Night of the Living Bacteria [Old version]

Chapter Ten-Fun or Trouble?

November 5th, 1955Dear Diary, I've found a few more engravings and a tunnel below the school since Halloween. I don't know why secret tunnels are leading under the school, but I think they might've been an old storm shelter before this became a school. I like to go to the central point and sit on the polished floor, now faded and unkempt, and write to you, diary. Today in Gifted, we swabbed places in the school. I did the gum under the water fountain. I found a spell in the spellbook that I want to try out, so I think that when the bacteria starts to grow, I'll try out the spell on it. I've got to go, I'll write later. Sincerely, Michelle

(Olivia POV)

It's been a few weeks since we discovered the journals, and we haven't been able to get a peek at the entries. The school staff comes into our rooms to make sure we are asleep by the lights out deadline, and we spend most of our free time before dinner doing homework. The Gifted Classes are more difficult than regular classes. Today, we'll be going to Gifted and starting our first project. We'll be swabbing places in the school and watching bacteria grow. Since today is Halloween, Mr. Andrews decided to do a fun project. I walk down the stairway, the fluorescent white lights blind me for a moment before I emerge on the other side of the darkness. As I walk to the tables, I notice indentations on the walls. They almost look like they got engraved into the stone a long time ago. I wonder what they are, maybe...maybe they're the spells! I think. I shake the thought out of my head, telling myself that would be impossible.

"Hey!" Ashley exclaims, waving me over to the other wall. Our Gifted teacher hasn't arrived, and the only other person in the room is Jayden.

"There's something here." She says. "Like an engraving."

I look where she's pointing, just a simple slab of the wall. I notice that the paint is a little uneven and some parts seem to form words. On another side, the wall dips in the shape of a small circle. 

"I was always a fan of, like, secret things, so I want to see if this is-" A piece of the wall, no larger than the size of Ashley's hand, retracts into the wall. "Woah." She exclaims, removing her hand from the wall and watching in amazement as the wall sinks in until a door handle replaces it. Ashley looks at me, and I call Jayden over.

"We should all go in since we're all involved." Ashley nods and turns the handle, bouncing with excitement. Part of the wall slides open to reveal a second stairway.

"Should we go in, or should we wait?" We can't go trick-or-treating, but the teachers don't give us any homework today.

"Let's wait. If anyone comes in now, everyone will know."

"You're right." Ashley sighs, closing the door and watching as the stone slides back into place. Just then, a few of the other students come in.

"Good timing," I whisper to Ashley. "But, how'd you find it?" She cracks a smile.

"I'm an artist as well. I notice spiders too much, and I can find almost anything." We make our way to our desks and wait for Mr. Andrews to come in.

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"We'll be breaking into groups of three. You can choose your partners." Soon, Ashley, Jayden, and I are walking down the hall.

"How about the water fountain?" Ashley suggests. I kneel to swab the fountain handle, and I notice a sticky, faded pink wad of bubblegum stuck to the underside of the fountain. I run the swab over the gum, my stomach churning. Disgusting. I think. Standing, I walk back down the stairs to the Gifted room with Ashley and Jayden trailing behind me, clueless. Let's see what this grows. I think, smiling a little.