Chapter 3

The masked man's faint footsteps came to an abrupt halt. They had finally arrived at the yellow school gates—a failing attempt to make the building look welcoming.

To Aria, the bright paint only heralded a catastrophe.After circling like mice in a maze, Aria wondered if he had actually known the way. Perhaps he was simply patrolling the area for "rats"—the ones they hadn't caught yet. It was likely the latter, she concluded

An army of vans stood before her, ranging in shades of green, yellow, and purple. They were simple and unassuming, designed to allure the innocent, yet they reminded her of a cleaning service.

Are they hurrying to clean up this mess? she wondered silently. Dispersing the evidence? Across the street, the houses that usually greeted her with life now gave her the cold shoulder. It was as if no one had ever lived there.

"Stop spacing out and get in already," Helios instructed, his patience thinning. He was the one who had caused this entire ordeal in her classroom.

"Yes, sir," she answered calmly, dragging her feet toward the van. Her hand was still chained to his grip. Helios had clearly had enough of her games; without another word, he shoved her into the dark vehicle.

Click. The doors locked shut.

"I was going. He didn't have to push me. Bastard," she muttered, rolling her eyes as a soft huff escaped her. Where his hand had let go, no warmth remained—only a purplish hue blooming across her wrists.

Her eyes watered from the mischievous dust dancing in the air. The roar of engines and the sharp, persistent smell of gasoline filled the space.

Aria would have preferred to drown in her misery alone, but she never got her way.

She mumbled one last curse at the masked man and her life in general before sitting down. The metal floor instantly lunged at her, consuming what little warmth she had left.

Huddled together in the corner were her eighth-grade teacher and two older students. It was difficult to register their faces in the dark, but as her eyes adjusted, she realized she didn't know them personally. Despite attending this school since kindergarten, Aria rarely bothered with names if she wasn't going to interact with someone daily.

Yet ironically the only time she tried to find the name of something all she received was a full stop.

Replaying her earlier inspection of the vehicles, she realized how thorough they were. No number plates, no documents. Any hope of being tracked by the police vanished.

She turned her head, glancing over the others' features. It was a little funny to her—she was glad the darkness hid her amusement.

They held onto each other pathetically, like animals. Perhaps I should join them, she thought. Hmm..., never mind she added.

Aria leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Her thumb smoothed over the bruise on her wrist in lazy circles as she took a wheezy breath, biting back a wave of nausea.

This was truly the biggest headache she could have asked for on a Monday. On the other hand, at least she was missing the exam she hadn't studied for.

She couldn't really be blamed. She had intended to study, but her favorite novel had released new chapters. One chapter turned into ten, and the night deserted her.

Thinking of the book , her mind drifted back into that familiar realm of fantasy. I'll definitely finish that last chapter if I make it out of here, she promised herself.

Though soon, everything became foggy. Aria wasn't sure if the sleepiness stemmed from her all-nighter, the trauma of the day, or the darkness of the van. She didn't notice when her head finally sank into her crossed arms.

And the whispered prayers and anxious stutters of her fellow companions left her ears company .

All she could do was wait and fall into the dark....

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***