25. Murderous Mayhem Part 6

Bond looked up towards the false ceiling, the only possible source of the liquid. He got up and took a step back, as he noticed the unusual colour of the liquid. It was a deep shade of red and had high viscosity. The only sound in the room was that of the liquid, as it made a low-pitched sound when each drop hit the marble tiles. Within a few minutes, a pool of the liquid had gathered near his feet.

'Is this what I am thinking it is?'

Bond kept his distance and kneeled down on the floor. He picked up a small amount of liquid in his handkerchief and held it to his nose. The liquid had a familiar smell. It smelled like rusted iron and rotten meat. Bond gagged at it and threw the handkerchief aside.

Bond rushed outside the changing room. He went to the instructor, who looked cross.

"Sir, I think there is something wrong in the changing room." He whispered.

"Yeah, you go. I will come after some time." The instructor lazed around on his chair.

At that moment, Bond had only one way out.

"Everyone! Come to the changing rooms." He yelled across the stretch of the swimming pool.

"What is wrong, Bond?" Pin asked.

"I can explain only when everyone comes." He yelled once again.

Within a few minutes, the entire crowd was gathered near the swimming pool. The instructor was the last one to get up. Ultimately, he too joined them. Bond led them all to the place where the blood had gathered. It was darker than before and had stopped falling from the ceiling. Bond looked up to check the panel and realised the blood had clotted, blocking the flow.

"All students, move aside!" The instructor yelled as he squirmed through the group of people.

Being a bodybuilder himself, he was quite tall and could touch the ceiling without any assistance. He loosened the panel slots and took out a panel. There was nothing except a trail of blood. He put his hand further to check and he felt the blood that was warm to touch. Following the path of the blood, his hands were met by something very soft and warm. He took out his hands from the panels and was terrified. They were covered with blood.

"I think I won't be-" He passed out before he could finish his sentence.

Now, only the students were remaining in the room. Being the current tallest of all, Feng Mian stood up on the sink-top to check the panels. He removed the two panels which had the highest pressure. What he saw next was nothing short of a horror scene.

It was the dead body of a human, which was missing the skin. He could clearly see the muscle fibres as it twisted around the bones and connected by the light pink tendons. The sight of blood vessels protruding out of his body made him stick to the stomach. He turned towards the sink and began to gag. Bond helped him to get down and handed him a bottle of water.

"Are you alright?" He questioned as he patted Feng's back.'

"Yeah, I think I will be fine." Feng got up to wash his face.

Bond stood up on the platform and took a look at those panels himself. The sight was equally terrifying but he seemed unmoved. He grabbed the fleshy arm of the body and pulled it towards himself. He could feel the joints through the thin layer of muscles.

"He looks tired." Were the only words he spoke.

The scene was no less than ghastly now. It was the first time a group of high school students would have seen a person handle a skinless dead body. On top of that, the person was not at all scared, rather his eyes showed pity. A pity that seemed personal.

He got down the platform hugging the dead body. The fluids from the muscles made his hoodie wet and sticky. He was starting to feel uncomfortable but did not leave it till he placed it on the bathroom floor with utmost humbleness.

"Dude, that is a dead body. Why care for it?" Some students questioned as they proceeded to cover their noses to avoid the stench.

"This dead body was long ago a somebody. We cannot disrespect a human, no matter alive or dead." He scolded them and asked them to step aside.

"What is wrong with this guy?" The students whispered.

Some of the students could not take the extremity of the situation and the began to retch on the bathroom floor. The smell of the vomit mixed with the smell of the dead body could make anyone insane but for some reason, Bond was unaffected. He stood amidst the chaos, with a fearless smile plastered on his lips

"What is going on here?" The voice came from the entrance. Sweat began to drip from Bond's forehead.