They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 38: We'll Come Back Later

Song for the start of the chapter! I think I'm just going to upload the rest of the chapters today!

Stella's POV 

I looked around the hall in a panic. It was deserted but frames and broken furniture lay around as if something smashed their way through this hall. I looked at Gray with wide eyes. I didn't know what to expect when I made it to the top, but this looked like a battlefield.

"Are you sure you want to be beside me?" Gray asked me, as if giving me one chance to find a place to hide.

I looked at the wreckage and shook my head. Something told me that being alone was more dangerous. "I rather take my chances with you."

Gray nodded as his foster mother called his name. He looked over at the sound of her voice and we both noticed she was all the way down the hall from us.

"Gray, come. We need to get to the grand entrance," Else called out over the sound of growls.

Gray nodded and together, we ran down the hall to meet her. The three of us made it to a larger hall and the sight of what lay in front of us caused all of us to pause to evaluate the damage. I swallowed the pit stuck in my throat as I realized that this was an actual battle. Blood splatted on the walls like a sick art show as a few bodies laid on the floor.

Gray and Else continued to walk but by the bodies, but I couldn't go any further until I checked to see if they were ok. I ran to the first body I saw and dropped to my knees beside them. Their breathing was heavy, but they were alive. My eyes scanned for where they were injured and put my hands on their side. Blood seeped through my fingers, and I knew if they didn't help, they would bleed out. "Gray, they need help," I said as I looked up to see that he was already halfway down the hall.

He stopped walking and frowned at me. "We'll come back later."

His words were a harsh reminder of the reality that we were facing. There was more at stake than a few bodies. "Promise?"

He nodded with such purpose in his eyes, as if he meant every word of it.

With a heavy sigh, I looked back down at the person beside me and gently put my hand over the wound again. As painful as it was to leave them without aid, I had no choice but to follow Gray. It didn't matter if I didn't agree with him. "Stay strong. I'll be back," I muttered to the person, then stood up to chase after Gray and Else. My only hope was that it wouldn't be too late when I returned.

I followed Gray and Else through another hall, which led to a great entrance area. The massive front doors stayed barricaded as groups of students looked at the doors with terrified eyes, as if they already been through so much. Fear washed over me as I wondered why I decided to follow Gray. Maybe it would have been safer to hide from this. There was no way for me to help when I had no training in any of this.

"Else, there you are," the same man that talked to Gray the other day said as he walked up to us, wiping his bloody hands on his shirt.

"Egrick, what's the damage so far?" Else asked as she looked around the room with a frown.

"So far there are five dead students and one dead teacher," Egrick explained. "We have sealed the door with a spell, but we know it will not hold them forever. The Royal family are on their way, but we don't know when they will arrive. But when they do, we will have a better idea of what to do next."

My mind latched onto the loss of life statement. He mentioned with sadness, but he hurried on to the next topic. It was as if he had been in a war before and knew that this was all part of the situation.