The explosion

Day 155

When a thunderous noise was heard in the courtyard, math class had barely began. The teacher ordered at us to get down on the ground after the windows shattered. We didn't need to be told twice.

After that, there was a deafening hush. The teacher was the first to rise and inquire if any of us had been injured. He appeared to be afraid. Save for the windows, which were really torn up, and the desks, which were a mess, everything was great except for a few pieces of glass in our hair and two females screaming for no reason.

We were forced to leave as soon as possible by the teacher. He was the last one to leave the classroom, sprinting down the hallway to stand in front of us. The recess bell was blaring loudly, and it was very packed.

The scene in the courtyard was awe-inspiring. A plume of smoke could be seen rising behind the guard's shed, and almost all of the school's windows were naked.

The math teacher exclaimed, "My God, it's the petrol tank!"

I didn't see what God had to do with it, unless he needed to use a massive lighter and mishandled it. Despite all we've been told about cigarettes, I can't imagine God smoking one, but who knows, maybe his lungs are protected since he's already in heaven. A column of smoke rose to meet him, but it was undoubtedly a coincidence.

The headmistress was in a tizzy, and she asked the instructors to count us for the third time, repeating, "Are you sure they're all here?" Then a name would spring to memory, prompting her to exclaim, "Mathieu, where is he?" She'd say, "Ah, he's here!" and then move on to another.

There was quite a commotion at the explosion site. We could hear the flames crackling as they crept higher and higher behind the guard's shed, and we could even see their shadows dancing on the roof.

I had lost all of my shadows. There are none at all. My shadows had dissipated like vapor. It was unexpected that I couldn't hear any voices, and I missed the silence.

I also noticed the guard's shadow in front of me, as if he had come to locate me. I saw it move forward and knew it was me it was hunting for with all my might.

I started walking towards the shed, where the shadow was tugging me, because the principal and teachers were too busy counting kids to pay attention.

Wailing sirens could be heard in the distance, but they were still a long way away. The guard's shadow continued to guide me as I proceeded towards the smoke column. The heat was increasing, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to move. I knew I had to leave; the shadow had come to me for a reason.

When the flames started to lick the roof, I was almost to the guard's shelter. I was terrified, but I persisted. I was startled to hear my English teacher call my name.

As I approached the shed, the shadows I had been stealing for months began to appear one by one. They were all standing in front of the woodshed, hand in hand, blocking my way to the door.

I was being pursued by my English teacher. She was yelling at me to return right away. I kept walking in the direction where the guard's shadow was directing me.

The heat had gotten oppressive in front of the shelter, but I wanted to go ahead and open the entrance.

'No.' A shadow said, 'You're not coming in.'

I responded, "I have to save him," and was about to move forward when one of them shoved me.

I couldn't believe how surprised I was. Since when have they been able to do that?

'You won't save him,' the gruff voice said.

"Shadow, get out of the way."

The shadow pushed me once again, and I could feel its rage and pain in its actions.

I noticed the guard's shadow next to me, and it was crying.

The other shadow stood guard at the shed's entrance. I attempted to pass again, but each time the shadow touched me, I had less strength to rise, and the shadow appeared to grow in strength.

The hand of the English teacher grasped my shoulder and drew me back. She gave me an incandescent stare, which was entirely appropriate, but I stood firm and refused to back down. My gaze was fixed on that door, and I couldn't move my gaze away from it.

She grabbed my arm and began to struggle with me, but I was able to break free.

"We have to save the guard! He's nowhere to be found in the yard. He's suffocating in his shed."

When my English teacher overheard me say that, she almost choked. She told me to back off and kicked the door open, but the lock was still on. She tried one again, then twice more.

The English teacher entered the rear room and emerged two minutes later.

The fire service came on the scene. They extinguished the fire before transporting the guard to the hospital morgue. He was no longer alive.

The day's classes were over.

My robed shadows were gathered together in a corner of the courtyard, terrified of me. I was attempting to figure it out when I noticed one of them approaching me and coming to a halt in front of me.

'They're all terrified of getting too close to you.'

"They have every reason to be scared," I said. "How could this happen?"

'It was achievable because of your power and level. You may not realize it, but you are a well-known figure in our group. The shadows that surround you are not all friendly. This, however, should not have an impact on you. You must take care of your power and level. It's not your fault what occurred today.'

"How is it not my fault? Aren't all the shadows who abandoned their owners to join me of good will? What exactly does that imply? That there are crooks, murders, robbers, and kidnappers? Furthermore, they came to me because I was a better fit for them than their previous owner, and now they're acting EVIL?" I shout to complete my statement.

'Don't get worked up. It's not going to be worth it.'

"What isn't worth it? Is it really worth it that a man died?"

I had just recently recognized that I had treated everything as if it were a game, and that I had been accumulating points and leveling up as if it were a ridiculous game.

'I congratulate you, VIP! You've accumulated enough points to make the most important decision of your life! To see the list of options available to you, click the Next button.'

I snatched the phone from my pocket and tossed it to the ground.

'Don't forget about that! The Russian roulette will start without your permission, and you will be given a random choice that you cannot modify.'

I started tapping the phone with my foot until it transformed into a thin sand-like coating.

I pointed to the shadows lined up with their backs to the wall blackened by the smoke from the guard's shed, saying, "I don't want to see anyone. None of you! There is no difference!"

I returned home.

-

-

Day 163

I went out before the others for lunch a few days after the tank explosion since I wasn't hungry. A young lady stood at the back of the yard, inspecting what remained of the guard's shed, which wasn't much.

"I know it was you who notified everyone," she murmured to me as she straightened up and brushed the burnt earth from her high heels, even though I turned away. "How did you know he was there?"

I didn't know what to say to her. That her shadow had tracked me down? That she had sneaked between the other shadows to come to me in the midst of the chaos? That I had seen her waving to me in the glare of the flames, urging me to come with her? Who would have believed me if I hadn't told you?

She didn't take her gaze away from me, so I checked the school clock; there was still around twenty minutes until the bell rang.

"I noticed he wasn't in the yard and was concerned for his safety."

She just glanced at me and didn't say anything.

I walked away to join Lucas. It was the first time he had played basketball since regaining his leg, but his technique was still lacking, and he needed a teammate.