THE IMMORTAL (the grave was the door)

Light glowed from the little hole that just cracked open. The figure of a man lay helplessly in a sepulchre. His finger moved slightly, and so did his feet... He was alive. ___ ___ ___ Liveindorr Academy The golden light of the sun shone brightly, laughters echoed, reviving the once silent school yard. Students trooped into the school compound in groups, chattering and playing happily. A sleek luxurious car drove into the compound, it halted and Chloe stepped out elegantly. She looked around briefly and soon spotted her best friend. “Hey there!” Chloe screamed. “Hey…” Nancy smiled and took quick strides toward her. She wrapped her hands around her neck tightly, and Chloe chuckled. “Miss me that much?” she managed to mutter. “Hey, you're choking me,” she said again when she got no response, and Nancy pulled back. “Yeah, I missed you,” she said with a grin, and Chloe playfully hit her shoulder. “Get lost,” she teased, and headed to class. “Hey, wait for me!!!” Nancy yelled, trying to catch up with her. Nancy Clifford, 17 years old. Her demeanor and luxurious lifestyle says it all. She belongs to the high-class elites — her dad owns the second biggest company in England. She’s the easygoing type, but don’t you dare cross the line... you won’t get off easily. She attends Liveindorr Academy, the most popular school in England. “How was your holiday?” Nancy asked Chloe as she sat beside her. “It was kinda boring. My parents wouldn’t let me step out of the house,” Chloe pouted. “I know, right,” Nancy sighed. Rose, Nancy’s rival, walked in and smiled at them. “Hola,” she grinned, walking up to them. Nancy looked around and turned to Chloe. “Is she talking to me?” she asked sarcastically. “Yeah, I’m talking to you, Nancy… What’s wrong with your ears? Or do you need hearing aids?” Rose asked, bending slightly toward Nancy’s desk. “Oh, so you were talking to me. My bad...” Nancy pouted. She raised a brow. “Oh, really?” Rose scoffed, staring at Nancy. “If that's all, then you should take your leave,” Nancy said, “Yeah, I should leave… I just came to say hi to you since it’s the first day of resumption… I hope we get along well,” Rose said with a smirk and left, heading to her desk. “You guys never get along,” Chloe muttered and sighed. “She always knows how to piss people off… that's her talent,” Nancy said and hissed. After a few minutes, classes began. The bell for lunch rang after a few lectures. Chloe walked out of the lecture room with Nancy, and they chatted as they went. Landon, a classmate, came from behind and bumped Chloe with his shoulder as he walked past them. Chloe gasped, and Nancy caught her before she fell to the ground. Nancy tightened her fist. “Hey, are you blind?” Nancy demanded sharply as Chloe steadied herself. Landon scoffed and turned to them. “She should have walked properly, not like a dummy,” he laughed, Nancy scoffed. “Are you daft? ‘She should have walked properly’? Wow!! You could have just walked right past her — the corridor isn’t that tiny, is it?” Nancy asked as she walked toward him. “Why ask me?” Landon snapped at Nancy, who didn’t move an inch. She only leaned in until there was less than an inch between them. “Really? Then, why you couldn’t use this wide corridor properly.” She paused, staring into his eyes without blinking. Landon shifted uncomfortably, backing away slowly as Nancy stepped closer. “Are you blind? Is your vision blurry? Do you need a walking stick to guide your darn steps??!!!!!!” she yelled. His back hit the wall, his lips moved as though trying to form words but couldn't. His throat itched and he gulped down emptiness. Nancy stared at him and smiled out of the corner of her lips. “Thank your stars that I’m not in the mood to get really angry! I won’t let you spoil my day… so I’ll leave you with some advice: Don’t mess with me or my friend. This isn’t your first, second, or third time… but I think you’re really the persistent type. I don’t care if you can fight or if you’ll call your darn friends. I won’t be easy on you next time!!!” She turned and walked back to Chloe. Landon’s breath dropped. He didn't know he was holding his breath. “Do you think you can handle my friends?” he muttered. “I see — you still have the guts to talk… Too bad I didn’t send you into a coma today. You hide behind your friends and look for trouble? How intimidating and disgusting! You really have no shame,” she scoffed and took Chloe’s hand. “Babe, let’s go,” she said, and they walked through the crowd of students who had gathered to watch. “Hmph,” Landon grumbled, feeling like the total fool that he was. “What are you all still staring at?!!!” he yelled, then stormed out of the corridor. The students scurried, muttering among themselves as they left. The smell of steak and rice hung in the atmosphere, the cafeteria was bubbling with clatters of spoons, knives and careless chatters. Nancy and Chloe got themselves served and walked to get seated. “Thank you for standing up for me once again,” Chloe said as they ate, and Nancy smiled. “What should I do with you?” Nancy pouted, staring at her. “You’re good at martial arts, but you don’t fight, you don’t talk, and you’re too kind…” She clicked her tongue and exhaled loudly. “What a waste of skill. If I could fight, I would have given him two or three blows… All I can do is run this sharp mouth of mine!” She sighed, and Chloe laughed. “Do you want to get detention every day?” Chloe chuckled. “Who cares? What matters is that he learns his lesson,” she replied. “Well, I don’t like detention, please… and I don’t want to be known as a fighter,” Chloe said, and Nancy rolled her eyes. “Suit yourself,” she gave up and continued eating. Nancy’s eyes met Rose’s across the room, and she glared at her. Rose glared harder, and Nancy hissed. “What’s wrong with that untamed animal?” Nancy asked no one in particular and kept eating. “Are you referring to Rose?” Chloe asked. “Yeah, she’s so annoying,” Nancy said, her face twitching in disgust as she looked at Rose again. Rose still hadn’t stopped glaring, and Nancy rolled her eyes. “What’s up between the two of you, though? It seems like you guys hate each other so much,” Chloe said, and Nancy faced her. “Hate is a strong word, but not strong enough to express how much I detest her,” Nancy said. She gripped her fork tightly as she stabbed the beef on her plate. The fork scraped the plate, making a screech and Chloe watched her closely. “But you guys talk every day,” Chloe muttered softly. “Talk? She just has a way of getting on my nerves, and I won’t hesitate to talk sense into her empty brain.” “Wow, what happened between you two?” “Chloe, I don’t want to talk about it. Let’s eat,” Nancy said, and Chloe nodded. “She’s so annoying!! Gosh!!!!” Rose mouthed, tearing her gaze from Nancy. “You guys hate each other so much! I get that Nancy is annoying, butttttt….” “She won’t stop running that mouth of hers,” Rose cut in before Piper could finish her sentence. “That wasn’t what I wanted to say…” “And who cares!!!” Rose retorted, and Piper rolled her eyes. “I’m your best friend, not one of your dummies, or whatever you call them,” Piper said. “Dummies? They’re my followers — people who adore me,” Rose said with a wide, manipulative smile. “Whatever! Don’t you ever cut me off rudely again… I won’t take it nicely from you,” she said and continued eating. Rose rolled her eyes and didn’t say another word. ___ ___ ___ It was closing time after the last set of lectures, and Nancy walked tiredly out of the school. Chloe yawned loudly as she walked beside Nancy and slung her bag over her shoulder. “Do you want to come to my place before going home? I’ll call your mom for you,” Chloe said. “No, never mind. I have somewhere to go,” Nancy said, grinning from ear to ear. “Really? Where?” Chloe asked eagerly. “Just somewhere,” Nancy winked, and Chloe laughed. “Are you going on another blind date?” she asked. “You can never tell…” Nancy shrugged with a smirk on her lips, and Chloe raised a brow. “Have you gotten yourself a boyfriend?” she asked. “Maybe… Maybe not…” “Why are you being so secretive?” “I’m not.” “Yes, you are… Are you sure I’m still your bestie?” “Yeah…” “So, why aren’t you telling me?” “I’ll tell you later. See you tomorrow,” she said, and got into a taxi she had flagged down earlier. “Bye,” Chloe waved. “What’s she up to, though?” she muttered and sighed as she got into her own ride, which had stopped beside her. ___ ___ ___ Chloe’s phone rang. It was Nancy’s mom. “Good evening, ma’am,” she greeted. “Good evening, dear. Please tell your friend to be home soon. I made her favorite dish,” Mrs. Clifford said. “She… she… isn’t home yet?” Chloe stuttered. She checked the time — it was 8pm already. “Is she still out at this time?”She thought, getting scared. “Isn’t she with you?” Mrs. Clifford asked. “Oh… yeah… I’ll pass your message to her, ma’am. She’ll be home soon.” “Alright, dear,” Mrs. Clifford said and hung up. Chloe dialed Nancy’s number immediately, but it didn’t go through. “That spoiled brat didn’t tell me where she was going,” she bit her lip and tried again. It still didn’t go through, and she sighed. “I hope nothing terrible has happened to her,” she mumbled, her heart beating faster than usual. After a few minutes, her phone rang and she picked up. It was Nancy. “Hey, where have you been? Your mom was worried!!! You better start heading home now before your mom finds out you weren’t with me the whole time!” she said. “Arggghhhhhhhh,” she heard from the background, and her eyes widened. She fidgeted, her voice shaking. “Nancy, are you okay?” she asked. Silence followed. Almost immediately she heard something scary — the sound of someone choking. Chloe eyes widened, perspiration forming on her forehead. She drew in a shaky breath. “Nancy, are you okay? Where are you?” she asked. Silence. Chloe shook, tears welled up in her eyes. “Please… help me.” That was all Chloe heard, followed by a faint breath. “No. No. Nancy! Nancy!!! Darn!!!!” Chloe yelled as tears fell from her eyes.