1st Place: AuroraTheDragon174

This prompt was really creative, also tbh could fit into the story well and your idea was one of the most fun to write!! I really like writing dramatic/climatic things so thanks for your idea and art, Aurora :D Enjoy^^

(Continued from Chapter 11: Rumor Has It)

Taking a large bite out of my sandwich, I listen in on the table's conversation. Fukufire was enthusiastically describing the decor and grub for her laser tag party to the table, who in turn was listening in with anticipation. As Fukufire described the shiny balloons she was going to set up, I thought a heard a small shriek coming from outside the cafeteria. I blinked twice, straining my hearing.

What was that? I thought to myself for a second, before I heard the cafeteria's sounds eliminate any chance I had of hearing the strange sound again. I had not an inkling of what that was, but I dismissed it as someone getting over-dramatic about something. Continuing to make conversation with the table, I slowly forget about my previous suspicions.

As the table fawned over Fuku's description of the foods that were being served, I felt the heat in the room rise. Maybe it was just a side effect of Fuku's excitement... because she is a fire monster?

It had been only a few minutes when I felt the heat become unbearable, so I had taken off my sweater, tying it around my waist. I tried to calm myself down, telling myself that I was overreacting.

That was, until I heard another scream, this one much louder than the last. The cafeteria quieted down, and I froze in my seat, surveying the area for any sign of conflict. Nothing.

G stood from the table, making his way to the doors of the cafeteria with a few others including myself in tow. He opened the cafeteria doors to be met with a flurry of heat and ash-covered students.

Then it hit me as I looked through the smoky hall. Fire. There was a fire in the school.

The cafeteria began to erupt into a frenzy at the sight of the embers and smoke. Students pushed and shoved, violently trying to make their way out of the cafeteria. It was all a blur to me, people rushing around me, losing track of where my friend group was. Rubbing my eyes, I looked around the ash covered hall I stood in. Empty. There was not a single being in sight, except for me.

Trudging back into the cafeteria to grab a water bottle in case I needed it, I stepped in something mushy. Looking down, I saw a set of ember-encrusted cinnamon butterscotch pie footprints. It was then that I realized that G and I had screwed up. Really badly.

As I sprinted through the smoke towards the baking classroom, different scents flooded my nose. The smell of cinnamon butterscotch pie lingered pleasantly, while the smells of smoke and burnt paper overwhelmed me. Coughing, I waved away the smoke that contaminated the air.

Then, as I looked up, I saw a familiar low yellow glow. "G?" I coughed out, squinting through the black smoke that flooded the ash covered hall that I was running through.

"Frisk!" he shouted, running towards me, "I thought I was the only one who didn't get the memo about the fire!" he laughed nervously as we neared each other.

Just as we came in arm's length distance of each other, the roof gave out, forming a fiery wall between us.

"M-meet me.. Baking class r-room," I coughed out. I pointed to the side, signaling that I would meet up with him another way, as he nodded in understanding.

Turning back the way I came, I took the stairs that led to the baking classroom. While at the beginning of the year I abhorred the twisting corridors that this school had, now I was thankful for the many passages.

Finally, I arrived in front of the baking classroom. G wasn't here yet, so I decided I would start on my own. The classroom door's once-clear glass window was stained with black ash and embers. I could see the faint outline of a person through the rubble. I placed my hand on the metal door handle, hoping that I wasn't too late to save some people. Yelping, I yanked back my hand, the handle's heat sending pain down my arm. I tripped on my other foot, falling backward. This day couldn't get any worse, could it?

To my relief, two skeletal hands caught me at the last minute, lifting me back onto my feet. I barely managed a small smile to thank G, as I was too jittery about the inferno burning around us.

Suddenly, my eyes caught a small glint of light in my peripheral vision.

"Watch out!" I warn, and jolt to the side, pulling G along with me. He was surprisingly light, but I assumed that was only because he was a skeleton.

The small flare harmlessly burned near to the door. We inched around it, G opening the door to the classroom without flinching. Shaking, the baking teacher stood amidst a large fire coming from an oven nearby. Whirling around, the teacher greets us with worried eyes.

"Wh-what are you... doing here," she began to say before she was thrown into a coughing fit by the smoke.

"I can take her outside, meanwhile can you figure out a way to put the fire out?" G said.

"Y-Yeah, just.." I tried to find my words, but I couldn't seem to think straight.

"Don't worry, I won't linger," he nervously tapped his foot.

"W-wait," she gripped my arm, taking on an urgent tone, "There's a f-fire extinguisher behind the oven... bottom left cabinet."

"Thank you, I'll get on that," I said, hearing the brief whirr of air, signaling that they had teleported. I stalked towards the oven carefully, like a predator approaching it's prey. Sidestepping around the fire, I held my breath, trying to make myself as small as possible as I inched around the inferno. The flaming fire was right there. Close.

I tried not to imagine all the ways this could go wrong as I reached for the cabinet that contained the fire extinguisher. The handle was thankfully wooden, not metal. I pulled it open quickly and snatched the extinguisher like my life depended on it, because it really did.

I pulled the lever, causing the once-flourishing flames to subside. G teleported inside, giving me a relieved glance as we both looked down at the smoldering fire on the floor.

It was then that I realized this year wouldn't be as simple as I once thought it would be.