Gym class was usually Tommy’s favorite, but he was super tired today. He barely got any sleep last night. He yawned while his buddies talked excitedly about picking their teams for
dodgeball. Tommy loved playing dodgeball. He had a good arm and quick reflexes. But as their voices boomed around him, he just couldn’t keep his eyes open. His eye lids felt too heavy. All he wanted to do was take a quick power nap…just a few minutes rest…
Tommy blinked.
He turned to his friends and saw that there was no one there.
The entire gym was empty. And cold. And dark.
Tommy shivered.
Had he fallen asleep?
He called out each of his friend’s names, confused. His voice echoed loudly back at him. No one was sitting on the bleachers around him. No one was playing on the basketball court. No one was coming in and out of the locker rooms. And his teacher was nowhere to be found.
Tommy stood up and took a few tentative steps towards the office. He could tell from where he stood that it was closed and locked.
Did everyone just go home without waking him up? Had he been asleep that long?
Tommy felt unsettled. Something about this place didn’t feel right.
It wasn’t just that the gym was cold and dark. It felt abandoned. As if no one had been there for a very long time.
Tommy slung his backpack over his shoulder and decided to walk home. His parents would be worried about him by now.
As he walked towards the exit, his footsteps echoed around him. The sound was unnerving.
Tommy quickened his stride and burst into the hallway.
It was empty.
A giant clock above the lunchroom read 11:59pm.
It was almost midnight! How could he have slept that long? And why had no one come to find him?
Tommy jogged toward the school entrance, anxious to get out and get home. Maybe his
parents would be outside already, looking for him, ready to take him home. But he when he got to the doors, they were locked.
Tommy banged against the door and yelled out. “Hey! Help! Anyone here?!”
That’s when he heard someone mumbling behind him. Softly at first, but it steadily grew
louder.
It wasn’t in a language he understood. Yet, he still knew that whatever they were saying wasn’t good.
Slowly, Tommy turned around. At the other end of the hallway, there was a girl his age with
long black hair down to her hips. A black cross was etched onto her forehead. And her black
eyes were staring directly at him!
As she stepped towards Tommy, her chanting grew louder and louder. Soon, she was
screaming, her eyes wide, her voice booming. Tommy’s heart was beating so fast. He pushed
against the doors again, screaming for help, for anyone to come. What did this girl want? She was getting close now. She was only a few feet away from him. Tommy had to get out.
Using all his might, Tommy jumped into the door, shoulder first.
The door swung open into the crisp, cold night.
Without turning around to see if the girl was still behind him, Tommy ran as fast as he could out of the school and all the way home.
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