Bro, bro—WAKE UP! WAKE UP, DUDE!
SLAP!
Liam Carter slowly opened his eyes, everything around him was blurry.
"Wh–What happened to me? EMI! Where is she?!"
He jumped up in panic and looked around. There she was—Emi—sitting on the floor, exhausted, with a blonde girl checking on her. Liam's eyes then locked onto the guy who'd slapped him: Zayn Walker, a well-known face at the academy, part of the football team and one of the top students.
Liam grabbed Zayn by the collar, pulling him close.
"You—what the hell happened? Where is everyone?! Speak up!"
Zayn looked at him, half-lidded eyes full of exhaustion.
"Seriously, dude? I was trying to wake you up and help out—and now you're interrogating me?"
Liam glared for a second before letting him go. He sat down on the floor, holding his head, his voice shaking.
"Sorry… it's just—you were the only one I saw. First, I heard these screaming eyes. It wasn't normal screaming… it was something else. It hurt."
Zayn crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly.
"Same, man. I heard the screaming from my room too. It was awful. I found the eye behind the mirror while I was running around like a lunatic. Punched the damn thing a few times until it shut up."
"So… you saw and heard it too?"
"Yeah. It was… nothing about it felt right."
"Okay, but… how'd you find us?"
Zayn nodded.
"Well, I was wandering the hallways, opening doors, hoping to find someone—anyone. But everyone else was gone. Even my friends. Then I ran into Chloe—she was searching too. We passed by this room, saw the door was busted open, and found you both passed out on the floor. Chloe looked after the Asian girl—she woke up before you. And here we are."
Chloe Brooks, still by Emi's side, glanced at Liam:
"We honestly thought you were dead. But you were just knocked out. What the hell happened to you guys to make you collapse like that?"
Emi spoke up in a weak voice."I was just reading my book… then the screaming started. I tried calling for help, tried to open the door… nothing worked. Then Liam came. But I passed out… the screaming was still going even when I attacked the eye."
Liam Carter
"Yeah. She's right. I stabbed it three times just to make it shut up. Then… my body gave out."
Liam stood and looked at everyone.
"We need to search. Maybe we'll find something that explains what the hell is going on here."
Everyone nodded and stepped out of room 444. Their footsteps echoed loud and clear in the eerie silence. They searched the entire student building, but no sign of anyone. Every room felt… off. The mirrors that were in their own rooms? Gone. It was like their rooms were portals. And those screaming eyes? They weren't just screaming randomly… it was a ritual. A transfer to another world.
Chloe stared out the window.
"Look at this… everything's empty. Even the cars—no drivers. That can't be a good sign."
Emi clutched her hair in frustration.
"Alright, we need to head to the admin office. Maybe we'll find some clue. Some sign. Who's with me?"
Zayn let out a long sigh, stepping forward.
"I'm in. We can't stay trapped here forever. Let's move."
Everyone started making their way outside the student building. Liam was quiet, lost in thought. He kept replaying what he'd seen. That eye… it wasn't human. Not even close. It bulged out of the wall, slit vertically like a viper. The whites were pitch black. Red veins pulsed like fire ran through them—not blood. And the iris glowed with an eerie, fiery orange. When he saw it, it looked right at him. That's when the screaming intensified.
Zayn's loud voice snapped him back to reality."We're here!"
Liam looked up. They were standing at the academy's front door."Yeah… we're here. But are we really?" he said in a strange, calm tone.
Emi put a hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him.
"Don't worry, Liam. We're together. And it's not like we have other options. Look around—the streets are empty. The only living things we've seen are us… and a few birds. Isn't it weird how our rooms were set up? Those eyes were behind our mirrors—but no mirrors in any other rooms. That can't be a coincidence. We need answers. And the admin building has all the files. You get me?"
Liam looked at her, trying to convince .
himself."Yeah, I get you. It's just… I was imagining how my first day of classes would go. Now… I've only been here for a few hours and this happens. But you're right. We don't have a choice.
"Chloe cut in, rolling her eyes as she opened the door.
"Alright, folks. Either come with me, or I'm going in alone. I'm not in the mood for emotional bonding speeches. Zayn, let's go."
Zayn leaned in and whispered to Liam.
"Damn, she's intense. Let's go, man."
"Yeah… let's move."
One by one, they stepped inside. The hallways were cold. The lights were barely working—just the red emergency lights glowing faintly. There was a stench, something rotten, coming from the teachers' lounge. The floor was unclear—was that dried blood or just a reflection? No one wanted to find out. They kept walking.
But someone… or something… was waiting.
A huge, imposing figure stood silently nearby. They walked right past it, unaware. It didn't attack.
It just smiled.
And waited.
TO BE CONTINUED…