After the new information we learned from the spirit of the departed Nora, the now five of us walk down the staircase to the third floor with a lot more clear of a goal in mind. Although the hope of being rescued by an outsider has more or less been stripped away from us, we now know exactly what we need to do in order to escape. As we walk down the now lit hallway, I notice April lagging behind. (She seemed really stressed back there. Not to mention that she has been running around from the time she regained consciousness. I deliberately slow down my pacing so I can walk next to her and ask “Hey is everything alright?” (It’s so not like me to be concerned about others but I really don’t want anyone feeling lost. Bad feelings breed ill actions after all and we could very well end up like Nora’s group if we’re not careful.) She turns to look at me quizzically and puts on a brave smile. “Yeah, I’m okay. Everything’s all right.” April replies without hesitation still wearing that smile. “Well, if you need anything don’t hesitate to talk to me about it, okay?” I grin as best as I can while trying to sound comforting. “Sure, thanks!” She replies with that same grin once again and I’m left not knowing what to do. (Something is basically screaming to me that she is just putting up a front but I really can’t pursue the subject any further…) “So uhm, I’m guessing you must be really confused on what’s happening right?” I ask her in a friendly tone. “There are some holes here and there but I get the bigger picture. Basically we’re trapped in here and we need to find those keys. I may not know how we’re trapped or what those traps you and that gho… Nora mentioned are though. Or actually how the transfer student can tell what’s dangerous and what’s not.” She explains with that same kind façade. “Well basically there’s an invisible wall separating the school from the outside world. It only appeared slightly after the majority of the students left. Also me and a classmate accidentally bumped into a trap on our way to our classroom and well…” I make a pause as if to prepare myself and April looks at me quizzically cocking her head to the side. “…He didn’t make it.” I finish the sentence and I can basically see her whole body stiffening beside me. She continues to walk somewhat speechless. “I’m sorry I made you remember that… Can I at least ask who he was? I promise I won’t pry any further.” This time I can feel her genuine feelings behind her answer, as her cheery expression has dropped. “Hey don’t worry. I mean it’s not like I can forget about it anyway. His name was Liam, he was in my class I don’t know his surname though.” I say with a small smile, albeit a sad one. “Yeah I’ve only heard of him, didn’t know him personally. Still that’s… sad.” The girl walking next to me admits, her voice trailing off. I clench my fist as if reliving that moment in this silence. “You’ve been here for quite a while I thought that you’d at least know your classmates’ surnames though.” She tries to tease me, wearing that kind and caring façade again. “Hey cut me some slack there a ton of people in my class, how am I supposed to learn all their names?” I reply lightening the atmosphere like she did. “By a ton you mean… 23?” She inquires touching her chin with her index finger. “23? Damn, I thought we were like 18 at most or something.” I say slightly shaking my head and she giggles in response. (Was that a sincere laugh or not? I can’t really make out if she actually is pretending to be caring and composed but something doesn’t sit well with me.) “Wait, I feel something behind this door.” Anette announces and we all stop. As me and April were talking the others were already walking a little ahead of us opening doors that lead to classrooms. Up until now there was nothing out of the ordinary with them but before they opened the third one Anette warned them. (That means there must be something dangerous behind that door...) I think to myself as I let out a sigh and walk in front of them. (I can’t be acting like a goddamn scaredy cat all the time. I need to man up.) I turn to look at Anette, and she nods clasping her hands together. “I’m going to open it. You guys ready?” I ask taking a quick look at everybody. The whole group gives me their seal of approval and I carefully slide the door open. (It seems pretty ordinary.) I think as I take a good look at the classroom. “Uhm are you sure you sense danger here?” I ask as I examine the room more thoroughly. “Yes I’m 100% sure. I’m still sensing it as we speak.” Anette replies, her hands still clasped together. “Nobody’s gonna test that by walking in right?” Chloe asks pointing inside. “Of course not!” Max gives the most obvious reply. “Wait. I have an idea.” I announce crouching in front of the threshold as I remove my school bag that I still had hanging from my back the entire time. “Jack? What are you doing?” Max inquires watching me with a perplexed expression as I remove a textbook from my bag. I flip the pages and close it shut again, as if mentally preparing myself. “Farewell. Mathematics.” I say while I send it sailing across the threshold and into the classroom. The textbook hits the ground and for a split second nothing happens. “See th-“Before Chloe can finish, four of the floor tiles surrounding the textbook erupt into flames, burning my item into a crisp. “Oh no what did I throw THAT textbook?!” Suddenly the realization hits me, as I see that only ashes remain. “I think losing your notes on maths class should be the least of your worries at the moment.” Max tells me still looking at the burnt notebook in disbelief.

After half an hour of throwing things and witnessing them get burnt into a crisp we decid to wrap it up for the day and set up our little base on the Home Ec classroom. “Well we can certainly use THAT much space.” I say as I turn on the lights inside the room. The Home Ec class is certainly one of the most, if not the most spacious classroom on the whole building. Not to mention the large amount of supplies and cooking tools. It basically is a small household inside a school, excluding of course luxury items such as beds, TV and most importantly a bathroom. Nonetheless it’s still the perfect place for us to set up our home base. Everyone steps inside the room, with Max closing the door behind her. “Okay so now that we’re here let’s divvy up the work!” She says clapping her hands. “Does anyone want to work on dinner?” She asks looking at everyone. “I think I can handle that.” April raises her hand with that same angelic smile as before. “I’ll help too.” Anette joins her albeit somewhat awkwardly. The two of them head towards the kitchen area, where the stove and cooking supplies are and the three of us are left looking at each other. (Yeah, being here with Chloe feels really awkward really. I should have helped with cooking instead.) I think to myself as I feel the weird glances she throws my way from time to time. “Okay so how about we take charge of the sleeping arrangements?” Max breaks the silence that had been hanging in the air for at least 3 seconds. (Not that much I know… but still what would I have done without her…) “Sounds good to me.” I reply cracking my knuckles. “Yeah let’s do that.” Chloe agrees as well, I remove my blazer and roll up the sleeves of my buttoned-up shirt as we get to work.

The three of us move the desks all in one side of the wall to make space for our group to sleep in as Anette and April were cooking up something delicious that kept my nose occupied the whole time. Hopefully we found some sewing cloths in one of the closets at the back of the room we can use as blankets and believe or not some ACTUAL pillows. After we set everything up, we sit on the counter in front of the kitchen to have dinner. “This is delicious!” Max says as she takes a sip of her soup with a grin and a blissful expression. “Yeah this is pretty good.” I say with a nod taking a big spoonful. (After so many hours of running around I could basically just eat ANYTHING right now. But that doesn’t mean the food’s not well made.) April smiles kindly in response while Anette just eats with a shy smile and rosy cheeks. As soon as I’m halfway done with my food I look around at everyone, eating in silence. (How the hell did I end up trapped in school with 4 girls??! Four girls dammit!) I basically yell inside my brain filling my mouth with more of the delicious soup.

Right after everyone’s done eating, we get into positions to go to sleep and apparently I’m sleeping at the far far corner of the room, basically as far away from the girls as possible. The one closest to me is April but she is a good 2 meters away. During the time we were setting everything up Chloe complained about me sleeping next to them so they cast me off to the side, and Max reassured her with a “We’ve got him outnumbered don’t worry!” (I’M NOT A MOLESTER GOD DAMMIT!) I scream inside my head recalling the incident as I sit down on my set of blankets slapping my pillow a good number of times. “Okay guys tomorrow first thing in the morning we’ll go looking for the keys, alright?” Max announces taking up the image of the leader yet again. A not so cheerful “Yeahhh” rings out in unison throughout the room while the girls get into position for the night. “Jack can you turn the lights off please?” Max says covering herself with her blanket. “Suuure.” I say in a lighthearted tone quickly completing my assigned task. We all exchange a goodnight, with each other and soon I go back to my sleeping spot and pull out my phone. (I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you pal…) I think back earlier in the day when I had to go look for it. (But I honestly wouldn’t want to be relaxing at home while Max and the girls are trapped here risking their lives… Maybe it’s for the best.) I think to myself as I scroll through some already generated feed on my social. Of course there’s no phone nor internet service inside this haunted version of the school but I can still see posts from this morning. With my eyes slowly closing and my head feeling significantly heavier I place the phone next to me hoping to get some shut-eye. It’s not long after I close my eyes that I drift off into sleep.

My eyes slowly open and I groan while turning around and scanning the room slowly. “Where the hell…?” I mutter as I don’t recognize my surroundings. After a good 10 seconds of looking around I remember everything. “Yeah I’m stuck at school…” I mutter one more time while checking my phone and noticing that it’s still 3 AM. I lay on the bed once again touching my temples, and looking up at the ceiling. (Need to go to the bathroom…) I realize as I get up. The worse thing about that, is that the school bathrooms are a separate building from the one we are on right now, meaning I have to walk around the courtyard in the dead of the night. I fix my messy hair and throw a glance at the girls. (Where’s April?) I think as I notice she is nowhere to be found, and her set of blankets is empty. Where the heck is she?