Zein's Point of View
Exhausted from the relentless cleaning, I collapsed into a deep sleep, only to be jolted awake by the sound of the dormitory door creaking open.
I squinted through the dark, my brow furrowing as I saw Dave slipping inside. He was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, as if he had just run a marathon.
"Where have you been?" I asked, my voice thick with sleep.
He jumped, clearly startled to find me awake. He glanced nervously toward the room where Matt and Jerome were still dead to the world. "N-nothing," he stammered. "Just getting some air."
"Getting air? Dave, it's 4:30 AM. It's still 'Bloody Night.' It's suicide to be out there."
"I just... I couldn't sleep. I'm going to bed now," he said dismissively, retreating into his room and clicking the lock behind him.
I stared at the closed door. Getting air but sweating profusely? Sleepy but panting? Nothing about it added up. But the pull of exhaustion was too strong, and I drifted back into a restless sleep.
I was startled awake a second time by Mia's piercing, hysterical scream.
"Son of a bitch! We're late!"
Vanessa tumbled out of bed, glancing at the clock. "It's 8:30," I noted groarily. Our first subject was Math with Sir Alvarez—the one class we couldn't afford to miss.
"It's over," I suggested, still half-asleep. "There's only 30 minutes left. We won't make it even if we run."
"Zein! Today is the periodic test! Do you not know anything?!" Mia looked like she was about to faint.
I hadn't been informed. I realized then why my friends had been buried in their notebooks all week. They had missed the most important exam of the term.
We burst into the boys' room and found them still snoring. Vanessa and Mia didn't hesitate, pummeling them with pillows until they sat up, dazed and confused.
"What! Why are you hitting us?!" Jerome yelled.
"We're late for Math! The exam!" Vanessa was becoming hysterical. "The periodic test is sixty percent of our grade! We're going to fail! Our chances at the Highest 10 are gone!"
A strange, dark feeling washed over me. As I walked to the bathroom to wash my face, I felt a flicker of... relief? Was I a bad friend for being happy they might fail? If they failed, they wouldn't be in the Highest 10. They wouldn't be targets. They wouldn't be monsters.
When I came out, the girls were still crying. Matt, however, greeted me with his usual contagious smile.
"What's so good about the morning?" I joked bitterly. "You just missed your exam."
Matt just shrugged and headed for the kitchen. He's the only one of us who can actually cook; us girls would probably burn the dorm down.
"What are you making?" I asked, sitting at the counter.
"Whatever you want," he replied.
"Sinigang! It's my favorite."
"Aye-aye, Captain!" He saluted me, and for a moment, the gloom of the school felt miles away. Matt was everything a girl could want—kind, handsome, a gentleman, and he could cook. Sigh.
"Wow, look at you two, off in your own world," Dave commented, appearing in the kitchen, seemingly back to his usual hyper self.
"I smell something fishy," Jerome teased.
I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my excitement. I knew they could see right through me, but I didn't care. We ate together, though Mia and Vanessa looked like the world had ended.
Later, I left for my Arts and Music class. I hadn't reviewed for the periodical, but I didn't see the point. Why bother with grades in a place where you might not live to see the next week?
"Ms. Shion!"
I stopped as Sir Alvarez approached me, a frown on his face. "Why weren't you in class today?"
"We woke up late, Sir. I'm sorry."
"Is that so? Walk with me. We need to talk."
We went to his private office. "So," he began, "how is life as the SSG Secretary?"
"It's hell," I answered honestly. He laughed. It wasn't hard work, but being surrounded by monsters made every minute feel like a death trap. I could never tell what the others were really planning.
"Don't worry about the exam," he said casually. "I'll give you and your friends a passing grade."
My eyes widened. "Really? But we didn't even take it."
"Never worry about your grades. I'll handle the paperwork. Just... continue the help I asked for."
"I'm trying, Sir. But I still have no idea where the hidden laboratory is. They never mention it."
"They wouldn't. Just keep doing your job. Keep an eye on everyone—especially Lady Katherine."
"What if I get caught?" The thought chilled me. I wasn't ready to die yet. I had to get my friends out first.
"That's why you must be careful, Zein. Everyone's safety is in your hands."
I left his office feeling like I was floating. The weight of the responsibility was staggering. One slip-up, and we were all dead.
"Stay away from him."
I jumped. Nicky was leaning against a doorframe, staring off into the distance with her usual intimidating aura.
"Don't go against the HU Admins or the SSG," she warned. "You don't know them. You don't know what they are truly capable of."
"How did you know about Sir Alvarez?" I asked. This woman was a mystery.
"You're easy to read. This is a warning, Zein Shion. Stop what you're planning. The deluge is coming. If you want to live, stay quiet."
"I won't stay quiet," I said firmly. "I'm going to finish this my way."
"Playing the hero?" she mocked, a cold laugh escaping her lips. "There's no room for heroes here. Your death is near, Zein." She turned to walk away.
"I will fight, no matter what," I called out.
She stopped and turned back, a terrifying grin on her face. She stepped close, so close I could feel the coldness radiating from her. She leaned in and whispered into my ear, words that made my heart stop.
"There is only one way to beat them, Zein. Be a monster. If they are demons, you must be a greater demon. Bring out the terrifying persona you've been hiding inside for so long. That's the only way. Can you do it?"
I couldn't go to my next class. I ran back to the dorm and locked myself in my room.
I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. Is it true? Is there a monster hiding behind these eyes? Am I just like them?