Yuju crept into the silent school compound in her casual clothes in the dark early morning. It was her first time feeling so nervous and terrified of school. She wiped her tears from crying to her mother’s last advices before she left her at school.

 

-Flashback-

 

“Please be careful, Yuju” Mrs. Choi tears streamed down her aged face while her daughter’s head. “I will, omma. I love you” Yuju couldn’t hold her tears. “I love you too, Yuju” she embraced her tightly and don’t want to let go. She just wished her daughter could sit the race out.

 

-End of flashback-

 

            Yuju walked to the dark hallway. She looked around and saw the switch. She turned it on.

 

“Hello” her voice echoed though the empty space. It was Monday but not a single sight of student can be seen. The kidnapping case forced the school to be closed for a week. All classes were dark as Yuju walked to her classroom. Her steps stopped when she noticed the class beside hers had the light on. She braved herself to open the classroom door as she held her breath in nervous.

 

“You’re here?” Vernon who was in white long sleeves tee with plaid ed shirts and dark pant lifted his head to her. He was staring outside just now.

 

“Hi” Yuju left the door ajar and approached him. She sat on an empty chair in front of him.

 

            Vernon breathe out desolate sigh.

 

“So it’s today right?” he turned to her. “The final round of the race. They’ll come and fetch us any minutes now”

 

“Do you think we can pass this round?” she asked. “I don’t know. Since it’s the last stage, I ought it to be extremely hard” he continued to stare outside.

 

            Footsteps could be heard through the hallway and they looked at each other. Men in black suits rushed to them and covered their mouth and nose with white towels. Yuju felt her eyes heavy and her legs started to give up. She failed to stay conscious and fell onto the cold floor of the classroom, fainted. And so did Vernon.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

            Yuju slowly opened her eyes to see a familiar face centimeter in front of her.

 

“Vernon” she whispered but he was still knocked out. She struggled to push herself off the ground.

 

“Argh!” she held her head. It was still hurt from falling onto the floor just now.

 

            Yuju set her eyes around to see an entrance door to the building they were in. Papers and broken wooden furniture scattered on the floor. Some lights were off but most of them are blinking, asking for mercy to stay alive.

 

            Slowly, she stood and brushed the dust from the dust covered floor off her skirt. She approached the door that was sealed with chain and locks.  

 

“Darn it!” she hissed as she tried to pull the door open. She sighed in frustration. She glanced at Vernon over her shoulder.

 

            Yuju knelt beside him.

 

“Vernon” she shook his body. “Wake up”

 

            He slowly gain conscious and stared at her face, trying to recall what had happened.

 

“Yuju” he called. “Where are we?” he sat up and held to his throbbing head. “I don’t know. Maybe we arrived at the last stage of the race” she replied. She noticed a white card folded nicely near them.

 

“What’s this?” she took it and there was a message written on it. They looked at each other, confused. Vernon read the words aloud.

 

“Welcome to the last stage of the race. The Nightmare. Like its name, you sure can find everything that scare you here. While running away from them, you have another mission. We decided to help you know the place that we hid the bomb so look for the name of the place in this old abandoned school. Best of luck from us. And try to stay alive”

 

“Scare?” Yuju rephrased the word to herself. “This is bull!! They mean, both of us should wander around the school to look for the name of the place?!” Vernon sighed. “But Chief Officer Joo said his team are tracking the bomb too. Maybe we can help them by looking for the answer” she stood.

 

“Where are you going?” “Too look for the answer of course” “You wander around this building? We don’t even know what’s in here” “The card said everything that we’re afraid of. So I suppose things like zombies and snakes were on the list. But we can’t stay here for long. Let’s start searching” she held out her hand. “All of the citizen lives lies on our shoulder now. If we pissed the group off, you know what will happen”

 

“You think we’ll still be alive even if we tried?! Those leeches will sure to kill us! It’s no use for us to try to survive!” Vernon was furious. “At least we should try! You do wish to die in their hands right?!” Yuju fought back.

 

            Vernon sighed. “I just wish we could live normally like before” he took her hand and stood. “Me too” she replied.

 

            Suddenly, the piano sound could be heard. The melody echoed though the hallway.