Mr Abrams: “*Eyes dim* It’s alright, you’re fine. There was nothing wrong with you. The correct path to reach the four nurses and 1 gym teacher that need protecting are down that way *Points at the direction he came from* You have to go right from this hall here, NOT straight.”

He leaves Dome grumbling under his breath, turning around to face his two students. Oliviera happens to be happily typing away at her touch-phone’s keyboard when she noticed someone very inconsiderate decided to cover her only source of light with their really tall body. The mysterious figure managed to cast such a tall shadow overhead, Oliviera was left struggling to see no different than a newborn baby.

Oliviera: “AAAAHH! Who the – WHO is being SO RUDE as to block out my LIGHT and stop me from TYPING?! *Moves phone in light* Can’t you learn to WATCH WHERE YOU’RE STANDING?! Or are you - *Gasp!* - Are you spying on me?! *Hides phone*”

Oliviera quickly presses the power button on her phone once. She spins her upper body around – with complete focus in her mind to give this … nefarious fiend a stern talking to!

...

Only to discover her lovely, handsome teacher eyeballing her angrily.

Mr. Abrams: “Oliviera… no. I won’t ask what it was you were typing away just now. Just stand up straight and face forward. Look directly into my eyes, and don’t say a word.”

Oliviera: “Oookay. Mr. Teacher... I hate to uhh, be the person to teach you this… But those stories you might have read about students liking older teachers? Yeah, they’re STORIES for a reason. They’re just not my thing. I know I have charm, appeal, money, an upstanding moral character, strength beyond my appearance, beauty to topple even that...and I could just go on~ But at the end of the day, the one thing that you need to keep in mind; the ONE reason I could never be yours…

It is…that…

……You’re just too old.”

Mr. Abrams: “(I’ll ignore her snarky comments.) Ophelia! I want you to do the same.”

Oliviera: “Wha- YOU PIG! How DARE you just ask me out, although it’s deplorably disgusting, then go ahead and begin asking the girl right next to me! What kind of- I hope you stay SINGLE! Forever!”

Mr. Abrams: “Ophelia, I don’t believe there’s a need to explain what’s about to happen to you, do I?”

Ophelia: “No sir. I-”

Oliviera: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! P...pig-- NO! You’re WORSE than a pig! You’re a bad guy-”

Mr. Abrams: “DON’T finish that sentence Oliviera. I’m serious. That is an extremely touchy topic for her. She doesn’t need your misguided attempt at offering advice – ESPECIALLY when that mistakenly formed guidance is fueled by a strange desire to turn simple conversations into a scandalous story.”

Oliviera: “...”

Ophelia: “Oliviera. I think you are misunderstanding the situation here, just a little bit. He’s only telling us to prepare ourselves to go through the same ‘thing’ Ms. Daisy and Dome did.”

Oliviera: “…

*Sniff*

Then EXPLAIN better…!”

Mr. Abrams: “I’m sorry, Oliviera, if my wording caused you to mistaken my actions for that of some unforgivable monster. In an emergency situation such as this I need to gather as much intel as possible. I need you to agree with me searching through your memories. In doing so, I may be able to pick up on certain clues from today’s earlier events. Clues which everybody might’ve missed.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Oliviera: “NO! That’s...That’s an invasion of my PRIVACY...! I will not stand for-”

Mr. Abrams: “Oliviera. Unfortunately for you, I was only asking to be polite. I WILL be inspecting your memories, but ONLY the time which we separated. I swear by my honor as your teacher that I won’t invade your privacy any further than this.”

These were the words Mr. Abrams spoke, in an attempt to persuade his student into relaxing. Especially since this was genuinely for her personal safety.

However...Oliviera took it differently. How did she hear Mr. Abrams’s ‘oh-so-kind’ words, perhaps?

“I was only ASKING to be polite. Now I’m demanding! Hand over your memories!”

Oliviera: “Nooooo! What kind of heroic teacher says such cliché villainous lines like that?! Stay away from me!”

Mr. Abrams: “...What is she talking about?”

Ophelia: “*Shrugs* I don’t have a clue.”

Mr. Abrams: “Ophelia, I’ll start with you. Out of everybody in this room who I’ve scanned...including Dome, you’re clearly the most calm with this.”

Ophelia: “That’s because I trust in both you and Ms. Daisy.”

Dome: “Hey, What about me?!”

Ophelia: “…...You too, I guess.”

Dome: “Aaaugh~! What’s with that OBVIOUS dissatisfaction written all over your fac-”

Ms. Daisy: “Enough! Dome, stop teasing her. Let ‘em finish. Mr. Abrams here, is finally getting impatient.”

Dome: “Hmph! Who cares.”

Ms. Daisy: “Oh hush now! Oliviera darlin’ you get yourself ready too. This is for your own safety. All he’s doin’ is looking over your memories. Unless you have somethin’ to hide, there should be no cause for worrying so much.”

Oliviera: “But – but…

.

.

.

NO, I won’t do it!

(As IF I’m letting him see what I overheard! He might try to foil my plans! Never gonna happen I say, NEVER!)”

Mr. Abrams: “Alright then. Both of you, just look into my eyes when my gaze meets yours. I’ll take over from there.”

His piercing gaze glared into her own. Her eyes became cloudy and her vision blurred. Soon after; all she could see, was eternal darkness.

…

What Mr. Abrams saw, was a terrified child, with a body she wished wasn’t her own. Whether the girl was entering the dormitory with the other females or conversing about how ‘working out’ helps battle against depression and trauma, her mind wandered elsewhere.

‘I don’t deserve to be here!’

‘...I should leave.’

‘I can’t stand hiding it from them!’

‘...Monster. I’m only a monster.’

‘See? In their eyes, I’m only useful for my muscles. I hate this…’

‘They don’t really care about me at all. The scared way the boys look at me with…’

‘I should go--’

*BOOM!*

Then the explosion occurred. An intense fear overcame this girl. Despite Ophelia’s tough physique and calm demeanor, deep down; she wasn’t as brave as everyone thought.

She was probably the most terrified student there. Explosions reminded her of the damage she’d just caused at the arena! The SAME damage that almost killed a fellow student! She couldn’t help but tremble. Especially after hearing that voice.

That horrible, sadistic and half – taunting voice. Like a siren, she sang for the children to turn themselves over to her… to become her feast.

Aria’s scream was deafening, even for Mr. Abrams. There was an intense argument happening ever since the bomb went off. It seems Alyandrea was in favor of driving the threat away. She wanted to be a hero, so that much bravery is a given. But...it was Ophelia, the clear stronger of the two, that was far more reserved. She simply refused to fight.

Mr. Abrams: “(Haaah. I was afraid of this. When it matters most, she is just...Well, I can already guess what comes next.)”

...And it was as he feared. Her moment of hesitation became a knife deeply wedged into her heart. Even now, she thought about her decision back them. If she has enough power to blast the building down, then shouldn’t she have done so at the direction of the villains’ voices?

Mr. Abrams: “No, of course not. Had you done that, then the boys might’ve gotten caught up in it. If not them, then those in the forest may’ve gotten struck by all the flying debris. THEN there’s the possibility of those villains not even getting wounded by the attack. That would make the whole situation worse for you. Alyandrea would still lose her head. As she is, right now.”

After her classmate’s head rolled, she felt light – headed. Emotions swirled deep inside, and she lost herself in the immersion of her own thoughts.

‘It’s my fault…’ - Again.

‘Her death, it’s on my hands…!’ -She claims.

If I had only listened to her, I should have been the one targeted instead! -She believes.

While Ophelia was brooding over her own inability to act when it mattered most, and wallowing in her own self pity, Mr. Abrams continuously grew even more irritated.

Mr. Abrams: “It’s fine to not wish for a fight. It’s troublesome to only crouch down on the floor while your opponents punch and kick at you. Still, even such an act is understandable.

…

But...when you only think about self - pitying yourself while your entire arm gets lopped off… THAT is when I have to draw the line. I’’ll need to help her seek out professional help.

Ophelia ...you’ve suffered a lot today. If only your heart was as strong as your body.”

Mr. Abrams no longer had any words left while watching. Not while she desperately threw various dumbbells and barbells at her adversaries. Not while she grabbed Aria and ran, and not when she readied herself for the worst, as the horrible and hateful villains closed in on their wounded targets.

---