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Jonah Michaels really hated Economics. Almost as much as he hated Statistics.

But alas, both were requirements for his major, and therefore, unavoidable. He began to wish he had taken the AP courses while he was in high school instead of learning them in a broad classroom where the monotonous voice of Dr. Weiss began to seem more like a dull, rythmless lullaby than an actual lecture. The properties of Supply and Demand were a concept everyone with a working brain and who went through high school already grasped long ago; the redundancy of it all served more of an annoyance than anything else. He thought he was done with math when he took Calculus in the twelfth grade. But apparently, Math wasn't done with him, as the curriculum seemed to have deduced.

Fortunately, he had a couple minutes until he could finally break away from his studies, meet with his girlfriend in the evening, and spend his weekend sleeping. It had been a long semester, and he was already feeling more drained than ever despite not even entering his junior year. With so much going on, as well as balancing the stress of work, school, and relationships; he was feeling pretty burnt out. Not enough to drop out yet, but enough for him to wonder if he had made the right decision to come back for the semester. It was as though he was wearing a bag of weights on each shoulder that got heavier and heavier.

A thin, mirthless smile spread on his face as he stared at the diagrams on the sheet in front of him. Why did he have to walk in during that very moment? To hear all of that? How he truly felt about him? As if he was living under an illusion? A seed of anger began to well in him, as memories of what happened a month ago resurfaced into his mind.

Dr. Weiss's voice pulled him from his bitter thoughts. "Alright class. Remember you have to turn in pages 120 and 121 from your workbooks. And don't forget that some of you in my Business Ethics class have to bring your research findings here by Monday next week. Have a good weekend."

The students around him began to stand up and push in their chairs to meet up with their friends around the entrance of the classroom. Jonah stood up and roughly dropped his papers into the open page of his textbook before tucking it under his arm. Looking at the time, realizing it was 11:52, a couple minutes passed the end of the class, he walked outside the classroom to the direction of exit.

"Free now?"

Jonah turned around at the sudden voice which he assumed was addressed to him and smiled. Even in a ocean of people, he could recognize her form from the crowd.

Rachel Grant was a girl he knew from high school. One of the few familiar faces in a school so large and far away from home. When he was in his freshman year of high school, he had such a huge crush on her, he was afraid she'd find out. It was until his senior year in high school he got the courage to talk to her. And was pleased that she enjoyed his company, even if it wasn't in a romantic way. Now, especially since he had a girlfriend, they were merely friends. She was still cute, with long blonde hair that reached passed her shoulder blades, deep blue eyes, and black T-shirt with a yellow miniskirt and leather boots. But he was more than happy to stay with Diana and would never jeopardize his relationship with her for an old high school crush.

The girl caught up to the Jonah, her purse slipping a bit from her shoulder as she maneuvered through the crowd to get to him. "Want to grab a bite to eat? Didn't have anything but Chinese yesterday."

"Sure," Jonah answered, smiling a bit, "How was the Biology exam?"

"I blanked out when I got to the part about the mitochondrial DNA and lysosomes... All this time I spent studying last night and I forgot just like that. It's like my brain decided to just say 'Hey, remember all that studying you did? Yeah...let's wait until after the exam for you to remember.' Seriously, like, what the hell?"

Jonah let out a small chuckle. Rachel joined him. "But really though, screw cell biology!"

"Don't worry," he said as the two rounded a corner. "I was kind of spacing out for most of Econ too. I don't remember half the stuff he said. But hey, that's Dr. Weiss for you."

"Everyone says he is kind of boring. But luckily for me, I don't have to take hiiiiiim!" She sung, smiling broadly at Jonah.

"Well, screw you princess!" He laughed, feeling a bit more spirited. Rachel was always good at keeping him from his pessimistic thoughts, whether she knew it or not. "You Bio majors still have to deal with Dr. Caronne don't you? I've heard he's basically Difficulty Incarnate."

Rachel pretended to shiver. "I've heard too. I have to take him next semester for Molecular Biology. Made half the class change their majors last year. I'm trying to keep my scholarship! He'd be the one to go out of his way to make sure I fail."

"Some students actually did go to him and say he was too hard; he told them that the class was to weed out those who were ready and those who weren't."

Rachel's eyes widened as they turned to the corner near the steps. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Jonah replied, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "I think they went to the dean about it. But I don't know what he did. If he did anything at all anyway."

Both of them stopped as a generic ringtone sounded from Jonah's jacket pocket. He held up a finger to Rachel as he reached inside. "Hold on one moment."

Jonah pulled out his phone and brought it to his face.

His heart dropped as he saw the caller ID on his phone.

DAD

Jonah's mouth formed a formidable frown as he stared at the glowing white numbers on the screen. Just when he was beginning to forget the whole ordeal, it all came back to him all at once. Everything that happened last month. Everything he had been trying to cope with since the beginning of the semester. Everything that happened when he came back home that night. The very things he tried to suppress just a few minutes ago in his class. His hand squeezed the device tightly as he clenched his teeth. Why would he call when he knew he didn't want to speak to him? As if he wouldn't get the hint. Or rather, that he did but didn't care.

The phone seemed indifferent to his rising dread at the ringing persisted. Rachel looked at Jonah, her eyes full of worry as he glared at the name and digits on the phone. She looked at his screen, and with solemn understanding, didn't speak until the ringing had finally stopped several seconds later.

"Jonah," she began to say but he cut her off.

"Don't worry about it." He said abruptly. "I'm fine. Really."

His voice betrayed his words. They came out strained and forced. Rachel just placed her hand on his and slowly lowered the phone from his sight. "Y'know, you really should talk to someone about this. Like the school therapist."

"Don't want to," he said curtly, readjusting the textbook under his arm. His eyes seemed to darken. "Don't need to."

"Still," She said tugging on his arm to walk down the stairs. "You should answer his calls. At least once. It's been almost three weeks! And you really can't ignore him for long—"

"I know that!"

Jonah's eyes widened at the volume that came out of his mouth and the shocked expression on Rachel's face. A few students who were talking looked in their direction, faces scrunched in various expression confusion, curiosity, or annoyance at the sudden outburst. Guilt instantaneously swelled up in him as he sighed. "I know...it's just that...I can't. At least, not now. Not by phone."

Rachel just looked at him, her eyes somewhat wet. She let out a weak, small smile.

"I know...it's just...I don't like seeing you hurt."

Jonah didn't reply. He just stared at the green linoleum floor of the hallway. Chatter around him resurfaced, albeit stilted. Rachel continued to look at him with sympathy, and he couldn't help but wilt a bit at the feeling of being pitied. While he was sure that she meant well, he just didn't want to talk about anything regarding that awful day. Too many emotions, bottled up from that incident. He just couldn't really express them. At least, he wished he knew how to deal with them. With such a revelation of a great magnitude. How could anyone react to it?

Rachel just looked at him, putting a hand on his should. "Jonah..."

He glanced at her with miserable eyes.

However, before she could say anything to comfort him, the ground began to shake.

The students within the hallway and around the building began to scream as the the whole building seem to rock on its foundation.

Rachel screamed as she struggled to stay on her feet. Unfortunately, her attempts proved futile as she began to tip forward.

"Rachel!" Jonah cried as he instantly stuck a hand out and caught her by her right arm. That action was enough for him to lose his own balance as they both came crashing onto the ground. Jonah hissed as his shoulder collided with the floor. "Ah! Crap!"

Other students within the same hallway were either on the ground, having also fell victim to the turbulence around them, or clinging to something or someone. The floor began to crack as the whole building continued to violently shake. Rachel was screaming from beside him, holding her head between her arms as she scrunched her eyes shut. Jonah himself was beginning to panic as he feared that the very floor under him would give way at any moment.

Suddenly, a bright blue light came through the window; seemingly brighter than the very sun. Jonah was forced to shut his eyes as the light blinded several students and teachers, the panicked cries growing louder to a deafening tone. It was as if a discolored supernova had materialized right next to the building.

And just as quickly as it came, it dissipated and vanished, along with the earthquake. The ground stilled, with no warning as everyone was jolted at the sudden stop. Silence suddenly overcame the building for a moment as no one moved, as if expecting an aftershock to come. When nothing happened for about ten seconds, someone in the hallway tentatively stood up to their feet. After a few seconds, a few others began to also take the chance to stand up.

Jonah looked down at Rachel, who still looked terrified. He himself hadn't fully recovered just yet from the sudden event.

It was about a few seconds later when Rachel began to shakily lean up. "What...what the hell was that?"

"I-I...I don't know." Jacob responded quietly. His heart was beating so loudly, he could swear he could hear it in his ears. "I...I th-think that was an earthquake but...the hell was that light?"

The hallway began to fill up with concerned and frightened voices. A variety of of startled noises ranging from "Holy crap!" and "The hell was that!?" filled the building. Along with a few swears and weeping from other directions as well.

"Oh my god!" A shrill feminine voice sounded.

"What was that light!?" A much deeper voice sounded from the hall behind them.

"I didn't know this place got earthquakes!" A young nervous male's voice yelled, cracking.

"Did everyone see that light!?" A woman's voice asked, clearly panicked.

"Everyone calm down!" A professor's voice sounded from one of the classrooms.

"What happened outside!?"

"Was it a bomb!?"

Loud footsteps came from the southern hall as a tall, gruff man dressed in all black swung open the doors. His voice, baritone and clear, cut through all the cacophonous chatter. "Is everyone alright?"

Jonah, who was only about five feet away from the man, was able to speak, helping Rachel to her feet. "U-um...Yeah, I'm fine. You, Rachel?"

She nodded, swallowing. "Y-yeah. just scared is all."

The man didn't say anything. All he did was survey the students around. None of them really looked injured. Scared, confused but not harmed enough to warrant an emergency call. "Alright everyone, listen up."

All voices went silent as the man spoke. "File out of the emergency staircase on in the east hall and head towards Schwartz Hall, understood? There we will..."

Thoom...Thoom...

The man never finished speaking as the floor, once again began to shake.

Everyone seized up and looked around as faint tremors began to shake the building once again. Whimpers and gasps sounded in rapid succession from every direction.

Jonah backed against the wall as the ground began to shake once more, his legs visibly trembling from the sudden series of events that were happening. However, unlike before, the tremor stopped as quickly as it came...before coming back again. And again. And again.

The tremors kept stopping to only come back, stronger than the last. Each one increased in force in between short pauses. Almost rythmically, it seemed. It was almost as if the quaking was getting... actually moving towards the building if that were possible. They began to shake him to his very core and he once again found it hard to retain his equilibrium.

A shadow overcame the entire building with one last tremor, with enough intensity to shake several students off their feet.

Jonah could hardly move. Something happening outside.

Screaming erupted from outside as he could hear the pitter-patter of several feet running in several directions outside. From the sixth floor, they were quite audible and horrifying.

Jonah managed to barely get his wits as he looked down at Rachel, who looked like she was close to crying. He whispered to her, in that was so fearful and unconvincing even to him, "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

"What...what's going on?" She whispered back to him.

"Oh my god!" Someone screamed. Everyone turned to the direction it came from.

Jonah immediately regretted his decision.

Outside, in the direction of the student who screamed, was an enormous, golden eye several times larger than his own head peering through a few windows on the other end of the hall.

Jonah's mouth went slack jawed as the eye seemed to lock onto him almost immediately. The pupil settled on his paralyzed form; he could see his reflection on the black circle.

The bottom eyelid lifted, as if smiling.

Then, a loud, resonating voice that shook the entire establishment boomed all around the building in mocking contempt that made his blood run cold.

"I've foooooound you...Arum."

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

Normalcy

Jonah Michaels really hated Economics. Almost as much as he hated Statistics.

But alas, both were requirements for his major, and therefore, unavoidable. He began to wish he had taken the AP courses while he was in high school instead of learning them in a broad classroom where the monotonous voice of Dr. Weiss began to seem more like a dull, rythmless lullaby than an actual lecture. The properties of Supply and Demand were a concept everyone with a working brain and who went through high school already grasped long ago; the redundancy of it all served more of an annoyance than anything else. He thought he was done with math when he took Calculus in the twelfth grade. But apparently, Math wasn't done with him, as the curriculum seemed to have deduced.

Fortunately, he had a couple minutes until he could finally break away from his studies, meet with his girlfriend in the evening, and spend his weekend sleeping. It had been a long semester, and he was already feeling more drained than ever despite not even entering his junior year. With so much going on, as well as balancing the stress of work, school, and relationships; he was feeling pretty burnt out. Not enough to drop out yet, but enough for him to wonder if he had made the right decision to come back for the semester. It was as though he was wearing a bag of weights on each shoulder that got heavier and heavier.

A thin, mirthless smile spread on his face as he stared at the diagrams on the sheet in front of him. Why did he have to walk in during that very moment? To hear all of that? How he truly felt about him? As if he was living under an illusion? A seed of anger began to well in him, as memories of what happened a month ago resurfaced into his mind.

Dr. Weiss's voice pulled him from his bitter thoughts. "Alright class. Remember you have to turn in pages 120 and 121 from your workbooks. And don't forget that some of you in my Business Ethics class have to bring your research findings here by Monday next week. Have a good weekend."

The students around him began to stand up and push in their chairs to meet up with their friends around the entrance of the classroom. Jonah stood up and roughly dropped his papers into the open page of his textbook before tucking it under his arm. Looking at the time, realizing it was 11:52, a couple minutes passed the end of the class, he walked outside the classroom to the direction of exit.

"Free now?"

Jonah turned around at the sudden voice which he assumed was addressed to him and smiled. Even in a ocean of people, he could recognize her form from the crowd.

Rachel Grant was a girl he knew from high school. One of the few familiar faces in a school so large and far away from home. When he was in his freshman year of high school, he had such a huge crush on her, he was afraid she'd find out. It was until his senior year in high school he got the courage to talk to her. And was pleased that she enjoyed his company, even if it wasn't in a romantic way. Now, especially since he had a girlfriend, they were merely friends. She was still cute, with long blonde hair that reached passed her shoulder blades, deep blue eyes, and black T-shirt with a yellow miniskirt and leather boots. But he was more than happy to stay with Diana and would never jeopardize his relationship with her for an old high school crush.

The girl caught up to the Jonah, her purse slipping a bit from her shoulder as she maneuvered through the crowd to get to him. "Want to grab a bite to eat? Didn't have anything but Chinese yesterday."

"Sure," Jonah answered, smiling a bit, "How was the Biology exam?"

"I blanked out when I got to the part about the mitochondrial DNA and lysosomes... All this time I spent studying last night and I forgot just like that. It's like my brain decided to just say 'Hey, remember all that studying you did? Yeah...let's wait until after the exam for you to remember.' Seriously, like, what the hell?"

Jonah let out a small chuckle. Rachel joined him. "But really though, screw cell biology!"

"Don't worry," he said as the two rounded a corner. "I was kind of spacing out for most of Econ too. I don't remember half the stuff he said. But hey, that's Dr. Weiss for you."

"Everyone says he is kind of boring. But luckily for me, I don't have to take hiiiiiim!" She sung, smiling broadly at Jonah.

"Well, screw you princess!" He laughed, feeling a bit more spirited. Rachel was always good at keeping him from his pessimistic thoughts, whether she knew it or not. "You Bio majors still have to deal with Dr. Caronne don't you? I've heard he's basically Difficulty Incarnate."

Rachel pretended to shiver. "I've heard too. I have to take him next semester for Molecular Biology. Made half the class change their majors last year. I'm trying to keep my scholarship! He'd be the one to go out of his way to make sure I fail."

"Some students actually did go to him and say he was too hard; he told them that the class was to weed out those who were ready and those who weren't."

Rachel's eyes widened as they turned to the corner near the steps. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious," Jonah replied, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "I think they went to the dean about it. But I don't know what he did. If he did anything at all anyway."

Both of them stopped as a generic ringtone sounded from Jonah's jacket pocket. He held up a finger to Rachel as he reached inside. "Hold on one moment."

Jonah pulled out his phone and brought it to his face.

His heart dropped as he saw the caller ID on his phone.

DAD

Jonah's mouth formed a formidable frown as he stared at the glowing white numbers on the screen. Just when he was beginning to forget the whole ordeal, it all came back to him all at once. Everything that happened last month. Everything he had been trying to cope with since the beginning of the semester. Everything that happened when he came back home that night. The very things he tried to suppress just a few minutes ago in his class. His hand squeezed the device tightly as he clenched his teeth. Why would he call when he knew he didn't want to speak to him? As if he wouldn't get the hint. Or rather, that he did but didn't care.

The phone seemed indifferent to his rising dread at the ringing persisted. Rachel looked at Jonah, her eyes full of worry as he glared at the name and digits on the phone. She looked at his screen, and with solemn understanding, didn't speak until the ringing had finally stopped several seconds later.

"Jonah," she began to say but he cut her off.

"Don't worry about it." He said abruptly. "I'm fine. Really."

His voice betrayed his words. They came out strained and forced. Rachel just placed her hand on his and slowly lowered the phone from his sight. "Y'know, you really should talk to someone about this. Like the school therapist."

"Don't want to," he said curtly, readjusting the textbook under his arm. His eyes seemed to darken. "Don't need to."

"Still," She said tugging on his arm to walk down the stairs. "You should answer his calls. At least once. It's been almost three weeks! And you really can't ignore him for long—"

"I know that!"

Jonah's eyes widened at the volume that came out of his mouth and the shocked expression on Rachel's face. A few students who were talking looked in their direction, faces scrunched in various expression confusion, curiosity, or annoyance at the sudden outburst. Guilt instantaneously swelled up in him as he sighed. "I know...it's just that...I can't. At least, not now. Not by phone."

Rachel just looked at him, her eyes somewhat wet. She let out a weak, small smile.

"I know...it's just...I don't like seeing you hurt."

Jonah didn't reply. He just stared at the green linoleum floor of the hallway. Chatter around him resurfaced, albeit stilted. Rachel continued to look at him with sympathy, and he couldn't help but wilt a bit at the feeling of being pitied. While he was sure that she meant well, he just didn't want to talk about anything regarding that awful day. Too many emotions, bottled up from that incident. He just couldn't really express them. At least, he wished he knew how to deal with them. With such a revelation of a great magnitude. How could anyone react to it?

Rachel just looked at him, putting a hand on his should. "Jonah..."

He glanced at her with miserable eyes.

However, before she could say anything to comfort him, the ground began to shake.

The students within the hallway and around the building began to scream as the the whole building seem to rock on its foundation.

Rachel screamed as she struggled to stay on her feet. Unfortunately, her attempts proved futile as she began to tip forward.

"Rachel!" Jonah cried as he instantly stuck a hand out and caught her by her right arm. That action was enough for him to lose his own balance as they both came crashing onto the ground. Jonah hissed as his shoulder collided with the floor. "Ah! Crap!"

Other students within the same hallway were either on the ground, having also fell victim to the turbulence around them, or clinging to something or someone. The floor began to crack as the whole building continued to violently shake. Rachel was screaming from beside him, holding her head between her arms as she scrunched her eyes shut. Jonah himself was beginning to panic as he feared that the very floor under him would give way at any moment.

Suddenly, a bright blue light came through the window; seemingly brighter than the very sun. Jonah was forced to shut his eyes as the light blinded several students and teachers, the panicked cries growing louder to a deafening tone. It was as if a discolored supernova had materialized right next to the building.

And just as quickly as it came, it dissipated and vanished, along with the earthquake. The ground stilled, with no warning as everyone was jolted at the sudden stop. Silence suddenly overcame the building for a moment as no one moved, as if expecting an aftershock to come. When nothing happened for about ten seconds, someone in the hallway tentatively stood up to their feet. After a few seconds, a few others began to also take the chance to stand up.

Jonah looked down at Rachel, who still looked terrified. He himself hadn't fully recovered just yet from the sudden event.

It was about a few seconds later when Rachel began to shakily lean up. "What...what the hell was that?"

"I-I...I don't know." Jacob responded quietly. His heart was beating so loudly, he could swear he could hear it in his ears. "I...I th-think that was an earthquake but...the hell was that light?"

The hallway began to fill up with concerned and frightened voices. A variety of of startled noises ranging from "Holy crap!" and "The hell was that!?" filled the building. Along with a few swears and weeping from other directions as well.

"Oh my god!" A shrill feminine voice sounded.

"What was that light!?" A much deeper voice sounded from the hall behind them.

"I didn't know this place got earthquakes!" A young nervous male's voice yelled, cracking.

"Did everyone see that light!?" A woman's voice asked, clearly panicked.

"Everyone calm down!" A professor's voice sounded from one of the classrooms.

"What happened outside!?"

"Was it a bomb!?"

Loud footsteps came from the southern hall as a tall, gruff man dressed in all black swung open the doors. His voice, baritone and clear, cut through all the cacophonous chatter. "Is everyone alright?"

Jonah, who was only about five feet away from the man, was able to speak, helping Rachel to her feet. "U-um...Yeah, I'm fine. You, Rachel?"

She nodded, swallowing. "Y-yeah. just scared is all."

The man didn't say anything. All he did was survey the students around. None of them really looked injured. Scared, confused but not harmed enough to warrant an emergency call. "Alright everyone, listen up."

All voices went silent as the man spoke. "File out of the emergency staircase on in the east hall and head towards Schwartz Hall, understood? There we will..."

Thoom...Thoom...

The man never finished speaking as the floor, once again began to shake.

Everyone seized up and looked around as faint tremors began to shake the building once again. Whimpers and gasps sounded in rapid succession from every direction.

Jonah backed against the wall as the ground began to shake once more, his legs visibly trembling from the sudden series of events that were happening. However, unlike before, the tremor stopped as quickly as it came...before coming back again. And again. And again.

The tremors kept stopping to only come back, stronger than the last. Each one increased in force in between short pauses. Almost rythmically, it seemed. It was almost as if the quaking was getting... actually moving towards the building if that were possible. They began to shake him to his very core and he once again found it hard to retain his equilibrium.

A shadow overcame the entire building with one last tremor, with enough intensity to shake several students off their feet.

Jonah could hardly move. Something happening outside.

Screaming erupted from outside as he could hear the pitter-patter of several feet running in several directions outside. From the sixth floor, they were quite audible and horrifying.

Jonah managed to barely get his wits as he looked down at Rachel, who looked like she was close to crying. He whispered to her, in that was so fearful and unconvincing even to him, "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine."

"What...what's going on?" She whispered back to him.

"Oh my god!" Someone screamed. Everyone turned to the direction it came from.

Jonah immediately regretted his decision.

Outside, in the direction of the student who screamed, was an enormous, golden eye several times larger than his own head peering through a few windows on the other end of the hall.

Jonah's mouth went slack jawed as the eye seemed to lock onto him almost immediately. The pupil settled on his paralyzed form; he could see his reflection on the black circle.

The bottom eyelid lifted, as if smiling.

Then, a loud, resonating voice that shook the entire establishment boomed all around the building in mocking contempt that made his blood run cold.

"I've foooooound you...Arum."