The Next Morning,The tension in the air thickened as dawn broke. Everyone gathered in the lobby, only to realize that two of their classmates were missing. Whispers filled the room, voices tinged with panic and fear. The reality was sinking in—this wasn't just a coincidence.
Jasper, trying to maintain his composure, addressed the group. "Listen, I'm going to the police station. This has gone too far. We need help."
The others nodded, their faces pale with worry. Without wasting time, Jasper grabbed his keys and made his way to the parking lot. The group stayed back, nervously waiting for news, hoping that Jasper would return with some kind of solution.
But as Jasper approached his car, he froze. Something was off. When he got closer, his worst fears were confirmed—the gas tank was empty. Someone had drained the fuel. His mind raced. This wasn't an accident. Someone was deliberately trapping them here.
Frustrated and desperate, Jasper slammed the car door shut and kicked the side of the vehicle. "Damn it!" he cursed, his voice echoing in the empty parking lot. He looked around, scanning the area for anything suspicious, but the surroundings were eerily silent. Too silent.
Jasper muttered to himself, "They're watching us. Every move we make. They don't want us to leave."
Taking a deep breath, he decided to head back to the building to inform the others. As he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling of being followed. His eyes darted around, but nothing seemed out of place. Still, he knew better than to ignore his instincts.
When Jasper returned, he told the group about the empty fuel tank. The room fell silent as the weight of the situation sank in. They were completely isolated, cut off from the outside world.
One of the students, hyunjin, finally spoke up, his voice trembling. "So… what do we do now? If we can't call for help and we can't leave…"
Jasper clenched his fists, trying to suppress his frustration. "We need to think. There has to be another way. Maybe we can find fuel or another vehicle. But until then, we stick together."
As the group debated their next steps, a chilling thought crossed Jasper's mind: The missing classmates. Were they taken? Or… were they part of something bigger?
The game wasn't over. It was just beginning.
Suddenly, Kyung Ho, Taehyun, Jin Woo, and Min Joo approached the group, their expressions tense and unfriendly. They seemed to be looking for trouble, their words sharp and confrontational.
"What's the plan now? Are we just going to sit here and wait to be picked off one by one?" Kyung Ho snapped, his frustration boiling over.
"We're already trapped, and now two people are missing!" Taehyun added angrily. "Do any of you even care what's happening here?"
Min Joo folded her arms, glaring at Jasper. "What's your brilliant idea now, Jasper? You said we needed to stay calm, but look where that got us. Nothing's working."
Jin Woo stood silently, but his presence alone added to the mounting tension. The group exchanged uneasy glances, the atmosphere growing heavier with every passing second.
Meanwhile, Jun Ho had separated himself from the group, moving quietly through the corridors of their rooms. His sharp eyes scanned every corner, searching for anything out of place. He noticed small details: scuff marks on the floor, a faint scratch on the wall, a door slightly ajar that shouldn't have been.
"What are you hiding?" Jun Ho muttered under his breath as he crouched down to inspect the marks. His mind raced, piecing together fragments of information like a puzzle. Something wasn't right, and he was determined to figure out what it was.
From the other end of the corridor, the muffled sound of the argument between Kyung Ho and the others echoed, but Jun Ho stayed focused. He couldn't let distractions pull him away from his investigation. If the answers were here, he would find them.
One of their classmates, a bold and curious student named Hwan, couldn't ignore the eerie silence coming from the building next door. From the window, he stared at the neighboring structure, its darkened windows and lifeless aura almost beckoning him.
"I'll go check it out," Hwan muttered to himself, determined to uncover the mystery. Without telling the others, he made his way downstairs, slipping out the front door and crossing the empty yard that separated the two buildings. The air was cold and heavy, the weight of unease pressing against his chest with every step.
As he approached the entrance of the neighboring building, Hwan noticed the doors were slightly ajar, creaking softly in the wind. He hesitated for a moment but pushed them open, the sound echoing through the silent halls. The air inside was stale, and the faint smell of dust and decay hit him immediately.
"Hello?" Hwan called out cautiously, his voice barely above a whisper. But there was no response. The building was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made his skin crawl.
He ventured further inside, his footsteps echoing against the tiled floor. Every room he passed was empty—no students, no teachers, no staff. It was as if the building had been abandoned in an instant. Desks and chairs were overturned, papers scattered across the floor, and in some places, faint smears of something dark and unidentifiable marred the walls.
A sudden noise—a faint creak from deeper within the building—made Hwan freeze in his tracks. He held his breath, straining to hear. Was it the wind? Or something else? Gathering his courage, he moved toward the sound, each step slower than the last.
When he reached the source of the noise, he found an open locker, its door swaying slightly as if it had just been disturbed. He peered inside cautiously but found nothing but darkness. The silence returned, heavier than before, and Hwan couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.
Backing away, he made his way toward the exit, his instincts screaming at him to leave. As he turned a corner, his eyes caught a chilling sight: a trail of fresh footprints leading further into the building. The prints weren't his.
Hwan's heart pounded in his chest. Without a second thought, he turned and ran for the door, the eerie stillness of the building broken by the sound of his hurried footsteps. When he burst back outside into the cold morning air, he gasped for breath, his mind racing with fear and confusion.
Whatever was happening in that building, it wasn't natural. And whoever—or whatever—had left those footprints was still inside.
Hwan, with his heart racing and his thoughts clouded with fear, hurried back to the building where his classmates had been staying. He couldn't shake the chilling images of the empty halls and the strange footprints, and now he needed answers. As he arrived at the entrance, he saw Jasper and the others gathered outside, waiting anxiously for him. His eyes were wide with panic, and he didn't waste any time.
"Jasper!" Hwan shouted, breathless. "Everyone's gone. The building next door... it's empty. There's no one there. It's like they vanished."
Jasper's expression hardened, and without hesitation, he turned to Taehyun and Min Joo. "Let's go," he ordered.
The three of them quickly made their way toward the building where the rest of their group had been staying. As they arrived, Min Joo broke down in tears, her face stricken with grief. She sobbed uncontrollably, clutching her hands to her chest. "My girlfriend... she's gone. I—I don't know what happened."
Jasper and Taehyun exchanged a look, both grim, and immediately started searching the area. They couldn't afford to waste time. Min Joo, still crying, remained rooted to the spot, devastated by the disappearance of her loved one.
As the two of them fanned out to search the area, Jun Ho approached Min Joo, his expression serious yet sympathetic. "Min Joo," he said softly, "what happened? Where did they go?"
Min Joo's voice trembled as she explained, "They were here... and then... they just disappeared. I—I don't know where they went. I didn't hear anything. They were just... gone." Her words came in fragmented gasps as the terror she felt began to overwhelm her.
Jasper, meanwhile, continued to search, his focus unshaken. His eyes scanned every corner of the building as he walked deeper into the halls. The place felt suffocating, the walls seeming to close in on him. He couldn't find Ji Hye anywhere—she was nowhere to be seen, and the sense of dread only grew stronger with each passing second.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jasper stepped outside into the cold, stale air. His eyes were drawn to a nearby dumpster, the lid slightly askew. He walked toward it cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest. When he reached it, he hesitated for a moment before pulling open the lid.
Inside, to his shock, was Ji Hye—huddled on the ground with three other girls. They were all covered in dirt, disheveled, and terrified. Their faces were pale, eyes wide with fear, and they seemed on edge as if they'd been hiding from something—or someone.
Ji Hye, her voice shaky, spoke first. "It's all true," she whispered, her tone filled with anguish. "They've been taken. All of them... they're gone. They were taken, one by one. They're being killed. They're all going to die. We're next."
The other girls nodded in agreement, their faces showing the same fear and despair. Jasper's mind raced as he tried to make sense of it all. What had happened? Why were they hiding in the dumpster? How had they managed to escape?
Before he could ask another question, Ji Hye added, "They came at night... took everyone. There were too many of them. They took them one by one, and I don't know where they went. But I saw... I saw them kill. They took their bodies... and..."
Her voice trailed off, and she broke down in sobs.
Jasper, feeling a surge of urgency, turned to the others. "We need to get out of here. Now. We have to find the others before it's too late." The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him, but he knew they had to move fast. They couldn't afford to wait any longer.
Jun Ho, Min Joo, and Taehyun quickly made their way toward Jasper and the others. When they reached the group, their faces were a mix of concern and determination, the weight of the situation clear in their eyes.
Jun Ho took a deep breath as he approached. "What's going on? Who are these people?" he asked, glancing at the girls huddled in the dumpster.
Jasper, still processing everything, turned to Jun Ho. "This is Ji Hye," he began, his voice calm but urgent. "And these are her friends." He motioned toward the other girls, each of them visibly shaken.
Ji Hye, still trembling, stood up with the help of one of her friends and began introducing them. "This is Min Seo," she said, pointing to a girl with short, dark hair who was trying her best to hold back tears. "And this is Yoo Jin," she continued, nodding toward the girl standing next to Min Seo, her hands clutching her arms tightly. Finally, she gestured to the last girl, "And this is Soo Young."
Each of the girls gave a weak, hesitant nod when introduced, their eyes scanning the group in front of them, their trust clearly fragile.
Jun Ho exchanged glances with Taehyun and Min Joo, who were still processing the gravity of what they had just learned. "So, you all saw what happened?" Jun Ho asked, his voice quiet yet full of urgency.
Ji Hye nodded, her eyes filled with pain. "Yes, we saw... we saw everything. They came in the middle of the night. We were hiding when they took everyone. We didn't know what to do... They took them one by one."
Yoo Jin, her voice barely a whisper, added, "It was too fast. Too organized. We didn't even have a chance to fight back."
Min Seo clutched her chest, her face pale. "They were taken... I—I saw them being dragged out. I heard the screams."
Soo Young, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "And the bodies..." Her voice broke as she said the words. "They're gone. All of them. They took them. We couldn't save them."
The weight of their words hung in the air like a heavy cloud. Jasper, his expression hardening, turned to face the others. "We need to stick together. We can't let them take anyone else. They're hunting us, one by one."
Min Joo, still shaken but trying to hold it together, nodded. "We have to find a way out of here. We can't stay in the open. We need to move, now."
Taehyun clenched his fists, his determination apparent. "They won't get away with this. We'll find the others. We'll make them pay."
The group gathered together, forming a tight circle, their shared sense of fear and determination unspoken but clear. They couldn't stay in the open any longer. They had to move quickly, stick together, and find a way to escape before it was too late.
But even as they prepared to leave, the shadows of fear loomed over them, knowing that the ones who had taken their friends were still out there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
That night, the group gathered in a dimly lit room, their faces marked by exhaustion and fear. The weight of the situation hung over them as they sat together, eyes scanning the room, every sound amplified in the tense atmosphere.
Jasper took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves as he began to count the number of students still present. "There are only 20 of us left," he said, his voice low. "We've lost so many already... and we can't afford to lose anyone else."
The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the sound of a door creaking slightly. Kyung Ho, who had been standing off to the side, finally spoke up, his voice grim.
"It's possible," he began, pausing to look each of them in the eye, "tonight might be our turn."
The room went still as the others processed his words. The idea that they could be next in line, that the threat was closer than ever, hung in the air like a dark cloud.
Taehyun clenched his fists, trying to hold onto his composure. "What are we supposed to do then? Just sit here and wait for it to happen?"
Kyung Ho shook his head, his expression cold and calculating. "No. We have to be proactive. We have to find out who's behind this before they come for us. We can't let them pick us off one by one."
Jasper nodded, his mind racing. "But how? We've been in the dark this entire time. The person pulling the strings is still out there, watching us."
Jun Ho, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "We need to stay alert. No one sleeps alone. We have to keep an eye on each other, and we need to find a way to get to the police, or at least to get some help. We can't keep waiting for something to happen."
Min Joo, tears still fresh on her face, spoke softly but firmly. "But what if they already know what we're planning? What if they've been watching us this whole time?"
The room fell into uneasy silence as the group exchanged glances. They had no answers. Only fear, uncertainty, and a growing sense of urgency.
Kyung Ho's voice cut through the silence again, steady and resolved. "We have no choice but to fight back. We know too much now. They won't let us go. But we can't give up. Not while there's still a chance."
As the night wore on, the group grew more determined. They knew the danger was real, that their lives were on the line. But they also knew they couldn't let fear control them. They had to stay strong, stay united, and fight for their survival.
Tomorrow might be too late. But tonight... tonight, they would make their move.
Soon, Jin Woo spoke up, his voice laced with worry. "Where is the teacher that was sent from our school? Has anyone seen them?"
The room fell into a heavy silence as everyone exchanged uneasy glances. The absence of the teacher, who was supposed to be overseeing the retreat, was yet another unsettling mystery in the midst of everything going wrong.
Jasper rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since yesterday."
Taehyun shook his head. "We should have seen him by now if he was still here. Maybe he's one of the ones who's been taken."
Kyung Ho spoke calmly, though his eyes betrayed his concern. "If the teacher is missing too, that means we're even more isolated. No one is looking out for us. We're on our own."
Jun Ho's voice was tight. "We can't keep waiting for someone to show up and save us. We need to take matters into our own hands. If the teacher's gone, that just means one less person who could help us figure out what's really going on here."
Jin Woo nodded, though his face was filled with doubt. "But if the teacher's gone... what happened to him? Could he have been taken like the others?"
No one had an answer, but the question hung in the air like a storm cloud, adding another layer of fear to their already tense situation.
Not long after, some of the students volunteered to search for the CCTV room in the basement.
Jasper immediately refused, his voice firm. "We have to stay together. If we split up, our movements will be tracked, and it will only increase the chances of getting killed."
He continued, raising his voice in frustration. "Are you all insane?! You're so stubborn! Fine, if that's what you want, take the risk yourselves!"
But the others stood their ground. One of them spoke up, "And what? Should we just sit here like statues and wait for the predator to devour us?"
Jasper shot a sharp look at Kyung Ho and Jun Ho's group and warned them, "Don't go with them if you want to survive."
Then, without saying another word, Jasper left for the cafeteria. He pulled Kyung Ho along with him, despite Kyung Ho's initial reluctance.
Jun Ho, trying to ease the tension, sighed. "Everyone, calm down."
Despite Jasper's warning, three young men decided to go. They were determined to find the CCTV room and uncover the truth.
They waited. One hour passed. Then two. Yet, the three of them never returned.
After a while, Kyung Ho and the others arrived—without Jasper.
Kyung Ho headed straight to his room with Min Joo and Jin Woo, exhausted. They fell asleep almost immediately.
Meanwhile, Taehyun staggered slightly, looking like he was about to collapse. "Are you all still waiting for those three idiots?" he scoffed. "Don't get your hopes up. They're not coming back."
Ji Hye, feeling uneasy, decided to check the cafeteria. When she arrived, she saw Jasper slumped over a table, looking weak and dazed. Five empty beer bottles sat beside him. He was drunk.
Instead of approaching him immediately, she hesitated. But Jasper suddenly looked up and smirked. "Do you think you can carry me?" His voice was teasing.
Ji Hye looked away, avoiding his gaze. Jasper chuckled, brushing his bangs back. "You're so cute. I like that."
Ignoring his words, Ji Hye helped him up. But before she could do much, Jun Ho arrived and intervened.
"Ji Hye, let me take him. You should get some rest," Jun Ho said.
Ji Hye nodded, stepping aside as Jun Ho carefully lifted Jasper.
As they walked back, Jasper muttered under his breath, his words slurred but chilling. "Looks like we're all gonna die here, brother…" Then, he let out a deep, eerie laugh.
Hearing that, Ji Hye quickened her pace and hurried back to her room, crawling into bed, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest.