That Day...
Warm sunlight casting long shadows. The school bell rings as students pour out of classrooms, filling the hallways with chatter.Reis: "It's funny. We think we'll always have time. That our world, our routine, is unbreakable."
Inside a dark classroom. The teacher is in front of the whiteboard, writing something down. The students look half-awake, some whispering to each other.
Teacher: "Alright, quiet down. I've got an announcement you're actually going to care about."Student: "Is school canceled?"Teacher: "Close. We're going on a school trip next week, 21 March 2027."
A close-up of different student reactions—some excited, some indifferent, some pretending not to care.
Seraph (whispering to Reis): "Bet you're already thinking of breaking curfew."Reis (grinning): "What, me? Nah. I'm a role model."Seraph: "You're full of shit."
Reis's gaze drifts toward Amara, who's chatting with her friends by the window, her hair catching the sunlight. He looks thoughtful."This time, I actually do have something planned."
The main group—Reis, Seraph, and Gideon—walk home together, the streets quiet as the sun starts to set.
Seraph: "Statistically speaking, road trips either end in unforgettable memories or complete disasters."Reis: "Or both."Gideon: "Seraph, are you actually excited for once?"Seraph: "I'm excited to see how many things go wrong."
Amara teases Reis as she catches their group walking together,
Amara: "So what's your 'big plan' for the trip?"Reis: "Wouldn't you like to know?"Amara: "I would, actually."
Close-up of Reis's hand slipping into his pocket, fingers brushing against a small ring box. He looks nervous but determined.
" I just need the right moment."
"Look at the sky, you guys… What do you think ? When is the battle amongst them going to end? "asked Amara.
"Maybe we won't live enough to see this battle end LMAO" replied Seraph.
A battle of titanic beasts, waged for eons beyond time's grasp,
Etched upon the heavens like scars upon the sky,
Their clash—an eternal tempest—unfolding in the silent void,
Visible to the naked eye, yet older than the stars themselves.
Nobody knew what was happening in the sky.
It was just some beings fighting.
Bigger than galaxies themselves.
The humans were not used to it, as this phenomenon was happening before even the planet Earth formed.
Some believed they were gods.
Some believed they were different galaxies which looked like that way.
And some did not care.
Meanwhile-
Reis in his bedroom, packing for the trip. His room is messy but lived-in. Posters, books, and an old gaming console are scattered around.
The TV was on and Reis switched the channel.
"The fight of the insanely high beasts which could be noticed through the sky even before our birth, and the birth of our planet Earth is going in the craziest way possible. As much as we could see these things fight, there's no denying… This is a battle amongst gods themselves"
"Woah man, how are they fighting for so long, it's been centuries" said Reis.
(Reis's Thoughts): "Last trip we had was two years ago. Back then, I didn't think about anything beyond the moment."
He holds up the ring box again, staring at it. The weight of what he's about to do finally sinks in...(Reis's Thoughts): "What if she says no?"
Meanwhile, Seraph is on a video call with Gideon, going over rumors about their trip location.
Gideon: "Did you hear? Apparently, there's some weird government facility near the site."Seraph: "Bullshit. If there was, wouldn't we be banned from going?"Gideon: "Maybe we're going because of it."
The students load onto the school bus, full of chatter and laughter. The air is alive with excitement.
Seraph (to Reis): "Alright, if you're gonna do it, you better not chicken out."Reis: "Relax. I got this."
The sun hung low over the horizon as the school bus rumbled along the winding mountain roads. Laughter and chatter filled the vehicle, the excitement of the students palpable. They leaned over seats, tossed snacks at each other, and argued over which horror movie to play on someone's phone. This was the big trip—the last one before graduation, a chance to be free from textbooks and lectures, if only for a weekend.
The Start of the Journey
"Alright, listen up!" Ms. Caldwell, their history teacher and trip supervisor, stood at the front of the bus. "This is your last school trip, so make the most of it. But remember: no wandering off at night, no pranks, and definitely no sneaking alcohol into your tents."
A few snickers broke out, and someone muttered, "Too late."
Gideon Hale, A 17 year old white boy whose Messy dark blond, fell slightly over his eyes. His eyes were blue, his physique was athletic but not bulky. He wore a Hoodie and cargo pants. He was one of the more mischievous students, he leaned towards his best friend, Reis Aldrin, who was another 17 year old, he had short to medium black hair. He wore a simple dark T-shirt layered with a leather jacket and cargo pants. "Dude, I swear, this is gonna be legendary. Camping in the mountains, a sky full of stars—this is the stuff coming-of-age movies are made of."
Reis, ever the quieter one, only smiled, eyes flickering toward a girl sitting a few rows ahead.
Amara Moore.
She was laughing at something one of her friends had said, her long hair catching the golden light of the sunset. Reis had known her since they were kids, had been friends with her for years. But that was the problem. Just friends. He had never once told her how he felt. Amara was a 18 year old girl who had long, straight platinum blonde or white hair (Often tied back to keep it out of her face.) Her eyes were Ice-blue or silver-gray, piercing and observant. Her skin was warm ivory, and her build was rather tall for a girl, slender but wiry—stronger than she looks. She wore a dark turtleneck, long coat, tactical gloves. Always has a notebook where she sketches or writes theories about different stuff she was interested in.
"You planning to confess or what?" Seraph Laurent nudged him. "Dude, it's our last trip. If you don't tell her now, you never will."
Reis rolled his eyes but felt his stomach twist. Maybe Seraph was right.Seraph, a 17 year old Medium-dark complexion skinned guy who had a strong bone structure. He had deep-set golden or amber-colored eyes, intense yet melancholic. His build was lean muscular, and he wore a dark shirt and a heavy-duty pants.
By the time they reached the campsite, the sky had darkened into a sea of deep indigo. Mountains stretched high around them, enclosing the small valley where they pitched their tents. The air was crisp, carrying the earthy scent of pine.
As night fell, the students gathered around the campfire, its golden light flickering against their faces. The sounds of crickets and the distant hoot of an owl filled the silence between conversations.
"This is insane," Seraph murmured, lying on a spread-out blanket, eyes fixed on the sky. "Look at the stars. You don't see them like this back in the city."
Reis lay beside him, tracing the constellations with his fingers. "Makes you feel small, doesn't it? Like we're just specks in this giant universe."
"Whoa, deep thoughts from Reis?" Gideon teased, throwing a marshmallow at him. "You been reading philosophy books behind our backs?"
Laughter rippled through the group. Someone started playing music on a speaker, soft enough to blend with the sounds of the wilderness. The fire crackled, sending sparks into the air like tiny fireflies.
Reis invited Amara near a river, where they both spent a lot of quality time together...
"Do you wanna eat something? Amara."
"What if i wanna... Reis?"
"I would cook that for you"
"Where would you gather the stuff from, like imagine if i said that i wanna eat a hamburger?"
"I knew you would ask for a hamburger since it's always been your favorite... right ?"
"You shouldn't know this much about me, like i always thought i was the mysterious typa girl but you are literally ruining the whole title, man... phew"
"Aha! leave that aside and lemme make a hamburger for you real quick."
"You are so cute Reis, do you know that ?"
"And you are prettier than the whole sky above us, do you know that Miss Amara Moore ?"
It was perfect. A night none of them would ever forget.
Somewhere in the distance, a branch snapped.
Reis turned his head toward the darkness beyond the tents. For a brief moment, he thought he saw movement. A shadow shifting between the trees.
"Did you hear that?" he asked.
"Probably just an animal," Amara said, throwing another log into the fire. "Don't freak yourself out."
Reis forced a chuckle but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
Midnight arrived, and with it, chaos.Reis and Amara returned to the main camp base.
"Reis bro you gotta sleep with me tonight dude i feel lonely at night" said Gideon.
"Nah Reis is gonna sleep with me, we gonna break some bed tonight.. right Reis Honeyyyy" said Seraph.
"GUYS WOULD YOU STOP ACTING LIKE THIS PLEASE, GO TO SLEEP ALREADY. ALL THREE OF US WOULD SLEEP TOGETHER TONIGHT."
"oh yeah, a threesome is always the best" said Seraph.All of them laughed, but then...
It started with a scream. A bone-chilling, bloodcurdling scream that ripped through the peaceful night.
The students jumped to their feet, eyes scanning the darkness. From the edge of the woods, a figure stumbled forward—a man in a suit, drenched in sweat. His skin was pale, almost gray, and his breath came in ragged gasps.
"Help... me..." he wheezed, collapsing to his knees.
Ms. Caldwell ran toward him. "Sir, are you—"
The man lunged, sinking his teeth deep into Caldwell's arm. The teacher screamed in agony, falling backward as blood gushed from the wound.
Panic erupted.
"What the hell?!" Gideon yelled, grabbing Reis's arm. "We need to—"
The infected man twisted unnaturally, his bones cracking as his body contorted. His eyes turned pitch black. And then—he let out a guttural shriek that shook the night.
More figures emerged from the trees. Dozens of them. Their flesh torn, their mouths dripping with crimson. They moved in unsteady jerks at first, but then—
They ran.
"Run!" someone screamed.
The students scattered, shoving and tripping over each other as the creatures swarmed the campsite. Tents were torn apart, belongings crushed underfoot. The fire flickered violently before being smothered, plunging the camp into near darkness.
Reis grabbed Amara's wrist, dragging her away just as one of the monsters lunged at her. It crashed into the dirt where she had been standing a second before, snarling like a rabid animal.All the students ran and tried to save themselves, some tried to process what was happening but it started so fast that nobody got the time to fully process it.
They ran.
But the screams followed.
Reis's heart pounded as they sprinted through the trees, the branches slashing against his arms. He didn't dare look back.
He could still hear them. The wet, disgusting sounds of flesh tearing. The agonized cries of his classmates being caught.
Then—
A hand grabbed his ankle.
Reis crashed to the ground, pain flaring through his leg. He twisted, coming face to face with one of them—its jaw unhinged, teeth rotting, eyes void of humanity.
It lunged.
A gunshot rang through the night.
The creature's head snapped back, blackened blood spraying across the ground. Reis turned to see Ms. Caldwell, arm shaking as she held a pistol. Her breathing was ragged, the bite on her arm already turning an unnatural shade of blue.
"Go... now..." the teacher gritted out, staggering back.
Reis didn't hesitate. He grabbed Amara's hand, pulling her up as they ran deeper into the forest. Away from the massacre.
Their bodies ached. Their lungs burned. But they couldn't stop.
Finally, they reached a clearing. The moon shone overhead, casting an eerie glow on the bloodstained ground.
Gideon stumbled toward them, his hands trembling. "Where—where is everyone?"
Reis swallowed hard. "They didn't make it."
A long silence.
Then—
A sound. A low, inhuman growl.
And they realized—
They were not alone.
End of Chapter 1-A.