Chapter 1 : Green Lights

Zia Stephanie's POV

The sunshine hanged brightly at the horizon. Beads of sweat formed on my temple, slowly dripping because of the heat. I guess, today was one of those boring days. I looked sideways as I gently yawned. My eyes sparked when a thunder stuck on my mind. The corner of my lips turned up.

"A girl just jump in front of my eyes!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, grabbing the t-shirt's hem of the midnight-eyed boy beside me. I looked at him as his expression looked so dull as the color of his face drained out.

"Blimey! W-Where is she?" he stuttered, looking back and forth. He looked at me for a brief of moment and asked, "Have you seen her?" He furrowed his brows at me while acting like a total strange.

I rolled my eyes as I awkwardly laughed, punching his shoulders. "Easy Franz. It was just nothing, okay? I'm just fooling around," I said in between my laughs. The corner of my lips immediately curved into a frown as I saw his face turned red, eyes squinting on me. "See you later!" I added, walking towards the canteen.

I crossed my arms and gazed towards the crowded hallways. But it was a half lie. Except for the part that I was busy teasing him, I saw a bloody dog who literally just fell from its cage from the third floor of the right-wing building. It was kinda creeping me out for the gates from the floors were already closed.

I tilted my head as I stared up at the foods in front of me. The corner of my lips formed a smile when I brought two slices of chocolate cake, a bottle of water and two packs of potato chips. It was quite odd to buy lots of foods for a girl. But apparently, this was all mine.

Eight months that have passed ever since I transferred into this place. It seemed like time itself flew fast, faster than I have thought. Today was a long tiresome day for the

Clearance Day of St. Owls Academy. This was supposed to be the first day of Summer Break but instead of just chilling out, here we were busy completing the requirements.

I halted for a while, roaming my eyes towards the area, the spacious blue themed canteen welcomed me as the spring's breeze pierced through my skin. Laughters, chitchats and giggles muffled into my ears the moment I stepped inside the cafeteria. I roamed my eyes around and smiled when I saw her short red hair and her white skin tone, waiving in my sight. Akemi Susahi.

"Stephanie!" she yelled, smiling at me together with her eyes. I walked towards her and sat at the wooden chair near the window. "What's up? Are ya' done with all your requirements?" she asked, taking a bite from her double burger.

I shook my head and said, "No, not yet." I glanced at her momentarily as I sanitized my hand. She pouted and glanced at my chocolate cake. I rolled my eyes, trying to calm my temper. How can I say no?

I opened the potato chips and started eating. My eyes went to the busy crowd as their soft chitchats and the soft music playing in the canteen's stereo muffled into my ears. I glanced at Aki who was busy eating her food while the crumbs left on her t-shirt. I pursed my lips, trying to hold back the laughters.

I crossed my arms then raised my eyebrows. "Anything happened these past few days?" I asked. She stopped eating, locking her gaze on me.

She rapidly shook her head, trying to fake her smile and said, "None." Her eyes were stating the other way. But I did not ask any more question. She raised both of her hands, surrendering. "Hep! Raise ya' white flag there. Chop chop," she added, pouting her red lips.

My face instantly winched when I heard her. "Alright, then," I uttered, taking another bit of my chips.

There was a moment of silence. I was about to break it when all of a sudden, I was cut off by the sudden echo of a clock. I furrowed my brows as it made everyone paused, searching for their surroundings. Goosebumps were rising from the back of my neck going down my spine. Fork. What just happened?

Whispers followed. I stood up, walking towards the school ground as I glanced back and forth to see what was going on. The alarm was still ringing, making me shiver in fear.

"What's that sound?" asked by the girl who was wearing a nervous look, tugging her jacket.

It was an odd sight as if they had broadcasted a photograph of real people onto the screen, next to a computer fabricated image. Like a beacon in the night that printed its message onto the clouds overhead, it carried a message I fail to understand.

"That's so creepy!" the girl beside her said, crossing her arms while scanning through her phone.

I walked past them as I roamed my eyes into the dark corners of the right wing on the second floor to examine the area. It was the source of the alarm. I blew a sigh when strands of my hair swept from my face. I looked back and saw a man having hazel nut eyes said, "No worries. Perhaps, our alarm broke once again."

"Wake up from your senses brother! School was already over. No one would dare to operate our alarm. And besides-" A boy cut him off and said, "The alarm was already broken months ago."

I managed to take a glimpse at them. I saw that the boy just jokingly punched him at his shoulder.

"Hey, stop it, Yuki! You're making me scared," he replied back, scratching his head.

I mentally slapped my face and searched for my phone and quickly. I quickly dialed the number of Franz since he was a member of the school organization. I waited for several rings before he answer.

"Bro, what's with the alarm? Can you talk to the president for a sec?" I asked, still looking at the second building. I pursed my lips as I roamed my eyes.

There was a long pause from the other line and in a stoic voice, he said, "I'll give you a bell. I can't clearly hear you. The signal's broken." I furrowed my brows as I have heard noises and a loud banging of sound on the other line.

"Don't hung up! I need more" – I yelled, but the line instantly went silent.

I smoothened my blue dress. I looked up and was about to pivot my feet when I felt a hand on my left shoulder. I almost jumped into my place. I glanced and saw Aki catching her breathe.

"Why did you run?" I asked, still looking at her, furrowing my brows.

"Ya' see, you left me in the canteen," she uttered, stomping her feet. I almost laugh in my own thoughts. She removed the DSLR camera from her neck as she gave it back to me. I pinched the bridge of my nose and started walking.

"Let's go to Franz," she said. I glanced at her; her face beamed with enthusiasm as she walked ahead of me. What is up with this girl? I found it weird. Minutes have passed when I almost reached the center of the court when we heard a loud thug. Chitchats and screams muffled into my ears.

My phone lit up as I saw the officer in charge of the journalism club was calling me. I instantly answered the phone and when I did, I almost stumbled in my place as she said, "Zia, eight o'clock in your north. Take a picture of the incident!" What the fork was that?

I averted my gaze towards my surroundings as I saw the office in charge were looking at me at the crowd. I nodded as I walked towards the busy and chaotic crowd.

"Stay here," I said, turning my camera on, checking the battery.

"Hell ya', I will," I heard her stammered while she nodded.

I walked towards the crowd. My nose crinkled the moment I smelled the different fumes from their body. Mixture of sweats, perfumes and the coppery blood filled my lungs that I almost vomit. Is this a good thing that I always bring my camera?

"Coming through! Excuse me!" I yelled as I pushed anyone that was on my way. I sighed in exhaustion, trying to clear them out of my way. I should have brought my pass.

I immediately raised my eyebrows as I raised my camera as if protecting it from any physical harm. "I said excuse me," I shouted while I am trying to calm myself. My ears caught the officers in charge told everyone not to panic and to dismissed away from the area.

I halted the moment I reached the area. I prevented myself to throw up when I saw a lying dead body of a girl bathing with her own blood in a bad shape while her body part was scattered all over the area. I shook my head and glimpsed at the crowd. Terrified look was on their faces while some of them went away from it. My mind had been mostly empty, blank, a new slate.

I tried to calm myself as I took a picture of the corpse lying in the cold cement. My hands started to tremble, as my knees were shaking. I moved to the different angles, to capture her distorted body. Her back and her head was facing the sky.

I shut my eyes closed and gazed back at the corpse. Her smiles were different as if it was a creepy smile. It was like in a clown's face but full of stitches grinning from ear to ear, that almost made me stumble on my place. As I examined the deceased, my attention caught her strange looking watch.

The most attention grabbing was the color of the watch in which the color seemed to fade. I blinked once again and noticed that it was still new because I could still clearly see the logo. So, I just shrugged my shoulders and looked away.

Maybe, it's just a new style of watch. I never have thought that I could witness some things like this. I never have thought that I could capture such tragic incident. And I never have thought that this would be the start of everything.

As the crowd started to disperse, I observed my co-photojournalist, Shiro Kazuki and Aya Peter, looking so pale as if the color from their face drained. I took a deep breath and leave a sigh. They were still too young to witness this tragedy. From fifth floor to the ground. Who would survive that fall?

I looked heavenward as I observed the place suspiciously. There was no evidence, or I should say a threat or struggle that could cause Mary Joy's death. What the fork, really happened here?

My eyes landed towards the darkest part of the building's left wing. The corner of my eyes wrinkled as I saw a silhouette of a boy. The same silhouette I saw when I first came here.

I almost jumped into my place, sweat dripping from my temples, when I met his eyes. My heart started to pound fast as I bit my lips.

He was wearing the creepiest smile that I have ever seen. I blinked, shutting my eyes closed. But then, out of the corner of my eyes, I found myself staring at him. I almost forgot how to breath when he mouthed the word, Welcome.

There was nothing. Silence. Blank face. Blank expression. Dreary, lifeless face were staring straight at my eyes. Eyes frozen in place, burning holes. For a full minute, it was as if time has stopped, he waved his hand and turned his back.

When I was a kid, I thought Dad was just lying about his stories about this place. Sure enough that I should probably just listened to him, taking his joke seriously. I felt overly conscious like every detail was out to pounce on me and tear me into pieces.

I could feel the tension as beads of sweat fell from my temple. It was as if I am engulfed in a complete darkness with the particular feeling of little inhales and exhales where I am inside a  box, looking for the missing puzzles. What the fork was going on in this place?