Hide & seek

Chapter 17: Hide & Seek.

"Tsk, I can't escape from his sight."

Laize is watching me endlessly Since I came from this space. Laize, my brother is watching me closely. I need to look for Ruru so that I can convince him to bring me back to my real world. First I should pretend to do something as an excuse. Then next, "To where?" I put my right hand to my chin to make my thoughts overflowed with me.

"Restroom... Yes! That's right!" Due to my excitement, I raised myself even though we are still in the middle of the class. "Yes, Ms. Sakamoto?"

Everyone turned their gaze on me, "Eh? Oh, I'm sorry. Teacher, may I go to the restroom?" Laize quickly glared at me, it's giving me chill to my spine.

"Go ahead." The teacher gave me permission to go out, Laize somehow can't control the thoughts of the people here so it's really convenient for me to use them. I made myself excuse as quickly as I can, Laize can't do anything but to watch me.

When I stepped outside the room, I let out a breath of relief. Alright, I should wander here for a while. I might find Ruru around the school ground, "But if he's not here. Then maybe I will find him in the hotel." As I talked to myself, I started to walk around gradually.

I decided to search for him in the restroom first, there are six restrooms in this building. "First floor, Second floor, and Third floor." I need to look for him from each restroom, for me, that'll be easy since, In the real world, I always roam in this building.

Without any further do, I started my search.

I proceeded to the 1st floor of the restroom, I took an initial peek inside the girl's restroom. "Oh wait, I forgot Ruru is a boy so there's no way he would be here." I slapped my face to wake myself.

What the hell am I doing?

I should be searching for the men's restroom.

As I made my move outside the hallway, I secured the whole place first that there's no one around. It'll be inconvenient for me if someone thinks that I'm a pervert lurking around the men's restroom. Although, I wouldn't care less because this whole place is only made up by Ruru. It's not even real, in spite of the fact that I was very happy to see my father again and so how my family is living together happily.

I just realized now that everything here is existing because of me, "Because he wants me to be happy?" Did he make this complicated space for me? But how can I be happy if he's not even here?

I slapped my head using my palm out of stupidity because I just found out how dumb I am. "I'm so selfish, I'm not even thinking about him. All I want to go back, but I never considered how he would feel. What would poor Ruru feel."

"What are you doing here?" When I looked in front of me, I would see Laize having a glare right through my face.

I'm still confused about Laize, how did he know about this space though? Isn't he is just a pawn for this space? How is that he have his 'Own' thoughts and 'Decisions'. I'm missing something here, there should be something about my 'Brother' that I need to know. But before that, I don't want him to interfere with my plans I'm setting so I need to act sisterly to him.

"Oh Laize!" I hugged him tightly. Whoever you are using my brother's appearance. I will definitely catch your camouflage right in my very own eyes.

To be honest, my brother doesn't act this way. That brat always with his gadgets anyways.

"Hey! What are you doing?! Let go of me!"

Oho~? Trying to be a tsundere type huh?

I caress him even more, hugging him more tightly. I saw his face turning into red like a tomato as I suddenly released him and ran away quickly.

"Haaa?! Where are you going?!" I heard him shouting at the hallway but I didn't stop until I reached the second floor of the building, there, I stepped inside the science lab that seems to be unoccupied. I need to hide from him, I don't know who is he anyway. I sighed, when I raised my head up, I saw how dark is this place.

And there is the manikin that always getting mistaken a zombie in a lot of stories. I'm glad, I didn't end up startling myself onto it.

I'm just wondering if Laize followed me until on the 2nd floor? Well, from the first place, I'm his reason why is he here. He's trying to say that I should just sit right in the classroom and waste my time unreasonably? First of all, this is just a mere space. Secondly, I don't know what will happen to me if I remain here for too long. Lastly, I want to go back to where my family is! "My Grandma, Euclece...and Ruru..."

A few minutes left without anything is happening, in short, it's deadly peaceful. I decided to go outside but as I get myself together, I heard some footsteps coming from this way so I stepped backward as I searched for a place to hide. I saw a huge metallic cabinet or locker near the experiment in utensils cases. I opened it carefully as I tried to fit myself inside, "Ugh, it smells." I covered my nose using my fingers after that, I cautiously closed the locker's door.

I heard the sound of the door that was opened roughly, also, the door creaked creepily like in horror movies. It's making my race in nervousness.

"La-tri-ce~ Oh my pretty... Coward... Sister..." Every word he's spouting was like having these butterflies in my stomach lingering inside me. "Where are you~?" His voice sounded like he's going to kill someone. It was like a demon is inside him.

Now that I realized myself, I'm bathing in my own sweat. It so hot here as if I'm going to suffocate myself inside here. I want to go outside, I want to breathe without holding back but as the time moves slowly, Laize who is chasing me isn't bulging out to this room.

My eyes were shutting down, I'm having difficulty in breathing. I don't know how long I can hold this.

"Please, please... don't let him see me." As I pray to myself, I'm hoping that someone will save me from here. Someone such as Ruru!

But instead of saving me, something crawled to my leg. My whole body stiffened, I don't have any idea what is it but I'm having a gust that this isn't normal. That 'Thing' groveled through my legs upward my body as it making a weird groaning sound.

I gulped in fear. when I fully saw what is that 'Thing' crawling through me, I screamed loudly. "Ahhhh!!!" It was like a zombie who's groaning to me right now, it's dropping his saliva to my skin. After that, the locker suddenly opened. When I saw Laize, I hugged him quickly.

He who was standing still, bewildered by me. "Please help me!" I whined, trying to escape from the zombie-looking creature.

The aggressive zombie-looking creature started attacking us, not only me but even Laize.

"Run!" He said as he tossed me away, the zombie-looking creature gripped Laize's shoulder tightly and tried to swallow Laize wholesome. Laize is trying his best to stop the zombie-looking creature but my brother is a shorty, what can he even do!?

"W-what is that?! Why is there something like that in this space?!" I can't help but ask a question in this situation. Shouldn't I help him instead? But this is really convenient for me if I leave him here busy right?

"Stop asking questions, I told you to run!" Laize scolded me, well if he really means that, "Alright. Please be safe." This is my chance to look for Ruru.

I ran out, leaving Laize without second thoughts. Everything will be over if I found Ruru, perhaps I can also save Laize from that Zombie.

As I sneaked out of the school building, I decided to look for Ruru in the Hotel building. All by myself, "Wait... What if something worst than that zombie-looking came across me? I should at least try to be brave and save myself." Ugh, I'm not really prepared for all of these.

When I reached the building, the whole place is covered with silence as usual. I walked into the hotel's ground.

"I wonder if Ruru is here..." I should try to call his name, "Ruru! Ruru! You're here right? It's me Latrice! I came here to say that I'm sorry..." As I shouted, only my echoing voice answered me. I feel like I'm the idiot here shouting even though I know he won't going to answer me.

I sat in the staircase of the hotel and asked myself hopelessly, "Where in the world are you... Ruru?"