Lost Students
Chapter 1: "The Mysterious Smoke"
The school bus rolled into the courtyard, its wheels screeching faintly as it came to a stop.
Adam, a quiet first-year student, stepped down hesitantly. He already felt a chill—not from the morning air, but from knowing who was waiting. A group of older students, notorious for bullying, eyed him from a distance.
Adam didn't have friends here. He preferred solitude, slipping through the cracks of noisy crowds and fading into the background.
He entered his classroom and took his usual spot at the very back. The room buzzed with chatter and laughter—until the teacher walked in, calming the chaos with a few stern glances.
Just as the lesson began, Adam noticed something strange...
Thin trails of smoke crept in through the open windows, curling like ghostly fingers toward the students.
He raised his hand, nervous.
"Sir, there's smoke!" he called out.
The teacher frowned. "Smoke? What smoke?"
Adam pointed, alarm rising in his voice. "Can't you see it?"
But no one else reacted.
Laughter broke out. A few students mocked him, calling him crazy or a daydreamer.
Adam tried to ignore them, but the smoke was real. It slithered closer until it reached his nose.
He inhaled deeply—
A mistake.
His vision spun. The room tilted. He barely managed to mutter:
"The smoke…"
Before collapsing onto his desk—unconscious.
When Adam opened his eyes, he was still in the same classroom… or so he thought.
But everything felt off.
Silence.
Heavy, unnatural silence.
All the other students were sprawled across the floor—unconscious.
Stranger still... these weren't the same students from earlier. Their faces were unfamiliar.
Adam stumbled to his feet, confused. He reached out and gently shook a boy nearby.
The boy jerked awake in panic, shouting: "The smoke!"
Adam's eyes widened. "Wait—you saw it too?"
The boy nodded shakily. "Yeah..."
Adam sighed in relief. "I thought I was alone. Looks like we've been… taken."
He extended a hand. "I'm Adam. You?"
"Luay," the boy replied. "Nice to meet you... I guess."
Adam offered a small smile. "Let's wake the others."
One by one, the rest of the students woke up. Ten in total, including Adam.
They introduced themselves quickly:
• Ammar – sharp-eyed, brooding, barely said a word.
• Hani – stylish, clearly rich and proud of it.
• Haroun – cheerful and talkative, maybe too much.
• Ziad – arrogant, with the vibe of a former bully.
• Nargis – witty and full of energy.
• Salma – shy and distant.
• Fatima – average in every way.
• Khadija – smug, chewing gum like she owned the place.
• Luay – calm, analytical, but visibly uneasy.
Luay rushed to the door and tried the handle. It wouldn't budge.
"It's locked!" he warned.
Ammar walked over without a word. He placed a hand on Luay's shoulder and said simply:
"Step aside."
Then he kicked the door.
Hard.
The lock shattered. The door swung open violently.
Everyone stared.
Ziad raised an eyebrow. "Totally normal," he muttered sarcastically.
They stepped outside, only to find the school shrouded in silence—unnaturally quiet, eerily still. Not a soul in sight.
Haroun glanced around. "Where are we?"
Hani dusted off his shirt. "The kidnappers must've run off once they saw me. You're welcome, by the way."
Ziad scoffed. "Shut it, rich boy."
They made their way to the main gate.
When they opened it, what they saw made them freeze in place.
The school…
Was floating.
Surrounded by endless water.
No streets. No buildings. No land.
Just a vast ocean stretching beyond the horizon.
Luay's jaw dropped. "How… how is the sea here?"
Adam stared, scratching his head. "More importantly, why is there a school in the middle of it?"
Silence fell again, thick and tense.
Then Haroun spoke up. "Maybe there's a boat we can use…"
Hani shook his head. "I say we stay here and wait for help."
Khadija rolled her eyes. "And what if the kidnappers come back?"
Suddenly, without warning, Ammar walked to a nearby wall—
And slammed his head into it.
The wall shook.
Adam rushed toward him, alarmed. "Are you insane?!"
Ammar chuckled darkly. "Just checking if this is a dream."
Nargis stepped into the center of the group.
"We need a plan. We can't just stand here."
Ziad smirked, stepping closer to her.
"Well then, why don't you make us one, beautiful?"
Haroun flared up. "Back off, creep!"
Ziad shot back. "And who are you? Her knight in shining armor?"
Nargis raised her voice. "Enough! We can't afford to fight right now."
Luay cleared his throat. "We should search the school. Look for supplies, maps, anything."
But deep inside, one question echoed in each of their minds:
What is this place?
Why were they chosen?
And will they ever find a way back home…?
— To be continued...