My heart started to race, and not in a good way.
Finding the stairwell, I descended one flight and found my way through the entrance to the main floor.
“Hey!” I called out again. “Anyone?”
I inched to the right side of the hall, the locker doors clanking against their frames as I moved from one to the other.
Even if it was a real fire, firefighters would be here soon. I couldn’t be completely alone.
“Hello?” I demanded. “Hello! Anybody there? I need help!”
I followed the path of the lockers, trailing down the right side of the hallway. When I came to the end, I rounded the corner and pawed the wall until another row of lockers began.
Okay, okay, okay… If I followed this, and kept going straight, it should lead me to the doors leading to the front of the school.
“Hello?” I called again.
My hands shook.
I should’ve told Rika to come back for me. Why was I so stubborn? Even if she was forced to exit the building by the teachers, she would’ve known to tell them that I was in the library waiting for her, and they would’ve sent someone to get me.
“Hello?”
Then, all of a sudden, there was a pounding on the lockers ahead.
I paused for a split-second, listening.
“Hey,” I said to whoever was down there. “Can you help me? Is everyone outside? Can you help me get out?”
But there was no answer.
The sound happened again. Bang, bang, bang… on the lockers, and I narrowed my eyes, confused.
“Can you help me?” I shot out, trailing down the lockers faster. “Please, can you…”
My hands landed on a tall body with a broad chest in a collared shirt, and I jerked back.
It was a man, but I thought I felt a tie hanging around his neck. A student?
“Is there a fire?” I asked him. “What’s going on?”
But whoever it was didn’t say anything. Were we the only ones in the building?
I opened my mouth to speak, but his hand came up, tucking my hair behind my ear.
There was no way I’d be the victim of two weird guys in such a short time.
I cocked my head. “Is that you?” I demanded.
My ghost who liked to scare me?
I lost my patience. “So help me God, I’m going to—”
He slipped his arms underneath mine, wrapping them around me, and picked me up off my feet.
“Going to what?” he asked.
And I stopped breathing. It wasn’t the whisper I was used to hearing but the deep, loaded, and menacing tone I never wanted to be alone with again.