I took one deep breath and looked at the two doors, the first door had a plaque that read “Assistant Principal’s Office”. While the other had lacked any indication of what it was.

“Oh, that has to be it.” I said with a strong determination. I walked to the unmarked door and opened it. A slight creeking noise was made as I walked through the door. The only light was the one coming off my rifle. I saw a collection of chairs and white boards, with a large, wooden table in the center of the room! Directly in front of me I had seen a desk, on top of the desk was a plaque that read “Faculty Lounge.”

With disappointment and a bit of anger in my voice I said “Where in the fuck is the damn Principal’s office!” Just as I was about to yell a small reflective surface in the corner of the room caught my attention. I began to walk over and found there was a wing to the room. As I moved around the corner. What had caught my attention was a small door handle. On the door itself was inscribed “Principal's office” on a plaque. “Bingo!” I said. My eyes lit up as I walked towards the door. I slowly put my hand out and grabbed the door handle. I closed my eyes and prayed the door would be unlocked. I could feel the handle twist, then click! I exhaled as I slowly opened the door. I scanned the room as I entered, two large bookcases flanked the walls leading up to a large dark wood desk, papers adorning the room, with a computer monitor cracked on the floor. I took one step forward and saw it. A leg, white as snow laying there behind the desk, the only color being the coagulated blood dripping from the heel. I raised my rifle and slowly walked towards the desk. I saw the body of an older woman, in her mid 40’s at least I thought so, it was hard to tell. Her Jaw was ripped off, her left eye was missing. Her chest and stomach were ripped open. Her Inneres were strung around with bite and tear marks all over her. Her one eye forced open, the fear of her last moments still cemented into her lifeless corpse. It was a tough sight, but she wasn’t moving. I walked up raised my rifle. The sound of a suppressed round slightly echoed in the room. I couldn’t take any chances. I slowly walked over to her corpse and checked her for any keys, but I found nothing.

I then searched her desk looking for anything until I thought I heard a slight creaking. Instinct took over as I raised my rifle and searched around me, but there was nothing. So I just chalked it up to the wind or something. I continued to search the desk but all I could find was paperwork and miscellaneous office supplies. Then I heard it again. I looked up once again and nothing was there. Every hair on my body was standing up. But again there was nothing.

“Jesus Jason, you’re going to give yourself a heart attack.” I said to myself. And I got up to look through the bookshelves in a vain attempt to find the keys. Then a shocking thought hit my mind like a freight train. I quickly looked at the body behind the desk.

“The office door was locked, and that woman was killed, what the hell killed her? And it definitely hasn’t left ye-“ I was cut short by the sound of staggered footsteps and erratic breathing.

“WHREHHHG” was heard with a large shuffle noise.

I quickly moved my rifle to the door but it was too late, a BZ was right on top of me, grabbing my rifle. I began fighting for my rifle, the damn thing grabbed my plate carrier, trying to wrestle me to the ground! I could hear the sound of teeth snapping as it attempted to bite me. I had to think fast and head butted the BZ in the forehead. I felt bone slam into my helmet. As it recoiled back, it’s hand was wrapped around my rifle and managed to rip my rifle out of my hands. My rifle flew to the left of the room as the BZ staggered back. I could get a good look at it now. Well as good as I could with my flashlight illuminating the ground around it. It was a younger woman, with milky white eyes that reflected what little light coming from the windows of the room, its mouth was completely devoid of lips, its teeth rancid and stained dark red. It was wearing a lab coat and a grey dress underneath, its right arm having a bite ripped out of it. But there in its chest, embedded inside of its skin was a key chain with a lanyard hanging off of it. It was barely standing, its left leg in particular having a bone sticking out of it with a heel being busted. I quickly grabbed my m9 bayonet from my shoulder and stood staggered to fight back. In an instant it lunged at me, I put my left arm on its shoulder to stop it and thrusted my blade directly into its skull. But the blade just bounced off, and it began to push at me. The strength of this thing was astonishing. I began to panic. In an act of complete adrenaline I punched it with my right hand. I hit it so hard in the forehead it recoiled back. But it did almost nothing as it already began rushing back towards me, I had to think fast. So I rushed to the bookcase, and with all my might, I shoved this bookcase onto the thing that used to be a person, in an instant what looked like almost five hundred pounds fell upon the BZ. It trapped the bottom half of the BZ under the bookcase as it attempted to break free but to no avail. I staggered back, terrified of the situation that just transpired. I rushed around feeling my body, making sure I didn’t have any injuries. When I confirmed I wasn’t hurt, I looked at that damn BZ. It was still reaching for me, growling the entire damn time. I quickly resheathed my bayonet and began to move around the BZ. I walked the wide way around it, but it still tried to take a swipe at my leg. I walked to my rifle and picked it up. I raised it, I took aim, but I didn’t fire. I could feel a feeling of rage come over me as I stared at it through my scope. I lowered my rifle and walked over to it, and lifted my boot. I started to stomp its head. Every time I smashed my boot against its head I'd smash its head harder and harder. All the while I pain, regret, anger, and hatred all flowed out of me. Its lifeless body turning into a surrogate for the pain I’ve felt, the hatred I’ve had pent up.

Shouting:

“FUCK YOU.” Stomp.

“it’s all your fault!” Stomp.

“It’s your fault they’re dead!” Stomp.

“It’s your fault that she didn’t know how you truly felt!” Stomp.

“It’s your fault that you're here!” Stomp

“You’re weak!” Stomp.

“You’re Pathetic.” stomp.

Eventually I stopped and stared at the lifeless corpse. Its head smashed in, with shards of skull and swaths of blood adorning the carpet below me. A rancid stench filled the air. I hesitated, and slowly backed away from the carnage I caused. A single thought came and went through my mind:

“What have I done?” My voice quivered as my hand covered my mouth. My eyes fixated on the body. Flashbacks came Into my mind.

As I sat there staring at the corpse, I kept seeing a brightly colored tan, sandstone room. A single body in the center. The BZ Body, and principals office had all but disappeared, all I saw now was the body of a little girl wearing a black hijab. Her head having a hole through it. I felt tears leave my eyes as I shut them and shook my head. “Go away!” I shouted. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the principals office.

I stood up and retrieved the key from the BZ’s chest. I then activated my radio to let the platoon know my current situation.

“Saber One-six to all saber one callsigns. Times one Hostile within the wire. It was inside the Principal’s office. Target is Confirmed Bravo Zulu and is terminated. Somebody come here and clean this shit up. Oh and from now on Nobody goes alone, take a battle buddy with you.” I said over the radio and exhaled.

“Rog, I’ll send Williams and Tex to deal with it. You good L.T.” Jackson responded over the radio.

“Y-Yeah I’m fine. Just a bit disoriented is all.” I responded. “Saber one-six out.”