“Everyone stay in your seats, I’m sure that it is just a minor earthquake.” The Teachers that were supervising the test began to move around, encouraging the kids to remain in their seats. It’s not like this was the first time an earthquake had happened during a test and it surely wouldn’t be the last. “All students please stay under your desks.” The cohort suddenly shifted as each student began to crawl under their desk. As this was standard procedure no one seemed to be tensed.
My eyes were moving around the room, I had a bad feeling; earthquake? I doubt that was the least of our worries. It seemed to me like something worse was going on, but I wasn’t going to open my mouth about it.
“Hey, Flow.” I heard Reece whisper out from the corner of the room, he began looking down, specifically pointing to his watch.
“What about the time?” I whispered back. I had no idea what he meant, but I knew we had to get out of here, and that maybe he was suggesting a method of doing so.
Reece began other attempts at getting me to understand what he was implying, but a few shakes of my head and throwing my hands in the air clearly weighted on him steadfast. “Dammit Flow, we need to hurry up!” Reece became aggravated quickly, I was in the same boat in all honesty, it was clear what that notification was pertaining to. We had to move; even if everyone else had no idea what was going on, it was clear that we both understood, and we would fix it.
“Reece? What’s with all the yelling?” A teacher had noticed Reece calling to me before.
“Sorry miss, it’s just, I needed to go to the toilet.”
“Me too, if you wouldn’t mind miss!” I called out as well.
Seeing the teacher place her index finger on her chin in thought, after what felt like a century she began to agree, “I see no reason why not, this test isn’t going anywhere either, and from looking at both your exams I can see that you’re finished, all right, but be quick about it.
“Thank you, ma’am!” Reece immediately thanked the teacher, grabbing my hand we raced out the door. Running through the corridors we departed from the exam room, stopping just short of a corner Reece immediately began to look at me. “Flow, I know this -- Look I know I’m asking a lot but, what are your stats?”
I had never seen Reece more serious, I had no idea why he would need to know other than maybe he wanted to estimate my abilities to see if we actually had a chance at beating whatever monster we are going to have to fight. But Reece, he’s my friend. “I have 15 Strength and 18 Agility” But there are things best kept a secret….
“All right, with those stats, we might actually have a chance, let’s go, we need to find this monster before it hurts anyone.”
“Agreed.”
The echo of our shoes on the floor was crisp and cold, walking through a hallway, we came across two paths, “So what, you take the left, and I the right?”
Reece began to think for a while, “It seems we have no choice, as dangerous as it sounds the monster is obviously around here somewhere and we need to find it quickly.” Reece began to turn but before he walked down he turned his head to me. “If you spot anything call me on your phone, I’ll do likewise, got it?”
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“Yeah, of course, don’t get yourself killed, right?”
“Yeah, of course.” With a swift smile, we turned away, determined to complete this ‘quest.’
With a chilled breath, I marched along, separated from my ally. The school seemed different, the air staler, seeming to bite at my lungs when I breathe. ‘Must be nervousness,’ I think. Beginning to think about my location, I remember that the school is divided into four general sections, each corresponding to a direction. I was currently located at the West Wing of the school, known for being an area of science. However, whatever enjoyment I may have derived from the subject, I felt no joy slowly, but surely, my footsteps began to echo out through the looming corridor, mustering up my courage I began to walk forward.
‘I have no idea what the monster looks like, hell it could even be a centipede!, do I really want to fight a centipede.’
My thoughts began to shift, after all, would someone help me if this situation was reversed, ‘no you can’t think like that Flow, steel yourself!’ Shaking my head rapidly I began to forge onwards with my path! I promised myself I wouldn’t get blindsided again.
“Hey, Flow.”
“Ahh! Christ! Melody, what are you doing here? How did you find me?” One valid question came after another out of my throat like machine gun fire.
“Oh, you know. Ghost stuff.” Melody began to explain rather childishly.
“Melody, come on, you know I need more than-”
*Vrmmm* *Vrrrm*
I felt a familiar vibration down my pocket, reaching towards my back-pocket I grabbed a sleek, black phone out, placing it within the palm of my hand I felt the vibration, but that feeling soon faded as I looked at the name, “Reece. Oh, c#@&.” Racing to answer the phone, my hand moved with statistic enhanced dexterity.
“Reece? Are you okay?”
“Flow! Flow! Can you hear me? The signal is getting messed -- The monster -- East Wing -- whatever you do don’t -- ” *Ccrrr* A loud static prevailed from the phone, it’s haunting message still remaining within the air as vibrations to enter the ear.
“What was that metal rectangle? Who were you talking to? Flow. Why do you look so pale? Hey, let go!”
[Ability Gained, "Desperate Sprint"] Lv 1
[The user can gain increased agility for the duration of a sprint, Stamina consumption is doubled during the duration of the run.]
I unquestionably bolted off, Reece was in trouble, I gave no thought to Melody’s questions as I ran, all I could feel was the blistering wind rushing past me. I knew I wasn’t going to make it, how could I. The corners of the school displayed a certain tightness, as with my agility statistic I found it hard to turn in time. Each passing toward my destination I began cutting the curves at sharper angles.
“Flow, can you please just tell me what is going on!” Melody began to protest at the back. Turning my head to look at her I began to open my mouth before she screamed, “Flow look out!”
Eyes darting I swiftly turned my head forward, only for my eyes to widen dramatically, I was stupid for not having thought of it, I couldn’t afford to think at my current speed, but it was far too late now. This wall was too close, there was no way I was going to dodge it. As my eyes began to close I felt an all too familiar coldness engulf me. Shooken away by the penetrating chillness, I saw my body begin to turn into shadow, as I passed through the wall, teleported to the other side. Body returning to normal and not slowing down in my sprint at all, I only further increased my speed as I held Melody’s arm tighter.
I had an idea... Avoiding the glares of students in the classroom I had teleported. I continued running full steam ahead at the current wall, the feeling of coldness once again encompassing my being as I felt the wall slip right through me. Yeah, I could get used to this.
*Whoosh* *Whoosh* Whoosh*
Screams could be heard around the school, about a brown-haired boy who was teleporting through classrooms, with a highly above average looking girl. Normally I wouldn’t be able to teleport so easily, but with gaining the Constitution statistic, it seemed that my body had become stronger overall, being tougher it could take the heavy strain that teleporting would normally place on it. But these thoughts didn’t come to pass, my mind was on one thing and one thing alone. I had to save Reece.