POV: Alden Reyes
Location: Second Floor, Academic Building—Room 2-F
The door clicked shut behind them. It wasn't a dramatic slam nor a thunderous barricade—just a tired sound, one that said, "This is where we stop running."
Alden leaned against the back wall, his chest heaving. He wasn't built for sprints or stairs, and his legs threatened to give out. Behind him, Marvin was securing the door with an overturned metal bookshelf, its legs screeching across the linoleum.
"Anything to wedge it? "Marvin asked without looking.
Alden blinked. "Try the lab stools. Stack two. Jam the legs under the handle."
Marvin nodded and followed the instruction. His hands moved with eerie calm, but his eyes flickered between the door and the darkened hallway outside the narrow glass window. Behind that glass, the world had gone wrong.
Two more students entered the room a few seconds later—Jessa Aragon and Tim Navarro, both from Grade 10. Jessa's school cardigan was stained with someone else's blood, and Tim was clutching his elbow, a makeshift bandage torn from a PE shirt wrapped around it. They didn't speak. They just slid down against the wall, trying to catch up with what was happening.
Alden sat down beside them. He didn't want to talk either.
For a while, Room 2-F was quiet—just breathing and quiet murmurs. Outside, the distant sounds of slamming doors, distant screams, and panicked footsteps filled the otherwise silent building. Every now and then, someone would check the door.
They weren't the only ones hiding here. A few more students trickled in—some Alden barely recognized, maybe from junior high, others from different strands and clubs. A varsity player. A theater kid. A girl from the robotics team who hadn't said a word since arriving. And then finally, Arden.
"Anyone else behind you? "Marvin asked him, voice low.
Arden shook his head. "We… we got split near the west stairs. I think Junic's group went to the library. I tried calling out, but they didn't hear me."
Alden exhaled slowly. "Okay. We regroup here for now."
They began taking stock. About sixteen students had found their way into Room 2-F so far. Most of them were unharmed. One or two had minor injuries. The teacher who used to occupy the room—Ma'am Telma—was nowhere to be seen. A few students quietly checked her desk and locked cabinets. Nothing useful. Just test papers and lesson plans on literary devices.
The whiteboard still had her morning notes on it:
"Quarterly Exams Begin Tomorrow—Bring Your Test Permits! "
Someone erased that line with the back of their sleeve.
Alden stood up. "We need a system."
Marvin raised an eyebrow. "A system? "
"Yes. Think about it—this might be where we sleep tonight. We need rules. Shifts. Lookouts. If someone starts freaking out and banging on doors, we all go down."
Jessa nodded slowly. "We could cover the windows with cartolina. Blackout the light."
"We'll need food," Arden muttered, and that silenced the group.
It was an uncomfortable truth. The snacks they carried—chips, energy drinks, and crackers—wouldn't last the night. The canteen was a potential treasure trove but also a hotspot of danger. No one had a plan for that. Not yet.
Alden rubbed his temples. "One thing at a time. Let's start with the basics."
They found plastic chairs and turned them into makeshift barricades. Stacked books against the side windows. Turned off the ceiling lights, leaving only a desk lamp pointed at the floor. It wasn't perfect, but it made the room feel less exposed.
Then the knocking started.
Three sharp taps—fast, panicked.
Everyone froze.
Another knock. This time followed by a whisper. "It's me—Junic! Let me in! "
Alden jumped up and peered through the narrow glass. Sure enough, Junic was there, his forehead pressed to the door, his face pale and sweaty. Behind him, two more students crouched, their backs to the wall. The hallway beyond them was dark—but empty.
Marvin quickly unwedged the stool. The door opened just enough to let them through, then slammed shut again with a thud.
Junic collapsed onto the floor, gasping. "Library's… full. We were cornered near the stairs. No bites. We're clean."
His voice cracked on the last word.
Alden crouched beside him. "How many didn't make it? "
Junic didn't answer. But the look in his eyes was enough.
Meanwhile…
POV: Ms. Ramos
Location: Faculty Lounge—Ground Floor
The faculty lounge was in disarray. Tables flipped. Vending machines smashed. Two other teachers were hiding here—Mr. Olivares from Physics and Ms. Rivera, the school librarian.
Ms. Ramos gripped her phone tightly, fingers trembling. No signal. No data. The last message she'd received was from her sister: "Lock your doors. It's spreading."
"Do you think the kids are okay? " she asked.
Mr. Olivares glanced up from the busted TV, which was still flickering with a static-filled news broadcast. "I saw Cruz. Marvin Cruz. He was with a group heading to the second floor. They were moving smartly. He'll keep them safe."
Ms. Ramos swallowed hard. She remembered Marvin from the school paper—a quiet kid, the kind who watched and remembered things.
She hoped he'd remember how to survive.
Back in Room 2-F…
POV: Marvin Cruz
Location: Second Floor–Room 2-F
That night, no one slept.
They made a watch list. Two students per hour. Everyone else tried to rest.
Marvin sat by the door, listening to the strange quiet that had settled over the building. He thought of his parents, their home, and his dog. He thought of the biology lecture earlier that morning and how Sir Geronimo had looked like he knew what was coming.
He wondered how many students were left alive in Meadow Hill Academy.
Outside, the wind carried something that wasn't quite a scream.