I, unlike everyone else, didn't need to close my eyes to remember what happened the night before. I, unlike everyone else, didn't need to close my eyes to see my monster. I could do that perfectly fine with my eyes open.

The day before.

By the time we got back to school, it was just before the final bell. Most of the other parents were already there to pick up the others. It was just Tshepang, Toni and I.

I felt a little awkward. It had been tense the entire drive and now I was stuck with the two most emotional of the group. At least at that point they had stopped crying but I knew one word could change that. One word could set them off.

Besides, what does one say? I wasn't interested in investigating further. I didn't know how to comfort them. The way their desolate faces looked everywhere besides each other told me they wouldn't appreciate a cheering up joke or two.

So I remained silent.

I mumbled that I had to fetch my bag that I had left in one of the classes and turned to fetch it.

I made my way through the gate and down the corridor numbly, not thinking about much. I reached Coaches class and opened the door even though I knew he wasn't here. He never locked his door.

I walked to the back of the class, the furthest corner and grabbed my bag. I heard a creak. I turned my head to see if there was anyone but there wasn't. Probably the wind, I thought. It was a old school and everything creaked.

Making sure everything I had was still in the bag, I threw it over my shoulders and walked to switch the class's lights off.

It wasn't afternoon. It wasn't dark. Sure, it was slightly over cast but not so much so to shove the class into complete darkness. Yet when I turned the light off, a screeching noise came from the back of the class.

I quickly flipped the switch back, the light lazily switching on. My eyes zeroed in on what must have been the source of the noise: a chair pulled out from the desk.

My heart started pumping. The only thought running through my head was no. Hell no. I quickly debated did I really want to put the light off again. Was it necessary? I then remembered Coach shouting because someone had left the light on the entire night.

I steeled my nerves. Nothing will happen, I chanted the mantra over and over in my head.

I flicked the switch off. I waited then slowly moved to the door. I don't know what I was expecting. Another chair? Maybe a window or the chalk board this time. I was expecting something. Yet nothing happened.

I reached the door and calmed a little. It wasn't my imagination because that chair did move. I was certain but nothing was gonna happen again.

As I grabbed the door handle and turned it, the light flicked on. I whirled around, my heart racing now.

Who, what, how?

Footsteps moved around the class between desks. I braced myself.

I jumped when the final bell rang. Springing into action, I threw the door open and banged it shut. I looked at the knob, expecting it to turn but it didn't.

🇿🇦

My hand wrapped around the handle and pulled the door open, collapsing in my brother's passenger seat.

He looked at me funnily before making some joke that I couldn't hear. Something caught my eye and I turned, expecting to see someone in the backseat. However there was no one.

The drive home was short. Unlike Zake we actually lived in the area. My brother picked up on my mood. It's safe to say that I usually didn't have moods but then again, these kind of things usually didn't happen.

As I got home, I greeted my parents and beelined for my room, my dog on my heel. Jessie sat in the corner as I collapsed on my bed. I looked at her, noting how she probably wanted to run outside or something like that. Somebody walked passed my room, reminding me that I should probably go out there just incase someone comes looking for me.

I walked to the kitchen, seeing my mom in the same place I greeted her. "Where's everyone else?"

"Your father and Dave left just after they dropped you to the shop." She answered.

I froze in the fridge. "Wait, immediately? You didn't perhaps go to the bathroom or anything right?"

"Uhh," She looked at me strangely. ", no. I've been here this whole time."