Our Stories End

Chapter 1 || Dissociation

Joss

It hasn't been too long ago, but I remember seeing many people come down with some sort of cold or flu. It got so bad to where even the people with masks (and who are vaccinated) at the school were at risk, so the people who got the smallest symptom of anything were kept or sent home. COVID has been a major issue, and even if not many think so, I think there's still a chance for this all to hopefully go back to normal one day. However, this year just isn't the year things get better I suppose.

The clock ticks within the classroom, filling the atmosphere with suspense. It's our third class of the day, and after this class, we get to head straight to lunch. I know that I wasn't the only one who wanted to get out with urgency; Alex also seemed to want to fly out of the classroom. He's tall and has some energy to him, so it's not really a surprise that the poor guy has to eat so much. I'm the same way as well minus the height. I think what makes me want to leave so quickly, aside from lunch, was how everything resonates with an odd aura. Everywhere is quiet; no birds chirping in the distance, no cars driving past the school, and the room we work in is dead silent. It gives me goosebumps when thinking about it.

Eventually, the bell finally rings, making my feet move faster than I can think. Of course, I seem to immediately meet up with Alex in the hallway, kind of ignoring everyone else in our classroom. When walking through the halls on the second floor of the building, I look up to him, looking into his ocean blue—almost a type of paint—like eyes as they reflect some of the lights from the ceiling. Again, Alex is tall, so I have to physically tilt my head up slightly just to look at the man while we walk.

My words fall flat when I open my mouth, but he looks to be anticipating words, so I speak in a more awkward tone. "Have you noticed anything weird today?"

"No not really, but things have been a little quieter than they normally have." He says.

This made me feel a little better, now that someone else has noticed, mainly because I was beginning to think I was going crazy or something due to what's been happening with me emotionally as of late.

* * *

Upon going outside, the others grab their lunches while I wait for the line to shorten. I always sit next to Alex on White Days, and while he's to the left of me my other friend, Laci, is to the right. They all come back after a few minutes, and we begin to chat like we normally do, laughing at stupid stuff most of the time, or quickly scurrying to do our Honors Anatomy & Physiology classwork. For the most part, we're all in the same classes, which is always nice since aside from Drisana, I'm the second youngest here. But, I am hungry, so once the line got down to only a few people I went inside.

I go about my usual, saying hi to a few other peers and teachers as I walk across the cafeteria and to the halls to get into the serving area. Suddenly, as I was about to exit into the hall, my world slows, upon hearing a death curtailing scream from one of the people in the kitchen. I'm stuck now in the archway of the lunchroom and hallway as I notice one of the lunch ladies, who has been acting weird for a few weeks now, tackles the other woman. My feet can't move as I watch, not being able to scream due to my voice drowning in my own tongue and spit.

My caramel eyes continue to fixate on the woman tearing into the other's flesh, and finally, I find my voice, but all I can do is scream. Blood is everywhere, and I don't even notice the other people behind me until I feel someone grab my arm. "What the hell is going on with you? Joss, hey what's up?" It's a girl's voice, my friend Drisana. Her grayish-blue eyes look at me with concern before she becomes paralyzed upon witnessing the same scene that I am.