9 Days Before [2nd Draft]

p.2: Summer School Comes to an end

Fast-moving clouds formed above the school. Students, getting out of their class early, paused in their tracks, fixated on how the clouds were forming. Others went towards their friends or the closest person not observing, pointing at the skies.

"Look at that 'sick' looking cloud," one gasped.

"Trippy," another said, adding to the brewing pot. Other observers lost interest and went about their day. Finally, I would be free from summer school, they thought as they left.

Dedicated examiners stuck around, wondering if there would be another occurrence like the last storm.

"Do you think it'll happen?" A student with folded arms nudged someone else.

"Like what?"

"I don’t know," the student shrugged in response, unfolding his arms and putting his hands in his pockets.

"Do you think it could be a severe stor-"
The sirens went off, warning anyone outside to take shelter of the approaching storm.

"Looks like it," The rest of the students went into classrooms or ran to their homes, trying to beat the clouds from dropping gallons.

One of the students watching the storm caught the eyes of Mr. Clark, dragging a boy with him into classroom 102, Mrs. Kois's room. As he caught interest, he saw the other three tailing behind them.

Doing a pretty bad job of not being noticed by anyone, the student thought but joined the queue as they all went into the classroom.

—

Lin had been busy with his studies before the door swung open, the doorknob hitting the wall, puncturing a hole. He and the rest of the classroom perked towards the door. The shine from outside only showed Opel trying to hide, but the other familiar silhouette nudged him into the classroom.
Lin caught the eye with Opel, and the two had a sudden spark of thought between them. Images of dark fog spewing from the skies entered Lin from Opel.

Lin pushed back in his chair, standing up from his spot. The chair stumbled onto the neighboring desk. The figure entered the room, and the door closed behind them.

"What's up?"

Lin looked ahead, seeing Kel standing before him, his skin pale, almost casting gray tones.

"A successful one...?" Lin talked to himself, the words holding a different - muddled meaning, as if the words had come from somewhere else - someone else.

"A what?" Kel questioned with a chuckle, his eyebrows raised, his head nodding slightly.

Lin was still shocked at seeing him 'alive'.

"I'm sure you remember that night, Lin. I, on the other hand, can't get it out of my damn head," he hit his head with his palms, trying to jog the memories out.

"We shouldn't have left like that," Lin said, looking down at the floor. The classroom bewildered, with some taking out their phones hoping to capture a brawl.

The air raises with tension on the three friends.

"Fight, fight, fight!" One of the classmates antagonized the scenario, trying to pull any strings to record a fight.

Another classmate joined the chant, looking at the leader, flipping their phone out to record another angle.

"There's not gonna be a fight!"

Mr. Clark, Kel's father, stepped into the classroom, Tay in hand.

Tay pointed to Kel, "You see, Mr. Clark, I told you I sa-"