Maribel Flashback I

"I'm sorry to call this meeting so abruptly, but it is urgent that I have to speak to both of you, Mr and Mrs Hearn."

They nodded, understanding what the situation might be, but wished it wasn't. The mother turning to look at the eight year old Maribel, who was happily sat in one of the chairs of the school library alone. Kicking her legs out while she read, her humming could be quietly heard through the slightly ajar door. If it wasn't the urgency and tone of her teacher's voice during the phone call, she wouldn't have thought anything wrong. Realising that she wasn't going to move, the father wrapped his arm around her to gently move her into the classroom. Reassuring her that the blonde would be fine, despite the unsure tone he, himself, had. Once they were sat down, the father immediately rose their suspicions to why they were called here.

"I see this is obviously something to do with Maribel, did something happen to her?"

The teacher shifted in his seat, clearing his throat before responding.

"Well, you can describe it like that. But it wasn't exactly 'what happened to her' as much as the effect it had on another student."

The teacher continued to be silent, letting the parents process the information they were just given. He continued once they finished their short, hushed conversation and turning back to give their full attention to learn more.

"Of course, Maribel is an outstanding student. Perfect grades, attitude and mature behaviour. More so for her age, but...myself and staff alike are concerned as she hasn't been able to make friends. In which I'm sure you already know."

Both parents nodded, recalling the amount of times any other teacher commented on the young girl's lack of friendship with other students. Even questioning her to why, in which she simply stated that she tries as if it wasn't a big deal.

"however...this is an incident that we as a school cannot ignore. Of course we can excuse this to the health problems you already informed us of, but that does not make it an excuse in front of the board unfortunately, nor can the board explain this either."

The two parents exchanged worried glances, a feeling that they know roughly what could have happened. knowing that, whatever it was, it was affected by whatever Maribel had.

"So, what was the incident? We hope it's nothing so serious and just a misunderstanding."

The teacher sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. It was obvious that he didn't want to tell them, but at the same time he wasn't sure on how to tell them.

"Mr and Mrs Hearn, I seriously hope that this is just some misunderstanding, both on my part and the teachers who should have been present at the time. But this is something so extraordinary that I doubt any logical sense of the incident happening."

Strolling through the hallway, swinging her arms little Maribel quietly hummed to herself. Sitting in the library eventually became boring for her, the book she was given already read thoroughly, and fed up of reading and walked out of the library. Idly looking into the windows and open doors to find where her parents were. So far, no luck as every room was empty and dark due to the fading sunlight, which Maribel was content on just looking in without entering a moment or two before moving on. Her humming slowly stopped as the realisation of just how eerily quiet it is, a strange feeling in a place that she has always known to be full of activity and people. Now with only herself, her parents and possibly a few teachers who she hasn't seen for a while since she was led into the library, the school gave off a daunting vibe. In which only increased as she wandered into a dimly lit hallway, her stroll now a nervous shuffle, stopping entirely when she took two steps into the hallway.

"H...hello?"

Her voice echoes through the hallway unnaturally. Maribel began to step backwards out of the hallway and close the door to continue looking for her parents. However, she wasn't leaving, seemingly walking backwards throughout the passageway. Turning her head to see why she wasn't leaving, she realised that she somehow managed to walk into the middle of the hallway. The door seemingly much further away then before, and the way more terrifying to walk. Turning back, lights flicker on and off as doors slowly begin to close one by one, starting with the furthest ones away. Shutting with an audible slam throughout the silent hallway, startling Maribel as she began to quiver with fear. Rooted to the spot, her legs refused to move as her eyes were fixed on the looming darkness that lurked on the other end of the hallway.

A flicker of a light, revealing a tall, dark shadow. Humanoid, and then gone in a second flicker moments after the first. Maribel held her breath, not wanting to make a sound, shutting her eyes in hopes everything would turn back to normal.

'Count to five and the scary thing will go away. Mother always told me that.'

Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she slowly counted. Her small hands trembling, gripped together as her voice began to quiver with the overwhelming fear. Doors shutting became more frequent and louder the closer the noise got to Maribel. By three, a low hum reverberated around her, making her voice go up a pitch higher with fright. hesitating with the last two numbers as the noises refused to quieten, becoming more loud the closer the blonde got to the last number.

"Five."

Hesitating just a moment, Maribel opened her eyes. Hoping that everything was back to normal. It wasn't, it was only worse. Lights instantly turned off, leaving the blonde in complete darkness. The remaining open doors suddenly shut simultaneously, the slam echoing eerily before falling deathly silent. Her quaking breath the only thing she could hear, tears begin forming at the corners of her eyes, Maribel whimpered slightly.

The lights turned on and Maribel screamed, instantly gaining energy to run towards the doors she entered through earlier. Desperately wanting to escape this hell, to get as far away from this monster as possible.

"Maribel!"

Hearing the screams of a terrified child, the adults ceased the meeting and went to the library to check on the blonde. Where they found that she was no longer there. The father mumbled under his breath as he slammed his palm on the doorframe.

"I knew someone should have looked over her! Why didn't we think?!"

There wasn't enough time for the two to respond as he immediately ran down the hall shouting Maribel's name. The mother trailing behind, telling the father that he might be overreacting a little. Looking into doorways to catch a glimpse of the child, she managed to find Maribel in the middle of an adjacent hallway, curled up in a fetal position with her arms over her face on the floor, shivering and crying. Immediately, the mother ran over without thinking, the teacher calling out to the father, who had already ran into another classroom further down.

"Mr Hearn! We've found her."

It wasn't long until he ran back to where they were, pushing the teacher out of the way in panic as he barreled into the hallway and comforting Maribel along with his wife. Thankfully it wasn't long until Maribel stopped crying and reluctantly sat up, immediately crawling to her mother for comfort, clinging onto her tightly. The father sighed in relief, patting the blonde on the head before standing up and leading his wife out. Passing the teacher, who looked confused and slightly concerned, he silently whispered.

"Say nothing of this, even the incident that happened earlier."

"but Mr Hea-"

"if you have to report it, say it was a misunderstanding. Kids can have overactive minds, blame it on that, but do not speak of any abnormal occurrence that did happen. I'm willing to pay towards the school if you want, but I would like it if this was treated like it never happened."

The teacher silently nodded, he couldn't exactly argue against the threat due to what was relayed to him, nor how he would report the incident either. The two parents left without another word, the mother carrying a now asleep Maribel in her arms to the car to go home.

The next day, Maribel completely forgot about both incidents.