The clock struck five in the afternoon, signaling the end of another day of teaching. I felt a surge of satisfaction after my session with Section Three, although I decided against giving them a pop quiz. Instead, I played a little trick on them. As for my lunch, I joined the students in the cafeteria line, opting to buy something to eat. However, a sudden pang of worry struck me—my dear grandmother. I needed to bring back some food for her, so she wouldn't have to settle for plain rice at home. I wanted to surprise her, after all.

Heading back to the Science Faculty, I longed for a moment of rest before making my way home. Passing by the classrooms in the hallway, I caught a glimpse of students rising from their seats, eager to leave for the day. Taking the elevator to the first floor, I found myself among a few teachers, all preparing to depart.

"Alexis, didn't you hear the commotion earlier? There was another brawl in my class!" remarked the college instructor I had conversed with earlier. "Those troublemakers never cease to amaze me. Instead of going through with the quiz, I ended up dragging them to the Guidance Office! Sometimes, I feel like switching to a different advisory class!"

I chuckled, making my way to my desk. "And your students were thrilled by the delay of their quiz. Have you considered contacting their parents to let them in on their children's antics?"

"I did that right away. Tomorrow, there will be consequences," he replied with a determined tone.

Seated comfortably, I began organizing my belongings. Exhaustion started to seep in—today's classes had been consecutive. Nonetheless, I wasn't nearly as stressed as the instructor, who was now immersed in his smartphone, absentmindedly scratching his head.

"Perhaps, if you were in charge of my section, your asthma would flare up every single day, Al?" he quipped with a grin, provoking laughter.

I chuckled briefly in response before closing my eyes, remaining in my seat. A brief nap seemed tempting, just to rejuvenate before heading home.

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Briant!" The other teachers bid me farewell as they filed out of the room. The college instructor lingered for a moment before finally exiting.

I lingered a few minutes longer, savoring the calm within the faculty walls. A momentary reprieve seemed deserved before embarking on the journey back home. My eyes remained closed as I remained seated, enveloped in tranquility. Suddenly, silence descended upon the room. Most likely, the building had emptied, leaving me alone in the room.

Until...

Amidst my temporary respite, a peculiar sensation coursed through my body. A chill ran down my spine, as if an icy breeze had caressed my skin. It was an indescribable feeling, yet it evoked a strange mix of curiosity and unease. I had never experienced anything like it before in my life. It felt like something or someone was approaching, drawing nearer to me. Although skeptical of the supernatural, I couldn't help but shiver involuntarily.

In the midst of my reverie, a piercing scream from a woman shattered the silence outside. Startled, I swiftly opened my eyes, instinctively turning toward the window. What I saw left me astounded. People were frantically fleeing the building, casting fearful glances towards the dark clouds rapidly advancing on the horizon. Observing those near the gate, a mass exodus of panicked individuals, I couldn't fathom the cause of their terror. There was an impending danger, but its origin remained a mystery.

The ominous dark clouds grew ever closer, looming large in the distance. These were no ordinary clouds—they were colossal, casting a shadow over the land. I couldn't tear my gaze away, captivated by the sight and yet gripped by a sense of impending doom. The atmosphere crackled with tension, as if the very air held its breath.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

A sudden surge of the inexplicable sensation I had felt earlier coursed through me once more. A chill wind swept across my skin, causing goosebumps to rise. It was as if the world itself held its breath, bracing for what was to come. Panic gripped the crowd, their frenzied movements mirroring the chaos in their hearts.

I once again felt the strange sensation that compelled me to leave my room and the building altogether. In my panic, I ran out of the faculty area without grabbing my bag and headed straight down the long hallway. As I emerged outside, I realized that everyone had already left the lobby and all the lights were out. It was getting dark. I hurriedly made my way to the exit, only to find people running away from approaching dark clouds. The wind outside was incredibly strong. I glanced upwards to see a massive cloud that was much closer than I had anticipated!

My eyes widened in fear, and I started running away in a state of panic. I joined the fleeing crowd, but I soon realized that the cloud was moving at an alarmingly fast pace, engulfing the sky's light. I witnessed people jostling and falling as they ran, while the wind grew stronger. Suddenly, it all stopped.

Silence fell. And then, a loud, sinister laughter resonated from an unknown source. It echoed for a moment before fading away. The panic among the crowd persisted.

By the time I had distanced myself from the university, the ominous clouds had reached the buildings, trapping some people who were left behind. I saw the clouds pass over them, but the darkness obscured what happened next. I continued running, and suddenly, peculiar beings appeared before me. They were dark and terrifying to look at, mere silhouettes, with glowing eyes but no faces.

I did not stop running, but unfortunately, the dark cloud caught up with me. Its smog-like substance swarmed around us, and the surroundings grew darker. The air I inhaled now felt poisonous and stale.

I noticed a woman suddenly collapse, unconscious, and another person convulsing and turning rigid. But what was more horrifying was witnessing one of the creatures attacking someone relentlessly.

The creatures I had mentioned were now behind us, swiftly approaching. Panic intensified among the people, and with each scream, they were swiftly silenced by the creatures. I grew even more terrified by what I saw and didn't want to be caught and killed myself.

As I looked ahead, I accidentally collided with a statue, its mouth agape. But why was there a statue in the middle of the road? Wait... it was the college instructor I had spoken to earlier!

Mr. Dexter!!!

I was taken aback and stumbled backward. Suddenly, one of the creatures approached and attacked a child beside me. I sat frozen in fear, but quickly stood up and moved away. I saw more people turning into stone! I witnessed more attacks from the dark figures! What on earth was happening here?!!

Unfortunately, my asthma struck me after inhaling the foul air for a few minutes. Now, I couldn't breathe! My chest tightened, as if I were drowning!

I ran again, but not as fast as before. Desperately, I searched for my inhaler but remembered that I had left my bag behind. I noticed the shadows of the dead people moving on their own on the ground before they departed in different directions, as if leaving their own bodies for an inexplicable reason. In the distance, I could still see the ongoing attacks by the dark silhouettes.

Gradually, my vision became blurred, and I could no longer endure the lack of breath. I stopped running, but I crawled forward to distance myself from the danger and impending death. I desperately sought to catch my breath, but the pain grew intense, and my lungs refused to cooperate. My hearing started to fade too... I couldn't go on any longer...

My body finally gave in, and I collapsed onto the ground. My mouth remained open as I watched the chaos unfold in the distance. I could still see the creatures attacking from afar, but soon enough, they abruptly retreated to where they came from. Thankfully, they didn't spot me.

Silence fell.

My vision became increasingly blurred, and my hearing faded away. I could no longer move my body. I believed it was time for me to face my impending death due to my condition. I couldn't breathe anymore...

I humbly ask for your forgiveness, grandmother...

Gradually, my vision grew darker, so I closed my eyes. However, I quickly reopened them upon hearing footsteps drawing near. I saw two feet of a person standing right in front of me... But due to my extreme weakness, I couldn't make out much. I tried my best to focus and identify the person, but my vision completely vanished...