The Tall Men

“Attention. Attention. All personnel. Code BLACK—demonic breach confirmed on sub-level Four. All students are to shelter in place immediately.”

“Repeat: demonic breach on sub-level four.”

A piercing alarm erupted through every speaker in the facility—the deep, distorted air-raid wails like a prophet of old foretelling of the imminent doom.

Red emergency strobes kicked on in the corridors.

The hum of the ventilation system dropped to a lower purr before dying out completely.

Inside the headmaster’s office a woman is standing in the corner of the room covered in shadow.

“Is this normal for you guys?”

“No, it's not.” Rook responds flatly.

Principal Rook picked up the landline. He efficiently gave orders to security and a quick reaction team to coordinate and begin clearing the facility level by level. It shouldn’t be an issue, the demonic threat was low compared to what else he had seen.

However, another voice on the phone caused the immovably stoic man to narrow his eyes in surprise.

“Stand down Rook. That is all.”

Rook slowly put the phone back. He folded his hands deep in thought. The mysterious woman angrily walked over to the front of the desk.

“This means your Director gave them permission to run wild. This is worse than the reports you sent.”

The woman, Sheila Stevens, had a dark complexion and even darker scowl when she crossed her arms and glared at Rook. She wore wide brimmed glasses and long dark hair rolled up in a bun. Although Sheila dressed like an old fashioned librarian, her eyes betrayed the deadly nature of her work.

She leaned over the desk towards Rook who hadn't even blinked.

“This changes the whole operation. I don’t need to retrieve the Icon anymore. I’m calling it in.”

”If you call it in, nothing will be resolved, the mission will fail, and you’ll be dead along with your entire division.”

“You severely underestimate us.”

”You underestimate the power of the Director. This whole thing is a game.”

”A game? A game for what?”

“To draw out any spies.” He narrows his eyes and glances her way. “As to the real reason, it's for a special someone. You’ll see.”

Rook opened a side drawer of the massive oak desk. A hidden side compartment opened to reveal an ornate but modern looking dagger. Unlike a normal blade, this one seemed to have a trigger.

“I see you kept our gift afterall.” Sheila teased.

“I'll be back shortly.”

“Give me a break.” Sheila retrieved a hidden Glock 43 pistol. She ejected the magazine and loaded a fresh one in—looking carefully at the ammo—red tipped bullets. She slammed it in place.

“This will go quicker if it's the two of us.”

“Suit yourself. Try not to die.”

››››››››››››››››››››››››››› / △ \ ‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹‹

Sirens blared and lights flashed inside Sable’s first-year classroom. While most of the students started to freak out, the red-headed ringleader coolly stood in front of the class and began giving orders.

Her two friends, Rosy and Dolly, rallied and gathered around, clutching at her. They had terrified looks in their eyes.

"W-what's going on? What do we do Sable?”

”The flashing lights are really creeping me out.”

“Sable, do we barricade the door?”

“Sable...”

“Sable!”

“SHUT! UP!” Sable fumed at their pathetic cries. Why was everyone so useless?

She turned towards the instructor who was trying not to look as scared as his students.

“Sir, do the staff carry any concealed weapons on their persons or on this floor?”

“Of course not, do I look like a soldier to you?” His fear slipped into an angry deflection. The man was going to be useless.

Sable turned to the class and addressed them.

“Attention! Everyone listen up! Fox—I want you and DJ posted at the door as the first line. Everyone else, divide up into teams of three and spread out with a two meter space in between you and the walls. Is that clear?”

“Yes ma’am!” The whole class repeated back.

“Good, we’re first-years, so start acting like it!”

A blood-curdling scream rings out from the other side of the door. Several more screams follow it along with the sound of running in the hallway.

“Attention. Attention. All personnel. Code BLACK—demonic breach confirmed on sub-level three. All students and staff are to shelter in place immediately.”

“Repeat: demonic breach on sub-level three.”

Sable takes a deep breath and starts walking toward the door. Rosy and Dolly reach out to grab her but she pulls away sharply, unimpeded.

“What are you doing? Are you crazy? You can’t go out there!”

“You’re going to let them in!”

“Oh my god Sable you’re insane! Guys don’t let her go out!”

The two boys glance back at the approaching red head. Her eyes glow resolutely and a shimmer dances around her in a faint fiery aura. They look at each other and step aside as she strolls past.

Sable closed the door behind her, a faint locking sound was heard from the other side, probably by her friends.

No matter, she didn’t plan on coming back anyway. The classroom had enough defense from Fox alone: it was the freshman classes she was worried about.

The Hallway was eerily empty except for one alarming thing: it was full of empty uniforms. It was like people had stripped themselves naked of their clothing and thrown it away…

Suddenly she heard a scream from down the corridor, it was close!

Sable sprinted at a lighting speed supplemented by her kanon abilities. Unlike most people, she had the skill to increase her physical abilities which is what made her the deadliest close combat fighter in the academy. She had never lost to anyone… until the day a certain girl arrived.

Sable rounded the corner and almost slipped on a discarded uniform on the floor. She slid to a stop in front of an open classroom door.

“HELP ME! Somebody please help me!”

Sable burst through the door and what she saw made her blood stop cold—an enormous creature in an old fashioned suit and top hat was reaching for a freshman girl with impossibly long arms. Even though Sable was scared, deep down pushed it aside and shouted defiantly at the creature.

“Hey you!”

The demon stopped and turned its head around. Although it had no face she felt its wicked smile.

”You! Get to my class over in 301 and tell them I sent you!”

The girl was in shock, unable to move. Sable projected kanon fused words which got her going.

”Now move!”

The Tall Man demon laughed in several pitches and extended its arms for both girls. It caught the freshman by the head.

Sable knocked away the hand and with two powerful strides instantly closed the distance. However she didn’t aim for the Tall Man but targeted the other outstretched arm—severing it with a concealed medical scalpel in one upward swipe.

“Go go go!” Sable shouted. The student ran wildly for the door.

The Tall Man laughed again and spoke, its voice distorted and coming from multiple angles.

“Poor Sable, always trying to show off in front of others, always trying to be the best, always… failing.”

The freshman girl who had made it to the door was suddenly grabbed from above by a thin clawed hand. Sable was able to catch a glimpse of her lifted up in the air. Her blood curling scream and cry for help echoed in the hallway.

“MOMMY! MOMMY!”

The poor girl’s plea turned into one last high-pitched squeal. She screamed so hard she snapped her vocal cords giving way to a dull moan before—

Dead silence.

The girl’s empty clothes dropped to the floor.

Sable was horrified and stricken with fear. Two more Tall Men ducked under the door and pulled themselves in. She was trapped.

The three demons began cackling. Their vile and oppressive aura chipped away Sable’s defense, sowing fear and doubt into her heart.

Her absolute confidence was unraveling. Sable was dangerously close to falling under their spell.

Images flooded Sable’s mind: images of pain, rejection, and humiliation from those who she trusted and looked up to.

She saw her father, a high ranking general, disgusted by her as a little girl. He had wanted a son, but had received her instead.

Too late: Sable was frozen in place.

“See… you were a failure from the very beginning.”

A long-fingered hand wrapped around her face from behind. 

It closed its grip until she couldn’t see anything but black. A tear escaped her fear frozen face—

A final cry for help.