The Hidden World book 1

Chapter 5

"This is a lockdown. There is something in the building. Follow what your teacher says, and teachers, we'll keep you updated by email." The intercom powered off. Everyone in the room froze at that. There was an intruder in the building.

"Everyone over here! Sit down and be quiet!" Mrs Fina yelled over the panic and pointed to the corner that was farthest from the door. Everyone started over there and started sitting on the ground. Hunter felt his heart beating more rapidly. He walked over to Mrs Fina.

"Madam. I need to go see if my daughter is alright, may I go" He asked and she looked at him, then grabbed his shoulder and led him to the corner where everyone else was.

"No. I'm sorry but I can't. Your priority is to be kept safe and her safety is in her teachers hands. Now sit down." She ordered. Hunter hesitated until Atlas dragged him down next to him.

"It's going to be alright" He reassured Hunter. Hunter couldn't be calm. All he was thinking of was Aubrey. He couldn't lose her. He didn't have much left in this world to take care of. He looked at the door as if to run but Atlas kept him close.

"I have to go get her," He told him.

"I know you want to make sure she's alright but you can't. You need to make sure you're safe to be able to take care of her when this is done" Atlas replied in a soft tone.

Hunter looked at him and Atlas grabbed Hunter's head and set it on his chest.

Hunter felt his heart beat. No... There was no heartbeat. His body was cold and his chest just barely lifted and fell. What was wrong with Atlas?

"You alright?" Hunter asked.

Atlas put his nose in Hunter's hair. "Yes. I'm fine. Now be quiet or we're going to die" Atlas mumbled. Hunter sighed and closed his eyes.

"Is he alright?" Hunter heard Willow ask Atlas. He felt Atlas nod. Hunter took in a deep breath when he remembered the words of the intercom.

'This is a lockdown. There is something in the building. Follow what your teacher says, and teachers, we'll keep you updated by email.' That's what it had said so why did it seem so wrong? It was just a lockdown, something that they all knew how to do. He thought about the words again.

'This is a lockdown' is pretty simple. They were going into lockdown. And the end sentence was perfect too, something that seemed reasonable. The middle sentence though.

'There is something in the building.' How could that be wrong? He just knew in his gut that something wasn't right with the words.

"There is something in the building" Hunter mumbled out the words. Sometimes if he spoke out loud the words they clicked. Not this time, so he recited it again.

"Hunter, What are you doing?" Atlas asked as Hunter sat up. He had found it. Something. That was the turner. It should have been ' There is a person in the building' not 'there is something in the building.' He found it, but what could this mean?

"Hunter?" Willow asked, grabbing his arm gently.

"The intercom" Hunter said, turning to them as if to expect them to know and when they gave him odd looks he understood that they didn't put two and two together. "The intercom said that there was something in the building, not a person," He explained.

"And?" Atlas whispered, "It could be a skunk or a wild boar."

"No. That doesn't seem right." Hunter said, shaking his head.

"Hunter... Everything's fine. You're fine. Aubrey's fine. She has Gray with her." Willow replied brushing a strand of hair out of his face to show the scar he had gotten.