Back to the gathering of non-combatant students…

A garrison of security guards marched towards the forest entrance. Ordinarily, there was never a need to have this much security personnel for one single, measly forest. It was certainly very large, but nothing important seemed to hide within it. Why waste personnel by stationing them near an empty forest?

If it wasn’t for the non-combatant building being built at it’s heart, It would have remained as just a pretty forest, too far away from the superhero division to be sought after as somebody’s secret training location, yet not close enough to attract attention. they’d first have to sneak past a security station positioned at the half way point en route from the superhero side of campus.

Suddenly, a voice came screaming to the guards from far behind their position. Heavy breathing fluctuated in the hoarse shouting.

Ms. Daisy: “Huff - Huff...Huff...I’m here! Thank...Huff ...Huff ...thank you all for waiting! What - What happened? What’s the situation that seemed SO urgent to Mrs. Haldeen that I had to run all the way here?”

Temporary Security leader: “Are you Ms. Daisy? Thank you for answering Mr. Byle’s urgent summons. Now that you’re here we must move with haste! Mr. Pierce already went on ahead with Mr. Byle, Glen and Lieutenant Foresburg. We were tasked to wait and accompany you into the woods first chance we got!”

Ms. Daisy: “Huff ... Wheeze! Hold – hold on a minute why don’t you…! I just … just got here! Can I take a breather first?”

Temp. Security leader: “Why of course! Certainly!”

Ms. Daisy: “Phew! Thank you-”

Temporary Security leader: “*Nods* Yes – Yes. You take a break here while children are potentially dying at the hands of bloodthirsty murderers. Don’t you worry about a thing Ms. Daisy, ma’am.”

Ms. Daisy: “…”

Temporary Security leader: “I’ll see to it Mr. Byle is contacted and informed about this short ‘break’ of yours. I DO wonder how many are going to die before your short ‘break’ is over. But don’t worry about such things Ms. Daisy. You don’t have to feel responsible for their deaths at all. You just focus on recovering your energy. It isn’t as if your JOB is to care for the injured and prevent more deaths ... right?”

Ms. Daisy: “You...Huff...never explained what in the world happened out there.”

Temp. Security leader: “You mean to tell me Mrs. Haldeen requested that you come all the way down here WITHOUT filling you in?!”

Mrs Haldeen: “She told me it was urgent, and that I should get help before coming over. That a team of security guards were waiting close to the forest as my personal hand-picked escorts, but that they wouldn’t wait for long, due to the situation unfolding. Immediately after that phone call I asked Dome to contact a few of our school’s skilled nurses he managed to stay on pretty good terms with while I went ahead by foot. That’s about it.”

Temp. Security leader: “Can I explain every detail on the way? We were instructed to encircle a set of coordinates as soon as possible. Naturally, guarding you is also a prime duty of ours. That’s why half of us will split away from the group once you arrive at Mrs. Haldeen’s and Mr. Pierce’s classes. We’ll leave two behind to help the other nurses make their way in. for the time being, we have to move in!”

The group surrounded Ms. Daisy and enthusiastically urged her to move along with them. Luckily her second wind came right after the back and forth between her and this temporary security head fellow. Her heart hurt from the running, and her body clearly was NOT built for this kind of treatment.

Nevertheless, she stuck to the group’s pace quite admirably.

Temporary Security leader: “We’re about to enter into an unknown situation. In the past hour or so, a group of terrorists managed to slip past our security patrol, camera’s, wards, animals, barriers, heroes and guard drones. They launched an assault against the non-combatant students. We have one confirmed death already.”

Ms. Daisy: “WHAT?! Terrorists broke into the school...again?! But...but how?! We’ve improved security so much...we were GUARANTEED that those days were officially behind us!”

Temp. Security leader: “Mm. T’is quite fishy, indeed. Very … disturbing, for lack of an expressive-enough word. What made things worse was the involvement of…

*Looks around before whispering*

...suspicious movements, among the Board of Trustees governing the School itself. Nothing conclusive enough to book anybody specific, but Mr. Abrams being summoned away from the premises at the beginning of the assault – then assigned a mission to assist fellow teachers Mr Pierce and Mrs. Haldeen in ensuring Classes 1-A and 2-B make it to the entrance of this … freaky forest is very suspicious!

Not only that, but according to Mr. Pierce; they were ordered to send Mr. Abrams away and enter the forest alone. If that doesn’t raise some red flags, then I don’t know what does.”

Ms. Daisy: “That’s…”

Temporary Security leader: “There is some good news in this surprise attack. The children seemed to have … well, I didn’t quite understand it myself after Mr. Byle explained it to me. Supposedly the kids are … all right?"

Ms. Daisy: “Is this in reference to the survivors that DIDN’T die?”

Temp. Security leader: “This is in reference to ALL of the non-combatant students. According to Mr. Pierce, a boy with a decapitated head … regrew it before the eyes of many witnesses. Strictly speaking: the entire group delved into the forest before us. That includes Mr. Abrams, Mrs. Haldeen, Mr. Pierce, and both classes 1-A and 2-B. But before entering, or upon JUST entering, they came across two bloody students.

He uhh, said that a white light blinded everyone first, and only after that, did the corpse come back to life.”

Ms. Daisy: “*Stops*...Huh? Am...I being pranked? I am, right…? This has GOT to be qa prank of sorts, because that rubbish doesn’t sound the LEAST bit true!”

Temporary Security leader: “No. I would NOT waste my time dragging somebody of your stature around a forest just to prank you. There are other matters to settle today, that have been forcefully put on hold in response to this attack. And stay sharp! Those kids may have been revived, but the villains are still out there. Maybe even waiting to take us all out…!”

Ms. Daisy: “...Haah. I know how this goes. There’s no need to remind me.

(Revival? There wasn’t anybody in our school with that power-set.

No, wait a minute.

Wait a minute...! Is - Is that even possible?!? Maybe for a divine deity? Could...could a third party have gotten involved? Was it one of the students that serve as a vessel to a God or Goddess?)

The group of armed guards and an old nurse continued down the specific route both classes took after Mr. Abrams verified a safe location that was just close enough to the forest’s entrance, yet just covered enough to protect everybody from hidden snipers and other long ranged experts. The forest path led into a clearing, and upon sighting the guards; both classes 1-A and 2-B Ran with exuberant glee. Their faces showed an unrivaled happiness that couldn’t be shaken anymore – not even by the thought of a villain invasion or continuous raid of attacks. They were frantic in their pleas – hurried with their cries! The anxiety and distress clear on their faces: but more importantly was an obvious shade of pink returning to their once grey and sullen countenances.

They were happy. Very happy. So happy that they unanimously started to shed a few tears.

Some thought they were going to die.

Others began to wonder where Mr. Abrams and Mr. Pierce ran off to.

And a select few started to theorize there was a gory connection to the duo of teachers missing, and every non-combatant student’s impending death at the hands of these intrusive killers.

But...now only one, single thought pervaded their minds.

...They were free!

Temp. Security leader: “Okay. This is as far as we can take you. Catch a breath if you please, we have to meet up with Mr. Byle and finish the encirclement. Farewell!”

Mrs. Haldeen: “Oh, thank the Gods above...Welcome Ms. Daisy! Aren’t YOU a beautiful sight for sore eyes! A very welcome one!”

Ms. Daisy: “Hello Mrs. Haldeen – I would love to chat with you for a brief moment or two, but instead, care to tell me how many are wounded?”

Well...If you mean PHYSICALLY...then,

.

.

.

none.”

Mrs: “Yes. Yes. Physically is clearly what I meant. SO how man—-

----What…?”

Mrs. Haldeen: “OKAY Everyone! *Claps hands* Both Ms. Daisy and I will be going to check on the class 3-C students. Can you all stay here with the security guards? Behave while we’re gone. They will make sure you’re protected. “

The security personnel that remained behind after splitting into two smaller teams – one to chase Mr. Byle and the other with genuine guard duty. Two of the 7 men stayed behind, while the other 5 chose a formation to uptake and guarded both classes adamantly! No child – murdering psychopath was going to get the jump on them!

The children, still drunk on their current happy and safe-guarded situation merely nodded and nothing else. Now that the adults were taking action: they had nothing to fear.

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