The World We Once Knew

I sit there impatiently, twirling a piece of my light brown hair around my finger as I glance towards the clock on the wall beside me, the glass window taunting me with the alternative to this draining class. A bit dramatic, I know but it seems that whenever I enter this classroom I feel every fibre in my body die as I listen to Ms Green drag on and on about…what was it again, oh it doesn’t really matter all you need to know is that Ms Green isn’t the most interesting person and has quite the unusual talent, making her students lose the will to live.

I search the room for anything that could make this class a little more bearable, soon I realize that besides me there were only about 10 other students in the class, weird, I didn’t really notice that before, but honestly I’ve never really been the observant type. My friends always tell me that someone could put a gun to my head and shoot me and I wouldn’t even notice, they’re very rude aren’t they? I should get new friends, anyway I somehow manage to lock my attention onto the spotted pink bag in front of me, not the most riveting thing I could be doing but it’s much better than sitting in silence, trying to understand whatever gibberish was on the board, so this tiny bag would have to occupy me for now

The glorious sound of the bell ringing finally fills my ears and I can’t pack my stuff faster as I dart out of the classroom. “the bell doesn’t dismiss you, I do” Ignoring her calls I enter the hallway, again noticing that there was only about 20 people out here…odd, what was going on today? I shrug it off as just the flu or something and start my trek towards my locker. I rub my hands together and warm breath leaves my mouth and fills my hands, slowly I wrap my arms around myself in a pathetic attempt to keep the cold at bay , soon an icy chill finds its way towards me, and I look around and finally figure out that some damn idiot left the window open…IN WINTER, it was like our school wanted us all to get hypothermia. Annoyed, I make my way over to the window, because like the hero I am, I was going to save the whole school from dying because some genius doesn’t know how to close a window, sometimes I really do worry about my peers.

Finally my frozen fingers find their way to the window latch and I slowly close it, pleased that the insistent cold was dimmed in even the smallest amount, I turn away, ready to retreat back into the warmth of the classrooms, yes I was just complaining about lesson, but that was before I realized that running around an empty hall in the freezing cold was much worse than being bored to death in a cosy classroom. but just as I was about to turn around I notice the smallest detail on the window, I smirk to myself, and people say I’m unobservant, leaning down to get a clearer view, I spot the smallest dot of blood on the window. Disgusted, I jump up, seriously, what the hell was going on today? It seemed like I had entered a horror movie and the desolate halls weren’t doing anything to calm my nerves. I try to reassure myself, calm down Emma, I repeat calm down, all you have to do is take a few steps and then you will be in a classroom (not really a positive but I’m just gonna go with it)

It’s not like you’re going to die

But what if you do?

No shut up, I’m meant to be calming myself down

I can’t believe that I’m standing here in the middle of a hallway having an argument with myself, I knew Ms Green would send me crazy one day. Deciding that If I do die I won’t have to show up to class anymore, I finally get enough confidence and continue on my way towards my locker. What’s even weirder is that now there was literally nobody in the hallways, not one single person, I knew showing up to school was a mistake. When I’m dead I’m definitely haunting my Dad for forcing me to come to school, shouldn’t this be considered child abuse or something? My heartbeat begins to race as I approach my locker, slowly I place all my books into it. A chill finding its way up my spine, and it begins to feel as if someone was watching me. Seriously, it’s not like school isn’t torturous enough without some creepy voodoo crap going on. Suddenly, I’m pulled out of my thoughts as blackness consumes my vison, and a chilling voice fills my ears “Found you”

The only thing I can think is, I really am going to freaking die today, god if you’re listening I just want to say I’m sorry for stealing Jim’s ice lolly in year two, I promise if you somehow save me I will buy Jim 100, no 1000 ice lollies. But of course, judging by my day so far god didn’t come down from the heavens to save me from whatever psychopath was near me and the room remained silent, disrupting my thoughts again a hellish laughter fills my ears. OK, ok you got this, just spin around and kick him in the shin or something, don’t think, just do, on the count of three

I’m not flipping ready for this

One

It’ll be fine, calm down

Two

This can’t be happening, I’m actually going to die

Three

JUST SHUT UP AND DO IT

I spin on my heel and lift my knee to the stomach of whoever is covering my eyes. With my vision back I’m greeted with the lovely sight of my stupid, very stupid best friend groaning on the tiled floor while clutching his stomach. I can’t help but laugh at his misery, that’s what he gets for being such an idiot and sneaking up on me, I should seriously consider a job as like a ninja or something with my major skills it could happen, when he finally notices my laughter he scowls while attempting to lift himself up on his arm, I say attempt because he fails miserably landing on the floor with another groan, this only makes me laugh much harder until I’m clutching my stomach and gasping for air.

“Well I’m glad you find my pain so hilarious” he scowls, but I can tell he’s joking by the massive smile etched on his face after

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have snuck up on me” I retort, crossing my arms, still a bit annoyed that he nearly gave me a heart attack

Finally able to lift himself up, he stands up dusting off his blue shirt, dark strands of brown hair falling onto his face

“But seriously, how the hell can you kick so flipping hard, I feel like my insides are being crushed” he frowns at me in an overly childish way. I can’t help but smile at how little he’s changed from when we first met. Granted, he was like 2 foot but still he was just as stupid back them. I playfully shove him, before realizing that I still have class, which was such a ‘happy’ revelation that I couldn’t help but frown at him, just thinking about biology was enough to ruin my whole mood, I hope whoever made school and thought it was a good idea to subject us kids to this torture is in hell right now.

“Thinking about biology?” He says with a smirk, sometimes I think he knows me too well for his own good.

I’m not even bothered to come up with a response so instead just solemnly nod my head thinking about the hour of pure torture that awaits me in a few short minutes. He starts to laugh at me, wait what? Did I miss something, because I have no clue what he suddenly finds so funny.

“And what exactly is so funny?” I cross my arms and glare at him

“You really don’t pay attention, do you?” Ok, I thought I was confused before but now I can physically feel the clogs in my brain turning trying to figure out what was going on.

“They literally just announced that the school was shutting down for today, are you ever paying attention?” I thought I was just unobservant, but this is a new level even for me, did I seriously miss an entire announcement, its times like these that I’m actually glad that I have an annoying best friend like Luke. But at least I have the excuse that I’m still getting used to things, after all America is quite different to England. At first I thought it was a blessing that my Dad got a promotion but let’s just say I was less that excited when I realized I would have to move countries, I honestly think I would’ve gone insane if Luke didn’t come with us, not like I’d ever tell him that though.

“Are you gonna just stand there staring at me like I just told you unicorns exist or are we actually gonna go?” Scratch my last comment, I think I might actually go insane faster with him there, but props to him it really does talent to be this annoying.

“Fine then, let’s go” I say before walking towards the exit, even though he’d just insulted me I can’t help but smile I won’t have to go to any of my boring lessons and can relax at home instead of wither away in some suffocating classroom while the teacher spouts irrelevant information that we’re never going to use.

Just before opening the door, I notice that there are no footsteps behind me, I realize that Luke hasn’t moved and is just standing there with an unusual expression, it was hard to tell whether it was confusion, anxiety or fear, maybe it was a mixture of all of them.

“Well, look at who’s not moving now” I glare at him but he doesn’t move and instead just moves his finger to his lips to motion for me to be quiet, I open my mouth to say something just to irritate him, but he starts waving his hands around frantically like a fish out of water before moving his hand to cup his ear implying that I should do to same.

I internally sigh , I just wanted to get home not stand in this freezing corridor figuring out what’s got him so freaked out. Nevertheless, I comply and cup my ear in my hand and begin to hear the faintest sound, wait…was that groaning? This just reached a new level of weird. My brain was telling me to run away as fast as my puny legs could carry me, but what if the person was hurt, we couldn’t just leave them by themselves, could we? Shrugging off the doubt I motion to Luke to follow me as we start to trace where the sound is coming from.

Gradually the sound becomes more noticeable, the noises that were distant cries were now loudly echoing through the halls, the sound of gurgling and clattering of teeth filling my ears. I’m not going to lie and say that the thought of turning back didn’t cross my mind, or that the sounds that were currently consuming the space around me didn’t faze me. Although I’ve never been the nicest person, even I couldn’t just leave some innocent person to freeze to death in an empty hallway. Even though I’m trying to be brave, the sounds were starting to really freak me out, groans and incoherent mumblings which were slowly getting louder and louder, it sounds as if the person is serious condition and despite my brains protests I’m still slowly speeding up, trying to get to the sound as fast as possible. My mind keeps wondering off, ignoring the questions Luke’s asking, it’s not like they’re important and honestly I think that if I answer him truthfully I’m just going to freak myself and him even more than we already are.

After what feels like an eternity it seems that we’re finally nearing the sounds, with Luke in front we continue creeping down the hallway, it’s like my brain has finally started working and I begin to think what we’re actually going to do when we arrive, I haven’t really thought that far ahead I guess, what if the person can’t walk and we have to treat them? What if there’s lots of blood? No matter how much I pretend I’ve never been one who could handle injuries or blood very well, I shake my head acting as if that could chase all of the doubt plaguing my thoughts. I was being unbelievably selfish right now, I can’t believe that I was here worrying about my own stupid fears while someone could be in unimaginable pain just a few feet away.

Another shrill shriek filled with utter agony bounces around the room, I look down at the floor in shame and mutter to myself “I’ve got this”

“You mean we’ve got this, we’re in this together, right?” I feel a sudden warmth grasp my hand and my fingers intertwine with someone else’s, I look up to see Luke smiling at me widely, his blue eyes twinkling under the fluorescent lights that surround us.

“Always” I smile back at him, and grasp onto his hand tighter as we both continue to walk down the hall, the gargling and groaning still consuming the once silent air.

But something was different now, as I turn the corner I no longer feel fear’s iron grip keeping me rooted to the spot, I glace to my side and see Luke’s face void of any doubt or fear, filled with only determination and suddenly I know that no matter what happens we would be fine as long as we had each other.

But even with this new-found confidence nothing could’ve prepared me for the sight we saw when we turned the next corner…