Red As Roses and Black As Night

3. Seeing Is Believing

I stepped back from the boy. An amazing amount of the black substance was oozing from his mouth, and still nobody has though to do anything. His skin was now grey and flaky, his hair gone from blonde to white. He seemed to be all bones and no muscle, and his eyes were still rolled to the back of his head. He was still whispering, too. I was probably the only one who could hear it. But he was saying the same thing, over and over. I left the note, don't take my blood. I left the note, don't take my blood. I left the note...and you get the idea.

Finally, a security guard broke through and saw this. He quickly regained his composure after a quick flash of terror, and shouted, spittle flying, "Who did this to him? Come on, stand up, you wimp!"

But none stepped forward. The security guard huffed and turned back to the boy. He crouched down, feet dangerously close to the liquid as black as night. Now that I looked closer, the boy's teeth were stained a peculiar shade of red. It was red as roses, yet that would take a lot of...blood, dye, ink, whatever that was on the floor.

"Oi, kid. Get up." said the security guard. Yes, he was British, but he was also the only one who we could hire who wouldn't double as a teacher.

The boy before us convulsed before finally laying still. His stomach was sunken in, and he looked...empty. Of everything. His skin clung to his bones, his eyes grey hollows. I think Mr. Security guard here finally saw this and backed away. He yanked the walkie-talkie he had on his belt up and shouted into it, "There is a boy down here, he isn't looking well! Get the nurse!"

He knelt closer, and hesitantly stepped into the liquid. It remained still, and we all released a silent breath that we were holding...for an unknown reason. He put his fingers to the boy's neck, and quickly back away when white things began to come from his mouth. Maggots.

They crawled over his face, writing and squirming. It took me a moment to realize they were dying too, but where did they come from? The security guard stumbled back from the boy, his hands now stained red as roses with the substance. "Get to class, you lot! Stop being nosy and leave off! Go on, shoo!" he cried to us, and we gave him and the boy a wide berth. We slipped silently, wordlessly up the stairs. I think it was the most quiet this school has ever been. I looked for Illea, but she disappeared when the boy had fallen.

I sat down in first block, pondering why that smelled so strongly of tea and why that boy felt so familiar.

"Fane! Hey, weren't you there?"

"Yeah, when the boy fell and bled all over the floor! Did you see it?"

"Did he talk to you? What happened?"

"Fane, can you tell us?"

My eyes twitched. Of course this would happen. I sat up straighter and put on a sad smile. "Yes, I was there. All that happened was he fell to the floor saying he left the note. He looked withered, though. Like he was...empty."

"Empty of what?"  Rene asked. He was probably the only guy who wanted my attention.

Should I tell them? What did everyone else say? I took a deep breath, making it shaky because I had to pull off this I'm-scarred-for-life act. "Of his organs and blood." I finished, and quite a few people gasped. The girls turned green beneath their foundation and mascara, and others listening shuddered and looked away.

The bell rang then, and the teacher closed the door. "Now, I know some of you may have heard of a boy falling down and bleeding, but we assure you, it will be okay. The principal will tell you more on the announcements--and here they are." he said, and pointed a chocolate finger to the ceiling as the speakers crackled on.