Chapter 5.2

No!

With shaking eyes, Mallory's gaze went from the shadow to the PA system as another shrill scream rang out.

Then, with his usual calm, friendly tone, the principal began his announcements.

[Teacher Justina Johnson has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student Christopher Smith has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student Olivia Brown has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student Mia Hernandez has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student Miles Brussard has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Teacher Alice Moore has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student …... has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student…... has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

[Student…... has violated the schedule and broken the rules.]

……

[All those who are found in violation of the schedule and rules shall be punished.]

[Observe.]

[Click.]

The PA system went off, the shadowy thing wrapped around his leg began yanking him forward, and Mallory began to scream as he tried to retreat into the classroom.

"Lilli. Help me! Please. I don't want to-"

As Mallory struggled, Lilli attempted to pull him back inside the classroom.

Numerous shrill screams sounded as if they were getting closer, along with a strange, gravelly voice, yet familiar voice, interrupted by the sound of things clacking together.

"Li…….."

"Mommy! I want my mommy!"

Click.

"Help!"

"…..lli."

Clack.

"Li…….."

"Help me! Eeeek!!!"

Click. Clack.

The sounds kept getting closer, and all of a sudden, out of the shadowy hallway, several small figures dashed forward, and Lilli, who finally yanked Mallory back into the classroom, realized that they were kids.

Students from Justina's class whose names had just been called out on the PA system.

Christopher, Olivia, Mia, Miles.

It was names and faces that she recognized, but something was horribly wrong with the children.

All of their faces appeared pale gray, as if the warmth had been leached out, and the shadows of the ground seemed to drag them down and strangle them as they tried to run forward.

As she watched, Christopher was forced to crawl on his hands and knees as the shadows enveloped his body.

Olivia and Miles lay face down and still as their body sank into the ground before disappearing, and the only thing visible from Miles was his face.

His teary eyes quickly met Lilli's before he was quickly dragged into the shadows.

"Eeepgh!"

Quickly muffling her scream, Lilli began backing away.

She wanted to shut the door and pretend she didn't see anything.

But then she remembered that Justina's name had been said.

If these were Justina's students… where was Justina?

"Li……..lli"

Click!

As someone called her name, Lilli glanced to the left before swallowing another scream.

It was Justina, whose braids clacked with each movement.

Like her students who had disappeared into the shadowy ground, Justina's caramel-brown skin appeared grey under the flickering light, and her entire lower body was covered in shadowy limbs that tried to climb up her and pull her to the ground.

In her hands, she carried two students who had their faces buried in her neck, and somehow, despite the unknown shadows trying to pull her down, she stepped forward even though each step looked unbelievably labored, as if she were slogging through mud.

As Justina met Lilli's eyes while trying to move forward, her lips twitched before she spoke in that strange gravelly voice-

"You…right…should…listen…"

That's not what Lilli wanted to hear!

Who cared if she was right? She just wanted her friend to be okay!

"Justina! No! Let me help you come in here! Grab my hand!"

Just as Lilli reached out and was about to take a step out into the hallway, somebody yanked her backwards.

"No! She's a lost cause. Just ignore her!" Mallory yelled as he pulled Lilli back.

She seemed to know what was going on, and he absolutely wasn't letting her be absorbed by that thing and leave him all alone here.

"Let me go! I need to help Justina!"

"NO!"

As Lilli struggled to free herself from Mallory, Justina continued marching toward Lilli's classroom.

It was the only open door in the dark, shadowy hallway, and the bright light was like a beacon of hope, giving her the energy to continue forward.

Lilli sensed the wrongness first, so Lilli could protect what she couldn't.

When she got close to the doorway, Justina saw Lilli standing there, framed by the light with one pale hand outstretched.

"Grab my hand, Justina, I'll pull you in. Mallory will help. I can save you all."

"Take…kids….please." Justina groaned as she forcibly took another step toward Lilli while holding the two children as far away from the shadowy ground and her body as she could.

She knew firsthand what it felt like when the shadow latched onto you.

It sapped your strength and called you to its depths.

She had also seen what happened to the children when they touched it, and had fought hard to free Tristan when he fell into the shadows in the hall when she told them to run.

Now, she couldn't see any of her students who had run ahead.

It seemed that these two were all that was left of her class, and she would do her absolute best to save them.

Even as the cost of her own life.

As Justina's eyes met Lilli's, she saw the moment when Lilli understood that she couldn't be saved.

But the kids could.

Seeing her friends' eyes water with unshed tears, Justina used all her energy to forcibly hand the kids to Lilli's outstretched hands, one after the other.

And once both hands were empty, it was like all of her energy disappeared.

The call of the shadows and the immense chill it brought quickly numbed her body and consciousness.

She could no longer control her limbs, and Lilli's face kept getting farther and farther away until she could only see her feet.

"I…should…hav-" before Justina could finish her sentence, she was pulled into the shadows, and her body disappeared.

As Lilli stared blankly at the spot where her friend had suddenly disappeared-

[DING DONG!]

[The punishment has been dispensed.]

[Please continue Structured Learning Time so that order is restored, and our students have a fruitful, accomplished day.]

[And remember to follow the schedule and rules so the order is restored, and our students have a fruitful, accomplished day.]

[Click.]

The PA System sounded out.

Once the announcement was done, Lilli took a deep, shaky breath before backing away and shutting and locking the door.

Hopefully, it would keep those shadowy things out.

Even though she wanted to collapse on the ground like Mallory, somebody had to keep it together so that they could all survive.

Her friends' sacrifice deserved that much.

With a gentle motion, she led the two frozen students to a spare table and had them sit down.

As her own students stared curiously, wondering what was happening, she quickly came up with an explanation as she lowered the volume of the music.

"Everyone, we have two students from Miss Justina's class joining us for the day. You all remember Violet and Tristan, right? Please be kind to them. Okay? They've been through a lot." Lilli told her students as she stared worriedly at the two quiet kids.

Violet was usually one of the quieter kids, but seeing her sit completely still with tears silently dripping down her face, Lilli felt quite heartbroken for her.

And Tristan.

Tristan was one of Justina's most mischievous kids, who often got into all sorts of trouble and usually couldn't stop talking.

But right now, he just stared blankly at Violet without blinking, and he barely seemed to be breathing.

Occasionally, his face would twitch, as if he were about to cry, but then it would become completely still.

Even when she placed a marker in his hand, just to make it seem like he was participating in the class so there wouldn't be a new announcement, he couldn't control his limbs.

His arm just spasmed before falling still to his side, and he just continued staring blankly.

The poor kid was shell-shocked.

Knowing there was no way to magically fix everything right now, Lilli forcefully raised her energy levels as she thought about her next move.

10 AM.

She just needed to make it to 10 AM, which, according to the new schedule, was outdoor play.

If what she suspected was right, the hallways would be safe for them to walk through, and the doors would be unlocked.

Additionally, since they had to go to the school's playground, which bordered the public sidewalk, they could escape.

There was no way the entire world was like this, so at the very least, they could make a run for it; her phone would probably get service, or she could shout for help to a passerby.

Let's just survive until 10 AM.