A few seconds later, Thino rushed back into the classroom. He wasn't about to waste any more time trying to convince them. Doubt still clawed at his mind, but there were far too many signs staring him in the face now.
As he ran through the hallway, he didn't care about the disgusted looks people threw at him. Meanwhile, in the distance, a heavy rumble echoed through the streets leading toward the campus—like a horde of monstrous creatures marching in unison, each step pounding louder than the last.
His heart was racing. But Thino refused to let fear win.
He knew it now—whatever was coming, it wouldn't be long.
"Everyone, listen!!!"
He slammed the classroom door open. Every head turned to him in stunned silence. But instead of listening, some of them laughed. Others looked at him with visible disgust. And who wouldn't? His entire body was drenched in blood.
"You have to get out of here— now! Leave this place! It's not safe!"
They didn't take him seriously.
Determined, Thino marched to the front of the room and slammed his hand down on a desk. The laughter died for a moment.
"Oi! Nerd, who said you could—"
"I don't need your permission. I need you to leave—now. Hide. Arm yourselves. Do whatever you can to survive."
"What!?"
A voice from the crowd snapped, but Thino didn't flinch. He was already trying to figure out how to make them believe him.
Then Light stepped forward.
"Is this because of Wosker again?"
Thino didn't answer directly. He only gave Light a firm look and spoke in a low, urgent tone.
"Listen carefully. Get what you can. Weapons, anything useful. Tell the others to do the same."
"Y-Yes. B-but why?"
"I'll explain later. Just go. Now."
Light stared into Thino's eyes—something about his expression made him stop asking questions. He turned and left to follow the orders.
Seconds passed.
Then the laughter returned—louder, harsher, crueler. The class erupted in taunts once more. Thino clenched his fist against the glass tabletop, struggling to hold back.
"Quit the act, nerd," one sneered. "If you want to leave, go ahead. No one's stopping you."
"Who do you think you are, trying to boss us around?"
"I'm not mocking anyone. I'm trying to save your lives."
"Save us?" someone laughed. "This is what happens when you read too many books and talk to yourself!"
A thick textbook flew through the air and slammed into Thino's face. He staggered, silent, eyes fixed on the boy who threw it—grinning wide with mocking satisfaction.
"Look at his face!!"
Another voice howled with laughter.
Outside, the earth-shaking footsteps grew louder. Closer.
Then the classroom door slammed open again.
Wosker stood there, eyes wild, blood smeared across his clothes.
"You'll pay for this!"
He stormed toward Thino, a box cutter in his hand. his face twisted in panic and desperation. But just before he could even graze Thino with the blade, the window beside them shattered violently.
Glass exploded inward.
A creature emerged—its eyes bloodshot with rage, mouth dripping with fresh blood. It let out a low, guttural snarl.
Before any of them could react, the beast lunged straight for the nearest body—Wosker, who stood frozen in shock. Without hesitation, the monster sank its teeth deep into his shoulder.
"Aaaaahhhhhh!!! Help!! H-help me, aahh!!"
Wosker screamed, thrashing in agony, his voice shrills with terror.
But no one moved they stood paralyzed, mouths parted in horror, gasping in disbelief.
'Tsk! They're too fast!' Thino cursed silently, the memory in his mind now aligning perfectly with the chaos unfolding before him.
He didn't hesitate.
Without another thought, he grabbed a jagged shard from the shattered window and lunged at the creature still feeding on Wosker.
"Iieekk!!"
The creature shrieked when Thino drove the glass into the back of its neck. But even that wasn't enough. It writhed violently, shrieking louder, sending a fresh wave of fear across the room. Thino's classmates could only widen their eyes, terror freezing them in place.
Before it could recover, Thino snatched a nearby chair and swung it with full force—again and again—until the monster was flung out of the broken window with a blood-curdling screech.
"Iieekk!!"
The creature's final scream echoed as it crashed onto the ground below.
All eyes then turned to Wosker, who lay slumped against the wall, barely conscious, blood oozing from the gaping wound in his shoulder.
Thino stared down at him.
"Forgive me… but I have to do this."
His voice was low, remorseful.
Then, with a single, swift motion, he drove the bloodstained shard into Wosker's head.
Silence fell.
Thino stepped back, breathing hard. In his mind, he knew if that thing could infect with a single bite, Wosker was already lost. And if there was still a way to save him... it would've taken too long to discover.
A few tense moments passed, the air thick with shock.
Then, the sharp sound of glass slipping from Thino's hand broke the stillness. He let it fall with a clatter to the floor as he slowly turned to face the others, their stunned faces reflecting the grim truth of what had just happened.
And then, a faint rumble echoed above them. It wasn't thunder.
Plop.
A drop hit the window. Then another.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
Someone approached the glass, eyes narrowed. Confused.
"Is that… red?"
It wasn't rain. It was blood.
Thick. Dark. Pouring from the sky in slow, heavy streaks like a bleeding wound in the clouds. The rooftop, the pavement, even the trees—everything turned crimson.
Thino took a step forward, his breath catching in his throat. He remembered this. He'd seen it once—on the news, in a recording that had been quickly deleted. Screams had filled the audio. Screams of people who watched the skies open and rain death.
And now it was happening here.
"Still don't believe me?"
Their panicked screams answered him. Chairs scraped against the floor, footsteps thundered toward the door as everyone rushed to escape. Thino, meanwhile, drifted back toward the window, drawn by the sight outside.
What he saw made his stomach twist.
The school grounds were no longer empty.
Dozens of figures a monster staggered into view, their movements unnatural, twitching like puppets with broken strings. Their numbers grew with every second.
Thino's breath hitched.
'It's real… everything I've been seeing in my mind—it's all real. But why? What is all this trying to tell me? Aside from returning… and from what my mother told me… what else have I left behind?'
"What now? You made them go outside even though that creature is already there. What exactly are you planning?"
The voice came low and sharp, pulling Thino's attention toward the speaker. That's when he noticed her—a girl calmly reading a book, seated as if the world wasn't falling apart around her.
"I told you to go outside. It's not safe here anymore."
"And you're saying it's safe outside?"
"No," Thino answered quickly, eyes still fixed on the girl.
She closed her book with a quiet snap and finally looked up, meeting his gaze.
"I see. But then, shouldn't you be out there too? What are you still doing here?"
"Coming from you?"
"I just didn't want to be shoved around by our panicking classmates. So, I let them go first."
"Same reason I stayed. But you seem... oddly prepared for this kind of situation."
"Nope. But I've read about them," she said casually, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"Though I have to admit, it's kind of fascinating. I never thought scenarios like these could actually happen. Anyway… I'm Ella. Nice to finally meet you, Thino."
"Likewise, Ella. But maybe we should save the introductions for after we make it out of here alive."
"Fair enough. So, you actually have a plan?"
"Yeah. And I'm guessing you want to live?"
"Of course," she replied with a small smile.
Thino couldn't help but return it. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he recognized her—not from this classroom, but from the fragments of memory that had begun returning. If he remembered right, they first met at a parking lot, where survivors were waiting near a truck. Yet here she was—earlier than expected, standing before him.
And maybe, just maybe, that was a good sign.