The Technique

Chapter 26: The Actors

I quickly pulled my phone out of my pocket. The ringing was getting louder. My hands were shaking, and I almost slipped my phone.

Mr. David was calling me.

I rejected the call. The ringing finally stopped.

But the director kept looking in my direction. I could see him a bit. His eyes were big. He furrowed his brows. For a moment, I thought he already caught me.

He walked closer. I squeezed myself to the edge more. When he was moving, I was moving back too. He squinted.

I closed my eyes as I listened to my racing heartbeat. I thought it was going to explode. I counted and thought if I could just run when a sound distracted me.

I saw the director walking to one of the TV. I saw Stella on the screen, dancing in her room, only in her underwear. The director shook his head while smiling and whispered, "She's getting better at dancing."

My tears fell as my eyes began to look around. I saw those innocent students on the screens, doing something without even knowing that they were being watched. Mike and Kylie were victims too. Students shouldn't be treated this way.

I looked at the director again, but he had gone. My phone buzzed. I had a message from Mr. David. 

"Come to my office, Nathan Bruce. I need your help."

I searched for the director all over the room, but he had gone. I stood up and took one glance at the screens before making my way out of the room. The hallways were deserted. The director wasn't there. When I got out of the elevator, I immediately ran to the door.

The sun had already gone down. The sky was clouded over. The rain would come down.

I kept looking around until I made my way to Mr. David's office. The thunder had been raging once I reached the office. The door was closed, and it seemed like there were no lights inside. I suddenly remembered that it was Tuesday. Greg was probably out tonight.

I knocked on the door multiple times, but there was no response. I constantly looked left and right, checking if Greg was lurking around. The more time I waited outside, the more I got chills. I checked the message once again and replied, "I'm already here, Mr. David."

My phone buzzed a second later. "The door is open."

I'd been knocking, but why didn't he hear anything? 

I slowly turned the knob as I put my phone back in my pocket. The dark office appeared. The lights weren't turned on. Maybe, there was a blackout.

"Mr. David?" I called. My voice just echoed. I groped for the switch on the nearest wall, but I couldn't find it. "Mr. David, it's Nathan. Where are you?" I said in a louder voice.

I couldn't see anything. At that moment, I wanted to see his trophies or table to make myself feel safe at least. But I was surrounded by stygian blackness. I couldn't even see my own shoes.

I grabbed my phone and dialed his number. The phone quickly rang, and I listened. A little light appeared from somewhere then I saw him wearing a hoodie. The phone's light was aiming at his face. But that wasn't Mr. David.

"Greg?" I whispered.

The phone's light showed his eyes. He looked at me and smirked. "I knew you're going to help me."

At that moment, a rumble of thunder shook the ground and my ears. "What are you doing here? Where's Mr. David? Why do you have his phone?"

He walked forward, getting closer. He turned off the phone, so it was the darkness that I was looking through again. I couldn't see him, but he could probably see me.