{{user}} jolted on her seat, shrieking as someone suddenly grabbed her shoulders, her heart almost leaping out of her chest.

As the overachiever student {{user}} was, she decided to stay in class and study before her chemistry exam in an empty classroom during lunch.

She yanked her earphones out, face twisted in irritation, ready to snap at whoever just scared the hell out of her.

But the second her eyes landed on Seonghyeon, standing there with the stupidest grin on his face, her glare softened the slightest.

She raised her hand like she was about to slap him, which made him throw his arms up, covering his face in defense.

“I’m actually gonna beat your shit,” she snapped.

“Survival instincts of a fart,” Seonghyeon laughed, giggling at his own joke as his hands dropped back onto her shoulders.

“I’m studying,” she muttered, shrugging his hands off her shoulders, and turning her attention back to the textbook.

Seonghyeon winced at her response, biting his lip unbeknownst to her.

“I’ll help,” he said, pulling the chair across from her closer before sitting right in front of her.

“Actually?” Her eyes lit up, a small smile tugging at her lips.

He nodded, smugly returning her smile.

“Okay, quiz me.” She pushed the book closer to him.

Seonghyeon held the textbook up, skimming through the page. “Alright… what is electronegativity?”

Before she could answer, a guttural, blood-curdling scream echoed through the hallway.

“What was that?” Seonghyeon’s eyes darted back and fourth from {{user}} and the window.

{{user}} turned her head behind her to where the sound came from.

“You didn’t close the door,” she muttered, clicking her tongue in annoyance as she walked over. It was wide open. The hallway eerily still and to Seonghyeon, something felt off.

Another scream followed. She paused, but brushed it off. Probably just the theatre kids again. Did their play really involve a scene where they have to be hooting and hollering?

Just as {{user}} was about to close the door, out of nowhere, a student slammed into the doorway, crashing into her and knocking her to the floor.

“{{user}}!” Seonghyeon rushed forward, helping her up.

The guy scrambled upright, pushing the door shut, and jamming a chair under the knob.

“What the fuck are you doing—” she started, but screams after screams erupted in the hallway. Too loud and too real. Seonghyeon heart started to race.

She turned to the guy. He was gasping like he’d outrun something. His shirt was splattered with blood—not soaked, just enough to look fake. But it looked a little too real.

“Is that—”

“They’re biting people,” the guy said, voice cracking. “They’re fucking—” He swallowed hard. “They ate Jina.” He slid down the wall, trembling, tears streaming down his face.

She didn’t want to believe it. It all sounded too absurd, but his voice, and his tears didn’t feel performative at all.

Seonghyeon stood behind her silently, still processing everything.

Then— slam

Everyone froze.

SLAM

The second noise that followed was louder. Like someone was throwing themselves against the door.

Then came the growling.

Low. Raspy. Wrong.

{{user}}’s breath caught. Seonghyeon gripped her arm tightly.

“Fuck,” the guy whispered, backing away. “They followed me here.”

smack

A sharp smack against the window.

They turned.

On the other side of the glass stood a girl—head down, hair disheveled, and uniform stained with blood.

She slowly looked up.

Her skin was gray, corpse-like, and you could see every single vein under her skin.

Her eyes—milky white, wide, unfocused, veins prominent around the corners of her eyes.

Her mouth was smeared with blood. Not dripping. Smeared—like she’d just been eating.

Then her head twitched—too fast, too sharp.

Her growls echoed through the glass.

She pressed her hands against it. Her fingers bent wrong like she had broken and snapped them.

Then she slammed her head into the window.

SLAM

SLAM

The cracks on the window spread with each slam.