Red

"One... Two... Three... Ready... Or... Not... here... I... Come..."

A sound of jingling bells echoed through the dark hallways.

Tap. Ti-ling. Tap. Ti-ling. Tap. Ti-ling.

Footsteps along with the jingles stop..

A pair crying eyes reflected fear.

"Somebody help..." they whispered.

Sweaty hands clasped together in a praying manner. The praying child soon started trembling. Not because of the dark room.. But due to the silence. No sound was heard. No scratching nor tapping. The child got more terrified. He tried adjusting his teary eyes in the dark to look for someone... no something. He looked behind him. None. On either side of him. Still none. But infront of him...

Teary eyes widen upon the sight of the pale girl wearing a bloody red hood.

"Found... You..."

After that... No more cries for help were heard... only footsteps with jingling bells and something that's being dragged on the floor...

× × ×

The resonating bell signals the end of classes. Students started packing their things while teachers added some notes for their students. The rooms were almost empty except for one. A male student was slowly gathering his things.

"Justin! Hurry up or we'll leave you!"

"Oh! Yes, Sorry"

The student named Justin apologized and quickly put all his things in his bag. Soon, he joined his friends. A group of four. Two girls and two boys. His friend John, kept talking about some new games that Justin isn't interested in. He was busy thinking about the the topic of today's class. Hanna, one of his friends tapped his shoulder.

"Justin, you seemed so spaced out. Are you okay?"

"Really?"

"Uhn"

"Sorry bout that. I was just thinking about our class's topic. Don't worry I'm fine"

Justin smiled to reassured her. Hanna smiled and was about to say something but was interrupted by Jiro.

"Our Class #1's always thinking about classes. Can you please stop for just like 1 day?" Jiro asked while being too close to Justin.

"I can't. Our teacher said it's going to appear in our exam. And I'm not the class #1. It's always Lyra"

Justin pushed Jiro and then pointed to the other girl in their group. The said girl grinned from ear to ear and asked him.

"Ey.. Don't tell me you want to beat me that much?"

"I don't"

"But your face says so"

"Shut up"

"Ahh! Justin really wants to be the class #1" Jiro piped up.

"I don't!"

"Good luck, Justin" Hanna cheered while smiling

"I said I don't. Can you please shut up?"

Justin said starting to get annoyed. The three just laughed. Soon, one by one they separated from each other. And at last, Justin was left alone.

He walk along the stone pavement under the moonlight. He saw a few pebbles and kicked them while walking for him to hear a bit of noise. He won't say it out loud but the eerie silence makes him feel uncomfortable.

Just as he was about to take a turn on the street toward his house, he saw a glimpse of red. He stop in his tracks.

He tried looking directly at the dark playground in front of him. Nothing unusual. Just a silent playground. He shrugged his shoulders and continued walking home.

× × ×

"One... Two... Three..."

"I told you it's not a good idea to play with this girl! She's a demon!" a guy shrieked.

"I'm... not... a... demon..." and the tilt her head while her eyes bore at the group of boys that's cowering in fear.

"But... I... don't... mind... becoming... one... for... you..." she said and smiled.

The boys' horror, her smile showed her teeth that are like razors which are smeared with blood. Blood of those people who tried playing with her.

"Hey... big... brother... I'm... hungry..."

"No! Please! Let me live!!"

"Please?..."

The group suddenly felt chills down their spines when their eyes caught the girl's reaction. She was looking at them with an emotionless face. Her head, tilt upwards with her eyes looking at them downwards. Silence hovered for a few seconds until a chorus of scream echoed on the abandoned building.

The sound of breaking, cracking and chewing filled the metallic smelled building. Sounds of objects being dragged also resonated on the walls.

"I... tried... pleading... for... mercy... too... but... no... one... listened..."

Tap. Ti-ling. Drag

"Misters... pleading... for... your... life... already... for... a... short... period... of... time... isn't... fun..."

Tap. Ti-ling. Drag

The little girl drag the seven bodies of the boys shes playing earlier with. Their dull lifeless eyes reflected the building's entrance. And slowly... Slowly... The entrance get farther... and farther... until only darkness reflected on their glass eyes.