Not far from the hotel, Joseph's world was crumbling. He watched in mounting horror as his men dropped like flies, falling every passing second to an invisible rhythm.
Who is this monster? Joseph wondered, his breath hitching. He looked at Mr. Henry, who stood perfectly composed. One hand was tucked casually behind his back; the other beckoned Joseph forward with a mocking flick of the wrist.
Joseph lunged, unleashing a flurry of kickboxing strikes. Mr. Henry didn't even break his stance. He deflected every blow with a single hand, catching Joseph's momentum and redirecting it with a sharp palm thrust. The impact sent Joseph flying backward until he collided with a thick tree trunk. He slumped to the roots, coughing up a spray of crimson.
A monster. Truly, Joseph realized, blinking back blurred vision. Suddenly, Mr. Henry was right there, looming over him with an unnervingly calm expression.
"You kids... is this really how you choose to live?" Henry asked softly. Before Joseph could answer, the world tilted violently, and darkness rushed in to claim him.
Henry turned and walked back toward the hotel, his footsteps heavy with a fatigue that had nothing to do with the fight. He reached his room and surrendered to sleep.
Morning arrived with a crisp, cool light. Ethan woke early and headed out for a run. After thirty minutes of steady pacing, he reached a small, quiet café and stopped to catch his breath.
He bought a bottle of water, but as he took his first sip, a little girl collided with his legs. She tumbled backward, followed closely by another girl who skidded to a halt.
"I'm sorry, big brother!" the girl squeaked, looking up.
Ethan softened. He knelt on one knee and patted her head. "No worries. Just keep your eyes on the road next time, okay?"
"Okay, brother!" She beamed, holding out a small chocolate bar. "For you!"
Ethan accepted the gift with a surprised smile. A moment later, a woman came running toward them, breathless. "I am so sorry! I hope these two didn't cause you any trouble."
"Not at all," Ethan replied.
The woman took her daughters by the hand. "Ines, Ai—let's go." As they walked away, Ines looked back over her shoulder and gave Ethan a small, shy wave. Ethan waved back.
Suddenly, Ethan's phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a message from Allen: Where are you? Get back for breakfast. The buses leave right after we eat.
Ethan ran back to the hotel, arriving just as the dining hall was filling up. Finn waved him over to a table in the back where they'd saved him a seat. Allen was already there, digging in. Across the room, Ethan saw Daisy laughing with Madison and Sophia. He caught her eye, smirked, and took his seat.
"Where've you been, man?" Finn asked.
"Just a walk. Met a kid who gave me a chocolate," Ethan said, tapping the wrapper on the table.
Their conversation was cut short by an announcement: "All students, pack your bags. The buses depart at 8:00 AM sharp."
At a nearby table, Mr. Henry sat with the other faculty. Out of the corner of his eye, he could feel Enzo's gaze piercing his back like a dagger. Henry smiled inwardly. It looks like someone's plan didn't go as expected.
By 8:00 AM, the students were loaded onto the buses. An hour later, they arrived at a remote hotel nestled against the edge of a dense, imposing forest. The year groups were ushered into separate assembly areas.
A silver-haired teacher stepped forward to address the crowd. "Listen up. The trip begins now. Every class will be assigned a territory to manage..."
Standing on the sidelines, Mr. Henry watched the students. He could see the cracks in their composure—the nervous fidgeting and hesitant glances, especially among the freshmen.
I don't blame them for being scared, Henry thought. This isn't just a field trip. It's an evaluation of their will to survive. The school wants to see what they'll do when the safety nets are gone.
"...Best of luck," the silver-haired teacher concluded.
Henry walked over to Allen and handed him a map. "This is your route. Find a safehouse and survive for one week. The school is watching your every move. You need to appoint two leaders immediately: one boy, one girl."
Allen nodded solemnly and brought the map to Madison. "You're the leader for the girls."
"No! I can't do that," Madison protested, her eyes wide.
"You should," Ethan chimed in, stepping up beside them. "The class respects you. They'll actually listen."
"There's no one else, Madison," Allen added.
Madison bit her lip, then nodded. "Fine. What about the boys?"
"We'll settle that with the group," Ethan said.
As the classes began to organize, the power dynamics shifted. Enzo had already taken command of his class alongside a blonde girl named Lisa. In Daisy's class, leadership fell to a guy named Dale and a girl named Olivia.
The groups began to march toward the treeline, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. Mr. Henry watched them go, his expression unreadable.
"And so," he murmured, "the survival begins."