Run Or Die

The Hollows didn’t just attack—they swarmed, a tidal wave of gray flesh, claws, and teeth that turned the classroom into a slaughterhouse. The kid nearest the door—Yuki, Yumei, some name I can’t pull from the panic—got mobbed before she could scream. Her shrieks came anyway, raw and guttural, as the Hollows tore her to ribbons. Blood sprayed, bones snapped, and her cries lit a fire under the class, shocking us into motion. I was already moving, grabbing Shion’s wrist and Riku’s collar the second the swarm hit her. “Run!” I yelled, leaping over Reina’s crumpled form, still a sobbing mess of tears and shame, her posse frozen around her.

Ms. Hoshino’s voice sliced through the chaos. “Everyone, out! Now!” No one argued—not even Reina’s cronies, who scrambled like their lives depended on it. Guess watching a girl get ripped apart shut even their mouths. We hit the side door, spilling into the hallway—a flickering, locker-lined maze stinking of fear and blood. Hollows screeched behind us, their claws carving gouges in the walls. We ran, legs burning, taking every turn we could. Hallways stretched forever, and when we hit one crawling with those eyeless, toothy freaks, we doubled back, sprinting the other way.

Halfway down a corridor, I noticed the footsteps weren’t just ours. Too many. I slid to a stop, Shion and Riku stumbling beside me. I spun around, and there they were—the whole damn class, panting, wide-eyed, trailing us like sheep. “What the fuck are you doing?” I snapped, voice sharp enough to cut steel.

Kasumi, all attitude, fired back, “What do you mean? We’re running, dumbass!”

“Yeah, but why are you following us?” I shot back, glaring.

Toru, the class clown who’s never funny, shrugged. “You say that like we can’t. What’s wrong with following you, Kageyama?”

I clenched my fists. These idiots, who’d spent months treating me like dirt, thought they could just latch onto me? “Following me makes no sense,” I said, voice low and cold. “We move together, we’re a neon sign for those Hollows. Bigger group, bigger target.”

“Then fuck you, Mailboy,” Jin growled, suddenly finding his voice. “We don’t need you.” Funny how he was silent when he was trailing me like a kicked dog.

“Good,” I spat. “That’s exactly what I want.”

Ms. Hoshino stepped forward, her suit crisp despite the chaos. “Mikaela, splitting up is a death sentence. These monsters won’t hesitate to rip us apart. We’re stronger together.”

She had a point. Numbers could hold off a horde. But I looked at my so-called classmates—Kenta, cradling Reina in a princess carry like some budget knight, Jin glaring like he wanted my head, the others who’d watched me suffer and done nothing. Trust them? After they’d made my life hell? No way.

“I say let him die, Teach,” Kenta sneered, his smug grin back. “If he wants to run off with his new girlfriend and resident dick-muncher, let him.”

Shion flinched beside me, but I barely noticed, too busy locking eyes with Kenta. I had to admit, I was impressed he’d carried Reina this far without dropping her. “Shut up, Kenta,” Ms. Hoshino snapped. “I don’t have time for your antics.” To his credit, he shut his mouth—probably knew he’d be Hollow food alone.

“Mikaela, think this through,” Ms. Hoshino said, voice softer but firm. “Do you really want to split up? This place is crawling with monsters. We need to stick together.”

I thought it over—really thought it over. She wasn’t wrong. A class could handle more than a lone idiot. But I glanced at Riku and Shion, their wary eyes on me, then at Kenta and Jin’s ugly mugs. My blood boiled. “Your offer’s tempting,” I said, pointing at Kenta and Jin, “but I can’t work with them. They’ve made my life a living hell, and the rest of you just watched, doing nothing while they broke me. I don’t trust people that shallow.”

The hallway went dead silent, even the distant Hollow screeches fading. Ms. Hoshino’s head dipped, a grudging acceptance in her eyes. “I understand,” she said, voice heavy. “I’m sorry.”

I nodded, turning to leave. Shion stepped up. “I’m with Mikaela.” Riku followed. “Same here.” Their nods were firm, like they’d already chosen my side. Then Sho—quiet, dangerous Sho—stepped out. “He’s the only one here who knows what he’s doing. I’m with Kageyama.”

I smirked, a spark of warmth cutting through my rage. Sho was a grenade I was glad to have. Ms. Hoshino’s face fell, defeated. I didn’t blame her—she probably knew about the bullying but couldn’t act, not with Reina’s daddy pulling strings. These brats were disposable; their families weren’t.

“Let the fuckers go,” Jin spat. “They won’t come crawling back when shit gets rough.”

“Oh, Jin,” I said, grinning. “Even with the class as your meat shields, you’d still die first.”

His face twitched, a vein throbbing. “The fuck did you say, Mailboy?” He stepped forward, ready to throw down. Ms. Hoshino grabbed his arm. “Not now, Jin. The Hollows are coming.” But his ego was driving, not him.

“All that running stored a shit-ton of kinetic energy,” Jin said, smirking. “Time to test my Spec on you, since that punch earlier only winded you.”

“I didn’t know you could string that many words together with all the fluff in your head,” I shot back. His whole body spasmed—too easy to piss off.

“Mikaela, don’t,” Riku warned. Shion echoed, “Yeah, don’t poke him.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry.” The hallway was pitch-dark, lights still out from the blackout. Perfect. Jin’s foot lifted, sparking with energy—Amplified Impact—aimed at my face. I wasn’t fazed. It’d only hurt if it hit me, and it wouldn’t. I curled my fingers, and the shadow under Jin’s other foot slid, tripping him. His kick veered off. I ducked, grabbed the shadow like a sheet, and shaped it—a staff of pure blackness. Shadow Manipulation. The Chosen’s gift let me bend shadows to my will, limited by my imagination and strength. I swung, cracking Jin’s face mid-fall. He flew back, slamming into a locker. His missed kick’s energy blasted the ceiling, raining debris.

Dust cleared. I stood, shadow staff in hand, staring at my classmates. They shifted, uneasy, even Kenta’s smirk gone. Ms. Hoshino stepped forward, but I raised a hand. “That noise? Hollows are coming.” She nodded, ushering the others away. Before she left, she turned. “Stay safe, Mikaela.”

They ran the other way. I looked at Shion, Riku, and Sho. “Let’s go.”

The screeches of Hollows chased us, drawn like vultures to the rubble of Jin’s ceiling-shattering tantrum. We sprinted down a narrow hallway, lights flickering like they were laughing at our panic. I stole a glance at Shion, her face sharp with focus, mid-stride as we veered left. “Shion, warn me if something’s gonna jump out,” I panted. “Running face-first into a Hollow’s teeth would seriously fuck up my vibe.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she shot back, eyes flicking like she was reading the future. “I’ve been clocking threats since we bolted.”

Sho, outpacing us with his Momentum Engine Spec, slowed just enough to keep us in sight. His steps were a blur, but he wasn’t ditching us. “Yo, Kageyama, what’s the plan? Where are we headed?” he called, checking a corner and giving a quick nod—clear.

My brain churned, snagging on two problems. First, our uniforms were a nightmare—khaki pants, button-up white shirts, ties, and those mandatory suit jackets, like we were auditioning for a prep school catalogue. Stiff, restrictive, built for desks, not dodging monsters. Shion and the girls had it worse: medium-length skirts, same tucked-in shirts and jackets. Apocalypse couture, my ass. Second, we needed food, gear, and something to survive this hellhole. “Kageyama, you gonna answer or what?” Sho pressed, his voice cutting through my thoughts. I told them about what I thought about.

“You’re right about the clothes,” Sho said, smirking. “Felt my pants tear when I smashed Jin’s face in.”

“Where do we even find better ones?” Riku asked, breathless, keeping pace.

I was about to spit out the plan—there’s a storage unit across the school with sports gear, pro-grade tracksuits, flexible enough to move in—when a screech ripped through the hall. We froze, heads snapping toward the sound. A single light flickered, revealing a Hollow. Black spots covered its grey skin, head twisted at an angle that’d kill a human. Black sludge oozed from its maw, dripping like it’d already tasted us.

Riku scoffed, trying to play it cool. “Holy crap, that scared me. Good thing it’s just one. That scream made it sound like—”

More lights buzzed on. Dozens of spotted Hollows filled the hallway behind it, jaws snapping, eyes empty. “You had to open your mouth,” Sho growled, his usual silence gone.

My heart sank. Too many to fight. Run? “Riku, what’s your Spec?” Shion demanded, voice like a whip.

“Huh? What?” Riku stammered as the Hollows charged, moving like starved dogs spotting meat.

“Your Spec, dumbass! What’s it do?” Shion pressed. “Talk as we run!” I shouted, shoving them forward. We took off, feet pounding, the Hollows’ claws scraping closer. Teeth snapped inches from my back—too damn close. I glanced back and regretted it: they were on my heels, sludge splattering, maws wide.

“Come on, idiot, spill it!” Sho yelled, a rare grin breaking through. “Brainy girl’s got a plan.”

I cracked a smile despite the terror—Sho, expressive? First time for everything. “It’s… something about gravity and weight,” Riku panted, dodging a locker.

“Oh my God, Riku, focus,” Shion snapped. “Think of the Spec info—it’ll hit you!”

We’d run maybe fifty meters, legs screaming, lungs burning. Riku squeezed his eyes shut, then they flew open. “Got it! Gravity Shift! I can change the gravity of anything I touch!”

“That’s actually sick,” Sho said, weaving around a corner. The Hollows slammed into the wall, cracking it, trampling their own dead without slowing.

“So what’s the play?” I yelled, panic rising. “They’re gaining fast!”

“It’s gotta be perfect timing,” Shion said, her eyes scanning like she saw every move before it happened. “Mess it up, and we’re dead.”

No pressure, then. The Hollows’ screeches drowned out my thoughts, their claws closer every second. My shadows twitched, begging to fight, but Shion’s plan was our shot. It better be good.

My lungs burned like I’d swallowed a lit match. The school’s hallway stretched ahead, a flickering tunnel of busted fluorescents and peeling paint, with the Hollows’ snarls echoing closer every second. Shion, Sho, Riku, and I were hauling ass, but those things—those writhing, maw-snapping monstrosities—weren’t slowing down. Shion’s plan was our only shot, and it was about as solid as a paper umbrella in a typhoon.

“So here’s the deal,” Shion said, her voice sharp despite the sweat streaking her face. “When we hit the next turn, we need to reach the end of the hallway fast. Mika, you prepare a platform for us to stand on. Sho, you push us to the other side as fast as you can.”

Sho wheezed, his lanky frame hunched from sprinting. “Ugh, why me? I’m already half-dead from running like hell.”

“Because of your Spec, idiot,” Shion snapped, her eyes glinting with that creepy, calculating focus. “Momentum Engine lets you build speed the longer you move. You’ve been running for a while, so you’re basically a human bullet train now.”

Sho’s Spec was no joke. The guy could hit cheetah speeds if he kept moving, his strength and velocity stacking like a runaway freight train. Problem was, stopping reset him to square one, and he was already looking like he’d pulled something.

“Alright, fine, I’ll do it,” Sho grumbled, wiping his brow. “But this better work.”

Riku, panting beside me, chimed in. “Okay, so what’s next? That can’t be the whole plan, right?”

Shion didn’t miss a beat. “No, it’s not. Once we hit the end of the hallway, Mika, you raise a wall—floor to ceiling—to block the Hollows. Riku, while Sho’s pushing us, you slide your hand along the floor. Then, when Mika’s wall is up, you crank the gravity on the floor as high as you can. It’ll collapse, and the Hollows fall to the level below.”

I ran the simulation in my head, same as Shion probably did with her Perception Acceleration ticking away. It could work—could being the operative word. My Shadow Manipulation could form the platform and wall, no problem, as long as the dim hallway lights gave me enough shadows to work with. Sho’s Momentum Engine could blitz us down the corridor. Riku’s Gravity Shift could make the floor buckle… in theory. But it all hinged on perfect timing, and one question nagged at me, mirrored in Sho and Riku’s skeptical glances.

“How do you know the floor’s gonna collapse?” I asked, my voice hoarse from running.

Shion didn’t answer. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes flicked away. That was answer enough.

“You don’t know, huh?” I pressed, dodging a fallen locker.

“The fuck you mean you don’t know?” Sho barked, nearly tripping. “That’s the most crucial part of your plan!”

“Yeah,” Riku added, his voice strained. “If that doesn’t work, we’re screwed six ways to Sunday.”

The Hollows’ screeches grew louder, claws scraping the walls behind us. Shion stayed silent, her face unreadable, which was worse than any excuse she could’ve made.

“Argh, screw it,” I muttered. “It’s not like we’ve got a better plan.” I raised my hand, feeling the shadows pool under my fingers like cold syrup. A platform formed beneath us, wide enough for the four of us, its edges rippling like ink. “If anyone’s got brighter ideas, let’s hear ’em.”

Crickets. Figures.

“Get your asses on the platform and let’s move,” I said, sprinting forward with my last burst of energy. The shadows obeyed, but my head was already throbbing—pushing my Spec this hard always came with a price.

Sho fell into step behind us, grabbing the handlebars I shaped from the platform’s edges. Riku and Shion hopped on, and I glanced down the hallway—long, narrow, barely lit by flickering bulbs. Lockers lined one side, classroom windows the other, their glass cracked like spiderwebs.

Then the world blurred. Sho pushed, and holy shit, Momentum Engine wasn’t messing around. We shot forward like a rocket, the hallway becoming a smear of gray and white. I couldn’t tell lockers from windows anymore. Was this really how fast Sho could go? He was pushing us, so on his own, he’d probably be a damn blur.

Riku leaned out, sliding his hand along the floor. “This hurts a lot more than it looks!” he yelled, wincing as his palm scraped the tiles. His Spec was prepping the ground, setting up the collapse—if it even worked.

We hit the end of the hallway before I could blink, skidding to a stop. The platform dissolved into the floor, my head pounding like a drum. I spun around, raising my hands. Shadows surged from the corners, weaving into a wall that stretched floor to ceiling, sealing the hallway. Through a brief gap, I glimpsed the Hollows—a stampede of writhing, formless bodies, maws snapping, eyes like burning coals. Each one clawed over the others, desperate to reach us.

The wall sealed shut, and a heartbeat later, something slammed into it. The impact shook me to my bones, like a truck had plowed into my soul. “Fucking hell,” I gasped, staggering. “That felt like a goddamn wrecking ball. I’ll feel that tomorrow—if there is a tomorrow.”

“Riku, now!” I shouted, glancing at him. He was clutching his scraped hand, wincing.

“Gee, I’m sorry,” I snapped, sarcasm dripping. “I’ll be considerate next time. Now get your bruised ass over here and collapse that damn floor!”

Riku sucked it up, stepping beside me. His arm muscles tensed as he reached out. I could feel the air grow heavy, the floor creaking under his touch. Sho collapsed nearby, gasping, probably nursing a pulled muscle from pushing us at Mach speed. Shion watched Riku, her eyes wide with desperate hope.

Blood trickled from my nose. The wall was holding, but every hit from the Hollows felt like a sledgehammer to my skull. “Anytime now, Riku,” I growled, my voice tight.

He tensed harder, veins bulging. Then I heard it—a sharp crack, followed by more, each one louder, like ice breaking underfoot. My heart leapt. This might actually work. But then… nothing. The cracks stopped. No collapse. No give. Just the relentless pounding of the Hollows, each hit heavier than the last.

“I can’t increase the weight anymore,” Riku panted, sweat dripping. “This is all I got.”

“It didn’t work,” Shion said, her voice hollow. Defeated. Like she’d already seen our deaths in her head.

The weight on my wall doubled, tripled. My vision blurred, blood now streaming from my nose. “You guys go,” I said, coughing. “Run. I’ll hold this as long as I can.”

“What? No!” Shion snapped. “It was my plan. I didn’t account for Riku’s Spec not being enough to collapse the floor.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, my knees buckling. “If you don’t run, we all die. Better just one of us.”

“Come on, man, there’s gotta be another way,” Riku said, his voice cracking.

I coughed again, tasting blood. “There isn’t. So get the hell out of here!”

“Mikaela, I have one more idea,” Riku said, his voice cutting through the chaos. The hallway seemed to go silent, even with the Hollows’ roars. I forced my eyes open, meeting his gaze. He was shaking but determined.

“Gravity Shift can adjust the weight of anything I touch,” he said. “Not just one thing—multiple. Mika, if you can push the Hollows back a few feet, make a hammer out of shadows. I’ll make it heavier when you swing it. The floor’s already cracked—it’s at its limit. One good hit should do it.”

We stared at him, the plan sinking in. It was crazy, but it was something. A crack splintered across my shadow wall, shadows fraying like torn fabric. No time to think.

“Alright,” I said, taking a deep breath. “If this doesn’t work, we’re dead anyway.”

Shion, Sho, and Riku pressed against the wall beside me. “Let’s give it everything,” I said, my voice raw.

“Fuck, this is heavier than I thought,” Sho grunted, shoving with all he had. “You held this alone? What the hell are you made of, Kageyama?”

I forced a laugh, despite the pain. “Always been a tough bastard,” Riku said, grinning through his strain.

The wall held, but it wasn’t enough. “Maybe I can loosen the load,” I muttered. Closing my eyes, I focused, feeling the shadows shift under my fingertips. Spikes erupted from the wall’s surface, sharp as knives, spearing into the Hollows on the other side. I heard their screeches falter, bodies dropping.

“Whoa, since when could you do that?” Sho yelped. “Why didn’t you try it sooner?”

“Just figured it out,” I said, smirking despite the blood dripping down my chin.

The pressure eased as the Hollows fell back. We pushed harder, gaining a few precious feet. “Hold it steady,” Riku said, stepping back with me. I kept the wall up, pouring everything into it, and started shaping a sledgehammer from the shadows pooling at my feet. It grew massive, bigger than anything I’d tried before.

“Superhero movies say you shouldn’t push new powers like this,” I muttered, straining.

Riku touched the hammer, his hand glowing faintly. “Yeah, but they also say life-or-death moments trigger awakenings,” he said, grinning. “I’m making it light for now. When you swing, I’ll crank the gravity.”

I nodded, gripping the hammer. It felt like holding a feather, thanks to Riku. “Outta the way!” I shouted. Shion and Sho dove aside.

I charged, raising the hammer. The wall cracked further, Hollows’ dead eyes and snapping jaws visible through the gaps. Mid-swing, Riku’s Gravity Shift kicked in. The hammer’s weight surged, nearly yanking my arms from their sockets. It slammed through the wall, cleaving Hollows like paper, and hit the floor with a deafening boom.

The cracked tiles shattered. The ground caved in, swallowing the Hollows in a cascade of debris and dust. I stumbled back, Riku grabbing my arm as the floor trembled under us.

“Ah, shit,” I muttered, staring into the gaping hole where the Hollows—and half the hallway—used to be.