A Prank?

After the principal's bizarre final reminder, the other students simply headed back to class as if nothing unusual had happened. Ngọc Anh watched the girls around her. If the principal actually meant what he said, did that mean none of them were human?

The strange things from morning started to flash through her mind. The nightmare on the bus. The empty city. Her phone's useless GPS. A chill crept over her as she imagined the girls around her turning into the same monsters that had torn her apart in her nightmare.

Then she remembered the rules from the bus. Ngọc Anh burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! I almost fell for it!”

Mê Linh turned toward her.

“What's so funny?”

Ngọc Anh wiped away the tears gathering in her eyes. This prank was ridiculously elaborate. Had the school really arranged all of this just to welcome new students?

She patted Mê Linh on the shoulder.

“The principal's hilarious. What's with all that ‘you demons should learn to live alongside humans’ stuff?”

Mê Linh laughed with her.

“Every new one thinks that at first, haha.”

After a while, Ngọc Anh finally calmed down. Now she was curious.

“What did you do on your first day?”

Mê Linh's pale eyebrows drew together as she tilted her head, sending her conical hat slightly askew.

“Oh, I wasn't nearly as calm as you. I was furious that day!”

Ngọc Anh gave her a sympathetic pat.

“Makes sense. Not everyone likes this kind of prank.”

“Exactly! Just seeing humans makes me want to tear them apart. How am I supposed to live alongside them?”

Mê Linh shrugged and said something horrifying so casually. Ngọc Anh sucked in a breath.

Was Mê Linh part of the prank too...?

She was about to tell Mê Linh to knock it off when the nightmare's scene came back to her.

What if this wasn't a prank? What if she ended up exactly like she had in that dream?

A hand tugged gently at her wrist. Mê Linh pointed toward the upper floor of the building on the left.

“Come on. We'll be late for class!”

Ngọc Anh stumbled after her, bringing the suitcase in her arms. Mê Linh's pale hand felt soft and warm around her wrist, no different from a human hand.

But Ngọc Anh had no idea whether Mê Linh was leading her to class or straight into a den of demons.

Please let this be the most over-the-top school prank in history.

...

Class 10A4 was the last classroom on the first floor of the left building. On the way there, Ngọc Anh scanned the other students for anything strange. The only thing that stood out was how few of them there were. Most classrooms seemed to have only ten or fifteen students.

Her class had even fewer. It was already well into the first period, yet there were only eight students inside, including Ngọc Anh and Mê Linh.

This wasn't really strange. The school was remote enough that it practically counted as rural. Of course it would have fewer students than a city school.

There were far more desks than people, so everyone sat well apart. Most students had an entire desk to themselves. Only Ngọc Anh and Mê Linh shared one at the back near the door, while another pair sat together by the windows on the left.

Ngọc Anh looked around again.

At the front near the door, a long-haired girl in glasses sat with perfect posture, reading as if the rest of the room didn't exist. In the middle row, another girl lay across a bench with her legs crossed, sleeping as comfortably as if she owned the place. The remaining two students sat separately farther back. Nothing unusual so far.

No one had torn her apart either. Maybe she'd worried for nothing after all. This prank had gone way too far, though. She absolutely had to tell An and Vy about it this weekend.

Ngọc Anh checked the clock. Class had been going for almost thirty minutes, yet the homeroom teacher still hadn't shown up. Usually, homeroom teachers spent the first two periods of the first day on orientation.

Maybe teachers at remote schools were just... relaxed about time.

Mê Linh had already folded her arms on the desk and fallen asleep, her conical hat still on her head. Her breathing was slow and even. One pale cheek rested against her sleeve, completely unguarded.

Ngọc Anh studied her for a moment and reached a firm conclusion.

Someone this cute couldn't possibly be a demon. Mê Linh had definitely been messing with her earlier.

Mê Linh's nose twitched. She woke up and stretched both arms overhead.

“The teacher's almost here. Be careful, okay? She's a little grumpy in the mornings.”

“Hehe, I'm one of those well-behaved honor-student types. I'll be fine. Thanks.”

The warning made Ngọc Anh warm to her a little more. Mê Linh really was nice.

But how did she know the teacher was coming?

A familiar chill ran down Ngọc Anh's spine, the same one she'd felt at the bus stop.

The sound of chains scraping across tile came from outside.

Heavy footsteps followed.

Then came harsh breathing, deep and uneven. Beneath it rumbled a low growl that seemed to vibrate through Ngọc Anh's bones. It sounded nothing like any animal she had ever heard. And it was absolutely not human.

A huge hand gripped the doorframe. Long claws dug into the wood. Ngọc Anh stopped breathing.

A grotesque purple figure bent down and squeezed through the doorway. Two oversized fangs jutted from its mouth. An iron collar engraved with strange symbols encircled its neck, while chains wrapped around its arms and legs and clattered with every step.

The girl in glasses closed her book.

“Class, stand.”

Everyone rose and greeted the creature as casually as if it really were their homeroom teacher.

Ngọc Anh stood too. Her legs were shaking so badly she could barely stay upright. The monster nodded for the class to sit.

Ngọc Anh stared at the thing that was apparently their teacher and dug her nails into her own arm.

Wake up.

Still nothing.

Come on. Special effects this good just to prank one new student? Seriously?!

The purple creature lumbered to the teacher's desk and sat down, muttering something rough and incomprehensible. Ngọc Anh stared until her eyes hurt, searching for a flicker, a seam, anything that would reveal the trick.

Its hand pressed against the desk. The chair creaked beneath its weight. Every movement looked real.

Was this... actually not a prank?

Ngọc Anh swallowed and leaned toward Mê Linh.

“That's... our homeroom teacher?”

Mê Linh noticed her trembling arm and smiled.

“Oh, don't look so surprised. Of course Class 10A4's homeroom teacher has to be a powerful demon.”

Surprised? Ngọc Anh was terrified out of her mind.

This really wasn't a school for humans.

Sweat gathered across her forehead. If the homeroom teacher was a demon, then the students were demons too. The whole school was full of demons.

The only reason she hadn't been torn apart yet was because they still thought she was one of them. One slip of the tongue could get her killed.

A fresh chill ran through her when she remembered how casually she'd talked to Mê Linh earlier. They'd even gotten along.

Thank goodness Mê Linh still didn't know she was human.

Ngọc Anh cleared her throat. “A-amazing... I've never seen a demon this powerful before…”

Mê Linh puffed up with pride.

“Huh? Impressive, right? Want to see my true form too? I'm really strong!”

“No, no, that's okay!”

Ngọc Anh waved both hands.

Bang!

Ngọc Anh's heart dropped. The monster was pointing straight at her and growling!

Did she say something wrong? Did it figure her out?

The creature rose and flung its long arms around wildly. Ngọc Anh was about to bolt from her seat when the chains clattered.

Before she could move, it was already standing in front of her desk.

That enormous purple body had crossed the room in an instant. Ngọc Anh lowered her head and stared at her own hands, then at the purple feet in front of her. Looking at its face might actually make her faint.

A mess of growls rolled above her. Wet drops of saliva landed on her neck.

Was it about to kill her right here?

Her mind began replaying all fifteen years of her life. A childhood that hadn't been very happy. Grandpa and Grandma doing everything they could to make up for it. Meeting An and Vy, after that things started getting better.

And now the end.

Mê Linh's voice shattered the farewell montage playing in Ngọc Anh's head.

“Huh? Who can understand you when you talk like that, Teacher?”

“Use your human form!”

Ngọc Anh looked up. Mê Linh was shouting directly at the monster. The creature slapped a hand to its forehead and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like swearing, then its body began to shrink.

Bones cracked and rearranged. Purple skin faded. The oversized fangs slid back behind its lips.

Within seconds, the monster had become a woman in a purple áo dài, though the iron collar remained around her neck.

She looked to be in her twenties. Pretty face, but terrible dark circles around her eyes. Her hair was tied in a high bun, with several loose strands sticking out in every direction.

The teacher glared at them.

“You two are too damn noisy! You're giving me a headache. It's the first day of school. Let me have some peace!”

“I'm helping her get used to the school! You're the one who should've explained this stuff!”

Mê Linh argued with the homeroom teacher as if she hadn't been a horrifying monster thirty seconds ago.

Ngọc Anh could only watch them bicker and pray it ended soon. The moment she got a chance, she would leave this place.

The teacher turned and stared straight at her, which made Ngọc Anh swallow.

The human form was easier to look at, but those eyes, ringed with dark circles, were still frightening. They scanned over her from head to toe.

Did she suspect something?

The teacher narrowed her eyes and rested one hand on her chin.

“New student? What's your name?”

“I enrolled today, ma’am. I'm Ngọc Anh.”

A slender hand landed on her shoulder.

“Go to the front and introduce yourself.”

“Huh...?”

“How's everyone supposed to know you if you don't introduce yourself?”

The teacher growled the words. Ngọc Anh shot to her feet on instinct.

“Yes, ma’am!”

She looked back for help. Mê Linh gave her a thumbs-up.

As if that helped!

One wrong sentence and she will get torn apart!

Ngọc Anh walked to the front like a badly programmed robot. Every eye in the room followed her. She couldn't tell whether they were curious or simply looking at lunch.

Chains clattered again. Somehow, the teacher was already back at her desk, holding a small notebook and pen.

“Go on. Don't be shy. You're the only new student today, so relax.”

Ngọc Anh clenched her sweaty palm.

What could she possibly say without giving herself away?