Chapter 21: A Blackout
The bell for the ending of school rang like a holy hymn, but my relief was killed swiftly as my grandma continued lecturing the class. One kid – that poor brave soul – tried to get up. My grandmother took out a ruler and smacked him with a thundering "thwack". Everyone else in the class sat stalk still.
"You may not go! The lesson isn't over." My grandma then continued. She was ranting about math and some sort of equation. No one protested, but I knew everyone was devastated that they had to suffer like this for longer than mandatory.
I looked out my window. The stupid sun was already beginning its descent. Clouds were rolling in, and so I knew it'd be dark soon.
"HINAMORI! PAY ATTENTION!" the ruler caught the side of my head audibly. The entire class gasped despite themselves. I had to act quickly. As far as those kids knew no one did that to Hinamori Amu and got away with it.
Catching my grandma's eye with a meaningful look I shoved my chair aside. As it clattered to the ground, echoing in the class's silence I yelled,
"What's your problem lady? You might not have anything better to do than to lecture kids for hours, but I, at least, do! I want to get home to my family and my dinner!" Then I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and started to walk out the door when something hard slapped painfully across my back. I looked behind me. Grandmother was holding the yardstick like a sword.
Reaching around I grabbed a (conveniently placed) different yardstick and exclaimed, "Engarde then!" The two of us started battling with the rulers. Neither of us held back, which meant my arms were stinging from the continuous beating.
As the class watched in awe the sun fell lower and lower along the horizon. I saw the meaningful look in my grandma's eye. This was what needed to happen then. I defended myself from her strike again. If this helps her get out of here quicker than so be it!
"SMACK!" the sound echoed through the classroom. My grandma had slapped me forcefully across the face with the broad side of a yardstick. I dropped my ruler and staggered back.
"OFF WITH YA YOU MISBEHAVING BRAT!" my grandmother cried. I took that as my queue to turn and leave, but before that could happen I was suddenly surrounded in darkness. Everything was utterly black.
I heard squeals and questioning cries from around me; that told me everyone else could see it too and it wasn't just some weird vision. It was a blackout, but the sun had already set so everything in the class was dark. I took out a match, lighting it swiftly.
"Figures Hinamori Amu has a match! The girl's a trouble maker!" A girl named Yamabuki Saaya jeered.
"Hinamori Amu! Cool & Spicy!" the majority of the class cheered. I looked around, casting the match's light around the room. Everyone seemed to be there... except.
"Hey! Where'd that teacher go?" an oblivious boy questioned. A terrible scream erupted from a short girl with long brown hair. I heard cackling from beside her. A different girl, who had amber eyes and black hair in a high ponytail, was smiling wickedly.
"Check the doors, you'll find them locked no doubt. It seems we have demons in our mists!"
I wanted to smack that girl. What a poser. Do you know how annoying it is when you actually do have visions and can see ghosts and someone like that comes along and people actually fall for their little act? They know nothing, and if that girl had seen what I'd seen, she'd have died of fright by now, I could guarantee it.
Like the Cool & Spicy person everyone thought I was I pointed at a nerdy boy in the front row, "You! Check the doors!" I barked. The class was silent until the kid's nervous voice echoed against the walls,
"T-they're l-locked."
"Fuck." I muttered. All at once the students fell into chaos. Chairs and desks fell over. People were banging against windows and screaming as if their lives depended on it. I took that change to grabbed Tadase, who was in my class, by the neck and drag him to a corner. On the way I grabbed Nagihiko as well.
"Is this one of your ghosts?"
"Of course not!" Nagihiko said immediately, "There isn't any kind of presence like that! No everything feels normal!"
"Except nothing is normal because we'd got a class of sixth graders trapped in a classroom during a blackout and the substitute teacher mysteriously dissapeared!" I growled.
"Nagihiko, are you sure you don't sense anything?" Tadase inquired. Nagihiko shook his head.
"I only sense abnormalities in us three and some of the students, but that's just normal."
"Well then we have to see which abnormal student is causing this!" I hissed at the both of them, "At this rate these kids are going to riot!" I felt the heat of the match as it got closer to my fingers.
"SOMEONE GET ME A CANDLE BEFORE I KICK ALL YOUR ASSES!" I shouted over my shoulder. I heard yelps of terror and people scrambling to find a candle. Finally a kid from the arts and crafts club handed me the candle I'd seen her making with the rest of them one afternoon.
"Thanks." I muttered. It was kind of her to lend such a well made piece to someone who'd just shouted, get me a candle before I kick your ass. Setting it on the desk and lighting it with the match I finally got rid of that stupid burning sensation in my fingers.
"Okay! Everyone sit down! I'm sure this isn't anything but some kind of misunderstanding!" I shouted over the noise, trying to convince even myself that there was a reasonable explanation for all this, "The custodians probably locked us in because we were kept so late, and the substitute, who is clearly scared of the dark fled out a back way."
"What back way? We checked all three doors!" an anonymous voice rang above the rest.
"She probably went out the main door and locked us all inside, that bitch!" another shouted.
"SILENCE!" that amber eyed girl from before screeched. She started pacing up and down the aisles of desks, "Back to your seats! All of you!" she hissed menacingly. There was a loud clatter of moving desks and chairs as people begrudgingly got back in their seats. I smirked. Impressive, she's almost as good as me. I leaned against the wall. That girl, Koizumi Akane, is infamous in the school. Everyone believes she really is in contact with "spirits of the beyond" she is known amongst the students as the Red Witch of Seiyo Academy. This'll be interesting.
"I have long ago suspected foul play and wandering spirits in this academy, but recently I sense the unwelcome stench of death licking at my ear drums!" I wanted to laugh, sensing a stench licking your ear drums? I knew she was just a wanna-be, but her words were to funny to get angry at.
"Now that night has come and fresh youth breath within the belly of the school there will surely be spirits coming attack us!"
"So are you saying whatever it is got that teacher?" someone asked. "Thank god!" a boy in the back shouted. Akane whipped around to face the questioner.
"NO! I'm saying that that substitute is not a victim! BUT A PERPETRATOR!" I wanted to burst into a fit of giggles. I could just see the dramatic lightning and thunder just like she probably saw it in her head.
As if sensing my thoughts there was a bolt of lightning. For a brief moment the dim light from the candle blinked out. That split second of darkness suddenly had my heart racing.
"Amu... you sense something don't you?" Nagihiko asked, gently putting his hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at him and Tadase,
"Neither of you know death like I do." I commented. My entire body started shaking, "Then I'll tell you... death is here." those last three words echoed condemningly. Every face turned towards me. Akane, her expression was a mixture of annoyance and fear.
"Hinamori Amu. You can see the spirits?" I suddenly felt an odd impulse. They should know! They should all know at least the minimum of what I can tell them.
"Yes—" I began walking down to the front of the class. I brought the candle with me, "but mostly I know death. I have never died, but if ever I meet anyone that has died, I see how." As I continued talking I let my voice become darker: terrifying. For the first time since that night I realized my ability could be used to save someone. These students. Death was here. But it didn't need or want them all. It only needed one. But will you really give him that one he needs? I asked myself. No, but I will protect those he doesn't need. was my reply.
I let my unique power flourish around me for the first time ever. I actually tried to use it and I realized that with practice I had the potential to be powerful like Nagihiko or Tsukasa or Yaya. Even with this power of death I could protect everyone I cared about.
Then I felt it. Death. Its footsteps were near the middle row of desks. My blood ran cold. I saw the flashes of bloodstains.
"SOMEONE'S BEEN TAKEN ALREADY!" I cried nearly dropping the candle.
Before my words could even really sink in the class exploded into chaos. Everyone was screaming and shouting desks and chairs fell over again. Through the candlelight I noticed Akane staggering backwards.
"Mikan! Where are you!" I heard a boy calling. I looked over. It was Sasaki Haru the brother of Sasaki Mikan. I stepped closer to Nagihiko, whispering in his ear,
"Mikan... was she one of those abnormals?"
"No... she wasn't, neither is her brother... wait, why are you using the past tense!?"
"because—" I increased the volume of my voice, "MIKAN WAS THE ONE TAKEN!"
"NOOOOO!" There were many crashing sounds and Haru was grabbing me by the collar, "YOU'RE A LIAR! SHE CAN'T BE DEAD!" he turned away from me, "MIKAN! MIKAN! IT'S OKAY, DON'T BE SCARED! COME OUT! COME OUT!" I put my hand on his shoulder,
"Calm down! You have to be strong! We ALL have to be strong!" I yelled above the noise." then I walked over the door.
"Let's at least find Mikan's corpse! If we stay here we're as good as fish in a barrel here!" I did an elaborate spinning kick, knocking the door off of its hinges.
One breathe of the air outside that door and I collapsed instantly.
"ACK!" I gasped. I heard Nagihiko grunt in pain. I shook myself. If he can fight off the pain, so can you! "Damn!" I muttered as I slowly stood up, with the help of the doorframe.
"Hinamori-senpai!" some of my classmates cried. I didn't have time to worry about why they were suddenly calling me senpai.
"It's okay! It just reeks of death! I can't really handle it."
"Uh... uh! ack! ack! It burns!" I heard Akane suddenly cry. I gritted my teeth. What a scam artist!
I held up my candle to look out into the hallway. The sight wasn't pleasant at all. My arm started shaking. My voice was shrill as I broke the silence,
"OH MY GOD!"
Blood was smeared across the wall with Mikan's broken body lying on the floor tiles underneath. Haru came to my side. Dropping to his knees and tears rolling down his cheeks he screamed,
"MIKAN! NOOO—" his "no" would've dragged on longer but he choked. The rest of the class gathered around us. I shut my eyes trying not to see the blood or hear the screaming.
Author: I guess this counts as a cliff hanger.... anyway it was getting too long so now its in parts. XD creepy right? :D i figured I'd put in a poser (Akane) because if you could see ghosts and death and stuff wouldn't you just hate people who pretend they can? So please review!
Angel Kukai: HEY! WAIT! I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SAY ANYTHING—
Rima: she doesn't own shugo chara
Angel Kukai: WAIT! LET ME SAY SOMETHING—
Daichi: thanks for reading!
Angel Kukai: *chibi tears * not you too! my own chara!