"Axel, this is excellent work," Professor Grant said, holding Axel's paper high.
The class grew quiet for a second. Axel sat at the back, his head down, wishing the attention would fade away.
But Damian smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Excellent work? That's funny. It looks like trash to me."
The class burst into laughter.
"Yeah, Professor," another boy shouted. "Are you sure you read it right?"
Professor Grant frowned, but before he could speak, Mason dragged Axel's bag from under his desk. "Hey, where's the right place for garbage?" Mason asked loudly.
Everyone watched as he shoved the bag into the classroom trash can.
The room roared with more laughter.
Axel's face burned red. He wanted to stand, to say something, but the words refused to come out.
Sophia leaned forward, covering her nose dramatically. "Ugh, is it just me or does it smell in here? Oh wait—it's Axel."
Students laughed again.
Axel pressed his hands into his desk, nails digging into the wood. He looked around, searching for at least one friendly face. His eyes landed on Lena, sitting near the window. But she quickly looked away, biting her lip, too ashamed to speak up for him.
"Enough," Professor Grant finally said, voice hard. "Return to your seats. That's enough mockery."
But the damage was already done. The laughter echoed in Axel's chest long after the class quieted down.
By lunch, Axel walked into the cafeteria slowly, shoulders heavy. He carried his tray and searched for a place to sit. Every table was full of faces he knew all too well—faces that mocked, laughed, and whispered.
He spotted an empty table at the far corner and moved there. He sat alone, staring at the food without appetite.
Then, to his surprise, Chloe came over.
"Is this seat taken?" she asked softly.
Axel looked up, startled. "No… you can sit."
She sat down, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I don't like sitting in the middle. Too noisy."
Axel nodded, though he knew she was lying. She was the only one brave enough to sit near him.
From across the cafeteria, Damian saw. He stood and pointed. "Look at that! Even Chloe wants to sit with the loser!"
The cafeteria filled with laughter again.
Chloe looked down, embarrassed, but didn't move.
Axel clenched his fists under the table. His throat ached, but he stayed silent.
The noise of the cafeteria was broken by whispers.
"Did you hear?" a girl said to her friend. "There's a sickness spreading outside town."
"Yeah," the friend replied. "My neighbor's sick. He was coughing blood."
"I heard two teachers didn't come today," another boy added. "They're sick too."
Axel listened. The whispers grew around the room. Fear crept into the noise.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Nurse Evelyn walk across the hall. She looked pale, her skin almost gray. She held her stomach like she was in pain.
"Why does she look like that?" Chloe whispered.
"I don't know," Axel said quietly.
But before the whispers could settle, Damian and Mason came over with their trays. They dropped them on Axel's table, blocking his way.
"Well, well," Damian grinned. "Eating all by yourself again? No wonder no one likes you."
"Pathetic," Mason added.
Axel looked at his tray. His hands shook.
"Eat this," Damian said, shoving some scraps from his own tray toward Axel. "Go on. You're used to trash, right?"
Laughter filled the air again.
Axel's chest tightened. He wanted to fight back, but his voice wouldn't come. He bent his head and reached slowly for the scraps. His fingers trembled.
"Stop," Chloe whispered. "Don't."
But Axel picked up the scraps with shaking hands. He placed them in his mouth, swallowing hard, humiliated.
"See?" Mason shouted. "He'll eat anything!"
The students laughed louder.
Axel's vision blurred. His hands trembled on the table.
Then—
A scream tore through the cafeteria.
Everyone froze.
At the far end of the hall, a teacher clutched their chest. Blood dripped from their mouth. They collapsed on the floor, twitching.
Gasps and shouts filled the room. Trays clattered as students pushed back their chairs.
"Oh my God!" someone screamed.
Nurse Evelyn rushed forward, but her steps wobbled. Her face looked even paler, sweat dripping down her forehead.
The teacher on the floor let out a final, guttural scream before going still. Blood pooled under their head.
The cafeteria filled with the sound of panicked breathing.
"What's happening?" Chloe whispered, clutching Axel's arm.
"I… I don't know," Axel said, his heart pounding.
Professor Grant rushed into the hall. "Stay calm! Everyone stay where you are!"
But no one listened. Students ran for the doors, shoving each other, screaming.
Axel grabbed Chloe's hand. "Come on, let's move!"
They pushed through the panicking crowd.
But as they neared the exit, Axel looked back.
The teacher's body twitched again. Their fingers curled.
"Did you see that?" Axel whispered.
Chloe turned. Her face went pale. "He's moving."
The teacher's eyes snapped open. They were blood-red.
Gasps filled the cafeteria again.
The teacher let out a terrible growl, deep and inhuman.
"Oh my God…" Mason muttered. "He's… he's not dead."
Students screamed louder, running faster.
But the teacher—no, the thing—stood slowly. Blood still dripped from its mouth. It looked around the hall with hungry eyes.
And then it lunged.
Chaos exploded. Students shoved past each other, screaming, some falling to the floor. The creature tore into the nearest boy, its teeth sinking into his shoulder. Blood sprayed across the table.
"Run!" Chloe cried.
Axel pulled her through the crowd. His chest heaved, his legs shaky.
Behind them, Damian shouted. "Move! Out of the way!" He pushed people aside, his face pale with fear.
Mason stumbled, falling to the ground. The creature turned toward him.
"No! No, please!" Mason screamed.
But the creature lunged again. His cries were cut short.
Axel grabbed Chloe tighter. "We have to get out!"
The doors swung open, and students poured into the hall. The sound of footsteps echoed everywhere.
But Axel stopped for a second, looking back.
The cafeteria was chaos. Blood, screams, the monster tearing through students. Nurse Evelyn leaned against the wall, coughing violently, her hands shaking. Her eyes… her eyes didn't look right either.
Axel froze. His breath caught in his throat.
"Axel, come on!" Chloe pulled him.
But he couldn't look away.
Nurse Evelyn's skin turned pale, her veins dark. Her mouth opened, blood dripping from her lips.
And then she smiled.
Axel's heart pounded harder than ever. The sickness was here. It wasn't just outside—it was already inside the school.
He pulled Chloe down the hall, their footsteps echoing with dozens of others.
Behind them, more screams rose. More growls.
"Axel," Chloe said, her voice trembling. "What… what's happening to them?"
Axel's throat tightened. His mind swirled with fear.
He didn't answer.
Because deep down, he already knew.
But one question haunted him as they ran—
If the sickness was already here, how long before it reached him?