SHE SMILED BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT LATE and as simple as that. The gate didn't close when eight of the clock had arrived and it appeared to be wide open in order for her to be in. She was in, she was in.

Bringing herself close to the ground right after she heard someone shouted the common practice when the earthquake occurred-- STOP, DROP and COVER-- things became uneasy for her.

The sunglass she wore, herself away from the assembly, the ambiance that the aftermath of the quake was offering, and even that weird scream that came out of nowhere.

But even though the last one happened unexpectedly than intended, that's also might be one of the reason of why she should be glad, the purpose of her smile in the midst of turmoil in the atmosphere.

This was Hannah Forteza, an innocent schoolgirl of Xyrale High. And even though how brutal a mind of oneself could be, the only reason of why she smiled, was because-- with the aide of luck-- she didn't end up being closed by the gate.

Only a few, to think just a select number of person noticed her of being late. Or did they? But that didn't matter anymore somehow, first and foremost, she didn't like to receive any sort of attention for her infamy.

For if you asked her the thing she was reluctant to happen, being late was infamy nowadays. A brutal sin not just in schools but in the nation as a whole. You weren't showing any responsibility for the equity of time you had if you ended up being late.

Being able to recognize her very own mistake, she would call this case as a first trial of what should be her time-to-time schedule during schooldays be alike. She would just bump and nerf some activities to finally find a fitting clock duration for every exertion. Like for instance, the time she spent with her sunflower.

From a black filter that the convex lenses of her aviator sunglass had, she doubted that the first day of school of hers would be as colorful as what she might experience with her Corbusier eyeglass. Literally.

Animals already appeared from the Stockroom. The Dog and the Someone had already reunited. And a girl, older than her, ran away from the assembly.

That was absurd to think. Whatever the reason behind that act of hers, the Someone who she thought owned the dog, already went after her to revise her plans. If force would be a necessity to restrain her, then he might resort to rendering some.

The assembly, if only the quake didn't involve itself-- to bypass as the time progressed and littered the balance of everyone-- things would be in a harmonious unity.

With regard to their year level and section for the primary purpose of sorting and arrangement, everybody would line at their designated places: first years to the right facing the stage, fourth years at the other end, in between would be second and third year respectively.

With everybody's attention shifted for the view of Chief Jim and the schoolgirl retracting the path that the animals had made en route to the assembly, Hannah Forteza grabbed this chance to enter the nearest line and made herself belonged to it without being noticed.

-----

Thinking that the ambulance had a mechanical problem as the reason why it was behaving abnormal, the three people inside of it were wrong. There was no such thing had occurred after a thorough maintenance that just took place yesterday. Instead, it did just quake.

"The girl was right," half amused and half confused expression drew all over the face of Nica.

"But how the hell she will know?" replied by her partner, Lara.

"Maybe she felt already the trembling of the land?"

"Nica, you know that is impossible, were in a moving sedan," Lara disagreed.

"She had been tipped for this one?"

"Huh?" confused Lara replied.

"Maybe she saw the view outside?" Nica added.

"But still, we're on a moving sedan, the orientation of things upon glancing on the window to the outside would be unremarkable," she opposed the idea of hers.

"That girl was amazing," Nica complemented.

"Weird," Lara said in a light tone.

-----

When the quake had already ended, Luke Barnabe, quickly opened the window to his side as one of the police that Chief Jim made his acquaintance attending here was approaching.

"Sir, what is the reason why did you bring an ambulance in here?" upon he made himself a sixteen-inch distant to the driver, Sander Acapulco whose skin beneath his police uniform was as fair as the sand on the beach, started to ask a question.

"Um, There is a call," Luke answered.

"A call?" placing his well toned left forearm to the window sill of the car between him and the ambulance driver and even though the answer of Luke was what he anticipated to hear, his reply was like he was intimidating the driver.

"You won't be just standing there and ask me everything you need to know with regard to my presence in here, right?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"We received a local 911 call. Don't ask more, its emergency," Luke assured him.

"What a coincidence, we're also experiencing an emergency," as he withdrew his hand on the sill.

-----

Too many eyes, too many souls, too many human beings.

Following the passage of a girl and a man whose paces threatened another surge of earthquake, the group animals were already in their state of restlessness.

When the rats looked at there, disgusts were looking at them. When the cat glanced at there, terrified countenances were glancing back to her. When the dogs turned in there, bad auras were waiting to be uncovered just for them. When the birds channeled their heads at there, No! They would never be coming back there again. That place was already cursed.

They couldn't afford anymore to take another step, to run farther away from there and far away from here. Aside from being restless, they were also at the tip of their limits. They were exhausted, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. And they were also cornered.

Those pitiful eyes they were showing, couldn't reach out to anyone who could contact them eye to eye.

From the left part of the assembly and where stockroom was nearest to be located, the fourth years, by the very view of these animals: five mammals and two birds, remained themselves distant and anxious.

All were tensed.

When an eager bark came from another side. It was strong and loud. Everybody cocked their heads to there.

There they saw this: a very oriented, educated, knowledgeable and intelligent golden retriever, already knew what to do.