The bell rang. Sunlight streamed through the windows, and the room was filled with the quiet buzz of chatter as everyone settled into their seats.
Ms. Foster, a kind-looking teacher with curly hair and glasses, walked in carrying some papers and a marker. The students quickly quieted down as she reached the front of the room.
"Good morning, everyone!" Ms. Foster said with a smile. "Today, we're going to learn about chemical reactions."
She wrote the words 'Chemical Reactions and Equations' on the whiteboard in big letters.
"Can anyone tell me what happens during a chemical reaction?" she asked, turning to the class.
Rosie, a student who always seemed eager to learn, raised her hand. "Two or more substances come together and make something new," she said.
"Exactly!" Ms. Foster replied. "When a chemical reaction happens, the reactants change into products. Now, who remembers how we write that down?"
Lucy, a smart student who often had the right answers, raised her hand. "We use symbols to show the reactants and products, and an arrow to show the reaction."
"Perfect, Lucy!" Ms. Foster said, picking up her marker. "Let's look at an examp-"
Just as Ms. Foster was about to continue the lesson, a sudden noise interrupted her. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, and everyone's attention shifted to the windows that overlooked the corridor. A blur of motion caught their eye as a student dashed past, her school uniform fluttering behind her.
Ms. Foster hesitated, her marker hanging above the whiteboard. She glanced toward the window, her brow furrowing slightly. The class exchanged puzzled looks, their focus no longer on chemical reactions but on the unexpected commotion outside.
Ms. Foster tried to dismiss it with a small smile. "Probably just someone in a hurry," she said, more to herself than to the class. She turned back to the board, ready to pick up where she had left off.
But before she could say another word, the sound came again, louder this time. More students were running through the hallway, their footsteps quick and frantic. The class collectively held its breath, eyes wide with curiosity.
Ms. Foster set down her marker and walked to the door, her movements calm but her expression concerned. She opened it and stepped just outside, peering down the corridor. The students inside the classroom craned their necks, trying to see what was happening.
The hallway was bustling with students moving swiftly in one direction, their faces a mix of urgency and confusion. Ms.Foster's concern deepened. She turned back to her class, her normally composed demeanor giving way to a hint of worry.
"Stay here," she instructed, her voice firm but gentle. "I'll be right back."
The classroom was silent, the students exchanging nervous glances as they watched their teacher step fully into the hallway, the door slowly closing behind her. Whispers broke out among them, each one guessing what might be happening.
Ms. Foster, her concern mounting with each passing second, began walking down the hallway in the opposite direction of the running students. The usually bustling corridor was now filled with an unsettling energy, the air thick with tension.
As she pressed forward, she spotted a lone student, Iroha, stumbling toward her. Her face was pale, eyes wide with fear. Ms. Foster quickened her pace and gently grabbed the girl's arm as she passed by.
"Iroha, what's going on?" Ms. Foster asked, her voice a mix of urgency and calm.
Iroha looked up at her, terror clear in her eyes. Her lips trembled as if she wanted to speak, but instead, she pulled away from Ms. Foster's grip and bolted down the hallway, not daring to look back.
YOU ARE READING
Stay Alive
Terror"and suddenly life was not about living, it was about surviving." . . (New chapters every saturday...)
