Who¡¯s that with you, Jared?¡± Luka waved toward the stranger. Kai hesitated before greeting with a brief open hand. ¡°Oh, uh, hello. I''m Kai.¡± "Luka.¡± The two shook hands, though Kai¡¯s seemed to be strangled by Luka¡¯s grip. ¡°Where did Sun and Ella go?¡± Jared searched behind his friend. ¡°Ella said she wanted to look for some seashells on the beach and Sun went to take a picture of the view.¡± ¡°So they''re finding excuses to skip, basically?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t blame them, us being here is so dumb,¡± Luka rolled his eyes, ¡°Our parents should¡¯ve at least given us a heads up.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± A bell rang through the hallway, and the three boys winced. ¡°Does¡­ that mean we¡¯re late?¡± Kai looked around, seemingly for any signs of reprimanding. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°It was 107, right? I think I see it over there,¡± Luka signaled towards a hallway. As they went closer, a soft chatter filled the air, a velvety voice rising above all. ¡°We¡¯re sorry that it took so long for us to properly greet you,¡± the voice said, just audible from their distance, ¡°We were just making some last-minute preparations, that''s all.¡± As the last words left her mouth, the three made it to the door. Peering inside, the room resembled a typical school room, uniform desks and all. ¡°Ah, look who''s here! Welcome to Class 107!¡± The lady addressed the rest of the class with a beam. ¡°It seems we found some of the stragglers.¡± She turned to the three boys, her cherry hair swinging as she did. ¡°Please. Find a seat.¡± Nodding, the three did as told, approaching the back of the classroom. Not many seemed to notice their entrance, most peering down at their phones or playing with their hands. The teacher, however, appeared not to notice the students¡¯ preoccupation and continued, ¡°It seems there¡¯s only three of you? Do you know where the rest of your classmates could be? We¡¯re missing three.¡± She looked toward Luka. ¡°We dunno,¡± Luka put a hand on his cheek, rubbing his lower neck with his thumb. He signaled toward Jared as if asking for him to corroborate. ¡°Uh, yeah, uh- we saw them earlier, but don¡¯t know where they are¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± the lady frowned, then approached her desk to grab a pointer-stick. ¡°Didn¡¯t have to add the first part you know,¡± Luka whispered as her back was turned. ¡°I tried, okay?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll cut you some slack.¡± The two returned their attention to the instructor. She stood in front of a screen, a projected image displayed across it. ¡°To those who¡¯ve just entered, I¡¯m Ms. Erythra. And, as I¡¯m sure you have guessed, I¡¯ll be your teacher for these five weeks. But be-¡± Audible gasps ensued from the few paying attention, the distracted others shooting their heads up to the outcry. ¡°Five? Five days, you mean, correct?¡± A boy with glasses spoke up, nudging his fluffy-haired friend to wake him. ¡°Mm, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have not misspoken, Felix, I do mean weeks,¡± Miss Erythra said, giving a soft glance. More outbursts continued throughout the room, many appalled but some still perplexed. As the commotion settled, Ms. Erythra carried on her statement, smiling. ¡°As I was saying, I¡¯d just like to discuss some things with you first. For one, our school policy is to raise the best of students, so not all of you will be graduating. You see, after every testing day, we will be dismissing the lowest-scoring student. Think of it as¡­ being let go.¡± She cleared her throat. ¡°Of course, with that being said, we would hate for you to cheat on behalf of us. Our Academy values honesty and diligence, and any attempt to cheat your way through the exams will result in an automatic zero. And¡­ well¡­ I think you can see what that means. Do we understand?¡± Nothing more than a murmured reply came from the group of students. ¡°Excellent. Now, should we begin the lesson?¡± ¡­ What they learned during the period, Jared did not recall. All he remembered were the half-assed attempts at whispering throughout the classroom, and Ms. Erythra¡¯s continued enthusiasm throughout. Jared and Luka caught up during said time, jabbering about whatever came to mind, with Kai joining in every so often. It felt so normal, just like a regular school day. Nothing out of the ordinary. They were dismissed after an hour to attend lunch. During the walk to the cafeteria, Luka tapped Jared on the shoulder. ¡°How¡¯s your neck?¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You kept rubbing it earlier and it¡¯s bruised.¡± ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s fine. Doesn¡¯t hurt nearly as much as before.¡± Despite his statement, Jared still put a hand on the mentioned spot. How did he even get that bruise anyway? He certainly did not injure it yesterday or the day before that. The most dangerous thing he did two days prior was make hot chocolate. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good, I¡¯m glad it feels better.¡± ¡°Yeah, uh, me too¡­¡± Luka narrowed his eyes, his lips moving as if wanting to say something. However, he instead shook his head, clapping his hands together. ¡°You excited to see the food?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± ¡° ¡®C¡¯mon, you gotta admit that you¡¯re at least a bit excited to not eat regular school food.¡± ¡°I sure am,¡± Kai said, returning from his preoccupation with the scenery. ¡°See, he gets it.¡± Jared just rolled his eyes with a smile as they walked into the cafeteria. Strings of light flowed from the ceiling windows above, while a display of delicacies rested on modern counters in front of them. Circular tables filled the cafeteria and many of their classmates already settled themselves at a spot. A pair of familiar faces, however, stood out from the rest. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that-?¡± ¡°Hey, Jared! Luka,¡± Ella waved enthusiastically, ¡°Where¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°We should be asking you that question, you¡¯re the one who skipped class,¡± Jared crossed his arms. ¡°Is this your other friend, the one who suddenly disappeared?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ yeah, um¡­ hi,¡± Kai put a hand in front of his face, in what looked like a feeble attempt at a wave. ¡°Nice to meet you! I love your bangs, where¡¯d you get them dyed?¡± ¡°Uh- thanks, er-¡± As Ella rapid-fired her questions toward Kai, Sun turned to the boys with a glint. ¡°So, how was class?¡± ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± A snicker. ¡°No need to be jealous now, you could have skipped too. It is only the first day, after all.¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s not fair to our parents,¡± Luka said, though still frowned. ¡°We don¡¯t really know if they actually sent us here. I mean, we could have been gagged up and forced here against our will,¡± Sun said, trying to keep her serious tone, but the slight giggle in her voice gave it away. ¡°Nice imagination.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange though?¡± Jared looked at the two. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, the way we were just brought here. You can¡¯t seriously tell me it isn¡¯t a little strange.¡± Luka gazed down to the floor before bearing a grin. ¡°You worry too much.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me.¡± ¡°What reason would someone have to kidnap us? None.¡± Luka said as Jared hesitated. ¡°I think our parents just got tired of us.¡± ¡°How about our phones, Luka? We can¡¯t even contact them.¡± ¡°...that no cheating thing. It probably has to do with something like that.¡± ¡°Sun, can you please knock some sense into this idiot?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Not you too¡­¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what to believe right now. But I do believe with Luka in the statement-¡± ¡°Oh my god-¡± ¡°Hear me out,¡± Sun pointed a finger, ¡°but it does seem illogical that we are allowed to roam around freely. If they had any malicious intent, wouldn¡¯t we be more¡­ confined?¡± ¡°I- I guess...¡± Luka grabbed Jared¡¯s hand, pulling him up to his feet. ¡°...C¡¯mon, you¡¯re ruining my appetite.¡± ¡°As if you wouldn¡¯t eat even if you weren¡¯t hungry.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± ¡­ ¡°Doesn¡¯t this look good, Jared?¡± Luka asked, admiring the plethora of delicacies, his mouth practically drooling from the sight. ¡°Whatever floats your boat.¡± ¡°...You¡¯re so ungrateful.¡± ¡°Am not.¡± ¡°Then appreciate the food!¡± ¡°I do, I''m just not obsessed over it like you.¡± Jared took a spoonful of noodles, before putting it on his plate. ¡°It does look better than our cafeteria food though.¡± ¡°Comparing this to that abomination is the worst insult you could ever think of.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bei-¡± A static echoed from a speaker above, drawing all ears. Rustling followed as the presumed announcer cleared their throat, composing themself. ¡°All students, please meet back up in Room 107. Repeat, all students please come to Room 107.¡± The announcement ended with a final click. ¡°You heard that too, right?¡± Jared turned toward Luka. ¡°Nah. I actually turned deaf right when it started,¡± Luka said with a smile. ¡°Oh, shut up. Who do you think it was?¡± ¡°Ms. Erythra, maybe?¡± Jared shook his head, placing his plate on a nearby counter. ¡°That sounded nothing like her. This one was more¡­ monotone, I guess? ¡°Then I dunno dude,¡± Luka shrugged as he walked away, ¡°don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna know what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so concerned about it, just go to the room. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out who it is then.¡± Luka said, walking away, before a sharp tug pulled him back. ¡­ ¡°You know, when I said ¡®just go and find out¡¯, I meant to do it alone,¡± Luka scowled as they wandered the halls, grabbing some chips out of a bag. ¡°Do you even know where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°No, not really, but you¡¯re not exactly the most help either.¡± ¡°Maybe because I¡¯d much rather be in the cafeteria.¡± ¡°Are you really not curious at all?¡± Jared stopped and released Luka¡¯s hand, pivoting towards him. Luka bit his lip. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Because we¡¯re fine, Jared. We¡¯re fine. Also, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re literally eating right now. Besides, this is important and-¡° ¡°You¡¯re going the wrong way, you know.¡± The two turned around. Behind them stood a student with unruly hair, the same boy Jared remembered seeing sleeping in class. A mole rested near his mouth, as the student bowed his head to acknowledge them. ¡°It¡¯s this way,¡± the boy pointed toward a hallway the two had passed. ¡°You¡¯re going to 107, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, thank you.¡± Jared and Luka spared a glance at each other, before following their new guide. ¡°Thanks again,¡± Jared caught up to the boy with a grin. ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Were you the one making the announcement?¡± ¡°Nah. She only sent me to find the rest of the class.¡± ¡°She?¡± Luka asked and tilted his head. ¡°I believe her name is Dora?¡± The boy said with hesitation, his voice falling into a mutter. ¡°But, she was the one who called us. She said she wanted to talk to us about... something. I wasn''t really paying attention. You can ask my friend, though. He''s a dork, so he was probably listening. Oh, and we¡¯re here, by the way.¡± He gestured to the nearest door, opening it. ¡°Thanks.¡± As they entered, Jared noticed the rearranged desks, now in a circular design instead of the uniform formation of before. The projector and screen were powered off and rolled up, a whiteboard taking their place. A girl stood at the front of the classroom, as a bunch of others sat at the tables, waiting. ¡°You found more people, Allister?¡± One of the students asked, fixing his round glasses to get a better look. The boy, Allister, gave a nod of reply and sat down next to him. ¡°Good. That makes about¡­ seven, I believe,¡± an oval-faced girl said, moving her finger from where she sat to recount. ¡°Eight, if we include me.¡± She had the exact same voice as the announcer. ¡°Anyway, do you think anyone else will show, Dara?¡± The girl¡¯s beady eyes drooped down as she continued, ¡°I really thought our plan would work.¡± The girl at the front shoved a hand into her pocket, the other curving around her braid as if to fix it.¡°If they miss out, it¡¯s their loss, Aria, not ours. Besides, I think we have more than enough people for our discussion.¡° ¡°How about explaining to us what¡¯s going on first? You didn¡¯t say much in your announcement.¡± Luka said, drumming his fingers against the desk. ¡°Ah, yes. We could only specify so much without looking suspicious,¡± Aria sighed. ¡°We¡¯re lucky as is with Ms. Erythra allowing us to use the loudspeaker. But since you asked, we wanted you all here to see if anyone knows a thing about this place. Isn¡¯t that right, Dara?¡± Dara nodded in agreement. ¡°Ah look, Jared, you found your people. Can I go now?¡± ¡°At least hear them out.¡± ¡°Jared-¡° ¡°Please, Luka.¡± ¡°¡­fine. This better be good.¡± ¡°It will, we promise,¡± Dara said as Jared¡¯s face flushed red, realizing they had just made a scene. ¡°Ah, sorry, please continue.¡± ¡°So, as we were saying¡­ does anyone have the slightest clue of where we are?¡± A small stretch of silence filled the room. ¡°Figured¡­ Well, um, let¡¯s just try and go over the information that we know.¡± Dara grabbed a marker situated on the whiteboard shelf, writing something quickly. ¡°Uh, what does that say-?¡± A familiar voice asked, and Jared turned to see Kai sitting across from him. ¡°Oh, hey, Kai! Didn¡¯t see you there.¡± Luka grinned with a wave. Kai gave a tight-lipped smile. Nearby, Aria rolled her eyes, scolding someone. ¡°I told you your handwriting is horrible, Dara. Here, you sit down and I¡¯ll write.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you guys can¡¯t read.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t read ancient hieroglyphics. Now, gimme.¡± With a sigh, Dara gave up the marker. ¡°Thank you. Now, what we know,¡± Aria said, standing up and jotting down thoughts in much more legible letters. ¡°We¡¯ve been sent to a summer school of sorts, in which we are learning¡­ Uh- did anyone happen to pay attention to the lesson?¡± Everyone shook their heads. ¡°Seriously? Not a single one of you decided to pay attention?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so judgemental, you weren¡¯t either,¡± Aria said, clicking her tongue. ¡°Just surprised, that¡¯s all.¡± Dara threw her hands up as Aria returned to the board. ¡°But, also, I¡¯ve been wondering¡­ have any of your parents talked about sending you to summer school?¡± A girl with long, dark hair raised her hand. ¡°My mom did, but I just thought she was joking. Though, she did say that the school I¡¯d be going to would be near the city¡­¡± Aria nodded, and her shoulders seemed to loosen slightly. ¡°That¡¯s reassuring. Did she mention what subjects you¡¯d be taking in this summer school?¡± ¡°No. Just that they would help me earn some school credits.¡± ¡°I see. Well, I guess we¡¯ll just have to pay a bit more attention in class to find out.¡± As Aria and Dara continued to interview the girl, Luka turned toward Jared, crossing his arms. ¡°See, what¡¯d I tell you. It¡¯s just summer school dude. Jared stayed silent, fiddling with his fingers. ¡°C¡¯mon, cheer up. We''re on an island now, a pretty one at that. It¡¯s basically a free vacation,¡± Luka nudged Jared¡¯s shoulder, frowning when his friend¡¯s look did not dissipate. ¡°...Tell you what. I¡¯ll go ask Ms. Erythra for you if there¡¯s an art room.¡± Jared¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You think they have one?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a school, after all. I don¡¯t see why they wouldn¡¯t have it¡­¡± ¡°And you¡¯re sure she meant this summer, Victoria?¡± Their attention went back to Dara, still prying for answers from the girl. ¡°Yeah,¡± Victoria said, her voice airy and almost unfocused, "She said she wasn¡¯t too satisfied with my grades and such.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Aria glimpsed over to Dara and then to the board of notes. "Did she say anything else?" The girl fidgeted with her purple sweater. "Not really." ¡°Okay... well, I guess that all about covers what we wanted to know, right?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Dara said, though bit the inside of her cheek, ¡°Thank you all for coming, even if it was a waste of time for some of you.¡± A mumbled reply soon followed with many shuffling out of their seats. However, before they could even think of leaving, the classroom door flew open, a familiar red-head peeking their head inside. ¡°I see you were able to convince a few students to join your study session, Aria.¡± Ms. Erythra beamed. ¡°How lovely! I¡¯m glad to see so many of you taking my class so seriously. Though, I wonder, was the rearrangement of desks necessary?¡± ¡°Sorry, Miss.¡± Aria said, though her attention remained on erasing the notes on the board. ¡°It¡¯s fine, just as long as you fix it.¡± The sound of the school bell echoed in the hallways. A soft groan came from the students in the classroom, as Ms. Erythra smiled. ¡°It looks like classes are now restarting. Once you get the desks reorganized, I ask that all of you take a seat for the next part of our lesson.¡± ¡­ Chapter 3: No Calm Comes With a Storm ... The next few days remained uneventful. Most of the students spent their time goofing off in class, only to explore and have fun on the island after school. Even as Friday came along, the upcoming exam did not lay too heavy on anyone¡¯s mind, remaining an inconvenient afterthought. ¡°Jared, can you remind me what this unit is about again?¡± Luka let out a little sigh, slumping down on his desk. ¡°Have you even been attending class?¡± ¡°Of course I have. You should know, you¡¯re the one who''s been distracting me from learning.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re really something else. You know that right?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, just tell me what you know.¡± ¡°We were going over verbs, I believe. So I¡¯m assuming the test will be about English?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not helpful¡­¡± ¡°And you call me ungrateful¡­¡± ¡°You two prepared for the test?¡± Ella asked, kneeling herself down on the floor and placing her arms on Jared¡¯s desk. ¡°Well look who¡¯s finally decided to show up.¡± Luka said, raising his head to rest on his arm. ¡°Aww, give me some credit. I came for the last few days.¡± ¡°And then left to ¡®go to the bathroom¡¯.¡± ¡°I still came, didn¡¯t I? Besides, Sun already told me what there is to know from the four days she was here. Guess her nerdiness is useful for something after all.¡± ¡°She did?¡± Luka shot up, looking toward Jared with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Ah, Sun, there you are¡­¡± ¡°How about you, Kai? Were you able to remember anything?¡± Ella said, as she took Luka¡¯s spot. ¡°I¡­ think I remember enough to pass.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, how about you, Jared?¡± ¡°Ditto.¡± ¡°Looks like we''re all good then,¡± Ella said, before taking out her phone. ¡°But that reminds me. Kai, about that song you recommended me-¡± With a yawn, Jared put his hand to his cheek, looking around the room. He spotted Luka pestering Sun in the distance, Victoria drumming her pencil nearby. Behind Ella, Allister hung out near his friend, gawking over the latter¡¯s extensive notes. Aria and Dara, situated near the front of the room, seemed to be fawning over a journal, scribbling something every-so-often. Out of the corner of his eye, something then caught his attention. Just next to Aria was a boy, who he had not seen before. The previous days, the desk where the boy sat stayed empty, prompting Jared to believe that they were the missing student Ms. Erythra would always mention. The boy moved a hand over his shaved hair, slouching slightly and rubbing his shoulder. A vacant expression rested upon his face, and Jared wondered if he even knew about the exam that was scheduled. A soft slap to his shoulder brought Jared out of his thoughts. ¡°Sun¡¯s a real lifesaver,¡± Luka said, grinning and leaning on the wall next to Jared¡¯s desk. His face morphed into a frown before saying, ¡°Ella won¡¯t be giving me my seat anytime soon, will she?¡± ¡°Doubt it.¡± ¡°Figured. But, anyhow, what do you think you will be doing after our exam?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably be going to Room 203¡­¡± ¡°Again? This is, like, your seventh time this week. At this point, you¡¯re gonna run out of canvases to use.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m okay with using paper.¡± Jared shrugged. ¡°But, anyway, have you seen the room? It¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°You literally bring me there, like, every day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s great, right?¡± ¡°Sure, buddy. Just promise that when you run out of paper you won¡¯t use my face as your next canvas, okay?¡± Luka chuckled. ¡°...¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me ideas just to not deliver.¡± Luka opened his mouth, seemingly on the verge of a retort. However, the bell rang before he could deliver it, Ms. Erythra walking in as the class fell silent. ¡°Good morning class. Hope you¡¯ve slept well and prepared for today,¡± the red-haired teacher said as she held a stack of papers, ¡°Our first-week exam will be commencing shortly. Please get out your pencils and erasers and get ready to take your test.¡± ¡­ The scribbling of pencils resounded through the room, a clock ticking under the noise. Some students tapped their fingers against their desk, while others fidgeted in their seats. A select few had their heads down, asleep, pencils and tests out of sight. As Jared approached the last question, he skimmed through the exam packet, hoping for a sudden revelation to spark through his mind. Palindromes were the ones that could be rearranged to form different words, right..? A high seventy was in his future, he just knew it¡­ He let his pencil fall out of his hand, dejectedly. Whatever. At least he tried. He stood up, bubble-sheet in hand, and glanced around the room. ¡­He had quite the long wait ahead of him. ¡­
¡­ As the last student turned in the final test and the room dropped into silence, the results soon appeared on the whiteboard, names fading in. ¡ª Lim, Aria: 91 Choi, Felix: 88 Baaen, Dara: 85 ¡ª ¡°You¡¯re mad you didn¡¯t get first, aren¡¯t you, Lix?¡± Jared heard Allister say under his breath. ¡ª Hernandez, Kai: 85 Malee, Sun: 82 Song, Jared: 79 ¡ª Figured. ¡°Enough to pass, eh, Kai?¡± Ella said with a look. ¡°Just as surprised as you are, honestly.¡± ¡ª Hirai, Olivia: 73 Siu, Allister: 73 Park, Luka: 67 ¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s go, seven more points than expected,¡± Luka fist-bumped the air. At this spectacle, Aria and Dara gave the most horrified glances Jared had ever seen. Sun, meanwhile, just shook her head. ¡°Ella, I¡¯m worried. Your name hasn¡¯t even appeared yet¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fineee.¡± ¡ª Hua, Elise: 67 ¡ª ¡°See, I told you it¡¯d be fine! I got the same as Luka and he attended all five days,¡± Ella said, nudging Sun''s shoulder with a gloating smile. ¡°Oh, shut up, Elise.¡± ¡°Never call me that again.¡± ¡ª Lai, Ryan: 67 Feng, Ezra: 64 Han, Victoria: 61 ¡ª A giant, red ''x'' flashed on the screen, obscuring Victoria''s name with a slash-through. She, however, shrugged in response, fixing her dark hair as she did so. "I''m¡­ disappointed," Ms. Erythra said, as her heels clicked against the wooden floors. "I was hoping more of you would be taking this class seriously. We hand-picked you, you know. Thought each of you would be the best fit for our curriculum." A playful timbre filled Erythra''s voice as she spoke, the corners of her lips nearing the verge of a smile. Jared narrowed his eyes. "I''m sorry, Victoria, but I will have to ask that you pack your bags. I''m afraid that this curriculum will simply be too hard for you to master." "That''s fine..." Victoria said, barely making eye contact with Ms. Erythra. "...felt a little homesick anyway." "Very well then, dear." She chuckled. "Congrats on passing your first-week exam, everyone else," Ms. Erythra said as she began to exit the door. "I''ll be seeing the rest of you shortly..." Ms. Erythra smiled, walking out of the classroom. As the door slammed shut, a hearty chatter exploded through the room. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Finally, we¡¯re done,¡± Luka said to Jared, wandering toward him. The former had been displaced from his desk- due to Ella¡¯s stark refusal to move- and sat across the room during the exam. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°You said you wanna go to 203, right?¡± ¡°I see someone¡¯s excited to have their face painted.¡± ¡°...I will actually throw a bucket of paint at you if you try that.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Jared rolled his eyes, playfully, glancing toward the door. ¡°But, where do you think that girl is going?¡± ¡°Home, I guess. Why?¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t walking in the direction of the lobby.¡± ¡°Maybe they''re taking a side-exit?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jared said, before his expression fell. ¡°But that reminds me, a sixty-eight? Really?¡± ¡°Okay, seventy-nine, you¡¯re one to talk. Also, it was actually a sixty-seven, so¡­¡± ¡°What a difference¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Luka, I think you did great,¡± Ella said, smiling, though the glint in her eyes caused Luka to scowl. ¡°Oh, shut up. I bet you were just bragging again about how you managed to get the same grade as me.¡± ¡°I would ne-¡± ¡°She was,¡± Sun said and Kai nodded his head along with her. ¡°Traitors, both of you.¡± A whirring sound from overhead interrupted the chatter of the classroom. All eyes met the school projector as a video emerged on the whiteboard. At first, only a static-fuzz could be seen on the screen. However, as the footage began to clear, a wooden chair faded into view, placed in the middle of a dim room. Concrete walls enclosed the space, shadows stretching down the corners. Creaking came from the pipes on the roof, and the fuzzy footage buzzed in and out. In and out. Victoria trudged into view, a sack covering her long hair and part of her purple sweater. A hand guided her toward the chair, and after a brief, unintelligible command, the girl shuffled herself into the seat. Brief strands of red-hair appeared on the camera, before disappearing just as quickly. A distorted voice rang out, interrupted by white-noise. ¡°Yo- sack- off.¡± Victoria did as told and took off the garment without hesitation. ¡°Than- so uncomf-¡° Her eyes widened as her attention directed toward the camera. ¡°Wh- holdi-?¡± Her arm twitched and posture seemed to shift out of the chair. ¡°Hey-¡° A gun fired. ¡­ Jared switched on a light, revealing the small art room. His gaze met and lingered on a box near a counter, canvases lying inside the box, waiting. He walked through a row of tables, easels unified into their respective places on top. Water dripped from a sink faucet as he grabbed a canvas from the box, setting it up on an easel nearby. A palette full of paint was prepared next to him, and he took a brush from the table with his left hand. No paint drenched the tip as Jared pushed the canvas with his brush, his head lowering and leaning on the easel soon after. A ringing filled his ears, and he closed his eyes to try and tune it out. Shaky breaths escaped him as the ringing got louder, morphing into gunshots. ¡­ A limp body fell from the chair with a soft thump. Blood splattered on the chair below, and a pool drenched the side of her head. Her eyes barely processed what had happened, a state of shock still resting upon her features. There was a scream, from whom Jared did not know. Silence stretched through the classroom as the scream faded, and the world seemed to freeze in place. Until Jared ran. Out the door of the classroom, out of the nightmare. He doesn¡¯t remember if anyone tried to follow. He doesn¡¯t care if they did. ¡­ The ringing ceased as Jared whipped back into reality. The blank canvas stood in front of him, and he let out a sigh. He picked up the brush, which had fallen out of his hand, and dipped it into the palette. Minutes flew by, as Jared stroked the canvas in a variety of paint, his mind wandering elsewhere. He did not even notice the sound of the art room door opening, or the person¡¯s footsteps as they approached. ¡°Hey- Jared.¡± Jared¡¯s attention darted toward the familiar voice. Luka stood before him, his right hand rested on his left arm. Jared attempted to make eye contact, but Luka simply looked away. Jared put down the paint brush, though stood in place. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I- just wanted to check on you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jared said, about to return to painting, but a foreign hand caused him to flinch back. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Please, just-¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve listened...¡± ¡°Luka, please. It¡¯s not like we can do anything, anyways¡­¡± A silence cut between them. ¡°Whatcha painting?¡± Jared sighed, giving Luka a small glare. After a small pause, however, he scooted over, allowing the latter to see. ¡°It¡¯s cute.¡± Jared let out a short chuckle of disbelief. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°...what is it?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I like to know¡­¡± A blanket of various shades of red covered the bottom of the canvas, the top consisting of an assortment of blues. Various swirls of different colors scattered the remainder of the portrait, resembling the shape of thorny vines. ¡°I kinda¡­ zoned out.¡± Jared glanced away as his vision began to turn blurry. This did not go unnoticed by Luka, however, and his face changed into a look of worry. ¡°Hey- you okay?¡± Jared brushed his eyes with his fists and wiped off the few tears that traveled down his cheeks. He breathed deeply, trying to maintain an ounce of control, but instead found himself choking on suppressed sobs. He let out a quick, involuntary gasp, before he felt a hand touch his shoulder. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll- we¡¯ll be okay, okay?¡± He cast a smile, and Jared was almost fooled. But the way Luka¡¯s eyes glanced away, a slight heaviness befalling on them, told him all he needed to know. ¡°Luka¡­¡± Jared just managed to say. The sound of an intercom diverted the two¡¯s attention. ¡°Plea- anyone¡­ come to the courtyard.¡± ¡­ The sun had set minutes before, plunging the Courtyard into near darkness. The few lampposts that surrounded the path flickered as Luka and Jared approached the two girls, Dara leaning on a pole while Aria stood nearby, arms wrapped around herself. ¡°You called, Aria?¡± Luka asked as he and Jared came to a stop. ¡°I- didn¡¯t think anyone would come.¡± Aria voided his gaze, her voice a near whisper. ¡°Well, we''re here, aren''t we? What do you want?¡± ¡°We wanted to see if it¡­ was real.¡± Luka played with his fingers, looking away as he rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, ¡®cause someone would fake a death just for the giggles.¡± ¡°We¡¯re being serious, Luka,¡± Dara ran her hand through her braid, ¡°Maybe if we find the place where it happened, we can gather some information.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come too.¡± The four looked back to see Sun walking toward them, her hands in her gray hoodie. As she neared, she greeted the group with a short raise of her hand. ¡°I want to see it for myself.¡± ¡°Ella¡¯s not with you?¡± Jared searched behind her. ¡°I knocked on her room door. She didn¡¯t respond.¡± Slowly, Jared gave a nod. ¡°Did you happen to see anyone else walking by?¡± Dara asked, moving off the pole to approach Sun. ¡°I saw another girl. About yay tall. She said she was coming soon.¡± ¡°Must be Olivia,¡± Aria said. ¡°She¡¯s the only other girl in our class. Brown-hair, right?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Okay, then. Well, until she comes or something, here¡¯s the plan. While you three go investigate, we¡¯ll try to keep an eye out for Ms. Erythra so you don¡¯t get caught,¡± Dara said, looking behind herself. ¡°After all, she might get mad that we technically used the PA system without her permission. ¡± ¡°Is that why you called us? To give us the hard work?¡± Luka jabbed Dara with his finger. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it, and we can keep an eye out since you¡¯re so curious.¡± Jared put a hand to Luka¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Luka, please. We can do it, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Listen to your friend, he seems to have no qualms with it. Besides, Ms. Erythra likes us the most, since, you know, we actually pay attention in her class,¡± Dara said, putting emphasis on the last part. ¡°Oh, shut up. By that logic¡­ hey!¡± A hand grabbed Luka, pulling him away from Dara. ¡°There¡¯s no use fighting.¡± "What do you mean there''s no use fighting? I don''t know what you''re on but-" "Luka." Sun let go of him, before muttering. ¡°I just¡­ wanna know.¡± The scowl on Luka''s face morphed into a small frown, his gaze lowering to the side. He paused, sighing, before looking back at her. ¡°...Fine.¡± Luka turned toward Dara. ¡°I¡¯ll- we- will do it, Dara.¡± ¡°Good.¡± With that, Dara moved her hand as if to swat them away and, after another stare from Luka, watched as the group moved toward the Academy. ¡°Good luck!¡± Aria said with a cup of her hands. She stood up, biting her lip with a worried glance. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be okay?¡± ¡°They¡¯re stupid, not incompetent. They should be fine. Now let¡¯s go, I wanna see something,¡± Dara said, racing over to the apartment complex. ¡°Wait, where are you going? Shouldn¡¯t we be-¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Aria hesitated, looking back at the Academy. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Aria!¡± ¡°What are you doing, Dara¡­¡± Aria said, just under her breath, before following in pursuit. ¡­ ¡°...it¡¯s locked.¡± Sun shook the handle once more but to no use. She glanced up at the building, and for a brief moment, it felt as if the school was taunting her. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem to be locked when we left the art room, though¡­¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s because you were exiting the building, Jared.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. But, there has to be another way in, right?¡± Jared said, peering around the walls of the Academy. He looked toward Sun and then to the glass door, before meeting Luka¡¯s gaze. ¡°Yeah. Maybe if we¡¯re lucky enough the walls will open up if we say please.¡± Jared scoffed as Sun cast a quick glare. ¡°My bad.¡± Luka held up his hands. ¡°But anyway, why are you guys so hellbent on seeing a corpse?¡± ¡°Some people actually like to confront their problems, Luka,¡± Sun said, glancing back at him as she continued to tussle with the handle. ¡°But, then again, at least you decided to come with us. I don¡¯t even see Dara and Aria, so much for keeping lookout. And speaking of, how did they even make the announcement if-¡° ¡°Hey, wait, someone¡¯s there..¡± Moving past Sun, Jared pounded on the Academy door, attracting a person¡¯s attention from the darkness. The silhouette stopped to inspect the three from beyond the door, before cautiously walking toward them through the main lobby. They flicked on the lobby lights, the chandelier above the lounge illuminating soon after, and opened the door. ¡°Hello there. Isn¡¯t it past your bedtime?¡± The man joked as he gave a short bow. He fixed his gold glasses as they slipped off his long nose, a set of perfect teeth revealing themselves as he grinned. ¡°You handle the announcements don¡¯t you?¡± Sun asked as she bit her lip, pointing a finger toward him. ¡°With the megaphone? Mr¡­¡± ¡°Everett.¡± The guy smiled. ¡°Now, what seems to be the matter for you to visit the Academy so late?¡± ¡°We¡­ I believe I left something. Near the cafeteria.¡± Mr. Everett sighed before giving a nod. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first. A few students have already asked me- this night, might I add- to be let in as they apparently needed to make some forgotten errands. So, of course I¡¯ll let you in, but please just make it quick. I can¡¯t let Ms. Erythra or the principal know I¡¯ve been letting students in after hours.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Everett.¡± Sun let out a breath of relief, gesturing for the guys to follow. As they walked in, she paused before asking, ¡°Wait, did you say others? That came here tonight?¡± ¡°Yes, quite a few. There were those two girls just earlier, I¡¯m sure you know them, Aria and Dara. They asked to make an announcement, a quite random one I must admit, but I digress. There was also another boy, asking for a midnight snack. I let him in, because the poor boy just looked so malnourished. And there was one more group¡­ Two boys¡­ I believe. One who seemed to desperately need a comb- to put it lightly- and another with glasses. I assume you know them?¡± ¡°That sounds a lot like Allister and his friend,¡± Jared said and glimpsed at Luka for reassurance. ¡°Maybe¡­ we could go look for them to help us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any problems with that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but didn¡¯t you say you were looking for something?¡± Mr. Everett raised an eyebrow. ¡°I hardly see how finding some of your friends¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re still inside, Mr. Everett, correct?¡± Sun said, interrupting his statement with a smile. She briefly turned her head back to the barren hallways, before bringing her attention back to him. ¡°Ah, yes, they are.¡± ¡°In that case, we just wanted to look for them so that we could all be in and out as soon as possible. That¡¯s what you wanted after all, correct?¡± ¡°Ah, I-¡± Mr. Everett put a finger to his chin. ¡°I suppose you are correct. Thank you for doing so.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With Mr. Everett satisfied, Sun motioned for the boys to come closer. ¡°We should probably split up to cover more ground. I¡¯ll go to the left and you guys go to the right. We¡¯ll meet back here if we find your friends or wherever the footage was taken.¡± ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that dangerous, though?¡± Jared crossed his arms. ¡°What if someone-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sun said as she turned on her phone flashlight, her footsteps echoing away as she continued, ¡°We just need to make it quick, we don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Sun, I really-¡± ¡°Hurry..!¡± Jared could not even utter a response as Sun began her trek through the hallways, the faint glow of her flashlight dissipating steadily. ¡°We should go too,¡± Luka said as he powered on his own phone for light. ¡°Oh, so now you wanna be a hero.¡± Jared looked back down the path Sun took. ¡°The sooner we get this done, the better.¡± Luka said with a shrug. ¡°Now c¡¯mon.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t even know where they are. I really-¡± ¡°If you wanna stay here that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯m gonna get going, Jared. I¡¯ll see ya.¡± As Luka approached a nearby hallway, a sharp tug from behind stopped him from leaving. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll- I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°You scared?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold your hand if you want,¡± Luka said as wagged his eyebrows, reaching out his hand. ¡°Just shut up and let¡¯s go¡­¡± ¡­ Chapter 4: Felixs POV- On the Mountain Side A phone flashlight gleamed through the dark hallway, scanning various room doors as it ventured further into the school. Stopping at a four-way intersection, the pale glow sweeped back and forth, and the student controlling it, a boy with glasses, looked back at the boy behind him. ¡°You know,¡± Felix said, narrow eyes fixed into a glare, ¡°This would be a lot easier if you would just walk by yourself.¡± He raised up their intertwined hands. Allister, meanwhile, ignored the statement, using his other hand to tug on his navy-blue drawstring hoodie. ¡°It¡¯s so hot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s night. And we¡¯re inside.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Well, maybe if you took off your hoodie and ten other layers¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of work.¡± Felix just sighed once again, gazing back down at his phone. A measly ten percent was left on the phone battery, and the boy wondered if they would even find what they were looking for before their only flashlight died. ¡°Do you seriously have no charge on yours?¡± Felix asked, using his chin to point toward the other¡¯s pocket. With a pointed glare, Allister took out his phone, tapping it and facing it toward Felix. ¡°See. Won¡¯t turn on.¡± ¡°Maybe if you weren¡¯t on it all day¡­¡± ¡°You sound like my mom.¡± ¡°Whatever. You sure didn¡¯t see anything I could¡¯ve missed?¡± ¡°I saw nothing,¡± Allister said and flicked a strand of his hair away. ¡°Can we just try again in the morning?¡± ¡°Just five more minutes.¡± ¡°Lix-¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long, my battery''s almost dead anyway.¡± Felix shook his phone for emphasis. ¡°So just a bit longer, please?¡± Allister¡¯s expression froze for a brief moment, before he turned away and clicked his tongue. The reluctant nod, however, did not go unnoticed as Felix smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Hey, over there.¡± Allister motioned to the beam of light to the left of them, the sounds of a conversation just audible. ¡°-told you, nothing¡¯s here¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find something, Luka.¡± A gentle voice echoed as the two students approached the intersection. As they turned the corner, the speaker stopped in his tracks, gaze widening as he noticed the two boys ahead of him. ¡°Hey, uh, Allister!¡± Allister bowed his head in recognition. ¡°Hey, are you guys looking for the- you know- the room too?¡± Luka asked, hands sliding into his pocket. ¡°I am. He, however¡­¡± Felix said, yanking Allister forward, though held his tongue from there. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Luka pointed at the boy hesitantly. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Felix, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Have you found anything yet?¡± ¡°We¡¯d be there if we were, wouldn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Sorry, my bad¡­¡± Luka said, biting his lip. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s even here in the first place?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, it could be somewhere else, couldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Where else could it be?¡± Jared said, crossing his arms. ¡°This is the only building in the area besides the dorms, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be there.¡± ¡°That building on the cliffs. It could be there too. Luka turned his head toward the building¡¯s general vicinity. ¡°When they took Victoria, they seemed to be going in that direction anyway.¡± ¡°You- you may be on to something...¡± Felix adjusted his round glasses back into place. ¡°We should check it out, Allister.¡± Allister let go of Felix¡¯s hand and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m tired, Felix. Can¡¯t we do this tomorrow..?¡± To this statement, Felix frowned. ¡°Fine, go back. But when you get murdered in the morning, because you decided to go to your room alone, don¡¯t blame me.¡± ¡°Lix¡­¡± As Felix walked away, he heard Allister click his tongue once more, before the reluctant echo of footsteps followed him. ¡­ Moonlight shone down onto pruned palm trees, casting vague shadows on the white, sandy beach. A stone-path led to thick foliage ahead, towering trees obscuring parts of the rocky cliffs that held the dome-like building. A wooden bridge lay between a hollow brook as ocean waves crashed nearby, funneling into a small stream through the gap. ¡°The building doesn¡¯t seem too far away,¡± Felix said, floorboards creaking as the two stepped on the bridge. ¡°We¡¯ll be out before you know it.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Allister gave a yawn. ¡±Sure¡­¡± As they made it through the end of the bridge, they noticed the path had disappeared, replaced by wild grass and ferns. ¡°Oh no. Guess we gotta head back.¡± Allister turned on his heel, about to make a break for it, before he felt himself being pulled back by his hood. ¡°Not so fast.¡± ¡°Screw you¡­¡± Allister regained his footing as Felix let go, crossing his arms around himself. ¡°I mean, if you want to go back alone you can. Sure, we¡¯re all being murdered and it¡¯d probably be best to stick together, but if you want-¡± ¡°Shush.¡± Not saying a word more, Allister rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I was just asking,¡± Felix said, pushing away a branch that dangled in their way. He looked up to see the dome building hanging just above them now, before continuing his sentence absent-mindedly. ¡°You keep touching your neck like it hurts.¡± ¡°It does hurt. Probably from all this walking.¡± ¡°Your neck can¡¯t hurt from walking, that¡¯s silly. You probably-¡° Felix stopped mid-sentence as he came face to face with the cliffedge. Behind him, Allister stood on his tiptoes, trying to peer above the taller boy. A metal frame was engraved into the cliff-face, what seemed to be a keypad located right next to it. The keypad settled on top of a small podium, a blue light emanating from a narrow slot. ¡°What¡­ do you think that is.¡± ¡°Looks like a door.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s-¡± Felix said with a pause. ¡°I meant, how are we gonna get it to open?¡± As Allister sighed, about to point at the obvious mechanism sticking up from the ground, Felix continued, ¡°I mean, how are we gonna get the keycard required for it to open?¡± ¡°We could steal it¡­¡± ¡°You code, don¡¯t you? Do something about this.¡± Allister stared at Felix, blankly. When the latter said nothing more, Allister scoffed. ¡°Are you being serious?¡± Felix nodded. ¡°You¡¯re actually an idiot. I do robots, not whatever this thing is. And, I¡¯d need at least a computer and cord for that stuff.¡± ¡°Could you at least examine it or something?¡± After stalling with a small glare, Allister approached the stand and inspected the top of it. A few moments passed before he returned back to Felix and gave a small shrug. ¡°It¡­ glows?¡± ¡°Wow, no way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you¡­¡± Allister said, his voice sounding on the verge of peaking. He rubbed his eyes once more, and Felix seemed to let up. ¡°We should head-¡± A crackling noise resounded through the forest and hidden lights sprung to life on the cliffside and surrounding grasses. The single light inside the dome-building flickered on soon after, the silhouette of a person appearing on one of the windows. ¡°We should definitely head back now,¡± Felix said and grabbed Allister¡¯s hand. Fumbling back through the forest, the two looked back to see the silhouette slowly disappear and the dome-building plunge back into darkness. ¡­ ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll find it?¡± Mr. Everett stood behind the wooden desk and waited for a response, pushing his glasses into place. The empty chamber of a room just echoed his sentiment, until falling into silence. ¡°I believe in them,¡± the figure said, spinning their chair to face the man. ¡°You know I¡¯d only choose the most competent of students.¡± ¡°Their plan was quite literally to split up. After, mind you, they saw their own classmate murdered in cold blood.¡± ¡°To be fair, they at least came up with a plan,¡± Ms. Erythra said, leaning near a corner of shrouded darkness. Her heels clicked against the marble as she approached the two. ¡°Besides, it gives us different perspectives to watch if one side gets a little dull.¡± She signaled over to the monitor. From where the figure sat, the computer displayed footage of the Academy, dorm-building, and areas of the island. Hand on his mouse, he selected one video in particular, labeled Hallway 11. ¡°Let¡¯s see how the others are doing, eh?¡± ¡­ Chapter 5.1: Labyrinth (part one) ¡°...Another dead end.¡± A white wall stood ahead as the two turned their heads down the corridor behind them, a few doors left slightly opened from their search. They were back on the first floor by now, their exploration on the second and third proving fruitless. ¡°This is, like, the twentieth hallway we¡¯ve checked, dude.¡± Luka said with a sigh, ¡°And all of the rooms are basically empty. I think we should just stop before Mr. Everett finds us.¡± ¡°One last one. Please?¡± ¡°Allister and Felix are already looking around, aren¡¯t they? And there¡¯s Sun too so-¡± ¡°Wait¡­ oh my god. Sun.¡± Jared in the direction of the lobby. ¡°She told us to meet up back there. We have to go back.¡± ¡°Jared, wait-¡° But before Luka could even utter his thought, Jared was already halfway down the hallway, the sounds of his footsteps growing fainter as he ran toward the lobby. ¡°We haven¡¯t even seen her this entire time¡­¡± Luka said, his voice nearing a whisper. He frowned, putting his hands in his pocket, before following after him in small steps. ¡­ Complete darkness shrouded the lobby as Jared entered, shining his flashlight around the area. Mr. Everett and Sun were nowhere to be found, and Jared stopped in his tracks, crossing his arms. ¡°I guess they¡¯re not here¡­ Do you wanna-¡° Jared turned around to see that Luka too had disappeared without a trace. ¡°Luka?¡± Jared shouted down the hallway and leaned to look down the hallway. He sighed when he was greeted with no response. ¡°Damn it, Luka.¡± His eyes met the hallway where Sun had last gone through. He hesitated for just a moment, before deciding to travel down it himself. This should lead to the cafeteria, if I remember correctly¡­ Jared ran his hand over the Academy walls as he went down the empty corridor. His footsteps echoed against the tiled floors, a piercing silence rising whenever he would stop to look around. However, as Jared neared the cafeteria, the rummaging of a plastic bag fell just into earshot, and he paused to listen closer. ¡°Hello?¡± No answer. He figured he should have known better. In spite of this, Jared found himself cupping his hands together before saying once more, ¡°Hello?¡± The rustling of the bag seemed to stop, followed by an incoherent voice. Jared jogged closer to the cafeteria, reaching an intersection, and peered over the corner. A beige-skinned boy with drooping brown hair sat on a steel bench, just next to the cafeteria. He held a bag of chips in his hand, and the boy raised a bushy brow as they stood up, waving with their free hand. ¡°Uh, hello.¡± Jared greeted back with a raised hand. ¡°Whatcha doing here¡­¡± The boy held up his bag of chips, not bothering to make eye contact. ¡°Eating.¡± This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The boy shrugged before standing up. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jared. And you?¡± ¡°Ryan.¡± The boy fell silent, before grabbing another chip out of the bag. ¡°Have you seen a girl wandering around here?¡± Jared said, remembering his prior goal. ¡°Gray hoodie with brown hair?¡± Ryan shook his head. He blinked and his face scrunched as if recalling something. ¡°I saw this guy though.¡± ¡°Guy?¡± ¡°Yeah, they were looking in the kitchen. For¡­. something. I couldn¡¯t really see them though¡­¡± ¡°Wait, the kitchen? How¡¯d you get to the kitchen?¡± Ryan motioned for Jared to come closer, pointing toward the cafeteria. He signaled toward a door Jared had never noticed before, slightly ajar with a glimmer of light peeking through the small opening. ¡°I was looking for snacks in the cafeteria and I saw that door was open. When I went in, I heard someone going through the drawers, but they left before I could see them.¡± Jared nodded his head. He looked away for just a second before asking, ¡°Could¡­ you come with me for a second. I wanna check for something.¡± Ryan responded with a nod back and gestured for him to follow. ¡­ The kitchen was nothing out of the ordinary. Counter tables were set up in the middle, the typical appliances placed on the sides of the wall. The area itself was oddly messy, a variety of kitchen supplies scattered around the surfaces, and a few of the counter drawers were drawn out of their slots. ¡°They went out through there.¡± Ryan pointed and shone his phone flashlight to another door near the corner of the right wall. ¡°If that¡¯s what you wanted to know.¡± ¡°Ah, no. I¡¯m just¡­ looking for something.¡± Jared scanned over the room, noting the knife block situated in the corner of the room. He approached it before turning around to Ryan. ¡°Why is there a knife missing?¡± Ryan simply gave a shrug in response. ¡°Probably got misplaced, I guess? Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± This response prompted the smallest of glares from Jared, who held his tongue back as he examined the room closer. Aside from the clutter, however, there seemed to be nothing else that piqued his interest or could have hinted toward a secret room. He turned toward Ryan, who shot his head up in response. ¡°You find what you''re looking for?¡± ¡°No- no.¡± Jared said, glancing back one more time. ¡°But, er- thank you for showing me around. I appreciate it.¡± Ryan smiled before directing his sight toward the kitchen exit. ¡°Imma head back soon. Will you be coming with me?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Jared hesitated as he bit his lip. A frown crossed his face before he bowed his head apologetically. ¡°No, sorry. I¡¯m still looking for my friends.¡± Ryan nodded. ¡°Right¡­ I guess I¡¯ll see you later then.¡± With another nod, Ryan gave a small wave and walked out the door. Jared bit back a plea to stay as Ryan fell out of sight, a sinking feeling welling up in his gut. ¡­Something felt off. Jared swore he felt something looming over him, just over his shoulder. The cold atmosphere did not help the chills that traveled through his body and the utter silence resembled too much like that dead-silent classroom of just hours prior. And Jared could not shake that unnerving feeling that just beyond these walls¡­ Someone was watching. Jared wandered out of the cafeteria and back toward the main hallway. He glanced around, looking for any signs of someone lurking just out of sight, but found nothing. The deafening silence filled the air again as Jared let out a sigh, arms hugging himself. There had to be something. In gut instinct, he looked up toward the corner of a wall. A rectangular security camera was positioned overhead, gaze unmoving. On it, a red circle blinked every-so-often as if having a pulse of its own. Jared¡¯s heart beat into his chest as he watched the camera stare right at him. Almost waiting for something. Anything. He wondered if someone was watching on the other side. A familiar voice, however, brought him out of his thoughts. ¡°Jared.¡± The voice rang out, relieved. ¡°There you are.¡± Sun smiled as she approached, Luka trailing right behind her. ¡°I think¡­ we found it.¡± ...