Project: Death for Classroom Zero

Chapter 7: Gardening

“That was unfortunate.” Tristan almost laughed when Tammy threw that line that has too much impact in him.

A classmate in Classroom Zero.

“Tristan, a tactic was coming off in our class. Our classmates are forming groups. Pacts. Maybe we can do it too,” Timmy said.

“A group?”

“A group.”

“It would be much better if we form an alliance. We know your capabilities, and it was a waste if we do not try being with you inside a group,” she added.

“I—It’s okay if you don’t want to. We’re just trying our luck because we have the idea of how great you are as a person,” Tammy, the shy of the twin, added.

“I …” Tristan hesitated, he spend a few millisecond to think. “Perhaps that was a great thing to do,” he said.

Hearing what Tristan told, the twins sighed in relief. The weariness and fear on their faces worn off.

“That was nerve-wracking,” Timmy jokingly said. “I thought you’re not going to accept our offer. There are other of our classmates reaching to us, and asking if we could be in their group, but we risked saying no, because we want to be your groupmate.”

“But why do we need to group? Was it necessary?”

“I—It is actually not needed. But, there is a theory that came off this morning. They say that perhaps, one of our activities are in need of being in group, and being not belonging to any group means a total disadvantage.”

“That might be a possibility,” said Tristan. “But activity, you say?”

“That’s the term that was coined for every game we played and about to play. You see, man, if we’re inside a class, then perhaps it could be called activities too. Something that we work on so that we will learn the ‘lesson’.”

“That’s a bad analogy.”

Tammy demurely laughed. “Th—That’s what I thought too.”

They were standing at the front of Tristan’s quarter. That is why when they heard a crack opening of a door near them, they all shifted their gaze to that direction.

Puked by the newly opened door, Rain appeared, scrunching her newly opened eyes.

Tristan looked back at Timmy and Tammy’s direction. He pursed his lips, and smiled. “I forgot to tell that I have someone we can recruit to our group.” He looked back at Rain.

Having her eyes finally worn off of its sleepiness, Rain returned Tristan’s stare to her. She coldly nodded to him, and acted as if going back to her own quarter.

However, Tristan called her. “Rain! Wait up!”

Rain stopped, and with her usual stare, she gazed at Tristan.

“I’d like you to meet Timmy and Tammy. Evidently, they’re twins. They want us to form a group with you and me.”

“Y—You’re Rain Donnahughe. The very first one who cleared the first activity!” Timmy said. Her smile is filled with excitement. “Man, if you join us and our group, we’ll be indestructible!”

Hearing the compliment that Timmy gave, Rain looked at her. But instead of flattery, she showed stares of annoyance. Tammy quickly grabbed Timmy’s arms when she saw the frightening glower of the woman Timmy had attempted to make friend.

“I—I’m sorry about that,” Tammy said. To her twins, she said, “What are you doing, Timmy!” She slapped her twin’s arm to make her aware of what she had done.

Evidently, just like Tristan, Rain does not like to mingle with a lot of people. She was a loner ever since, and the aura on her, plus the intimidating stare resting on her face will make everyone not to touch her businesses. Even to chit-chat with her, only few could dare. At this point, Tristan knew that he was the only one who could talk to her—which he found flattering, yet weird.

“Are you okay, Rain?” Tristan asked.

Still looking at Timmy, she nodded. “I am not sure if the twins are trustworthy,” she said. Her stare veered towards Tristan. “But I am trusting you and your decisions. If you decided to be part of their group, and you want me along, then I am fine with it.” Without any hint of guilt, she strode back to her quarter, and grabbed something.

Timmy looked at Tristan. Her tongue were tucked near her wisdom tooth with noticeable anger lingering on her face. “She’s a b***h, Tristan.”

Hearing the word, and witnessing how Rain turned cold to the twins, Tristan scratched his head. He felt shy and awkward.

“Sorry about her, but I knew she’s a good friend.”

“I—It’s okay, Tristan! Her being part of the group is already a huge thing for us!” Tammy said. Tristan noticed that her knees were shaking.

“Are you okay, Tammy? Your knees are shaking,” Tristan asked.

“I—I’m okay. It’s … It’s normal for me,” she said.

“Shaking is not normal. Not if you are feeling some threat in the surrounding, then a trembling body would be normal.”

“She’s got serious problem,” said her twin. “ever heard of a nervous system disorder that causes muscle stiffness, slowed movements, and uncontrollable shaking?”

Tristan’s forehead were scrunched again. “Uh… Parkinson’s?”

“Definitely. Parkinson’s disease.”

Tristan looked at Tammy. The woman slowly smiled at her, and told, “Sorry. M—My social anxiety even added problem to me.”

“Sorry about that,” Tristan said.

“It’s fine. This was just early stage. I hope to adhere through this as soon as we graduated here in this class. Though there were no concrete medication for the disease, at least there were some medications and surgery that I could take to help me deal with this.”

“That’s the reason why we are here. We need money for her.”

Every students belonging to Classroom Zero has their own stories. These stories were untold, but it is worth enough to make them move, and be here, in this place where horror is real. Tristan immediately thought of it as soon as he heard the story of the twins.

“I’m sorry about that.” A voice from behind the twins erupted. They jolted in surprise. Even Tristan felt shocked.

Looking at the voice, Tristan realized that it was Rain. She was not wearing the same cloth she was wearing earlier. Instead, she wore a one piece suit made of polyester. It has a color scheme of white, and a linings of teal swirled at the edges of the suit—from her shoulder blades, on the underarm, the rib area, down to her toes. On the left part of her chest, there inscribed cursive sets of letters which can be read as; Rain.

“I didn’t know you’re suffering from a nervous system disorder. Have I known, I did not become hard on you,” Rain added.

“I—It’s okay, Rain. I’m… I’m glad that you’re joining us. It made me felt a little bit of ease.”

“But why are you wearing like that? Where did you get that?” Tristan asked. His stare was pointing to the one piece suit Rain was wearing. It looked as if she was a diver.

“Check the last drawer of your table. You’ll see different clothes and suits inside. As far as I know, this was the best suit that shall be used in gardening.”

Before checking the drawers for their suit, Tristan left another question to Rain.

“What do you mean gardening?” he asked.

Yet, instead of Rain answering, it was Timmy who cleared his mind. “It was our next activity,” she said, “Professor Buenaventura told about the activity yesterday, wasn’t it?”

Tristan nodded. “I remember it. I thought that was just a simple activity.”

Rain sighed as he heard Tristan. Feeling the responsibility to explain, Rain told; “Tristan, in this place, activities were never simple. Every bits of it was deadly.”

“As if you’re crossing to the bridges in hell,” added Timmy.

“A—As if everyday was a nightmare.”

The sound of Mozart’s second variation of Ah, vous dirai-je, Maman from the speaker had pounded painfully in his ears. It abruptly stopped, and changed with the static piercing sound. Hearing the sudden shifting of the sound, every students’ attention went to the direction of the speakers.

There came a pouncing silence at the hearts of the students as they waited for the static sound from the speaker to stop. They waited with their gloomy eyes. With their grave presences.

“Good morning students!” the voice of a familiar woman croaked from the speaker. “Greetings from your pretty adviser!”

“Professor Josefina,” whispered Rain.

“Please proceed to the cafeteria. Your luscious breakfasts were ready to serve. After that, we will immediately proceed to our next lesson.” There was an obvious pause. Tristan could imagine the evil twitching of Professor Josefina’s lips as she smile. Before the death of the speakers, Professor Josefina said their next activity; “We’re to take lessons about gardening.”