Chapter 2

The witches, floating in the air on their broomsticks, were determined not to let me escape. "Go get him, ladies!" one of them exclaimed, indicating her fingernail in my heading. “Don't let him get away!”

My heart raced in my chest, sweat beading on my forehead. I gasped for breath, my mouth agape, teeth clenched. I needed to find a way to escape or at least slow down the witches who were gaining on me.

Their cackling laughter filled the air, growing louder as they closed in. I grimaced at the thought of being captured and taken back to that dreaded classroom. It was a fate I refused to accept, but time was running out.

Determined, I scoured the empty halls for anything that could help me. Yet, my search yielded nothing. Panic set in as the witches drew nearer, their shadows looming over me.

One witch extended her hand, a wicked grin on her face as she prepared to cast a spell. I braced myself, raising my spray in defense.

"Here we go, Eric," I mumbled beneath my breath.

With a quick spray to her eyes, she recoiled, floating back slightly. "That was a near one," she chuckled.

Unfortunately, I missed her! As I observed her fall backwards, the other witches not only dodged out of the way but also began casting spells in my direction. I couldn't evade their attacks. The situation quickly became overwhelming. I sprinted as fast as I could, but my breath was running short.

Despite my best efforts, I was losing energy and it seemed impossible to outrun them. The situation took a turn for the worse when one of the witches cast a water spell on the tiled floor.

I tried to dodge it, but the water moved too swiftly, causing me to trip and slide backwards on the ground, resulting in a scream escaping my lips.

My body collided with a row of green lockers the moment I exited the less radiated auditorium into the gloomy halls, causing intense pain to shoot through my back.

Slowly rising to my feet, I gritted my teeth against the persistent ache. The witches' laughter and shadows closed in on me, their shadows looming over me as they approached. One of the witches raised her hand, a green light enveloping it as she aimed it towards me.

"Thanks to you, that boy managed to escape earlier. But now, you can take his place as a sacrifice."

Trembling with fear, I questioned their motives. "Why are you doing this? This isn't like you."

Dismissing my concerns, the lead witch declared it was time for me to be sacrificed to the goddess. Frantically searching for something to shield myself from the impending attack, I found nothing. Meeting the witch's gaze, my heart raced in my chest, sweat forming on my brow as I swallowed nervously.

I endeavored to maintain my composure and devise an escape plan, although I was aware that my fate was sealed. Death loomed near, and I was powerless to prevent it. My only solace lay in contemplating a favorable afterlife that I hoped to embrace.

Before the sorceress could unleash her enchantment, a series of resounding thuds reverberated from behind the witches. "What was that?" inquired one of the witches as they pivoted to investigate the source. I tilted my head inquisitively and grinned, relieved that the spell had not been directed towards me.

There lay a desk on the ground near my adversaries, bathed in the eerie glow of the green moonlight, casting a looming shadow behind it.

After the witches scoured the range for the cause of the unsettling influence, one of them at last made a reservation. "There! I have found something!" declared the witch, pointing towards the origin.

Perplexed, the other witches turned their gaze towards the source. They all beheld the same boy from earlier, peering from the corridor. "Seize him!" commanded one of the witches, provoking half of them to give chase.

As they pursued the boy, I took the opportunity to slip away unnoticed. Concealed behind the corridor, I observed them frantically searching for me, a smile playing on my lips as I successfully evaded their detection. It was finally my moment to make a stealthy escape.

Glancing back, I proceeded down the hallway, frantically seeking a hiding spot. It was only a matter of time before one or both of them would approach. Thus far, I had found no refuge.

As I peered out of the windows, I found myself questioning my surroundings. The eerie glow of the green moon illuminated the barren trees below. The sight of blood pooling on the ground and the watchful eyes of crows and ravens perched on the branches sent shivers down my spine. A sense of unease started to settle in.

Looking behind me, I was startled by the growing shadows on the walls. Fear gripped my heart, causing it to race and pound against my chest. Beads of sweat trickled down my face as I clenched my teeth and swallowed hard, sensing an impending danger approaching.

I hastened my pace, determined not to look back, trying to calm my nerves before I was discovered. However, the overwhelming fear lingered in my mind, intensifying with each passing moment. Suddenly, a door swung open and a mysterious figure pulled me inside.

Struggling against the person's hold, I fought to break free, but found myself silenced as they covered my mouth with a cloth. Despite my efforts, I was unable to escape, and the figure whispered, "Do you want to be saved?"

"Did you hear that?" one of the witches inquired.

"Yes, it came from one of these rooms," another answered.

"Let's look in each room and find that boy," one of them recommended. "He must be covering up some place."

"I agree."

It was then that I realized the mysterious individual and I had to find refuge in this room. The thought of being captured and sacrificed in this strange realm was too terrifying to contemplate. I became curious over his identity when I looked up above.