Deadwood Stains

2: Shout

[Shout]

The warm glow of the late afternoon sun bathed the room with hues of orange and gold. It took several minutes  before I got over my half-awake state, realizing that I was still inside the classroom. I had a dream. It seems so real... yet it already dissipated as I blinked in reality.

“Huh?" I was all alone. I realized that I had fallen asleep in my desk unknowingly.

Geez. No one tried to wake me up. How nice of them.

“Oh, well." Yawning, I grabbed my bag and left.

There was something peculiar about the atmosphere but I shrugged the thought aside. I thought of our dinner for that day. My stomach churned so I rubbed my belly.

Oh boy, can't wait to go home. Hope it's steak.

I noticed the halls were already empty as I walked along. I cocked my head to see better.

“Early dismissal maybe?" I tried to reason out. But I doubt that.

Usually, hallways are always noisy and full of vigor but now it seems hollow and unnervingly silent.

This is really strange. Creepy.

Suddenly, I heard foot steps hastily approaching me from the back. I turned my gaze at the source.

The steps grew louder and a shout was heard.

“RUN!!!"

Huh?

I can now see the source of the commotion. A young man with raven-black hair was sprinting at me like its the end of the world.

“Hey! What's your-"

I assumed that all the colors on my face were drained due to horror. Adrenaline rushed through my system. Behind him was a... I have no idea how to describe that thing.

I was stupefied.

“I SAID RUN!!!!!"

The boy grabbed me by the arm as he pulled me to a sprint. The urgency in his voice startled me and with a leap, I jolted.

We ran and it felt like the hallway stretched for a mile. I was starting to pant for air, the pounding in my chest tripled and my legs hurt like hell.

The thing screeched and I thought my eardrums broke.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

I ran faster. I shifted more force on my heels and propelled with all my might.

I was ahead of Raven-boy yet he got a firm hold on me. Raven-boy looked like he's in some sort of pain.

The end of the hall was getting near and we got nowhere to go. We sharply took a turn on an open door and with a thud secured it tightly.

“W-what is..?" I stuttered through breaths of air.

“Save it. It will get in here in no time. Let's move!" That was the time I noticed that his arms are bleeding.

“H-hey!! You're bleeding!!!" I can't help but worry.

“Can you quit overreacting?! It's just a scratch. Come on."

It was getting dark. The boy with raven-black hair was trying to open the windows yet it won't budge.

The ear-splitting screeches were getting near.

We were trapped.