Chapter 3:

Stuck Here

Kate (Callie)'s POV:

We all sat around Isabel (Valerie), discussing whether she was able to walk or not. She was just being herself in meanwhile, spilling water while drinking, clumsy as ever, keeping the tension light despite her injury.

After a little joke, we all changed into comfortable clothing and settle down. After a few minutes, some staff got us a nice meal, which Jacob (Devin) started eating instantly while Isabel hesitated. Even I did, as it is an unknown place, and they're being unusually kind. Isabel slapped Jacob's arm to stop him.

"What Now?!" He yelled at her.

"How can you be so careless?!" Olivia (Sam) spoke before Isabel.

"I'm just hungry, okay!" Jacob said in annoyance.

After a little argument, Jacob, as usual, didn't listen and continued eating. Seeing him eat just fine, we started eating too, but Isabel, of course was too cautious and instead ate some snacks that she had on her. She was injured, so I wanted her to eat some normal food to recover, but she couldn't care less.

After eating, we were all exhausted and decided to take a nap and went to our beds. There was a partition wall to separate the area of girls and boys, which was actually quite convenient.

As I laid on the bed and closed my eyes, I heard a loud scream from the window and jolt up instantly. Olivia and Julie (Mabel) heard it too, however, Isabel was still laying comfortably as if it was nothing. I don't know how could she be so calm after being way too cautious about just food. We kept up for a few minutes, but then exhaustion sat on our eyelids, making them heavy, as we fell asleep.

After around an hour, I started feeling uneasy and got up. My heart was beating fast, making me worry that something bad might happen. The feeling was eating me inside. I checked the time, it was 5:48PM. I looked around, and the others were sleeping quite peacefully, so I didn't disturb them and went to the bathroom to wash up and clear my head a little.

I took a nice shower of half-n-hour, feeling all fresh again, but the uncertainty won't leave my chest. I tried to ignore it and went out in the living room. As I sat on the couch, Thomas (Alaric) also came out. He looked extremely cozy over here.

"Hey, why are you sitting here?" He asked as he dropped himself beside me on the couch.

"Couldn't sleep anymore." I replied casually.

"Let’s go out for a walk then, should we?" He asked.

The idea sounded fine, as I did need to clear out my mind and distract myself. However, this place was unknown and weird, making me a little hesitant to go out so casually. After thinking a little, I decided to just take a stroll, besides, we are two and Thomas is a nice, strong and brave guy, so things can't possibly go too bad.

We both walked out of the room, in an empty corridor and started roaming. The decor looked classic and neat, but it was too quite and empty... well, makes sense as it is so deep in the forest and on a high mountain too, so probably very fewer people know about here.

As we walked, we found stairs and went downstairs to the ground floor. Upon reaching here, we finally heard some noise as we decided to follow it. The sounds led us to a dining hall, which was filled with many teenagers of our age. The scene shocked us, as we didn't expect to see so many people here in such a... hidden place.

"They're wearing uniforms." Thomas whispered to me.

"Yeah... guess it really is a school as Richa said." I whispered back.

Knowing that it's a school let our nerves relax a little, as we can't be harmed in a "school" can we? I don't think so. We thought about approaching them for a talk or something and walked in. As soon as we entered, all eyes were on us and a heavy silence filled the air. Their eyes were all narrowed, full of suspension and slight disgust too. Well, that's very rude of them.

"Um... Hello." Thomas spoke with a wave.

None replied, literally none. In a normal scenario, I'd have laughed at him for getting so badly ignored, but here, it was very uncomfortable and unusually quiet. I could even hear someone's breathing if they breathe a little loud, it was that pathetically quiet.

"Let’s go somewhere else?" I said to Thomas.

Thomas nodded, as we were about to leave, but then came a voice from behind.

"Well, well, look who we have here~"

It was... Richa. We both turned to face her instantly. She was sitting among some other... teachers probably, having some snacks.

"We didn’t mean to interrupt. We were just taking a stroll and got here." Thomas spoke.

"Oh, no worries at all. Grab some snacks if you want." She offered.

"It's fine. We're not really hungry right now." I refused politely. But out of the blue...

"But I am."

I and Thomas turned towards the doorway, and there she was... Isabel. With her arms and legs still covered in bandages, under her clothes. She stood there in loose joggers and a loose top. Her hair were tied up in a messy bun, and for shoes... she was BAREFOOT!? The hell is wrong with this girl!!

"Bell! Why are you wearing slippers or shoes?!" I yelled at her.

"Oh that... I forgot." She said and let out an awkward laugh.

"How to forget wearing shoes?" Thomas said in disbelief.

"Either ways, let's get to the point. I'm hungry." Isabel shrugged.

"Sure dear, we have varieties of snacks that you can have." Richa spoke, and pointed towards the food counter.

I can't believe this girl, she literally wasn't even willing to eat the lunch they served us, was now in their cafeteria to have some snacks. WOW.. Isabel then walked towards the counter and just looked at the snacks. There were cupcakes, waffles, noodles, fries, pizza, burger, dumplings and many soft drinks, even beer. Isabel saw them all and came back.

"What happened?" Richa asked.

"Can I give my honest opinion?" Isabel asked.

"Of course." Richa smiled.

Thomas and I literally held our head, because her 'honest opinion' is never good, and gosh, she wasn't even caring that she's a guest here.

"Ewe." Isabel said with an eye roll.

"Huh?" Richa looked confused.

"There is verity in food, but zero quality. Who even eats that? No wonder animals don’t come here to steal food, because it's literally crap." Isabel said with a disgusted face.

"What do you mean?!" Richa stood up, abruptly.

"The food is too oily, and it stinks!" Isabel replied.

"Bell, let's not go too far." I said to her.

"Why? They can spy on us, but can't hear a little truth?" Isabel said arrogantly.

"Spy on us?!" Thomas and I said together.

"Don’t accuse us dear." Richa spoke up.

Isabel just nodded, then put her hands in her pocket, and one by one, took out miniature devices from it. Three cameras, audio recorders, even a speaker.

"Care explain these?~" Isabel said to Richa.

"How... did you find them?" Richa asked, she looked shocked.

"I'm smart." Isabel said cockily.

"What really happened Bell?" Thomas asked.

"Oh, I got up to drink water and stumbled upon the speaker, it had a scream sound in it. Then, while trying to wash my face, I accidentally tripped and fell on the hand shower, it broke along with my back. Ouch! That's how I found the audio recorder, I thought there'd be more, so I searched and found these." Isabel explained.

Thomas and I facepalmed ourselves. She was too clumsy, but it kinda helps. I saw Richa facepalm herself too, she definitely didn't expect something 'this' stupid to catch her.

"How... clumsy... are you?" Richa couldn't help but ask that.

"Just as much to die a very funny death." Isabel replied solemnly.

I could see Richa and all others get utterly speechless, and I was trying very hard to control my laughter.

"Bell, let's ignore these for now. We'd be leaving tomorrow morning anyway." I spoke.

"You wish!" Isabel snapped.

"Why? What happened?" I asked, confused.

"That bloody JACOB, oops! Devin. That fucker, despite me reminding him wrote his real name and the signature." Isabel replied, sounding annoyed.

"Um... so?" Thomas asked.

"So! This pathetic place has a system, once someone gets in, can NOT, go back!" Isabel told.

"What nonsense." Thomas rolled his eyes.

"So much nonsense, that the gate we came from is now an electric wall." Isabel replied.

"Bell... it's not real... right?" I asked, worried.

"It's as unreal as the oil in their food." Isabel replied, solemnly.

I couldn't help but rush out to check for myself. Thomas ran after me, as we both rushed to the absolute location where there was supposed to be a gate. So... we really are stuck here... there, there was supposed to be a gate... We walk towards the enormous wall and try to bang on it, but it gives back an electric shock, as Thomas and I yelp in pain...

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