Unreal Pressure

Chapter Five: Not Much Warning

You almost didn't hear it this time, the Angler that is. Both you and Hanako barely managed to find a locker in time as it passed by, the piercing screech echoing against your ear drums. Unlike before, the lights didn't flicker, your only clue anything was approaching was its unusual sound growing closer and closer. Not much warning, huh? The two of you exited your lockers shortly after, returning back on track.

It was somewhere around door 44, however, when something unbelievable happened. You had been searching through drawers, adding more data to your collection when you noticed. A loud thud had caught your attention, drawing it away from the drawers. You sister, collapsed on the ground, being eaten alive by what looked to be an armless person. The sounds of flesh being torn from the bone resonated around you, and all you could do was watch in shock and horror.

The image, etched forever into your mind, forever into your soul, of your sister dying right before you. Her screams, although useless, continued, she begged for your help, but you were frozen; held in place by the hellish nightmare that played out in front of you. It didn't take long for her voice to die out along with her, her chest and face torn open, blood pooling beneath her and staining her white hair a crimson red.

When that creature finally took notice of you, its face, smeared with blood and flesh, took off, running back the way it once came. You felt sick, your breath caught in your throat. You couldn't even react, you just remained firmly in place with a horrified and disgusted expression plastered on your face. And that's when you felt it, the feeling of vomit slowly rising from your stomach and up through your oesophagus. Your body trembled and your eyes watered, feeling the bile and acid creep up little by little.

Quickly, you raised your hands, covering your mouth and shoving it all back down. The taste was horrible, but you didn't quite care. You didn't care about much right now, except for the horror you had to bear witness to. No matter what you did, your body still shook, refusing to obey you even in the slightest. You could've sworn your legs would've gave out if  you took even a single step, though to your bewilderment, they didn't.

One step became two, then two became four, then seven, then nine. Your hand ran across the walls, aiding your balance as you stumbled through the hall. You dared not to look back, if you did, you probably would've given up right then and there, succumbing to the detonation of your diving gear. Before you stood the door to the next area, the neon coloured numbers a harsh reminder of your reality. You were expendable.

You stared at the sign.

The sign stared back.