Chapter - 01

I've been running for god knows how long, running here to there, taking large steps with every breath, through the narrow streets to the wide crowded places. Strong cold air gushing through my nostrils to my whole body as I was speeding up. Sometimes bumping into strangers and earning a few curses from them. My legs were about to go limb, my vision was becoming blurry and winter fog kept coming out of my mouth as I panted hard, but I couldn't stop. I have to run even I'm so out of breath and feeling like dying, or they will catch me.

30 Minutes ago,

I looked outside at the deep hunter green shaded forest through the window, which now has turned into a cotton white colour due to the extreme snow fall. Birds resting peacefully on top of the frozen tree, brunches. It's so peaceful to just stare at the bewildering place. This is the only reason why I always choose to sit beside the window in my classroom, so that I can get the best vision of my favourite place, the downhill forest.

There's a lot going on in my mind, lots of jokes, stories from the amazing books I've read recently, the new song that came out last week that captured my heart at once, but there's no one to share them with. I've always been like this. Lonely, like a tree. Trees born alone and grow old alone. And I love trees a lot, kind of related to me.  Whenever I feel sad or feel pressured by my family, I run towards to the forest and silently cry under the very large tree at the centre of that deep, gloomy forest. Sometimes I fall asleep there and have a weird dream, where that large tree bends down to caress my cheeks alongside wiping my warm tears, just like how would friends do. If it wasn't just a dream...

''Hannah. HANNAH'' - I looked away from the window with a clueless face when the class monitor called out my name, twice. He's almost as tall as me, 5'4''. With 93 points in the last exam and a semi-handsome face, he achieved the place of the class monitor instead of me. The fun fact is I got 97… but that's OK, nobody listens to me anyway. He's got this very weird habit of yelling in everyone's face, spitting sometimes, and he's yelling is like the screeching sound of metal cutting, so annoying. OK, maybe I shouldn't have been so absent-minded in the first place.

''Y-yes?'' - I said, tearing my gaze away from the window to the class monitor.

''Today you're in charge of cleaning. Don't forget to turn off the lights before you leave and remember to clean all the boards and toilets...'' - The class monitor, Ren, said to me after checking the 'cleaning duty' list for the hundredth time.

'Yeah, yeah, why not you just tell me to wipe the whole floor?' - I thought out in my mind with a huff.

''Oh, and wipe the 3rd floor? Hurry up now'' shit...

''Yeah... of course."

As you know by now, I am in charge of cleaning the whole 3rd floor. Wiping a room or two is OK, I wouldn't complain, but the whole floor? It's a bit too much, and it feels like I've been doing it for forever (disclaimer: it's only have been 20 minutes TBH). Actually, I love cleaning. It's a thing I do every day without anyone telling me to. I don't know how did I come to like such a boring thing. Maybe from the abuse I get if I don't do the chores or clean the house.

While doing my work, I heard some noises coming out from the storeroom where the sports stuff is kept. I find it strange because no one is allowed there. There is lots of important school stuff out in that room, that's why this room is banned for anyone except teachers or supervisors to enter. No one's supposed to be here at this hour. I didn't want to check on it, but curiosity took the best of me, and now I found myself walking toward the store room. I saw a familiar figure alongside some punks smoking cigs!

It was Robin, someone I really don't want to get involved with at any cost. Reason? He's a damn two-faced delinquent. Well, not to all, but he is. He'll bully kids in the most brutal and humiliating way in a corner, out of everyone's sight and in front of everyone he'll act like a guy sweet as a candy floss, calm and mature, when he's quite the opposite. How did I find it? Well, I was the one who he showed the first side to last year. I was having a nap on the roof when I saw him doing some drug job. He saw me and threatened to kill me if I say anything about this. And that's how I became his target. He made me do his all home works, errands and cleaning for four months. I lost track of him because he found a new lad to do his jobs.

Back to what I actually saw. I saw Robin and his gang handling some papers to each other. I assume It was the test paper of the upcoming big test.

'How dare they...! None of my business though, but... Seriously, man, you won't even pass if you see it. It takes a bit of afford to even find out all the answers! What's that to me anyway, I'll just go and do my own thing before he sees-'

''Bro, someone's peeking.'' Shit. Shit. Shit…

''Who the heck is there?'' – Said Robin with his most horrible, angry voice. Without thinking twice, I turned on my heels and ran toward the stairs while taking my bag from the floor.

'He'll definitely kill me if he gets me again. I did so much to avoid him at any cost, even eating everywhere except the cafeteria. What am I going to do? Please help me, someone.'

My heart raced faster with every step. I could hear all the screaming and chasing and too scared to turn around. Minutes have passed, but I didn't stop, couldn't stop. It's almost like zombies are chasing me, If they catch me, I'll be dead. At this moment, the only thing in my head was to find a way to just disappear through thin air and never return. Is it that impossible?