Everybody at the scene fell into a deafening silence, letting the crack echo for a while. Onyx smiled half-heartedly, pretending not to be nauseous after the pride slipped through their body far too quickly; Brooke and Billie couldn’t take their eyes from the scene. Dylan suddenly stumbled to get to his feet, causing Onyx to jolt away from Rhys and turn to run.
“Hey, what happe- Holy shit!” Jasmine gasped, as she entered the room with Tiegan, Jack and Milena. “What the hell happened here?”
The Wankers started talking at once, shouting and yelling over each other, clamouring to the exits. Onyx could be heard vomiting over the aggression, hidden around the corner of the field. Tiegan stumbled as James and Tom pushed past her, blatantly ignoring Jack. The three of them stood in silence, watching as the Wankers, alongside Brooke and Billie, forced themselves in heaps out of the doors. Jasmine looked mournfully at the boys laying unresponsive on the floor. Nobody could think of something to break the silence. No matter how many times she said she hated them, she didn’t even begin to think that seeing them dead would hurt so badly. In shocked silence, she used the wall to guide herself to the floor and sat down. Tiegan let out soft sobs beside her. Even Jack had nothing to say, they were all well and truly out of words. For a brief minute, time slowed to a stop and suddenly not even the world dared to turn. The sinking sensation let all students know that they were at the point of no return, survival wasn’t the great goal they had all imagined.
“Guilt.” was the only word Jasmine managed to get out. Tiegan sat beside her, eyes still brimming with tears. Jack sat against the door, looking to the ground, as anywhere but the centre of the room was sufficient. Jasmine laid her head upon Tiegan’s shoulder, the two crying silently and barely comforted by the other.
Leni stayed under the desk in AWE05, their eyes thickened with heavy tears. The screaming from the other room was still ringing in their head, over and over again. It blended into inaudible noise, becoming hallucinatory and easily too much to bear. They trembled under the desk, feeling the blood slipping away from their body and trying desperately not to lose control. Their shaky breaths got shorter and shorter, their whole body fading away. The walls were closing in, turning into synchronous static around them as the sounds got harsher and louder. Leni tried to whisper, to regain what little control they had left, only to find their dry throat closed and raw. Their tears were cold against their burning face; the temperature was melting and freezing their body beyond recognition as they let out a devastating scream. The lights blurred into a grey, darkening and darkening until Leni was immobile. The room closed in too quickly, they only just heard their own painstaking cry before hitting the floor.
“What the fuck-” Jack jumped, instantly turning his head to the exit of the Sports Department. Tiegan and Jasmine’s eyes widened in alarm in response to the scream that had enveloped the room just seconds before. “Was that Leni?”
“Sounded like it. Should someone go check on them?” Milena enquired, seriously for once. The group were momentarily silent before Jack stood up and looked at Jasmine. Jasmine gulped nervously before sighing and standing up as well.
“Come on, Trace.” Jack interrogated quite sharply. “I think we should check on them.”
“Yeah, probably.” Jack and Jasmine left through the indoor exit of AWE06, Jasmine muttering quietly under her breath, “I don’t look like Mrs Deane…”.
The two of them made their way on their short journey to AWE05. The door was unmoving when they got there, alerting them almost immediately. They fought with the handle to no success, the door was locked and the only occupant who could be of assistance was passed out on the inside.
“Leni!!! Oh my god!!” Jasmine shrieked as she looked inside. Jack started hammering at the door in a panic, shaking the windows. Leni’s eyelids fluttered briefly, light seeping into their retinas ever so slowly. They stirred slightly, eyes finally snapping open and suddenly taking in the thuds of the door being hit. They crawled out from under the desk and brought themselves up, clinging to the table edge for support. Stumbling, they ambled towards the door and reached up to unlock it. Jack burst through the door almost immediately, tackling Leni into a hug. Leni stumbled and returned the hug timidly, leading Jasmine to follow suit. The three shared a hug together, relishing in the knowledge that despite it all, they still had one another. Leni let the last tears fall from their eyes, wiping them dry with their hand.
They pulled away as someone made an appearance at the doorway.
“What happened, love?” Luke asked, cupping his hand around Leni’s face as they flushed.
“I’m fine now, honestly. If these two hadn’t found me I don’t think I would have been though.” Leni mumbled, gesturing to Jack and Jasmine. Luke sighed gladly, running his hand through Leni’s hair before pulling out a chair and sitting down almost effortlessly. Jack pulled out a chair of his own and collapsed into it with a loud exhale. Jasmine and Leni sat themselves on the edge of the desk, positioning themselves so that they could share the small space easily.
“What are you doing here? Not that I’m complaining.” Jasmine enquired, turning to face Luke.
“Funny story.” Luke began with a grimace. “Sienna and Gabi have started fighting. The same way Heather and Rose did, except they haven’t killed each other yet. Personally, I don’t want to be there when they do, you know?” Jasmine nodded while Leni brought their knees to their chest and sighed. It was becoming impossibly hard to know what to say in such a surreal experience. Jack turned to the computer beside him and tried to turn it on, groaning when the black screen glared back at him.
“Pointless.” Luke half-smiled. “Nothing works. Not our phones, either.” Leni tilted their head.
“That’s so scary… You don’t think this was intentional, do you?”
“What do you mean?” Jack questioned.
“You saw how quickly all our teachers left. No remorse. I know they don’t like us, but I think plotting us against each other was a bit unnecessary.” Leni giggled half-heartedly. Jasmine kept her composition and quickly retorted, “I don’t think it was them. They were genuinely scared enough to leave, you saw their faces.”
“But they had enough time to shut off all our contact to the outside and lock us in here so nobody could save themselves?” Luke observed.
Their discussion was interrupted as Milena, Alex and Tiegan knocked on the door and let themselves in. Tiegan glanced at Leni softly. “Are you okay?” Leni nodded and exhaled tiredly. Jack took his vape out of his pocket and brought it to his lips. The smoke was comforting and gentle, swirling around the room and seeping out of the door. Luke yawned. “Where’s Onyx?”
“We don’t know, we haven’t seen them since everyone ran off earlier.” Alex huffed.
“I think I heard them throwing up when me and Jas got to the sports room but I don’t know to be honest. Could have been anyone.” Jack added. “No idea where Billie and Brooke went either.”
Leni stood up and wandered to the door, taken aback when Luke pulled them back.
“No, Leni. It sounds like you’ve seen enough tonight. I think someone else should go.”
Jasmine and Milena stood up together and nodded. Jack brought himself up and offered himself too. The small group swiftly left the room.
YOU ARE READING
Set 8 Volleyball
Fanfiction**THIS WILL NEVER BE COMPLETED** The Wonderfry's Guys are devastated that the COVID-19 pandemic renders Year 11 the only year still in school. Even worse, they're locked in together, the teachers cannot leave quick enough and the adolescents are mur...
