"I. I see that you made it here. That is good. You see I am in something of a bind. I need your help. Come with me."
The student glanced up and down the empty halls, then motioned to be followed. Each step echoed with an unearthly chill. The cold air was stagnant with the smell of yesterday's fear. Schools or any building for that matter tend to have a sinister appearance when graced with shadows after dark. These halls were no exception.
Perhaps I shouldn't have stayed late after all...
Tiled squares, endless in number led the pair down the corridor. He stopped moving and turned around expectantly. Taking a look around it was hard to tell what the point of this trip was for. This area of the building seemed like the senior locker halls. The lockers here were tall metal things. Easily capable of devouring a human being. The wall lockers were not all the same. A patch of tall blue stains here, all worn metal. A patch of wood frames there, styled like post office squares.
A telephone booth... a few mail boxes... Wait what the...
He pointed at an anonymous tall blue locker that would have been appropriate if it was in the girl's locker room. It seemed to have been ripped off its original wall and pasted here. He didn't bother to explain why these containers were all different. He coughed then cleared his throat and seemed a little bit embarrassed.
"I... I left Last Night's Homework in my locker, haha or so I thought. I must have been pretty tired. I mistook this locker for mine, it was slightly open yesterday. Just put it right in and closed the door. Now I can't get it out."
What exactly am I supposed to do about that? Its not like I'm the janitor or anything... Don't have keys - is that a pad lock? Or is that a combination lock...
Explained that no help could be given. And turned to leave. But he shot out his hand and grabbed the sleeve. Maybe the lights were playing tricks, but the shadows made a monster out of this moment.
"W-wait! Don't go. Please, you got to help me. I know it might sound strange, but please you should know the number. I know it's not your locker, but- just, just put your hand on it please? It will only take a second."
Well. If it will get him off of me, and let me get home then...
One hand reached out. It touched the padlock. Nothing happened.
See? Now I'll just turn to go-...
*tug tug*
I'm stuck to it...
What kind of joke is this!?
"Now turn the combination."
His once desperate voice now sounded in command.
This is getting freaky... huh... I can turn it, but my hand won't leave?
*Clickclickclickclickclick-ting*
The lock's first number set. The other student waved his hand for this to continue. It wouldn't turn the same way. Turn it left.
*Clickclickclickclick-ting*
Hehheheheheheheh....
What... what was that. Just now. Just now. Yes just now. Didn't you hear that laughing? Keep turning? You keep turning it! W-Well no... I can't get my hand off of it.
"So. Keep. Turning."
Alright alright er... now turning right... How is my hand doing that!? Is my wrist alright?! It looks like it's warping. It's going all the way around that shouldn't be happening. Now it's picking up speed. What is this I don't even-
This time the lock spun on its own and the giggles were now throaty chuckles that sent the spine on a desire to curl. The hand was still not free. The laughter keeps repeating, where is it coming from? Am I losing my mind?
*Clickclickclick. HAHAHA. Clickclickclick HAHAHA. Cli-HahahaAHAHAHAHAH.*
Some lockers have vents. This sports locker has vents. And a black liquid is coming out of it.
Ew gross man what is that. My hand is still stuck. Don't just stand there help me uuufff... *cough cough* Watch where you're putting your hands. EEeeerrr I'm still stuck. How can I be stuck when the lock is spinning!? Aaaaah no the liquid is getting closer to me. What the hell is this. Is it bleeding?! Is that blood coming out of the locker!?
*Clunk*
The pad lock's combination dial stopped spinning. The pair flew back into the wall in a mess. It was painful separating and standing again. The pad lock had slithered off the locker. Its metal bar coiled around the arm. Why is this thing now like a glove. Hey.
"Nnnnn! Open open ah;;; time is running out."
The other student was now trying to pry open the technically unlocked locker with a ruler.
It wasn't happening.
"Hey. Open this. Quick, my assignment is due."
He seemed desperate again.
Guess it can't be helped. I'll just open this door and... find some doctor to get this thing off my hand and it will just be a normal nightmare that didn't happen right? Hahahahaa... I hope this is a dream.
The locker opened just fine with a touch. A last gush of black liquid poured out in a glob. He pulled out a flashlight and scoured the contents with its harsh beam. A discontented sigh. He pulled out several blank pages damp with watermark stains. Mild chuckling could be heard from a still undiscovered place.
No wait a minuet... It's coming from the locker.
"Late again. Late again. I ate it. Now do it again~."
The locker is speaking. Is it the lock or the locker? You know what it doesn't matter, because in real life lockers or locks don't bleed and don't talk. They definitely do not chuckle. Or giggle. Or any of this nonsense. I mean... It has to be a dream right. Or a nightmare. I'm leaning towards the nightmare. What's with that look? Don't tell me the locker ate the homework. I know I heard what it said but-
"Now I'll have to do it again... I'll have to play it again... but it wouldn't open for me. How was I supposed to get it in time if it wouldn't open for me. It told me to bring you- Wait so you can hear it too?! -Which was never part of the original contract and now... Now I got to do it all over. Alright... I'll go in again. Though this will be my second time in a day... Hey you have to come too."
...
He grabbed the hand now wrapped in that padlock glove.
And started to walk into the wall locker.
"By the way... my name is Ernest... Ernest Demon."
The student glanced up and down the empty halls, then motioned to be followed. Each step echoed with an unearthly chill. The cold air was stagnant with the smell of yesterday's fear. Schools or any building for that matter tend to have a sinister appearance when graced with shadows after dark. These halls were no exception.
Perhaps I shouldn't have stayed late after all...
Tiled squares, endless in number led the pair down the corridor. He stopped moving and turned around expectantly. Taking a look around it was hard to tell what the point of this trip was for. This area of the building seemed like the senior locker halls. The lockers here were tall metal things. Easily capable of devouring a human being. The wall lockers were not all the same. A patch of tall blue stains here, all worn metal. A patch of wood frames there, styled like post office squares.
A telephone booth... a few mail boxes... Wait what the...
He pointed at an anonymous tall blue locker that would have been appropriate if it was in the girl's locker room. It seemed to have been ripped off its original wall and pasted here. He didn't bother to explain why these containers were all different. He coughed then cleared his throat and seemed a little bit embarrassed.
"I... I left Last Night's Homework in my locker, haha or so I thought. I must have been pretty tired. I mistook this locker for mine, it was slightly open yesterday. Just put it right in and closed the door. Now I can't get it out."
What exactly am I supposed to do about that? Its not like I'm the janitor or anything... Don't have keys - is that a pad lock? Or is that a combination lock...
Explained that no help could be given. And turned to leave. But he shot out his hand and grabbed the sleeve. Maybe the lights were playing tricks, but the shadows made a monster out of this moment.
"W-wait! Don't go. Please, you got to help me. I know it might sound strange, but please you should know the number. I know it's not your locker, but- just, just put your hand on it please? It will only take a second."
Well. If it will get him off of me, and let me get home then...
One hand reached out. It touched the padlock. Nothing happened.
See? Now I'll just turn to go-...
*tug tug*
I'm stuck to it...
What kind of joke is this!?
"Now turn the combination."
His once desperate voice now sounded in command.
This is getting freaky... huh... I can turn it, but my hand won't leave?
*Clickclickclickclickclick-ting*
The lock's first number set. The other student waved his hand for this to continue. It wouldn't turn the same way. Turn it left.
*Clickclickclickclick-ting*
Hehheheheheheheh....
What... what was that. Just now. Just now. Yes just now. Didn't you hear that laughing? Keep turning? You keep turning it! W-Well no... I can't get my hand off of it.
"So. Keep. Turning."
Alright alright er... now turning right... How is my hand doing that!? Is my wrist alright?! It looks like it's warping. It's going all the way around that shouldn't be happening. Now it's picking up speed. What is this I don't even-
This time the lock spun on its own and the giggles were now throaty chuckles that sent the spine on a desire to curl. The hand was still not free. The laughter keeps repeating, where is it coming from? Am I losing my mind?
*Clickclickclick. HAHAHA. Clickclickclick HAHAHA. Cli-HahahaAHAHAHAHAH.*
Some lockers have vents. This sports locker has vents. And a black liquid is coming out of it.
Ew gross man what is that. My hand is still stuck. Don't just stand there help me uuufff... *cough cough* Watch where you're putting your hands. EEeeerrr I'm still stuck. How can I be stuck when the lock is spinning!? Aaaaah no the liquid is getting closer to me. What the hell is this. Is it bleeding?! Is that blood coming out of the locker!?
*Clunk*
The pad lock's combination dial stopped spinning. The pair flew back into the wall in a mess. It was painful separating and standing again. The pad lock had slithered off the locker. Its metal bar coiled around the arm. Why is this thing now like a glove. Hey.
"Nnnnn! Open open ah;;; time is running out."
The other student was now trying to pry open the technically unlocked locker with a ruler.
It wasn't happening.
"Hey. Open this. Quick, my assignment is due."
He seemed desperate again.
Guess it can't be helped. I'll just open this door and... find some doctor to get this thing off my hand and it will just be a normal nightmare that didn't happen right? Hahahahaa... I hope this is a dream.
The locker opened just fine with a touch. A last gush of black liquid poured out in a glob. He pulled out a flashlight and scoured the contents with its harsh beam. A discontented sigh. He pulled out several blank pages damp with watermark stains. Mild chuckling could be heard from a still undiscovered place.
No wait a minuet... It's coming from the locker.
"Late again. Late again. I ate it. Now do it again~."
The locker is speaking. Is it the lock or the locker? You know what it doesn't matter, because in real life lockers or locks don't bleed and don't talk. They definitely do not chuckle. Or giggle. Or any of this nonsense. I mean... It has to be a dream right. Or a nightmare. I'm leaning towards the nightmare. What's with that look? Don't tell me the locker ate the homework. I know I heard what it said but-
"Now I'll have to do it again... I'll have to play it again... but it wouldn't open for me. How was I supposed to get it in time if it wouldn't open for me. It told me to bring you- Wait so you can hear it too?! -Which was never part of the original contract and now... Now I got to do it all over. Alright... I'll go in again. Though this will be my second time in a day... Hey you have to come too."
...
He grabbed the hand now wrapped in that padlock glove.
And started to walk into the wall locker.
"By the way... my name is Ernest... Ernest Demon."
