The hand did not feel human.
It was too cold.
Too slick.
Like something that had never known warmth—something that had been sitting in darkness for far too long.
And it did not hesitate.
It tightened.
Hard.
Andi's scream tore out of his throat as his body jerked backward, his momentum snapping violently to a halt.
"RINA—!"
His feet scraped against the floor as whatever held him began to pull.
Not fast.
Not violently.
But steadily.
Like it already knew—
He wasn't getting away.
Rina turned instantly.
For a split second, fear flashed across her face.
Then it vanished.
Replaced by something sharper.
Focused.
"Don't fight it like that!" she snapped.
Andi's mind barely processed the words.
"IT'S PULLING ME—!"
"I KNOW!"
She grabbed his arm with both hands, bracing her weight and yanking him forward.
The opposing forces hit at once.
Andi's body jolted painfully between them.
One pulling him back.
One pulling him forward.
For a moment—
Nothing moved.
Then the grip on his shoulder tightened further.
Pain shot through his nerves, sharp and electric.
Andi gasped.
It felt like fingers digging deeper than skin—
Like they were trying to sink in.
"Rina—something's—!"
"I know," she said again, her voice lower now. "Stop panicking and listen to me!"
"I can't—!"
"You can, or you're dead."
That—
That cut through.
Andi forced himself to breathe.
In.
Out.
In—
The pressure on his shoulder pulsed.
Not just holding him.
Pulling.
Dragging.
He could feel his body sliding backward, inch by inch.
Rina's grip was slipping.
"…I'm losing you," she muttered.
Andi's chest tightened.
"No—no, no, don't say that—!"
"Then stop wasting time and listen!"
Her eyes locked onto his.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
"Don't pull away."
Andi blinked.
"…what?"
"Stop resisting it."
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!"
"Do it!"
Behind him—
Something moved closer.
He could hear it now.
Not just the hand.
The thing attached to it.
A wet, uneven motion.
A breath that wasn't a breath.
Right behind his ear.
Every instinct screamed at him to fight.
To struggle.
To run.
To survive.
But—
Rina wasn't panicking.
Not anymore.
And that meant something.
"…if I stop… it'll take me," he said, his voice shaking.
Rina shook her head once.
"No," she said. "It'll test you."
Andi's stomach dropped.
"…that's not better."
"Trust me," she said.
A beat.
"…just this once."
Andi froze.
Time seemed to stretch again.
The sounds around them—the running, the scraping, the chaos of the hall—
Faded.
All that remained—
Was the grip on his shoulder.
And Rina's eyes.
"…fine," he whispered.
And then—
Slowly—
He stopped resisting.
The change was immediate.
The pulling stopped.
Not completely.
But enough.
The tension in his body shifted.
From struggle—
To stillness.
The hand tightened again.
Testing.
Waiting.
Andi clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to react.
Not to move.
Not to breathe too sharply.
The thing behind him leaned closer.
He could feel it now.
Not touching.
But near.
Too near.
Something cold brushed the side of his neck.
Andi's entire body screamed.
Don't move.
Don't react.
Don't exist.
"…ah…"
That broken sound again.
Right next to his ear.
Closer than before.
Closer than anything should ever be.
Seconds passed.
Or minutes.
He couldn't tell.
Then—
The hand loosened.
Just slightly.
And then—
It let go.
Andi collapsed forward instantly, nearly taking Rina down with him as she caught him.
"Move," she said immediately.
No hesitation.
No relief.
"NOW."
He didn't argue.
Couldn't.
They ran.
This time—
There was no holding back.
No careful steps.
No controlled movement.
Just survival.
The hall erupted again behind them.
The things that had frozen at the second bell were moving faster now.
More aggressive.
More aware.
Andi didn't look back.
He didn't need to.
He could feel them.
Getting closer.
"…what was that?!" he gasped between breaths.
"That one," Rina said, pulling him forward, "doesn't chase."
Andi nearly tripped.
"…what do you mean it doesn't chase?!"
"It waits," she replied. "If you struggle, it keeps you."
"And if I don't?!"
"It decides."
Andi let out a strained laugh.
"That's a terrible system!"
Rina didn't respond.
The doors ahead—
Closer now.
Not close enough.
But closer.
"Rina—those doors—!" Andi shouted.
"I see them!"
"Please tell me they're not locked—!"
"I don't know!"
That—
That was worse than any answer she could've given.
Something slammed into the ground behind them.
Hard.
Too close.
Andi felt the impact through his feet.
"…they're catching up—!"
"I KNOW!"
Another shape lunged past his peripheral vision.
Too fast to see clearly.
Too close to ignore.
Andi flinched, his steps faltering.
"Don't slow down!" Rina snapped.
"I'm trying—!"
The doors loomed ahead now.
Massive.
Closed.
Silent.
Like they had been waiting.
"Rina—!"
"I'm going!"
She let go of his arm and sprinted ahead the last few steps.
Andi's chest tightened.
"Don't leave me—!"
"I'm not leaving you!"
She reached the doors first.
Grabbed the handle.
Pulled.
Nothing.
"Rina—?!"
"It's stuck!"
Of course it was.
Of course.
Andi reached her, nearly crashing into her as he turned to look back.
Big mistake.
The hall behind them—
Was full.
Shapes moving in every direction.
Some fast.
Some slow.
Some crawling.
Some—
Not touching the ground at all.
"…we're dead," he whispered.
"Shut up and help me!"
Rina yanked the handle again.
Harder.
Andi grabbed the other side.
Together—
They pulled.
Nothing.
Behind them—
The sounds grew louder.
Closer.
Hungry.
"Again!" Rina shouted.
They pulled.
Still nothing.
"RINA—!"
"I KNOW!"
Another impact behind them.
Closer.
Closer.
"…we're not gonna make it…" Andi said, his voice breaking.
Rina froze.
Just for a second.
Then—
She let go of the handle.
"What are you doing?!" Andi shouted.
She turned.
Faced the hall.
Faced them.
All of them.
Andi felt something cold settle in his chest.
"…Rina…?"
Her expression changed.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Something else.
Something… certain.
"Get ready," she said quietly.
"For what?"
She didn't look at him.
Her eyes stayed locked on the approaching shapes.
"For the moment the door opens."
Andi's stomach dropped.
"…what do you mean moment—?"
KRRRIIINNGGG…
The bell rang again.
And this time—
It was right behind them.