I blinked awake, disoriented, my vision blurring as I struggled to focus. Shadows flickered around me in shapes I couldn’t quite pin down. The familiar hum of voices, the echoing chatter of footsteps, and the distant clatter of lockers—all of it was gone. An oppressive silence pressed down in its place, thick and unnatural.
“Huh?” My voice barely broke the stillness, swallowed by an air that felt as heavy as fog. The campus, usually a hive of movement and noise, had transformed into a ghost town in my absence. Each shadow felt like it stretched longer than the last, twisting and warping with silent malice.
“Where is everyone?” I whispered, the question lingering in the silence like a fragile thread. Panic bubbled beneath my skin, pressing harder with each breath. My eyes flitted from one corner to the next, searching for signs of life.
Shadows pooled around the edges of buildings, spilling across the pathways like spilled ink. Nothing moved. My pulse quickened, each heartbeat crashing against the hollow quiet. Kristine—my last hope—had promised not to leave me behind. She’d sworn it. But now...
The emptiness clawed at me, twisting in my gut. “How could they?” I yelled, voice breaking against the walls. The echo returned, hollow, mocking my desperation. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to swallow the rising dread. I could almost hear her laughter—warm, familiar, but fading, like the last notes of a song. She wouldn’t just leave... would she?
“Was it someone’s grace?” I muttered, pacing in slow, tight circles. Graces had their limits—they couldn’t erase people or wipe them from existence without a trace. The thought planted an uneasy seed in my mind, one that twisted and grew as dread slithered through my veins.
And then the ground shook beneath me.
A deep, guttural growl resonated up from the earth, like the groaning of something monstrous buried deep. It rolled through my legs, rattling up my spine. Trees swayed violently, their branches thrashing in the windless silence as leaves tore loose, spiraling down like dark omens. Birds exploded from the treetops in a frenzy, their cries like fractured glass piercing the stillness. Dust rose around me in swirling clouds, stinging my eyes and catching in my throat.
“An earthquake?” I gasped, bracing myself against the pulsing ground. The vibrations increased, a thick, unnatural energy thrumming beneath the surface. I stumbled, clutching onto a tree for balance as the quaking intensified—then stopped abruptly, vanishing into the same silence as before.
The stillness returned, even thicker and more suffocating. My legs gave out, and I sank onto a bench, the rough wood pressing hard against my back. I sucked in a shaky breath, heart hammering as tension lingered heavy in the air. And that’s when the memory surfaced—Kristine.
---
The final bell rang, sharp and shrill, echoing down the hall as students rushed for the exits. The dull scrape of chairs and the shuffle of footsteps drowned out our teacher’s final words. I grabbed my bag and slipped into the packed hallway, letting the swell of people carry me along like driftwood in a fast current.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Laughter and chatter filled the corridor as friends huddled together, making after-school plans. I kept my head down, hoping to weave through the crowd without incident. But then a voice cut through the noise. “Come on, it’ll be fun!” A boy’s voice—playful, but insistent.
“For the last time, I said no!” a girl replied, her voice tight with fear. I paused, my steps faltering at the strain in her tone. I followed it to the source, rounding the corner. There, pressed against the wall, stood a girl with a pale face and wide, panicked eyes. A boy leaned over her, smirking, his posture radiating smug confidence.
“Pfft, you’re just playing hard to get,” he sneered, inching closer.
“I said back off!” Her voice shook as she pushed him, defiance flickering through her fear. His eyes narrowed, his fist clenching with dangerous intent. Instinct took over before I could think. “Stop it! That’s enough!” I shouted, lunging forward and grabbing his wrist mid-swing. His eyes snapped to mine, darkening with fury.
“Oh, I get it. Trying to play the hero, huh?” He scoffed, his words dripping with disdain. “Talk about—” I cut him off with a punch to the face. He staggered back, sprawling onto the ground as the hallway fell silent around us. He didn’t move. A couple of students nearby whispered, eyes wide with shock, but nobody dared to speak up.
The girl stood against the wall, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “Take care,” I muttered, already turning to leave. “Wait!” she called, her voice shaky but growing stronger. “Let me repay you.” Her tone shifted, a hint of resolve creeping in.
“I didn’t do it for you,” I said, shrugging her off. “That guy was just pissing me off.” But she blocked my path, arms outstretched in stubborn determination. “It’s called common courtesy!” she insisted, her voice gaining confidence. “Let me repay you.”
With a sigh, I gave in. “Fine. If it’ll get you to stop bugging me, then sure.”
Her face lit up with a small, triumphant smile. “Great.” Without warning, she grabbed my arm and led me down the hall. Her energy was infectious, despite everything. We stopped at a small storefront, its sign shining in the late afternoon light. "Neko's Cat Café," it read, in warm, inviting letters.
“A cat café? Really?” I raised an eyebrow.
“What? I never told you where I was taking you!” she replied, smirking as she held the door open. “Come on, don’t be shy. They won’t bite… unless you deserve it.” She flashed a playful grin, ushering me inside. Warmth and the scent of coffee washed over me, mingling with the soft hum of purring cats. Cats lounged on cushions and perched atop climbing trees, their eyes lazily following us as we entered. A sleek black cat padded over to her, purring as it rubbed against her legs.
“You come here often?” I asked, noting how the cats all seemed drawn to her.
“Uh-huh! This place is practically my second home. The cats here? They adore me,” she said, her eyes sparkling with pride. “I’m their queen, after all.”
“Queen, huh?” I leaned against the wall, struggling not to smile. “And what’s your royal decree?”
“Simple my good kind sir.” She pointed at me with dramatic flair. “All visitors must pamper the cats. It’s the law! Noncompliance means banishment!”
“Banishment? Harsh penalty,” I replied, amused despite myself.
“Hey, don’t blame me! It’s a cat’s world, and we’re just living in it.” She crouched down, scratching the black cat under its chin. “Besides, these little furballs know how to get what they want.”
“Cute,” I muttered, letting a small smile slip. “Right?” She glanced up, catching my expression. Her eyes twinkled with playful intent. “But you know what’s even cuter?”
“What?”
“You, pretending not to be a cat person.” She pointed a finger at me, her grin growing wider. “I’m not pretending!” I replied, crossing my arms.
“Sure, sure. Just wait till Mr. Fluffykins works his magic.” She lifted the black cat, cradling it. “Come on, let’s order.”
We approached the counter, placed our orders, and took seats at a small table. She set the black cat on my lap with a conspiratorial grin. “There! You’re officially under royal orders.” The cat rubbed its head against me, and I sighed, finally relenting to pet it. “Aha! You’re now a servant of the kingdom.” She paused, her face softening. “By the way, I don’t know your name.”
“It’s Rei. Rei Moutsuki,” I replied.
“Rei... I like it,” she said, beaming. “I’m Kristine. Kristine Lay. So, we’re friends now, right?” She held out a hand, and after a moment, I shook it. “Sure.” Her smile widened, pure delight on her face. “Yay! Can I call you Suki?”
I hesitated, but nodded. “Yeah, I don’t mind.”
“Awesome! You won’t regret this, Suki!” she cheered, and the name felt warmer than I expected.
[End of Chapter]