“That’s not the usual reaction I get when a stranger sees my face. I’ve been told I have nice eyes.”

Bold. This fashionista is bold!

She stood up, flattening out her plaid skirt and white top, readjusting her glasses like what those smart scientists do in Anime.

I can only imagine the blank look on my face as I just stared at her with superfluous eyes.

“S-stop… if you keep staring at me like I’m going to get embarrassed.” She said with red cheeks while twirling her hair and fidgeting with her fingers.

Blinking a few more times rapidly, I propped myself up and dusted down my own… hm?

Looking down, the clothes I was wearing were different. My eyes widening when I stared at an unbuttoned black blazer over a white uniform and red tie. A red-plaid skirt with the hem just barely reaching my high knee socks and white shoes. There’s no doubt about it…

I’m in my school uniform! Why am I in my school uniform? Hello? I don’t remember dressing up. We are on winter break anyways!

“Um, hello?” The girl whispered, moving her face below me to my line of sight.

I could feel my heart beating as the girl stood there with her hands behind her back.

Is this called love? Wait, there’s no time for that!

“W-where am I?” I managed to stutter out.

She smiled her overly cute smile and took two steps back and straightened up.

“That’s for you to find out. Every place is different.”

“Every place? What’s that supposed to mean? You mean dream?” I replied.

Yeah, that must be the case. I’m probably fast asleep on my computer keyboard. Ah, I hope I don’t drool. It would be a pain to clean up… again.

Shooting both my arms out to my side, I closed my eyes and prepared myself. In one brisk movement I slammed both my hands to the sides of my face!

…

“Ow!”

“Bahaha, what are you doing?”

I opened my eyes as the girl walked forward. She brought her hand up and pulled mine away from my face. Leaning in close, I could smell her citrus scented shampoo.

“This isn’t a dream dummy.” She whispered in a soft voice, feeling her breath tickle my ear.

Not a dream? No way. It can’t be… can it?

Looking straight at the strange person in front of me, I could feel my face beginning to turn hot.

Too close! Too close! Do you not know about personal space?

I cleared my throat and took another step back until we were a safe distance apart. Social distancing after all.

“You are joking right? Nothing about this seems real.” I retorted, still not believing in the words said to me with such confidence.

She then fixed her glasses once more and turned her back towards me.

“You’ll soon find out,” she started walking forward towards a classroom door. “Whether this is a dream… or reality.”

Just noticing the environment around me, we were in a highschool classroom except it was different from the ones at my school. Desks lined up row by row, column by column. We stood at the front, near the door that probably led out to a hallway.

On the whiteboard on the wall, something was written in Japanese characters. Actually… Everything seemed to be in Japanese! The style of the classroom I’ve usually seen in shows. The words on the spine of textbooks that are placed on shelves.

Before I could ask anything, the girl slid the door ever so slightly, allowing her to just peek through.

“What are yo-“

“Shhh!” She turned towards me with a stern look and a finger placed upon her lips. “They’re here.”

‘They?’ Who’s they? Teachers? Students?

I leaned close to the door and I could indeed hear the echoing of light footsteps.

One person? No, that sounds like two… maybe three?

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Slam!

A loud thump came from the other side of the door. Seeming to be down the hall.

However, after a few walking steps later, another loud slam was heard. Only this time the sound was closer.

The minute or so that passed went by in this pattern. The sounds of footsteps into the loud slam that became clearer each time.

“Not good. We have to run.” The girl hushed in a rigid tone.

“Run? What? Just what in the hell is going on!”

The quiet, calm footsteps from a moment ago became someone running down a hall at a fast speed.

“You’ve done it now!” She grabbed my wrist and slid the door fully open. “Let’s go!”

With my wrist in hers, she dragged me to the left side of the hall, running at an alarmingly fast pace.

Given my unathletic life and now becoming apparent, my wavering stamina, I don’t know how much I can run at this speed!

Her grip was tight and made no room for me to pull away. Considering my weak noodle arms, I doubt I could beat this person in anything containing physical aspects!

“I found you!” Snarled someone from behind. A high pitched voice but with a sense of dread.

I started to turn my head to see who this crazy chick is.

“Don’t look!” The Aladdin schoolgirl cosplayer yelled, yanking my arm forward.

“How dare you look at me!” The thing roared.

“I didn’t! I swear!” I yelled as we abruptly turned the corner.

I mean, I really didn’t get a look! Not even a glimpse. Ahhh, everyone in this place is crazy huh!

The hallway was long with a series of doors lined up. I could hear a metallic scraping along the walls as we hurtled down the hall. Claws? Is this thing a monster!

Suddenly coming to a stop, I bumped into the back of the girl in front of me. Running my forehead, I looked up to see her determined eyes looking at the door to our left.

She yanked on the handle and rushed us inside.

“Ha, ha, ha.” Our hard breathing became the only sound between the two of us as we stood in a dark small room.

With a desk to my side, I propped myself into the corner and began to catch my breath quietly.

I leaned backwards and felt many different tools behind me.

Janitor’s closet?

Buckets were placed along the floor along with what seemed like shelves with many different chemicals placed on them.

With my hand holding my heaving chest and resuming to regain what little stamina I had, I looked up to see what the cosplayer was doing.

With her ear pressed against the door and her face towards me, our eyes locked together.

Her brown eyes gave me a sense of safety that I didn’t believe was a thing until now.

Bringing her finger back to her lips, gesturing for me to keep quiet, she listened closely through the door.

Okay, understood. Hundred percent. I will not question this life or death matter anymore. Just get me out of this world!

Hearing the approaching footsteps, my heart started beating faster and faster. I could feel my eyebrow catching the drops of sweat as I felt the horrifying tension in the air.

The loud footsteps came closer. And closer, and closer until suddenly coming to a stop. As if the person was right outside the door. A silence. A deafening silence that would make even the most sturdy men fall under the pressure.

Tap, tap, tap.

The metallic sound echoed down the hall. The sound is almost similar to a person with a pen tapping the walls as they walk down a hall.

The footsteps then started up again, but only this time they were receding! Getting farther and farther away until vanishing upon the light steps.

The girl looked at me with her eyebrows inwards. She gestured at the door and motioned for me to be quiet still.

Nodding my head, she took one deep breath and slowly began to creak open the door.

Holding my own breath, I watched in silence.

Watching as her eyes scanned whatever was on the other side of this amazing, wonderful, protective door, I felt it safe to assume that whatever that thing was, had passed.

Her eyes turned to me giving another gentle smile while closing her eyes in a cute manner.

Smiling as tears began to form at the sides of my eyes, I let out a huff.

“Phew.”

Swoosh!

My eyes widened in horror as I stared at the fashionista in front of me. A streak of blood dripping down from her cheek.

“Gah!” She yelped, falling onto her knees while holding her cheek with her hand.

My hands hesitantly reached towards her with my brain firing at full speed.

W-what do I do? What should I do? She’s hurt. She’s really hurt.

She sat there with her braided hair covering her face and her purple headband laying on the floor. Blood started to seep through her fingers and stain her white uniform, dripping down her arm.

Starting to move forward with trembling legs, the door swung open in front of me. Just an inch away from my face, the desk was the only thing stopping it from fully slamming into me at full force.

“Ah, I missed it. I missed it.” Snarled the high pitched voice with no empathy in her voice whatsoever. “Why must you run? I just want to play, Alice. Can’t we play?

With my hands over my mouth and my heart beating as fast as it was, it’s surprising that I wasn’t found out at that moment. My eyes widened, I quickly suppressed the urge to make any noise.

“Isn’t this the kind of play you wanted? Anything else would be too boring for you wouldn’t it?” Alice retorted smugly with heavy breaths.

I could hear the rustling of clothes and a series of coughs as Alice said that with a hint of laughter in her voice.

“Isn’t that right you demon. Or should I say.

“Miko.”

Huh? That thing is named Miko?

No way… don’t mess with me!

I mean, I-I mean this has to be a cruel joke.

Because I’m...

Miko.