: Dream School

Kurou walks through a labyrinth of classrooms.

He didn't know how he ended up here; all he remembers was telling his mom goodnight before heading to bed. Now, here he was, lost in an endless maze of rooms, each one indistinguishable from the last.

Footsteps echoed behind him, soft and rhythmic, like someone trailing him in the dark. Kurou spins around, his heart pounding, but there's nothing there. Just shadows stretching along the dimly lit hallway. Was it his mind playing tricks on him? Or something more sinister?

He picks up the pace, the unsettling feeling gnawing at his insides.

Kurou pushes open a door and steps into an empty classroom, closing the door behind him with a loud bang.

The silence is heavy, oppressive. The room feels colder than it should be, and the faintest breeze ruffles the curtains. Kurou tries to calm his racing thoughts, but the sound comes again.

Bang, bang, bang.

The door rattles as if something—or someone—is pounding against it. His pulse spikes, and he scrambles to push desks against the door, creating a makeshift barricade. The noise stops after a few moments, but Kurou doesn't relax.

He searches the classroom, looking for anything useful.

He's been wandering the school for who knows how long now. It all started when he woke up in a strange classroom with a note on the desk.

'The key is in room 108.'

He couldn't even remember which rooms he'd been in, lost in the blur of endless hallways and doors, all the while feeling like he was being watched by something—or someone—lurking just beyond the edge of his vision.

Kurou pulls the curtain aside and glances down the hallway. The hallway stretches endlessly, like a tunnel that never ends. And then he sees him.

There's a boy running down the hall, his face a blur. Kurou's heart skips a beat as recognition hits him. He knows that face, though he can't place it.

His fingers tremble as he lets go of the curtain, then hurriedly pushes the desks aside and steps out of the classroom.

Room 104.

That means room 108 should be close by.

Kurou hurries down the hall, following the boy's path, his mind racing. He spots room 108 on his left, the door standing wide open.

Inside, the boy is rummaging through the teacher's desk.

He looks up as Kurou enters the room, startled.

"Minami? What are you doing here?" Kurou asks, his voice hoarse, almost unsure if he's dreaming.

Minami grins.

"I could ask you the same thing," he says, his voice light. "Seems like we're both stuck in this dream realm, huh?"

Kurou blinks. Dream realm?

This had to be a joke, right?

"Dream realm?" Kurou repeats, his mind trying to make sense of it. "Are you sure we didn't just get kidnapped? I mean, I've heard footsteps following me, and then there's that note. A key in room 108. Maybe someone is toying with us, playing some sick game."

Minami chuckles, but there's something unsettling in his eyes. He doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he shifts, grabbing something from the desk.

"Can you help me find the key? And... have you ever heard of the urban legend 'Dream School'?"

Kurou's stomach tightens. The name hits him like a punch to the gut. Dream School.

How could he forget it?

A kid hears about the legend, wakes up in an empty classroom, and starts wandering the school. He finds the note with the key's location, just like Kurou did. But the legend says the kid never leaves. Not alive. Not awake. Forever trapped.

Kurou swallows, his throat dry. "So, since we're here… does that mean the kid from the legend could be here too?"

Minami shakes his head. "I didn't see anyone else, and I've been searching for this room for ages. But I did find an exit. It's locked, though. Even in a dream, escaping isn't easy."

Kurou nods, trying to focus on the task at hand.

After some searching, his fingers brush against something metal. He pulls it out—the key. It glints silver in the dim light.

"I found it!" he says, holding it up. "Now, where's that exit?"

Minami leads him out of the room and down a set of stairs, his voice low. "It's down a ways, and this place is a maze. You could lose your bearings in an instant. Stick close, and keep your ears open. You never know what's listening."

Kurou nods, staying close to Minami. The sound of footsteps behind them grows louder again, like an ominous whisper in the air. Their pace quickens. They're running now, the thud of their footsteps echoing in the empty halls.

They reach the double doors, and Kurou yanks the key from his pocket, his hands shaking as he jams it into the lock. But the footsteps are getting closer. Minami glances behind him, his face pale.

"Hurry up!" Minami yells. "That THING is coming!"

Kurou's hands tremble, his heart hammering in his chest as he fumbles with the key. He misses the keyhole again and again. The footsteps are nearly upon them. The lights flicker, casting long shadows on the walls.

Finally, with a deep breath, he steadies his hand and turns the key. The door creaks open.

He turns around—and freezes.

Minami is gone.

The darkness has swallowed him whole.

Kurou's breath catches in his throat as the light above them flickers and dies. The last thing he hears is Minami's scream.

And then, a hand shoves him forward, into the blinding white light.

"MINAMI!" he yells, his voice cracking. "I'll come back for you!"

The light flickers one last time before Kurou is pulled into the endless abyss.