Chapter 4

I MAY THINK that the guys have taken this dire situation the wrong way.

There we were left in the school - only the four of us - with no other student or adult to deal with the unusual and abrupt disappearance of the school's inhabitants. Wherever we looked, not one single person to be found. It felt like we were living in a ghost town and this should have been alarming. If it were a different set of teenagers having to face such dilemma, they would've panicked or become anxious of the situation.

However, none of us were feeling that way. On the contrary, the thought alone surged a bundle of pure excitement within that's needed to be channeled. Especially in Leon's part.

When realization hit him, he whooped a loud PERFECT! before running off to somewhere. Immediately we followed him. We were curious to know where his destination was, only to find him at Mr. Korsak's cramped office in the small security establishment near the first gate. Harrington has four gates situated in the North, South, East and West side of the school property. And in each gate, there is always a small, white-colored building near it where the school's security guards reside.

"Take this! And that! And this! And another one!"

I made a face.

Without missing a beat, Leon began trashing the place.

Files and papers went flying in the air, a blue plastic cup filled with pencils and pens flung across the room and he even threw Mr. Korsak's frog plushie - for some reason, it's kinda weird for a 43-year-old grown man to have one - on the floor and stomped on it multiple times for good measure. All that pent up frustration finally had an outlet.

"That felt good." Leon grinned.

"You'll get in trouble for that " Elli sighed. One brow arched on Leon's freckled forehead. "Uh, Hello! Surveillance cameras. Duh!" She gestured the CCTV cameras hanging in every corner of the room.

"It's not like he's gonna know." Leon tutted. "As you have noticed, we're the only ones here! No more prude and party-pooper Mr. Doraemon and no more kill joy teachers that will rain on my parade!!"

Elliana rolled her eyes. Terrence stifled a smile. Clearly he was loving this. I shook my head. Well, in the group, Leon can be much more enthusiastic. . .and excessive at times. Always leaping before thinking. Can be quite spontaneous when he's in the mood.

Leon approached Elliana and wrapped one arm around her. As if he was trying to make Elli see an even bigger picture.

"Technically, we have the freedom to do whatever we want." He broached. "Like having a second serving of chocolate mousse and strawberry cheesecake with lots and lots of strawberries?" His brows danced up and down to add more persuasion.

I sighed exasperatedly at what he just said.

As painful as it is, I commend him for being able to know which buttons to push. It only took one conversation about food and it immediately bought Elliana without question.

Elliana's eyes sparkled as if Christmas morning came early and she was about to open a dozen presents.

"Okay. Let's go." She mused and left the building.

Leon punched the air energetically and followed behind her. Terrence and I glanced at each other before shaking our heads. At least, there are still two sane people in the group.

ELLIANA HAS A sweet tooth.

Besides her extreme fondness to food, Elliana particular loves puddings, cup cakes, muffins - especially the blueberry ones - brownies, cakes and many more. Reasons why she was easily bought by Leon with just a mere mention of her favourite desserts in the school cafeteria.

And because we haven't had any breakfast yet, we indulged her and followed her towards the cafeteria.

Long tables and benches positioned in every row, facing the food counter horizontally where there's usually a long line of students there waiting for their turn to get breakfast, lunch or dinner. The long line of students which are comfortingly missing and I'm not even complaining.

Elliana sat on the table which she filled with all kinds of desserts she nicked from the kitchen: Blueberry muffins, chocolate pudding, custard flan, crème brulee, peach mango tarts, strawberry cheesecake, triple chocolate cake and many more unfamiliar pastries worth a week of desserts.

I settled for a chocolate chip pancake, which only took me five minutes to make, drizzled it with maple syrup and a tall glass of orange juice.

I enjoyed my meal and finished it in no time. But Elliana is still in the middle of munching a peach mango tart. Leon eventually jumped in and helped himself to a blueberry muffin.

"You're gonna have a stomachache." Terrence said in a sing-song voice.

"Nah-uh." Elli protested and took a mouthful of triple chocolate cake.

Clearly, that's another way of saying nobody can get in between her and her dessert addiction.

I passed the time by checking my phone for calls or text messages from my Mom. It's a good thing I charged it earlier back when we were in the dorm rooms.

My brows furrowed. Not one text or missed calls from her. That seemed unlikely because Mom always contacts me whenever I inform her of my homecoming in a particular day. She never forgets to tell me to drive safely or call me, asking what time am I leaving Harrington. She also asks for an update when I am on the road. That's just how she is. It can be quite annoying but for some reason, the thought created a deep pit in my gut and I'm starting to have a bad feeling about this.

Or am I just overthinking things?

Maybe I am.

Seeing that my supposed departure was delayed, I opted to send her a text saying that I'll be leaving after lunch time instead.

Halfway through Elliana's dessert mukbang, she stood up and left for the kitchen again to get some water. I was playing a game on my phone when we all stopped dead frozen at the sudden noise coming from the cafeteria kitchen.

It was Elliana's scream.

"Elli!" Terrence was the first to sprung on his feet and ran for the kitchen to where she was. Leon and I followed behind him. He kicked the kitchen doors open.

Elli was on her butt, a petrified look on her face as she stared at something on the other side of the room.

Terrence joined her on the floor, held her by the shoulder and asked what happened.

"What is it, Elli?" He persisted.

With tears on her eyes, her shaking hands pointed towards something across the room. I turned my head, heart pounding and gasped at what my eyes beheld.

On the floor, near the dishwasher was a severed hand nestled in a pool of blood.