In the Dark

Ethan leaned into the sensory deprivation tank, his flashlight casting long shadows in the dark room. The student's eyes, wide with fear, blinked as they struggled to focus.

"Help... please..." they whispered, their voice hoarse and filled with fear.

Ethan extended a hand, speaking softly. "You're safe now. I'm going to get you out of here. Just take my hand."

The student grasped Ethan's hand, their grip weak and trembling. Ethan carefully helped them climb out of the tank, noticing the cuts and bruises that marred their skin. Once out, the student leaned heavily on Ethan for support.

"What's your name?" Ethan asked gently.

"Max," the student replied, his voice shaky. "I'm a sophomore."

Ethan nodded, giving Max a reassuring smile. "You're safe now, Max. Let's get you out of here."

As Ethan guided Max towards the door, he felt something sticky on his hands. He shined the light onto where he was holding Max's arm, only to see a deep gash. Blood oozed from the wound, staining his shirt. Ethan's heart sank.

"Max, what happened?" Ethan asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

Max winced, glancing at his injured arm. "I was running... trying to find a place to hide. One of those things... it caught up to me and tried to grab me. I barely managed to get away but this wound has been bleeding nonstop."

Ethan's mind raced. The scratch was a bad sign. "How long ago did this happen?"

Max shook his head, tears welling up. "I don't know. Maybe an hour? I lost track of time."

He's sweating, Ethan thought as he looked closer at the injured student. He's breathing is ragged and he looks feverish. It's not that hot in here though… wait… what is that?

As Ethan stared at Max, a chilling realization dawned on Ethan. The room was eerily silent, but something felt off. His senses heightened, he scanned the dark corners with his flashlight.

"Ethan, what's wrong?" Max asked, noticing Ethan's sudden tension.

Ethan held up a hand, signaling for silence. "Shh... we're not alone."

A low, guttural moan echoed from the far corner of the room, sending a shiver down Ethan's spine. He tightened his grip on Max, positioning himself between the sound and the frightened student.

Out of the shadows, a turned student lunged at them with terrifying speed. Ethan barely had time to react, shoving the flashlight into Max's hands and pushing him aside. The creature's eyes were wild, filled with a feral hunger.

Ethan swung his cursed arm, connecting with the turned student's chest and sending it crashing into the wall. The impact was loud, but the creature quickly scrambled to its feet, unfazed by the blow.

Max watched in horror, his breathing rapid and shallow. "Ethan, be careful!"

Ethan nodded, his focus entirely on the turned student. "Stay back, Max. I've got this."

The creature lunged again, and Ethan met it head-on, delivering a series of powerful blows. Each strike landed with a sickening thud, but the creature's resilience was unnerving. It kept coming, its hunger unrelenting.

As Ethan fought off the turned student, he heard a faint, pained groan behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Max clutching his injured arm, his eyes wide with fear and confusion.

"Ethan... I don't feel so good," Max murmured, his voice trembling. Max slowly got to his knees and dropped the light. Most of the room filled with darkness as Ethan could now barely see the turned student.

Ethan's heart sank as he realized what was happening. No... not now...

Max's skin began to pale, his body convulsing as the infection took hold. He looked at Ethan, a mixture of fear and confusion in his eyes. "What's… happening..."

Ethan could only watch in horror as Max's transformation began to unfold. The process was slow and agonizing, each convulsion more violent than the last. Max's breathing became labored, his eyes flickering with pain and terror. He let out a guttural cry, his body writhing on the floor.

The turned student lunged again, forcing Ethan to refocus. He barely saw them lunge out of the shadows and turned his body to avoid it. Max's convulsions would occasionally hit the light and change what Ethan could see.

Dammit, I need to end this now. Ethan reached out and grabbed the student. I'm sorry… He closed his fast and channeled the energy into it. With a swift motion, he hammered the student's head and crushed his skull. Again, exhaustion began to fill him. He couldn't worry about that now though. 

He turned back to Max, only to see his transformation nearing completion. Max's skin had taken on a ghastly pallor, his eyes now a vacant, predatory glaze. The boy's features, once familiar and human, contorted into something monstrous.

"Ethan... help me..." Max's voice was barely recognizable, a guttural whisper as the last vestiges of his humanity slipped away.

Ethan's mind raced, torn between his duty to protect and the horror of having to harm a friend. His cursed arm throbbed with dark energy, mirroring the turmoil within him. Every instinct screamed at him to act, but his heart wavered, caught in the web of moral agony.

Max's convulsions became more violent, his body twisting and turning as the infection overtook him. His once-soft eyes turned into a feral glare, his mouth forming a snarl. He clutched at his own flesh, as if trying to tear away the infection, but it was no use.

"Ethan... please..." Max's voice was a haunting mix of desperation and primal rage, his words barely coherent.

Ethan clenched his fists, his jaw tight with emotion. He knew what had to be done, but the weight of it threatened to crush him. "Max... I'm so sorry."

Max's body convulsed one last time before he went still, his eyes fluttering shut. For a moment, there was silence, a cruel illusion of peace. Then, with a terrifying suddenness, Max's eyes snapped open, now completely consumed by the infection. He let out a feral snarl.

Ethan's resolve hardened in that instant. He couldn't let Max hurt anyone else. As the turned Max began to motion towards him, Ethan swung his cursed arm, delivering a powerful blow to Max's chest, sending him crashing into the wall.

The impact stunned Max momentarily, but he quickly scrambled to his feet, his movements now eerily fluid and aggressive. Ethan backed away, his heart pounding with the realization that this was no longer his friend.

Max lunged again, and Ethan met him head-on, each strike driven by a mix of sorrow and determination. "I'm sorry, Max," he whispered, tears welling in his eyes.

With a final, powerful swing, Ethan's cursed arm connected with Max's head, the blow shattering bone and sending Max crumpling to the floor. Ethan stood over Max's lifeless body, the weight of his actions pressing down on him like a physical burden.

Ethan stood over Max's body, taking a moment to himself. He took a deep breath, picked up the now bloody flashlight, and moved towards the door.

Ava, Leo, and Lily were waiting anxiously in the hallway. Ava's eyes widened as she saw the blood on Ethan's clothes and the grim look on his face.

"What happened in there?" Leo asked, his voice filled with concern.

Ethan's eyes were hollow, his voice barely above a whisper. "I found the student. His name was Max... he was scratched by a turned student. He started to transform while I was fighting off the one that chased him. It was slow and painful... and he begged for help. But in the end, he turned and... I had to stop him."

Leo frowned, deep in thought. "So the infection can spread through scratches, not just bites. He was still alive after being scratched but eventually turned. That means anyone with an open wound is at risk. We have to make sure that we fight from a distance. Ethan you should probably start taking a step back in the fights. You're the most at risk."

Ava gave Leo a stern look before she stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Ethan's shoulder. "You did what you had to do. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Ethan nodded, his exhaustion palpable. "I just... I didn't want to hurt him. But I had no choice."

Ava gave him a reassuring squeeze. "You're exhausted. We appreciate your energy but you need to slow down. We're only getting out of this together, and alive."

Leo looked at the group, his expression resolute. "We need to keep moving. We don't know how many more students might be out there, and we can't afford to lose any more time."

Ethan took a deep breath, nodding. "You're right. Let's keep going."

Leo adjusted his grip on the flashlight, his determination evident. "I'll take point. Ava, you and Ethan stay close behind with Lily. Let's check the next rooms and find as many survivors as we can."

With that, Leo led the group further into the east wing, his eyes scanning the flickering lights and blood-stained hallways for any signs of life.