DAYMARE 3: First Day, M'aidez part 2

After unpacking our things, we ate our dinner.

We’re tired of unpacking. Our belongings are scattered. We should rest for tomorrow. This is the hard part if you are new to moving out. Lot of adjustments are going to happen.

"I enrolled you in your new school before we moved." Mom opened the conversation.

"Is it any good?"

“Uh-huh. The teachers are kind, and I assure you, you could make friends.”

"I hope so,"

I’m hoping for having new and great friends just like my gang, but I think no one could match them. They are an out-of-this-world gang after all.

When I was about to eat the pasta, I set the fork down...

"Ah!" I twitched.

“What’s wrong?” Dad asked.

I squinted my eyes in disgust. I pointed to my food on the plate.

"Oh, why?" – Dad

"M-My food… There’s something on it!"

“What? Clean your mess,” Dad said without a hint of confusion in his eyes, same with Mom’s.

I opened my eyes and was confused about how my food went back to looking normal and appetizing. I don’t know if I’m losing my mind, but just a moment ago, the meatballs looked like eyes, and the pasta noodles were wriggling, rotting worms. Gross. I lost my appetite and ate something else.

***

After dinner, I took a bath and went to my room— a messy room.

I checked my phone and video-called them.

"I'm here in my dad's province."

“Eh? Province?” – Neilsen

"Yeah"

“RIP, Hestral. Huhu ” – Neilsen

"Shut up."

“Hey, no. Not Rest in Peace but Rest in Province!” What a corny joke from Neil, tch.

"Ain’t funny,"

“How’re you there?” Anikka said worriedly.

“What’s our motto?” I asked ‘em. “We, the gang consisting of four members with no leader or boss, when unexpected things happen, when unbelievable and impossible events come to us, when those circumstances would become a hindrance to the four of us, we solemnly swear that…?”

“We find ways!” Neil and Anikka answered in unison. And so, we laughed.

I already miss them.

“Jethro? Are you there?” I called him.

He doesn’t speak. Just staring at me, looking serious.

“Here” – Jethro

“He’s in a gloomy mood because you left us.” – Neil

I smiled secretly. I can’t blame them. It’s too sudden, and that was surprising for all of us. We talked until I went to bed.

I was about to close my eyes to sleep when I felt like there was a pair of eyeballs looking at me. It was as if someone was watching what I was doing. Suddenly, my neck grew cold.

What’s with this eerie feeling?

I looked around, but neither Mom nor Dad was there. I could hear the noise of cricket tonight. Tch, maybe there are a lot of pests here. I forgot to ask Mom about that.

I shrugged it off and fell asleep.

***

"What?"

That was the only word that came out of my mouth the moment I closed the car door and stepped onto the ground.

I stared at it while holding the left strap of my khaki school backpack. I glared at it while the fresh air bumped my skin.

“How’s it?”

Dad came out of the car and grinned when I looked at him.

"The what?" I said with a poker face.

“Come on, Hestral. What can you say?”

“I’m speechless,” I observed again at my new school.

Dad went back inside the car and lowered his opposite window

“Call me if you need anything. Have a great day!” And so, he left.

Dad went to his work a little far from our house. Mom was left at home. And me? I was left in a daze, standing and staring in front of my new school.

"I'm not going in," I whispered to myself.

I'm not in the mood to introduce myself on the first day of school, and never did I want to interact with strangers. Only for now, I’ll ditch this class. Tomorrow we’ll see.

I took 4 steps away from the school gate when someone came out of it. We stared at each other. He looked at me from head to toe, and so did I.

"Are you the transferee?" he asked in a flat tone with no facial expression.

He wears a school uniform with a yellow beige polo and dark green pants. I saw a Torinay school logo on his polo. He has a blue rectangular eyeglass with clear frames, slightly tanned, and neatly combed hair. His dark brown faux leather sling school bag hangs on his right shoulder.

An intimidating charisma fills the air.

"I guess?"

How would I know if there is another transferee besides me?

He saw that I was wearing their school uniform. I waited for the boy's response, but he just passed me.

Good, just good. Just when I had already planned to escape, there goes my jinx. Someone has witnessed that the ‘transferee’ is already here, and they must be anticipating me there. Someone already knew if I ditched the first day of school and might report me for doing so.

I will attend the school with no choice.

Instead of the wide metal gates I was used to, I entered a large wooden gate. I stared at this school because it wasn’t big compared to Clairene Academy, my previous school. This school has four floors but is tiny. The building itself is made of concrete and wood and is barely well-painted.

I entered the school. The long hallway greeted me. I scanned the surroundings. It's a bit creepy because I'm the only one walking here in the hallway. They seem to be in their respective classes already. I must be late because of contemplating ditching class. I read the signage to find my room. I was a little surprised that there were so few classrooms here.

"Excuse me,” I turned my gaze to someone who spoke. “Are you Miss Gern?" A petite mid-40s woman spoke to me. She’s wearing a teacher's uniform.

"Yes, Ma’am," I replied politely. Somehow, I have manners.

“Great. I am one of the teachers here.” She pointed her index finger to a certain spot “Ah, here on the ground floor are the faculty rooms, laboratory, computer room. We have one classroom each for grade 7, and 8. On the 2nd floor, one classroom each for grade 9, 10, 11, and 12,” she explained.

After that, the teacher and I went up to the 2nd floor because it’s where my room is located, since I’m a grade 11 student.

So that’s it. There is only 1 class section in every year level and class. In my previous school, it took 7-10 class sections. In contrast to this school, Clairene Academy has a larger student population, which means Clairene has more troublemakers. You can include me.

The teacher entered the farthest room. Looks like she's my homeroom teacher after all. I let her walk first because I was shy and nervous. Yeah, I can’t even believe that I’m nervous despite my experiences of being bullied at my previous school.

The teacher spoke in front. "Welcome your new classmate." She motioned for me to enter the classroom.

The door is open, so I'll just take a step. I entered and looked straight out the window. In my peripheral vision, they were all staring at me. Of course, they were just curious about me. Gradually, I faced them and…

My eyes widened. I trembled with fear and gasped.

Gosh! My classmates' heads are bloody and… beheaded!

Their necks had lost their heads and were still hissing from gushing blood. Heads were scattered, and one even rolled at my feet. Another boy stood up with his head cut off, holding his head. He threw his head in my direction, so I turned away and closed my eyes.

“Ah!” I screamed.

Nooo!