Chapter two:
A few days later.
More and more people in the orphanage began to act differently than usual with no one being able to explain why or how.
Mello is getting a bad feeling about this and he doesn't seem to be alone as Near too has a bad feeling about it all.
Even Rodger has started to be….. Different…
It's almost as if they are different people.
"Something really weird is going on around here." Mello says to Matt as they walk down the halls.
"Mhm." Matt nods as he is distracted with his handheld gaming system.
"I'm serious Matt. Something just isn't right around here." Mello slightly sighs.
"I get it Mels." Matt responds clicking quickly away at the buttons on his game. "Maybe you should see what Near thinks."
Mello growls and punches the back of Matt's head.
Matt slumps forward with a hand to the back of his head. "Ow!"
"Idiot. I'm not going to work with Near! You should know that!" Mello snaps.
Matt slightly looks up as they had stopped walking just before Mello hit him. "Yeah but face it. You, me, Linda and Near seem to be the only ones not affected so far. Shouldn't we band together?" He questions straightening in posture.
"No. It might just be some prank to scare us. Linda wasn't included since she isn't one on keeping secrets and she is nosey. Maybe it's a prank just to get me and Near working together. But it won't work!" Mello says sternly then he continues on walking.
Matt turns around to look behind himself lowering his hand to his side. His eyes widen. "Uh Mello!"
"Not now Matt." Mello sighs as if annoyed.
"Mello!" Matt starts walking backwards.
"Matt I said not now." Mello says more sternly.
"Mello!" Matt whines.
"Matt!" Mello spins around to snap at him only to freeze when he sees what has his friend so worked up.
Approaching them is a group of orphans who look ready to get the two.
Mello takes a step back. "Crap. What is going on!?"
The group don't answer as they glare almost like they are going to go for the kill.
"RUN!" Matt turns and runs past Mello grabbing the blondes arm on the way.
Mello slightly stumbles and the group charges so Mello then turns around slipping out of Matt's grasp so the two continue running.
"We should fight." Mello says. "They don't scar us!"
"I really have a bad feeling about this Mello. I don't think this is a prank and think about how many would be after us now since they aren't who they were anymore. We'd have no chance." Matt points out and adds one final part knowing how to get to Mello. "Besides if you escape and live as yourself then you beat everyone who has been turned. That's something more prideful than fighting and not making it."
Mello pauses for a moment. "Yeah you're right." He says and they keep running.
They take twists and turns through the orphanage until they reach a dimly lit play room.
There they stop and look behind themselves as they pant.
The group doesn't seem to have been able to follow them all the way to here.
"Phew." Matt relaxes but Mello stays tense.
There's suddenly a small noise making Matt tense again.
Mello signals Matt to be quiet then they begin backing up as they look around without turning around as they continue walking backwards.
Someone else is also walking backwards towards the two but neither of the three notice.
They meet in the middle bumping into each other then they jump apart turning to face each other in mid-air ready to fight if needed.
Standing there facing Mello and Matt is no one other than Near.
Matt slightly cowers behind Mello. "You haven't become one of them have you!?"
"If I was then I would have attacked by now." Near lets himself relax a little.
"Point taken." Mello says quietly.
Matt comes out from hiding behind Mello. "Ok. So there are three of us who have survived so far from whatever is going on." He says.
"It's some kind of beast looking things. I saw a few earlier just before I was chased by a group of them and they have been using humans as a way to make their way inside. I can't say if they take over them or replace them or what but they use humans that much is for sure." Near explains.
"It's not safe here." Mello says glancing to the door.
"Even if we hid here we would still be found. It'll be safer to leave the orphanage grounds then find out what's going on." Near says in agreement to what Mello said.
"But how do we get out?" Matt whines.
"Well they must have some way to tell who is under their control so they wouldn't make a mistake and tell anything to someone not a part of them if they've managed to avoid being found out for such a time." Mello says turning to Matt. "We'll have to use stealth mode, get out of here and once we find a safe place we'll find out what's going on. Just don't even think I'm carrying either of you. And don't get in my way."
Matt nods and stays close to Mello.
The three of them begin moving forward towards the door. They quickly move to the sides as they see Ace, or well if that's really even him, is about to walk past then Ace glances to the open doorway peering in. Their hearts slightly skip a beat in the high suspense.
Ace then turns away and continues on his way.
The three wait for a few seconds then they relax a little.
Mello peers out glancing around. "Alright let's go." He takes the lead with the other two following.
They sneak quietly down the hall.
The silence in the air almost seems thick and brings about an eerie feeling as the sun is setting outside making the lightning dim.
They press against a wall and Near peers past Mello around the corner as the blonde also looks.
"There's the front entrance." Near says.
"Once we get out we need to get away from this place." Mello says wondering why he even let Near tag along in the first place.
"When we're out we stick together." Matt says.
Mello is already moving to head for the front entrance.
The other two follow and they are half way there when suddenly….. A floor board creaks.