C5

RED LIGHTS

-What's going on? -I ask Mell, who was still holding our hands who knows where.

-Shh," she stops, "whatever you do, don't talk," she says. It's all dark and screams can be heard far away. I was terrified because I saw a wolf in Elder William's party, a wolf that maybe is killing people. Is this real? Because it looks like something out of a nightmare.

-What the fuck is going on, Mell? -Now it's Flavia talking.

-Shut up," Mell replies.

-You don't talk to me like that," Flavia starts to tell her.

-Flavia, shut up if you don't want them to find us.

-Who's going to find us? -I wanted to know.

But she didn't answer. Then we heard footsteps or footsteps. That's right, they were footsteps because I was sure they were claws hitting the floor. Oh my God. I swallowed thickly as we waited for whatever was coming.

-We have to split up," Mell tells us.

-What? You're crazy," Flavia whispers back.

-It's for the best. Amara, you go to the left, you will reach a corridor that will take you to the main hall of the school. Flavia, you go to the right where you will find a duct that will take you straight to the cleaning room.

-What about you? -I asked.

-I'll go after you. Now go on.

-But...

-Go.

We nodded even though we couldn't see each other in the dark. Flavia left for her place and I made my way down the corridor. I heard drops hitting some puddle on the floor. I heard noises on the walls as if claws were colliding with them. That was annoying. There was a faint red light now. All this seemed like part of some movie to me. Inside I was scared and constantly looked back in case someone was coming.

Where was the door that Mell said led to the main room? I didn't understand, or was it a trap of hers? My shoes were muddy and wet because the floor was leaking water. When I saw some stairs at the bottom, I hurried, wanting to get to them, however, something happened, a huge animal appeared from another hallway and positioned itself in front of me.

I fell backwards while looking at that huge wolf showing me its huge fangs.

God.

-No, no," I muttered under my breath. My heart was beating a mile a minute every time that beast advanced towards me. The wolf was black and huge. It came close to my face and sniffed it. I didn't move, I just stood frozen in one spot feeling tears coming out of my eyes. I sobbed involuntarily.

The wolf growled, a growl that made me look at it. So imposing in front of me. His eyes were black as his fur and the night. His muzzle was full of blood as if he had just eaten something. It gave me chills to think that maybe it could have been a boy from the party or a girl. And it was my turn. That's all I had come to this place for: to die.

However, there was something in his eyes that reminded me of someone. My mind automatically put an image: Elder.

The wolf gave one last growl and then pushed me aside and ran away from me. I tried to process what had just happened and then immediately got to my feet and then ran for the stairs. I ran up them as fast as I could. At the bottom of them was a huge door that said exit. I was relieved to see that. I opened the door and burst out into the main room as Mell had told me to. It was half dark. Hearing a strange sound behind me I closed the door and sealed it.

The door was the same color as the wall so it went unnoticed. That seemed a little strange to me. I didn't linger to see more details of the door but turned around and ran straight to my bedroom.

-

-Flavia! Are you all right? -As soon as Flavia came through the doors of the room, I approached her. She was scared to death.

-Are you all right? -she answers with another question.

-I am.

-It took me a while to find my way out, but I finally made it. Do you have any idea what happened in there? -He takes off his shoes and plops down on my bed.

I was already in my pajamas. But apparently Flavia didn't look at what I saw: wolves.

-I don't know. The only one who can answer these questions is Mell. -I sat on the edge of the bed.

-I don't think she'll come today, she doesn't sleep here," she answered, "I'm a little scared," she says.

-Me too," I sigh. And to think that maybe there are people who lost their lives today. I don't even want to think about it. I want to think that it was just Elder's joke. That maybe those beasts are from the forest and accidentally wandered into the party.

It's time to eat.

That phrase has been repeating in my head ever since I came here. Why did that boy say that?

-Can I sleep with you today? -he asks me. I hesitate a bit to let her sleep with me, but she's scared and a bit lost, as if in thought. And I find myself in the same situation.

-It's okay.

-Tomorrow we'll have to talk to Mell.

He was right.

-We will.

-

The next morning Flavia and I went down to the patio near the pool for breakfast.

We chose a table in the back and ordered breakfast. Flavia was wearing dark sunglasses and a beach dress.

-Where do you think Mell is? -she asks me.

The girl brings us breakfast and puts it on the table.

-Thank you," I say, "Flavia, I haven't seen Mell this morning. Maybe she's still asleep.

-Or maybe she's avoiding us. I think Mell knows a lot of things," she murmurs, taking a bite of her toast. -And I also think it's not the first time that's happened.

-You're talking about what happened at the party," I sipped my juice.

-Yes, Mell didn't give me a good feeling since yesterday.

I started to eat the scrambled eggs that the waitress had brought us, even though I was still upset about yesterday, I had to eat. When I look up I see them: Mell, Elder, a red-haired girl holding Elder's hand and more people behind them.

-There's Mell," I let Flavia know. She turns and looks.

I hadn't seen the red-haired girl around. Maybe she was one of those who were on vacation and came today because classes were starting tomorrow. Mell looked like she was on Elder's team and I didn't like that. When Mell looks at us she raises her hand to wave at us.

-What's wrong with her? -Flavia sounds annoyed- She greets us as if nothing was wrong. I mean, I don't understand," she looks at me.

It was true. They were all walking around as if nothing had happened at Elder's party yesterday; or did nothing happen? I need answers, I need to know what Elder William is hiding. I need to unmask him.

My cell phone rings announcing a new message. When I read it, I freeze without understanding. The message had a picture attached to it that read:

"What happened to Rob yesterday at Elder William's party. One of the many who die there. Someone has to put a stop to it. And I know you will. I'll leave evidence for you in the lab, look in the bottom drawer, black folder. Trust no one. Only you."

What the fuck...?

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