THE LAST BELL

The first bite

The library was too quiet. The air felt heavy, and every step echoed like thunder.

Axel held his breath as he crouched behind a tall shelf. In his hand, he clutched nothing but an old wooden ruler. His knuckles were white from holding it too tight. It was not a weapon, but it was all he had.

Beside him, Chloe pressed against the shelf. Her body trembled, but her eyes did not. They burned with a strange courage that Axel had never seen before.

“Axel,” she whispered, her voice almost broken. “It’s coming closer.”

“I know,” Axel whispered back, his throat dry.

The pale figure moved slowly between the rows of books. Its skin was gray and cracked, like dry mud. Its eyes were empty, but its mouth stretched open, showing sharp yellow teeth. Every step it took sent dust falling from the shelves.

Axel’s heart pounded so hard he thought the creature could hear it.

The pale figure stopped. It turned its head slowly, listening. Then, with a sudden scream, it lunged forward, knocking down books and shelves in its path.

“Run!” Chloe cried, but Axel stood his ground.

He lifted the wooden ruler with shaking hands and swung as hard as he could. The ruler cracked against the creature’s skull. The sound was sickening.

The figure fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Axel’s chest heaved, his whole body trembling. “I think… I think I killed it,” he muttered.

But then he saw the blood. Dark and thick, it poured from the creature’s skull, splattering across the floor. The blood touched the wooden floor and hissed, burning like fire. Smoke curled into the air.

Chloe gasped. “That’s not normal… Axel… that’s not normal blood.”

Axel stared. His mind screamed. This was no sickness. This was something else. Something worse.

Before he could think, the library door creaked open. Damian and Mason stepped inside, laughing loudly.

“Axel, you coward,” Damian mocked, his voice echoing. “Hiding in the library again? What are you so scared of?”

Mason chuckled. “Maybe he’s afraid of books.”

“Shut up,” Axel hissed, his voice sharp. “Get out, both of you. Now.”

Damian grinned. “Or what? You’ll hit us with that ruler?”

Chloe’s eyes widened. “Damian! Mason! Be quiet! There’s something in here!”

Damian rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure. A monster in the library. Good one.”

But before he could laugh again, the fallen creature twitched.

Axel froze. Chloe clutched his arm.

The creature’s broken bones snapped back into place, one by one, the sound echoing through the library like cracking branches. Its body jerked unnaturally as it slowly rose to its feet again.

Its head twisted. Its empty eyes locked onto Mason.

“What the hell—” Mason began, but the creature moved too fast.

It lunged and grabbed Mason by the throat.

“No!” Damian screamed.

The creature sank its teeth deep into Mason’s neck. The sound of flesh tearing filled the room. Blood sprayed across Damian’s shirt and splattered on the floor.

Mason’s scream was cut short. His eyes rolled back. His body went limp in the creature’s grip.

Chloe yanked Axel’s hand. “We have to go!”

“The doors are locked!” Axel shouted back, his eyes darting to the heavy library doors. He had tried earlier—they would not budge.

Mason’s body jerked once, twice, and then fell to the floor. Blood pooled beneath him.

Damian knelt, shaking his friend. “Mason! Mason, wake up! Please!”

Chloe bit her lip hard. Tears filled her eyes. “He’s gone…”

But Mason’s eyes suddenly opened.

They were no longer human.

They were pale, cloudy, and lifeless. His skin turned gray, veins blackened across his face, and his mouth opened in a low growl. His body jerked again as he rose to his feet.

“Mason?” Damian whispered in horror.

Mason’s head snapped toward him, and his mouth dripped with blood.

Axel stepped in front of Chloe. “Stay behind me!”

Damian stumbled back, his voice shaking. “No… this can’t be real… Mason, it’s me… it’s Damian!”

But Mason only snarled. His hand shot forward, grabbing Damian by the collar.

“Damian, run!” Axel shouted.

“I can’t! He’s my friend!” Damian cried, tears running down his face.

Mason’s jaw opened wider, his sharp teeth inches from Damian’s throat.

Axel tightened his grip on the wooden ruler. He knew he had no choice. He had to strike again. But his body froze.

Chloe looked at him, fear and desperation in her eyes. “Axel… do something! Please!”

Axel’s heart pounded. His mind screamed at him to move.

He lunged forward and swung the ruler once more, striking Mason’s arm. Mason hissed, turning his dead eyes toward Axel.

For a moment, Axel thought he was next.

Then Damian kicked Mason away, breaking free from his grip.

“Axel!” Chloe shouted. “The window! Over there!”

Axel turned. At the far end of the library, behind the shelves, was a large window. Cracked, but not broken.

“We can smash it!” Chloe cried.

Damian stumbled toward them, his hands covered in Mason’s blood. His face was pale.

Mason growled, crawling toward them on all fours now, faster than before.

“Go!” Axel yelled. He grabbed Chloe’s hand and ran toward the window. Damian followed, stumbling, shaking, sobbing.

They reached the window. Axel grabbed a chair and slammed it against the glass. It cracked but did not shatter.

“Again!” Chloe cried.

He hit it again. This time, it shattered, sharp glass raining down.

“Go, Chloe!” Axel shouted, pushing her through first.

She crawled out, cutting her arm on the glass, but she didn’t stop.

“Damian, go!” Axel said.

Damian hesitated, looking back at Mason. His voice cracked. “I can’t leave him!”

“He’s not Mason anymore!” Axel shouted.

Tears rolled down Damian’s cheeks. He climbed through the window.

Axel turned to follow, but then he froze.

Chloe screamed from outside. “Axel! Hurry!”

But Axel’s eyes locked on Mason.

Mason had stopped crawling. He stood tall, his gray face twisted into something inhuman. His mouth stretched into a bloody grin.

And then, with a low growl, Mason spoke.

“Hungry…”

Axel’s blood turned cold.

Chloe screamed again. “Axel, come on!”

Axel climbed through the window, cutting his leg as he fell outside. Damian pulled him up.

Behind them, Mason slammed against the window, shards of glass cutting into his gray skin. He clawed at the opening, his growls echoing in the night.

They ran into the dark street, hearts pounding, breaths sharp.

Axel grabbed Chloe’s hand tighter than ever. He looked back once more. Mason’s pale face stared through the broken window, his empty eyes locked on them.

Damian fell to his knees on the street, sobbing. “He’s gone… Mason’s gone…”

Chloe wrapped her arms around him, trying to comfort him. Axel stood still, his chest heaving, his mind spinning.

He looked at the blood on his hands. He looked at the street around them. Too quiet. Too empty.

Then he heard it.

A low growl.

Not from the library.

From the shadows of the street.

Axel froze. Slowly, he turned his head.

In the darkness, more pale figures were moving. Their eyes glowed faintly. Their teeth shone in the moonlight.

Chloe’s voice trembled. “Axel… are those… more of them?”

Axel swallowed hard, his whole body shaking.

Damian wiped his tears, looking up with wide eyes. “If Mason changed… then… will I be next?”