Tsubaki always had the feeling this wasn't a prank. She knew Black*Star well enough that he would've never been able to plan this, and all of this was way too much for Soul to handle alone. Knowing without a doubt and with clarity this was all real was… scarier than she thought it would be.
They were trapped within a school they knew very little about with three children looking to kill anyone. All of their friends… they didn't know where they were, but she hoped they weren't here. All she hoped was they had already found a way to escape this place and gotten away from here.
Her arms tightened around Liz who had calmed down a little, but was still shaken up by the reality. She needed to help her get away from here quickly. Liz had already been through so much, she didn't deserve to be here. And trapped in a nightmare the least. Liz had trouble keeping herself together when Maka told her ghost stories, and now they were experiencing one.
The thought of finding a good hiding spot for her to hide in while she searched for an exit had struck her, but she wasn't sure Liz would be able to handle it. She was shaken up like she had never seen her, and rightfully so, but how would she be able to help her? She couldn't take Liz with her, but she couldn't leave her either, and if they stayed in the same place, the ghost children would find them eventually.
They had to do something. But what?
"Hey Liz," Tsubaki spoke up. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask you this."
"W-what?"
"Do you want to hide until I've found an exit or do you want to come with me searching for it?"
Liz grew silent, thinking over her options. "What if you run into the ghosts?"
"Don't worry. I will be careful." Tsubaki comfortingly squeezed her bicep. "It would give you time to calm down. And when you've calmed down, I'll be back to get you to the exit."
"… where will I hide?"
Tsubaki gazed around the classroom until she settled on the teacher's desk and chair. "Over there." She gestured toward it with her head.
"Why there and not in the closet?" Liz pointed at the back of the classroom.
"If the ghosts are smart, they will know that's a typical hiding spot. Under the desk is an unconventional place to hide and with the chair looking like it does, we can easily create the illusion that no one can hide under it."
"O-oh, right. I should've known that."
Her fear was really eating away at her. Even with Liz's wide set of skills of survival was dulled by her fear. Liz really needed time to take all of this in.
Tsubaki gave her a comforting hug before she pulled away. She went over to the teacher's desk and she grabbed a hold of the chair. She broke off the front of its legs and she scooted it in. With the fine details almost covering the whole back, it would be hard to see what was under the desk. A perfect place to hide. It would create the perfect illusion of being completely pushed forward and no one would know the front legs of the chair were gone and there was a perfect amount of room for someone to hide in.
She was about to call for Liz to come when she really started to pay attention to what was on the table. It was an old newspaper article. It shouldn't have bothered her, but the black and white picture was of a school and the headline read "Principle found dead by the closed down elementary school".
She raised her eyebrow.
On Saturday morning the police found the principle of Gallows Elementary School dead. Their investigation showed the principle had to have jumped from the roof to his death. The police speculate the victim wore a mask over his head and committed suicide due to the incidents tied to the elementary school and the recent closing of it.
She couldn't help but to think about the ghost story Maka had told about Gallows Elementary School. The one about a teacher falling to her death in a stairway. The principal had covered himself and jumped to his death. So the incident had been about the teacher, but the article had incidents written out. The teacher's death was one incident. What more was it about this school?
She couldn't help but to feel there was more to this school. The ghost children were here for a reason. The school had turned this way for a reason. They were here for a reason. And she wanted to uncover it.
But first a way out.
"What are you looking at?" Liz asked.
Tsubaki looked up from the paper and shook her head. "It's nothing special. Just an article about this school."
"Anything useful?"
Tsubaki shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's a little about what happened here."
"What did?"
She offered her a smile. "We can talk about that later." She gestured for Liz. "Come here. You'll be safe as long as you are hiding under the desk."
Liz seemingly accepted her brush off and on shaky legs Liz got up and made her way over to the desk. She pulled out the modified chair, help Liz get under the teacher's desk and when she was about to put the chair in place, Liz grabbed a hold of her leg.
"Promise me you will be careful."
Tsubaki kneeled down in front of Liz and she grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. "I promise. I'll be very careful."
Liz seemed relieved when she rested her back against the drawer under the teacher's desk. Tsubaki pulled Liz's hand from her and gave an encouraged smile.
"Calm down and make sure you stay quiet. I will be back before you know it with an exit."
"Good luck."
Tsubaki placed the chair in the way and it truly was perfect. The thorough coverage of the back chair made it really difficult to see Liz. As long as she stayed quiet and still, no one would be able to discover her.
She left Liz within the classroom and as silently as she could, she cracked the door open, quietly closing it behind her. The white paint on the sign had become an aged yellow and it read 2-6. There was no sound of any more victims or the three ghost girls. Good. They had probably left after they had gotten their kill. But now she also didn't know where they were. They could be anywhere. She needed to stay on her guard. Liz was counting on her.
She tiptoed down the corridors, listening carefully for any sounds, but all the sound she heard was the rain splattering against the windows. She found a stairway and she found herself on the ground floor. Now there had to be an exit. If she simply followed the windows, she would eventually find an exit out of the school.
Now when she had found the article on the demise of the principle of Gallows Elementary School, her eyes seemed open and alert for any more pieces of papers. She passed a deceased body that seemed have fallen through the ceiling but no notes were present.
She kept on walking through the corridor. Her ears sharpened when the sound of rain seemingly grew louder. Her steps hurried and she found herself jogging as silently as she could. Joy rooted in her belly when she found a small nook turning right. She rounded the corner and she wanted to weep in joy. Planks and nails were discarded on the ground in front of the main entrance that stood wide open and rain poured outside. She could smell the wet rain and feel the humidity outside on her skin.
She had to find Liz!
She whirled around and she bolted back. She ran up the stairs and she hurried her way back to the classroom. She broke through the door and hurried forward to the desk.
"Liz!" she exclaimed as she pulled away the chair. "I found a way out! I found the main entrance! We can go home!"
Liz's eyes widened in shock. "Y-you did?"
She nodded eagerly. "I did. Let's leave!"
"But what about Patty? She could still be in here."
"She is a smart girl. She and everybody else trapped in here are all clever and they will find the exit too."
Liz remained quiet. Her lips tense and a small wrinkle appeared between her eyes. "What if Patty can't find her way out? She…" Liz's jaw tightened. "She needs me."
"She could already be outside. We could check if all of our friends are outside already and there could be better reception outside. Maybe then we can call them."
After a long paus, Liz slowly nodded. "Alright."
She offered her hand to Liz which she accepted. She heaved Liz on her feet and she showed Liz the way. They tiptoed their way through the corridor, she showed Liz the way. They went down the stairs and before they knew it, the sound of rain grew closer and she could visibly see how relieved Liz grew at the familiar sound.
Wood clattered together around the corner inside of the hall. She grabbed Liz's wrist and they came to a halt.
Someone was in the hall.
As cautiously as they could they snuck over to the corner and peaked inside. Passed the wooden shelves with small shoes scattered everywhere, a guy stood. He wasn't glowing and… he seemed to be around their age, maybe a little bit older. She could tell simply looking at his back he was wearing a school uniform, but it wasn't one she had seen before. For some reason… he didn't look dangerous. He didn't seem like he was someone they needed to stay away from.
Carefully she rounded the corner, keeping her distance. "Hey."
The guy literally jumped into the air and he spun around, eyes wide and on high alert.
"We're Liz and Tsubaki. We're both trying to escape out of here―"
"No! Stay away!" The man interrupted Liz and he sneered toward them as he backpedalled. "I don't believe you."
"Hey, hey, hey." Liz raised her hands in surrender. "We're not going to hurt you. We aren't like the ghost kids. We don't glow."
"Who says you're not taken by the madness!" he growled at them. "I don't believe you! No one will believe you!" Before they knew it, he twirled and dashed toward the main entrance. He threw himself out of the hall and out in the rain. They quickly went after him.
A loud bang went off and dirt, blood and flesh scattered all over them. Warm liquid and dirt hit her face, clothes and thighs. She could barely believe it… the ground exploded under his foot and… unknowing to all of them, he was gone just like that without a warning. The guy they had run into was gone before they knew it. For just a moment, silence filled and only the rain could be heard.
A thousand thoughts ran through her mind. The warm liquid almost burned her skin and it reeked of copper which burned her nose. Her heartbeat pulsed in her head and her knees shook from the shock. Her legs gave in and she fell on the ground, the rain pouring around them and all she could see was where the guy had stepped and turned into pieces.
"I can't believe this…" Tsubaki murmured. "I-I can't—…" She turned away from the horrendous scene and she buried her face in her hands. "W-w-what just happened?!"
She could barely process it all. The guy. He had been alive and talking and then— he had been blown apart and the ground had been ripped up. A mine. It had to be a mine he had stepped on. But who would plant mines around an elementary school?!
She madly shook her head and her long hair whipped her face from the force.
Who was she kidding? This might've been an elementary school once or appeared like one, but it was not an innocent school. This was hell with ghosts trying to kill them and windows that wouldn't budge. She should've known the suspicious open entrance door had a catch. It had simply been bait, an electric lamp to draw the flies in and before they knew it, they were electrified to death. Only this time, because of the guy's impatience and flight sense, he had stepped into the mouse trap instead of them.
If they— holy shit… If she had gone with Tsubaki… that would've been them.
Her whole body started quivering madly, her hands clenched and the mud got under her nails she usually was very particular of her nail care. At the moment, she didn't care. Her mind was wrapped at the new idea that if she had been braver and went with Tsubaki, they would've been dead. They could've been the blood and meat splatter on the ground mixed with the dirt.
She bit her lower lip and she breathed heavily.
This place— this place was driving her insane! All this time they had tried to find a way out as they had tried to survive— but this place was just playing with them! It was playing with their heads and kicking them slowly in the legs, just waiting for them to give in before they ended them.
Her breath came quick and she breathed heavily, her fingers entangled in her hair and the mud dirtied her blonde strands. The scary thought of what could've happened to them consumed her. She could see images of her body scattered on the ground and her blonde hair cascading down as a slow reminder of what had happened. The images almost torn her mind to pieces before Tsubaki's warm hand placed on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
"W-w-we need t-to get away from h-here," the usual calm and collected Tsubaki stuttered. "I-it was loud— t-they could be on their way h-here."
The ghosts. The three little girls had to have heard the explosion. With their lust for blood the ear-deafening sound couldn't have gone over their heads. Tsubaki was right, they had to be on their way.
She allowed Tsubaki to pull her up on her feet and on her own, Tsubaki supported her inside of the nightmare building. When they had found the exit, she had never wanted to walk inside of the school ever again, but here they were; willingly stumbling inside to avoid any evil ghosts they could run into.
Tear trickled down her cheeks and mixed with the blood and dust on her face. A light caught Tsubaki's attention and she steered them toward the classroom. Tsubaki struggled with juggling supporting her while she tried to unlock the classroom door. After a few attempts the door slid open and they wobbled inside and Tsubaki kicked the door shut behind them.
"It's Maka's candle!" Tsubaki heaved with relief and they sunk down beside it, still quivering from the shock of what they had seen. Her hand quivered and she found the piece of paper and pen left on the ground.
It was a note from Maka.
Soul and I are together. We're both fine. We saw a guy with a chainsaw lurking around the corridor. Make sure to stay away from him. He's bad news.
"A-a-a-a chainsaw?!" she exclaimed.
Maybe reading the note before they had calmed down was a mistake.
Tsubaki closed her eyes and her mouth formed a tense line. She inhaled loudly before she opened them and turned to her. "Let's just…" she shook her head slowly as she picked up Maka's pen she had left behind and she started to scribble on the paper.
Don't go outside! There are mines buried in the ground! Be on the lookout for three female ghost children. Me and Liz saw them kill an innocent girl without any hesitation. Be on your guard!
She had looked over Tsubaki's shoulder as she had written down the warning. Even when she was shook, she still managed to think about others. She however, she couldn't even seem to control her own body. She bit her lower lip and she buried her face in her arms as she pulled her knees to her chest.
All she wanted was to go home. All she wanted was to take a long bath and wash off the guy's blood of her body and wash her uniform. She wanted to make her own special face mask and fix her nails. She didn't sign up for this!
Tsubaki's arms wrapped around her and she brought her into her warm embrace. She sobbed and she wrapped her arms around Tsubaki's waist, burying her face in her shoulder. She cried into her arms. Tsubaki allowed her to unleash the uneasiness within her, giving her the precious time they had to stabilize her already swaying sanity.
The concept of time seemed to blur together as she sobbed into Tsubaki's school uniform. The white fabric darkened of her tears and her whole shoulder grew wet. All the frustration of being trapped in this place, seeing dead people and having the threat of death hanging over her head, she cried it all out until her body stopped shaking. Thousands of thoughts run through her mind rapidly and the world seemingly started slowing down as the shock wore off.
When she had finally calmed down, Tsubaki had stopped shaking a long time ago and she ran her hand through her hair soothingly.
"I know it is hard," Tsubaki murmured when she caught on to her calming state of mind. "It's hard for me too."
"H-how do you do it?" Liz asked.
"I remind myself I can't afford to freak out. Not when you are already so frightened and unstable." Tsubaki twirled a hair strand around her finger. "And I'm a little better handling scary places than you."
She blew a raspberry. "That's the understatement of the decade."
"It might be up there, but we all have our strengths and weaknesses. You simply have to be in your biggest weakness."
Tsubaki had a point. Tsubaki's biggest strengths were her kindness, consideration, serenity and her calming nature. Nothing seemed to faze her. She had witnessed people screaming in her face to the point veins almost popped on their forehead and spat went flying, and Tsubaki didn't even budge. Not a muscle. She knew how to handle herself and not react impulsively. She was the embodiment of composure.
The situation they found themselves in was terrifying. It was nothing Tsubaki had ever seen, but yet she managed to keep herself together and keep moving forward, hatching plans of attack while she was quivering and unable to cope with the situation.
It still bobbled her mind. She had lived years on the streets. Taking care of her younger sister, doing anything to keep her from harms' way. She had been beaten and bruised on the street. She had seen thing, lived things she didn't want anybody to endure. It was supposed to be her who handled this, not Tsubaki. Her wide set of skills had prepared herself for something horrifying, but yet it was unbearable. It all revolved around the fact of her strong distaste of abandoned buildings and her strong fear toward the super natural, including horror stories. Now she was engulfed in her very own nightmare and it was taking control of her fear.
Liz sighed shakily and she pulled away from her dear friend. "A weakness can always be overcome."
"With time." Tsubaki reached out and she brushed her bicep comfortingly. "And a little bit of bravery."
Liz nodded shakily and she ran her hand through her hair. "I just… Patty? I just hope she's safe with Kid."
"I'm sure she is. Patty is creative and she sees the positivity in everything. I'm sure she's with him and they're somewhere safe. She's probably drawing something in her notebook or humming on a song." She ran her hand up Liz's arm and gave her shoulder a squeeze. "I'm sure all of them are safe. Maka is too smart to be outsmarted by this place and she is skilled in the occult. Soul is quite clever when he needs to be. And Black*Star, this place wouldn't even faze him one bit." Her voice softened and adoration was weaved in every word she spoke about their certain friend.
Liz's stomach knotted and she knew she shouldn't react like that. She cared for Tsubaki. Not simply as a friend. Tsubaki was someone she cherished with her whole heart and she wished Tsubaki would look at her like she looked at her. But her eyes were set on someone else, and had always been.
In class when Marie would lecture about Pride and Prejudice and the society they lived in and Maka would vigorously take notes, her eyes would wander around the classroom. Like how oblivious Maka was of Soul's adoration when he would occasionally fake being asleep when in fact he would be looking at her. Liz recognized her own look in Soul. It was exactly how she looked at Tsubaki. She would look passed Patty sitting and drawing a giraffe in her notebook at Tsubaki seated across the aisle beside Black*Star. She would diligently take notes, but as soon as she was given the chance, her eyes would drift. Right to Black*Star. The worst part of it all was Black*Star would look at Tsubaki the same way.
They had unspoken feelings toward each other and she knew within due time, they would be known. Liz knew better than to dwell on her affection for her friend, but she couldn't. Tsubaki was― she was… one of the most incredible and admirable people she had ever met. She cared for her so much and… quite frankly, she didn't want to let go of her feelings toward her. Even if they would only hurt her in the end.
Tsubaki let out a dry laughter as she smiled as if she was recalling a memory. "He's probably trying to punch through a wall or yelling at the top of his lungs. Or maybe he has probably already found a solution to our problem."
Liz's stomach clenched at how dreamily Tsubaki spoke of Black*Star. Everybody could see they adored each other. Except for Maka because her parents hadn't exactly modelled what a healthy relationship looked like. Or anything related to love honestly.
"Knowing Black*Star he would be the last to find a solution."
"He might come across as brawl and no brain, but if he needs to, he can come up with some unconventional solutions."
Liz blew a raspberry. "Since when did he come up with something useful?"
"Like…" Tsubaki paused. "I can't remember a specific time but he does come up with some interesting thoughts. Simply talking to him he says things that are unique and clever. He knows how to think outside of the box."
"Yeah, like that time when he said if his spine was ever broken, he would hold it up with his muscles because that's how the body works," Liz sarcastically said. "They are outrageous and impossible! None of his ideas are good."
Tsubaki turned quiet. Her hand slipped from Liz's shoulder and she clasped her hands together. "You don't know Black*Star the way I do. I know he is loud and obnoxious in groups, but once you're alone with him, he calms down and he becomes a completely different person."
Liz didn't doubt her. Tsubaki knew Black*Star very well, maybe just as much as Maka even, and they had grown up together. Tsubaki knew Black*Star way more than her and she had seen qualities in him she had never even witnessed a glimpse of, practically didn't exist to her. No matter how she viewed her friend, he would never be associated with the word "calm."
Maybe that was the reason why she only saw Black*Star and not her? What was beneath the surface of Black*Star was something unknown to the others, but to her, she had seen what was deep within him. It had connected them and they shared something Liz couldn't understand. While she and Tsubaki… something wasn't adding up. Maybe Tsubaki simply didn't like girls or… maybe she was too caught up in Black*Star to see anybody else than him.
Whatever the reason, her heart was occupied.
Liz stood up on shakily legs. "Whatever. We should go back to the classroom and figure something out a different plan."
"Hold on." Tsubaki's eyes had drifted to the far end of the classroom.
Liz followed her gaze and what appeared to be a bunch of insignificant papers had caught Tsubaki's attention more than it should. Tsubaki went over to the pieces of papers and grabbed a hold of a paper. She had expected Tsubaki to discard the papers as junk, but her eyes hungrily devoured the message on the papers. She let her curiosity get the better of her and joined Tsubaki by her side, looking over her shoulder.
The letter… the paper wasn't aged like all the other things in the building. In fact, it seemed like it was brand new. Except… the ink had her concerned. It wasn't ink from a ballpoint pen or graphite from a pencil. It seemed like the writer had dipped their finger in dark red ink and written it with their finger. She didn't have to guess what the ink actually was. The scent of copper was strong. Even though she didn't want to think about it, she knew it was blood.
Tsubaki skipped between pages. There were five pages, only two were readable. The other three were either caked in blood or the lines were completely erratic and didn't complete any letters. At least none she could read. It was as if the writer had slowly lost their energy, but their will to write had stayed in their hand and tried to communicate what they wanted.
Her stomach clenched as she started reading the letter.
This place is cursed. It brings out the worst in everybody. This place had me turned against my best friend since diapers. We thought we were lucky to be together in this hell, but it brought out the worst in us. She attacked ME. She was going to stab me in the back. She was going to kill me, but she failed. I don't even want to write down what I did to her corpse, but I was so thirsty. I had tried to swallow my own spit and lick the window in hope some rain drops would melt through the glass and quench my thirst. After that, I thought I would survive. All the hell I had to go through, I thought it would pay off. It was all for nothing.
No. It wasn't all for nothing. You who are reading this, be aware. Do not trust anyone. This place has a way of playing with your mind. This place made me turn toward the one person who I trusted my life to. I never thought she would try to kill me. But she did.
Be. On. Your. Guard! Do not trust anyone!
The letter had left her stunned. She couldn't believe it. Best friends turning on each other and killing them? That's just no way. They couldn't have been as good friends as they had given themselves out to be. Best friends wouldn't do that. Not even in desperate situations! Tsubaki was her best friend and there was no way she would do anything like that to her! What kind of sick person tries to kill them or drinks their— they just wouldn't do that! The place had creeped her out but there is no way she would actually do something like that!
This place was crazy with blood-lusting ghosts and chainsaw-wielding men! She did not need this!
Tsubaki tossed the papers aside in the pool of dried blood. All this blood present here but no body, it was a little bit strange. If the girl was truly gone, she would still be here, but she wasn't…
"This is nonsense." Tsubaki murmured as she stood up. "If they really were best friends, none of that would've happened."
Relief washed over her when Tsubaki came to the same conclusion. "I thought so too. No way best friends would turn against each other like that and do… you know."
"Yeah. We're in a horrible situation but I would never ever want to hurt you."
"Exactly. You're my best friend and I would never even think the thought of letting anything bad happen to you."
Tsubaki slowly shook her head and she stood up, straightening her skirt. "This… this place gives me the creeps. Let's not stay here any longer. W-we should return to classroom 2-6."
Liz made an approving gesture and she nodded toward the paper. "We should write it down. Maybe the others will find us."
Tsubaki went over to the piece of paper and candle. She quickly scribbled down: This classroom isn't safe, go upstairs to classroom 2-6 and we'll try to meet up there. As quietly as they could, they headed back to the safety of classroom 2-6, but they knew: wherever they were inside the school, they wouldn't be safe.
