3 broke(n) souls

Chapter 2

Shuling's body felt like there were a million needles stabbed through her muscles. She shuffled stiffly, her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness of the storeroom.

Her hand ran across the cupboard behind her and she could feel her legs on top of her two sleeping friends. Well that was awkward.

She tried to sit up. Bad move.

She should have thought about what to do before moving. The smell of paint should have given away what was stacked on the cupboards.

She had to admit, the smell of paint wasn't all that bad.

The moment her head knocked against the shelf above her, the brittle shelf snapped in half. She winced as the shelf landed on her head and a loud cracking sound echoed in the storeroom. Her friends woke up briefly before dozing back off.

This is the worst time to be a deep sleeper.

She didn't know how the can of paint opened, nor could she see how, but the paint can clearly opened and her skin tingled as the liquid hit her head and trailed down her skin.

She didn't learn her lesson from her first move because she panicked and shoved the door of the storeroom, sliding out of the storeroom.

Only then she could see the hot pink paint start dripping onto her friends.

"Oh- WAKE UP!" she screamed, this time deciding to not shake her friends awake since her hands were covered in hot pink paint. The paint dripped onto her feet, which were bare, since she didn't waste a second to put on shoes before sprinting out of the dorm.

Wilma noticed first, waking up to the sensation of something crawling along her skin. By the time Wilma clambered out, she was drenched into the paint.

"Heh..." Shuling flashed her a sheepish grin. "How are you the oldest again?" questioned Wilma, getting back into the storeroom to prod Sayori awake.

Shuling pressed her temples, ignoring the sticky feeling of paint. She must be some sort of idiot. She released a frustrated sigh.

Suddenly, they heard someone making their way up the stairs.

"What do we do?" exclaimed Sayori, her legs knocking together as her eyes darted between the staircase and the paint-filled storeroom.

The figure reached the top of the stairs. It was Janitor Ruth, the mute janitor of the school. He noticed them, his eyes closing briefly as if he had just witnessed a disaster. Which he did. His eyes fluttered open and he lumbered past them, reaching to the higher parts of the storeroom that were untouched and handing them some towels.

"Thank you," stammered Shuling, clasping the towel in her hands gratefully. She wanted to bury herself alive for her stupid actions.

Great job Shuling! You proved to everyone you're an absolute idiot.

She fought back the urge to sigh.

Think Shuling, think before you do.

After they wiped themselves clean, Janitor Ruth moved his hands, as if trying to tell them something. At first, Shuling gave him a baffled look, scratching the back of her head. He pressed a hand to his forehead before repeating the actions, and then it hit her.

He was communicating through sign language. She had only ever seen him use it once, and she had no idea how to communicate sign language.  She didn't use her brain again. "Uh...I'm sorry. I don't understand sign language," she admitted, hanging her head in shame. "I know a bit," Sayori said, looking at Janitor Ruth. He repeated the actions a third time and she nodded.