Chapter 154

"Lia! Lia!"

Kayleen's voice called for me, and I saw her with Daniel climbing the stage.

"Oh my God. Are you okay?" She grabbed my hand. "I don't know what's happening, but we need to get out of here."

A loud crash exploded through the atmosphere.

It was hard to see in the distance, even though our flashlights were on. However, a booming voice shouted: — "The door is locked!"

More loud bangs echoed.

And another gunshot rang out.

"How are we going to get out?" Cullbert asked Daniel, whose face, outlined by the phone light, showed fear. A lot of fear.

"I don't know. I don’t know this place."

"I know there’s a pantry near where we keep the instruments. We can hide there until the police arrive," I informed, and they both nodded.

"Then let’s go."

Daniel led the way, I was in the middle, and Kayleen was behind. We headed toward the pantry I remembered. The path was empty because most people were frantically rushing toward the front door, trampling each other, kicking, and hurting themselves.

"Do you believe in the Day of Reckoning?" I asked.

"Look at what's happening right now, Emília," Daniel replied.

I shrugged.

"It doesn’t make sense… He wouldn't do this."

"He who?" Kayleen exclaimed. "Who are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Emília, do you know something?" she asked again, facing me. We stopped walking. "Don't lie to me. What's happening?"

My respiratory system released a new defense mechanism. Oxygen got stuck in my throat, and I had to breathe heavily to keep my composure.

I was panicking at the thought of him being involved in all of this.

"I don't know. I'm worse off than you if you want to know," I countered, hugging my chest.

"You're not talking about Dante Faulkner, are you?"

I could see Kayleen’s disheartened pupils staring at me.

"We need to go, girls," Daniel suggested.

"No," Kayleen demanded. "We’re not leaving here until I know what's going on. Are you talking about Dante?"

"I’m not," I ignored her. "Actually, I don’t know. Maybe yes, maybe no. I don’t know!"

Kayleen's fingers squeezed my arms.

"Emília…"

"Why are you acting like this with me? Do you think I’m involved in this?" My voice stood out through all the chaotic noise still happening.

"Because he made sure to ask me to get you out of here."

I swallowed hard, forcing a train of thought to form.

"When?" I asked. "How?"

"Now."

I blinked forcefully.

"So, Dante is here?"

"So?" Her tone turned harsh. "You knew, didn’t you?"

"No!" I exclaimed again. "He told me he wasn’t coming. That he couldn’t. I thought I saw him, but I wasn’t sure, and…" — "Emília, you’ve been lying to me this whole time," she cut me off, her desperation more evident in the falter of her voice. It was like her heart was running a marathon of emotions. — "You told me you weren’t talking to him. I warned you not to get close, and now he’s asking me to protect you? What the hell?"

"I…"

"He’s the cause of all this, my God." Her voice kept rising. "Him and those bastards."

"It can’t be…" I murmured, shaking my head to push any negative thoughts away.

"They are, Lia!" she yelled, shaking my body violently. "Damn it. Why do you have to be so stubborn? They’re not good. They never were."

"Guys, I don’t want to interrupt, but I think we need to hide because…"

Daniel couldn’t finish his sentence. The shot sounded loud and sharp, ringing in my ears like a scream injected directly into them.

By instinct, I crouched down and covered my ears, just like Kayleen and Daniel. My heart was already beating at maximum power, obstructing my ability to breathe properly.

It felt like oxygen was going to the wrong places and poisoning parts of my body.

Gradually, my vision blurred. The screams following the shots were a mystery. No one knew for sure what was happening, if people were dying or injured. If the shots were meant to scare or warn about something.

Who could it be?

Dante?

I didn’t want to believe it. He wouldn’t do something like that. He wouldn’t let so many innocent people die. It was supposed to be a good day for me. A moment of pride.

Would he be capable?

Impulsively, I got up and followed wherever my feet led me.

Kayleen yelled for me, trying to grab my arm, but she fell before she could do it. I didn’t look back because the thud was enough to confirm it. However, my focus was on finding him.

It was to see Dante.

Of course, I didn’t know where to start, let alone how to survive this. Pushing people, entering more secluded places, and finding students hiding in fear of being revealed, doors trying to be broken down, but it was hard due to the lack of resources to help. No one had strength at that moment. Just courage and desperation, but strength was replaced by irrationality and lack of thought. No one knew exactly what they were doing.

No one knew how they had ended up in this situation or if they would get out of it.

All the light came from the cellphones that some people had in their hands because many of them had probably lost theirs in the rush, in the clash with others, and ended up breaking them.

Everyone had lost their sanity with every passing second trapped here.

And it hadn’t been long. None of this had been happening for more than ten minutes.

Shit, shit, shit.

For a moment, I thought my brain was furious. I was startled by the swear words. I hadn’t said them, had I?

The uncertainty paralyzed me, and again I heard a groan of pain and some things breaking.

I scanned the area. It was dark, the little light coming from a glass window at the top of the wall. I could tell it was a narrow hallway, and if I touched the wall, I would feel that it was old and about to break.

Just like the noises.

"Damn…"

I recognized the voice immediately. My heart leaped, as if all this time it had been imprisoned in a cage.

"Dante?"

Pause.

"Emília?" His voice sounded frantic.

I was clearly losing my mind too.

"Dante, where are you?"

"Don’t come here."

It was an order. He was furious.

But I didn’t care because he sounded broken. — "I’m coming."

"Emília…"

I kept walking, feeling my way along the wall.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, walking toward the sound of his voice. But Dante was clever. He didn’t answer me.

"You told me you weren’t coming. Why did you lie? What’s happening?"

Nothing.

No response.

I took a deep breath.

"Are you involved in what’s happening? Is that why you wanted Kayleen to protect me?" I continued. "Please, tell me the truth. I want to know. We trust each other, right? We’re friends. We’ve always been."

The silence was heavier than I expected. It became terrifying, especially since I couldn’t hear any more outside sounds. It felt like everyone had disappeared and only Dante and I were there.

It was frightening.

Completely sick. The air seemed to be telling dangerous secrets, and it terrified me what could emerge from it.

"Please…" I murmured. "Talk to me. I want to find you, Dante. I want to be with you now."

Something settled in my stomach. It was heavy. Very heavy.