Chapter 4:Panic

Ah-rim's defiant act was a catalyst. The teacher, a stern-looking woman named Ms. Lee, stormed into the room, her voice like thunder. "Ah-rim!" she boomed, her eyes narrowing. Ah-rim smirked, unfazed.

The classroom erupted into a cacophony of whispers and giggles. Jisoo, caught in the crossfire, felt a surge of adrenaline. This was the kind of chaos he was used to, a stark contrast to the unsettling undercurrents that had been plaguing him.

As the teacher's tirade continued, Ms. Lee's voice gradually lowered, and the room began to quiet down. She cleared her throat, her stern expression softening slightly as she turned to face the class. "Now, where were we?" she began, her voice carrying a hint of frustration.

Just as she was about to delve back into the subject matter, the classroom door burst open, interrupting her flow. A tall, lanky boy with a rebellious aura strode in, his presence immediately commanding attention. His blond hair was styled into a quiff, and a pair of silver earrings glinted in the soft morning light. His eyes, a piercing shade of blue, scanned the room before landing on the teacher. A smirk played on his lips as he casually leaned against the doorframe.

"Jimin," Ms. Lee said through gritted teeth, her patience clearly wearing thin.

The entire class, including Jisoo, was taken aback by the sudden interruption. A murmur of disbelief rippled through the room as students exchanged puzzled glances. Jimin, or so the teacher called him, seemed completely unfazed by the attention. His smirk widened as he met Ms. Lee's gaze.

Before Ms. Lee could continue her reprimand, a crackling sound echoed through the classroom as the school's speaker system crackled to life. A voice, muffled but clear, announced, "All staff members, please report to the staff room immediately for an urgent meeting."

The classroom erupted into a chorus of relieved sighs and excited whispers. Jisoo couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation. Whatever was happening, it promised to be anything but ordinary.

Ms. Lee turned to Seung Min, the class president, her eyes conveying a silent order. Seung Min nodded solemnly, understanding the unspoken request. As Ms. Lee hurried out of the classroom, Seung Min stood up, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Everyone, settle down. Ms. Lee will be back soon. Until then, behave yourselves."

Jimin, however, seemed oblivious to Seung Min's authority. He began to mimic Ms. Lee's stern expression, exaggerating her gestures for comedic effect. The class erupted in laughter, but Seung Min's face remained impassive.

"Jimin," Seung Min warned, his voice low but firm. "Cut it out."

Reluctantly, Jimin sat down, a mischievous glint in his eyes. The laughter in the classroom slowly subsided, replaced by a nervous energy. With Ms. Lee gone, the classroom seemed to have transformed into a playground, and everyone was eager to see what would happen next.

The faculty room was a small, stuffy space, normally a sanctuary for teachers to escape the clamor of the school. Today, however, it felt like a pressure cooker. The room, usually filled with the low hum of conversation and the occasional laughter, was now hushed, an eerie silence hanging in the air.

Ms. Lee burst through the door, her face flushed with exertion. The sight that greeted her was unexpected. The room was packed with teachers, their faces a mix of confusion and worry. And there, standing by the principal's desk, was a uniformed police officer, a figure as out of place as a penguin in the Sahara.

Her gaze darted around the room, finally settling on Mr. Choi, the mild-mannered English teacher. "Mr. Choi, what's going on?" she asked, her voice laced with urgency.

Mr. Choi looked as bewildered as she felt. He shook his head, a silent confession of his ignorance.

Before he could respond, the principal, Mr. Song , cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the tension. "Everyone, please be quiet," he said, his voice firm. "We have an important announcement."

A hush fell over the room as all eyes turned to the principal.

The police officer, a stern-faced man with a clipped tone, addressed the room. "This is an order. The school is to be immediately closed. All students and staff must evacuate the premises."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Teachers exchanged bewildered glances, their minds racing with questions. "Why?" someone finally managed to croak out.

The officer's expression remained impassive. "I cannot provide further details at this time."

A chorus of protests erupted. "A bomb threat?" one teacher suggested. "An active shooter?" another ventured. The officer simply shook his head in response to each accusation.

"There's been a serious incident," the principal, Mr. Park, interjected, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We must trust the police and follow their instructions."

The officer nodded in agreement. "We will provide more information as soon as possible. For now, please focus on ensuring the safe evacuation of the students."

As the gravity of the situation began to sink in, a sense of panic started to spread among the teachers. They were being asked to send their students home without any explanation, leaving them and their parents to grapple with fear and uncertainty.

The faculty meeting ended abruptly, a whirlwind of confusion and uncertainty swirling in its wake. Ms. Lee, her face etched with worry, hurried back to her classroom, the weight of the unexpected announcement pressing down on her.

Inside the classroom, a tense silence hung in the air. Students were still buzzing with excitement about the unexpected break, their chatter gradually subsiding as Ms. Lee entered.

"Everyone, listen up," she began, her voice firm, cutting through the low murmur of conversation. "Due to an unforeseen circumstance, the school is being evacuated immediately. Please gather your belongings and line up in an orderly fashion. I will provide more information as soon as I have it."

As the students scrambled to gather their things, a ripple of panic began to spread through the room. Whispers and murmurs turned into anxious questions, but Ms. Lee's stern expression quelled most of the outburst.

Seated near Kyung Jisoo was Chaeyoung .Chaeyoung felt a strange calm wash over her. Her heart pounded in her chest, an unfamiliar rhythm that seemed to echo the chaos around her. Her gaze drifted towards the front of the room, landing on the boy in front of her, a quiet, unassuming student named Jun-ho.

As the class began to file out, Chaeyoung's hand, cold and clammy, reached out and touched Jun-ho's. Startled, he turned to look at her, his eyes wide with confusion. Before he could react, Chaeyoung's body stiffened, and her eyes rolled back into her head. A low, guttural sound escaped her lips as foam began to froth at the corners of her mouth.

Terror gripped Jun-ho as he watched Chaeyoung's body convulse. A sharp cry tore from his throat, breaking the hushed chaos of the classroom. The students, caught off guard, turned towards the commotion, their faces mirroring Jun-ho's shock and fear.

The once orderly evacuation turned into a stampede as panic spread through the classroom. Students pushed and shoved, desperate to escape the terrifying scene unfolding before them.

Mrs. Lee, caught in the chaos, rushed towards Chaeyoung, her mind racing. She had to remain calm, to think clearly. She knew she had to act fast.

" Get her to the Infirmiry!"Mrs. Lee said her voice laced with urgency. The class president , with that assistance of some boys with Kyung Jisoo rushed to her.

As they rushed Chaeyoung into the infirmary, the boys and Kyung Jisoo could feel their hearts pounding in their chests. The sight of their classmate foaming at the mouth was a terrifying experience, and the urgency of the situation only heightened their anxiety. They placed Chaeyoung gently on one of the examination beds, her body limp and unresponsive.

The infirmary was a small, sterile room, bathed in the cool, clinical glow of fluorescent lights. Rows of white examination beds lined the walls, their crisp, white sheets contrasting sharply with the antiseptic smell that permeated the air. A stainless steel sink, gleaming under the light, stood in one corner, next to a small, metal cabinet filled with medical supplies. The room was sparsely furnished, with a few plastic chairs and a metal desk pushed against one wall. It was a place of healing, but it also carried an air of impersonal efficiency.

The infirmary nurse, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, rushed over to assess Chaeyoung's condition. She quickly began to administer first aid, her movements calm and efficient. As she worked, she exchanged worried glances with Mrs. Lee, who stood by, her face pale and drawn.

The boys and Kyung Jisoo watched helplessly as the nurse worked to stabilize Chaeyoung. They felt a sense of helplessness, as if there was nothing they could do to help their friend. They could only hope that the nurse would be able to save her.

The silence in the infirmary was broken only by the sound of the nurse's equipment and the soft beeping of the heart monitor. The boys and Kyung Jisoo stood in a silent vigil, their minds racing with questions. What had happened to Chaeyoung? Was she going to be okay?

The nurse's eyes widened in horror as she stared at the still ECG readout, the steady beep now a flat, unbroken line. She felt a chill run down her spine .

A collective sigh of relief escaped the group as Chaeyoung's heart miraculously restarted. Life seemed to flicker back into her, a spark rekindling in the lifeless body. Their tense muscles relaxed, replaced by a wave of gratitude.

Kyung Jisoo, feeling a surge of relief, excused himself to the restroom. The moment he stepped out, the atmosphere in the infirmary took a drastic turn. Chaeyoung's heart began to pound erratically, her once pale complexion turning ashen. Tiny, almost invisible spores began to emerge from her skin, a haunting spectacle that sent shivers down everyone's spine.

Her body convulsed violently, an uncontrollable dance of terror. The boys struggled to restrain her, their efforts futile against the escalating chaos. In the midst of the pandemonium, Mrs. Lee spotted a telltale sign: a small, almost imperceptible bite wound on Chaeyoung's leg.

Fear, raw and primal, consumed her. With a blood-curdling scream, she collapsed to the floor, her hands instinctively covering her head. The once sterile, calm infirmary had transformed into a chamber of horror.

The boys, paralyzed by fear, watched as their world crumbled around them. The girl they knew was changing, morphing into something unrecognizable, and there was nothing they could do.