Cordova's Main Floor

Faithy

I say I am fine, but I am drowning.
Benefactor
On the main floor in addition to a scattering of classrooms, there is a huge commons area in the middle of the school where the students can eat snack foods while socializing during passing periods and allotted breaks. The commons area is filled with round tables that fill up the football field sized room. Ten feet down from the commons area is the lunchroom that also has round tables as well as square tables. The lunchroom is based on an Ala-cart system though the students still have a chance to have regular school lunch. There is everything imaginable on the buffet style tables and the students don’t pay until they have filled their trays. On the left side of the lunch room is the main kitchen where the lunch ladies make the meals.

There is a large auditorium on the west side of the school that was built to resemble an old Gothic looking church-like auditorium. It has painted glass panes that give the church a little light without having the hanging chandeliers lights on. A wood beam juts out beneath each of the window and perched upon the beam is an angelic figurine. The auditorium is on the main floor and the balcony part is up on the second floor. At the very front of the auditorium is the stage area and like all stages, has a trap door, which leads into the basement. The chairs are theater style chairs that rock ever so slightly. They are black and red, alternating to go with the Gothic feel of the church.

The school has a library on the east side of the school that has four doors leading into it. It is not just on the main floor, but it goes up to the second floor as well. The library houses every book imaginable and has computers stationed all around for easy net connections for research projects. The resource books, magazines, newspaper, and old microfiche articles are all upstairs on both sides of the library. There is a restroom upstairs as well, along with more computers.

There’s a huge roundhouse gymnasium on the south side, main floor of the school. The gymnasium has circle seating above the floor and can hold up to a couple thousand people. Hanging above the seating is banners, which state the accomplishments of the school in regards to sports. On each side of the gym high above the seating hang the two scoreboards.

On the north side of the school, main floor are the main administrative offices. Inside the huge administrative office are the offices of the principal, assistant principal, the four secretaries, the two counselor offices, the nurse, as well as the person responsible for paying everyone employed by the school district. Also inside of the administrative office is the security station, which houses the few security officers employed by the district. Beside the security station is the teacher’s workroom where the mailboxes reside and where the copier and other miscellaneous equipment reside. Directly beside the administrative is the smaller gym, used mainly for the second PE classes and practices. The smaller gym has pull out pink plastic bleachers for additional seating during games or other programs.
 
Breathe… just breathe Mataiya… It’s just a dream. Only a dream… it has to be. Despite the thoughts careening in her mind, the senior couldn’t help but doubt them. How could it be a dream when the bathroom had been filled with so much carnage? Her eyes closed for a mere moment as the mind within attempted to make sense out of the insanity.

Upon opening up the Prussian blue orbs, Mataiya figured it wasn’t an illusion but an actuality. Her entire corporeal form hadn’t moved from the front of the office and for a moment it seemed as if she was floating in a daze. With a shake of her noodle, Mataiya snapped to attention. Once realizing that Principal Lewis had instructed everyone to remain in their classrooms, the class ditcher determined whether or not it was wise to leave the administrative offices to return to Drama class or not.

You should go back. Mr. Tyler is probably worried about you and it would be detrimental if he came out and wound up being slaughtered while looking for your sorry ass. Just go… stop being a coward and go. But maybe you’re safe here with people. If you go out of this office whatever did the squealing and caused all those kids to scream could be out there waiting… The incoherent babble wasn’t helping matters and for a moment, Mataiya marveled whether or not she was unbalanced.

A soft whimper slipped out of her velvety pink lips as she disputed internally with herself. At last a decision was made though at the moment it was unknown if it was a wise conclusion. Sliding a slender hand up through her thick black hair to push it back away from her equally pale face thanks to the trauma, Mataiya moved towards the main door of the office. Knowing that through this door would be a hallway that would eventually split into another series of corridors; a deep breath was taken through her slightly parted mouth. Without wasting anymore time, the athlete placed a few digits on the knob portion of the door. Every second that passed made it increasingly difficult to actually go through with the plan she had devised, but nothing else could be done.

“Just go, Mataiya!” The lean wrist twisted ever so slightly to allow the knob to turn so that the door slowly opened. Wrinkling up her nose before walking out of the office, brown eyes moved from one end of the corridor to the other. Once determining that it was safe, at least for a moment, Mataiya began to take small steps towards the Drama classroom.

The black boots she happened to be wearing made soft thumping noises on the cream colored tile flooring. As she passed beneath the lights hanging from the ceiling, each reflection seemed to bounce off the red lenses perched upon her hair. Even though it was against school policy to wear a jacket or coat during school hours while inside the building, Mataiya couldn’t help but wear her metallic blue long coat. Maybe it was the rebel inside of the normally perfect athlete trying to get out or perhaps it was that she just didn’t care. Despite the reasoning behind her madness, it swished against her body as she walked.

“Mrr… no sweat…” Her eyes shifted towards each classroom and deep in her gut it became apparent that she had no idea which rooms were filled with slaughtered students. Shuddering at the thought that was causing her stomach to quiver, Mataiya rubbed it just a little.

It soon became crystal clear that the silence of the overbearing school was becoming too much for her and with a quick glance up and down the barren walls, Mataiya ran towards the stairwell that would on a normal basis lead up to another level. However, she had no intention of going upstairs, not at the moment at least. What she wanted was a place to hide and the darkness beneath the stairs was quite appealing. Pulling her fairly tall body up in a slight crouch, Mataiya pressed her back against the wall. Hoping upon hope that someone would come by soon, someone that wasn’t a killer that is, Mataiya kept her eyes peeled for any signs of life.

Should have stayed in bed…
 
Eleanor quirked a brow up at Ms. Saunders—the AP English teacher—as she dropped in to grab some breakfast, after getting her card punched in that is. Ms. Saunders was young like Elle, yet a little older in her mid-twenties. It was like this on rare mornings, when the teachers would drop in and buy breakfast there instead of heading to the supermarket for a quick sandwich. The twenty-two-year-old made haste in preparing a freshly, made breakfast sandwich and made idle chatter with her. After the morning passed, she helped with the other lunch ladies in putting out the foods, restocking drinks, and making sure messes were cleaned.

“Have you brought in milk from the freezer out back?” Margaret inquired, placing trays and silverware out.

Eleanor let out an internal sigh, “I’ll get ‘em now. How many boxes did we need?” She asked back, most of the students usually opted for soft-drinks, water, or juice.

“Hmmm…bring out at least two. The kids should like the milk today, its gonna be strawberry instead of white.” She retorted, just as a spoon slipped from the group in her hands and clattered loudly against the tile floor. Margaret mumbled beneath her breath.

Eleanor was already making her way round back, weaving through the counters and heading straight for the large, silver freezers deep in the kitchen. She had to look through several of the boxes before finding the strawberry milk marked in the corner. Without difficulty, she managed to stack them up and bring them to the front. Her co-worker, Matthew, already opening the boxes and restocking the fridges out front with the milks. She was about ready to get scolded by Margaret for loitering around when the Principal’s voice came across the PA. However, it wasn’t the Principal at all, it was an unearthly screech instead.

Everyone stopped what they were doing.

“What the fuck was that?” Matthew asked, his milks already abandoned in the fridge as it shut behind him.

Language.” Margaret said.

“That’s what you’re worried about. You don’t think that the kids are—” Eleanor is cut off by the cacophony screams of children ringing through the halls. Fear gripped her heart, her eyes widening as she imagined the worst.

Matthew was already racing out of the kitchen and toward the office…or maybe wherever those screams came from. Eleanor’s braid was tucked away in her hairnet, she ripped off her gloves and apron, tossing them to the side.

“Stay here, Marge. Maybe hide in the back office and lock the doors until I come back.” She advised her boss.

“What about the children?” She asked, the old woman was already trembling.

“I’ll go make sure they’re safe.” Elle licked her lips, unsure of her own plan. Margaret nodded at her plan; she was an older, overweight woman who was more likely to get in the way than help. She started to head to the back with a whisper of, ‘be safe’ to no one in particular before leaving all together. Eleanor’s shoes were muffled against the tiled floor as she made her way out of the cafeteria, she pressed herself against the wall, moving quietly as she peered around the corner. Surprisingly, there was no one there, not a single soul as she continued while keeping low under windows that she passed by. She was making her way to the Administrative Offices since she already checked her phone to have no signal, perhaps a landline would work instead. The one thing that didn’t occur to her was that, whatever was on the PA was likely to be in the admin offices, her pea brain didn’t realize this until it was already too late to turn back.
 
A terrible screech pierced Mark Ebberman's ears and try as he might, he couldn't drown out the sound. His right arm flailed about as his vision blurred and he was immediately disoriented. It was as if it were coming from another world, far away and yet somehow close. He continued to run down the dark, narrow corridor for what felt like hours. Every time he slowed or tried to look behind him, something would nip at his heels or fingers, urging him to keep going.

Finally, his flailing arm swatted the alarm clock off his nightstand and the screeching stopped. Then he slept for another forty-five minutes until his phone started buzzing and he smacked that on to the floor, too. Managing to peel open an eye, he glanced down at his phone and saw that it wasn't an alarm but rather a phone call. It was his boss. He was late. Again.

With a loud groan, Mark dragged himself out of bed and into the kitchen. A sigh of relief passed his lips when he saw his medication waiting for him on the counter, all the ingredients for a Bloody Mary. He mixed his hangover cure, used it to down more than the recommended amount of Prozac and then showered, deodorized, and got dressed.

This was his routine.

Sure, sometimes the Bloody Mary was a Mimosa, or the Prozac was Lexapro, but it all amounted to Mark trying to achieve some sense of normalcy before starting his day. When he finally left his house, he was dressed in his typical red gym shorts, gray tee, and old tennis shoes that he'd kick a student out of his gymnasium for wearing.

Arriving to the school between a half-hour and forty-five minutes late, Mark, or "Coach" Ebberman, kept an eye out for the principal and Mr. Tyler as he hustled to the cafeteria. He was supposed to help the Drama teacher move some equipment in the basement yesterday before he left but he had skipped out early instead.

The plan this Friday was to stuff his face for breakfast and then float around the school for a couple of hours before feigning sick so he could start his weekend early. Then the PA system turned on and an ungodly wail filled the halls and sent Coach Eb reeling back to the nightmare he thought he had forgotten. Then there was silence.
 
Anton woke up in the morning, alone in his apartment as usual. His mother was probably already working, as usual, drowning in the pile of work her boss had dumped on her. If everything was as usual... He would probably find the cup of black coffee, half finished on the dining table and biscuit crumbs left behind, attracting tiny ants. There would probably be a sticky note left on the fridge, reminding Anton to take care of himself, as well as the time his mother would be home. However, if everything was as usual, he would arrived home, go to sleep, and the next day, wake up only to find his mother was still outside, probably deciding to sleep outside so that she could return to her workplace earlier and the process would repeat until the weekends when she would decide to take Anton out and spend some time with him, only failing when she would received a call from work and leave again.

Anton was used to this, so when he got dressed and walked into the kitchen and found his mother sitting at the dining table, staring at the cup of black coffee that was already empty with a blank look, he knew something was off. He quickly glanced away and pulled his hood up to cover his face. His blue headphones was already on his neck, the feeling of the headphones bouncing off his neck calmed Anton's nerves as he rummaged around the kitchen, looking for something to munch on before heading to school.

"I heard that you skipped school yesterday." His mother's voice rang loud and clear from behind him. Anton grabbed a biscuit, and munched on it silently before pouring himself a cup of water. "And it wasn't your first time. The school threatened to expel you if you continue to do so."

The silence was awkward. None of them knew how to interact with one another properly like a son and mother should do. "Please, Anton. Don't ruin your future..." She finally said, turning around to look at him. Anton gulped down his water, still ignoring his mother. "I k-know I haven't been a good mother to you... I'm sorry, Anton..." She continued. "I'm going to try okay. Why not we go for a movie today? After school. Or maybe I could-"

"It's okay. I have plans today." Anton cut her off, still not looking at her. He unlocked the door and pulled it open, ready to head out. "Maybe another day." He didn't wait for a reply before walking out and slamming the door behind him shut. Anton felt guilty, having lied to her, but he didn't know how to react to the sudden attention his mother gave him.

It didn't take long to reach his school. It was only Anton's second week here, having changed school not long ago. He still didn't know anyone since he didn't like interacting with people. Maybe he should find someone to hang out with today. He said he had plans after all, so he definitely wasn't going to go home right after school today. But right now, he didn't want to face the students and teachers yet, so he decided to hide out in the library, knowing that there was a secret place inside the library he could hide in and spend the rest of his day.

He was just on the third page when the PA system turned on and let out a loud piercing screech, scaring Anton. He put down the book, curiosity urging him to find out what is happening. However, he decided against it and continued to hide in his corner. Whatever was happening, it was probably a technical problem with the PA system, or maybe it was a prank... If there really was something out there, hiding in here was probably one of the safest options.
 
Muscles within her perfectly sculpted legs slowly clenched together, giving her the perfect balance in case the need to run arose. Every second that ticked by seemed like an eternity but Mataiya remained immobile. As she remained crouched, she strained to listen for anyone that happened to be nearby. Even the tiniest sounds caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up and it was almost too much for her sanity.

Just remain calm… you’re going to wake up… really. Okay, so maybe you won’t but… not everyone’s dead. There has to be someone alive just hopefully the killer isn’t nearby. As expected her thoughts didn’t help her situation any but, it was the best she could do for now.

A slight twitching began to occur in her calf muscles which signaled the necessity to move out of the current position she happened to be in. Ever so slightly creases appeared on her forehead indenting the pale surface caused by the slight wrinkling of her nose. This look came only when the scholar was in deep thought. The abysmal rhythmic breathing that normally resonated heavily in her chest lightened immensely. Mataiya’s eyelashes slowly closed over her Prussian blue orbs moments before she began to count backwards from ten in hopes by the time she finished, the school would be normal again.

Feeling as if someone was nearby watching her, paranoia slowly overtook her senses. Knowing it wouldn’t help her in the least if she panicked, the counting began again. Wishing she had x-ray vision, Mataiya moved her eyes without actually moving her head. Keeping perfectly still was normally a hard task for her, but it seemed with the circumstances, she was able to manage easily. Resisting the urge to pull her face inside her arms to hide her appearance, her mind began to imagine the worst.

What if the killer is beneath this stairwell with me at this very moment? I didn’t look very well when I climbed in here and I could have missed it. Maybe it’s another student hiding… stop being so paranoid…

Thoughts of crimson covered corpses dancing around the school bounced around inside of her head, followed by visions of the scene. Shaking her head as well as biting back a sob, Mataiya forced her back against the wall. Wishing she had a weapon in case there was something or someone beneath the stairwell, she ignored the sensation of her raven hair falling across her neck as well as her jacket. Her fears were fulfilled the moment she heard a clicking sound and a flame illuminated a male face.

“………!!!” Clamping her hands across her mouth to keep from screaming out, fear flashed within her widened eyes. The urge to get up and run increased full-tilt, but for some reason, she couldn’t get her legs to work.

"Princess playing at hooky? Run along back to class, before some maniac pulls out your liver from your belly." Smoking and apparently upset that she was in his neck of the woods, it was obvious by the tone of his voice that he was a loner.

What a bastard… doesn’t he know that someone is out there killing off people… or maybe he’s the killer. He looks like he could slaughter anyone in his path, but… he would have killed me by now… Mataiya frowned slightly before slumping down so that her black cargo pants rested softly against the ground. Drawing both legs up against her chest, slender arms draped across them in order to allow her chin to rest against the top of her knees.

“I’m not a princess… The name is Mataiya Callahan… and I don’t want to go out there because I’m afraid someone’s going to kill me… death is practically upon us. How can you be so condescending?” Sadness filled her eyes before she could do anything to stop it. Not one for crying out in public, she knew that she had to get a grip on herself.

“Wish I would have skipped school today like I had originally wanted to…”
 
Camille ran downstairs. If her sisters went to the nurse’s office, they would be at the north side of the school. It usually took a good minute or two to get there from the library. If she ran, she could make it in 30 seconds. Camille pumped her legs faster.

“Please tell me they skipped, please,” Camille panted as she ran.

“Excuse me!” Camille stopped at the shrill voice. Camille turned to see the librarian, Mrs. Hinkemeyer, coming towards her. “Where do you think you’re going, young lady?”

“Please, Mrs. Hinkemeyer, I need to get to my sisters. I have to make sure they’re okay.” Camille was bouncing on her toes, not wanting to stop. Every second she stopped, was a second her sisters were not by her side.

“I understand sweetie,” Mrs. Hinkemeyer put a frail hand on Camille’s shoulder. “But right now, we don’t know anything and everyone is a bit lost. The best thing to do when you’re lost is to stay put.”

“But my sisters,” Camille panted as her heart raced. Her sisters were lost, alone, and she needed to keep them safe. That was her job.

“Are safe with whoever is their teacher now.” Mrs. Hinkemeyer now rested two hands and put some force in her hold. Camille shook her head.

“They didn’t feel good and said they were going to see the nurse.”

“There you go!” Mrs. Hinkemeyer smiled. “They are probably with the nurse and safe in their office.”

“Which is in the administrative offices where that sound came from!” Camille growled as she ripped herself from Mrs. Hinkemeyer. She turned and ran, ignoring Mrs. Hinkemeyer’s call. Usually, Camille was the safe one, the one to stay in place if she got lost, to take a deep breath and calm down. Now, she needed the pounding of her heart and the burning blood running through her body. They were the only things that kept the icy grip of dread consuming her. So she ran to the administrative offices, not caring what she faced, as long as it was her sisters, alive.
 
She was careful, her ears open, and her heart being the only sound she heard. The silence was deafening. For once, Elle wished for the boisterous sounds and laughter of the students. Or even the banter that happened between the office secretaries. The young woman moved with silent precision, though her tracks slipped from underneath her and she felt a cold, slick liquid against the right side of her body, even staining her face. ‘What the fu…?’ Eleanor looked down at what she slipped in, bringing her hands closer underneath the flicking light above her. Her eyes widening at the blood that stained her hands, her blood ran cold in that moment, she was in a cold sweat. Her numb stupor keeping her in place for a moment, a moment that was gone the next when the sounds of a groaning female came from behind the counter.

She stood, still in shock, as she forced herself to look away from her hands, from the blood of whoever’s it was on the waxed floors. And she moved in a more, alert yet terrified resolve to the sounds that were becoming fainter by the second. Eleanor looked around the counter, afraid of what she might see, and what she feared what she would see. The last whispers escaping the bludgeoned secretary, her bloodshot eyes were looking right at her, she felt her heart in her throat, “W-what did y-you s-s-say?” She said in a quiet whisper, yet loud enough to reach the dying secretary’s ears. She crept closer, clenching her trembling hands into fists as she kneeled beside the woman and heard her final words, “Run…” Her eyes grew wide as she flinched away from the woman, she thumped loudly against the counter, gasping at the dead secretary and how those bloodshot eyes were still looking her in the eye, even as she drew her last breath.
 
Earlier, in a certain bathroom off the hallway leading to 2nd Period Chemistry,


Meridian Skye—Meri to her friends—was quite conflicted on what to do. Her parents wanted her to go to boring old Miskatonic University, and kept on and on hassling about what a great pre-med program it boasted, and how close it was to the pageantry circuit, and wouldn't it be nice for her to win a few national pageants and then get her MD.

Blah.

She was tired of their pushing her to decide what to do. She'd thought that after the whole situation with Kirk and their easing off they'd let her off the hook and quit pushing. She wasn't sure yet if she wanted to be a doctor. No, she wanted to play! She'd gotten a full ride to the College of Unford in London, and the campus was just a few stops of the underground away from Britain's most prestigious soccer club! Or football as they called it over there.

The gorgeous blue eyed brunette did a few faces to herself in the mirror as she checked her make up and daydreamed: Oh my gosh, it would be like, super posh if I were to go study abroad! Study among all those cute gentlemen with the great accents, and on the weekends play soccer until I'm scouted by Everham FC!, Oh mygoshwouldn'thatbeawe

She never got to finish her thought before her mind crumbled to pieces.

In her reflection behind her, she witnessed something that her undeveloped teenaged brain simply wasn't equipped to comprehend.

She could see the closed bathroom stalls to the left and right of the space where the thing was emerging, but where the stall she came from seconds earlier was supposed to be, a void—or what she could only interpret as a void—was expanding. Even as she stared, the tile wall above the toilet and the sanitary napkin dispenser she'd just touched seemed to just...fade away, their substance somehow becoming less real to her eyes.

Everything within the stall began to degrade, not quite turning invisible, but simply changing. Their texture, the way light reflected off the objects, their solidness; it all began to take an unnatural hue. It was if it were all nothing but the paper backdrops they used to make the backgrounds in their school plays. Poor facsimiles of the things they themselves stood for.

And out of this "void", something formed. Something solidified. Something emerged.

She couldn't give an appropriate description of what she was seeing if her life depended on it. She just knew that deep down, it was unlike anything she could even begin to imagine as possible. It was real and solid in a way that everything around it—including herself—could never hope to be.

In an instant, she realized that everything she'd known as existence was a mere lie. She knew down to the marrow of her bones that all her hopes and dreams were naught but the ephemeral glimmers of thought from an insect subsisting upon the skin of greatness.

Then she saw the limbs. And the claws. And the host of eyes and her mind seized. But not before realizing she'd been screaming, and remembering that she was supposed to meet up with Mataiya. Her last thought as the multitude of sharp edges descended upon her was for her friend and all the soccer games they'd never get to play again...




It had the place firmly in it's grasp. It wasn't sure yet, if these were food. They certainly were not a threat. But to feed? It needed to know more. It did not know if it was time yet to awaken Itself...

It saw the older ones. The ones stained with more dirt in their souls. It needed to know if they could be seasoned as the littler ones could be.

It slunk it's way off towards the Administrative Offices, it's passing unnoticed by any who'd looked too closely; it's essence was but the merest ripple upon reality. The prey did not know enough terror to perceive It yet.
 
After the PA cut off and that terrible screeching ceased, the silence that followed was profound. Coach Ebberman wasn't a perceptive man but something deep inside of him screamed for him to run away while he still had a chance. It was an instinct buried deep in the core of Man and smothered by centuries of civilization and scientific explanations for the things that go bump in the night, a primal fear.

As stated, Coach Ebberman was not a perceptive man and so he ignored this feeling, if he even noticed it at all. Brushing it off as a malfunction, he continued to the cafeteria but after just a few steps he caught something from the corner of his eye.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Coach yelled at a couple of teenagers down the hallway. They should be in class, but they looked like they had their backpacks on and were heading for the exit.

"We have to get out of here,. Some weird shit is going down, man," a sandy-haired boy said as Coach Ebberman approached. He sounded panicked.

"Watch your mouth," Coach barked before the other boy had a chance to speak up. "There's no hooky on my watch. Get back to class!" He stood in front of them now, not allowing them to pass. There was no denying that Coach Ebberman was likely more attitude than action, but he was still an imposing figure, especially to two scrawny teenage boys.

"Are you nuts, dude!? A chick's dead, man. I'm outta here!" The sandy-haired boy tried to sprint away, but Coach snatched him by his elbow and held him firm.

"Boy, I'm not in the mood for pranks. Now BACK TO CLASS!" Then something happened that caught him completely off guard. The boy he was holding spun and took a swing at him. Coach Ebberman never saw it coming and took the punch right to the face.

He let go of the boy out of pure shock but immediately tried to grab him again but was too late as the two boys ran away down the hall, likely looking for another exit.

"You rotten little fuck," Coach hollered after them. He wouldn't bother chasing them, though because he'd never catch them. But now he was furious, enough so to skip breakfast, and started walking to the Administrative Office. He didn't recognize either of the boys but he had their descriptions and was going to make damn sure they'd pay for this.
 
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The halls were empty, and Camille would swear that there were more shadows than there used to be. It was as if the shadows themselves were trying to consume the school. Camille pumped her legs faster. She didn’t stop till she saw one of the more known cafeteria ladies. Camille didn’t know who she was, her and her sisters didn’t go to the cafeteria, but she had seen her as a substitute for a few classes. Calista said that the woman was nice. The woman was coming out of the offices, her hands covered in red.

Camille’s panic and fear clawed at her throat.

No, no, no, no, no, no, nononononononononoono.

Coach Ebberman’s heavy footsteps cleared her throat.

“What, whose,” Camille gaped loudly. Her throat was clear, but her mind and heart sure weren’t.
 
Eleanor stood, her knees buckling a couple of times as she drug herself away from the disturbing scene. Silent tears sliding down her cheeks, she wiped them away when they blurred her vision. ‘I have to…check the others…’ She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling adrenaline and sadness course through her veins, then she opened them back up. Like the dead secretary, she found the others in the similar situation, albeit bloodier than the last. Elle could feel the bile coming up at each scene, the stench was horrendous. Her hands were caked in blood as was her entire right-side of her body, her whole being smelled like dried blood and the dead just stunk off her. Elle came out into the corridor, she backed out of the offices, the thought of checking the landlines were out of question after she heard no dial tone on the other end when checking the phones in each office.

She stopped in her tracks, she looked up from her squeaky shoes, seeing a younger female – likely a student. Eleanor couldn’t recall her name, the female spoke, she could see the panic set in on the young student’s face. “I- Are you okay?” She asked, despite her trembling voice, “T-this isn’t my blood.” She had to tell her as if it would make the situation fare any better. The sounds of heavy footsteps could be heard coming up from behind the student, Eleanor’s emerald orbs flickering to Coach Ebberman, “Who—” Her voice cut off at the angry expression this man wore.
 
Tiny beads of sweat had begun to pool up beneath the light cotton fabric throughout her crouching phase. Ignoring the uncomfortable sensations that resulted from the liquid trailing down the curves of her feminine form, Mataiya found herself focusing upon the cloud of fine particles as they flittered beneath the stairwell. Not new to the smell of smoke, the Princess took it all in stride. The scent wafted around her nostrils while she studied his figure. Once upon a time, she could have bragged that she knew everyone in her class, but it was apparent that it was bull because she was unsure as to whom he indeed was. If she were to judge just by his actions this very second, she would comment that he was a loner, anti-social, and probably hated people he assumed to be preppy. Part of that was correct about her personality because she was heavily involved in sports, and that gave her a sort of popularity that she didn’t necessarily want. In all reality, he probably wished she’d take a hike and let him smoke alone. That wasn’t going to happen, not yet, at least. The fear that remained was far too intense for her liking. Dismissing his apparent dislike of her semi-falsely accused princess personage, a sense of calmness spread around her. While allowing her body to relax ever so slightly, her mind slipped out of reality for a brief moment into a dreamlike state filled with memories.

For some odd reason, she could see herself or what used to be her in the eyes of this male. Not wanting to appear rude, she attempted to keep from staring for an extended period, but couldn’t help but notice his eyes moving from her face down towards her chest before shifting his gaze upward again. If she were full of herself, she would claim that he was checking her out, but from his previous comments, that claim would be false. Feeling the weight of his gaze upon her, Mataiya fought the squirming urge. Part of her wanted to leap from beneath the protection of the cement structure, but the fear-induced section was winning the war, at least thus far. Forcing the panic-stricken thoughts back within her complex mind, the senior found herself wishing for a cigarette. Releasing a deep sigh, she found the trepidation receding ever so slightly.

“I think we should move somewhere else… this area is giving me the creeps. I feel like something is watching us. Can I at least know your name, just in case…?”

As soon as he moved towards the light, something clenched up within her gut in anticipation. Forcing this unwelcome feeling back beneath the flesh of her skin, Mataiya shuffled forward from beneath the stairwell. The contrast between the darkness of the stairs and the brightly lit corridor caused spots to dance in front of her pupils. Sliding her eyes closed a moment before opening them, the slender pale, feminine figure straightened up beside the only other person alive that she had come into contact with at the moment.
 
A few minutes earlier, in the Administrative Offices,

Katarina Ferguson nee Jovanović, was not having a good morning. She was behind on her paperwork for the vice Principal, who was known to have a temper whenever he felt one of the secretaries was making him look bad on his performance reports from the District. He really wanted to get the promotion to the big P once Principal Jackson retired. And she really wanted his position as V-P, hence her taking on both extra paperwork and putting in some extra work with him in the basement after-hours.

Served her two-timing husband right, two could play at that game. It had always been like this, ever since she left the old country and came here to the land of the free. Never getting anything or anywhere without having to lie, backstab, or screw up to it. Things were always the same for people like her. The world always wanted to take, so better to take first. Like her dear husband was about to find out once the divorce papers and the pictures her PI took landed on his desk.

She was lost in her revenge fantasies—each one featuring her soon to be ex-husband in ever increasing pits of despairs—and didn't notice the slight stuttering of the old fluorescent lights over head. She was sitting on her desk by the door to the multimedia storage where they kept the school's supplies of laptops and IT equipment, along with the PA and other assorted stuff.

Pen tapping idly as she pondered how best to hurt the lying, cheating, son of a bitch that she married...maybe she should wait. A few more months and nature would run its course. Then she'd have both the vice principal's support for the job and her ex-husband to have to pay her for 18 years.

Or she could murder him. Chop him up into little pieces, store them in the freeze in the garage. Maybe thaw a doggie bag every few days and head out to the woods out back of the school in the morning. Weren't there coyotes there?

Slowly but surely, her thoughts became more twisted and corrupted. Little bits of humanity and ideals of civility being subsumed into a delicious treat as It shivered in ecstasy nearby.

They could be seasoned, and these bigger ones had so much more to spice with.

With a sudden surge—just as Katarina's contemplations reached a sickening crescendo—the light bulbs flared unnaturally and the PA system let out a hellish squawk as Its contentment pulsed through the electromagnetic spectrum. In a daze, Katarina looked around, and saw It.

It slunk towards her, and her vision doubled as she struggled to comprehend. One moment it looked like a hideously deformed hag, all old country clothing barely concealing sores weeping blood and pus. That was the easy one to see. The one her brain wanted to focus on.

She did not want to see the multi-legged thing slinking towards her. She did not want to see the teeth bursting through the skin. The multitude of eyes lining down the spine. The hands ending in fleshy mallet like protuberances.

No, she did not want to see that. So as she turned to try to run, her dying scream as the first pulverizing strike hit her was: "Baba Yaga."



Glorious refreshment! Sublime feast! It couldn't contain itself. The time of feasting was finally upon it, and it could only tell because it was here now. In this wonderful place where there was time to go with the space. Boundaries to slip through. Something more than endless nothing. It was marvelous. It would have to awaken itself soon.

But first, it had to prepare the meal.

It cast its gaze about, and saw not only through the space it held, but through the time it had gained dominion upon.

Saw the corpses that would hang from the rafters tomorrow. The innocent games of yesterday.

It saw them all: the tall man as he put the barrel of the gun to his mouth. The dusky-green woman as she tossed the children's feet into her pot. The lying fat man holding the small body to his chest as he cried it wasn't his fault. The wannabe tough girl as she cringed in the dark hiding from the approaching footsteps. The nameless one bathing in her sisters blood. The jaded wanderer bleeding out whispering for his mother...these and every other bit of prey that it would soon consume.

It saw them as they began. It saw them as they could be. It saw them as they would end.

With a thrilling surge, it broke itself into hundreds of pieces, casting its tendrils of influence across Its space and time, to begin the process to make them all flavorful. To begin the process that would finally lead to Awakening.
 
“I- Are you okay?” Carmen’s heart spiked its beating at the wat the woman’s voice was trembling. “T-this isn’t my blood.” That didn’t help Carmen any. The anger on Coach Ebberman’s face wouldn’t help either.

“Wha,” Carmen cleared her throat, hating how her voice was so high pitched. Like it got when she was rock climbing with her sisters and couldn’t stop thinking about how the rope snap and they could DIE.

Carmen took another deep breath. She needed to think. She needed to know. “What’s going on? Is, is everyone in there” Carmen gestured to the administrative offices' area. “Are they,” Her voice was breaking again but she needed to know. “Are they dead?”
 
Eleanor was still in shock, she calmed herself again. It was, however, too late to ease the scared student's mind as she spoke to her. She had look through the offices, all of them slaughtered down like common cattle going to the slaughter house. What could she say? Elle clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into the skin, not hard enough to draw blood. Hearing the young female's voice break had caused her to close her own eyes, shrugging her shoulders and then, full on out nodding her head.

"I-I'm so sorry. But if you're looking..." Her voice trailed off, the images of the dead student's face in the Nurse's office was the hardest pill to swallow. Eleanor was silent, there was nothing else she could say, no amount of comforting words would likely help the student. Then she spoke, "They're...dead." Words final, ringing out in the air. "They're all dead, every single one of them." She held back a sob of her own as she finally drew blood from her palms.
 
Theodore had forgotten the reality he was in. His nose stuffed deep in a book; he curled himself within the library's beanbag. Emerald eyes dazzled signifying his imagination running wild. His place of safety was to trade this cruel world for one painted in words. Being a nerd and significantly antisocial put him in the position of the outcast. Though, he didn't mind having no friends as long as he was able to pursue his passion with the depths of the carefully sculpted writing that seemed to always be resting in his palms. The silent ambience of the library was interrupted by a blaring screech overhead- such a sound painfully pushing against his eardrums. He jolted in an upright sitting position with the book trembling in hand. He instinctively took sharp inhales from the sudden rise in blood pressure. He froze in that state for several moments. Quivering, he placed the bookmark between the pages and the boy shakily rose to his feet. Gaze frantically looking around the area, he, irrationally, chose to squeeze into a cramped corner between the bookshelf and wall. The area smelled of dust and he was certain he felt cobwebs around him. He drew his knees to his chest, hands still tightly gripping the book. His face grew pink at what a foolish "hiding" place this was.
 
The male glanced towards her and just smirked, his hand reaching out to brush the strands of her hair out of her face. Mataiya didn’t shrink back and just stared at him, wondering if he was going to actually tell her his name or if he would be a pain about it. After a few minutes of just staring, he finally cleared his throat, speaking softly while his mouth moved so that it was inches from her ear, “The name is Guy Perkins.”

Stepping back away from her, he slid his hand around her wrist and guided Mataiya down the hallway, heading towards the auditorium. Unsure as to why she was allowing Guy to lead her, the teenager remained silent, still feeling like something was watching them. A slight shiver ran up her back, goosebumps forming along her flesh as the feeling intensified. After a few minutes of walking silently, he pulled her into the auditorium and grinned.

“We’re all alone in here.” He mused while Mataiya wasn’t so sure she wanted to be alone with him.

“Don’t you think we should find others?” Mataiya questioned, glancing around cautiously, not liking how big of a room they were now in.
 
"They're all dead, every single one of them." Carmen’s heart dropped to her stomach as ice climbed up her spine. The woman had to be wrong. They couldn’t all be dead. Her sisters couldn’t be dead.

“H-How?” Carmen stuttered before desperation seized her and she walked forward. “How do you know? Who was all in there? What killed them?” Carmen felt her voice growing in volume as she walked towards the woman. “Was it some psycho person? Did someone snap and kill them? Was it a wild animal? What happened?” She was screaming. She didn’t care. She needed to be sure. She couldn’t do anything with, with……. She wouldn’t accept that her sisters were dead until she was certain of it.

Until their blood was on her hands.
 
Kira walked down the halls, cautious. When the alarms had went off, the security guards had to patrol for a while. Cordova was on lockdown. She crept around the school thinking of that nice girl.
"I can't believe she was killed.. And by who?" Kira muttered to herself. It was better to find whoever did this and deal with the problem then. She saw the slightest ripple in the air, it was probably the heat. She ignored whatever she saw in the air and carried on, thinking what was going to happen next.
 
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