Free Web NovelChapter 20: Dead end
Grimm had gotten skills for his kill, at least from what Miles could gather. So had Brandon.
’Why is my case different?’
Jayce had also asked him to take down any corpses he came across outside.
’What’s the point then?’
It was all very confusing. He considered asking Brandon or Grimm about it, but neither seemed in the mood to talk. Besides, they’d arrived at the hallway’s exit now.
Stepping into the opening, he could only stare in disbelief at the sight before him.
The first floor was rather simplistic in design.
A gym, changing rooms, and storage on the right wing; a central hall or lobby with stairs leading upwards, with the cafeteria behind it; and finally some classes, labs, and offices on the left wing.
Going all the way around the right wing would lead to the back entrance of the cafeteria.
The path to the gym was completely gone, yet the path to the center still remained recognizable. It was why Mr. Morgan had chosen to follow it.
Yet standing in that supposed center now, the stairwell and the cafeteria that was supposed to be behind it were entirely missing.
In their place was a crossroads. Besides the corridor behind them, three more identical corridors split off from each side. All having their insides lined with aluminum lockers.
The walls of the hall itself were lined with rows of similar lockers, barely showing any parts of the wall behind. They stretched to a height of almost two stories, stopping at a grey ceiling where a bunch of buzzing fluorescent lamps hung, illuminating the space in their dim light.
It was a design so nonsensical that he couldn’t even imagine what might’ve been behind it. The rest looked equally dumbfounded.
’Another anomaly.’
At the very least, it was a much different vibe from the principal.
Mr. Morgan seemed to have finally finished processing the sight as he glanced hesitantly between the pathways. He’d been looking less and less surprised with each absurdity now.
"What now, sir?"
It was Chloe speaking, a hand placed against one of the lockers as she spoke. A mix of frustration, confusion, and anxiety permeated her face.
’No good answers there, huh.’
Her skill was [Inspection]. Given how little they still knew about everything they’d dealt with so far, the ability hadn’t exactly been the most useful.
The vice-principal merely raised a finger to his lips at that, then spoke, naturally gathering all their attention.
"I’m going to try something."
The man placed a hand against his ear, closing his eyes as his face grew focused.
’Is that his ability?’
Miles said nothing, exchanging a glance with Chloe, only to have her break contact the second their gazes met.
Brandon had mostly recovered now, watching the man’s act with interest. Grimm never spoke much to begin with, merely alternating his gaze between the man and the empty corridors.
Kyle, on the other hand, looked to be regretting ever stepping out of the gym. He stuck close to Brandon as his eyes shifted frantically around, murmuring inaudibly as he did so.
Miles focused on the man’s face as well. It grew increasingly strained as time went on. Whether it was due to pain or whatever he could currently sense, the boy couldn’t tell.
Then, not even five minutes after he’d first closed them, his lids shot open.
"We need to move. Now!"
His voice brokered no arguments as he already began heading towards the hallway on the right. The rest followed closely, not daring to doubt his words.
There was an urgency to his demeanor, with the man doing all he could but outright sprinting to speed up, forcing the rest of them to increase their pace just to keep up with him.
He turned left the moment the corridor split into more identical corridors.
"Where the hell are we going!?"
Brandon asked from the side, frustration evident in his voice. Yet the man cared little for that as he turned right at the next intersection before speaking.
"Anywhere that’s not here."
Passing through another identical corridor filled with the same aluminum lockers, it felt as though they were barely moving at all.
Reaching another split in the corridor leading to two more similar paths, Miles finally heard something behind him.
A subtle rumble that broke into a deluge of shuffling the closer it got, the kind that spoke of multiple entities running, stumbling, and crashing into each other in an enclosed space.
There had to have been at least a dozen of them, and they were closing in fast.
"Shit!"
Mr. Morgan broke into a sprint, heading into another corridor. Miles wasted no time in joining him, as did the rest of them.
The man kept the pace, and they followed, going through at least three more turns into more of the same paths.
Yet regardless, the rumble only seemed to grow closer.
As though they’d been running in the same spot.
Soon, the group arrived at another junction, this time splitting into three pathways. More of the same.
’No.’
On one side of the right corridor, there was a door nestled between the rows of grey lockers.
"There."
Mr. Morgan shouted, leading them towards it.
Just in time too. The mob behind them sounded just a few corridors away now.
Sliding to a stop before the door, the man yanked its knob, only to meet the sound of metal slamming against metal.
The door didn’t budge.
He yanked twice more.
"Come on!"
Then released.
"Damn it."
He dashed down the hall, as did the rest of them. Miles gave the door a look before following as well.
The mob only sounded a corridor away now; he could hear their groans from where he stood. They weren’t human groans.
Reaching the end of the corridor, there was only a single turn there. The mere sight of it gave rise to a sinking feeling in Miles’s gut.
Turning the corner, he could only sigh at his fears being confirmed.
A dead end.
