Both outside and inside of the school building were in complete chaos and disaster. Screams filled the air, carrying with them intense pain and unending agony.
Blood spilled everywhere as students died, those who didn't have the guts to defend themselves were slaughtered, massacred by the unknown creatures. The students who were still breathing, could only watch in horror as the massacre continued.
It was a sight that one wouldn't be able to recover from, if they were somehow able to survive this terror.
_
Meanwhile, inside one of the classrooms, there were four students. Or perhaps three. Hitori, Phillip and Jenna were bewildered by the appearance of the female pale-faced student who stood unnaturally still before them, her eyes fixed and unblinking.
Although, they had already concluded that this wasn't a student anymore, instead... a monster. A monster wearing their school uniform—which was supposed to be impossible. So two theories were created in the heat. Either a monster turned into a student, or a student turned into a monster.
The latter wasn't considered, because it was impossible, and they didn't want to believe such a thing could ever happen.
However, right before their eyes, a voice echoed in the room, it was neither from the three normal students, but rather…
"Help me… Hitori."
The words reached their ears, but didn't come out from the monster's mouth. More like there wasn't any mouth to speak. Its face was half disfigured, one of its eyes hanging out and its hands bent in an unusual manner.
They couldn't deceive themselves any longer. A student has indeed turned into a monster.
Meanwhile, Hitori, who was called by the monster, was in complete shock. His eyes wide, as he recognized the familiar voice.
"A…Aurora?"
His voice trembled as he called the name of the girl who happened to be his childhood friend.
"Impossible."
A single tear ran down Hitori's eyes, as he clenched his fists. He needed someone to blame. But, he didn't know who. He wanted to say something. But, he didn't know how to say it. He was in a circle of rage, sadness, and couldn't do anything about it.
Jenna, who was looking at the monster, with her hand still covering her mouth, turned to Hitori and saw he was already devastated.
"We need to get out here."
The words came out of Hitori's lips, releasing his clenched fist. His expression had already switched. He didn't look pitiful, but rather determined.
As he was about to make a move, the monster dashed at full speed forward and pushed him, slamming into the tables and chairs until they were on the ground with the monster on top of him.
The monster's ranting, trying to bite him.
"Hitori!!"
Both Jenna and Phillip shouted in sync as they saw the monster above Hitori. Without hesitation, they tried to go and help even though they had no idea what they were going to do at the moment, however they were stopped by Hitori's voice.
"Go!" He yelled.
"Get out of here! Save yourselves. I'll be fine!"
As he yelled, the monster ranted its teeth even more, saliva dripping from its mouth as it looked for every opportunity to take a bite from the meal before itself.
However, Hitori wasn't about to let that happen. He held the monster's shoulder tightly upwards, creating a space between himself and the monster.
He glanced at Phillip and Jenna, who were standing at a distance away from him, with frightened expressions.
"What are you doing?!" Hitori yelled once more. "I said get out of here!"
Jenna's eyes were nearly filled with tears, as she saw him battling with a monster. She knew there was no hope of him surviving, but the thought couldn't just leave her head.
After all, he was someone special to her.
"Let's go." Phillip said, as he made an attempt to take Jenna's hand, but she refused to move, still looking at Hitori.
Phillip halted, and gazed at Hitori. He stared at his best friend with a worried expression, one that said they were never going to see each other again. Hitori with the same glance nodded, and instantly a drop of tear flowed down Phillip's face.
Without any word spoken, they had just communicated, and so Phillip held Jenna's hand once again and dragged her out of the classroom.
""....""
Now that both Phillip and Jenna had left, Hitori was able to move freely without worrying about anyone's safety.
Although, he had the least idea on how he was going to go about fighting the monster on top of him.
rant!
rant!
whisper!
rant!
He had noticed something from the beginning, something about the monster. It had been uttering, or perhaps whispering something. He couldn't hear it since there wasn't any mouth to put it into words.
But the echo of the monster was clear enough to know that it was trying to make out some words.
In this realization, Hitori summoned his full strength and tossed the monster to the right side, while he quickly stood up.
At the same time, the monster crashed into a table, causing it to lose balance and fall, though it remained unaffected.
Hitori knew he had to act quickly, he needed something to defend himself. A weapon. And that was when the thought hit him. In a heartbeat, he snatched a chair, flipped it over, and removed one of the legs. It was made of iron that was removable and attachable, in case one was broken.
Now, he had a weapon in his hand. The leg of a chair. It wasn't the best, but considering his situation, it was enough.
The monster began to rise, its body moving in an abnormal manner. Its hands bent backwards over its head, along with its legs as they supported its ascent, twisting its body it rose to its feet, though unstable as it stood.
Hitori held the iron tightly with both hands, his gaze fixed, a bit frightened, but determined.
At this moment, he was thinking of all the possible ways he could defeat a monster when he has ever fought anyone in his life before.
'Tsk... what should I do now?'
A drop of sweat rolled down his check as he held the iron tightly while cracking his brain.
However, the monster didn't give him any time to think.
SWOOSH!
In an instant, the monster vanished from sight.
"So fast!"
Hitori's eyes widened, but it was already too late. The monster had already appeared before him like a nightmare given form, with no time for him to react.
CRACK!
A solid blow slammed into Hitori's waist, his body folding under the sheer force, as it sent him flying to the other half of the classroom before falling to the ground.
"Gah~! Cough... cough!"
Hitori spat out a mouthful of blood, as the world around him spinned.
"Tsk.... What strength. Cough."
His left held his right waist while trying to stand up, however, he fell down back to the ground.
"Damn."
At this moment, Hitori needed to get up.
There was no time to waste, the monster was right before him, its teeth ranting as if telling him that there was no hope of survival.
Both the Monster and Hitori locked eyes as the tension drew larger, then a thought appeared in the latter's mind.
'Is there still no part of Aurora left? Is she completely taken over by that monster?'
Hitori got a hold of himself, and managed to rise to his feet once more, blood flowing down from his head.
'I have to survive.'
'I have to make it out alive. There's no way I'm dying here. Not when I haven't fully mastered my inner peace.'
With his rough stance, he stood. His eyes, a piercing gaze at the monster, his heart racing and without little time to think haste, he dashed to the monster.
"Argh!!"
Hitori held the iron above his head with his left hand, preparing for a strike as he ran towards the monster with his voice in the air.
However…
Catch!
Swiftly, the monster caught him with a single hand, then lifted him into the air as if he weighed nothing, its horrific face only inches away.
Hitori froze, fear overwhelming him.
Is this where I am going to die?
There was no hope left. He knew he was going to die at this moment.
'Damn… what was I thinking? Charging at a monster head on? Give me a break, I haven't even fought anyone in my life before.'
Just as he was about to close his eyes to embrace his death, a voice echoed in his ears.
"H…H…Hitori!"
Hitori's eyes instantly opened, his gazed fixed with the monster's.
The eyes of the monster were clear as day, and familiar too.
"Aurora?" Hitori mumbled.
THUD!
The monster sent Hitori flying, as it immediately placed its hand on its head and began to scream though in pain.
Hitori quickly gained his balance, raising his gaze at the monster.
"Is that…"
The monster was fighting with itself, as if trying to resist itself from going berserk.
"Aurora?"
As if responding to his call. The monster stopped, turned, and stared at Hitori, its expression calm and soft. The monster dropped its hand from its head as if it had already gotten its peace.
"Is that you… Aurora?"
Hitori tried to get up, realizing his childhood friend was still there somewhere.
Somehow, he managed to stand, and began approaching the monster like he had already conquered his fear.
But why wouldn't he? Aurora was still there somewhere.
His hand found its way to the monster face, although trembling, he was able to get a hold of her face, and with a slight smile on his face he said:
"You really are there."
Just when Hitori thought his childhood friend had already overtaken the will of a monster.
The monster suddenly grabbed his hand, and with sheer force bit him, its teeth sinking into his veins as if injecting him with poison.