[EDITING] Time's Running Out || p.jm

1

It was late at night, and I was packing stuff from the library in my high school. My high school offers a 24/7 library, and it is free to be used by any students, which includes me. I slung my bag over my shoulder and made my way to the main corridor to leave the school grounds. I'm in my final year, so I have to perform. Reason? I have that standard of strict Asian parents, so that's why.

While I was walking soundly, I heard a rustling sound came from the school's storeroom. I was a few steps away from the room. Then I could hear something hit the storeroom's door from the inside and it was really loud. I was curious but also a bit scared. My heart was thumping hard. My instincts told me that I'm not safe and I should run, but my body was too stubborn even to move. I gulped down and walked a bit closer to the storeroom.

"AHHHH!!!"

I flinched when I heard a screaming voice came from the inside of the storeroom. I hurried to the door and was about to open it, but then the door swung open and almost hit me. There a tall man with a mask stood in front of me, and I could feel he was towering over me. I could feel chills run down my spine. Then my eyes fell to the lifeless body behind the tall man. My eyes widen in horror. It was a girl, bleeding all over the floor and was not moving at all. As if she was already dead.

I took a step back then I quickly sprint away, running from my life. I throw my sling bag to the floor because I could feel that the bag was holding me back. I wanted to shout for help, but my mouth won't even open.

It's him. It's him. It's the Joker. The crazy serial killer in my school.

Then a big hand took a firm grip of my wrist and pulled me back. I stumbled, falling behind and saw the Joker dragging me to who knows where.

"Get away from me!" I shouted at him while struggling to get my hand out of his grab. He was probably annoyed by my failed attempt to pull my hand from him, he turned around, and the next thing I know, his hand was around my neck. Slowly I could feel his hand tightening around my neck. "Don't- Fu- Ahh!"

"It's you", The guy in front of me muttered in a harsh voice that I can't make out who he is. His other hand was holding a strand of hair of mine that was on my face and tuck it behind my ear. "A beautiful face, but what a waste", He continued, and I spit on his face, which to my surprise, he didn't flinch because the spit only hit his mask, not his face. He and then caressed along my jawline and took a firm grip on my chin. He took out his knife and slowly sliced my left cheek. I was in a lot amount of pain. I shrieked, and tears start to trickle down my cheek, touching the open wound as it became more painful for me.

"You there!" A sound I was familiar with. It was the school's security guard.

"Another pain in the ass", Joker muttered and finally let go of me as his eyes were now fixed on the guard.

Although I was still in pain, I took the courage and every energy left inside of me and run away from him as hard as I could. I took a corner and ran for the stairs to go downstairs towards the main gate. I was huffing, trying to catch my breath. I slowed down a bit, but I continued running for my life. Then I briefly looked behind me for any sign of Joker, and he was right there, chasing after me. I was sweating heavily. I don't deserve to die yet.

Then suddenly, while I was running to the school gates, I fell onto the cement hard because I tripped over a small hole on the hard cement. I tried to stand up back but fell again because my knees were bleeding. I lifted my body a bit so that I could sit on the cement. I looked back at Joker; he purposely walked towards me, and I could feel an eerie smile behind his mask. He knew I couldn't run anymore.

Through the dim light, he stopped in front of me. I looked at him with horror. He kneed beside me, held my chin up, and raised his knife. Slowly, he sliced my throat but not deep, though. I knew he was torturing me first. My tears welled up, and I tried to hold back my screaming voice because I was afraid he would do something more hurtful.