Proofreaders: Gwen and Red
Flashlight ready. Lights out. R-read! ε=ε=ε=(ノ≧∀)ノ
After lights-out,
we quietly crawl out of bed and gather around with our things.
“Set all your phones to silent mode,”
Chief instructs. “Yuan Fei, you key in my number. Xiao Yu, you do Xu Ping’s.
Then if someone comes you can press call right away. Right away, you hear me?
Once we get the call we’ll notify the person keeping watch on the other side.
Remember, two rings mean someone’s here and scram. Three rings mean the
mission’s a success and return to the dorm.”
“We’re not picking up?” I wonder.
“Minutes ain’t free!” Yuan Fei, Wu Fan and
Xu Ping say in unison. The four of us all start giggling quietly.
“Pay attention you all!” Wu Fan jokingly
scolds before raising his right fist in the air. Xu Ping, Yuan Fei and I all
raise our own to meet with his.
Our celebratory fist bump hasn’t been used
for a long time. I remember the last time we used it was when Yuan Fei, Kong
Linglin, Mu Mu and I snuck into the meeting room to play that game. That was
the beginning of everything and I hope this time it will be the ending to it
all.
The night is dark and quiet; the
schoolyard is deserted. Chilling wind blows in from my collar. I hunch my
shoulders, shivering as I try to retreat into my shirt. By now I’ve learned to
distinguish between the cold that fear brings and the cold that low temperature
brings. Low temperature makes your pores shrivel up and quiver. It’s a feeling
on the surface of your skin that kind of goes away with a deep breath. Fear, on
the other hand, makes you quiver uncontrollably from the inside of your skull,
and in that moment breathing itself becomes a burden because you’ve already
forgotten how to breathe and how to think. You only want your wildly beating
heart to stop and if that meant you have to stop breathing then so be it.
If I can make it out of this, I think to
myself, I won’t have any more to be afraid of because I would’ve already
experienced all the fear that I could possibly encounter in a lifetime all at
once. If I am able to handle this and make it out alive and sane, then I can’t
imagine there being anything else that could make me feel frightened again.
Suddenly, someone gently grabs onto my hand. I turn around to meet with Yuan
Fei’s concerned eyes.
“Feelin’ cold?” he asks quietly.
I nod and he immediately takes off his jacket.
I quickly shake my head. “It’s okay!”
“Oh, put it on. I’m in better shape than
you.” He starts chuckling mid-sentence. “I’ll be glad as long as you’re not
scared.”
He leans in after seeing my puzzled
expression and teases in a voice only the two of us can hear, “It’s really a
torture to watch you when you’re scared. It’s like you’ll break out in tears
any moment but then you try your hardest and suck them back in. Every time I
see you like that I feel like I need to stop being scared and start protecting
you some-.”
“I don’t need no protecting!” I hiss while
shooting him a dirty look.
I take a glimpse at Chief and Glooms
who’re walking in front of us. Thank goodness they’re talking and not paying
attention to Yuan Fei and me, but my heart still speeds up. In the end,
however, I put on his jacket because I actually am cold.
Only after things go
smoothly and we arrive at the administrative building do we take out the small
keychain flashlights we had prepared beforehand and light our way with its weak
bulbs.
Chief is, well, the
chief after all. He had prepared a whole set of keys and easily gets us into
the building and start heading up to the principal’s office. The four of us
split up when we get to the second floor. Yuan Fei and I are in charge of keeping
watch at the west and east stairwell while Chief and Glooms goes straight up to
the principal’s office on the third floor.
I cautiously walk down
the deserted hallway by myself. Hallways are always so much longer in the dark
for some reason. It’s so quiet I can hear Yuan Fei’s heavy footsteps going the
opposite direction and even the sound of Chief and Glooms opening the door to
the principal’s office.
The light coming from
the thumb-sized flashlight in my hand becomes the only light source amid the darkness.
Using it as my guide, I tread over to the stairwell and go down to the first
landing between the first and second floor. This way I can see the first floor
with a step forward and the second floor with a step backward—the most ideal
spot.
I don’t think there’s a
high chance that some teacher’s going to come back to their office at this hour
so I lean leisurely on the railings. I put my weight on them and slide down,
and then I climb back up and repeat, getting a bit lost in the fun. If someone
were to come now, they would notice my loud steps right away.
Something starts
buzzing in my pocket. I fish out my cell phone—it’s a text from Yuan Fei.
He writes: Your joyous
footsteps cross the dark, long night and reach my ears, the deserted halls
magnifying the signs of your existence. I want to exclaim from the bottom of my
heart—we’re thieves right now! Please be quiet!
I giggle until my
stomach starts hurting. I sit down on the stairs and speedily reply him: I
thought Chief told us to have the numbers ready? You can’t be texting. What if
someone comes right now?
Yuan Fei replies in a
few moments: Efficient mobile phones of the modern age—we introduce to you the
speed-dial function!
I brood for a second
before replying with a clenched jaw: Ah’m sarry. Ah’m frum down sowth and still
be usin’ them keypad-dial funkshun.
I actually did forget
about the speed-dial function on my cell phone, so I stop checking Yuan Fei’s
texts and start setting Xu Ping’s number to speed-dial.
Just as I’m setting up
speed-dial with a grin on my face, still feeling light and cheerful from the
funny conversation with Yuan Fei, something sounds in the silence that
completely ruins my mood.
Drip-drop.
My fingers freeze on
the keypad. My mind blanks out.
Did I just hear-.
Before the question
even forms properly, I hear another one, as clear as ever.
Drip-drop.
My breath hitches.
This isn’t the sound of
some loose faucet.... This sound that’s so clear that it seems to be in my
head.... It can only be.... But, how?
I can’t be 100% sure
that the sound is related to it but I’ve heard this mysterious dripping every
time the wretched thing has appeared. I can’t help but connect the dots. If it
really is it, why would it appear here out of all places? Hasn’t it already
chosen Mu Mu as its target? Or am I wrong? Is the real target actually Yuan Fei
or me?
I had been able to laugh and have fun only
because I thought that ‘the next one isn’t me’! That I’d be safe until its
business with Mu Mu ends. It’s only because of this lowly, pathetic, and
shameless reason that I’d been able to temporarily stay worry-free.
That reason was obliterated the moment the
water sounds started. My arms stay rigid in their previous position. The phone
has already locked itself and the screen has gone dark. I’m surrounded by
complete darkness once again.
I keep telling myself ‘Run! Run!’ but all
I’m able to do is stare wide-eyed at the black cell phone screen and listen for
the sound that’s closing in on me.
Drip-drop.
Drip-drop.
It’s not my imagination—it’s
getting closer! It’s me! It’s after me!
My mouth opens by itself but the scream
about to escape gets stuck in my throat. Nothing comes out.
Drip-drop.
Drip-drop.
I can feel it getting closer but I’ve lost
count of how long I’ve been holding my breath for. By the time I snap back,
I’ve slowly started to curl into a ball, sticking myself right against the wall
and sliding downwards bit by bit, as if it wouldn’t notice me like this. I go
to the corner and align myself in an angle that I assume it wouldn’t see. I think
my phone’s about to snap under my grip.
Can’t move too much…’cause it’ll find me.
Can’t make too much noise…’cause it’ll
find me.
I only have to…. If only I hide…. It’ll be
fine if it doesn’t find me.
It’s like there’s a naive and frightened
voice in my mind persuading me. If you can’t see it then it can’t see you, it
says. I don’t even have the guts to make a break for it. Because I’m terrified.
Terrified that my running would attract its attention. So terrified that I
can’t consider anyone else’s safety.
Do people ultimately think of themselves
first in the face of danger?
Drip-drop.
Drip-drop.
I cover my mouth. I’m not sure what this
achieves but somehow I feel like it’ll keep my hiding place concealed. I shut
my eyes tight. I don’t want to see anything horrifying with my eyes even if I’m
a moment away from death. I won’t be able to take it. My heart and mind can’t
take anymore.
I can’t believe I had the courage to look
at it the other night. I actually opened my eyes and turned around to look at
it! Why was I so brave then? Where did my courage come from? Where is it now?
Why don’t I have the courage to even breathe?
I despise this me. I hate this gutless me.
But still, I want so much to live on safely.
Drip-drop.
Drip-drop.
It might be my imagination…but I think it
went above me and drifted off somewhere farther. I have my eyes shut but I can
somehow picture a hazy figure passing the second floor, drops of water
dribbling down its side, one step, two step, moving upwards…
Steps? Upwards?
My eyes snap open. It’s going to the third
floor?
Who’s on the third floor? Wu Fan! And Xu
Ping!
But why would it go up to the third floor? There is no
evidence that indicates its target is Chief or Glooms. No signs that says
they’re next! Unless something has already happened to Mu Mu! Has the next
round of curses begun without me knowing?
A loud noise interrupts my frantic
thoughts. It sounded like a large metallic cabinet falling, along with some
tinkling of broken glass. The frightening sound then disappears instantly and
everything falls silent once more.
My breaths quicken.
What was that? Did the two of them tip
over a file cabinet by mistake? And then the cabinet broke some glass? And
then? And then what?
My eyes are glued on the phone in my
hands.
Please vibrate! Turn on! Please receive
their evacuation call! Come on!
But there’s nothing. Nothing at all. It’s
so quiet my breathing seems to resonate. There are no footsteps coming from the
third floor. No running from the west stairwell. It’s as if I’ve been
abandoned. There’s only me.
What about the guys? With a noise that
loud, people will be coming to check soon. So how come I haven’t heard them
leaving?
I call Xu Ping’s number with shaking hands
and listen anxiously to it ringing.
Beep-beep.
Pick up. I’m begging you, Glooms. Please
pick up.
The call is connected and I cry out in
joy, “Glooms! What’s going on with you?”
Tschhhhhh. Tschhhhhh. Tschhhhhh.
I hear a fuzzy scratching sound from the
speakers, as if the signal is bad. I move to a different spot and keep shouting
into the phone.
“Glooms! Can you hear me? It’s me, Sunny!”
Tschhhhhh. Tschhhhhh. Tschhhhhh.
I’m just about to try banging the phone on
something when I hear something from the other end.
Drip-drop.
I fall quiet and listen dumbly to this menacingly
haunting sound.
Tschhhhhh. Tschhhhhh. Tschhhhhh.
It’s still this strange noise. Slowly, an
eerie feeling starts spreading starting from my nape like countless icy cold
tentacles unhurriedly inching across my body. I’m soaked with a sheen of cold sweat.
Then the noise stops momentarily before
the sound of glass falling on to the ground comes through the phone, as though
someone tossed a piece of glass away. The dripping comes back the next moment,
followed by more scratching, and then another piece of tossed glass….
A picture begins to form in my head. A
hazy figure holding a shard of sharp glass keeps slashing at something, which
is what made those scratching sounds…After so many slashes, the shard becomes
dull so it throws this one away, picks another piece up and keeps cutting…
“Let us…go…please. I’m beggin’….”
I’m crying. I’m pleading for the
unfeasible possibility to live, pleading to the phone, to whatever is on the
other side of the phone.
Bip-bip-bip.
The call has ended. Has my pleas been rejected
as well?
I was just calling Glooms’ number…. Did
disaster befall on him? What about Chief? And Yuan Fei?
Is tonight…our last night?
The scene of the four of us chatting and
laughing suddenly pops up in my mind. Of us bumping fists in trust of one another.
Of us sharing our wishes for success with each other. These scenes seem to play
like a slow-mo from a movie, flashing across, pausing and replaying in my mind.
I scamper up the stairs to the second
floor and drag my wobbly body up to the third using the railings. If it was a
matter of order, I would pray that I be the last one, but if today’s the end
for everyone, then the order is no longer important! I want to confirm with my
own two eyes who’s left—how many of my
comrades are left!
The principal’s office is in the middle of
the hallway. The only sounds in the entire hallway are my scurrying footsteps
and breathless pants. The door to the room is opened. It’s a mess inside. A row
of cabinets knocked over. Broken glass and paper everywhere. But no Chief or
Glooms anywhere.
This all seems eerily familiar, like a
cliché comic scene. I’m still here, only in another dimension which is why I
can’t see anyone else. If not, I can’t come up with any other explanation why
the rest of the school hasn’t acted after such a loud commotion on the third
floor. Not one person has come to check. Furthermore, Wu Fan, Xu Ping and Yuan
Fei are nowhere to be found. Not a trace.
And there’s only me…
I zone out in front of the chaotic mess,
not sure what to do now.
Suddenly, a chilly feeling rises and
lightly, vaguely enshrouds me. I’m rooted to the spot, not moving a finger. I
don’t know how but I know…it’s behind me….
Ice cold. Lifeless. Soulless. It’s
standing behind me, almost right behind me. I know I would come in contact with
it if I moved the slightest bit. That’s why I’m staying still, not moving a
muscle, despite the fact my limbs are about to give out.
“Why…me?”
I know that’s a useless question. My
roommates were killed off by him one by one. I’m not special. There’s no
special reason for coming to me. It’s simply my turn.
“The guys…. Are they still alive?”
My words seem to roll out of my mouth
uncontrollably. My wavering voice reveals my apprehension. Moving is no longer
an option; it’s as if I can only express my anxiety through my words or else I
might suffocate.
I start catching whiffs of a strong
medicinal odour. It’s very pungent. I think I’ve smelled it somewhere before
but I can’t remember what it is. Puzzled, I try to pinpoint the origin of the
odour. It seems…it’s coming from behind me? Is it coming from it?
It’s very untimely but I think it’s kind
of funny. What did I expect the odour to be? Its perfume?
Eeeeee.
I divert my attention to where the sound
is coming from. Under the hazy moonlight, I can make out a safe behind the
swivel chair and its number wheel turning steadily on its own. I stare at it
with wide eyes until its stops spinning.
Ka-lik!
I guess that signifies that the lock’s
been opened but I don’t know what that means for me.
Then, out of nowhere, I feel a hand on my
back! It takes all my efforts to keep from screaming my head off. It’s its
hand. Just like any other hand, only it’s cold beyond description.
I move forward robotically under its push
all the way up to the safe. Only then does its force lessen. I look dumbfounded
at the mounds of cash, several official stamps, some files and contracts, and
also a few familiar paper envelopes that look like the ones Chief got us to
help check. Could it be? Are those the files of Room 308 students? My brain
that was supposed to be blank unexpectedly starts running again.
It opened the safe. It pushed me over
here. Does it want me to take them out? But what for? We wanted to see the
files because we feared death, because we wanted to find the reason for its
targets, and because we didn’t want to be the next one. But what does it want
me to have the files for? So we can find the reason? How is that even possible?
I might be able to make more guesses if I
were in a calmer state. I might not be shaking like a leaf right now but I’m
definitely not in the shape to think critically either. I instinctively notice
the problem but I can’t figure out the solution. Therefore I can’t tell what
will happen next if I were to cooperate.
If I do what he wants, maybe I’ll be the
only one he lets off the hook. But really, is that possible? If I do what he
wants, maybe I’ll be played with before I’m killed. But really, will that be
the case?
I reach out stiffly and take the files in
my hand. There are not eight, not nine, but exactly seven.
The hand on my back slowly leaves.
I stay still in my spot, trying to sense
with every single pore whether it left or not. It’s actually not hard to do. If
there was a huge chunk of ice behind you, you could tell its whereabouts even
with your eyes closed.
It hasn’t left. It’s still behind me. I
don’t know what it’s waiting for—perhaps it’s waiting
for my next move to decide its next move. My fingers
tighten around the files. I can only stand here passively and wait with no aim
like I have my back to a cliff.
Maybe it’ll leave on its own, if I’m
lucky. Then I’ll be safe…
Illusory thoughts fill my cowardly head. I
let them so I won’t have to deal with the fear.
Suddenly, it starts moving behind me.
Slowly, lightly, it starts moving. My eyes go wide and I stare straight ahead.
My breath stops short—I’m too petrified to
even exhale. The pungent odour is even stronger. I feel it to the side of my
face. I’m too scared to look away because I don’t want to see it accidentally
from the corner of my eye. However, it’s getting closer and closer to my face
until finally something ice cold touches my earlobe.
All the logic and sense
I’ve tried to maintain crumbles apart in an instant. I roar loudly and hurl the
files to my side. They land on the ground with no obstructions but my eyes tell
me that I’ve hit it! Because it’s right there before my eyes! It’s still a blob
of dark, soul-eating black with no bumps or ridges to it as though it’s made of
shapeless smoke and mist.
I see it all very
clearly with my eyes but it’s only in that one moment when I had turned to
throw the files at it because the next second I’m racing out the room. However,
I still want to cry out in regret for doing that because that one glimpse
proves to be too much for my heart. It’s far from a ghastly sight but I feel
like every hair on my body is standing.
I haven’t even
considered what kinds of misfortunes doing that would bring upon me. I only
know that touch was my breaking point. My naive inner voice has finally woken
up and it says: That thing can’t be thought of as a human! And right now that
thing wants to kill you, to murder you!
I run like a madman
down the pitch black hallway as fast as my legs can carry me. I need some kind
of mental support to give me the strength to keep running. I need it before my
energy runs out, before my legs give out! Thoughts roll before my eyes so
messily I can’t tell one from another.
Until one name, and
only one, rises above them all. I shout it out with all I’ve got. “Yuan Fei!”
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Dairytea's comment: Uwah, I still need to read this chapter! I need to pick a nice, quiet night to read this~ >u< ;;; ( We look forward to reading your comments~<3 )
Chapter 7

The Water Goes Drip-Drop - English Translation by ayszhang is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.