Third Story: A Night to Remember

Chapter 2

18 October 2021

As we enter the foyer, I can see the irregular patches of moonlight hitting across the floor like an art piece. I look around to fully register the surroundings around me, quite ironic because I have been a student here for a little more than a year. The darkness looms in the hallways, stretching across unimaginable distances. For a moment, I think I just saw Nam's face twist a little as if he has witnessed something horrifying. I turn my head to look in his direction but see nothing.

My friend promptly clears his throat and takes out a small notebook. He is intently perusing the scribbles in it; his face grimaces, accentuating the deep furrows in his brow. The girls are looking over his shoulder with great interest, but back off in time when Nam turns to address us.

"Based on the witnesses' testimonies, we should investigate the phenomena and verify their authenticity. Let's look around the classrooms first to see if bloody handprints appear on the windows of any of these places," Nam says with a tinge of annoying authority.

"Fine by you, boss," I reply sarcastically, but the intended effect goes right over his head. Oh well.

We walk up the stairs to check the Grade 10 classrooms first, then Grade 11, and finally Grade 12. Naturally, all of the classrooms are locked, each with a sturdy padlock. While Nam and I are at a loss as to what to do next, Xuân whips out some small tools and begin picking the locks, much to our surprise.

"You never strike me as a shady type. I never knew you moonlighted in larceny," Vân jokes.

"Watch your mouth. Lockpicking only a hobby of mine but rest assured; I won't use it for anything illegal."

"What we all are doing now is," I speak up.

"Such a spoilsport, I'll make sure to lock them again after we're done."

Fiddling with the lock for only a few seconds seems to do wonders because we soon hear the sweet 'Click!' sound, and the doors open. After making a mess of each and every class we investigate, I have to stay around for a few minutes to rearrange to desks and chairs. I wish they would also help me with this instead of just lazing around.

Finally, we reach class 12A1, the Grade 12 English class, and inspect the windowpanes carefully. As far as I am concerned, they look well-maintained and immaculate. Actually, the windows of most of the classrooms we have just been to are all clean. Satisfied that there are no supernatural phenomena occurring in the classrooms, the other three wrap up their inspection and proceed to head to the doors when we suddenly hear footsteps approaching this location.

"Hide, quickly!" Vân gestures beneath the teacher's desk. Definitely, it won't fit all four of us so I conceal myself inside one of the lockers at the back of the classroom.

From the tiny slits on the door of the locker, I can see the guard making his rounds at this time of the hour with a flashlight in his hand. He stops in front of the door to class 12A1 and mumbles something to himself. It was so soft that I could not hear what he just said. Then there was a sound at the door. Just a clean, single sound. The door is locked.

"I'll be damned," I mutter to myself.

When the footsteps gradually get much quieter, I quietly open the locker door and try to open the door. It was no use: it is indeed locked. The other three persons walk up to me, colour drained from their faces, and look at me hopefully.

"I get it, I get it. I'll figure something out."

I look around for something to draw the attention of the guard, but ultimately there are no tools around. Make sense, our school is not as sloppy as other schools, where steel bars randomly come out of students' desks and lie neglected in a corner of the classroom. I think for a while then tell the others to get ready. Desperate situations call for desperate measures.