No Vacancy

Vacant

"They". It was the first thought crossed my mind as I looked into the vacant eyes that stared blankly ahead of me. It was as if all at once personality vanished and left us with hollow, unmoving people. I began to think I was that only one that did not go through "The Change". Until I saw a frightened girl near the front of the classroom. Her hair was red, her eyes a heavy green, disappearing due to into the mountain of hair she was trying to cover her face with. Her knees came up to her chin as she desperately attempted to fit her whole body onto the small chair. She whipped her head around searching the science posters that covered the room. I stared at her actions until her green eyes locked with my hazel.

" What is going on?" she screamed." Is this you? Are you behind this?"

Why was she scared? They said nothing and walked. I looked at my science buddy."Michael?" I slowly got out of my chair and tapped on his shoulder, but he just kept on walking.

"Answer me! What is going on?" The girl screamed from behind. It was only then the fear started to set in, it was only then that I came to terms with her fear. The friends that we used to know were not people anymore. They were not the people we knew, they were something else entirely. Then without thinking, I reacted.

" We have to get out of here!" I said turning to the girl as I put my hair golden hair in a ponytail. I started down the walk the path to her desk pushing asided vacant, expressionless people. I grabbed her arm. "Come on!" I yelled.

"Why? I don't even know you? Are you a witch?" she yelled and paused." YOU DID THIS TO THEM!" She broke away from my grip.

" NO, I'm human", I said, realizing the statement suddenly held new meaning.  Looking around desperately  I continued "I don't know what happened? Or what they are, but I do know one thing I don't intend to stay here to find out! Are you coming or Not?" She sobbed as I waited for her answer impatiently. In my head, I knew I would not leave without her. Even though I had been brave this morning, I could not be brave now, not with this. Slowly though, to my relief, the girl began to put her feet on the ground and push herself away from the desk.

Her voice cracked as she said, "OK, I'll come with you."

As soon as the words hit her mouth we were running out of the classroom into the halls. Halls that had once been filled with smiling faces, laughs, lovers wrapped in tight embraces. Now all that greeted us were more vacant expressions. I was about to lose it until I felt strong arms shaking me and a scream. I looked up to see Troy, my best friend, yelling.

"Jane, are you OK? What is going on?" His light blue eyes brought me back from my darkness, his black hair waving in panic as he rocked with the shakes he handed out. Before I could answer the girl behind me answered.

" We don't know!" she yelled. "The End?"

" The end of what?" Troy yelled back, hugging my limp body towards him as he did.

"Us", She whispered slowly. At that moment everything went dark as fell back onto Troy's body.

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"Jane, Jane, wake up" I heard a voice saying in my mind. Who was it? My mind was in a blur, my thoughts trying to recall my recent events. Again the voice rang in my ears "Jane! Jane! Are you going to be like Them?" "Them", who was them? Then it came back in flashes. The vacant eyes, the moving bodies, the scared girl. Suddenly, my mind snapped back to life. My eyes popped open to being greeted with Troy's.

"Are you still Jane?" he whispered his hands falling from me. My body came in contact with the cold title. Cold, just like Micheal's shoulder. I don't want to be cold.

"No, don't let me go?!" I yelled. His arms wrapped around me, crushing me to his chest.

"Jane, your all right!" he shouted. I snuggled into his chest fighting the tears that threatened to leak on my cheeks.

"I'm fine" I breathed "Where are we? " I began to look around the room. It was cold and damp and as if to mimic the temperature the walls were a dark gray. Water puddles covered the ground. The whole place probably would have been covered in darkness if not for the dim light that showered over the ground. In the center of the light, two familiar looking students were beginning to argue at each other, the familiar redhead trying to separate them. One of the boys pointed to the radio I had not noticed. The static coming from the radio clouded out voices that sounded like a news report.

" I know how to fix the radio. I know if we went above we would be able to get a signal." The light was playing with his brown skin. He seemed tall at least from my angle, at the very top of the mountain of his body was curly ringlet black hair. Mirroring his black hair were black eyes that glisten in rage. I slowly began to part from Troy until I stood up.

" You aren't going up there Tyler! We don't know what those things that used to be our friends are." The boy across from him said. He adjusted his glasses on his acne covered nose and crossed his pale arms across his chest. His brown eyes mirrored his confidence as he moved a strand of blond hair away from his face.

"Man listen. Can't you see that is why we have to get a signal! We need to find out what the are!" Tyler fumed. "Maybe the feds know something! He grabbed the radio and started towards the door only to come to a halt with a strong hand on his shoulder.

" I, Henry, am pretty sure that is a bad idea. It could lead to your downfall." Henry said.

" He is right, it's dangerous." The red head said simply crossing her arms like Henry. Tyler shoved Henry's hand off his shoulder.

" So what?! We are supposed to just sit here and do nothing in the school's basement!" Tyler yelled. Suddenly I found myself speaking.

" He is right." I saw all three heads snap my way, most likely surprised that I was awake." We need to figure out what is going on. Plus, it's not like they hurt anyone...they just walk and stare." Stare and walk with lifeless faces.

"Does it matter what they do? It is not normal human behavior." Henry said. Troy began to move in front of me.

"So. Jane and Tyler are right, We need answers. " He said taking charge. " If you and Raven don't want to come, then don't. Personally, though I think we should stick together. " Raven gave Troy a scared look.  Henry just shook his head at him.

"Look! " Troy began. " We can all go together to the gym storage closet above it. We can grab a few bats just in case. If we can just get to the main gym we should get a signal, you guys are acting as if we are going miles. When in reality we are only walking a few yards above us."

"Well, it is like miles with those...those.. WHATEVER THEY ARE UP THERE." Raven yelled throwing her hands up in the air. Henry looked at Tyler, then Troy, finally me.

"Fine, I will go." Herny said. Raven stared at him in shock.

"What?" she said.

"We can't deny his logic." Henry whispered to Raven.

"Alright, I will go but I am not going first." Raven sighed. Everyone began to grow quiet, the silence carried on until I realized they were waiting for my approval. I knew they probably were thinking the same thing ....the thought that crossed my mind earlier. If that girl had not moved from her chair I would have never left that room of "people". If one person said "no " none of them were moving. My decision would wind that pushed us out the basement door. I tried to let out my fear in a sigh but it remained, I peered into their frightened faces. I knew the answer that they begged me with their eyes not to utter.

"I will go," I said. I looked around the room to find expressions that I could never fully understand, yet as we all looked at the basement puddles, saw the fading light, and heard the unknown whispering of the radio it was clear we could not remain here. All of us began the walk towards the steps that lead to the door that blocked out the vacant expressions.