Rayne pulled out his battered iPhone 6, the screen spiderwebbed with cracks but still functional. A notification lit up the screen in stark, bold lettering:
**#EMERGENCY ALERT#**
*Effective immediately in the state of Georgia, please follow emergency protocols in your respective buildings. All public facilities will be closed until further notice, as determined by authorities for the safety of all residents. If you are home, remain indoors. If outside, seek shelter immediately. Please stay calm and follow instructions in an orderly manner.*
He stared at the message for a moment, feeling his chest tighten as a cold wave of uncertainty swept through him. He slowly looked around the cafeteria to see how others were reacting. Surprisingly, most students didn't seem too fazed.
Some were laughing, others scrolling through their phones with glazed expressions. A few exchanged worried glances, but there was no real sense of urgency—at least not yet.
Rayne exhaled slowly and started making his way toward where Navia was sitting when the sharp voice of the vice principal echoed across the cafeteria.
"Everyone, please find a seat," he called out, his voice amplified by the microphone in his hand. "I have an important announcement."
The room quieted somewhat, the buzz of conversation dying down into murmurs as the students turned their attention to the front.
"Good afternoon," the vice principal began, adjusting his glasses with a jittery hand. "Due to orders from the district and state authorities, no one is allowed to leave the school building until further notice. Starting at 8:00 p.m., we will begin evacuating into the main gym and the side gym. Please remain calm. This is a safety precaution—we are not in immediate danger, but we must take this seriously."
A few students exchanged anxious looks. Some chuckled nervously. Then hands started going up all over the room.
"Yes, you in the grey hoodie," the vice principal said, pointing at a boy halfway down the room.
"When are we allowed to go home? I've got things to do," the student asked, his voice sharp with irritation.
The vice principal grimaced, visibly struggling with his response.
"We... don't know exactly," he admitted. "We were told to keep everyone indoors until further notice. No timeline was given. However, please trust that this is in everyone's best interest. We've recently received a new shipment of food—enough to last us about two weeks—so you will be fed and cared for."
A few more hands went up.
"You in blue, yes?"
A girl with a tentative voice asked, "Where are we supposed to sleep?"
The vice principal nodded. "For now, you'll continue with your regular class schedule until 8:00 p.m. After that, boys will report to the side gym and girls to the main gym. We'll do our best to provide mats and blankets to make you comfortable."
A voice from the back piped up, "What about brushing our teeth or taking showers?"
The vice principal raised his hand in an effort to quiet the growing chatter. His tone turned more strained. "There will be a sign-up sheet for shower use, and we'll distribute hygiene supplies as needed from our storage closets. Please understand, we're doing our best with what we have."
But the uneasy calm shattered when a student near the doors shouted, "You can't keep us here! I'm not staying!"
Chaos erupted. More students stood up, some shouting, others moving toward the exits.
Rayne's heart pounded. He wasn't one to act out, but his mind was spinning with thoughts of his mother. She worked long hours as a cleaning lady and wouldn't be done until 9:00 p.m. If she hadn't seen the alert, she was probably still at her client's house, trapped just like he was. The worry dug into his chest like nails.
"Everyone, calm down!" the vice principal barked, louder now, almost desperate. "This is for your own safety. We've already started emailing your parents. If you truly believe you must leave, call them. If they agree, bring your phone to us, and we will speak with them directly. Only after that will we let you leave. But until then, no one is to exit the building!"
His voice echoed around the walls. The students froze. The sheer authority in his voice—and perhaps the hint of fear behind it—seemed to settle the room back into order. Murmurs replaced the shouts, and slowly, students returned to their seats.
"Thank you," the vice principal said, his voice dropping back to a tired drawl. "Classes will continue as normal. After that, you're free to move about the building until the 9:00 p.m. curfew. Please be cooperative. We are all in this together."
He stepped down from the small platform and walked out of the cafeteria, his shoulders sagging with exhaustion.
Rayne took out his phone again. The screen showed **five missed calls**—all from his mom. His stomach twisted. His phone had been on silent. He hadn't noticed.
He tapped her name and pressed the phone to his ear. It barely rang before she picked up.
"Rayne? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, Mom. Are you okay? Are you stuck?"
"I'm fine, honey. I'm still at the client's house. They're letting me stay until things settle down. She's a nice old lady, and she doesn't want me going outside either. What about you?"
"They've locked down the school. We're not supposed to leave unless a parent gives permission. Should I try to come home?"
There was a pause.
"No," she said firmly. "I don't want you walking out into something dangerous. I'll come get you when they say it's safe."
Rayne hesitated. "Okay. Just… be careful. I saw some things online. Just stay inside if you can."
"I will. You be safe too. I love you."
"Love you too."
The call ended, and Rayne sat motionless for a few seconds before slumping in his seat. Around him, students were also finishing up their phone calls. A few left with backpacks in tow after getting approval. But most, like him, remained seated, trapped between fear and waiting.
Eventually, Rayne went to get his lunch, but the sight of food didn't spark any appetite. He picked at it while aimlessly scrolling through posts and conspiracy theories online, his mind spinning but detached.
At 12:45, the bell rang, jolting him slightly. He gathered his things and trudged to his fourth-period class, eyes still locked on his phone. He barely registered where he was walking and collided with someone.
He looked up.
She had pale skin, ocean-deep blue eyes, and long black hair that fell in waves. She wore dark clothes, giving her the aura of one of those quiet, goth girls who lingered in the halls unnoticed.
"My bad," Rayne mumbled.
"It's cool," she said with a small nod, then kept walking.
He turned the corner and entered his physics classroom without another word. Everything felt a little off now, like the day had split into two different timelines—the normal one before the alert, and the strange, uncertain world after.