The classroom went dead silent.
Zara stared through the narrow glass slit in the door.
The boy was crying, begging, slamming his fists.
"PLEASE LET ME IN—PLEASE!"
Behind him, the girl tilted her head… slowly. Her mouth was red. Not lip gloss. Blood.
Her hands twitched unnaturally. Her eyes were wide, almost glassy.
Then, she lunged.
"LOOK OUT!" someone screamed inside.
The boy turned too late.
Her body slammed into his back, knocking him forward. His head hit the door with a sickening thud. His face smeared the glass as he slid down, lifeless.
Everyone inside the class screamed.
Zara stumbled back, hand over her mouth.
"What the actual—" Liam pulled her behind him as another student rushed forward to lock the door. The girl outside started pounding her fists against it, leaving bloody smears with each hit.
"She's—what is she??" Ava cried, grabbing Zara's arm.
Zara couldn't speak.
Then they heard more screams.
From downstairs.
From outside.
From EVERYWHERE.
Liam moved fast, pulling desks against the door. "Help me barricade this—NOW!"
Several boys joined him, pushing tables, shelves, anything they could grab.
Outside the hallway was chaos — students running, tripping, shouting.
Someone screamed like they were being ripped apart. Another yell followed, then silence.
Someone on the intercom finally spoke:
"Students are to remain in their classrooms. This is not a drill. Lock your doors immediately. Do not engage. Repeat—do not engage."
The voice cut off mid-sentence. Just static.
Zara's ears were ringing.
"What is this?" she whispered. "A prank? A drug? What are we dealing with?"
No one had answers.
A girl near the back started sobbing uncontrollably. Another sat on the floor rocking, her fingers shaking as she called her mom over and over — no service.
One guy yelled, "This is fake. This has to be fake. This is a setup!"
No one listened.
⸻
Then it got worse.
Another loud bang echoed down the hallway.
Not from their door — but one nearby.
Then again. Then again.
Heavy, rapid pounding.
"LET ME IN! OH MY GOD, PLEASE!! THEY'RE EATING HER, PLEASE—"
The screams cut off.
Everyone froze.
Someone whispered, "Did they just say eating?"
Another voice said, "What if… what if they're infected?"
A girl cried out, "My best friend is out there—what if she's one of them now?"
Zara couldn't breathe. Her heart was beating too fast. She clutched Liam's hand like it was the only thing keeping her alive.
"I think… we need to find a way out," Liam said. "If the whole school goes down, this room won't save us."
"But where?" Ava said.
"I don't know. Somewhere secure. Somewhere they can't get in."
Outside the window, a student bolted across the schoolyard, covered in blood but still alive. Something was chasing him. Not running… sprinting.
It moved too fast.
And then he was gone.
⸻
They sat in silence, listening to the hallway — the distant screams, the dragging of feet, the knocking.
Liam leaned into Zara's ear. "We're gonna make it out. I promise."
But in her gut, she felt it.
This was only the beginning.
⸻