"Shut up, Tina!" Jame interjected, his voice tight with frustration. "He is our friend; how can you say something like this? We have to find him now!"
"Yes," Mia added, her voice a mix of fear and determination. "Arguing won't help. I think we should check near the programming lab; he was so focused on that project. Maybe we'll find something there, a clue that can help us locate him before it's too late."
They thought it would be an easy task to reach that place, but it was not, as the police had taken over the whole school. With calm and composed body language and facial expressions, yet anxious minds and racing hearts, they started moving forward. Their main goal was to reach the programming lab without getting noticed, because getting caught wouldn't just mean trouble; it could mean becoming suspects themselves, and that was a risk they couldn't afford.
When they reached near the campus building, they signaled each other to go separately—a silent agreement to minimize their footprint.
Mia stayed cautious and entered the building first; her senses were on high alert. After observing the surroundings and the empty corridors, Tina and Jame followed.
Their movements were deliberate, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. As they passed through the corridor, a voice cut through the tense silence, calling their names.
They froze for a second, their hearts hammering against their ribs. They gathered their courage and slowly turned. It was their class teacher, her gaze sharp and questioning.
"Why are you all going in that direction?" Her arms crossed and her tone brooked no argument. "Don't you know that place is restricted for students, especially with everything that's happening?"
Jame came forward to handle the situation while Mia and Tina stood their ground. He tried to divert the topic.
"I was looking for you, Ma'am," Jame began. "I was trying to find you everywhere, but I wasn't able to. Later, I met them near the school building, and when I told them I was looking for you, they came to help me." Jame continued, "Ma'am, I am facing some difficulties with the assignment; can you help me? I'm completely stuck."
The teacher hesitated, her eyes narrowed, but the mention of the assignment convinced her.
Jame distracted the teacher and signaled Mia and Tina to go. When Jame took the class teacher to the staff room, Mia and Tina seized their chance and hurriedly and quietly ran towards the programming lab.
When they reached near the lab, the area was surrounded by pitch darkness. There was nobody, and the place was quiet. They felt scared; their expressions became more tense as they strained to see. They instinctively reached for each other, their hands clasping tightly. They started moving forward.
When they reached the lab, they started looking for any clues, but there was nothing. Also, they were not able to see properly because of the darkness.
"Did you find something?" Tina asked.
"No," Mia replied
.
Mia and Tina started walking towards each other.
Suddenly, Mia stepped on something with a soft crunch...