The living room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a few candles casting shadows on the walls. Alicia's friends, who had been sleeping on makeshift beds, stirred awake one by one, their faces reflecting a mix of confusion and worry.
As Amy spoke up, her voice broke the silence that had settled in the room. Her eyes darted around, searching for answers in the faces of her friends. "What do you think will happen to us now?" she asked, her tone filled with uncertainty.
Zack, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, replied with a hint of desperation in his voice, "I just want to see my family. I need to know if they're okay."
King, always the blunt one, interjected with a harsh reality. "They're probably dead already," he stated matter-of-factly, causing a ripple of tension to spread through the room.
Zack's expression darkened, anger flashing in his eyes. "What did you say!?" he exclaimed, his fists clenching as if ready for a fight.
Sensing the tension escalating, Amy quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. "Hey! Stop it you two!" she scolded, her voice firm. "We're just guests here. Do you want them to kick us out of the house?"
Elise, sitting beside Amy, spoke up softly, directing her question to Amy. "Are you not scared? Or worried about your family?" Her eyes conveyed concern, mirroring the unease that lingered in the air.
Amy's shoulders tensed slightly before she replied, her voice betraying a hint of vulnerability. "Of course, I am... but it's not like I can do anything about it," she admitted, avoiding direct eye contact. "I can only pray that they're also safe."
Elise nodded in understanding, her gaze filled with empathy. "You're so strong, Amy," she commented, offering words of admiration.
Amy shook her head modestly. "I'm just doing what I can," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
King, sensing a shift in the conversation, redirected their attention to the earlier events. "What do you think happened earlier?" he asked, his curiosity evident. "Alicia's parents were fighting. Do any of you know anything about it?"
Amy sighed, her expression conflicted. "It's not good to gossip about others, you know," she chided King, her tone tinged with sarcasm.
The tension in the room escalated as King's frustration bubbled to the surface. "What!?" he exclaimed again, his voice tinged with defiance. "I'm just curious! After all… they will be the ones deciding our future, what will happen, or where we will go. We're just a burden to them."
Before anyone could respond, the teacher, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, spoke up. Her voice was calm yet authoritative. "That's not true," she countered, her eyes scanning each of them. "I am here, and I can promise you all that we will protect you."
Zack, feeling a surge of guilt and determination, confessed, "We don't want to be the ones holding you guys back. We also want to help. Alex killed three of them… can we also do it?"
The teacher's expression softened, and she shook her head. "You don't have to do it," she insisted, her tone gentle yet firm.
King, however, wasn't convinced. "Bullshit, we'll eventually do it," he cursed, his frustration evident.
Amy, unable to tolerate King's disrespect, intervened. "Hey! She's a teacher! Have some respect!" she scolded him, her voice stern.
King scoffed, dismissing her concern. "Respect? In this situation, you still care about respect? And what can she even do anyway? Call our parents?"
The teacher's demeanor shifted, her expression turning cold as she issued a warning. "We can leave you behind if you want," she stated bluntly, her eyes locking onto King's. "I'm not kidding. We don't want someone like you not listening to us. You could put us in danger with your behavior, and that would be bad."
