"We're useless."
"Is that all you have to say?"
I glanced at Siris. He looked strangely calm—too calm.
"It's not like we have anything we can do."
"We can survive," I said flatly.
Was he trying to drag me down with him? Not that it mattered.
"If that thing hadn't collapsed the roof near the entrance, this would've been easy," he continued, clicking his tongue.
I ignored him.
Burning the creature still felt reckless.
Fire—with no proper fuel, no plan beyond throw and pray.
The entire situation felt unreal, like logic had been thrown out with the sky itself.
Then I noticed it.
A trail.
I stepped closer.
The floor glistened—slick, wet, and dark, smeared where the creature had passed.
BANG!
My thoughts were intrupted by the sound of wall cracking. Loud. Painfull. Siris jumped in suprise.
A sudden crack echoed through the shelter.
A tentacle slammed into a concrete pillar, pulverizing it halfway through. Dust exploded into the air. Students screamed as debris rained down. The creature yanked the tentacle back and struck again—faster, harder—until the pillar finally collapsed with a deafening roar. Students and teachers who didn't run away in time where crushed under it.
It didn't stop.
Another limb shot outward, dragging a desk across the floor like it weighed nothing. The sound of metal screeching against concrete made my teeth ache.
I gathered my attention back to the substance...
The same substance that coated its body.
…How did I miss this?
I crouched, studying it carefully.
"Hey, Siris," I said. "Come here."
He stopped rambling and walked over.
"What?"
"Look."
I pointed at the secretion.
***
Everything about this was wrong.
Not just the creature—everything.
The way it moved.
The way it hesitated.
The way it felt like it was there… yet not fully present.
My thoughts shattered when a familiar voice cut in.
"I brought the lighter!"
Xylia.
Relief flickered—then froze.
Ms. Lyra was with her.
I stiffened.
It wasn't fear.
Not exactly.
Just… unease.
Something about her presence felt different now.
Wrong timing, maybe. Or maybe it was just the adrenaline twisting my instincts.
"Thank you, Lia," I said quickly.
Xylia nodded, eyes sharp with resolve—like a protagonist who'd finally stepped into her role.
Ms. Lyra met my gaze. Her face was pale, but steady.
"Are you sure about this?"
Before anyone could answer, she continued.
"I'll do it."
"But—" Xylia started.
Ms. Lyra cut her off with a stern glare.
Silence.
"Ms. Lyra…" I said slowly. "Are you certain?"
Truthfully, I wasn't worried.
If anything, this made things easier.
"Yes."
Her voice was firm—yet brittle.
"This is my responsibility. I'm a teacher."
Her hands trembled slightly.
"If I can't protect everyone… then I'll protect whoever's left."
She inhaled, steadying herself.
"Tell me what to do."
"Burn a piece of fabric," I said.
"And throw it at the creature."
It sounded stupid.
It was stupid.
But it was all we had.
I looked toward the monster.
It was rampaging—yet facing away from us.
Away from the exit.
Too far.
Too convenient.
A chill crawled up my spine.
…Was it avoiding us?
No—
It felt like it wasn't seeing us.
That thought settled uncomfortably in my chest.
"Hey!"
Two figures approached.
Siris and Michael.
Siris held a bundle of fabric in his hands—clean enough. Good enough.
Better than the blood-soaked uniforms scattered on the floor.
I exhaled.
This was it.
No matter how I looked at it—
The plan was absurd.
But absurd was all we had left.