TWO: The Dark Awakening

Uma's POV

Morning broke quietly over Amber Boarding School. The birds were chirping, the trees rustling softly in the breeze. Just like every other day, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first period. Students filled the classrooms, chatting idly with each other as they made their way to their seats, preparing for the day ahead.

But not everyone was inside, following the rules. Some students were still in their hostel, scrambling to get ready for class. Others had made up their minds to ditch school altogether, while a few could be found at the back of an old building, engaged in activities that would surely get them into trouble.

Among the rebellious group was Mirabel, known for being the younger sister of one of Port Harcourt's most notorious gangsters.

"You sure say you wan do am?" Victor asked, hesitating to hand her the cigarette. He clearly didn't want to get on the wrong side of her brother. "I no wan problem from your brother ooo,"

Mirabel replied casually, though her eyes glittered with defiance.

"Which kind problem again? I don tell you, nobody cares about me. What I do is not their problem. Besides, I'm a big girl now. I fit do anything I want," she said, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Okay oo, but if wahala burst, no call my name o, else we go get issue," Victor warned, finally handing the cigarette to her.

"No worry, nothing go happen," she assured him, puffing away confidently.

"E beta not oo, me I no dey here with una oo," Sixtus, one of the boys present, muttered, tossing his finished cigarette to the ground and lighting another one.

"Una no go even see my shadow when wahala burst," Favour, a girl standing next to Sixtus, added coldly, using her foot to step on the head of a younger JSS 1 boy, David, who had been forced to smoke.

"Let the kid go na, he don try," Victor said, but Favour kicked him aside without a second thought.

"Get out joor, and if you tell anyone about us, e go shock you wetin we go do next," she threatened, her voice dripping with malice.

David, clearly frightened, grabbed his bag and books and ran away quickly, hoping to escape the bullying.

Mirabel watched him go. A flicker of guilt passed through her, but she quickly masked it. She wasn't going to let herself appear weak.

"See, Mirabel," Victor called her attention, "you're one of us now. So we gats protect our pack. We're the big boys in this school. If you mess with us, we go mess with you. Understand?"

Mirabel nodded, her expression intimidating. She was no longer the timid girl she once was. She was part of the pack now.

The day went on like any other. Boring lectures, teachers scolding and advising the students, endless note-taking. Everyone seemed to be going through the motions, preparing for the final bell.

During break, the usual chaos unfolded. Some students were out on the field playing football or engaging in other games, while others stood in long queues at the snack shop, waiting for their turn to buy something to eat.

A few of us, who didn't want to deal with the madness outside, stayed inside, passing the time. The boys were playing football outside the class, some were discussing anime, and others were arguing over wrestling. We girls were at the back of the room, singing songs from our favorite cartoons.

I was sitting with my friends, Bisi and Rita, discussing the latest Netflix series, when Bola, our class prefect, ran in breathlessly.

"They don start again ooo!" he shouted, and the room erupted into action. Everyone rushed outside to see what was going on.

It was Anderson, an SSS 3 student, and his friends, picking on David, the quiet JSS 1 boy. Every time they picked on him, the crowd of students would cheer them on. This had been going on for months, and no one had ever bothered to report it to the authorities. It had almost become a sick form of entertainment.

"Nawa o, this boys again. Dem no go ever respect themselves," I muttered, rolling my eyes. I had never supported bullying, but it seemed like no one cared to do anything about it.

"Omo, e don do, I dey go report," Bisi said, heading off to the staff room to alert the authorities.

As the bullying continued, I couldn't help but feel pity for David. But what could I do? I felt helpless, standing there, watching it unfold.

They were laughing as they pushed and dragged David around, completely ignoring his cries. With every push, David's frustration grew, but he couldn't fight back, he was surrounded by four large boys from SS 3.

Despite his small stature, David managed to try and break free, but his efforts were in vain as they continued dragging him around, their laughter ringing in the air.

David, growing desperate, scratched Anderson's arm, tearing a piece of his skin.

Anderson let out a loud yelp, causing the group to stop and look at the damage.

Seizing the opportunity, David attempted to run, but they quickly grabbed him and dragged him back.

"Where this one dey go eh? You dey mad?" one of them shouted, pulling David by the head and showing him Anderson's injury. "See wetin you don do with your tiger claws?"

"Please, let me go, abeg, I no want trouble," David said softly, his voice trembling.

Anderson scoffed. "See mumu o, go where?" he sneered, slapping David across the face and injuring his eye. Then, his boys joined in, kicking and beating David mercilessly.

The scene was horrifying, and I felt helpless as I watched. Others were cheering, saying that David had no respect. A few prefects rushed in to try and break it up.

But nothing could stop the chaos.

David's breath became shallow, his chest rising and falling rapidly, as if something inside him was changing. The physical pain of the assault overwhelmed him, but there was something more, something dark, a force begging to be unleashed. He tried to control it, but the pain was unbearable.

Then, with a sharp, involuntary growl, David jerked his head up. His mouth stretched wide, and his eyes, now pitch black and completely devoid of humanity, locked onto Anderson.

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. The others didn't seem to notice. They continued cheering, oblivious to the transformation taking place right in front of them. Before I could process what was happening, David lunged forward, sinking his teeth deep into Anderson's neck.

The crowd went silent. Anderson screamed in pain, struggling to push David off, but it was futile. His screams only seemed to fuel David's hunger.

"Omo, see dog ooo," the bullies mocked, laughing at the scene. But with every mocking laugh, David's strength grew. He was no longer the weak kid being bullied; he was a predator now.

Prosper and Ethan, Anderson's friends, rushed forward, trying to pull David off. They beat him with sticks, but it did nothing. David didn't stop. In fact, it only seemed to make him more aggressive.

David tore into Anderson's flesh, his body moving with a savage hunger. Blood spilled onto the floor as Anderson's screams grew more desperate.

Prosper and Ethan hit him harder, but they were no match for David's newfound strength. The more they tried to pull him off, the more violent he became.

"Jesus Christ!" Rita screamed in shock, her voice rising in terror. "What is happening?"

Her scream caught the attention of others, and soon, the laughter died down. The sight of blood brought everyone's attention to the horrifying scene unfolding before them.

Suddenly, David turned, his eyes flashing with hunger. He lunged at Ethan, his teeth sinking into Ethan's arm. The sound of bones crunching filled the air, and Ethan screamed in agony. Prosper swung the stick at David, but it only grazed his back.

David didn't even flinch. He was relentless, driven by a hunger far beyond human.

Then, David lunged at Prosper. The crowd watched in stunned silence. No one dared to intervene as David, now fully consumed by his monstrous hunger, attacked anyone in his path.

Minutes later, the bodies of Anderson and Ethan rose. Their eyes were vacant, and they moved with unnatural precision. The crowd stood frozen, unsure of what to expect next.

After a few moments, they regained their balance and charged at the nearest students. That's when the panic set in.

I knew we had to run. I grabbed my twin brother, Edward, by the arm.

"Run," I whispered urgently. Then, louder, I shouted to the crowd, "Run!"

I pushed my way through the students who were leaving their classroom to watch the scene, no one wants to be left out in the drama, and some panicked student, unaware of what was happening but at the sound of my voice became desperate to escape whatever choas was unfolding.