Chapter 2: The locker boy
1102 Words
Jade and Damson rushed into the classroom.
“Good morning, Mr. Benson,” they both said between breaths.
Mr Benson adjusted his glasses slightly before replying, “Good morning, kids. Take your seats—we’re about to begin.”
Damson quickly moved toward a seat near the window while Jade sat beside him.
They both opened their bags, brought out their textbooks, and placed them on the table.
As Mr Benson started teaching, Damson’s attention slowly drifted toward the window.
Outside, a few students were on the field playing football.
Without realizing it, he found himself watching them instead of listening.
“Damson,” Jade whispered, leaning slightly closer. “Are you even listening, or are you watching the match?”
He blinked quickly and straightened up.
“Yes—I am… listening.”
Jade gave him a look that clearly showed she didn’t believe him.
Damson sighed softly and glanced back outside.
That was when his eyes caught a strange figure for a brief moment.
Immediately, that same strange feeling returned.
Before he could properly see who it was—
“Damson!”
Mr Benson’s voice echoed across the classroom.
“You are not listening. The class is up here, not down there. Or would you like to join them outside?”
The class laughed quietly.
It caught Damson by surprise.
“Sorry, sir. It won’t happen again,” he said quickly, guilt and embarrassment written all over his face.
Beside him, Jade whispered with a small chuckle,
“I told you.”
Damson rolled his eyes and forced himself to look at the board.
But even then, his focus still wasn’t there.
His mind kept returning to the hallway.
The lockers.
That strange figure.
And the feeling he still couldn’t explain.
Was it the same person?
Damson wondered.
A few minutes later, Mr Benson gave the class a short assessment to complete.
Jade immediately picked up her pen.
“Are you going to write?” she whispered, “or should I do the work for both of us?”
“No, I’m fine,” Damson replied quietly.
Then after a short pause, he spoke again.
“Jade…”
“Hm?” she answered without looking up from her work.
“Do you remember… someone passing by us this morning near the lockers?”
Jade finally looked at him.
“No. Why?”
Damson hesitated.
“…Nothing.”
Jade squinted slightly.
“Are you sure? You’ve been acting weird since morning.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“If you say so,” she replied, rolling her eyes lightly before returning to her work.
Damson looked down at his notebook and attempted to answer the questions.
But he still couldn’t think properly.
His thoughts kept drifting.
Then suddenly—
That same strange sensation brushed past him again.
Like a soft shift in the air.
His head lifted instinctively.
“…That feeling again,” he whispered under his breath.
“What did you say?” Jade asked immediately.
Damson blinked and quickly shook his head.
“Nothing. Let’s just continue.”
A few minutes later—
The lunch bell rang.
Students immediately started packing their things and rushing out of the classroom, their voices quickly filling the hallway outside.
Jade glanced at Damson, who was still staring at his unfinished assessment.
“Damson, it’s lunch break.”
“I know,” he muttered, still writing. “I just need to finish this last question.”
“You still haven’t finished?” Jade said impatiently. “Do you need help? I already finished mine, and I don’t want the cafeteria line to get long.”
“No, I don’t need your help,” Damson replied a little too quickly.
Jade raised an eyebrow.
“I’m almost done.”
Before she could respond—
A soft shift passed through the air again.
This time stronger.
Damson froze.
His eyes slowly lifted toward the classroom door.
That scent.
His chest tightened slightly.
“I smell it…”
He stood up so suddenly that Jade nearly jumped.
“Damson?”
Grabbing his bag, he rushed toward the door and left his unfinished assessment behind. He slipped into the hallway, but the corridor was a sea of moving students heading for the cafeteria. Nothing stood out.
But still…
that scent lingered faintly in the air.
Damson turned sharply.
“Locker Boy…”
His eyes moved toward the end of the hallway.
That feeling.
It was there again.
Without thinking, he started running.
“Damson!” Jade shouted, quickly chasing after him.
He pushed through the moving crowd, ignoring confused looks as he followed that feeling deeper into the corridor.
The scent didn’t feel random anymore.
It felt like it had a direction.
Left turn. Then straight.
Closer.
Damson slowed slightly as he reached a quieter part of the school.
The noise of students faded behind him.
The air felt different here.
He stopped.
His eyes lifted slowly.
The corridor ahead was empty… except for one place.
The principal’s office.
Glass panel. Closed door. Silent hallway.
No students around.
But the scent—
It was strongest here.
Right in front of that door.
Damson’s chest tightened.
“…Locker Boy,” he whispered again.
His hand lifted slightly, like he was about to move closer—
“Damson!”
Jade grabbed his wrist and pulled him back sharply before he could step any further.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, breathing hard from catching up. “That’s the principal’s office area.”
“I saw—” he started.
“There’s nothing there,” she cut in immediately, pulling him further away from the corridor. “You’re coming with me. Lunch. Now.”
Damson hesitated.
His eyes stayed on the office door for a second longer.
Just one second.
Then—
The scent faded.
Completely.
Like it had never been there.
- Writer
