Chapter Three

“I can't believe I didn't double check. Ughhhh its all that dumb, dumb dumb useless brick tower fault for not watching where he is going! Now not only do I have to the work all over again! But I'm going to get a fraction of the total I should have gotten!!I wasn't even my fault!!! Mostly!” _________ voice got shriller and shriller the more she yelled out to the nothing in her room. “Aaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!“

With the last bit of her frustration released she sat back down in her swivel chair and rested her head on her wooden amateur painted pink desk. She moaned then sighed. She turned her head slightly her fingers tracing down the drips frozen in time on her desk draws. She smiled at the memory.

“Are you sure, we should just get it professionally?“ Her mom question as she looked over the paint the equipment.

“Eh it will be fiiiine. We're just painting a desk, how hard could it be. Plus this way we can also build some memorable memories with our little ____________,” he tickled the four year old _________ who was playing with the biggest paintbrush, “now shall we get started.“

He opened the paint can and stired it as he was instructed by the guy over the counter. The took the brush from the still giggling ___________ and dipped the brush in the paint. He pressed it hard against the wood.

“I think you put to much paint on that brush.“

“What? Noooo, it will be fine you'll see.“

Later after the many paint drips frozen in time stood as proof that he indeed put too much paint on the brush. Worst yet they couldn't even open any of the drawers. Later her dad went to the hardware store and instead of asking for advice went off of imagination and ingenuity and bought a chisel and hammer and freed her drawers from the clutches of the desk's base. ______________ giggles from the recalled memory as her fingers lightly brushed over the drawers' rough edges.

“In life, we will always run into trouble, (pet name), it is how we accept it and solve it that defines who we live(or some similar Philosophy).”

_______________ sits up straight, pulls out a thin stack of papers, a pencil a pen, and five notebooks. She open each one to the pages she need and placed them around her on her desk. She got to work. Not just simply recreating her formula but improving it.

______________ got up extra early. He didn't actually know where he could find mystery girl, much less remember any significant features of hers. unfortunately had to resort to his most unfavorable action, stalking. He started by heading to his usual cafe. He bought his usual and sat around people watching. Not his favorite way of passing time. But he was too jettery to do math or passively play on his phone and it had nothing to do with the coffee. When the shop was getting crowded like last time is when he left and walk in the direction he went last time. He took his time but this time more aware of his surroundings. Scouting the sea of people for a familiar flash or sound. He forgot her face but he remembered her voice. He also remembered the direction she headed.

Not that it mattered much. Even with an idea of a direction he doesn't even know where she was heading. If only if he knew then what he know now. He sighed at the hopelessness but still proceed in the direction he assumed she was walking. Until the number of people thin out and he was practically alone. He wasn't much of a believer but he was desperate.

“Um, Dear God, Allah... Deity? I know I am not one of your um,” ___________ put his palms together and bowed repeatedly at the hips five times, “or anything but if you could do me this favor. I am looking for the girl who wrote the other portion of the formula. So if you can tell where she is, or where to go, a sign, maybe a big one like' she is here's... Anything? ... Yeah didn't think you would really help.“ he sighed as he pushed back his head with both hands, hard lifting his eyebrows in the process. He turned to lean on the wall but

OOP!

It felt like his body was simultaneously falling but flying at the same time. Time and space streched and compression in matter of a second. Until he was finally just falling and his surroundings went back normal. He stood up looking for the wall he was trying to lean on. But now there was no wall. As a matter of fact his whole surroundings looked different.

“What the holy fuck. I mean, thank you God?“

He landed in what looked like a school. There was two wide ten story buildings standing parallel to each other. With only a commons ground laying in between them.

That is if the girl he was looking for is here, and he has a feeling she is. But where to start the search. The quad itself was wide and well decorated. With meticulously placed fountains and well cared for and shaped shrubs and the school building being placed quite far it was not possible to run across without being noticed. But he did need to move quickly as well dressed uniformed students were making there way back inside. He shuffled through dodging and weaving the stationary shrubbery. The exterior corridor was increasingly becoming less crowded by the second.

“Excuse me,” ______________ flagged down the closest person.

The girl jumped and hugged her books closer to her chest. She had honey beige skin, rich brown hair and mossy green eyes.

“Sorry I don't mean to frighten you! I won't hurt you, I just need your help.“

The girl gives ______________ a once over look.

“your not a student here?“

“Uh, well ...no.“

“You're also not a ____________.“

“A What?!“

The girl twirled her finger in a circle. ____________ did not understand and looked around. When he turned back to her there was a bright white flash then darkness.

_______________ surrounding were still pitch black but he heard mumbling of voices. He couldn't make out the voices or words. They sound far away. He concentrated harder.

“It was the ________________ portal.“

Portal.

“So now it will be sealed up?“

“Now Ms. ____________ we are not going to be hasty it is only one man. And why are you still here shouldn't you be in class.“

Ms. ______________?

“I was being kept here for questioning. Plus I feel kind of bad for knocking him out. Is he still not awake yet?“

Knocked out, who—

“Don't fret it was a small stinging spell he should be up any moment, for now you should head to class.“

_____________ could hear shuffling of feet approaching him.

It's me, I was knocked out. I'm asleep? No my eyes are closed.

As soon as _____________ heard the footsteps making there way away from him, his eye fluttered open. The light blind him distorting every shape and color. He shut his eyes and opened it more slowly. Meanwhile nearby the feet that was nearby him gasped.

“He's awake! He's awake,” she shouted before running off.

Finally _____________ could make out his surroundings. He was in a clinical like room. White walls, wooden doors and frames, blindingly bright lights that cover everything corner of the room. The only thing off was the two-way mirror that hung on one of the walls. He leaned up realizing he was laying on a so-so bed. He turned placing his feet on the ground. The cold surprised him. He looked down he was not wearing any shoes or socks. He looked around he couldn't find his shoes anywhere.

“We have your shoes,” a voice said over an intercom.

“Hello?“ __________ called out towards the ceiling to whom he could only assume right now to be God.

“Hello. What's your name?“ The intercom speaker asked.

“Um ... What's yours? Kind of rude to ask without introducing yourself first.“

Silence.

______________ walked back to the bed, his feet was starting to feel cold from the floor. Now fully conscious clearer vision the room looked like a school office hastely transformed into a half hearted interigation room. He looked out window. The view was mostly could obscure by thick overgrown greenery. But though the leaves and branches could make out the fright sun. He sighed a relief. Its still day he was not out long, at least he assumed so. The bed he is no noticing have thick heavy belt like restraints attached to each end. Suddenly the long stretch of silence became eerily.

“Hello anyone still there?“ ______________ asked while stealthy looking around for any possible exit.

“There are no other exits besides the single door in front of you,” the intercom speaker finally responded.

________________ said nothing but pointed to the windows behind him.

“... You can try but you'll quickly find out that you won't be able to go that way?“

_________________ herumphed and folded his arms, “then can you at filled me in on where I am and why am I locked up? I thought this was a school but ...“

“This is a school, yes. But how did you get in.“

“A school that have restraints?! So this is one of those...reformed schools?“

“Sure. Can you inform us how you got in?“

“Can you inform me why I, someone who is not a student here, is locked up in one of your tortured rooms.“

“You are not locked in a torture room?“ The man on the other side was losing his patience and _________________ could hear it.

“Restraint room,” ________________ was having fun with the man on the other side but had not completely given up on looking for an exit.

On the other side the man's frustration and impatience was on full display in the color hot red. ____________________, the student, watched worried of the backlash; it's either towards herself or the poor soul on the other side. Meanwhile ______________, the secretary watched amused. The man grabbed the mike as he tried to steady his voice, in no way does he want to show this prick is getting to him.

Bang!

The other door leading back to the rest of school swung wide open. A sweaty bleached white haired young man rushed into the room heading straight to the elder gentleman with a tablet and a enough papers to make small encyclopedia.

“When know how he got in!“ The man blurted before he even reached the counter. He placed the pile of paper down before tapping on the tablet. Then pushed the it towards ______________, the older gentleman. The man fixed his glasses as he squeezed at the creen with furrow brows.

“He came in through the left wing HS portal.“

“Tch,” the security tsked adding revulsion to her voice, “and which high schooler did he followed in. Those careless little—”

“None.“

“...What,“ ______________ voice was quite but eyes grew large her mouth slacked as if she had just been personally smacked.

“Y-y-yeah um, I thought it was strange to so, uh, I,” the man got more flustered and nervous under the scrutiny of the secretary and the strong held doubt in the elder shuffling the papers until he found the one he was looking for, “look!“

He pushed the Paper into the elder's face. The elder snatched the paper from the boy's hand. He read the paper gingerly. The more he read the wider his eyes got. His bright red skin turned ghostly pale within seconds. When reached the end of the page he placed the paper down, took his glasses off and threw it on the desk, and rubbed the area glasses' bridge rested on.

“What is it,” the secretary's voice holding about the adequate amount (?) of concern.

“And the rest of these papers are,” ______________ motioned to the stack of papers.

“Any other information I could find or pull about him. But uh, most of it had been obscured or tinkered with and…,” he looked at the others then leaned forward cupping the side of his mouth then whispered, “I think he had done it myself.“

The man didn't look shocked nor impressed by such news more like he expected it. The elder sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose again this time leaning forward on the desk.

“Call him,” ______________ ordered the secretary moving on from the bridge of his nose to his eyes.

The whole room became chilled. For thirty seconds no one moved a muscle, not even to breathed.

“Are you sure if we call—” _______________ narrowed her eyes towards the man who brought the news.

“I wouldn't if I wasn't sure!“

______________'s shout startled the whole room but mostly _______________. Her eye were wide open with bewilderment but she recovered quickly.

“Of course , as you wish,” ___________________ glissade away her eyebrows raised instead of forrowed covering the seething anger she felt.

________________ came to regret mulling around and not leaving when she was told to. She tried to sneak away.

“_______________! So glad you stuck around.“ ________________'s voice sounded anything but glad.

________________ cringed. The man's ear was too damn sensitive. He could stand at the very edge at one end of the campus and hear a leaf drop at the very opposite end.

“Thanks for the update, you may go now,” the elder smiled as he instructed the younger man.

Who gave a brisk nod and left but not without shooting _______________ a pitying look. ___________________ wanted to give him a scoff or a smile or something to prove was fine. But her lips were glued into a line.

“I need you to give our VIP guest a big grand _________________ Academy 's tour.“ ___________________ gave _______________ a big wide unauthentic smile.

But what else could ________________ have said that wouldn't have landed her in trouble but “yes, I'll be honored to.“

“Great! Start by handing over his shoes first then head over to the junior section.“ _______________ didn't bother for a reply just landing a heavy and hard pat on ______________'s shoulder while he walked part her.

The pain from that pat almost dislocated her shoulder. ____________ clenched her teeth to prevent even a whimper from escaping her lips. She was mostly alone in the room now but still replied.

“Of course sir, I would be happy too.”

______________ roll and stretch her shoulder as she went to retrieve the boy's, man's shoes.

***********†***********†*************†**********†***********

“So I'm really free,” _____________ asked.

He walked carefree-like, taking in the setting and talking but was very conscious of everything. He also walked a sizable distance away from ________________.

“You are walking the grounds, with just me with no guards in sight,” ______________.

“Don't take this the wrong way, actually do, you are one of the….. what are you exactly? You didn't know knock me out with a punch, there was a bright light.”

Heat rosed to ________________'s face as she smiled to keep the panic from showing on her face. ________________ told her to give a tour but never listed the specifics of what can nor what couldn't be said.

“Well, um, maybe I did knock you out with a punch. It's just that…. You are so weak, that you saw lights.“

“Hahaha,” ____________ laugh was low but joyful it surprised ____________, “okay, keep your secrets but I will find out eventually. I always do.“

That warning did not set ___________ on edge like it should. Her shoulders relaxed just a little.

“Are we at a school, or can you not tell me that too?“

“We are at a school yes,” ____________ smiled no longer squeezing her books to her chest.

“And the grades are…?“

“Kindergarten to college, bachelor degree.“

“No way. I had never heard of this school before in the city… we are still the city, right?“

“Yes, well kind of.“

“Kind of? You knocked me out pretty hard but I still remember where I was before I was here,” _______________ didn't say anything but continued to let _____________ talk, “there was low traffic, lots of older building more like abandoned factories.“

He paused and looked at ________________ for confirmation, she stared blankly ahead with a smile stuck on her lips. _______________ was getting used to not receiving answers, but having to figure out the meaning and hints between facial expressions and what goes unsaid. He open his mouth for further questioning but before he could get a word out—

BANG!!!!

“What was that?!“

“A, uh, an, um” between being a bit surprised and unsure _______________ floundered on what to or not to say dropping her blank gaze.

_________________ didn't bother to wait for a response and rushed towards the sound. It took ________________ several minutes to register he left.

“Wait!!“ _____________ called after him but he was already entering the high school building.

______________ ran down the hallway taking note of the long but narrow-ish hallway and the lack of lockers. He took a quick pick in one class that had the teacher facing away from him and towards the class. The students here look to be older, and tall too. Definitely not elementary students, high school perhaps, can't fully rule out junior high yet. He felt another bang, the aftershocks that came after was coming from the right. He turned right on the next corner. The classes continued to proceed normally. Not one teacher peaking out in the hallway. A normal occurrence, huh, ______________ concluded.

There was another bang, the after shock were stronger he was getting closer. That probeled him to go further faster. He could hear _____________ chasing after him calling now, but ignored her. Even as a few teachers pock their head out. He ignored them too.

The sound led back outside from a different exit.

______________ hurdled through the doors before any one could stop him. The sight took his breath away. He expected to see an open field with kids doing an experiment or at least setting off firecrackers. But not, this! Lightly side his hands on the guard rails the colors feeling of metal alerted his senses that this is real, everything is real. And that he really is looking down at a colosseum arena from the very top steps.

Forget the fact he is standing in a colosseum attached to a junior/senior high School, how did he get to the top floor? He was on the ground floor when he ran in, he didn't take any stairs or latters. Where is this place? What is this place?

“Y-y-you're not supposed to be here, I think,” ______________ busted through the doors.

She finally caught up but ________________ was not done with his self-appointed tour. He made his way to the closest stairs and ran down it two at a time. Tired and haggured but ______________ still gave chase.

___________________ was on the third floor when the head teacher shouted, “Great job, _____________! _____ points! Next up ______________, come on down!“

_______________ froze mid jump. He was hoping to see her again but didn't actually believed he would.

”Her name?! What is her full name?“. He turned and asked______________.

________________ looked at who he was pointing to and back then shrugged.

“I don't know, she's a high schooler, I'm in collage.“

He still doesn't know her first name but he has her last. And more importantly he found her. He finally found her.