INFLICTING DISTRUST

LAUREN'S POINT OF VIEW

I haven't reached our room yet, but I can already sense the unsettling feeling from where I'm standing. A lot of students are gathered on the hallway, wreaking havoc in front of our classroom, their frightened whispers are too obvious.

My forehead creased. "What the fuck is happening?" I uttered.

I tightly hold my bag and tried to sneak from the crowd. I wipe the beads of sweat forming in my forehead. The day hasn't started yet, and yet my uniform is already unkempt from that tight commotion.

"Lauren!" someone from the crowd called my name, it's Lorelei. She hugged me while tears are dripping down her face. The confusion stirring inside me grew bigger.

I caress her back. "Hey, stop crying now. What happened?" I asked her.

She shakes her head. "Lauren, I'm scared."

Seeing that I couldn't get the answer from her because she has not calmed down even a bit, I walk inside our room while holding my best friend.

My eyes widened after seeing the chaos inside the room. All the chairs were flipped and disorganized, all the books are scattered on the floor. But what horrified me are the red paint soaking the books. Even the clean white board is painted with red -- that is, if those colors are indeed paints, because I can smell the revolting scent even from afar.

I looked at the shocked expression of my classmates, some are even crying. I averted my gaze from the grisly scenario in front of us, my stomach is already agitating looking at this disgusting madness.

"Get inside your respective rooms now! I am ordering all the students to get out from here if you don't want to experience a detention," Ms. Clara tried dispersing the crowd, trailing behind her are some armed men.

"Class, go out first and let them fix this mess. Pierce, my dear, guide your classmates in the gymnasium, please," she said, beckoning us to exit the room.

With a dismal looks on our faces, we followed her.

I slump on the bench inside the gymnasium. If this is an ordinary day, I would let myself admire the enormous size of the place, but it's not.

"We haven't even forgotten what happened yesterday, now this? Damn it," Sloane muttered while shaking his head.

No one dared to reply, all of us are apparently trying to absorb the incident.

I look at Lei sitting beside me, the fear is still visible on her eyes.

I breathed deep and hug her. "Everything is going to be alright," I whispered, making sure that she can feel comfort from my embrace.

We stayed there for a couple of minutes. After a while, the heavy footsteps of someone broke the silence hovering around us, it was our professor.

"You can go inside your room now, class. Please stop worrying, the police said that they will get to the bottom of this incident. Unfortunately, no evidence was found that will lead us to the culprit of this crime, but I know they will handle this conscientiously," she announced.

"But whose b-blood is that?" Ashley asked in a barely audible voice.

Ms. Clara sighed. "We still have no any leads, my dear Ash. They are suspecting that it could be an animal blood, we're not certain yet. But they promised to conduct an in-depth investigation."

I looked up after she explained the situation. The memories and images of the guy who died on the first day of class, Dencio and Alice, flash back in my mind. The sinister feeling that their death brought is still lingering inside me.

Could it be that their deaths are connected to each other? But how?

"But can you guys please tell me everything that happened before we arrived?" Ms. Clara asked out of the blue.

Claire sighed before speaking. "I'm the one who always open the classroom every morning because I have the key with me. Earlier, I woke up late that's why most of my classmates were already waiting in front of our room. And when we opened it, w-we just found the entire room in a complete m-mess," she answered, her voice cracking.

Our teacher nodded. "I'll relay that information to the police investigation team. For now, I'm requesting each and everyone of you to be very careful. The culprit behind this could just be lurking around, we wouldn't know. Go back to your classroom now, I'll follow later. We will not be having a morning class now because I know all of you are still preoccupied with what happened. Take care," she said, beckoning us to stand up.

We walk through the hallway in silence, I can hear the murmurs of the students around us, we become the dartboard of their curious and doubtful stares.

"I want to gouge these invasive bastards' eyes out," Ethan blurted out while shooting daggers at every students who are obviously talking about us.

I slump on my seat wearily as soon as we reached the room. Lei excused herself earlier to go to the bathroom.

Though the place is already clean and the trace of the incident is now gone, my classmates are still sitting on their chairs uncomfortably, which is totally understandable considering the horrifying scene that we just witnessed.

Amber suddenly stood up in front and crossed her arms.

"After everything that had happened, I can confidently say that one of you is the person behind all these shits," she said, her voice lace with suspicion.

"Are you seriously accusing us right now, Amber?" Samantha asked her with a furrowed eyebrows.

The former rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious, Sam? Dencio and Alice's possible killer is one of us, now that bitch messed up our room. Do you seriously think an outsider can do that? No, so stop being stupid."

"And you think you're being smart now? Evan already told you this, but your minuscule brain doesn't seem to understand that no killer admits their crime, now who's more stupid?" Sam fired back, tension starts to rise up between the two of them.

"Sam is right, and why are you excluding yourself to the possible suspect? Stop acting like a saint. We know that you are far from that," Claire added.

Amber's gaze narrowed. "Are you saying that I could be the possible killer?" she asked, her voice sounds like a vicious poison.

"Considering your felonious attitude, yes," Claire answered without any hesitation.

Her words seem to severe Amber's patience up to the hilt. All of us gasped in surprise when Amber slapped her.

"Shut your filthy mouth or I will slap your face again, Claire. You don't want me as your enemy."

She suddenly turned to me, a faint smirk plastered between her lips.

"Actually, we don't need to argue about this because I already knew the culprit. I'm just not telling anyone because I'm waiting for her to admit the crime she have done. Unfortunately, it looks like she doesn't have any plan on doing so."

With a narrowed eyes, she walks towards me slowly. "I saw you last night, Lauren. You went outside the rest house late in the evening, the night where Alice and Dencio's death took place."

They huffed at her revelation. My heart seems to miss a beat. They look at me with great outrage, deeming me as the killer without even hearing my side.

I shook my head. "N-No, believe me, I didn't do it. You got it wrong, I just went outside that night because-"

"Shut up! Stop explaining because I already caught you red-handed!" she shouted frantically right in front of my face.

I pursed my lips. Their caviling stares is making my blood cold. I wanted to defend myself, but the fear engulfing my system petrified me on my spot.

The loud sound of a slap tore Amber's furious stare at me. With a wide shock eyes, she turned around only to see Lei staring coldly at her.

"I can tolerate you bitching around, Amber, but you're crossing the line for accusing Lauren, my best friend, for doing something horrendous," she exclaimed. "Stop being near-sighted, Amber. Don't blame someone with your stupid, baseless accusations."

She then turned to Sloane. "Explain everything to this ludicrous bitch. I couldn't believe I befriended a brain-dead person."

She grabbed my arms and pulled me outside that suffocating room.

•••••

"You shouldn't have done that."

Lei gave me a strange look. "Did what?"

I sighed heavily. "You shouldn't have slapped Amber. I was upset too with her erroneous accusations towards me, but I don't want to be the reason of your feud that will eventually ruin your friendship."

She rolled her eyes. "Your kindness makes my skin crawl, Lauren. But seriously, I just knocked some sense on her brain, so stop blaming yourself."

"By slapping her? Yeah right," I replied flatly.

"Lauren, I have known Amber for several years now, she's an impetuous person who always acts recklessly. What she did is a big insult not only to you, but to me as well. And do you seriously think I'm a ruthless bitch who will let you become the dartboard of their ridicule? No, so stop holding yourself accountable with what happened," she explained.

"Yeah. I got your point. But-"

She put a finger on my lips. "Shut up now, Lauren. Let's not talk about it anymore," she said dismissively. I just sighed helplessly and stare at the vast greenery in front of us, still pondering with my thoughts.

We're currently sitting under a tree inside the Science Garden. The field were hosted with daisies and a horde of dandelions littered the meadow. The beautiful landscape and pageant of smell floating in the spring air helps me to at least alleviate my distress.

The past few weeks had been really stressing for us that I just want to stop attending school. We have been experiencing horrendous events, and worse, we don't have any idea how to end this conundrum.

I closed my eyes and decided to take a short nap.

•••••

Darkness. I couldn't see anything aside from it. My head is spinning like mad as I tried to stand up.

"Where am I?" I asked myself as I roam my eyes around, but there's nothing but pure darkness. I remember deciding to take a short nap, now I'm toppled inside this desolated madness. Fear crept up my chest.

I continue to walk through the gloom, without any destination, no idea how will it end. It's ironic how the cacophony of sinister silence is howling clamorous noises in my ears.

The way looks like a void alley, a road not taken by any. And its perplexing how I can walk  in spite of not being able to see anything, not even a miniature light. I wanted it to end, to reach the end of this terrifying murk.

My footsteps echoed, my heartbeat is getting faster as I took the way, and finally, I have a glimpse of a light. I run to it, trying to reach it with my bare hands. But as I go further, seems like the light is running away from me too. We don't close any distance, not even a few depth. I tried to scream, my pleading voice is screeching inside my head, yet no sound came out. Catching my breath, my knees fell down.

I sat on the corner. Wait, corner? Oh, I nearly forgot that there's no edge nor corner in here, just a void place filled with darkness.

"Why am I here? How can I get out?" I asked again.

However, I heard an indistinct, muffled voices this time. I look around apprehensively, their voices are getting louder with every passing seconds, and it's making my ears bleed in pain.

"Help us!"

"Please save us!

"Lauren, help us!"

I close my eyes. I crouched and shake my head furiously. "Stop! Stop now! Please get me out of this wretched place!" I shouted, my voice echoing.

The voices and their painful cries suddenly faded. But it was soon replaced with an eerie sensation engulfing my body. I became scared stiff, unable to move a finger.

The claws of shadows, like a wiggling snake, suddenly coiled around my arms. My heart starts to hammer inside, tears cascading down my cheeks as the shadow tentacles reached my neck. Little by little, its grip on my neck is becoming tighter- suffocating me.

"N-No."

I slowly run out breath. Before I could close my eyes, a sinister voice spoke behind me.

"You cannot save them, Lauren. All of you will die in my hands, your blood will flame our already burning fury."

•••••

"Wake up, Lauren!"

Panting and gasping for breath, I turned around and saw my best friend's worried face. I hugged her and buried my face on her chest. Though confused, she returned my embrace.

"Hey, what happened? You made me worried sick. I'm waking you up for about ten minutes now. You're literally breaking out in cold sweat."

I shook my head and get off from her. "S-Sorry, I'm fine."

She squinted her eyes on me. "Fine? I almost brought you to the clinic because you seriously looked like a corpse a while ago, and you will say you're fine?" she said with a creased forehead.

I wipe my cheeks and heave a deep breath. "I'm fine, Lei. I was just having a bad dream that's why, stop stressing yourself out."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded somberly. "Yeah."

Though still unconvinced, she just pulled me to stand up. "Fine, I won't be asking anymore. Let's head to the cafeteria and take a quick lunch, our class was about to start."

The cacophony of noises greeted us as soon as we step inside the cafeteria. But what caught our attention is the commotion happening. I even saw some of our classmates gathered around the tumult.

Lei and I both look in each other's eyes with confusion. We decided to walk closer, and what we found surprise me. Sloane is on top of a student, holding him on his collar. The latter's lips are bleeding. From the looks of it, it seems like Sloane punched him or something.

"Shut your mouth if you have nothing good to say, moron. None of us is a killer, because if we are? You're supposed to be dead by now because we loathe imbeciles like you, so stop lumping me with your stupid and spurious accusations. You're severing my patience up to hilt, and if I hear another crap coming from that filthy mouth of yours, I will cut your tongue and feed it to you."

Even from where I'm standing, I can recognize Sloane's gravely voice laced with disdain. I felt chills down my spine though he's not spitting those words like a venom to me. It's not good to pissed off that man, you will surely quiver in fear.

"Stop it already, Sloane. You punched him already, that's enough," Pierce tried to pull his friend away from the student lying on the ground.

Unlike Sloane, this guy is imbued with so much calmness. Damn, I'd kill to have his composure. I suddenly wonder why they became best friends considering their conflicting attitude and personality. Maybe the notion 'opposite attracts' is indeed true.

Our gaze suddenly meet. I don't know if I'm just imagining things but his eyes blazing with fury softened. He mouthed  my name that makes my blood rush through my cheeks and causing my heart to race abnormally. I couldn't handle his intense stares anymore, I averted my gaze from him.

Damn, that's embarrassing, something is really wrong with me and my fucked-up system.

"Lauren, let's find a seat now. As much as I want to gossip, I'm already famished."

I nod my head and followed her. "You will not join them?" I asked, pertaining to her other friends. "I can eat alone, if that's what you're worrying about."

She scoffed. "Don't be stupid, Lauren. Amber and I will just clash like oil and water considering what I did to her. She deserves it anyways."

I rolled my eyes. "Calling me stupid is so unnecessary, dimwit."

She chuckled "Sorry?" She feigned an apologetic look. "By the way, leave this lunch to me, I'll pay for your food so order whatever you want.

I smirked at her. "Uh, the perks of having a rich best friend. Might as well exploit all your cash now."

"Scheming bitch," she said indignantly that earned a chuckle from me.

That day passed as if nothing happened. Pierce actually came to me and apologized in behalf of Amber. He also told me that Sloane clarified the reason as to why I was outside that night when Alice and Dencio were killed.

Tomorrow came. I'm sitting in silence while we're inside the room as if nothing happened. Though Amber didn't apologize for her accusations, I didn't bat an eye towards it. That would only worsen the situation.

"Guys, whose gift is this? I found it along with the cleaning tools inside the storage," Alexandria asked while inspecting a box on her hands.

"Let me see." Carter grabbed the box from her. "It's quite big. I'm curious what's inside."

All of us watch him closely as he tear off the gift wrap.

When he finished unwrapping it, a strange container was revealed.

"What is it?" Ethan asked curiously and walks towards Carter. "Oh, there's a letter inside."

Intrigued, we walk closer to them to take a peek, except for Lucas who's just reading silently in the corner like what he always does.

"A tormented soul's vengeance scorches more than a pyre. The wind will ripple in cold despair, the moon will bath in blood. Restraints of secrets long buried in oblivion will shatter, and her awakening will kindle noxious flames of mystery," Ethan reads the letter loudly with a furrowed eyebrows. We are confused too. "Eh? Is this some sort of a riddle shit? Lame," he added.

Carter suddenly open the container, and all of us almost puke with what's inside. He immediately throw the box on the floor.

"What the fuck is that foul smell?" Amber asked who just entered the classroom, behind her is Ashley who's covering her nose too.

Eyes. There is a pair of eyes inside the container, with trickle of blood dripping from it. It seems like I will not be able to sleep soundly tonight again.

"Seriously, what the actual fuck is going on? First, the mess that greeted us earlier, now this?" Lincoln blurted out.

The silence stirring inside the room was disrupted when all of our phones ring simultaneously. The tension went to the roof.

"W-What is this?"

With my shaking hands, I open the message that I received.

"I hope you like my present. One down."

My forehead  creased. There is a link attached to that message. I tap it, and my eyes widened in fear seeing a photo of someone's head with missing eyes.

I gasped when I realized who that person is. Despite the fresh bruises and blood covering her face, I can still perfectly recognized her. "A-Airen."

"N-No, no, this is not true." Amber broke down in tears. "Pierce, this is not true right? Someone is probably just messing with us. This couldn't be true."

I felt a pang of pity as I watch her hug Pierce who seems lost in thought as well, with copious tears continuously falling from her blood-shot eyes.

This is probably the first time that I've seen Amber's weak and vulnerable side. The usual snide and mean aura that always surrounds her crumble into tears. At that very moment, her mighty and ferocious facade faded, and all I can see is a crestfallen woman who feels miserable of her friend's tragic demise.

"I've been trying to call Airen since yesterday, but she's not picking up my calls. Is t-this the reason w-why?" Ashley said while staring grievously in nothingness. Though there are no tears falling from her eyes, anyone can see the desolation in it, those two orbs are enough to speak for her misery.

Amber's whimpering desolated the four corners of the room. Pierce and Ethan's eyes are brimming with tears.

"Where are you going?" Evan asked Sloane when he saw him walking out of the room.

He turned to him with a stone cold face, but his eyes tell the opposite. "I will hunt that bastard who killed Airen."

•••••

As doleful silence enveloped their classroom, he just sat there, feigning a dejected face but at the back of his mind, he's laughing while looking at their faces.

"Pathetic. You will never escape this hell, we will drag you into the shithole that you have created.