Bound to an Apparition

PAGE THREE - Classes

Sol Kaye Evans

It was already morning and the weird things that have happened last night already slip off my mind. I slowly opened my narrowed eyes and adjusted them through the bright rays of the sunlight that is currently creeping inside of my room.

My body was still asleep, but my mind was wide awake so I just grunted before slowly stretching my body, every satisfying click of my joints relaxed me for a moment.

I yawned, cringing after taste my morning breath, which was disgusting… I need to brush my teeth now. I lazily got up and decided to do my morning rituals. I readied my kettle for my hot chocolate for this morning.

Right after I got out of my bathroom, the kettle started whistling telling me that it’s already boiled enough and I felt relief because I wasn’t haunted by anyone or anything while I was bathing. I just bathed normally like a normal human person inside a bathroom.

What are they so worried about? No one attacked me on the inside like what they have been talking about jeez.

My body moved like a robot as I prepared breakfast for myself, it’s already 7 a.m. my first class will start at 8 and it’s a bit irritating since on that subject I have to wear my uniform.

I ate the cinnamon buns that I bought at the convenience store yesterday while drinking my hot chocolate drink, my tummy was already full so I have decided to bring the rest of the buns during my school hours for my snacks.

My hair was already dry so I have decided to wear my uniform because I only have 30 minutes left for my first class today.

After changing into my uniforms, I looked into the mirror inside my cabinet just to see my reflection, my blue narrowed eyes mesmerized me for a moment after I saw it glinting at sight, my nose was pointed, my plumped soft lips were peach in color like my favorite fruit from the northwest of China, my ash grey hair falls perfectly behind my back and it glows even more brightly because of the color of the uniform that hugged my mesomorph body perfectly.

I smiled and wear my black leather shoes this is going to be a new beginning and I’ll try to be myself just so anyone would notice how I really feel on the inside.

I really hope someone would notice me, I mentally prayed on my mind before exhaling out a lungful air as I readied my bag and placed my schedules, notes, ball pens, and my refreshing kits inside before threading it lightly on my right shoulder.

Crimson University, get ready because here comes the woman of the house to slay the day! Yaay!

I stepped out of my room confidently, it was quiet probably because some of the students here were asleep or already have gone to their classes.

The soft tapping sounds of my shoes filled in the narrowed hallways of the dorms, my feet paced downstairs as I went out of the dormitories.

It’s odd because I’m not seeing any students even at this hour, I wonder if I’ll see Lily from around here?

I took the course education because I want to be a teacher someday. I want to spread my knowledge to my future precious students also to guide them towards their future.

My hands fished out my schedules when I have reached the specific building for the education course, the whole University was big but the buildings were placed really close to each other.

Where are the students? Why does it look like I’m the only one who’s studying here? I shook my head and doubled check my schedule to look for my specific room for today.

My inquisitive eyes look from around my surroundings and I’m starting to get really pissed because I was hoping to ask people who are already familiarized with this place, but they are nowhere around me!

I can’t believe my first day would be the worst jeez! The old lady didn’t tell me what does this symbol means! A2? Is that level 2 then letter A room? I don’t know.

My feet were busy pacing back and forth while I was busy checking around the building, should I go up to check?

I flinched when I felt some cold hand touched my shoulders and was really happy to see Lily Brown at sight. Thank God, a very familiar face.

“Let me guess, you’re lost right?” she asked while smiling at me intently, so I pouted my lips before hugging her like she’s my long-time friend.

“Lily! Thank God you’re here!” I exclaimed because I really don’t know where to find my room right now so when I heard her laugh, I broke my hug to her.

“Stop making fun of me! It’s my first day!” I complained, which made her chuckle even more before offering her hands to check my schedule.

“I’m not! You’re just like me before, but I managed to find my room by myself and lucky you, I’m here to save the day so you won’t be late for your first class,” she beamed, still checking on my schedules.

“Why does all of your room are near the toilets?” even though she whispered it to herself, I heard her loud and clear.

“Why? Is there any problem with that?” I asked, but she just flinched before exaggeratedly shook her head.

“N-No just avoid using toilets during school hours okay?” she requested before guiding me towards the stairs so that we could find our classroom.

She told me that I should find my lockers first so that I could check if my gym or physical education materials are there and so that I could place my other reference books over there too.

The lockers were placed on the second floor and we easily found mine so I opened them and was happy to see that my gym clothes are already there. I placed some of my notes and reference books over there as Lily guided me towards my room on the highest floor of the building.

While walking towards the hallway, my inquisitive eyes roamed around the different rooms, and my eyebrows furrowed in confusion when some rooms only contain 10 or 5 students in each room and they look at me like they’re scared for me.

What is up with this school? Their students are starting to creep me out! Why can’t they act normal?

“Don’t mind them, just like what happened yesterday, they’re just trying to memorize your face and wants to alarm you about the danger of the toilets,” Lily explained, so I glanced at her.

“Why are they thinking like that? I already used a bathroom a while ago and I’m perfectly safe over there,” I argued, so Lily shook her head.

“You don’t understand it’s really dangerous here,” she mumbled before glancing on our back and front before leaning in towards my ears.

“The toilets during school hours are dangerous most especially if those toilets are from around the University,” she whispered so I just looked at her weirdly.

“Why is that? Do they have any proof of it?” I asked and she just nodded before glancing at me worriedly.

“We lost 20 students last year and we don’t know where they went, some of the bodies were found but they were all stabbed or choked to death,” she informed me, which made my eyes widened.

What the—? The number of 20 missing students sounds so serious! Why does it look like they didn’t take action?

“That sounds so serious… did someone catch that serial killer?” I asked, but she immediately shook her head, so I frowned at her.

“Unfortunately, no… no matter how deep the investigators or police looks they still can find it so some finally said that it’s probably a vengeful ghost,” she sighed, which made me shook my head.

“Ghost can’t hurt you Lily… we can catch a glimpse of them, but they can’t hurt us unless they’re an apparition,” I explained to her because they’re confusing themselves towards ghosts and apparitions.

“We don’t know… we investigate each and everyone’s houses and all of them had alibis since we're only a few around this town, so we are guessing it was really Aka Manto who did all of that to our friends and students,” she claimed, which made me nod at her.

“That urban legend… I don’t know if I’ll really believe it, but I’ll still avoid the toilets so that I won’t worry you,” I sincerely said, so she sighed in relief.

“Thank God for that, please be safe okay? We might meet on minor subjects, but we have different majors so let’s just meet at the cafeteria at 12? The cafeteria is just downstairs near this building,” she invited, so I just smiled and nodded at her as we proceed looking for my room.

“J-Jeez, why does my room have to be on the highest floor in this building?” I complained, which made her laugh as we both stop on some old white door.

“This is your room! Let see each other at lunch okay?” she reminded me before giving me back my schedules, so I just smiled.

“Yes, let’s meet, and thank you for helping me find my locker and room, you really saved me today,” I beamed, so she just nodded before bidding me goodbye as she left me to stare at the door of my room.

I exhaled out a lungful air before reaching out towards the doorknob, my heart was pounding rapidly right after I turn and opened it widely.

Numerous eyes suddenly look my way and I was a bit happy seeing that were almost 15 in total, that’s not a bad number in one room.

I awkwardly smiled as I set my eyes towards the chair near the windows. I politely lowered down my head as I have decided to take my seats over there.

My body relaxed after sitting comfortably on my armchair, I was really bothered about how they stare at me like I’m some weird specimen of rat waiting to be dissected.

“Good morning class, oh… we have a new student,” my eyes glance at the front and our professor was already there looking at me intently. He doesn't look happy seeing a newcomer.

“Would you mind introducing yourself in front? Just so we could familiarize ourselves with your face,” he politely asked, which made me raise my eyebrows. Familiarize with my face for what now?

We shouldn’t be doing this… we’re already in college?! Why waste time getting to know a useless individual like me?

I just shook my head mentally before politely nodding at our professor. I slowly stood up and went towards the front.

My hands were sweating at the back of my waist, but I still just smiled at them, “H-Hello everyone, I’m Sol Kaye Evans, Kaye is fine and I’m already 19 years old. I just got here yesterday in this town and have decided to study here as soon as possible,” I confidently said.

“Why did you decided to move in here? Have you heard the stories about this town?” my professor asked, so I just grinned at them all.

“Because I wanted a new change of pace and yes, I have heard and I don’t mind,” I firmly said before politely going back towards my seat so my professor just sighed before thanking me as he proceeds on discussing our syllabus that I’m quite familiar with.

My narrowed eyes stared at the outside of our room and peace suddenly clouded my troubled mind, this is why I chose the seat near the windows, it can easily take my worries away just by staring at nature or sceneries from the outside.

Why are they like this? I switched places because I was hoping that I could fix myself here, but it looks like I’m more interested in that urban legend issue that they were worried about, and I’m also hoping that I could help them be at ease again.

I sighed in disbelief while shaking my pretty little head, I’m starting with this again… prioritizing others rather than myself whom I should really focus on.

My eyes started to wander again and gasp when I saw someone outside of the school campus, it’s the man in a crimson red cloak with that creepy mask, the one I saw last night!

I knew that wasn’t a hallucination! I will check who it was! He’s currently walking towards some building, which urged me to raise my hand.

“May I please go to the bathroom?!” I loudly asked for permission, still looking at that man wearing a crimson red cloak and creepy mask, which caused all of them to gasp. I slowly eyed them only to see that their eyes are widened while currently cornering me from the window.

“Y-You can’t go, we won’t allow you,” someone finally mumbled from the crowd, which made me furrow my eyebrows, what the what now?

“W-What? But why? I have an important matter to do! I-I’m pooping!” I obviously lied, which made them shook their heads.

“Endure it, Evans we’re really sorry, it’s really for your safety,” the professor sighed while looking at me intently.

“We’re sorry but you have to endure, for now, we just really can’t allow you to go,” a girl sounded worried, which cause me to sigh in disbelief. I can’t believe this!

The man in that crimson red cloak was already gone at sight. 

To be continued…