Shadows

Steps

"Anderson, what is that on your neck?" Mrs. Adams, my first period biology teacher, pulls me out into the hallway to ask why there was a bruise on my neck. Her face is twisted in concern and pity. 

I peer down at my feet, sighing in defeat. I tried to wear my hoodie up, but the school doesn't allow hats or hoodies to be worn. Mrs. Adams asked me kindly to take it off, and so I did, not wanting to fight with her. The whole student group gasped at me -including Mrs. Adams, who then proceeded to take me out into the hallway. She's a sweet lady. Around 40 years old, possibly. She has long greying red hair and a smile that is never ending. Yet at this very moment her sweet, loving smile is gone, replaced with gaping lips.

I swallowed nervously. How was I going to explain that my friend, Pat, was possessed and the thing in him decided to choke me? Yeah, that's right. I couldn't. 

"Mrs. Adams-" I say, clearing my throat, "me and my friend got into a fight yesterday. It's nothing serious." I inhale, allowing air into my lungs. I study her face and bite my lip, hoping she'll believe me. She doesn't, instead she shakes her head. Her thin lips shrivel up and her eyes water. She's gazing at me with eyes drooping with sorrow.  

"I know of your father. If he did anything to you, just tell me. You shouldn't be treated like this, you're a great boy." She touches my shoulder, smiling sadly.

I shake my head.
"That's not-"

"It's okay if you're scared," she glances at my neck, "I've known some people in situations like this, I can see how tough it is to speak up. You don't have to lie anymore, Anderson. You're okay, you're with me now. I need you to be strong. Just breathe, everything will be okay. Let's get you to the nurse, alright? Go ahead and walk down to her. I'll give her a call and say that you're coming." She grabs me by my shoulders and give a light push. I hear her feet clink away.

I walk a bit before looking back and watching the classroom door close. It faintly clicks shut behind her, locking into it's place.

Should I go to the nurse? She'll just call child services on my father, and I'd rather not drag him into this. But if I go anywhere else, wouldn't they just call him there too? I have nowhere to go anyway. Yet going somewhere, anywhere, is better than here. Too many people could be hurt. For all I know, that thing can get it's hands on me, too. 

I peer down the empty hallway. The gleam from the fluorescent lights show on the white lockers and tiles. The hallway seems never ending, a tunnel to nothing. I gaze up to a small box hanging from the ceiling. It stares back at me.

The school has cameras, so I can't just walk out. Or I could, if they didn't get me in time. I gulp and cross my arms. 

I don't know what to do with myself.  

"I'll always be in danger," I mumble to myself while staring down the hallway. It's either I'm crazy or these things that have been happening are real, but either way I've come to accept it. 

How? I don't know. I shouldn't accept it. It is crazy. 

Suddenly, the intercom crackles above me. 

"Attention little boy," A voice sputters from the intercom system. I gaze up to the white circle above me.

"Sssoon, you sshall meet your demise," It's voice is dragged out slowly, it almost sounds like Pat when he choked me. 

"You will pay for what you have done!" It laughs maliciously. 

"Oh, Jesus Christ. Why." My hand comes up to my head. I close my eyes and inhale. My heart starts to speed up. I feel like a cat's mouse, being chased endlessly. 

I'll always be in danger.

I open my eyes and look around. There are more than six hundred something students in this school building. There is no way I can hide from all of them. I'll try to run. After all, it's all I'm possible of. 

In front of me leads to the office and nurse, to the back of me leads to backdoors. It's more likely there will be more people in the front. But wouldn't they think that I would try the back, so they would put more people in the back? 

Or would they think I would think this, so they would stay in the office? 

"I'm just confusing myself." I gulp nervously. I wipe my palms on my pants. I'm now burning hot. 

Even if there is a bunch of people on each end, I can't beat them. I couldn't even hurt Pat for crying out loud. How could I hurt strangers?

A door handle jingles to the right of me. I jump out of fear and it doesn't take me a second to understand I need to run. 

I start racing down the hallway, to the office. My feet slap against the tile, and I begin to breathe hard. Doors start to open, slamming against the brick walls. People begin to run out of the classrooms in groups, to me. All of their eyes are rolled into the back of their heads, most of their noses bleeding. They push each other over in effort to get to me. They all move inhuman, their bodies jerking and pulling. 

"Little boy..." Many voices say at the same time. Other feet begin to race to me. I don't dare to look back, instead I push harder. 

The doors in front of me begin to open too. I'm trapped. Zombie-like students race to me, a dead look on their faces. 

Count to five.

One.

On either side of me, the hallways are filled with them. I swallow with fear. 

What am I supposed to do?

Two.

There isn't a thing I can do. I can't run away, there isn't a place to run to. I start to breathe hard and back up into the lockers behind me. I allow myself to sink into the floor, and I close my eyes. 

Three.

I take a deep breath. 

Four.

A hand laces around my throat. 

Five.