I looked down at the papers that were just handed out. They were all about arguments and details within a story. Everyone else had already gotten to work, probably because they just wanted to get it done so they didn't have to do it the tomorrow, plus the day was almost over anyway and the school buses were already waiting outside. After a long while of looking at the papers I finally started to read the words. Before I knew it, the bell rang, I hadn't even written a single word on the paper, I just stared at the words, how long was I staring at nothing? Or as I normally say it, how long was I staring into the Void? After finally realizing what was happening, I shoved the papers into my open binder on the floor and closed it, picking up my chair and putting it in a pile with the others. I looked to see that someone was trying to leave before being dismissed, surprisingly he managed to get away with it along with many others from the different classes, getting ready for the bus before doing what they were supposed to do. After staring into the hall for who knows how long someone waved their hand in my face, I shook my head and looked at them.
"Stop staring into the void, you've been standing there for five minutes and the bus bell will be going off soon."
It was one of my friends, Kaitlyn, before today she was the one who usually stared into the Void all the time but today it was different, like we both just switched roles and personality. Before I could say something, the intercom beeped, the sound could even be heard from the hall. There was a moment of silence before it seemed like everyone in the staff room was yelling into a megaphone, but they weren't yelling, they were shouting.
"LOCK DOWN LOCK DOWN LOCK DOWN! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! CLOSE, LOCK AND BARRICADE YOUR CLASSROOM DOORS IMMEDIATELY!"
Soon everyone was shouting and running into their classes... well almost everyone. A few people just looked around and shrugged from what I could see, even the person that left our class just stood there and continued. But the teacher closed the door instantly, not even daring to look outside before barricading the main door to the classroom and then the back door with desks. None of the classes we knew of had locks except for one which was separate from the rest so a teacher was supposed to lock the doors that lead to the separate halls. I heard footsteps and yelling from what was probably another teacher yelling at the students that were still outside. Before a loud BANG! Ran through the hallway as the doors were slammed shut. There was movement to the corner of my eyes and I realized that the teacher was calling me over to the hiding spot, quickly I ran over and took cover under the desk with the other students, but since I was the last to get there I had to sit in front of everyone else. Noises were heard throughout the class as my classmates started to talk like it was some joke, the teacher quieting them quickly and making sure all students were here, she soon stopped and looked at all the students.
"Where's Brody C?"
Everyone began looking at each other before one of them spoke up.
"I saw him leave the class to go get ready for the bus"
A frustrated and worried sigh emitted from the teacher, "he better have gone to another class." I thought about what might've been outside the school that caused the lockdown, a logical explanation would be a bear or a pack of wolves or even someone with a gun (although not likely where I live). But I was a believer in things others didn't believe in, to me, it could be absolutely anything so hope for the best, but with the tone in the staffs voice hinted that it may be worse than a bear or pack of wolves.
There was a long while of silence before a student began talking, "I don't think there's anything th-" their voice was cut off by a loud smash and multiple screams as metallic clanking and footsteps broke any bit of silence other than the silence broken by the student that had shut himself up and covered his mouth. After maybe five minutes of screams and metallic clanks and footsteps, everything became quiet again and not a single student opened their mouths to speak or to even breath, they were trying their best to make as little noise as possible, each eye seeming to be struck by fear. I just sat there, looking at the ground, listening for any sounds, feeling for any vibrations of movement. There weren't any vibrations in the ground and no sounds, just a strange smell in the air, I knew this scent, but the name of what caused it slipped out of my mind before I could get a grip on it. Another minute latter there were mechanical footsteps approaching the door to the hall, they were so loud i thought that everyone in the school could hear them, mother student began talking but was instantly shushed by the others. Soon the locked door to the hall broke open, the glass on the doors sounding like they were shattered.
A scream came from outside the room along with banging on the door, someone calling out to us, "LET ME IN, PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIE!"
Too late, the mechanical foot steps made it to the door and I heard what sounded like the snip of scissors as the cries of whoever was out there were cut off. No one made a sound any more, they just breathed as softly as they could to make as little sound possible. The sound of scissors continued for a good while before they suddenly stopped, the glass on the door to our class breaking, soon something slammed against the door, shifting the desks stacked next to it. Everyone went into a quiet panic at that moment, shuffling around, a few of them even praying to be safe from whatever was outside. Another bang at the door caused it to break open, shifting the desks even more. A few of the students jumped and kept themselves as close to the ground as possible, hoping that there was a chance that they'd live. The door was smashed open right off the hinges, the desks toppling over and falling to the ground as whatever was outside entered the class. Now everyone was in a panic, even the teacher who was still crouched down in a corner, no one dared to look, there was only fear inside of everyone, the fear of death. Once again I realized I was staring into the void as the mechanical foot steps made their way closer one step at a time, I thought I knew what would happen at this point but, the footsteps stopped and I saw the slightest shadow on the floor. Whatever it was, it turned its head and shrieked at something, the shadow mimicking its every move. The head was small with spines going down what was visible of the neck, the mouth... beak, was long and the teeth were almost serrated. Something dripped from the beak and spilled onto the floor, a drop landing right next to the teachers desk, it was dark and red and the smell, I soon realized what it was... it was blood. Already I was back to staring into the Void, not even realizing that the thing had left the room with a hiss, hopefully leaving the school altogether, yet I just kept staring at the blood. I was finally broken from the trance as someone tapped my shoulder.
I turned to see one of the students faces, Kealey's, "is it safe?" She asked in a soft and quiet voice. I dared myself to look, there was blood all over the floor and the desks were scattered everywhere, the door laying on the ground off of the hinges.
After a short moment of listening to see if it was outside I heard nothing and turned back, "it's safe." At that moment everyone gave a sigh of relief, soon getting up and looking around the class, most of their belongings piled on top of each other. The teacher had already left the room to see if the other classes were fine but stopped short at the door and clasped her hands around her mouth, staring at the door of the other classroom. I stopped picking up my belongings and walked over to her, staring at something horrifying and gruesome. It was the body of the kid that had left the class, Brody C, he was completely mutilated, sliced in half, his intestines spilling from his body. Other students started to gather behind us, gasping, one of them crying while others puked. People usually mourn during these times, but me, lots of the kids in my class would make fun of me and push me around, Brody C was one of them, but either way I allowed a tear to fall from my face. I took the cross necklace off of my neck and opened his hand, resting it in the palm before closing it and praying.
"Brody Crudders was a friend to lots of us, maybe not all of us, but he still deserves a good life, may his travel to heaven be a safe one, and may his reward be great."
The class fell silent some not being able to look before the whole class said something I never thought they would say before now, "amen."
Everyone sat silent after that, thinking to themselves, Kealey being the one to speak up. "So what are we going to do now?" I looked over at the toppled desks and the mutilated body of Brody C, thinking the same question.
"Well, if those things are still out there we need to try and gather as many people as we can and find a safe place that isn't going to get destroyed or found by them." It was Jared who spoke up.
"I think we should try and look for any survivors that may still be hiding."
"Well if I am right about this then the other three classes should still be ok so I think Joel is right, plus it could help you get started with your plan." Tynan soon answered, "we only heard the smash of the doors to this hallway and of our own door, that's two doors so they should still be ok." Little by little the class started to argue about what to do and what not to do, it was like that day during science when we had to make debates about the pros and cons of different things like light pollution and fossil fuels.
The teacher quieted everyone down, "that won't be happening, not today. Right now you should be getting to your bus, if the driver is still alive they will take you home. Tomorrow we will wait outside with the other classes and say our morning prayer there before we return to class and discuss this. And if you want you can write a debate on why you think we should vote on your idea." With that the teacher went back to her desk and started packing her stuff, opening the cabinet to let everyone who brought their phones take them back. Maybe five students went to retrieve their phones, and they were lucky to be the ones that didn't have to go into the main hall to get their bags, if there were other students in those halls then it's a good probability that they are dead so there is a big chance that I would be stepping into a bloodbath. Finally I had gathered the strength and stomach to move myself from my position and walk out of the class. I could here the others pulling the desks away from the door, the intercom came on.
"You may now come out of your classes the lockdown is over, I repeat the lockdown is over." For once in my life I was relieved to hear the intercom, usually before now they would call me down so that they could change who I am since they weren't big believers and I was someone that believed in almost everything, and the flying pasta thing that another friend, Coen says is real is not one of them. I walked down the hall, watching another class open the door and stare at me as I did. The doors were indeed smashed and destroyed, bent at weird angles with huge dents in them, but now came the juicy details of the show, Brody C wasn't the only one to be mutilated. Each person in the hall was lying on the ground or in the pits, covered in blood, there was even an arm holding onto the cage that went over one of the water fountains, the one that kids would always try and climb for their own entertainment. I got to my locker and had to move an armless corpse out of the way, getting blood all over my hands, not that it mattered anyway, there was blood everywhere. Quickly I entered my code for the lock and grabbed my bag and outside shoes, taking off my indoors and putting them in the locker, closing it and locking it again. It didn't matter anyway but I usually do it anyway just to be safe. Other classes started to emerge and eventually whole hall was filled with kids and teenagers, all puking and trying not to get themselves covered in blood. I realized I was staring into the Void again when I heard the call of my friends, I looked up and saw Reese and Shantae waiting with Kaitlyn.
"Where were you!?" Shantae yelled into my ear.
"Moving the corpse of another student away from my locker so I could grab my stuff and return to get the rest."
Reese gave me a weird look, "how the fuck do you even stand that shit?"
"Because I'm messed up, if you hadn't noticed yet, the staff always called me down so they could try and fix me."
Kaitlyn nodded, "makes sense," I soon left so they could continue their conversation, grabbing my stuff and placing it in my bag before zipping it up, grabbing my outdoor shoes and leaving the classroom, making my way outside without getting pushed for once. Reese, Shantae and Kaitlyn were already outside so I walked up to them, getting stopped in my tracks as someone grabbed me by the neck and pulled me back.
"Hello Coen, are you happy you aren't dead?"
He let go, "yeah, but to be honest those things remind me of something, the ones that attacked us."
"Did your class door get ripped off the hinges too?"
"Yep, luckily they didn't spot us, if they did then I have a feeling I wouldn't be here at the moment."
I chuckled a bit even though now isn't really the time for it, "well that's strange of you to say, but I did manage to get a shadow of a head and I'll agree when you said it looked familiar somewhere." Our bus soon approached, when I looked I realized there were a few staff members dragging bodies from the buses, child and adult. The bus labeled C04, stopped at the back of the line of buses, quickly I poked Kaitlyn, Reese and Shantae (in that order) and said goodbye before running to my bus. There was a significant amount of students missing but lucky for me my little sister was still here, waving to me with a sad expression. I kneeled down and gave her a hug before standing back up and heading to my seat, sitting down next to Coen. I stared out the window, something I haven't done in awhile, houses were still standing almost untouched by what had happened, I thought about my house which was out of town, was my house still standing? Is everyone ok? Does my family know about what is going on? All these questions, all these thoughts, they just lead me back to the place I visited before that incident, right back into the Void.