The corridor stretched ahead, its once bright white walls now marred by cracks and scorch marks. The lingering smell of dust and blood was inescapable, sticking to the air like a thick, uninvited guest. The silence felt heavy, pressing on each of them, growing sharper with each step. But no one said anything.
Ken and Emily walked ahead, their figures casting long shadows under the dim emergency lights that flickered sporadically. Ken moved like he was in control, his posture straight and purposeful, but there was a tension in the set of his jaw that spoke volumes. He wasn't alright. He couldn't shake the vision of the chaos in their classroom, the way he had hesitated, frozen by the horror of it all. The memory clawed at him, a gnawing guilt that ate away at his resolve. He glanced sideways at Emily, who kept her head low, her fingers twitching against the fabric of her shirt. She was trying to stay strong for both of them, though Ken could see the fear in her eyes, the way they darted nervously behind him.
A few paces in front of them were Ryan, Mia, and Sophia, walking with an urgency that bordered on desperation. Ryan's eyes were trained forward, a deep crease between his brows, as though focusing on each step was the only way he could stave off the storm inside. Sophia's hands were clenched at her sides, the knuckles white. Mia kept looking back over her shoulder, her face taut with concern but her eyes flickering with the same question that haunted them all: What's next?
Avi trailed behind Ken and Emily, his gaze cast down at the cracked tiles beneath his feet, shifting with the rhythm of their movement. The taste of blood still clung to his throat, sharp and acrid. He wondered if it would ever leave him, or if he would learn to live with the suffocating weight of it. His mind kept returning to the classroom they'd barely escaped, the flash of movement, the roar of shouts, and the look in the eyes of the students who didn't make it.
"What do you think's next?" Ryan asked, breaking the silence. His voice was thin, edged with apprehension.
"Hopefully a five-star resort," Avi quipped, his voice light despite the somber atmosphere. "With a pool. And room service."
Sophia snorted without looking back. "You'd probably ask for a buffet too, wouldn't you?"
"Hey, if the world's ending, might as well go out with a full stomach," Avi replied, feigning a grin. Inside, though, he could feel the tension coiling in his chest. Humor was his way of coping, even if it barely masked the unease gnawing at him.
Emily glanced over her shoulder, her soft brown eyes tinged with worry. "You okay back there?" she asked gently.
Avi flashed her a grin, this one smaller, more restrained. "Me? Never been better. Strong as a duck." He flexed his arm in mock bravado. "Ducks like me are surprisingly strong. Wanna see me paddle?"
Ken shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "You're an idiot," he muttered, but the affection in his tone wasn't lost on Avi.
"An idiot who saved your butt earlier," Avi shot back, quick to add, "You're welcome, by the way."
The group's mood lightened, if only slightly, but the tension crept back as they passed another shattered classroom. Desks were overturned, chairs broken, and windows smashed. In one room, a bloodstain streaked across the floor like a silent accusation. Avi's gaze lingered, his mind flitting back to the chaos of the fight.
There were flashes—frantic movements, overwhelming power, and a part of himself he didn't recognize. Something in him had snapped, something that terrified him more than the monsters they'd fought.
"You're zoning out again," Ken said, snapping his fingers in front of Avi's face. "You sure you're good?"
Avi blinked, shaking his head to clear it. "Yeah, just lost in thought. Trying to remember if ducks actually have muscles or if it's all feathers."
Ken gave him a skeptical look but didn't press further.
The tension broke when the system's mechanical voice rang out, echoing through the desolate corridor.
[The Gym is now a Safety Zone.]
Everyone stopped, exchanging wary glances.
"A safety zone?" Mia murmured, her brow furrowing. "What does that even mean?"
"Sounds like a trap," Avi muttered. "Or maybe a very generous suggestion to take up basketball."
Emily placed a hand on his arm, her touch grounding him. "It's better than wandering these halls," she said softly.
He sighed, nodding. "Fair point. Let's see how safe it really is."
The group moved toward the gym, the wide doors propped open. Inside, students were gathered in clusters, their voices a low hum of murmurs and whispered fears. Some sat against the walls, clutching makeshift weapons or each other. Others paced restlessly, their eyes darting toward every sound.
Avi scanned the room, taking it all in. "Looks like the world's most depressing slumber party," he said under his breath, earning a faint laugh from Emily.
Ken's expression hardened as he surveyed the scene. "We're all in the same boat," he muttered. "No one knows what's coming next."
Before anyone could respond, a snippet of conversation drifted toward them.
"...only six of them survived?"
Avi's head snapped toward the source—a pair of students talking in hushed tones near the corner. One, a tall boy with glasses, shook his head in disbelief.
"I think," the boy said. "Their class was the only one. The rest of us either dealt with monsters or didn't fight. They got lessons from NPCs instead. So it's either all survive, majority or none at all."
"We're the only class with six left?" Ryan repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You're telling me Ethan was that strong?"
Avi's stomach sank. The term stuck in his mind, dredging up memories of the fight—how he moved, how he fought. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. Whatever had taken over him in that moment, it wasn't normal.
The system's voice returned, cutting through the chatter.
[Congratulations on surviving the tutorial.]
The gym fell silent, every head turning toward the ceiling as if to glare at the invisible entity mocking them.
"A tutorial?" Avi muttered, his voice dripping with disbelief. "What, are we supposed to get a certificate of participation next?"
[You are now full-fledged players.]
The announcement was met with a mixture of anger and confusion. Voices rose in protest, students shouting at the unseen system.
"We almost died, and they call it a tutorial?" someone yelled.
Avi rubbed the back of his neck, muttering, "Guess this means we're not getting that pool."
[Trials will be coming your way. Survive and overcome to be the strongest.]
[You will now be facing waves. Defend the Gym, your stronghold. Rewards will be distributed based on contributions. Good luck.]
Avi stared at the countdown that appeared above the gym doors. [24:00:00]. Twenty-four hours until the waves.
Avi stared at it, the numbers ticking down like a heartbeat. Twenty-four hours. Less time than it took to lose hope, more than enough time to realize they were all in this together, whether they liked it or not.
"Well," Avi muttered, trying to push down the shiver that threatened to overtake him. "At least we get an alarm clock."
And for the first time, he allowed himself to feel the heavy weight of what was to come.