It was early 1:00 a.m. in the morning.

Alex blankly looked out the train window staring at the distant lamp lights passing in a blink. The murky night limited his vision to look farther away. A while later the train stopped at a station. Alex who was completely slumped in his seat adjusted himself as he straightened up stretching himself. The doors opened as a single person with a briefcase walked into Alex’s coach.

He was tall man about 6 feet, having little greying beard and a complete grey hair with a few locks of black hair here and there. He was wearing black casual clothes and a goggle. But the most peculiar thing about him was the Chinese hat he was wearing on his head.

Alex didn’t think much of him as the man took a seat in front of Alex. Apart from a few other people here and there the coach was mostly empty. The man immediately rested his head back and soon drifted to sleep.

Meanwhile Alex grabbed his bag from the luggage rack above. He opened it to remove something to eat while he waited for the next station which was also his stop, Uphill station.

However, suddenly the train came to an abrupt halt throwing the passenger inside off balance. Alex’s bag fell from his hands along with his stuff which dropped out of it while he fell to the left almost hitting his head. Luckily, he wasn’t hurt.

He quickly bent down to gather his things and stuff them in his bag. As he got up, he noticed something strange about the man. Even after the sudden halt he didn’t budge from his place. He was still like that, resting his back sitting on his original position. What made Alex feel even weirder was that the man was still asleep.

‘What the…’ Alex couldn’t help but contemplate this situation when suddenly the voice came over the speaker in the coach informing the passengers that they had some obstacle on the track which was now being cleared and assured them that the journey would resume shortly.

Alex didn’t think much of it as he packed his bag and put it back on the luggage rack. However, what he didn’t notice was that the man’s briefcase had opened up after which something having black legs like structure crawled out if it and the second his attention was attracted by the announcement, the thing had slipped inside his bag.

Not long after the train started back again and pretty soon Alex reached his station where he got off completely oblivious about the thing in his bag.

…

UPHILL CITY

It was early 3 a.m. in the morning. The only thing Alex wanted was to lay down somewhere but the place ahead of him stopped him from giving in just yet.

Apparently, he had taken the wrong route to his new boarding school from the station. He had been walking for the past half an hour since he arrived in the interiors of the city. There weren't any cabs available at this hour.

There weren't many locals he can see about aside from some whom he deemed to better be away from as they were clearly drunk. But he was lucky to come across some villagers who directed him to the school.

A few minutes later he reached the gates of the school. Alex started observing the school blindly lost in thought about the events which lead him here.

"What are you doing there!?"

As if snapping out of a long sleep he covered his eyes from the flash of the guard’s torchlight. Alex responded "I am a new admission here; my train was delayed and I was a little lost."

The guard moved a little forward and found a young boy rubbing his eyes. The guard then asked for his name to be checked in his register whether there was a new admission coming in today. After confirming Alex's registration as 'Alex Morgan' and appointing someone else to his post he led him inside.

Alex followed the guard through the school gates observing the guards(watchmen) cabin to the left side of the old creaking giant gate. Lamps were lit at almost every turn. As soon as he walked a few steps he sighted a three-way junction.

The guard lead him toward the left path. It was plain and clean with bushes, benches and a waste bin to either side. Ahead lay the boy's dormitory.

As soon as the guard left the appointed room, Alex just fell on a random bed and was drifting to sleep not wanting to even change his clothes or take a shower. The room could be more precisely called a hall which had many beds lined in arrangement for the students. He didn't care as even the other students hadn't arrived and he was alone in the big room or more likely a small hall which had beds arranged in lines for the students to sleep.

It was common for students to come to boarding school just a day before. He had travelled a whole day and had arrived two days before the commencement of school. Being exhausted he soon fell asleep.

The next morning Alex woke up to noises coming out of the room. He went out in a tired manner to check out the commotion and saw students coming in their respective rooms.

Since school starts from tomorrow so this was going to take place all day long. After finding out that he wasn't able to sleep some more even if he tried, he freshened up in the boy's common bathroom and arranged all his belongings in the locker allotted to him outside the room. The lockers were arranged on walls to either side of the corridor. Just as he finished the guard called him.

"Ready to go meet the principal?" the guard asked. Alex paused a little and remembered that the guard had told him to be ready at 10 in the morning.

"Just a sec." Alex replied before combing his hair properly with his wet hands, he didn't want to give the impression of a delinquent of which his hair was contributing to. After that Alex followed the guard out.

On his way out he noticed the name tag 'Gary' attached to the guard's shirt. Gary was about 5’8 with black hair and had a somewhat rough face. He looked in his 40s. Out of the dormitory they took a left from the roundabout and walked straight for the school's main building. The main building was accessible from four ways around the area.

The principal's office was on the first floor. Upon climbing the stairs over its creaking sound and taking in the surrounding it was obvious to Alex that this school was many years old.

A few minutes later they reached the principal's office. The door had a gold plate with the name 'Michael S. S. Rebello' engraved on it. Gary knocked on the door and then came a reply to enter in a stern voice. Alex followed Gary inside the office.

Michael was sitting in his chair writing something. He looked in his 50's with neatly, combed back greying hair to his sides. His face starting to give into age with slight wrinkles. As Gary was telling Michael about Alex, he was taking in the view of the normal sized office.

There was a bookshelf placed to the right and a door on the left opening to the staff room. A computer was sitting on the left side of the room. Overall, it was plain and simple. After reporting his part Gary left leaving Alex alone with the stern looking principal.

"So how do you like our school Mr. Morgan?" asked Michael. "So far so good but I haven't really checked out the whole campus" Alex replied honestly.

"You should make yourself familiar with the school so as not to get lost on your way to classes, anyway I hope you study diligently and develop yourself here at our Green Tales high school, cause after all your father is a lucky person to get you an admission in here.

The last sentence brought upon a little prick in Alex's heart. After all his father had gone to great lengths to get an admission here. Alex was a smart child right from his childhood and in order to get him good education his father had somehow got him an admission in one of the top 5 boarding schools in the State with the best teachings.

After a little chat Michael sent off Alex to prepare for classes next day, after all he would have to take the books and required materials from the library attendant.

Followingly getting the required things he wanted, Alex went to his dormitory to keep his books and other things. By the time he returned back he saw many students had gathered settling in.

When he entered his room, he saw a boy arranging a bed. Alex kept his stuff on the study table. Hearing the noise, the boy turned around and saw Alex. He then extended his hand in a goofy manner and said "Greeeyy! Grey Stormer and you?" with a grin.

Grey was a little skinny and the same height as about Alex standing at 5 feet. He had a playful appearance like a child with slight black disheveled hair.  Alex understood at that moment that he had gotten a very carefree of a person for his roommate.

Alex then normally extended his hands for a handshake replying "Aallexxx...!!" suddenly with a shriek and pulled his hand back hurriedly.

Grey started laughing hard showing his hand to Alex. Alex saw some pointy like things between Grey's fingers and understood the origin of his pain.

"Nice way to greet someone" Alex said rubbing his hands. "Sorry bud, but I liked the look on your face" Grey said laughingly." As his laughter died down, he asked Alex his name. "Alex Morgan” Alex replied in a mild irritated manner.

Grey, "So, I take it you are a new student here?". Alex, "Yeah"

"So, I guess we are stuck with each other for a long time now." Grey said with a sheepish smile. What do you mean?" Alex asked in a confusing manner. " Oh yeah you wouldn't know, the school don't change the roommates here. You, me and these 20 other people are here till the end baby!” grey said looking around.

'Looks like I am stuck with a kid for my whole life of the boarding school.' Alex thought to himself sighing inwardly.

By the time they finished it was almost 12:30 p.m. Suddenly Grey asked if Alex was hungry which he was indeed since he hadn't even had breakfast. Since he was planning on going to find the cafeteria anyway, he thought he might as well go along with him.

The cafeteria was located at the ground floor. Students could be seen having a meal or just chattering about. Grey and Alex both took their food and sat at the corner of the room. "So whuut kand of admisuon is your’s?" Grey asked while stuffing his mouth with food.

Alex, "What do you mean by what kind of admission?" "I meant how did you got in, was it merit or merit plus scholarship or the rich kid way- donation?" Grey asked more clearly stressing on the last part.

"It was merit plus scholarship" Alex replied. "Oh, I see, so you are a Smarty pants" Grey said with a weird smile. Alex didn't like one bit of Grey's look.

Time flew by as they both chatted away eating their food. Alex started to get to know Grey a bit more clearly. As per Alex though he was a combo of a wicked satin and alien in his view.

Regardless he felt he had a good warmth about him. Grey showed the whole school to Alex as he gave him a trip around the campus. Alex was actually greatly surprised to see just how large an area the entire campus covered. Time went by and it was almost 7 o'clock.

The whole school was now filled with students everywhere. But most of them had gone to their dormitories catching up with their separated friends over the summer. It was a happy reunion for the people living in this kind of world.

Alex and Grey were just wandering about aimlessly talking to each other, well it was mostly Grey doing all the talking and cracking silly jokes. Strolling around they reached the auditorium and Grey abruptly stopped talking. Alex noticed the change and glanced at him.

He was just staring at the auditorium. The auditorium was closely joint to the football field and they were very close to the auditorium with no one else around.

"Are you alright?" Alex asked shaking Grey. Grey snapped out of his daze and said "yeah of course, I was just checking whether you were even listening to me or not" as he hurriedly put an arm around Alex's shoulder and lead him in the opposite direction.

Since Grey didn't want to say what it was Alex didn't push the matter further but he could clearly make out that there was a brief look of fear on his face at that time for a brief moment.

That night as Alex returned to the dorm early after dinner while Grey was meeting his friends and catching up. There was a small bag kept on the study table beside his bed. From that he took out a photo. It was of him and his dad. His dad seemed in his 40’s whereas Alex hadn’t changed much. It seemed quite a recent picture of him.

Feeling a little sleepy he kept the photo back inside but just as he did his hand touched something hard. He grabbed and removed it, only to find a pentagon shaped wood. It was the same thing which had crawled into Alex’s bag from the old man’s suitcase.

Alex furrowed his brows observing it closely wondering how it got in his bag. After fidgeting with for a few minutes he decided to give up on it and tossed it on the study table before going to sleep.

"5 more minutes" Alex moaned and grabbed tightly to his pillow, at least that was what it seemed for him.

There was giggling between the boy's standing in order beside their respective beds. Suddenly Alex fell down with a thud and his sleep evaporated and what came afterwards was shock and pain.

The warden, Mr. Redfoot who came to wake the students and take their roll call at 6:00 a.m. in the morning was emanating fumes as his hand was just now used as a pillow for someone.

The nearby boys started giggling uncontrollably trying their best to suppress their laughter as best they can, not wanting to become a target of the warden. Even the prefect's turned their backs and were trying to suppress their laughter. Alex on the other hand was grabbing his head throbbing in pain. For some reason he saw a very weird dream last night.

The warden grabbed Alex's collar and made him stand forcibly on his feet which brought his senses back to his surroundings. "Looks like a new face to me, still, I am going to make a perfect example out of you" the warden said in a curt manner.

To this all the boys had fallen silent because everyone knew that if the warden wanted to make an example out of a person it would surely be horrible, aside from the punishment the humiliation itself would be too overbearing.

Alex didn't know whether to laugh or cry, not even the first day had started and he was getting into trouble. He then looked around for Grey who was clearly giving him a devilish smile. 'What a nice trouble maker I have made for myself' Alex thought to himself sarcastically as he recalled the events of last night.

Last night before going to sleep he had asked Grey about the warden' s roll call timing which was falsely told to him as 7 a.m. being it a first day and the warden going easy. Alex did feel it was a little strange but didn't gave it much thought with that straight face of Grey's and set the alarm for 6:30.

After that incident, all the students were made to take a bath and change in their uniforms. Each student gets only ten minutes of bath time which was really less but since six students can take bath at a time in separate shower space it wasn't much hectic.

But what ticked Alex off the most was that the senior students took a good relaxed period of 15 to 20 minutes which resulted in most of their juniors being left out.

But then again, he was an exception as he was made to go in the bath first by the warden in order to give him his punishment soon. The classes started at 8:00 a.m.

Sometime later.

'This is simply childish!’ Alex thought to himself as he looked at the elevated figures in front of him. It wasn't that the people before him were large it was just that he was made to kneel down in front of his own class and catch his ears for the first two periods with each period being 40 to 45 minutes long and the class professor didn't oppose it as well.

All the students were looking at him like he was a foreign object or a species from another planet which resulted in getting them a number of reminders from the teacher for paying attention but there were still some glances towards him.

But Alex didn't pay it much mind as things like this would barely have an effect on him unlike others who might feel really awkward. He didn't really care much about how people would watch him or talked about him.

People will judge that's just human nature. Alex's goal from the start had been to get the knowledge he came here for and nothing else.

However, his knees were starting to feel pressured and pained from this. When the second period got over and he was about to get up the warden continued to make him kneel down for the 3rd period also, he was allowed to join the lectures from his seat along with a warning from the warden from the 4th period.

By the time he got up and went to take his seat his legs were visibly shaking a little. 'Is he a warden for school students or prisoners' Alex thought as he rubbed his knees.

"Did you hear, there were whispers near the chapel at the well. What? I had heard it too."

"The library books were found like that the same way; the prefect had told so."

Alex heard many strange discussions among the students.

Alex had forgotten that aside from being a top school, Green Tales was also famous for its stories. Every school over the years would naturally develop some weird horror or superstitious stories but Green Tales was different there were constantly some myths or rumors which would continuously go around everywhere.

In spite of this people didn't hesitate to send their children here because at the end of the day rumors were just rumors.

At lunch break Alex went to the cafeteria which was on the ground floor. As he was heading in the hall Grey put a hand around his shoulder and said "Want to sleep 5 more minutes huh, Alex boy, hahaha."

"Sure, over your dead body" Alex replied in an uninterested manner. "Oh, don't be like that, to your good brother, the warden never comes for the roll call on the first day, so I thought the prefect's will tug you a little and that's it." Grey said while nudging him.

After that they took their lunches and were looking for a place to sit and suddenly someone was calling Grey. "Hey Grey over here buddy."

Both of them turned to look at the origin of the voice as Grey recognized his friend. "Let's go we'll sit there" Grey said while signaling him to follow him. Alex recognized the group; they were in his class at different periods today. Grey and Alex took a seat at the table.

"Everyone this is Alex, Alex this is Tom Dice, Nova Lite, Madison Blair, you can call her Maddy for short and Nina Kristen."

Tom was a little bulky having slight long black hair and a little taller than Alex at 5'6 wearing only his shirt with blue house tie and folded sleeves. Nova was a little shorter than Alex at 5’4 having blonde hair. His face gave a decent person like vibe. He was with his proper uniform of yellow house blazer.

Maddy, same height as Alex, was wearing her red house uniform along with a blazer too and she was having burgundy hair tied in a pony tail. She gave off a tomboyish face but pretty at the same time. Nina again same height as Alex, was also in her uniform being in the blue house with black hair having two tied knots.

"So how does being famous feel like?" Nova asked Alex. "What do you mean?" Alex asked confused from the question. Nova gave him an obvious look. Alex sighed "Does everyone already know about it?"

"Almost the whole school knows about it now but you don't have to worry you'll stay famous for about a month" Nina replied. "But still a great way to make a first impression" Maddy commented to which everyone laughed.

After classes were over at 4:00 Alex went to the resources department to get his greenhouse tie. He had been asked to come and take it after class today.

The resource department was on the third floor. Walking towards it, Alex faintly remembered the directions. All of a sudden, he felt that it was too quiet.

The classes had just gotten over so students should be all over the place. But he couldn't find anyone in the corridor except for himself and neither was he able to hear anything downstairs except for his own footsteps.

*Screeechhhhh*

'What was that!!' Alex was startled with the sudden loud screeching voice. It came from the resources department. He started running towards the room. The resources room was at the end of the corridor on the left and Alex was just few strides away from it. As he reached the room, he saw that the door was slightly ajar, he then slowly and cautiously opened the door.

Alex's thoughts were running wild, it was a very unusual sound. 'Could it be an animal but that's not possible I am currently on the third floor and that too 30 ft. above ground with the forest some distance away.' Alex thought as he opened the door.

There was no one in there. There were empty chairs, table books, cupboards, blackboard but nothing seemed out of order. ' Did I just hallucinate or something?' Alex had clearly heard it. He started looking at things closely to check if something was out of order.

*Screechhh...*

*Ssscreeech...*

This time it came from the corridor outside. Alex rushed outside only to find nothing. 'What the hell!! this time I clearly wasn't hallucinating.' Alex had heard the same screeching voice again and that too clearly. He took a run to the other side of the corridor and to the stairs there was nothing there. He then returned back to the resources room trying to contemplate what had just happened.

He sat on one of the chairs and stared blankly. 'Am I going nuts? but I clear—

Suddenly his gaze went on the blackboard and his eyes went wide from shock. It was unusual. This is because there was nothing wrong with the blackboard when he came to the room the first time. But right now, it had several deep claw scratches!

Alex instinctively got up from the chair and took a few steps back.

*Scrreecchh…*

Another screeching noise came from the corridor but this time Alex could feel that it was moving towards him. He walked out of the room and looked in the distance. Soon his eyes fell on something near the staircase. Alex’s heart began to race faster as sweat drops ran down his back.

There was a black thing with the body like a monkey but having claws and face with an evil smile filled with fangs. Its eye sockets were completely white similar to the inside of its mouth. The thing looked at Alex with a tilted head and screamed its sharp scream. The next moment it travelled at incredible speeds towards him pouncing on the ceiling and walls back and forth as it made its way towards him.

The 16-year-old found his body completely stiff with fear unable to move. Gritting his teeth, he used all his will power to dive to his side barely avoiding the creature. Alex shakingly looked back and found the creature had crashed into the wall like a cartoon character.

‘Shit! Shit! Shit!... MOVE!!’ Alex thought to himself as he tried to force his body to get up and run away.

“HELP!! Somebody HELP!! HELP!!...” He screamed his lungs out but there was no response whatsoever. Just as Alex got up the creature’s head turned backwards a full 180 degrees. Alex gulped remembering the countless horror movies that he had watched and figuring what was going to happen next.

Not wanting to be the character who dies first in the movie Alex ignored the creature’s disturbing flexibility and ran like crazy. He knew that the creature was coming but he couldn’t afford to look back. He didn’t have to. A strong gust of wind seemed to blew past him as he found the creature on the ceiling on all fours smiling at him its evil smile. Alex didn’t even get a second to process what happened next as the creature lunged at him.

‘It’s over…’ Or that’s what Alex had thought as he felt his hand grabbing something hard like a wood. Alex, who’s eyes were shut due to fear shot open as he found the pentagon shaped wood. A black force emerged from it blocking the creature’s claw. For a second the creature tried to push the black force back but instead got overwhelmed by its pressure and was flung to the other side of the corridor.

‘Th-This… how the hell did this got here?!’ Alex wondered as he looked at the now glowing thing. But Alex didn’t have the luxury to worry about that. The creature had already gotten back up and seemingly enraged. It came at Alex much faster than before.

“SHIT!! SHIT!! H-How does this …work?!” Alex made strange expressions with the wooden thing but to no avail. “Come on! GIVE ME SOMETHING!” Alex shouted as he got desperate. The next moment from the triangular side of the pentagon a rustic sword emerged which was close to 60 cm in length. From the other side a handle emerged.

Alex furrowed his brows as he wondered whether this thing believed that he could fight that thing with such a sword. But he had no time to think. It was either do or die. Despite the fear flooding through Alex’s body there was one more thing which allowed him to stand up and face this creature. It was the instinct to survive!

Unknown to Alex his right eye was slightly engulfed by a black energy. Suddenly he felt that the creature was moving slower than usual but it was still quick nevertheless. Tightening his grip on the sword Alex quickly side stepped and swung it with both hands.

“HAAAA…” He shouted to dissolve his fear and to give him strength.

*SCCCRRREECCHHH…*

The creature’s roar resounded like a big explosion as Alex turned around and found its severed arm on the floor disintegrating quickly while the creature was wailing in pain. Alex blinked in surprise wondering whether he was the one who had actually done this.

The creature then glared at Alex before quickly jumping out the window. Alex quickly followed it and looked over the window only to find it nowhere. It was as if it had vanished in broad day light.

The sword and hilt went back inside the wood pentagon the same way that they had emerged. There was pin drop silence for the next couple of moments as Alex tried to process what happened. Suddenly it dawned on him.

Alex was trying to comprehend what had just happened when he suddenly noticed a change, noise, he could hear someone's footsteps not only that but he was also able to hear the noises of the students coming from down below which had completely shut off a while ago.

He found that the resources department manager- Mr. Norman was coming his way. His first thought was to blabber everything out. But then reality seeped in, who will believe him? The wooden thing? He didn’t even know how it got here in the first place when he had left it in his dorm.

'Crap how am I going to explain the board now, surely, he won't believe my weird paranormal activity... I better come up with something good.' Alex then glanced at the floor where the creature’s arm was supposed to be but it had completely disintegrated and vanished.

"Ah here for the tie, right? wait a minute I'll go and get it for you." Mr. Norman said as he approached the resources room. However, upon entering the room he was shocked. This was of course because of the writing board.

"Care to explain what happened here young man?" Mr. Norman asked as he poked his head out of the room.

Principal's Office:

"Hooligan, he's just a delinquent of a boy, sir let me give him a good hammering I'll—

"Wait let him explain himself." Michael interjected the angry warden. When the warden came to know about what Alex had done, he thought of adding fuel to the fire and make his life miserable.

"Sir it is indeed correct that I was at the resources room but I didn't damage the board. Can you even point out an object in the resources room that would have made it possible for me to damage that board to such an extent?" Alex said in a clam manner looking at Mr. Norman who had seen the damage first hand.

To this the warden was taken aback. Mr. Norman also believed it to be true, there was no such thing in the room that could produce such results. One would need a sharp object to make those deep marks and that too with enough strength. However, it was not entirely impossible but to have done it and then hide the tool would mean to know the room properly which Alex clearly did not.

"Well, you are not wrong, this must be some student trying to create a rumor of an animal in the school. These children... I can't even comprehend what is going on in their minds anymore. Mr. Andrew please check the student’s belongings for a sharp knife or something, it is still dangerous in the hands of the students." Michael said to the warden and continued " Alex you can return to your dorm but you must not say a word of this to anyone"

"I understand sir, I won't mention it" Alex responded. The day went by as dinner time arrived.

Dinner was at 9: 00 p.m. after a prayer service which the whole school had to attend in the school hall, they were then led to the cafeteria. Although it was regarded as compulsory, it was only for the first few days as after that the prefects didn’t care much when the students had their dinner. Students from 3rd to 8th grade dined in the jr. school building's cafeteria while students from 9th to 12th dined in the main building's cafeteria.

During dinner students were happily chatting away having food under the watchful eye of the prefects. However, the topic for today's discussion was the resources department incident but students weren't particularly worried because they could guess that it was some stupidly bold students playing a prank.

Alex was dragged by Grey to sit with his friends. Alex didn't know why was he complying to this devil in human's skin, he thought he was getting influenced by his powers. As Alex took a seat he was confused as to how the students came to know about the resource department incident.

“So, what’s all this commotion about today?” Alex asked playing dumb.

"Haven't you heard there seems to be a wild animal on the run" Grey replied. "And how did you come to know about this?" Alex asked doubting whether the warden must have done it to get back at him.

"Apparently our math sir Mr. Brice had gone to the resources room to meet Mr. Norman but seeing the door unlocked he went inside and saw claw marks everywhere and after which that scaredy cat went around shouting about some animal. Well personally I think it should be the work of some students, they--"

"Wait! what did you say !? claw marks everywhere?" Alex interjected.

"Yeah, wouldn't have believed in it if I hadn't saw Mr. Brice with my own eyes shouting like a madman." Grey replied earnestly.

"And you all believed Mr. Brice's weird story?" Alex asked with a dumb face.

"Well obviously no, though it seems a little bit difficult for students to have done it, it's not impossible" Nova replied. ‘Does that mean… that thing came back there again after I left?’ Alex thought to himself as a cold shiver ran down his spine.

"So, what about the resources room now? what is Mr. Norman going to do?" Tom asked taking a seat beside Alex.

"Well, Mr. Norman will be shifted in a day or two to somewhere else in the building and for the resources room the principal has put 2 guards around it for watch." Grey said.

"Say come to think of it why are the students not worried about the resources department incident?" Alex asked as he looked at everyone’s carefree behavior.

"That's because they don't know the actual condition of the room, the guard's drove away any student coming to inspect the incident of the resources room." Nina replied.

"Yeah, even we came to know about the actual situation because of what Grey told us" Maddy added.

"But of course, even we know that there is no chance of an animal getting in the campus lest the main building even if our school is partially connected to the forest, it must be some students but I have to say they are definitely playing a dangerous prank" Tom explained. Alex observed everyone, he couldn’t but feel a sorry for them. After all that was no animal that he had encountered today.

The following day Alex woke up at time for the roll call, the warden came and checked for the student’s belongings, he also stripped their lockers down to find something sharp that could have made those claw wounds however nothing was found.

The warden had made somewhat of an enmity towards Alex. He thought the boy was trouble. Alex couldn't care less what he thought of him.

Today was a half day for students. This was due to Mr. Brice's constant plea for a holiday for students, saying that the animal might attack. As a result, the classes got over around 10:30 after which students were roaming around the campus.

After leaving the classroom he was hanging out with the rest of the gang (Nova, Maddy, Tom, Nina) except Grey who had disappeared somewhere. Alex found that they weren't a bad bunch, he felt comfortable around them.

Apparently, Tom and Maddy were a couple, which after finding out Alex was indeed surprised as he sarcastically explained the reason to Maddy being tomboyish which she was even without short hair, as she had a bold voice and Tom being an intelligent person who wouldn't fall for her charms.

This got him a beating from Maddy and a helpless smile from Tom. Nina and Nova were amazed by Alex's straight forwardness and laughed at his predicament.

They came to the football field watching the senior’s practice. Suddenly Alex saw Grey on the field, he was going to the far end of the left corner which was isolated from the rest of the field.

There was nothing much of significant in the corner, just an old shack and from the way it was positioned nobody on the field would even have a proper visual on it so it was easy to slip into.

‘Where is he going…’ Alex felt curious so he left the rest of the group saying that he forgot something in the classroom. He then went to the field from the other side of the stadium steps.

After reaching the corner of the field he found that the shack was really old but was clean. 'The cleaners must have a daily routine to clean it.' Alex thought while entering the old wooden hut.

The inside wasn't much with a few broken equipment and nothing else. There was nothing of significance. 'But where the hell did Grey disappeared to? he had clearly entered it' Alex thought ' there must be a secret door or something.'

It was the only plausible explanation Alex could come up with for Grey's disappearance. He started checking the walls and the floor for something like a secret door.

But after searching for about ten minutes, he found nothing. ' Does this shack have some highly advanced method of hiding its secret door, unless...' Alex's attention suddenly went on the carpet below his feet.

'It should be somewhere...here voila!' When Alex turned the carpet, he saw a door on the floor. It had a handle size gap to the side to open it. On opening he found that underneath was a well caved path enough for one person to fit in. It led to the opposite side of the shack towards the forest to the outside of the school directly into the forest.

There was light coming from the exit. Alex came out of the cave like path into the forest. This side of the forest was on high grounds so he was able to get a clear view of the near town. He then hurried down the path in hopes of catching Grey. The path opened up to a road in the city. But he was late. 'He must already have gone into the town, well but since I have already come this far might as well explore a little'. Alex thought.