Academy Murder Party

~:Chapter 21:~

Yuki emerged into the science building, nearly running into the others who had strangely stood still amongst the chaos. Jake caught her, pulling her close as she nearly tumbled onto the carpeted floor of the L-shaped hallway, one of which had two directions the group could go in. At first, Yuki had thought they paused to pick a path, but when Jake pointed towards the floor, she realized.

Covering the empty hallway were metallic beartraps, like a complete minefield. She stepped back, breaking free of Jake's gasp and stepping back. She turned around just in time to see Brent come flying into the room, with Carlos in front of him. 

"WAIT!" Jake yelled, but to no avail. Carlos leaped into the hallway, stepping directly onto the beartrap. It snapped shut with a disgusting crunch as Carlos screamed out in agony, his ankle twisting in inhumane ways as he cried out for help. Claire gasped in horror as Brent couldn't stop in time, tumbling to the floor and missing another beartrap by a mere inch.

Jake immediately dashed to the floor, attempting to pry the beartrap open for Carlos. In a matter of seconds, the door opened once more. Yuki felt herself being shoved aside into the wall, causing her to fall to the floor in a crumpled heap, getting the wind knocked out of her.

Adam descended upon Brent, who attempted to crawl away. He sat on top of him, sending a fist flying towards his face. Mikey had moved to Yuki during this time, helping her up from the floor. As she looked up, one of the soccer team members swung at Claire with his bat, nearly missing and almost colliding with her skull as she ducked. The bat came into contact with the wall, leaving a sizable dent with a large bang. Claire fell onto her behind as he looked up at him, holding his bat in hand as he raised it.

Yuki tried lunging forward, but the other soccer team member restrained her. She flailed her arms as Mikey stood by and watched, surprised at his face. She stared at him, pleading with him for help, but he did nothing. Instead, staring at her blankly.

"Don't get involved. You'll be fine." The jock whispered to her.

"That's my friend!" Yuki screamed.

The jock sent the bat flying downward. However, Claire rolled to the side. The bat missed her by mere inches as it hit a beartrap, causing the metal jaws to snap closed on the bat with a tight clench.

"Damn." He said, trying to shake it off the bat, to no avail. He threw it to the side, staring directly at Claire. He laughed at her, but was taken down as Carlos, now free from the trap's grip, took him to the floor. Yuki felt the jock's grip loosen, and she slipped free, shoving him to the side as she ran to Claire, sticking out a hand for Claire. The entire time, Brent and Adam fought in the middle of the sea of beartraps.

"RUN!" Yuki, along with the others, heard. They all simultaneously stopped what they were doing to look at the end of the hall as if a single switch had turned everything off. Everyone's gaze was locked on the boy at the end of the hallway, who had emerged from the double doors straight ahead. He hopped through the hallway, dodging every trap with a hop as if he was a deer fleeing a wolf.

"No way..." Yuki stared at the boy. It didn't take long for her to recognize who it was, even at the distance of opposite ends of the hallway. His bright red jacket with two coattails, the golden shoulder pads, black bowtie, and golden vest gave it away. His black tophat was all that was missing, which typically covered up his sleek blonde hair.

"Zach...?" Mikey whispered.

Brent took the opportunity of distraction to send a fist flying towards Adam, knocking him backward. He descended upon him, gripping his head in his hand as he dragged him over to the top of a beartrap, attempting to push his head down onto it. Adam, with gritted teeth, fought back. He struggled against his push,  fighting against the force that sent him closer to the metal jaws.