The First Attack

Chapter Two: The First Attack

Anna stood outside the bathroom door, her heart pounding. She had knocked twice, called Catherine's name, but there was no answer.

Then, the lock clicked.

Catherine stepped out.

Anna's breath caught in her throat seeing the way Catherine looked.

Catherine looked... worse. Her skin was even paler than before, almost gray. Her lips were cracked, and her eyes—her eyes looked hollow.

Anna forced a smile. "Are you okay?"

Catherine nodded once. No words.

Anna frowned but didn't push. "Let's go back to class."

They walked in silence.

Inside the classroom, Catherine barely made it to her desk before slumping forward, resting her head on her folded arms. Her breathing was slow, almost too slow.

Anna swallowed hard. Something is really wrong. Something wasn't right with her friend.

But she didn't say anything.

She just sat down, stealing glances at her friend, wondering what was happening to her.

---

The next day, Anna arrived at school and scanned the room.

Catherine wasn't there.

Her stomach dropped for a second.

She checked her phone—no messages. No missed calls.

She turned to a few classmates. "Hey, have you seen Cat?"

Most of them shrugged. "She didn't come today."

"No one saw her?"

They shook their heads.

A strange, cold feeling crept up Anna's spine.

By the end of the day, Catherine never showed up. Or did she call her.

As soon as school closes, Anna doesn't go home. She walked straight to Catherine's house.

She knocked on the door.

A few seconds later, Catherine's mother opened it. Her face was tired, worried.

"Anna," she said softly.

Anna forced a smile. "Hi, Mrs. Lewis. Is Cat home?"

Catherine's mother sighed and shook her head. "No, sweetie. She's at the hospital. She isn't ok at the moment."

Anna's chest tightened. "Hospital?"

"She's been acting strange," her mother said, rubbing her temples. "She won't eat. She won't talk. She just... sits there. And she keeps saying she hears voices. Most of the time talking to herself."

Anna's throat felt dry. "Voices?"

Her mother nodded. "And she keeps vomiting."

Anna's mind flashed back to the bathroom. Catherine had vomited.

She swallowed hard.

"Which hospital?" she asked.

Catherine's mother gave her the name, and Anna didn't waste any time.

---

Anna walked down the white-tiled hall, gripping the straps of her backpack tightly.

When she stepped into Catherine's room, she froze.

Catherine lay on the bed, her arms limp at her sides. Her chest rose and fell slowly, her breath barely making a sound.

She looked even worse than before. She looks like a lifeless person.

Anna's heart clenched.

She pulled a chair close and sat beside her, watching her friend's pale face.

She didn't know how long she sat there.

She didn't know how long she had stared at her friend and felt sorry for her.

Eventually, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.

---

A week passed.

Catherine never returned to school.

Anna started to feel like maybe she wouldn't come back at all.

Seeing The way she was she couldn't understand why no doctor's have found anything wrong with her.

Then, one morning, as she sat at her desk, staring at the empty seat beside her—

Catherine walked in.

Anna's breath caught.

For a split second, relief washed over her. But then—

She noticed something was off.

Catherine moved too smoothly, too silently. She didn't look at anyone. She didn't speak.

She just walked to her desk, sat down, and stared straight ahead.

Anna's hands curled into fists. Her friend has never walked in without saying a hi.

Something is wrong. But she kept silent. She just watched.

Then, it happened.

A girl named Megan, one of the school's biggest bullies, strutted toward Catherine's desk.

She smirked and crossed her arms. "Wow, look who finally decided to show up," she sneered.

Catherine didn't react.

Megan rolled her eyes. "What, are you sick or something? Think you can just disappear and make everyone feel sorry for you?"

Anna's stomach twisted. Seeing the way Megan talks to Catherine makes her blood boil.

Catherine still didn't move.

Megan scoffed. "Oh, so you're ignoring me now?"

She leaned down and shoved Catherine's shoulder.

Anna sat up straighter, ready to step in.

Then—

Catherine smiled.

Not a normal smile.

A slow, eerie grin.

Anna's blood ran cold.

Megan frowned. "What the hell are you smiling at?"

Catherine didn't answer.

Megan's face twisted in anger. "Are you laughing at me?" She grabbed Catherine's wrist, her nails digging into her skin.

For the first time, Catherine moved.

Her fingers wrapped around Megan's wrist—tight.

Megan yelped. "Hey! Let go, you freak!"

Then, Catherine bent down fast—and bit into Megan's hand.

Megan screamed.

Blood dripped onto the desk.

Anna gasped, heart racing.

The whole class turned toward them.

Megan shoved Catherine away, stumbling backward, clutching her bleeding hand. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

The room filled with whispers and gasps.

Then—

Catherine jumped.

Straight at Megan.

She tackled her to the floor, pinning her down.

Screams erupted. Students jumped out of their seats, some running for the door.

Anna sat frozen.

Megan thrashed beneath Catherine, trying to push her off, but Catherine was too strong.

Then—

Catherine bit her neck.

A piercing scream filled the room.

Another girl screamed.

Catherine's head snapped up.

Her red eyes locked onto the girl for a moment.

Then, she lunged.

The girl barely had time to react before Catherine tackled her too.

Anna's body felt numb.

She sat there, watching in horror, unable to move. Unable to do anything or even speak.

And then—

Something even worse happened.

Megan, who had been lying on the ground—stood up.

She shouldn't have been able to. She should have been hurt, in pain. But she rose smoothly, her movements wrong.

Then—

She smiled.

The same eerie smile as Catherine.

Her eyes, once filled with fear, now looked empty.

She turned her head too slowly, scanning the room.

Anna's breath hitched.

Something was spreading.

Something was taking them.

One by one.

And she might be next.

--