I woke up to the sound of eerie howls echoing through the halls, not exactly the usual alarm clock I was hoping for. The moonlight filtered through my window, casting ghostly shadows that danced across my room. "Okay, Alex," I whispered to myself, "just another night at Grimmoor Academy. What could possibly go wrong?"

As I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet hit the cool, wooden floor. “Ugh, it’s freezing,” I muttered, pulling on a hoodie that felt like it had seen better centuries. I glanced at the clock—it was 9 PM. “Time for class,” I grumbled, reluctantly getting up.

I stepped into the hallway, which was surprisingly empty. “Hello? Anyone home?” I called out, my voice echoing in the silence.

Suddenly, a ghost floated by, shimmering and giggling. “Boo! Did I scare you?”

“No, but you startled my heart into a different dimension,” I shot back.

“Good enough!” the ghost chimed, and then vanished through the wall.

“Great. I’m already losing my mind,” I muttered, heading towards the common area. Just as I turned the corner, I ran smack into Zack, who was munching on what looked suspiciously like a brain-shaped cookie.

“Hey, Alex!” he said, crumbs flying. “Ready for your first night class? I’m so excited!”

“Excited? You just devoured a cookie that looked like it came from a horror movie.”

“Protein!” Zack replied, patting his stomach. “Plus, it’s the only thing I can remember to eat.”

“Right. Well, what’s on the agenda tonight?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“We have a Survival 101 class! And after that, we’re supposed to learn about the ‘Art of Scaring’ from the resident ghost expert,” he said, his eyes bright with enthusiasm.

“Survival 101? Is that where we learn to dodge incoming werewolves and ghosts?”

“Exactly!” Zack nodded, his head bobbing. “You know, just in case one of them tries to eat you. But it’s mostly just common sense. Like, don’t run with scissors… unless you’re being chased.”

“Of course. That’s comforting.”

As we walked into the classroom, I was immediately hit by the sight of a skeleton sitting at the front, adjusting its glasses. “Welcome to Survival 101!” it rattled, its voice echoing through the room. “I’m Professor Bonewitz, and I’ll be your guide to staying alive in this dangerous world.”

“Nice to meet you, Professor,” I said, trying to suppress the urge to laugh.

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“Let’s start with some important rules,” Bonewitz continued, ignoring my comment. “Who can tell me the first thing you should do if you encounter a zombie?”

“Offer them a snack?” I raised my hand half-heartedly.

“Close, but no,” Bonewitz replied, his jaw clattering. “You should definitely not offer them a snack. They’ll take it and you with it!”

The class erupted in laughter, and I couldn’t help but join in.

“Next question!” Bonewitz said, pointing a bony finger at a student. “What should you do if a ghost haunts you?”

“Ask it to do your homework?” a werewolf from the back shouted, and the class roared again.

“Good one!” Bonewitz chuckled. “But in reality, you should offer it something it lost in life. Trust me. They love that.”

“Like a sandwich?” I interjected, thinking of my lunch offer earlier.

“Exactly!” Bonewitz said, nodding. “Food is a universally accepted peace offering.”

“Good to know. I’ll just keep a sandwich in my pocket for emergencies,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Now, let’s practice some scenarios!” Bonewitz announced, clapping its bony hands. “Everyone, pair up! You’ll take turns being the survivor and the supernatural creature.”

“Great,” I said under my breath. “Just what I wanted.”

Zack nudged me. “Want to be partners?”

“Sure, but if you forget who I am halfway through, I’m not taking responsibility for my limbs.”

“I’ll remember!” he promised, his face lighting up.

We moved to the center of the room, and Bonewitz pointed at us. “You two are first! Alex will be the survivor, and Zack, you’re the zombie!”

“Perfect,” I said, trying to suppress my dread. “I’ll just pretend you’re not a zombie trying to eat my brains.”

“Ready, set, go!” Bonewitz shouted.

Zack started to shuffle toward me, arms outstretched and a goofy grin plastered on his face. “Brains!” he moaned exaggeratedly.

“Zack, you forgot to forget your lines again,” I said, laughing.

“Oops!” he said, chuckling. “Let’s do this again! Brains!”

As he lunged toward me, I ducked and rolled to the side. “Nice try, but you really need to work on your technique!”

“Yeah, but I’m undead! I can’t help it!” he shouted, trying to stay in character.

“True. But you’re also a terrible zombie!”

“Hey!” he protested, laughing as he playfully lunged again.

“Okay, okay! I give up!” I said, holding my hands up in surrender.

“Great! You survived!” Zack said, finally dropping the act.

“Awesome. Now can we stop playing ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ and get back to class?”

“Sure! But that was fun!”

“Fun? It was terrifying! I’m not cut out for this supernatural stuff!”

“Oh, come on! You’ll get the hang of it,” he reassured me. “Just don’t let the ghosts eat you! They’re more playful than scary.”

“Great, so I’ll just be the main course during the ‘Art of Scaring’ class,” I sighed.

“Hey, look at it this way,” Zack said. “At least you won’t be bored!”

“True,” I admitted reluctantly. “I guess there’s that.”

After a series of increasingly ridiculous scenarios, the bell finally rang, signaling the end of class. “Remember, stay alert and keep your sandwiches close!” Bonewitz called as we filed out.

“Sandwiches will save my life—I can feel it,” I replied to Zack as we headed into the hallway.

“Let’s grab a bite to eat!” he suggested, and I wasn’t sure whether he meant food or brains.

“Do you mean actual food? Or the other kind?”

“Actual food! I promise!” Zack said, rolling his eyes.

“Alright, but if it’s anything resembling a brain, I’m out.”

“Deal! Come on!”

As we walked, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie building with Zack. Despite the absurdity of the situation, I was starting to appreciate my new life at Grimmoor Academy. If I could survive the first night, maybe I could survive the rest.

And who knew? I might even make a sandwich-loving ghost friend along the way.