.Cold
I caught my breath after splashing cold water on my face.
I had always avoided the school bathrooms—they were disgusting.
I had never been wrong before, and now, I had proof.
A muffled commotion echoed from outside, making me lift my head.
Cold droplets slid down my skin, deepening the shivers already crawling up my spine.
A voice… Someone I knew.
No—my friend.
But his voice… It was cruel.
Before I knew it, I had slipped into one of the bathroom stalls, leaving a small gap to steal a glance at what was happening.
A violent shove. My breath hitched. My eyes squeezed shut involuntarily.
The brutal sound of punches landing on flesh filled the air, followed by a sharp kick, then insults—vile, mocking.
Their laughter rang loud and merciless.
They didn't stop.
Three against one—no chance to fight back.
They dragged him across the grimy, wet floor like he was nothing.
Their voices dripped with scorn.
"Didn't I tell you to keep your filthy eyes away?"
"Freak. For God's sake, this is the fourth time this week, and you still act like this. It's getting pathetic."
I flinched when the body—Aziel's body—was thrown against the stall I was hiding in.
We were so close. Too close.
I felt it—he knew I was there.
He always knows where I am.
I didn't dare move. I didn't dare help him.
Not when I heard demons speaking in the voices of my friends.
Aziel spat at them.
Not a wise move.
A curse. Then—then—oh God!
The sound of hymns rose in my mind, warping into something twisted,
like wailing prayers, a desperate plea at some unholy altar.
My head throbbed; my skull felt too small for my brain.
My vision blurred, and my knees wobbled.
Was this punishment?
Was I committing a sin just by watching?
I felt myself slipping into something else—something out of reality—until something wet seeped into my shoe.
My focus snapped back. My stomach twisted.
Did they…
Did they just try to drown him in the sink?!